Senpensekai no Madoushoshi - CH 146

Eleonora Academy is a prestigious school.

All of my classmates are good people, and I managed to become friends with Lou-chan on my first day. Lunch is delicious, and I get to eat as much as I want.

Most of the lessons involve me reviewing things Grandpa already taught me, but every once in a while I come across something I don’t know, and it’s fun.

It’s fun getting to learn new things. It feels like my world is expanding.

[Iris]: “…..mumu”

So far the only black spot in my school life would be magic practice.

[Lapris]: “Hey, so……. What have you been doing since a while ago?”

I’ve been moaning to myself in a corner of the lab since practice started.

Lapris was sprawled out on the floor, yawning from how bored she was, but now that I’m finally focused, I don’t have the leeway to answer her.

[Iris]: “Mumu, Muu…….”

My body is currently filled with magic power. It’s like I’m a leather bag filled to the brim with water. All it would take is a little poke, and the little bag would crack and burst open. Well, metaphorically speaking. It’s not like my whole body is going to explode if someone touches me.

[Iris]: “Fu……”

Taking in a deep breath, I circulated my magic power through my body. I move it through my entire body and focus it into my arms. From there it flows down into my fingers, and from my fingers……it moves outwards.

The magic power that was full to bursting flowed out of my body.

It wasn’t something you could see, but I could feel it happening.

[Iris]: “…….”

I continued slowly spitting out magic power.

I provided my magic power a direction to flow in, having it move straight outwards from my fingers……or that was the idea at least.

[Lapris]: “Oh? What is that?”

Unlike me, Lapris is actually able to see magic power. So as I continued pushing my mana out of my fingers, she jumped to her feet shocked at what she was seeing.

[Iris]: “Magic power…….”

[Lapris]: “Hoh”

[Iris]: “I’m pushing it out”

[Lapris]: “No, I can see that”

After I managed to push everything out, I took another deep breath.

[Iris]: “Fu…..but, that’s all I’m doing. It’s pretty difficult just releasing magic power without turning it into a spell.”

There is an already established method for transforming magic power into a spell, so it is actually much easier than simply releasing magic power without any kind of purpose.

What I’m doing is like cooking without a recipe and expecting what I create to still be delicious.

[Iris]: “I need to keep increasing the things I can do.”

[Lapris]: “Did you learn that from your grandpa’s book? You were reading it in the dungeon.”

[Iris]: “He wrote down a lot of interesting things, and it’s fun reading through them.”

[Lapris]: “Hmph….. I can’t tell if you’re supposed to be a lazybones or a hard-worker.”

Lapris gave me something that was either a compliment or an insult, (I’m not sure which), as I once again began gathering my magic power inside my body.

[Iris]: “Hey, Lapris? Why can’t I use any magic?”

[Lapris]: “Who knows.”

She waved her hand as if it were a boring subject and gave me a cold answer.

[Lapris]: “I don’t have a clue, but the sanctuary probably has something to do with it.”

[Iris]: “Sanctuary…..Saluena’s?”

My gaze fell on the ring fitted onto my left ring finger.

[Lapris]: “That sanctuary was originally meant to increase the efficiency of converting your magic power, but it means your mana had to change as a consequence. In fact, your magic power is darker that ordinary people’s. It’s subtle but definitely there.”

[Iris]: “Hee, I see.”

[Lapris]: “So even if you have a ton more mana and know how to give it away, it’s not going to mean much if no ordinary spirit is willing to take it. Although I’m a fairy, not a spirit, so I can’t really say for certain.”

Lapris is the one speaking, but her explanation was very informative.

[Iris]: “You’re really smart Lapris.”

She just has an incredibly foul mouth.

[Lapris]: “Y-You think?”

[Iris]: “Yeah. It makes sense, and honestly I’m relieved to hear that the problem isn’t me, just my magic power.”

[Lapris]: “From what I’ve seen, you’re the best person here at handling your mana.”

[Iris]: “Really?”

I once again began releasing my mana. Maybe it’s because this is my second time doing it, but it was easier this time around.

[Iris]: “Better than Grides-san?”

[Lapris]: “Hm? Oh~. Yeah.”

