Chapter 767 - Chapter Seven: Magic Practice
The discussion with the Harpies ended successfully, and the Dragonewts and Harpies also became friendly. That night, we were guided to the nest and stayed for one night. For dinner, the male Harpy and the young Dragonewt caught a boar. I had given the two of them the water bottles the humans brought, and they not only fetched fresh water but also found a beehive and squeezed honey for us. Apparently, the Dragonewt found the beehive and squeezed the honey. The chick was also happy and its wariness thinned.
For the neutral Dragonewts, it's a good thing that the number of places where humans and monsters don't fight increases, and the forest remaining is particularly desirable. It's apparently a cause for joy that the number of places where the three parties... Demon Race, humans, and Dragonewts... don't fight increases.
In the middle, the chick seemed sleepy, so the Arachne and I left. The place where the chick was previously captive was completely filled in, and a new sleeping area had been dug, so the three of us slept. I don't know because [Mute] was applied to the banquet place, but the monsters, humans, and spirits must have made a grand fuss.
The next morning, we parted with the Harpies, returned to the construction site and parted with the Dragonewts and Beatrix, finished the recovery of the Northeastern Forest for July, and joined the Wetlands Priestess, whom we had left at the Finis-Northern Gram border, in the super-high-speed bowl, and returned to Medioland.
It's already late July. We're originally in the north and the altitude is high. It's cool and the weather is good. I feel refreshed. The Priestess is also excited because she learned a new magic.
"What did you learn?"
"What do you think?"
"Uh, [Cumulonimbus]."
"Ara? How did you know?"
"Because you know high-level lightning, and from there you jumped to [Thunderbolt]. Of course I'd get it right."
"That's true."
She's smiling. I bet she learned something else too.
"Do you know? I learned one more. What do you think?"
"Hmm..."
It must be darkness. The Queen of the border cannot use light or dark magic. It's the one Germana or I cast.
"I got it. [Blind]."
"That's right! Price-sama told me before. Those who learn [Undead] find it easier to learn other dark magics. It turned out just like that."
Now that you mention it, that was written in the secret book. That means the Wetlands Priestess has completed the set of magics that are the opposite of the first king's series.
"That's right! Isn't it amazing!"
"It's amazing. Then, didn't your magic control... no, spiritual power also increase quite a bit?"
"Well, yeah. Ei!"
A pale blue flame flares up. It's larger than when she absorbed mana in the sky.
"Probably, if I merge with Jeanne, I can completely block mid-level magic. I wonder if I can halve high-level magic."
Halving high-level... that's amazing.
Apparently, Fiona also powered up. She said to ask her directly and didn't tell me in detail, but if the two ghosts flare up their flames in a three-way merger, they've apparently reached a state where they can mostly block high-level magic. As for physical defense, she says they can probably block most of it if it's a steel sword. If I use the effect of the cat stone with a light outfit, I'll become quite powerful.
"After that is staff techniques. I can use them to some extent, but if the movement is too fast, the merger will slip. I'm too scared of the shakujo to do it."
Hmm. That's because my staff techniques are poor.
"I'll do my best..."
This part just doesn't go like the Headmistress.
While we were away, the production of stone materials seems to have progressed, and stone materials were teleported in the day after our arrival. Alex must have jumped to Beatrix's place. I'm sure such coordination was discussed with the Dragonewts in the field this time. The Dragonewts have already organized what you might call a stone material creation team, and several brown and deep green ones, who are strong in the earth attribute, should have been dispatched to the quarry and such. In the future, they will cooperate with the Dwarves and Elves, and the work will proceed more and more.
While the Henry Party was using the stone materials to build the base, I stayed in the basement with Germana and the Priestess and practiced magic intently. [Voiceless] is quite difficult, and I can't cast magic unless I make a vocalization that can be called a shout. I've turned twenty-five. In terms of age, the growth period is over. It's an age when it's said that learning new magic will become difficult. I can't expect much increase in magic control. It's not quite irritation, but only impatience is mounting.
"It's over!"
Bonnie's voice announcing the end of work echoed. She must be using [Loud]. We are doing it in a room in the basement of the central part, a place surrounded by stone walls except for the wooden door for the entrance, but it's heard with sufficient volume.
"Phew."
The day ended with no change at all. It's already the fifth day. I can't help but let out a sigh.
"What's wrong? Are you tired?"
Germana, who was looking around the walls, asked. Germana always crouches by my side while the Priestess and I are practicing magic, but occasionally she walks by the side while looking at the stone walls of the wall, perhaps to stretch her legs.
