episode_0011

Sunny morning.

Luke went to see Elin as usual.

“May I come in, Your Majesty?”

-Just wait a minute.

“Okay.”

Luke tilted his head as he answered reflexively.

Why did I hear the answer from inside?

There’s no way Elin would be awake right now?

Squeak.

The visit was opened.

“… Hello.”

Elin had already finished bathing.

It was still visible that he had only washed it with soap.

That’s not important right now.

“What brings you here, Your Highness? You’re up so early.”

“Today is a day to study.”

“… Studying?”

What do you mean by studying?

I never gave any homework.

“… I thought it was cut off.”

“Yes?”

“I thought I got fired because I was called by my mother yesterday and didn’t come back.”

Oh, so that’s why you were going to study like you always did.

“I’m sorry. It’s so late now that I’ve finished talking, I thought you were asleep.”

“… You said you would definitely come back.”

“I’m sorry.”

He bowed without saying a word.

It was because I could feel the moisture in Elin’s voice.

Elin, who was rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, glared at Luke.

“I will never do that again.”

“… Really?”

“Really.”

“… … I promise.”

Ellen held out her little finger.

If this makes you feel better, I’ll walk as much as you want.

“Come in.”

Elin, who had received the promise, went into the room.

I followed in and examined the little feet.

“It seems like you’re feeling a lot better.”

“Huh? Ah… .”

Elin wiggles her white toes.

“I’m almost better. Thanks to you.”

The corners of Ellen’s mouth twitched.

It’s a shame that the smile isn’t fully formed, but for now, this is enough.

“I’m so proud.”

After beating up Gerald, Ellen occasionally shows her emotions like that.

vestige.

It’s really a bit pricey, but I’m still grateful for that.

“Were you studying this?”

“Yeah.”

The corners of his lips, which had been rising happily, became stiff.

It’s because I found a familiar cover.

[Basics of Mana]

It’s a title that looks very easy.

Of course, the only thing that’s easy is the title.

“Isn’t this a specialized textbook used in the academy?”

Elin is only 12 years old.

The average age of entry into the Academy is 16.

What’s more, isn’t Elin not even able to use magic properly?

There was absolutely no reason to be looking at a book like this.

“Do you understand?”

“No.”

Ellen immediately shook her head.

“I don’t know anything.”

“But why are you looking at it?”

“Because my father told me to.”

Looking closely, I could see that Elin’s body was shaking slightly.

“… If you don’t do it properly, you’ll get punished.”

“Who will punish the princess? Now I am in charge of education.”

“… … ”

Elin looked at Luke without saying a word.

… Oh, I said I thought it was cut off.

“I’m sorry.”

When I offered her the apology again, Ellen shook her head.

“Okay.”

“Is there a set amount?”

“Rather than the amount… there is a set time.”

“How much should I do?”

“12 hours.”

“… … Yes?”

I thought I misheard.

“On study days, you must sit at your desk for at least 12 hours.”

Checking your study volume by time is the worst.

Indiscriminately increasing the time is also the worst.

“… There are about 11 hours left, so just wait a little bit… Teacher?”

When Ellen turns her head.

Luke was taking off his watch.

“Your watch will be confiscated for the time being.”

Swish.

I just put the clock into subspace.

“Forget all the learning methods you’ve used so far. Starting today, I’ll teach you something new.”

“… …Why did you take the watch?”

“Don’t feel pressured by time. Your Majesty, you don’t need to be impatient at all.”

“If it’s like this, I can’t tell the time even on normal days.”

“It’s okay. I’ll be here anytime. Ask me and I’ll tell you.”

“Hmm.”

Elin nodded slowly, her voice dripping.

“So you’re going to teach me magic starting today?”

“Yes. First, let’s go outside.”

“Why?”

“The weather is really nice.”

Ellen’s feet are also feeling better.

The weather is also nice.

On a day like this, I can’t just stay locked in my room and read a book.

