Chapter 9 - Chapter Eight: The Magic Otaku Solves His Mana Problems
Three days’ walk along the road from the royal capital of Hanoku, a village of seventy or eighty houses rested with a dense forest at its back. In the center of this village stood a large, eye-catching manor. Though its construction was sturdy and lacked the elegance typical of the countryside, the low fence, the well-tended lawn, and the stables from which the faint whinnying of horses could be heard in the twilight all gave it a warmth quite different from the lavish mansions of the capital’s nobility.
Deep within the manor was a large study. A [Perpetual Light] on the ceiling illuminated the bare room, which contained nothing more than tall bookshelves and a rather large desk. An old woman sat at an angle to the desk, smoking a long pipe.
"Saki and Ruria both succeeded in chanting the spell on their first attempt today. Saki activated the [Light] spell but immediately fainted from mana exhaustion. He has since recovered."
A low, masculine voice, not at all what one would expect from an old woman, delivered the report in a strikingly monotone fashion. Yet, there was no one else in the room besides the old woman herself.
"Not only mana, but talent as well. Ruria is truly something to look forward to. Still… for Saki to succeed is a surprise. Even if it was just the [Light] spell, I can’t imagine he has enough mana for it."
Ester Adoni Arcalai murmured, exhaling a thin stream of smoke. She brought the pipe to her lips again and turned her face toward the empty space before the desk. But in her eyes, she could see the brilliant glow of mana swirling like a whirlwind in the center of the study.
It was the Third Tier spell, [Unseen Servant]. It summoned an invisible being connected to the spirits of the air, compelling it to serve for a fixed period. Though powerless and useless in combat, it was invisible, could move at high speeds, and had a vast operational range. Depending on its use, it was an exceedingly helpful spell.
"Has it already been three years? It might be nice to visit soon and see how much the two have grown. Relay that to Levi."
Upon hearing its dismissal, the [Unseen Servant] became a literal gust of wind and flew away. It passed through the room’s door and the manor’s walls as if they weren't there, racing back through the sky toward the distant royal capital.
Silence fell upon the study, where only the purple smoke from the pipe rose without a sound. Watching it drift, Ester became lost in deep thought.
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The next morning, I left the manor with the usual group, walking toward the academy in a thoroughly good mood. I couldn’t even remember how I’d gotten home yesterday, yet this morning, the familiar city streets and my usual route to the academy seemed to shine with a new, vibrant color.
"You really are back to normal."
Ruria, walking beside me, said this with a somewhat disgruntled look in her eyes. She seemed to be thinking something along the lines of, I worried for nothing. Thanking her silently, I smiled at her. Ruria turned her face away with a huff, but I could see the corners of her mouth twitch into the barest hint of a smile.
Along the way, I saw a young man who appeared to be a servant from some manor walking toward us. As we passed, I greeted him in a loud voice, "Good morning!" The young man froze with a start. Realizing I was the child of a noble, he bowed his head deeply and said, "G-good morning," before hurrying away in a fluster.
"Master Saki. Please refrain from addressing the retainers of other noble houses so casually. Besides… suddenly being spoken to like that puts a man in a difficult position."
Laz offered this counsel, his words as earnest as his personality. The latter half of his sentence was spoken gently, however, and a smile played on his face.
"You really are something else, Master Saki. But I was worried after you collapsed yesterday. You looked so down… I’m relieved to see you’re feeling better," Hanna added with a cheerful grin.
It seemed I had made them both quite worried yesterday. It’s one thing for me to feel down, but this was a fresh reminder of just how many people I cause to worry. Magic aside, this was something I needed to be mindful of, both as the son of a noble and as an individual. I had a lot to reflect on.
"Alright! Let's hit the books with everything we've got today!"
I faced forward and declared my intentions. What I needed to do hadn’t changed from yesterday, but it was amazing how different things felt with just a shift in mindset. With newfound resolve, I passed through the academy gates.
"Excuse me."