"No. I'm fine. I'm just about to hate myself for being so slow to learn."
"Ara? That's rare. For Jeanne to say such a thing."
"Is it?"
"Yeah. It is. Right? Germana?"
"That's right, you're too impatient. Also, you might want to change your perspective a bit."
"Perspective?"
"Yes."
According to Germana, if you keep doing the same thing and don't get results, you should try other ways.
Until now, I've just been chanting magic intently. By repeating the same thing over and over, you get used to it, or rather, you grasp the knack. That's what I was taught, and I've actually learned that way. Even Price-sama's way of casting magic until he faints is the same method, just with a greater burden.
"You're not fainting."
The Priestess interjects. Well, certainly, I haven't fainted with the current practice method.
"Because the magic doesn't activate. There's no way to faint."
Even if I say 'un-un', I'm just getting tired and not using mana.
"Then, why don't you think of a way to faint?"
Uh, Germana? Weren't we going to change the perspective?
Speaking of a way to faint, it's the simultaneous activation of [Light] and [Dark]. However, it's clear from the words of the Grand Archbishop and Price-sama that doing it many times is meaningless unless magic control increases. After all, both of them said that the simultaneous activation of two types of magic makes you faint, so it can't be used in actual combat.
However, according to Germana, it's better to cast many with a method you can do than to repeat a method you can't do.
"Is there a way you can do it with the Priestess?"
"With me?"
"Yes."
"With me, eh... ah, I see!"
The Priestess seems to have noticed something.
"Then, let's make it [Light] and [Dark]. We practiced together many times, right?"
And so, it became practice while merged with the Priestess.
It starts from the afternoon of the next day. Since I told Eleanor-sama beforehand, I don't think I'll be left alone even if I faint. Probably.
"Then, here I go. Germana, please."
"Three, two, one, now!"
"[Light]!"
"[Dark]!"
A vortex of black and white is beautifully created. I cancel it immediately, and it's the second time.
"Three, two, one, now!"
"[Light]!"
"[Dark]!"
"Jeanne, try the third time with your left hand, I'll do it with my right hand."
"Yeah. I understand."
It's [Light] with the left hand. I've never done it in a merged state.
"Three, two, one, now!"
"[Light]!"
"[Dark]!"
Eh? It doesn't activate.
"As I thought."
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"You don't usually do it with your left hand, do you?"
"Yeah."
"You might be lacking awareness."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. The output might have slipped a bit. Next time, try while looking at your left hand."
"I understand."
"Three, two, one, now!"
"[Light]!"
"[Dark]!"
It activated without a problem. I was nervous because a single left hand is rare.
"As expected, the right hand and left hand are different."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. Try concentrating your awareness on the hand you're casting magic from one more time, and do it in order. First the right."
I cast with the right and left alternately. It's certainly different. I'm casting with my right hand with ease because I'm used to it in a sense, but I'm aware of my left hand because I'm a bit nervous.
"It's true."
"Right?"
"Then, is this the cause?"
"No, I think it's the opposite."
"The opposite?"
"Yeah. When you cast, the basic thing is to be aware of the place you're putting it out from, right?"
I see! I got it.
"Wait a bit. Next, I'll try it alone."
"Okay. Then I won't do anything."
"Yeah."
I hold the shakujo with both hands. I hold it softly, relaxing the strength in my shoulders and arms. And I feel the weight of the shakujo firmly in my fingertips. It's the eight-shot volley.
I take a deep breath, and vocalize in my head as if I'm talking with [Thought Communication]... and exhale all at once!
A dazzling light came out from the tip of the shakujo! I did it! I activated it with just a breath!
"I did it! I did it! I did it!"
To think that the sensation of holding the shakujo with my fingertips was important, it's a story only now.
"You did it!"
"Yeah. I understand now. Priestess, thank you!"
"It's nothing, nothing. Even if I look like this, I'm a bit of an elite."
According to the Priestess, the palm itself is relaxed, but it's easier to activate if there's a place to be aware of at the moment of activation. Thinking about it, when I cast without holding the shakujo, I was concentrating my awareness on my palm. It's completely different from creating an image of activation, but I was prioritizing that when I first learned magic. Creating a clear image has been since I met Eleanor-sama, and casting while relaxed has been since I practiced the eight-shot volley. I had literally forgotten my initial resolution.
"Then, try it with a single shot. [Light] with the right hand, [Dark] with the left hand, let's activate them alternately."
"Yeah."
I did it! I've come much closer to [Voiceless].
"After that, it's just a matter of casting intently."
She started grinning.
I wonder how many shots I cast...