Luke immediately opened a portal leading out into the garden.

* * * * *

“If you come out recklessly, you’ll get in trouble.”

Elin, who had come out into the garden with me by chance, lowered her voice.

“It’s okay. I’ll take responsibility.”

I was trying to get on with it like usual.

Ellen grabbed Luke’s sleeve.

“That responsibility. How do you plan on taking it?”

Elin continued, her lips pursed.

“If you are going to leave with responsibility… .”

“That won’t happen.”

Don’t worry about useless things.

“I am the princess’s tutor. How could I leave you behind?”

“The people who were there before disappeared quickly.”

“Were they all like me?”

“Huh?”

“Did you promise with your fingers crossed that you would never leave the princess’ side?”

Elin looks down at her fingers.

He immediately shakes his head.

“I would never do that. Unless you push me away first.”

“… … I’ll believe you.”

The strength drains from the hand that was holding onto the sleeve tightly.

It seems like only yesterday we were on guard.

No, actually it was the day before yesterday.

Now I’m worried that Luke might leave.

Where are you going?

I can’t leave until I see you happy.

match!

He clapped his hands to liven up the atmosphere.

“Now we will begin the class in earnest.”

Elin was still expressionless, but her bangs were shaking violently.

I guess it’s okay to see it as overflowing with enthusiasm.

“Before I teach you magic. What do you think magic is, Princess?”

“Using mana to manipulate nature as you wish.”

Is it because I read the major books?

A mechanical answer popped out.

“That’s the dictionary definition. What the princess said was something like this, for example.”

Exactly.

When Luke snaps his fingers, fire bursts into his other hand.

“Calling nature in exchange for mana.”

Exactly, exactly.

With each snap of his fingers, fire transformed into ice and then into electricity.

“But that’s not all.”

match.

When we put our hands together, a subspace opens up.

The watch that was taken off earlier is now in his hand.

“Opening other dimensions is not part of nature. So here’s the problem. How do I use spatial magic?”

“Hmm.”

Elin tilted her head, licking her lips.

The fool’s fur swayed gently.

I think he tried to come up with an answer in his own way, but in the end he shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

“That would be the case. Space magic and curse magic are magics that have different opinions even among scholars.”

In reality, there aren’t many magicians who specialize in spatial magic.

Natia also covets Luke’s grimoire.

It wasn’t a big deal that Lanian suggested building a magic tower.

“Let me tell you the answer. Magic is not actually about manipulating nature.”

And now.

Luke offers to teach Elin his magic without any cost.

“You can rub the mana in the direction you want.”

There is a huge difference between mana manipulation and nature manipulation.

It’s like the difference between drawing from pure imagination and drawing from an object.

The former is difficult, but the possibilities are endless.

The latter is relatively easy, but has clear limitations.

“So there is only one thing I can teach you.”

Exactly.

As I snap my fingers, blue mana waves scatter into the air.

I gathered the mana waves well and placed them on my palm.

“If you focus like this.”

Swirling mana.

Compressed into a small ball shape.

The clumped mana sphere remained stable on his hand.

“Draw and transform as much mana as you want. If you can do this, other magic is like eating cake while lying down.”

Elin, who was blankly staring at the spinning mana sphere, tilted her head.

“… How do you do that?”

“You said that the princess can’t use magic at all.”

Nod nod.

“That’s because you haven’t gotten the hang of it yet. Would you like to try catching this mana sphere?”

He threw the sphere he was holding.

Elin caught it with both hands, her hair standing on end.

“The shape isn’t distorted at all. That’s amazing.”

Clap clap clap.

Applause echoed throughout the garden.

Ellen blinked.

What good does it do to just receive what was thrown at you?

“It is almost impossible to maintain the mana gathered by others. The princess did it in one go.”

It’s not that Ellen doesn’t have talent.

Rather, his talent for handling mana may be superior to Luke’s.