Before the lecture began, I made my way to the headmaster's office, the same room I’d been carried to yesterday. I had left the manor early for this very reason. Inside were only my father, my mother, and me. I’d asked Ruria and the others to wait outside.
"Father, Mother, I sincerely apologize for causing you to worry yesterday."
"No, it wasn't anything serious. There is no problem. So… what is it today?" my father asked, his expression serious as he sat behind the stately and magnificent headmaster’s desk. My mother, standing beside him, clutched the edge of her robe with a look of unease.
"Well, I just wanted to apologize for yesterday… Oh, and please, don't worry. Just because I've learned the truth about my mana doesn't mean I'm going to stop studying magic."
As I said this, having guessed their concerns, a palpable sense of relief washed over them.
"You'll say that for us? Given the circumstances, I was afraid you would be in shock… I’m relieved to hear it."
"Like I said yesterday, being able to wield spells isn't a magic user's only role. Learning the knowledge and passing it on to others is also very important. Your magic studies will never be a waste."
I could tell their words were not mere pleasantries. They were genuinely worried about me and trying to offer sincere encouragement—me, the heir to a great magic family, born with almost no mana. They really were good people. If I didn't have the memories of my past life, I wonder if I would have been genuinely moved. Or perhaps I would have sulked, rebelled, and turned into a delinquent.
"Thank you. The morning lecture will be starting soon, so if you'll excuse me."
I gave my parents a ninety-degree bow and left the office. Outside the door, I rejoined Ruria and the others and we headed for the lecture hall.
As Mother said, studying magic would never be useless. In this world, magic users seem to hold important positions, so it’s crucial to have connections within that circle. I at least need to learn enough to get into one of those magic academies. Words like "old school ties" exist for a reason, and it wasn’t hard to imagine that the friendships I make at school will become valuable assets in the future.
But even setting such calculations aside, my studies were vital for my own research into magic. Grandma once said that the words for sorcery and sorcerers used to exist. It was possible that traces of that ancient sorcery still remained within modern magic.
"Saki. What were you talking about?"
"Hm? Just that I'm going to keep working hard at my studies."
"I see. I'll work hard, too."
Ruria said this as we walked down the corridor toward the lecture hall. Hold on a second. If you work hard, won't you create a gap so wide that I'll never be able to catch up, no matter how hard I try? I wish she’d take it a little easier. I glanced sideways at her, thinking this as I noticed the glow of her mana seemed to be growing stronger by the day.
After finishing our general education lecture and eating lunch, it was time for the part I’d been looking forward to: the magic lecture. Today was practical application in the magic practice area with the other students. Our instructor was my father.
"Observing others as they cast their spells is also excellent practice. Don't just practice aimlessly. Always strive for a more refined casting."
Father's instructions flew out to the students scattered about, practicing. So that's how it is, I thought, turning my attention to the others.
It looked like an older student—about ten years old—was about to cast [Magic Missile]. He faced a target on the wall, formed a sigil, and chanted the spell's name. A magic arrow shot brilliantly from his fingertip and struck the target.
"…I see."
The older student’s spellcasting was a world away from what I had seen my father do the other day.
First, the speed at which he formed the sigil was slow. The line of light produced as he drew an oval with his fingertips looked faint and seemed on the verge of breaking. He was probably rushing, and if he went any faster, the line would likely sever completely. It took him two or three times longer to form the sigil than it took my father.
And his chanting of the spell's name was delayed by two or three beats after the sigil was complete. This was just a guess, but he probably couldn't quickly form a mental image of the arrow of light flying. As a result, the time it took for him to cast the spell was completely different from my father's. [Magic Missile] was a combat spell. If you couldn't cast it instantly when it mattered, your own life could be at risk. Just as Father said, you could learn a lot just by watching others cast spells.
On a whim, I spoke to Ruria, who was staring blankly at our surroundings.
"Ruria. Could you try casting that [Light] spell we learned yesterday?"
