episode_0023

Come to think of it, I never really thought that Leonardo might have a younger sister. Of course, everyone would assume he’s the eldest, but I never really considered the possibility of him having a younger sister or an older sister. At most, I thought he might have a younger brother… but even considering that was pointless. By the time I had such thoughts, it was already too late, and I couldn’t contain them.

As I walked back to the dormitory, I heard the sound of raindrops hitting the protective barrier Erica had made, bouncing off. I hurried my steps into the corridor leading to the entrance of the dormitory, where it wasn’t raining, and cautiously touched the protective barrier Erica had made with my finger, feeling the cold sensation travel from my fingertip through my body.

At the end of the protective barrier, there was a protective spell that froze the water droplets of nature, which I understood in my mind, just as I understood the spell Leonardo had shown me before, but the crucial point was that I still didn’t possess that amount of mana. I could understand how to infuse cold into a shock spell and use it, but I probably wouldn’t be able to use it more than a few times.

I had to find a way to increase the amount of mana.

As I pondered this, someone stood in front of the entrance to the dormitory just as I arrived.

“You’re late.”

Leonardo was standing there. Despite wondering if there was any reason for us to meet here, I found the fact that Leonardo had been waiting for me even more daunting than I had anticipated, so I swallowed carefully and smiled.

“Have you been waiting?”

“I thought about waiting at the school gate when I finished work and arrived, but today Erica was in charge of guarding the gate, so I thought it would be more appropriate to wait here. Since I’ve already met Erica, she may have told you something.”

“I did hear that you have a younger sister.”

“She’s quite a talker.”

“I asked first. Do you happen to have a lover?”

At that, Leonardo narrowed his eyes, giving me a look that seemed to ask what I meant, and I shook my hands and denied it.

“When I thought about it, I couldn’t think of anyone other than a lover to fight to that extent…”

As soon as I finished speaking, Leonardo seemed to understand and let out a long sigh, holding his forehead.

“…It seems like it looked that way to others. Strange rumors might be circulating.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You’re not the type to go around telling someone else, but you couldn’t have been the only one who heard that. Rai’s voice has been loud since the old days.”

“Your younger sister’s name is Rai?”

Upon my words, Senior Leonardo nodded once and then sighed heavily, looking at me.

“If we were in the same class, I’d ask for your help, but being in different classes makes it difficult. Still, if we happen to run into each other, I hope you’ll treat her well.”

“Do you think I would dislike your younger sister?”

“She’s not good at talking to others, so even though her words may be sharp, it would be nice if you could understand a little. It’s not a request as a senior, but as an older brother.”

“I’ll remember.”

At that, Senior Leonardo looked at me, raised his cane lightly, and at that moment, Erica’s protective magic around me dissipated.

“And with that spell, entry and exit from the dormitory are prohibited.”

Senior Leonardo had nothing more to say.

“You came early.”

“When have I ever been late?”

At my words, Senior Erica chuckled and gripped her wand in her right hand, and I clenched my right hand into a fist. From the beginning? Before such thoughts could even arise, Senior Erica spat out a word from her lips.

“Open.”

And that word became an explosive device, filling the surroundings with cold air, and I stared blankly at Senior Erica.

“It’s a continuation of last night’s lesson. After filling the surroundings with cold air, any water that comes into contact with it freezes, and from that ice, we cast a spell to attack our opponent. But you still don’t know how to command the ice, and above all, it’s impossible for you to emit such strong cold air, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

“Release, so from now on, I’m going to teach you how to handle cold air. Once you learn this, you might be able to store cold air in a glass jar.”

Her words were interrupted by a gulp. Is the moment finally coming to handle the cold, but is it okay that she still doesn’t understand the nature of it?

“Of course, it will take a long time. You know as well, you still can’t handle magic well and don’t know how to use magic without precise spells… But I saw you attaching cold to your body last time. Where did you learn that spell?”

“It just came to mind suddenly.”

“You have a good sense. Then first, with the cold…”

At that moment, Erica’s expression twisted. As if something annoying had come up, she let out a small sigh and put her wand in her pocket, then spoke to me.

