by Fujino Omori
So if you turn that around…
“My Magic is too weak to do that… ?”
“No, no. That’s not what Lilly’s saying. It’s the idea of quality over quantity, or quantity over quality. Mr. Bell’s Magic is formidable…At least for Lilly, a magic that can be cast suddenly is much scarier than one that is more powerful but takes time. Mr. Bell’s ‘Firebolt’ is scary because it can’t be avoided.”
Lilly smiles as she finished.
I guess she’s trying to say that my Magic is plenty intimidating as it is now.
It’s just that the impact of each strike lacks the power of other Magics.
So if I were to face a particularly strong monster—something with very high Defense—then my Magic won’t be as effective as other offensive magic would be.
Well, yeah, Magic isn’t perfect. I know that anyone can find a downside to any Magic in the book…
I don’t know if it’s because I’ve fantasized about Magic since I was a kid, but realizing the weakness in my own…I feel, I don’t know, sad somehow.
Lilly must have read the disappointment on my face because when I look up at her, she’s all smiles.
“Mr. Bell, oh Mr. Bell? Lilly thinks Mr. Bell’s Magic is one of the better ones, okay? No spell, lightning speed, but it’s growing very fast, too. That Magic is ahead of the pack.”
“…… ?”
“It’s very difficult to use Magic that requires time to cast. Does Mr. Bell think that monsters will wait for someone to finish the incantation? And since those Magics can’t be used very often, they can’t grow. Magic has to be used for it to get more powerful; the status won’t change.”
So if the caster doesn’t have a chance to use their Magic, their Magic Skill won’t improve.
In that case, with a little time and effort on my part, my Magic could become many times more powerful than it is now, if I use it frequently.
“As Magic Skill increases, so do the effects of each spell. Lilly knows this because her Magic changed as her Magic Skill went up. It has nothing to do with combat, but it could do more things.”
Lilly’s magic, “Cinder Ella,” has a limit to how much it can change the overall shape of her body. For the most part, she can only change to look like other short races or children of taller ones. Apparently she gained the ability to copy different types of clothing as her Magic Skill went up. However, she needs an example to copy for it to work.
Turns out her clothes right now are the result of her Magic (although she said that the effect ends if she takes a hit).
I take a long, hard look at my hand.
Thinking back, the size and power of the flaming bolts have gotten much thicker and stronger since the day I first cast Firebolt.
“Back to the original question: If Mr. Bell is depending on his Magic too much, or not. Since Magic gets stronger the more it’s used, Lilly doesn’t think it can be helped. Mr. Bell’s Magic could be considered a close-quarters combat technique, and he might neglect the others if he uses it too much, so it is difficult…But Lilly thinks Mr. Bell is doing okay as he is.”
Lilly’s very convincing, so I give her a firm nod.
It’s the opinion of the one person who’s spent the most time with me as an adventurer.
“Mr. Bell’s Magic element may be simple, and its power average, but its potential to grow makes it great. Be confident, Mr. Bell.”
I blush a little as she flashes her teeth in a big smile.
Thanks to Lilly’s seal of approval, I feel a lot better about my Magic.
Actually, to tell the truth, I feel relieved.
I say a quiet “Thanks” before standing up.
“Up for some more prowling?”
“Yes. Lilly will support Mr. Bell wherever he may go.”
That’s a strong way to say that…All I can do is smile.
The two of us work together, giving our all against the monsters of the lower tenth after that.
Chapter 3
BLACK RAID
“……”
My eyes slowly open.
I can see a clear, blue sky.
Staring up at it, I can feel a light breeze on my skin. It must have come down from up there.
My whole body hurts. What was I doing… ? Oh yeah—flashes of light, the sudden impacts over and over again—all of them were her attacks.
Did I get owned again… ?
I’ve lost count at this point; if I could move my neck, it would be drooping.
This is my training with Aiz on the top of the city wall.
These sessions are getting more and more violent by the day, to the point where me getting knocked out is not just normal, but expected. More than likely, that’s exactly what happened this time, and I’m sprawled out on the stone floor.
Just when I get around to trying to figure out how long I’ve been out, I notice something soft supporting my head…just happened to be there.
Two golden eyes come into my line of sight, forehead first, as I lay on my back.
“Are you okay?”
“…Waah?!”
That’s Aiz’s face! Suddenly wide-awake, I let out a strange grunt in surprise.
Rolling away from her, I put a little distance between us before climbing to my feet. Sure enough, when I turn around, there she is. Aiz is just calmly sitting on her feet, knees directly on the stone surface.
…My head was in her lap, again.
Ever since that incident in the Dungeon—the one where I used my Magic so much that I passed out—Aiz has put my head in her lap whenever I get knocked unconscious. I wonder if that day in the Dungeon is the reason why…
Don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that she’s doing this for me…But part of me wants to die. It’s just so pathetic in so many ways.
Aiz looks at me with confusion and pats her knees a few times. Tap tap tap. It’s an invitation to come back.