It wasn't continuous casting and it was one hand at a time, so I didn't faint. It was hard because my hands started to hurt from raising them so many times. In the end, it was over when I got dizzy and my knees dropped.
"You worked quite hard."
While I was leaning against the wall, the Priestess handed me a water bottle containing wine.
"Sorry, Jeanne. I can't do a direct injection of mana into a human like I did for the Dragonewt."
It must be too dense. It would be terrible if I turned pitch black and became a monster.
"It's okay. Don't worry about it."
It's enough that she's being considerate.
"You're used to it, aren't you?"
"Well, yeah."
It's true. Since I was mostly fainting, this time when I'm conscious is better.
"So, did you understand?"
"The sensation of activation?"
"That."
"Somehow, I guess. I feel like I've returned to my initial resolution."
"That's fine. Then, let's try it just one more time."
"Eh?"
A demon. She's really intending to squeeze me dry.
"It's okay because you're a priest. And they say it's most effective to do it when you feel like you've reached your limit."
Is that how it is? I feel like I've never heard that before.
"Until you faint, it's just a warm-up. You grow by pushing yourself to the brink and giving it one last squeeze."
"I'm already twenty-five."
"It's not a new magic, so it's okay, it's okay."
I hope that's true.
The dizziness became worse with the last squeeze, but I managed not to faint. I stayed leaning against the wall until it was time to go home in the evening, watching the Priestess practice casting magic. Germana stayed by my side or walked around the wall once.
In the afternoon of the next day, after giving the last squeeze, the Priestess called Wilson-san. And the Priestess started practicing [Mold]. She only needed to heal Wilson-san's scratch the first time, and after that, she just needed to maintain the sensation of activation from that time. She casts [Mold] with her right hand and [Dark] with her left hand. She repeats this alternately. Since my whole body is exhausted and relaxed, I can clearly understand the sensation when the Priestess uses magic. Probably, the Priestess told me to do the last squeeze to have me grasp this sensation.
I close my eyes and compare the difference in sensation between my right and left hands. [Mold] is recovery, so it's similar to [Heal]. [Dark] is similar to the activation and sensation of [Light]. She's doing it alternately with right and left, swapping right and left, or casting both magics with one hand. I make the sensation when the Priestess activates it my own. That's how I spent my time.
The next day was the same. In the morning, I practiced casting magic just by exhaling and made the sensation accurate. In the afternoon, I practiced simultaneous activation while merged with the Priestess. I had Wilson-san cooperate only for the first time.
The change occurred five days later. According to Germana, if results don't come soon, we'll have to change the method.
"Then, I won't say out loud what the practice was for. Try it."
Even if she doesn't say it out loud, the Queen of the border has completely seen through it.
Well, fine.
"Then, I'll take you up on that."
First is the time lag. I close my eyes and remember the sensation when we merged in my palms. And I hold the sensation of my fingertips firmly by bringing only my fingertips together with both hands.
I take several deep breaths and call up the wording in my head...
[Light] came out from my right hand! I did it!
Next, [Dark] from my left hand... this also came out!
"I did it!"
I finally did it!
"Then, it's the real thing, isn't it?"
The Priestess is grinning.
Finally.
"Then, I'm counting on you if I faint."
If I can't get past this, there's no meaning to what I've done so far.
"Leave the rest to me. Good luck."
"Understood."
I'll brace myself. It's already July. Four months have passed since then. I want to think I've grown a little.
I take deep breaths in and out. During that time, I sharpen the sensation in both palms.
"Okay! I'm casting!"
I take a deep breath, and when I'm full, I hold my breath.
"Go!"
I remember the sensation in both hands. I cast it many times with the Priestess merged. I should be able to do it.
"!"
At the same time as I exhale, I cast the magic.
[Light] from the right hand, [Dark] from the left hand.
The sensation of activation came from both palms. Light and mist rise from each palm... and a black and white vortex is being created overhead!
Did I do it? My vision is swaying, but it hasn't gone pitch black. I haven't fainted yet.
The vortex turns in my swaying vision...
My knees are shaking. I feel like I'm going to fall, but I braced myself by putting strength into my inner thighs.
It turned! A vortex was created!
"You did it!"
"Congratulations! Jeanne."
I can hear the voices of the two. I can still see the vortex.
"Take a breath!"
When I took a deep breath at the Priestess's voice, unfortunately, the vortex gradually stopped rotating and finally disappeared, but I managed not to faint.
Simultaneous activation with a breath and without vocalization. I managed to do it.
The moment I lowered both hands and looked back at the two behind me, the Priestess, who jumped at me, passed through my body with too much momentum.