Ruria nodded, then instantly chanted, "[Light]," and produced a sphere of light. It was incredible. She drew the triangular sigil with a quick flick and chanted the spell name without a moment's hesitation. From start to finish, it was practically a single motion. The line of light that formed her sigil was a thick orange, a world of difference from the one cast by the senior who’d used [Magic Missile]. This was bad. At least when it came to the [Light] spell, on just her third day, Ruria had already reached a level beyond any of the older students at the academy.
What’s more, I couldn't see any diminishment in the glow of her mana after she used the spell. "You're really good, Ruria," I praised, as she made the sphere of light dance and spin above her fingertips. With this talent and this much mana, Ruria might just become an unbelievable magic user in the future.
"That's truly amazing. Have you already mastered the spell?"
Just then, someone spoke to us. I looked over and saw a boy, who appeared to be two or three years older than Ruria and me, smiling our way. He had the same blond hair and blue eyes as me, with delicate, soft features. He wore the robe that marked him as a student of magic, but like us, it looked more like he was "being made to wear it" than wearing it himself. If my first impression was right, he couldn't be more than eight or so, so that was to be expected.
"Hello, senior. I enrolled the other day. My name is Saki Adoni Arcalai. This is my childhood friend, Ruria Sharon… Hey, Ruria, stop that."
As expected, Ruria hid behind me as the older student approached, clinging to my back. Was the sphere of [Light] still spinning above her head some kind of statement?
"My apologies for addressing you so suddenly. My name is Roche Lamed. You must be the instructor's son, and a relative, correct? Everyone has been whispering about what promising new students you both are."
"Thank you for your courtesy. But Roche-senpai, we are the newest students in this academy. Please, I'd appreciate it if you'd speak to us as you would any other junior."
I bowed my head in response as Roche-senpai introduced himself with the proper etiquette for a noble. Since this academy was run by my family, the Arcalai, it wasn't overly strict about rules regarding social status, but Roche-senpai's demeanor was probably the norm. Besides, Roche was still so young, yet so composed. He didn’t have a middle name, so I assumed he was a commoner, but he was remarkably well-versed in social etiquette.
"I couldn't possibly do that. I have been attending this academy for two years now and can still only cast a single spell. I can hardly call myself a senior when I have only let the years pass me by in vain."
Roche offered a slightly sad smile. Ah, yeah. I’d noticed from the start, but among the students here, Roche was on the lower end when it came to mana. The glow of his aura was stronger than a normal person's, but a level or two below the other students. Even so, he was much better off than me, so I wished he would have a little more confidence instead of looking so down.
"Even I used up all my mana and fainted just from casting the [Light] spell," I said.
"Even so, you were able to cast it on the very day you learned it, weren't you? That is the bloodline of the Arcalai family, I suppose. Truly something to be admired."
"You think so? Say, if you don't mind, could you show me you using a spell, senior?"
"In front of you two? My casting is clumsy, so I'm a bit embarrassed, but very well."
Roche said this, then held out his hand and began to chant a spell. It seemed to be the same [Light] spell we had learned. Judging from Mother's teaching method, this might be the first spell all students are taught. Roche formed the sigil, chanted "[Light]," and successfully cast the spell.
"That was splendid, Roche-senpai."
"Oh, it's nothing to be proud of. Compared to the casting Miss Ruria showed us earlier, mine is nothing at all."
Roche smiled shyly, a sphere of light floating above his palm. It was true. The line of light that appeared when he formed the sigil was thin and weak, and his timing for chanting "[Light]" was also slow. The glow of the mana within his body had also faded considerably compared to before he cast the spell. For someone with his level of mana, even a single [Light] spell was a significant drain.
At that moment, the hand Ruria had on my back let go. I turned to see her with a sphere of light not only above her head, but now also spinning on the fingertips of both hands. Seeing her manipulating a total of three light orbs with a smug look on her face (though anyone else would have just thought it was her usual expression), I placed a hand on my forehead.
"…Senior. This one's a special case, so please pay her no mind."
"…Um, what should I say to that?"
Seeing the indescribable looks on my and Roche’s faces, Ruria’s eyes took on a quizzical expression, as if to say, "I don't get it." Maybe she was hoping for praise?
