Book 3 Chapter 12

Episode 61

Three weeks flew by like an arrow.

Thanks to Madelia Page faithfully fulfilling the contract, the strange rumors about Elin Ludwig vanished without a trace.

News came through a griffin rider that she had just departed from the Papal Curia, so they would soon be able to see her esteemed face again.

"Rain, you worked hard again today~!"

Sandra Kepel pats his back firmly. It means she made good use of him for chores.

This wasn't the end.

Because every day, after student council activities concluded, teaching Cassena Page awaited him.

'What I have to teach is the basics of magic.'

They say she built a wall against magic since an accident at six years old. That's why her magic acquisition speed was slow.

However, psychokinesis was an exception. Perhaps because it was magic necessary for daily life, she acquired psychokinesis with truly outstanding talent.

Other than that, there was nothing. Thus, it was a very difficult journey.

"Not this! I want to use walking magic!"

"That's an advanced part of 1-star magic. You need to learn the basics step by step."

"Oh, I hate it! Teach me! You're my tutor!"

She's driving me crazy.

That's right.

Cassena Page wasn't thinking of mastering the basics but only looking at distant ideals.

"Alright. Then I'll write down the formula for you, so give it a try."

"Really?! You should've done that sooner!"

Cassena smiles brightly.

Rain wrote down a mathematical equation on a wax tablet with a stylus, then simply noted the runes to be used and the Imperial mathematical formula in solution format.

"Try to calculate this in your head."

Cassena, staring intently at the wax tablet, groaned, and veins popped out on her forehead. *Uhm*… veins popped out on her temples.

"It's difficult! What am I supposed to do with this!"

Then she suddenly spread her fingertips and drew geometric patterns in the air.

Amidst elegant gestures, runes, the language of power scattering afterimages of light, appeared in the air and danced gracefully.

It had been a long time since he'd seen it, but he was thrilled, just as he was 300 years ago.

'The lineage trait of House Page…'

The lineage trait of those who have the progenitor of magic as an ancestor is truly… how should I put it, beautiful. It can only be described that way.

"The rune to carve is Bu (Float)!"

While the Ludwig family had the villainous title of 'Thieving Magicians,' the Page family's title was 'Drawing Magicians.'

*Shhhhiiiiing…*

Look at Cassena drawing runes in the air now. Waves of light flowed from her fingertips, taking the form of runes.

'It's not just beautiful.'

It's truly unbelievable, but the Page family's lineage trait doesn't require mathematical calculations. All that's needed is the act of drawing the rune and the earnest wish imbued within it.

It's such an unusual lineage trait that it makes one wonder how a technique passed down from the progenitor of magic could be so disconnected from magic, which is a mathematical discipline.

To maximize the power of this lineage trait, the Page family has used simplified characters for runes.

"How is it, isn't it pretty? Rain, you couldn't do this even if you tried for a hundred days!"

"Well, because I'm not of the Page family…"

Unlike typical mages who activate magic by grasping a magic circle, Pages activate magic by grasping runes drawn in the air.

I'm not particularly envious.

No, I really mean it.

Being born of the bloodline of the progenitor of magic would be an unparalleled honor, but actually, I prefer the Bell Curias side more.

'It's just a different world's magic, that's all.'

The moment the rune shattered into particles of light, Cassena's body floated gently in the air. Because Bu (Float) is a rune with the property of levitation, which is the foundation of psychokinesis.

"It worked, it worked! Did you see? Did you see this genius? 2-star magic will be quick!"

If she has such talent, limited to psychokinesis, it might be better to adjust the teaching method slightly. Though I'll have to consult with Madelia a bit.

"Let's do one more with that momentum."

"No! That's it for today!"

I'm the one teaching, so why are you always the boss…?

Still, there was an advantage to the class ending quickly. He had more time to ponder a way to make Cassena walk.

But this is truly perplexing. A method to reduce the burden imposed by using magic on the body to zero – does such a thing even exist?

"What are you thinking so hard about? You'll get hurt if you get distracted while exercising."

After-school fitness room.

Student council activities had ended quickly, and since it was Logan's magic volleyball club's day off, they were exercising together for the first time in a while.

"I was thinking about a way to minimize the burden on the body."

"Oh, the burden on muscles means muscle soreness! It's a sign of muscle growth! You should happily accept such stimulation every time it comes!"

"What am I even talking to you about…?"

*Sigh*, as he sighed, Logan made a sullen expression.

'He's just like a puppy.'

He stared intently, dumbfounded, then the magic circles carved into his muscular body caught his eye, bringing up a question he'd wondered about before.

"Now that I think about it, I heard that Wing-type mages sometimes twist muscles or break bones while activating those magic circles, is that true?"

"That's right."

"But who would dare to join out of fear? What about when you're a beginner? Only those who want their bodies to break would join."

At that, Logan let out a hollow laugh, as if the remark was absurd.

"Do you take us for fools, you see? Of course, for beginners, we carve a slightly different main rune (紬績)."

"What kind of main rune?"

"It's a main rune that eliminates the burden on the body, you see. As a beginner, you won't get hurt no matter what you do."

Hmm, so there was insurance.

In that moment, listening to Logan's story without much thought, he felt a thrilling chill run down his spine and suddenly dropped the barbell.

It was that feeling when a blocked problem is solved.

"However, while the low point is high, the high point is also low, so as soon as you shed the beginner label, you immediately remove it—"

"—What is that? How do you do it? Can you carve that main rune too?"

As Rain suddenly got excited and raised his voice, Logan recoiled slightly, seemingly flustered, but then proudly shrugged his shoulders.