“Today’s class is canceled. Something came up. Before tomorrow’s class, try sending the cold around you instead of your body, and if it doesn’t work, I’ll teach you during tomorrow’s class.”

“What happened?”

“The second years got into a fight, so the fifth years have to supervise. Leonardo is busy with work today, so I have to go.”

I urgently added to her words.

“I will go too!”

“You’re not going to help anyway, are you just coming to watch?”

“Watching the duel of the wizards can be very helpful.”

“Is there anywhere you can get help from watching the duel of the second years… Well, come along.”

Erica took the first step, and I hurriedly followed behind her.

Following the senior towards the back yard of the school, there were already many spectators surrounding two wizards, and as soon as Erica saw them, she waved her wand. As she did, a thin barrier appeared, separating the audience and the combatants, and she addressed them.

“I’m Erica, a fifth-year student at the academy. If you don’t want to be scolded for disrupting the duel, step back.”

With magical power in her voice, she shouted loudly, and in response, the students began to move away from the combatants and surround them. I noticed a few who seemed familiar with this situation, casually eating bread they had brought from the cafeteria and watching, and I cautiously moved through the crowd. Seeing me, Erica shrugged and went inside the thin barrier.

“The duelists, what are your names?”

“I’m Torne Matisse, a sophomore.”

“I’m Charlie, a sophomore.”

Erika aimed her wand at them after their answers and recited a spell, creating a shield around both of them.

“I won’t explain the rules since you already know them. I’ll intervene if it gets dangerous. Any objections?”

“None.”

“None.”

“Good, mutual respect.”

In response to Erika’s words, they bowed to each other and then pointed their wands at each other after Erika’s command.

After they were ready, Erika looked at them and then addressed the audience.

“There may be freshmen here, this is how duels are done. Freshmen should watch and learn from the seniors’ duels, and since magic doesn’t have eyes, if a spell manages to break through the shield, everyone should protect themselves. Any objections?”

“None!”

At the audience’s outcry, Erika shouted loudly at the duelists.

“Begin!”

And at that moment, both of them recited their spells. Due to the surrounding noise and distance, the spells weren’t clearly audible. The first spell to unfold was Charlie’s.

In an instant, a flying lightning spell approached Torne, who promptly stopped his own spell and activated a protective shield, then he pointed his wand at Charlie, shouting something, and suddenly an ice arrow formed and moved toward Charlie.

It was an ice spell. At that moment, I closely observed Torne’s movements, focusing my magical senses on his ears and eyes.

I could hear the senior’s voice.

“Ice, appear before me now.”

As the senior finished his spell, the ice pieces created around him drew in nearby droplets and froze them, and he swung his wand, shooting the ice towards Charlie. Quickly, as the ice chunk flew, Charlie saw it and swiftly cast a spell, expanding a shield.

“Appear!”

I heard the spell at the end. As Charlie senior spoke, a magic circle appeared around, and something living sprang out of it. When a small yellow-furred cat appeared, murmurs were heard around. Is it not allowed to summon a familiar?

Before such thoughts could even arise, the cat was covered in lightning and rushed towards Senior Thorin, who bit his lip and stuck his staff into the ground.

“Freeze!”

The magic that froze the surrounding ground with the shout left a small scratch on the shield, and quickly, Charlie senior also cast a lightning spell towards the freezing ground. The lightning spell, tearing into multiple branches, slowed down the approaching ice, and then Charlie senior’s familiar swiftly tore through Senior Thorin’s shield.

Cheers erupted from the surroundings at the attack that happened in an instant. Then Senior Erica’s voice echoed loudly around.

“That’s enough, winner Charlie.”

“I can still go on!”

“The shield is broken, and I judged that further combat is dangerous. Any problems?”

“I have not yet yielded.”

“We do not entertain objections. If you’re frustrated, apply for a rematch later, over.”

With those words, Senior Erica waved her staff to dispel the shield, and Senior Thorin angrily struck the ground with his fist. The murmurs around grew louder, and just as I wondered what to do, a voice came into my ear.

“Let’s go eat breakfast.”

Startled by Senior Erica’s words, I looked around, but she had already disappeared, and I replied silently.

“I’ll go right now.”