"Huh? Learning magic? From Riveria?" Loki blinked at him.
"Why? You backing out?" Lars had a smug look on his face.
"No, that's not it lad. You do know that magic comes naturally to you, right? And Riveria's elf magic has been developed for them." Gareth pointed at her.
"That is correct. The magic you learn is directly tied to your knowledge of it. Sometimes, it just spawns out of nowhere." Riveria looked at Airmid.
"In her case, it is the rarest type of magic. One that is closely tied to your soul and cannot be copied by others, personal magic." Riveria started explaining.
"If it manifested from your soul, then can't you manipulate it with your actions and motivations?" Lars asked and she nodded.
"That is true, theoretically that is. Because you have to influence your soul enough that your whole essence truly believes it." Riveria shrugged.
The two then started talking more about the system of magic in the world.
'Hmmm, even the system of magic here is poorly researched. It's like it was made by an amateur that gave up and just decied to give everyone personalized ones.' Lars rubbed his chin.
'Magic is using a power source to make otherworldly phenomena. It is pure visualization and realization through your will.' Lars looked at Airmid.
It should be impossible to use magic circles when she casts magic. Because she doesn't have the mage DA.
But she could. And a diamond shaped magic circle gets created whenever she does so.
'I guess it's because she could feel it. And they all just arrive at the same answer. It's innate or pure talent.' Lars almost scoffed.
'Truly, a skill issue.' He nodded sagely and continued talking with Riveria.
"Hmph... You are only talking with Riveria, Lars." Ais pouted at him and she was sulking.
"Hoh? Ais, sulking? That's extremely rare..." Gareth couldn't help but be surprised.
"Right, I haven't seen her act so childish before." Riveria chuckled.
"Lars, they're bullying me." Ais pointed at them with a glare.
"It's fine, Ais. They're just teasing you. How about it? Let's dive into the dungeon to hang out?" Lars offered.
His group immediately looked at him with raised brows.
With multiple reasons for their discontentment with his offer to Ais.
"Hoh? So you like them like that eh?" Tione squinted her eyes.
"I didn't knew that you liked airheads." Tiona nodded in understanding.
"Are you sure about this?" Airmid was reluctant.
"It's fine. And Ais is just my friend, isn't that right?" He smiled at her and Ais got annoyed by that.
But she didn't know why. So she decided to ask Riveria later.
"Oi, oi, are you seriously trying to poach my Ais as well? You're quite greedy, ain't cha?" Loki squinted her eyes.
"Well, I'm just borrowing her. She needs friends, not just comrades." Lars shrugged.
"That is true... Go on Ais, go with them to the dungeon." Finn agreed and they don't really act like friends for Ais.
"Oi? Are you sure about this captain?" Bete glared at Lars' group.
"It's for the best, Ais will grow more with them hanging out." Finn grabbed his thumb under the table.
'And Ais is the only link we have with them for now... And if I refuse.' He rubbed his thumb.
It hurted a lot when he thought of isolating Ais from them. And his instincts has never betrayed him before.
"Great! Let's go tomorrow then. I'll return to the twilight manor to learn from Riveria." Lars clapped and everything was settled.
"Bar wench! Give me another order of everything!" Lars shouted at Chloe.
"Seriously!? Fuck!" The cook at the back shouted.
__Twilight manor__
"So, what kind of exercises do you do in your spare time?" Lars asked Ais while they were walking back to the Loki familia home.
"Hmm, I just run around and lift weights. Though it does feel nice right after." Ais flexed her biceps again.
He chuckled at her antics. "How about a more relaxing one? I'll teach you later, it's called yoga."
"Yow-gah?" Ais tilted her head and she was confused.
"It's like the way of the tree that the elves do to connect more with their minds. But it combines physical movements." Lars explained.
And even Riveria's ears twitched at his words. 'He sure knows a lot... Even the esoteric way of the tree...'
"Un, okay then." She nodded and she had a small smile on her face.
"Tche, why don't you smile like that with me? My dear Ais!?" Loki tried to cling to her.
"Loki, you're annoying." Ais stopped her with a soft palm strike to the face.
And Loki received emotional and physical damage.
"Gah! This can't be!" Loki was in despair and Gareth carried her with a sigh.
"You have magic right? Ais? How about you listen in on us? Magic is an enigma, you might be able to learn new techniques." Lars smiled and Ais nodded.
'Hoh? Ais never did listen to my magical theory lessons. I guess this will be a plus.' Riveria smiled.
They then arrived at the twilight manor. "I'm watching you, weakling." Bete sneered at him.
After knowing that he was just a level 1, he started looking down on him.
