episode_0017

Ignolia is in the middle of the Jingga continent. Anyone can come there, but not everyone could live there. Naturally, it was a place where many adventurers and wizards gathered and parted ways.

So Ignolia did not belong to any country, but its prosperity was not inferior to any other country. Aralia, Photon, and Idris were the same. Of course, I had never been to the capital, but cities are probably similar. If Ignolia had something unique compared to other cities and countries, it was that magic was everyday life in this city.

Wizards from all over the continent gathered, selling their magical tools, and magical items like mana lamps were laid out on the streets.

“Am I a little late?”

Arriving at Ignolia’s square and speaking to Sharen, she smiled at me.

“I came early because the holidays are short.”

“Then you should have been doing something, instead of sitting in the square doing nothing.”

“That’s not so bad, considering how tough the Academy’s classes are. It’s just a simple break.”

“Well… if you put it that way, you’re still a top student.”

“It’s about putting in effort.”

“If someone hears that, they might think I don’t put in any effort.”

Saying that, she chuckled, then stood up from the bench, stretched, and spoke to me.

“Do you want to go see the staff first? Or should I introduce you to Ignolia?”

“What do you mean by introducing Ignolia to someone who works in Ignolia?”

“You’ve probably just been wandering around the shopping district in Ignolia, right?”

“Just because of that doesn’t mean we should go to dangerous places, right?”

“There’s nothing we can’t do.”

“You haven’t forgotten the rules of the Academy, have you?”

“If you don’t get caught, no one knows.”

I sighed softly at Sharen’s laughter. Sometimes, she’s a really strange friend, normal yet not quite.

“Let’s go buy the staff first, and then we can have lunch.”

And we started to move our feet.

Egnolia is divided into commercial and residential areas, with alleys in between. There are rumors of underground passages, but since I couldn’t easily access those areas, I usually frequented the commercial zone. As I arrived at the familiar commercial area, passing by Toa’s bar, I spoke towards Sharen.

“This is where I work.”

“Isn’t it tough?”

“It’s much easier than farming. At least I’m not fighting nature. Dealing with people isn’t that difficult either.”

“Someday, if the opportunity arises, I should come eat something here.”

“First off, I don’t sell alcohol.”

“I don’t plan on drinking. If I became a noble and broke the law, I’d be caught immediately.”

“I don’t know Photon’s laws.”

Sharen nodded slowly in response to my words and walked along the street.

“Whether Photon’s laws or Araelia’s laws, they’re not that different. Maybe there are differences in detail, but ultimately, they follow the words of the god of order, Dunaat, as law.”

“Dunaat… I see about Photon.”

“Araelia is different?”

“Araelia follows the words of the goddess of order, Martin.”

“That’s where the difference lies. Oh, there’s the staff shop over there.”

At Sharen’s words, I turned my head and saw a small staff shop in a corner of the commercial area. I thought being a noble, I would go to a bigger place, but apparently not.

“I bought my staff there, my mother bought it for me.”

“I don’t know much about staffs, so tell me about them.”

“Well… Even if I say that, you’ll only understand when you hold one. Ultimately, a staff has to fit your hand, and by changing the gem in an already made staff, you can use it for a long time.”

“It’s complicated when you put it that way.”

As Sharen and I entered the staff shop, an old man was sitting behind the counter. The elderly man with white hair grinned as he looked at Sharen.

“The second son of the Tirk family has arrived, it doesn’t seem like his staff is broken… Who is the gentleman next to him? He looks refined, but his hands are rough, so he must not be a noble… Is he a friend of the Tirk young master?”

“He is Astan, a friend of Sharene, and hails from Araelia.”

“No wonder, his eyes are green, he must be from the eastern part of Araelia.”

“My friend needs to buy a staff, could you show us a few?”

“Hmm… let’s see.”

The owner’s eyes behind his glasses seemed to sparkle. Naturally, as someone who makes magic staffs, he must be familiar with magic, but for some reason, I felt overwhelmed by an indescribable energy.

“You use ice magic.”

“I’m still inexperienced, but yes.”