I shake my head no.
“Is your body feeling better?”
“…Yes.”
She gestures for me to take a seat next to her. My face is always reddish when we’re together, but I feel my cheeks go slightly darker as I sit down at her side.
The rock is really cold on my rear end, but I try to relax and lean back into the wall behind me.
Today turned into a full training day with Aiz.
As for why—I got a message from Lilly that she had to help out at the shop she’s living at today, so she couldn’t go into the Dungeon with me.
So rather than go into the Dungeon by myself, I told Aiz about my circumstances. I feel a little bad about training beyond our usual time, but here we are, still working under the blue sky.
It’s about break time now.
“Um, a-am I getting any better, at all?”
“…Why do you ask?”
“Well, you know, I’m getting knocked out a lot recently…”
I’m getting nervous just thinking about how close my shoulders are to hers, so I start a conversation.
Aiz looks at the side of my face in silence; I don’t have the guts to turn to face her.
“You are, and very quickly…Enough to surprise me.”
“Eh? B-but…”
“It’s most likely my fault, that you keep passing out…I forget my own strength.”
“S-so that means—?!”
She then slowly closes her eyes about halfway. I’ve figured out that whenever she does that, she’s feeling sad.
Her shoulders sink as her mood falls. I try to cheer her up, but at the same time, something feels strange.
She’s the shooting star far beyond my reach.
That hasn’t changed, but seeing her like this makes her seem much more human. The person beside me doesn’t look like the Kenki.
I can’t put it into words…This doesn’t feel real.
The lofty, sublime, and ever-beautiful Aiz Wallenstein has some strange points, just like a normal girl…I only feel this way about her during our breaks.
I
only started thinking about this after seeing her be depressed because she couldn’t hold herself back during training.
“…Can I ask you a question?”
“Huh?”
My train of thought had taken me far away when Aiz’s voice brings me back into the present.
Turning to face her directly, I find that she’s hiding her sadness with a very serious expression.
“How are you getting strong so quickly?”
“S-strong… ?”
Her choice of words made my eyes spin for a moment.
Strong—I didn’t know someone could use that word when talking about me. This has never happened before. How am I supposed to react?
All the most pathetic experiences I’ve ever had flash through my head. I just want to curl up in a hole and bury myself right now. But that look in her eye makes me stop and think for a moment.
How I got strong…No, why I’ve tried to become strong up until now…
“…You see, there’s a person that I want to catch up to. I put all my effort into chasing them, and now I’m like this…So…”
My brain’s going a mile a minute; my words aren’t coming out right.
Then again, the “person” I’m chasing is sitting right next to me, but I can’t say that directly to her! Way too embarrassing.
Feeling a bit disoriented, I manage to string a few more words together.
“…I think it’s because there’s a goal I have to reach, no matter what.”
I think I see Aiz’s eyes open a bit wider when she hears me.
She sits silently for a moment before leaning her head backward.
“I see.”
She wraps her arms lightly around her knees and just looks up at the sky.
A slightly stronger breeze rolls through; Aiz’s blond hair tickles my nose.
“…I know the feeling.”
“Huh?” The sound jumps out of my throat in response to her sudden words.
“I, too…”
A strong burst of wind blew in, and took the rest of her words with it. I have no idea what she said after that.
This wind is strong enough to make me shut my eyes.
It’s a sudden cool breeze from the west. The wind sounds like a flute as it passes through the wide avenues of the city.
When I finally reopen my eyes, there she is, sitting in exactly the same position like nothing happened. Her eyes are still gazing skyward.
“E-er…”
“?”
“Ah, um, it’s nothing.”
She tilts her head, showing almost no emotion on her small face. I can’t say anything.
What’s the point in asking her? I ask myself as I sit in front of this girl, with a look in her eyes that I’ve never seen on her before. They’ve made so many expressions—but not this one. It stops my thoughts in their tracks.
Our conversation stops there. Just when I was starting to feel restless.
A bell rings from Orario’s eastern bell tower. It’s noon.
I let the deep echoes of the bell fill my ears. It sounds a lot like church bells, actually. But at the same time, I hear the sound of horses coming from outside the city, beyond the wall. There must be some merchants trying to enter the city gates, and the Guild is conducting an inspection of their cargo.
We’re sitting on a wide stone path on the top of Orario’s city wall. There’s a barrier about chest-high on both sides of the path. A gorgeous view of the city spreads out on the inside of the wall. Looking the other way, I can see a large mountain range surrounded by dense forests and wide plains going far into the distance.
Listening to the unusual mix of bells and outside commotion, it hits me: the weather is spectacular today.
My eyelids droop as I feel the bright warmth of the sun and gaze at the white, puffy clouds in the distance.
“Haah…”
“…… ?”
I turn my head to find the source of that sound, only to see Aiz with her hand over her mouth.
Her small mouth is open, lips quivering slightly…she’s yawning.
