Chapter 32

After I finished eating, I went to my room to practice using magic. There was no reason for me to go outside, so I was able to take my time with it.

First, I concentrate on the magical energy itself. The main current of power that runs within me. The power of water, ice, and fire. My hand stretches outward with the palm facing up. Then I imagine that magical energy is gathering there right in my hand.

Immediately, I feel as if my hand has gotten heavier. It was as if an invisible object had been placed there. Then I give this object a shape. A sphere. A slowly rotating mass. I close my eyes to help me with my imagination.

“Good…good…”

I breathe in deep and begin to adjust the shape of magical energy. I wanted it to be as perfectly round as possible. After that, I added color. A blue magical energy is overlaid. The color covers the spinning sphere and it marbles. Then the blue color envelopes the sphere completely.

I slowly open my eyes. There in the palm of my hand was a rotating ball of water.

“I really took my time with this one…”

I inspect the ball of water. This wasn’t a hasty construction like the ice bullet that I fired in the forest. I worked hard to build this thing with magical energy. I bring up my other hand which was empty and then I create a water ball without much thought. Comparing these two floating spheres up close, I started to feel as if the there was a difference in ‘density.’ But I didn’t have any skills that allowed me to actually detect this, so I wasn’t sure…

Well, I should ask my master if I didn’t know.

I kept the two balls floating on the palms of my hands as I opened the door with my foot and went out into the hallway. I was headed for Daniela’s room. She was also on the second floor, but on the opposite side. And so I had to walk. But I was able to reach her room without bumping into anyone else.

“Master Daniela. You in there?”

I had to call her as I couldn’t knock at the moment. The door promptly opened from the other side, and Daniela greeted me in her room clothes.

“What is it? There is no master here.”

“Master Daniela. Could you take a look at these?”

I thrust the two balls forward.

“Ahh! You fool. You must not use magic within living quarters!”

“What? Really?”

I really had no idea that this was a thing, and I tilt my head to the side.

“It is not impossible that it will get out of control and destroy the whole building!”

I feel my entire body freeze over. Oh, shit. What should I do…! Perhaps my frantic heart was affecting the magic, because now the balls of water were shaking and I could hear them splash.

“Ah, Asagi, take deep breaths. Deep breaths.”

“Huuhhh, haaahhh, huhhh, haaah…”

After I finally calmed down, the balls began to slowly rotate again. That was close…

“Damn it… It seems that you really do need a master to teach you?”

“I’m a disgrace…”

“Well, you can come in for now. There is no point in standing here is there?”

And so I entered with her invitation.

“So, what is that?”

“Ohh, this. This water ball was made through a process that started with me imagining the collecting of magical energy. This water ball was made by simply imaging a ball. Do you think that there is a difference?”

I pointed with my chin as I explained. Daniela smirked and folded her arms before giving the two balls a closer look.

“This one. The one with the extra steps taken has a higher concentration of magic. Though the other one is not too bad either. I suppose the difference comes from how you imagined them.”

I see. She had said before that your imagination was important. That you didn’t need to take those extra steps if you could imagine it correctly. But weren’t those extra steps about chanting? All of this was starting to make me think I had wasted my time with this practice. So I decided to not think about it.

“In terms of imagining. It’s perfect.”

“So the real issue is being able to put it into practice where it counts, eh?”

“You will become a good warrior once you have enough experience to be able to use magic immediately whenever it is necessary.”

Master Daniela’s words of praise made me quite happy. I had been labeled as something dishonorable for having the Jack of all Trades, Master of None skill, but at the end of the day, I would be able to do anything if I practiced enough.

After that, we talked endlessly about inconsequential things like, ‘that street stall has very good food,’ or ‘that weapon shop has terrible quality.’

□ □ □ □

In the end, it took two whole days for the rain to let up. Currently, Daniela and I were walking down a muddy path through the forest. The sun was warm and dry, but the ground was terrible. I couldn’t help but frown as my boots were covered in mud. Daniela, for her part was accustomed to bad weather and did not seem to mind as she quickly made her way through the forest.

It was difficult having to run after her.

“I guess you’re too old have some fun in the mud?”

“Ah, but you really are of an adorable young age to me, Asagi.”

“Please stop that, madam.”

“Now you are just being hurtful.”

We bantered as she walked on ahead. I was starting to breathe heavily as I followed her, but she continued to move lightly through the trees. God, this was tough. I needed a rest.

I grumbled inwardly until Daniela suddenly stopped. For a second I thought she was being kind and considerate of me, but then I realize that I was wrong. We were suddenly surrounded by a tense atmosphere.

“The forest wolves.”

She whispers to me. I spread the range of presence detection and a sense that there were even more wolves deeper into the bushes.

“Beowulf’s relatives… I don’t really want to fight them.”

“Indeed. However, we may not have a choice.”

“Ah, yeah.”

I can sense something approaching. It seems that they had noticed us. We both draw our swords and wait. The trees and bushes rustle loudly and forest wolves slowly emerge. There are three of them. They stare us down without moving. And yet, there was no hostility in their stare, it seemed like they were only confirming something. Then suddenly, they looked in the direction of the bushes that they had appeared from, then they looked back to us before retracing the path that they had come. Was this…

“I think they want us to follow them.”

“It appears to be so… Well, I doubt it is a trap.”

I guess they were like Beowulf’s servants. He must have anticipated that we would visit him. We sheathed our weapons and followed after the forest wolves. I hated the splashing of the mud, but I would lose them if I cared about it now. It couldn’t be helped. Damn it.