“Ice magic… considering your height and large hands, a short staff won’t do.”

With those words, the owner took out several staffs and placed five in front of me. They didn’t look very different at first glance, but the engravings on the gems were different, and the colors of the staffs varied.

I gripped the one on the far left and moved it slightly, but felt nothing special. I tried the second and third staffs, but they were no different. Then, as I gripped the fourth staff, I instinctively knew.

This must be the right staff, I thought, and a smile naturally formed on my face, when Sharene’s voice came through.

“Decided, huh?”

“Yeah, this seems to be it.”

“It might be a difficult staff for a first one, but once you get used to it, it will be one of the more comfortable ones. The pattern of Fea is engraved on the gem, so the mana consumption will decrease, and the power will increase, but controlling the magic will be more difficult.”

At the owner’s words, I lightly swung the staff and asked a question.

“What materials were used for this staff?”

“It’s made from the wood of the Solga tree that grows in the northern region, combined with the heart of an ice spirit and the shell of a Skulan fruit, then the pattern of Fea was engraved on top.”

“It’s a good staff, though I don’t know much about it.”

“If you use magic once, it will gauge your ability. Well, don’t use it here. If any damage occurs to the shop, I’ll demand compensation.”

“Fortunately, Astan got a good wand. Thank you.”

“Young master of the Tirk family, do you need anything?”

“No, if you send the wand price to our family, we will pay for it.”

“Alright, take care.”

With Sharen and the wand in hand, I left the shop. As soon as we stepped out, Sharen looked at me and smiled slightly.

“I paid for the wand, so you’ll buy lunch, right?”

“I’m not that discourteous, but something expensive is impossible.”

“I’m not that discourteous either.”

After finishing the meal with Sharen and heading back to the academy, Sharen expressed a desire to test the wand, so we arrived at the training ground together.

In fact, even though we came to the training ground, there was nothing I could do with the wand. At that moment, someone entered the training ground.

“There are passionate students who use the training ground on holidays for magic practice. It’s Astan and the Light Manifestor.”

Senior Leonaard was approaching. Upon seeing him, I naturally swallowed hard.

“Senior Leonaard.”

“So you got a wand, is that why you’re here?”

“I want to test it, but I don’t know how.”

“Then, the way to test it is through a duel.”

Saying so, Senior Leonaard took the wand and Sharen spoke up at his action.

“Wouldn’t a duel with a 5th grader be difficult?”

“I never said I would do it. A 5th grader dueling a 1st grader, that’s something Erika would do. I’ll be the judge. The rules are no holds barred. The match ends when each person’s protective spell is broken.”

Then, Senior Leonaard raised the wand high into the sky and chanted a spell. After his incantation, protective shields formed around Sharen and me. With his arms crossed, Senior Leonaard spoke.

“Do you know the no holds barred rules? You, the Light Manifestor, might know, but Astan might not, so I’ll explain it lightly.”

“First, the one who breaks the opponent’s protective spell first wins. Second, the moment you drop your wand, it’s defeat. Third, if the judgment of the arbiter deems the situation dangerous, the duel is to be stopped and the determination of victory begins. Any objections, Astan?”

“No.”

“Then, duelists, take your places.”

At Leonaard’s words, I went to the end of the training ground and looked at Sharon, who also drew her wand. In fact, I didn’t think I could beat Sharon.

There was no such thing as an extra who could beat a talented protagonist, so I just wondered how strong Sharon was. That was all.

And I was curious about the performance of the wand, how much Erica’s senior class had changed me, and that was what I was curious about.

“Mutual courtesy.”

At Leonaard’s words, I bowed my head towards Sharon and she also bowed her head towards me.

“Prepare yourselves.”

Then I held the wand in my right hand and aimed it at the opponent. I didn’t know what magic would fly from Sharon’s wand. Since I succeeded in light magic last time, should I attack with light magic? Or should I attack with the magic I learned from my family? Either way, I knew what it was going to be.

Considering Sharon’s personality, she wouldn’t make the first move.

“Begin!”

And at the same time as Leonaard’s words, I cast a spell.

“Mana, crush my enemy before me!”