In the end, that day's lecture ended with me simply watching the other seniors practice their spells while chatting with Roche about magic and the academy. Roche was the only one who approached us that day. The other seniors kept their distance, never calling out to us. Perhaps they were intimidated by Ruria, who had six spheres of light orbiting her like tiny satellites.
That night, before going to sleep, I sat at my desk in the children's room, writing on a piece of parchment. The contents were for Roche. I planned to give it to him tomorrow, along with some advice. After watching the other students cast their spells during today's lecture and talking with Roche, I had an idea.
The difference between Ruria and me and the other students was probably our "power of imagination." I had trained in "visualization" to make my images tangible as part of my sorcery training, and Ruria had copied me. Casting spells involves visualization, both when forming the sigil and when chanting the spell's name. I believe it is because we can quickly and powerfully envision the act of drawing the sigil in the air and the image of the spell actually activating that we can cast them so smoothly.
Therefore, Roche and the other seniors should also train their power of imagination. As a starting point, I wanted Roche to try some visualization exercises. He was the first one to come talk to us, and I found his personality very likable. I hoped this could be a small bit of help for him on his path to becoming a magic user.
Finishing my writing, I turned toward the bed and called out, "I'm done." The sphere of light that had been floating above my head as I sat at the desk flew over to Ruria, who was sitting on her bed, and began to circle around her head. Ruria had been performing her daily Lesser Heavenly Cycle meditation, and had been using the [Light] spell to illuminate my work so it wouldn't be too dark. For some reason, I felt her handling of spells was improving at an incredible rate. Damn it, if only I had the mana, I'd be practicing spells left and right, too…
At that moment, an electric shock ran through my brain. The light of mana, the Lesser Heavenly Cycle, qigong. Through training based on my knowledge of qigong from my past life, my and Ruria's mana had increased (though only slightly in my case). I still didn't have enough mana, but if I was lacking, couldn't I just get it from somewhere else? And in qigong, there is a technique to gather the surrounding "qi" and absorb it into oneself.
For instance, the twinkling particles of light filling the air in this room. If this light, visible only to me, was also mana, couldn't I solve my mana shortage by gathering and absorbing it?
Alright, let's try it right now. Still sitting in my chair, I focused my consciousness on the point below my navel, just as I did for the Lesser Heavenly Cycle. As usual, the mana in my body condensed to form a sphere of light, but I left it there and raised my hands in front of my chest. I held my palms facing each other, slightly apart, and visualized another sphere of light floating between them.
Once the image was solid, I pictured the motes of light drifting in the air being sucked into the sphere between my hands and… it moved! The particles floating in the air were drawn toward my hands and absorbed into the visualized sphere of light. As the sphere continued to absorb them and swell in size, I moved it from my palms, up my arms, and into the sphere of mana below my navel, merging them.
"[Light]."
At that exact moment, I quickly formed the sigil and chanted. A physical light, a spell's illumination, burst forth from my palm, bathing me in its glow. The mana inside my body instantly lost its brilliance, and I felt a slight dizziness, but I didn't lose consciousness like I did yesterday. Success!
"Good job, Saki."
Ruria, who must have finished her meditation at some point, was looking at me and clapping her hands in praise. I scratched my cheek to hide my embarrassment, stood up from the chair, and walked over to the bed. Taking Ruria's hand, I thanked her.
Alright, with this, I can say I've barely earned the right to aim to be a magic user, can't I? If I continue this training, I might be able to gather even more mana and withstand the casting of more advanced spells. A magic practitioner who is naturally poor in mana could overcome that bottleneck by mastering this technique. If the effectiveness of the visualization training I plan to teach Roche tomorrow is proven, the difficulty of learning spells would decrease on both the technical and mana fronts. At this rate, the Arcalai family's private academy might just start a major movement in magic education in my generation.
Letting my imagination run wild with such thoughts, I wondered if I could make some progress on the sorcery front as well, and with that, I fell asleep.
My apologies for the late update again. Not only the update speed but also the story's pacing is slow, but I would be grateful if you would stick with me patiently.