Bathed in the warmth of the sun, she puts her arm back around her knees like nothing happened.
Shortly thereafter—
“Shall we practice napping?”
“Huh?”
My eyes shrink into little dots on my face as I consider her rather strange suggestion.
Turning her head to face me, Aiz suddenly starts speaking with vigor.
“You have to be able to sleep anywhere at any time, while in the Dungeon, after all.”
“……”
“It’s important to recover your strength quickly.”
She might have a good point.
I usually spend the day prowling the Dungeon and go home at night, but if I want to go deeper, I’ll need to spend nights down there, too. That means that I’ll need to be able to sleep knowing that there are monsters in there, too, and without a nice warm bed. It’s a problem that I, as an adventurer, will have to face sooner or later.
Aiz explains the importance of getting to sleep quickly, regardless of location, with all seriousness.
But as for me, I can’t even look at her without my face contorting into an embarrassed smile.
“Are you…maybe…sleepy?”
“……”
She then slowly turns her whole body my way and says:
“This is training.”
“R-right.”
Her face is just a few celches away from mine. Sweating profusely, I nod again and again until she backs away.
She looks a bit angry. Did I hit a nerve… ? But her cheeks…it’s only just a little, but they’re turning pink.
I…I can’t breathe…! What am I, an idiot… ?!
“W-well um…are we going to sleep here?”
“Yes.”
She gives a quick nod as she slides away from the wall, before lying down on the stone surface.
This goes without saying, but these stones are hard. To the builder’s credit, the path on top of the wall is very well constructed, but there are some uneven places here and there.
But Aiz doesn’t care about that. She lies right down and starts dozing. So this is the true power (?) of a top-class adventurer.
For someone who has to be able to rest anywhere in the deepest parts of the Dungeon, sleeping here—without any difficulty, I might add—might just be a walk in the park.
“Are you not going to sleep?”
“Ah, um…No, I’ll sleep.”
Feeling really awkward as she stares up at me, I make a little space between us before sitting down.
She’s sprawled out on her side, completely defenseless. If I were to do something impure—not that I would!—I’d have the opportunity…But then I see the blade of her saber, glistening in the afternoon sunlight. That puts an end to such thoughts rather quickly. Trying to pull a fast one on her all but guarantees she’ll mount my severed head on a wall somewhere.
And it’s not like she isn’t somewhat aware of what’s going on around her. Maybe this is another way for a master to test their student? It could be her own style of a test.
…And this is training, after all.
“…Well, then…”
Cautiously inching my body forward, I lay down next to Aiz.
Yeah, I’m not sleepy, at all. My heart is beating too loud for me to even relax.
I take a quick glance at Aiz out of the corner of my eye. But the moment I see her closed eyes, I immediately look away.
I squeeze my eyes closed so tight that I feel wrinkles pop up all over my forehead.
Sleep, sleep, SLEEP! I command myself as I lay on my back.
“…… ?”
I hear it a second later: light breathing.
I risk opening an eye and turning my head, only to find Aiz with her eyes closed and out like a light.
That was…quick.
I know it’s important to regain your strength in the Dungeon, but maybe she’s used to sleeping in places l
ike this?
Or maybe she was just that tired… ?
“…ve, Bell.”
…Wha?
“Make a move, Bell.”
I know that voice. What’s it doing in the back of my head?
There’s no way I could mistake that for something else…That’s Gramps’s voice. He raised me; I’ll never forget the sound of his voice. And now it’s coming from inside my head, for some reason.
It’s getting stronger by the moment. Am I being haunted? Or hallucinating… ?
…Hey, what’s going on…?
Aiz is getting closer… ?
It has to be an illusion. I squint my eyes like I do when I get up in the morning.
There should be enough room between us that one or two more people could fit…so why is…
“Now’s your chance, Bell!”
Now her face is really, really close!
?!
That’s when I notice what’s wrong.
We’re lying face-to-face; the distance between us is gone.
Aiz is getting closer and closer to me…Wait, no! She hasn’t moved a single celch this whole time!
So…so that means…!
“Go, now!”
I’m getting closer to her?!
My heart had been beating like there’s no tomorrow up until now, but it almost stops on the stop. My body is suddenly drenched in a cold sweat.
It’s really happening! My body, it’s getting closer to Aiz!
WHY?! HOW?! Am I really about to do something like…that?!
She’ll kill me!
“Take the opening!”
GAHHHH?!
Even closer.
Her face is getting bigger, big enough that I can see every detail of her innocent, sleeping face.
Her smooth, pure white skin. The nape of her neck…soft, delicate pink lips.
My face turns an intense red as her pristine visage comes even closer.
Wait! Wait wait wait! I scream inwardly.
Almost as if I were being controlled by Gramps’s “guidance,” my body starts to move into an even closer position. And skillfully enough to keep Aiz unaware of my presence. What the hell is going on?!
Am I seriously going to…to her… ?!
“Give ’er a kiss!”
DAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!
“—No! Wait! Bell!!”