Lapris looked over towards Grides-san. Right now she is practicing her spellwork with a partner. Lou-chan happens to also be practicing with our other classmates.

It’s just me, who is unable to cast any spells, who is quietly practicing in a corner by herself.

[Lapris]: “She’s pretty good, but she’s still rough around the edges. There’s too much magic power being wasted there.”

[Iris]: “Fantastic.”

For now, it looks like I win when it comes to magic technique.

(If you’re really looking to take Rose-san, try it only after you manage to beat me. Fufufufu…….)

Grides-san is firing off one brilliant spell after another in the center of the room. Meanwhile I’m repeating the same seemingly meaningless exercise over and over again far off in the corner.

You probably couldn’t even call this a match at this point, but I’m going to completely ignore that fact and continue practicing my magic.

[Iris]: “Hey, Lapris?”

[Lapris]: “Yeah?”

[Iris]: “Thanks”

[Lapris]: “Yeah…..Yeah? For what?”

Lapris tore her eyes away from Grandpa’s notebook which she had been flipping through and look up at me.

[Iris]: “For being with me.”

[Lapris]: “Haa? The Goddess asked me to protect you, so you don’t……”

[Iris]: “You were afraid that everyone would laugh at me since I can’t cast any spells right?”

[Lapris]: “……..”

[Iris]: “That’s why you keep coming to school with me every day right? And why you keep telling my classmates those stories…….”

[Lapris]: “H-Haa!? None of that’s for you. It’s just because I would be bored if…….”

[Iris]: “So thank you Lapris. I love you.”

[Lapris]: “――!?”

Considering how we first met each other, it’s a bit of a miracle that we can be together like this now.

That’s why I wanted to tell her my honest feelings no matter what.

[Lapris]: “…….don’t you feel embarrassed saying stuff like that?”

[Iris]: “Eh, what’s that?”

[Lapris]: “That’s what I should be asking…….”

It was difficult to tell because of Lapris’s darker colored skin and her smaller face, but I understood what was wrong even without being able to see.

[Iris]: “Oh ho, are you blushing?”

[Lapris]: “Haa!? I’m not blushing! Actually, aren’t you the one who’s blushing!?”

[Iris]: “And? I’m incredibly embarrassed, but what’s wrong with that?”

I don’t need to see my face to know it has gone a bright red. It’s so hot I can almost see the steam rising off of me.

[Lapris]: “So you chose to self-destruct.”

[Iris]: “Because, I figured I had to properly tell you…….”

[Lapris]: “You’re an idiot.”

[Iris]: “Uuu……I can’t deny that……”

My shoulders fell, and my head drooped down.

[Lapris]: “Me too……”

But after a moment passed, Lapris said something else.

[Iris]: “?”

[Lapris]: “Damn it. I’m only going to say this once, got it? So clean out those ears and listen carefully.”

Lapris flapped her wings and fluttered up right in front of my face.

She then folded her hands together and looked straight into my eyes while looking a little resentful.

[Lapris]: “Me too, towards you…..I…..l-like….you…….”

Her words trailed off partway through, so it was difficult to pick up everything she said however the word like definitely reached my ears.

[Lapris]: “There, I said it and you heard it!! I’m not going to say it ever again!! Okay, you got it!?”

[Iris]: “Y-Yes!”

Hearing Lapris say something like that was so unexpected for me that I ended up forgetting I was in class.

[Lapris]: “Tch, what happened to your practice? Don’t get a big head just because I told you you were the best among these girly girls here! You’re still nothing more than a tiny little chick compared to that old man who lived next door to you! Check yourself! Remember that you baby chick! You’re going to make me ask what you even came to this school for!!”

[Iris]: “Okay~♪“

[Lapris]: “What’s with that stupid sounding response!? I’ll beat you down! If you don’t want to get your ass kicked and cry like the baby chick you are then concentrate!!”

Honestly……so foul-mouthed.

But I don’t care what she says.

Because I told her I like her, and I got a like back.

So no matter what she says, it isn’t going to bring me down.

[Iris]: “Yosh! I’m going to do my best!!”

There is a thousand year old dungeon spread out below this school.

Litzreich said before we were probably going to dive in again eventually.

So I kept up my practice with Lapris in order to make myself stronger for when that time comes.