Luke was genuinely impressed.

“Princess. Can you possibly create fire magic with that mana?”

“… I’ll try.”

Elin closed her eyes and chanted a simple one-circle spell.

Pushy-

“Ah.”

The mana sphere disappeared into nothingness.

The problem was this.

It is clear that Mana has innate abilities, but she cannot advance to the next level.

Why is that?

It was a question that remained unresolved even after nine rounds.

Just because you don’t know why doesn’t mean you can’t use magic.

“It always happens like this. I did it exactly as I was taught.”

Elin, drooping like a withered vegetable.

His already short stature became even shorter.

“Did you learn it from someone?”

“Mother.”

“Oh, I guess the Duchess doesn’t have the ability to teach.”

Elin’s eyes became mysterious.

Oh, that might have sounded like a rant.

But I couldn’t stand the thought of Natia treating Elin like a tool of the family.

“As I said before, you will forget everything you have learned so far.”

“Are you telling me to start over from the beginning?”

“That’s it. Don’t worry. I’ll help you.”

He held out both hands to Elin.

“Would you like to put your hand on my palm?”

A small hand with mangled fingernails rises.

I guess I’ll have to treat this separately.

“I will drain the mana. Remember the feeling well.”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t open your mouth, in case something goes wrong.”

“… sigh.”

“You can take a deep breath.”

“Hoo.”

The momentary pause in breathing continues.

“Close your eyes and focus on your senses.”

Elin closed her eyes.

Luke slowly created a mana sphere.

What’s different from before is that a sphere is created on a small palm.

“… !”

The hairs on my head stood on end.

“Do you feel it? What is mana?”

Nodding, nodding.

“Now, please open your eyes.”

Elin slowly opens her eyes.

“… Huh.”

I took a short breath.

A small sphere of mana spinning on Elin’s palm.

Luke’s hand was not underneath.

I wonder if that fact distracted you.

Mana’s shape quickly became distorted.

“It’s not that I don’t have an eye for it.”

“… … ?”

“The princess has talent.”

Elin’s eyes widened.

That’s because it was a word I had never heard before in my life.

“You maintained the mana sphere by yourself. That’s not something anyone can do.”

What you just did was nothing special.

It’s like holding a bicycle from behind and then secretly letting go.

Elin was convinced that Luke was helping her.

In fact, I was moving forward vigorously on my own strength.

“Can you try it by yourself?”

“… I’ll try.”

And once a child learns to ride a bike on his own, he becomes interested in it.

Even more so if compliments are added.

Elin, with her mouth as wide as a chestnut, concentrated her mana.

The mana swirled like before, but it never clumped together into a ball.

It’s normal.

Even if you can ride a bike alone, you won’t get used to it right away.

“You don’t have to overdo it. If you do this slowly every day, you will grow quickly.”

Swish, swish.

I patted her little head.

Is it because I’m concentrating?

Elin no longer trembled at the touch of Luke’s hand.

“What do you think? Isn’t it fun?”

“Yeah, fun… … ugh.”

Ellin, who had been raising the corners of her lips, stumbled.

“Your Majesty?”

“Ugh… … .”

Luke caught the falling Elin.

Gulp, a stream of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

“Princess! Why are you doing this!”

I put my hand on my forehead.

It’s hot.

So much so that I thought I might get burned.

“This is….”

The situation was quickly resolved.

Because it’s a sight I see countless times during the Academy exam period.

I collapsed while trying to force myself to generate mana.

Kuk.

I bit my lip.

I was careless.

I thought this much was okay.

From the first class, I pushed myself until I collapsed.

Isn’t that completely disqualifying as a tutor?

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

He quickly hugged Elin.

It was okay to put off blaming myself until later.

But if Ellen did something wrong, even just a little, I felt like I couldn’t forgive her.

“Please bear with me for a moment.”

Luke, who had cooled his head, ran straight to find the senator.