I asked Eliza to sit on the sofa across from me and prepared tea.
A gentle, soft fragrance filled the room, instantly making it feel more welcoming.
"Sorry, I don't have any sweets."
"Oh, no! Please don't worry about it!" Eliza looked embarrassed as she took the teacup in her hands.
So cute.
Perhaps because it was hot, she flinched as soon as it touched her lips.
So cute.
"So, why do you want to become my apprentice?"
Eliza straightened her posture and looked at me. "I may have mentioned this before, but I am researching magic circles."
With this preface, Eliza began to explain her research. "In the Dwarven Kingdom, there are few who can become magicians. Aoi-sense, perhaps you could provide an equal opportunity for everyone to become a magician, but currently, there is no prospect for improvement. However, everyone has mana. So if we can revive magic circles, everyone in the Dwarven Kingdom might be able to use magic."
"Indeed, with magic circles, you can activate magic by using your imagination and manipulating mana. But aren’t there already tools that work to some extent when we infuse mana into magic stones?"
"You're referring to things like fire magic stones used to light fires, not ancient magical artifacts unearthed from ruins, right? Those are convenient tools for daily life, but they don't have the versatility or applicability of magic. Besides, if magic research remains stagnant, it will lead to a disparity in national power. I want to enrich my homeland, the Grandsands, even more."
Eliza spoke earnestly, her eyes filled with determination and devotion to her country.
Her resolve and passion were too great to ignore.
I smiled and nodded. "I understand. I will teach you about magic circles, albeit within my limited capacity. However, be prepared. It took me ten years to learn about magic circles. It won't be easy."
Eliza's face lit up with a radiant smile. "Yes!"
———
"This is…"
"I don't remember there being such a building…"
Strass and Speyside voiced their doubts as they looked at the structure.
Shenley tilted her head in confusion. "Did Aoi-sensei build it?"
Everyone turned to look at me.
"Yes, yesterday."
Silence reigned.
It seemed they accepted the explanation. Relieved, I moved to the door.
"Don't just go ahead as if nothing happened!"
"Aoi-san, did you build this in one night?!"
Strass and Eliza exclaimed in surprise.
I frowned. It was annoying how they treated me like a problem child. How rude.
"I received permission from the principal."
"That's not what I'm talking about…"
The two slumped their shoulders in resignation.
Felter shrugged. "It's just the usual."
Rox nodded at Felter's remark. "That’s true. I'm getting used to it by now."
Speyside sighed and explained, "I'm surprised because it’s a different kind of technique this time. In ancient times, there were buildings constructed with magic, but now, the mainstream is to create blocks with stone magic, line them up, and solidify them with ash solvent. Even though it's faster than non-magical construction, building such a structure in one day is still impossible."
Fore shook his head. "This technique is fascinating, but we need to prioritize continuing our lesson from the other day. If we have time after class, you can ask any questions."
I smiled at Fore's words and decided to have them open the door in order. "Excuse me, everyone. Could you please take turns opening and closing the door?"
Everyone exchanged glances, and Strass soon grasped the door handle.
Immediately, the door handle emitted a faint light.
"W-what is this…?"
To Strass's surprise, I nodded and answered, "This door can only be opened by someone with enough mana to use advanced magic. The mechanism is simple. When you grasp the handle, it measures the concentration of your mana. Once it detects a certain amount, it will release the lock."
"… Simple, you say? Well, it does sound simple just hearing that."
"Well, for now, please come inside."
I nudged Strass, who was twisting his head, forward to open the door. As soon as he entered, the walls glowed softly and absorbed his mana because he was the first to grasp the handle.
The room was essentially a large, cubic box with ventilation and drainage holes.
Despite the minimalistic design, the natural light and mana-powered lighting prevented it from feeling too dark.
"There's nothing here?" Ayle muttered.
These words seemed to echo the thoughts of everyone looking around inside.
I laughed. "This is a testing ground for offensive magic. It's not equipped for large-scale, powerful magic like Dragon's Breath, but it can handle typical advanced magic."
With that, I cast a lightning magic spell. "[Lightning Flash, Rising]."
A white orb appeared in front of my outstretched palm, which was facing the back of the building. Lines of electricity connected my five fingers to the orb, which rapidly grew to the size of a bowling ball.
Then it shot out like a bullet, leaving a trail of pale blue electricity around it, and collided with the far wall.
A deafening roar and the sound of the building's wall exploding reverberated throughout the room.
Everyone covered their ears, wincing at the sight before them.
"There's a hole in the wall," Rox muttered.
Cote pointed at the hole, looking flustered. "Ah, um, does that mean even a strong wall can be penetrated by lightning magic…?"
I shook my head at Cote's assumption. "It's just a wall about a meter thick. Physical destruction magic like ice or stone can penetrate it, but this building can’t be destroyed by magic below the advanced level."
Everyone seemed puzzled by my words.
But as they watched the shattered rocks float up and fill the hole, they understood what I meant.
"It's… repairing itself," Shenley said in awe.
Eliza ran over to me excitedly. "Is this the power of magic circles? I've heard of buildings with such functions in the Bushmills Empire…"
I calmed down the excited Eliza and addressed everyone. "Please calm down. We'll talk about the building next time. For now, let's focus on practicing lightning magic here."
Practicing in this place, the academy wouldn’t suffer any damage.
"We will add directionality to the lightning spell you learned the other day. Once you memorize the chant and mana manipulation, you will be able to use the lightning spell properly. Let's start practicing."
With that, I began the lesson.
———
By the end of the class, everyone had learned to use the lightning spell, albeit with varying degrees of power. After class, they exchanged satisfied looks and discussed their new spell.
Shenley and Dean had approached me with questions.
As I listened to them, Fore came over.
Noticing that he had something to say, I asked the two to be quiet and turned to Fore.
With a stern face, Fore looked down at me and said quietly, "… It was a good lesson. It seems I was mistaken."
I smiled at his words. "So, should I continue the lessons?"
"Yes, please. And if possible, I'd like to participate as well."
"Thank you."
Fore nodded slightly and walked away.
Thus, I was finally acknowledged by Fore Pern Roses, one of the senior teachers.