"No, young master! I am Logan of Chaihark. The latter-day genius of Chaihark! Don't you know that? I've already learned everything."

Rain suddenly grabbed his shoulders tightly.

"Logan, do you want to work on something with me?"

"Work? What kind of work are you talking about?"

"Well, if I had to say, it might be an affair where the Page family could become a strong ally of the Chaihark school? Anyway, it's definitely not a losing proposition."

Thus began a week so busy he barely had time to breathe.

Not only did he have to complete his studies, but after finishing student council activities, he also had to learn Jujeoksul from Logan.

That would make it around 7 o'clock, at which point he would go back to the Page family mansion and teach Cassena.

As for rest, it was just chatting with Pipi occasionally if he had time during lunch?

It was a repetition of such a tiring life, but he liked that it wasn't boring. Or rather, perhaps he should say it was enjoyable.

"No, young master! Didn't I tell you to add a magic circuit near this ma-hyeol?"

"Oh, what's the effect of this?"

"Then it prevents magic reactions from adversely affecting the body, you see."

It's enjoyable.

Yes, it is enjoyable.

All these processes were a world of new knowledge. A sea of learning he had not yet ventured into.

'This Jujeoksul is much more difficult than I thought.'

If Logan hadn't taught him, it would have taken him a long time to figure it out, even with all those reference books. Because it was difficult, the joy of gradually understanding it was considerable.

'I need to learn diligently.'

Because all of this will become ingrained in me.

And because he had promised to make her walk again. Because that was the condition of their deal.

"What, why are you dozing off! You said you wanted to hear about constellations!"

At night, Cassena would abandon whatever she was doing, peer through the astronomical telescope by the window, and smile brightly like a girl.

That's why evening classes didn't even last an hour.

He needed to teach her at least a little magic within a month so he could face Madelia…

"Why do you like space so much?"

With a sigh, he leaned against the wall next to the window and asked softly.

"They say the <Ones Who Came> left for space. Do you know? Gods can fix anything. Anything! Of course, they can fix my leg too, right?"

"…"

"That's why I'm looking. They said meteorites in space are traces of gods moving to other worlds!"

Gods… Was the existence of gods a support for Cassena?

"Once the gods fixed my leg, I was planning to go on an adventure."

"An adventure?"

"Yes! An adventure! But it's okay now! Because Rain said he'd make me walk!"

The moment Cassena smiled brightly, the smile of Rista, who had pulled his hand, saying, "World (世界)," came to mind, and he couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.

Did I also make such an expression?

When Rista said that, that feeling of something suddenly brightening in his mind… he shook his head, brushing off a past he could never reach again.

"I'll take my leave now for today. I'll make time to come again next time."

It was just as he was about to leave the tower.

"Wait a minute!"

Cassena suddenly called him to a halt like that, then cleared her throat a couple of times, as if embarrassed about something.

"You… you said before. That when you teach me, you're busy with your own studies at night."

"Yes, that's right."

Since the personal time he could have was roughly late at night, it wasn't just once or twice that he greeted the dawn engrossed in studying runes.

But for some reason, Cassena raised the corners of her lips as if relieved, "Hmph."

"Here, it's a gift."

As Cassena used psychokinesis, a box wrapped in luxurious silk flew before his eyes.

"What is this?"

"Open it!"

He opened the box with a puzzled feeling. Then, a pair of crystals framed with supreme pure silver appeared.

My breath hitched for a moment.

It was an item Scaljido also used.

From the faintly red-tinged parts, he could glimpse fragments of expensive red skirt stone. It must be a magical tool imbued with magic for vision protection.

"This, could it be glasses…?"

Why this? Both bewildered and dumbfounded, his voice trembled involuntarily.

"Yes! Do you like it? They say studying at night makes your eyes worse. You said you like studying, right? If you want to study for a long, long time, you should take care of your eyes starting now!"

"…"

"Because Rain taught me so diligently! I asked my dad to buy it from the Empire's best craftsman. You can thank me as much as you want!"

Even as she exclaimed boastfully, she kept watching his eyes, curious whether he liked the gift or not.

For a moment, a pang went through his chest.

What was this feeling called?

For a moment, he remembered Hirpien, who had even visited the black market for her grandfather. This contrasted with Lin's appearance, who had never thought of giving gifts to her companions.

'Right, it felt like this before too.'

Unlike Lin, the hero party's companions had given Lin gifts, unknowingly. For instance, there was a time when Friege laughed heartily after Kyes made a floral wreath out of water lilies and placed it on her.

'No, you knew everything.'

You didn't have the courage to admit that you were grateful. Nor the courage to return that kindness…

"Ha."

As his face twisted into a bitter smile stained with sorrow, Cassena frantically waved her hands, her voice flustered.

"Why, why are you smiling like that? Don't you like it? I'm sorry! I asked for a gold frame, but they said they couldn't make it that quickly…"

"No, young lady… this is just… because I'm grateful…"

"You, you mean you like it?!"

As he nodded, suppressing the sadness for the past, Cassena, who had been flustered, proudly folded her arms again.

"Hmph! Then smile happily! Don't confuse people for no reason!"

"I apologize, young lady."

"Th-then say thank you!"

"Thank you, young lady. I will not forget this kindness."

"Hehe! Yes, you're grateful, aren't you? I'll let you go early today. Wear that and study hard!"

He had intended to give her a gift first.

How could this…

After bowing gratefully to Cassena, he almost fled the room. Though his legs gave out, and he had to lean against the wall immediately.

'This time, let's properly return the favor, Lin…'