"Did you say something?" Lars clung to Ais like she was a cushion, taunting him.
"You little!" Bete was about to charge at them, but Gareth finally had enough and he whacked him unconscious with a punch.
"Sorry about the werewolf lad, he's just a bit too twitchy." Gareth sighed.
"Well, you should at least get him checked for rabies or something." Lars shrugged and they had wry expressions.
"Lars, teach me?" Ais tilted her head and he nodded.
"Umu, aren't you just a cute little thing?" He patted her head and she giggled.
"Kuu! That should be me! Not him!" Loki bit on a handkerchief as she cried.
"Okay, let's leave them to their own devices." Finn pulled her and Gareth carried Bete.
The trio then went towards Riveria's room. "Hmm, smells like morning dew in a forest and books." Lars nodded in satisfaction.
"It does, her room might be for an old lady. But it's pleasant." Ais commented and Riveria's face twitched.
"Ais... Would you like another swimming lesson?" Riveria asked with a sweet smile.
"N-no..." Ais immediately paled and she hid behind Lars.
"Well, how about we get started, teacher?" Lars grinned at her.
"Okay, currently. There are currently two main magic types on the world." Riveria started.
"But that's not true, is it?" Lars chimed in and Riveria nodded with a bit of surprise.
"Yes, it is thought that the magics are only congenital and through falna. But that's not true." Riveria shook her head.
"There are magics from the mythical era. Developed by the elves that can be used through rituals. But it is weaker than acquired ones." Riveria raised one finger.
"Second would be the magic of monsters. You can argue that is congenital magic. But they use pure mana to create magical effects." Riveria talked with wonder.
"Third is spirit magic. We don't know much about it, but it mostly elemental in nature." Ais' ears perked up at her words.
"And the least well known, is arcanum. Divine magic of the gods. What we do know, is it alters reality." Riveria didn't even think of analyzing it.
But Lars was different. 'Is the source of their arcanum, worship? No... If that's the case, then Demeter would be the strongest goddess.'
'I see... It comes from their divine essence. Interesting... What would happen if I devour one?' Lars had a smirk on his face for a split second.
"Hmm, what's your magic Ais? It was that wind right?" Lars shook his head and focused back on topic.
"Ahh, that? My magic is Ariel. Tempest." Ais activated her magic and wind started to flow around her.
"Amazing, so you can manipulate wind huh? Then that black flame must be a skill." Lars concluded.
"Yes... It increases my parameters and damage done to dragons." Ais revealed and Riveria went wide eyed.
She didn't expect her to reveal it just like that. "I see, that makes sense. Well, how about we think of upgrading your Ariel?" Lars patted her head.
Ais calmed down and she tilted her head. Though she was a bit excited.
"Have you ever manipulated your mana?" Lars asked and Ais looked at him like he was stupid.
"What kind of question is that, Lars?" Riveria also raised a brow.
"Ahhh, let me rephrase that. Have you ever turned Ariel into a maelstrom? Increase the density of your mana into it? Made it sharper by mana manipulation?" Lars asked and Ais was confused.
Her head almost smoked due to her brain trying to make sense of his words.
"I like your funny words, magic man." Ais said with a completely confused expression.
Lars then looked at Riveria with an exasperated expression.
"W-what?" Even she got nervous at his soulless stare at her.
"Seriously? You didn't even teach her how to manipulate her mana for a spell to have its maximum effect?" Lars clicked his tongue.
"Well, that's pretty advanced..." Riveria tried to reason.
"What do you mean? That's the basics isn't it? Or an Ignis Fatuus will occur?" Lars was baffled.
"We have our chants to help us activate magic you see." Riveria explained and he facepalmed.
"I see... So that's the reason why magic here is so bad." Lars groaned.
"Do you know better magic?" Riveria raised a brow and he misspoke.
"N-no, never mind. I just had a theory you see?" Lars looked at Ais and he wiped some sweat on his brow.
"Ais, use Ariel once again. But focus it on your sword." Lars gave her a run of the mill sword from his inventory.
"I can never get used to that." Riveria shook her head in exasperation at his hammerspace.
"Tempest." Ais nodded at him and she used it on her sword.
"Good, you can control it right? Compress it to the maximum. Think of a sharp blade, give your wind form. Put more mana into it as well." Lars ordered.
Ais nodded and she started sweating a bit. Her wind slowly ramped up in strength, but it just exploded into a wind bomb.
Riveria protected them with a simple mana shield. And it wasn't that strong to begin with.
But Ais' hair exploded all over the place. "Pft, your hair is all messed up." Lars chuckled at her.
"Muuu!" Ais pouted at him and Riveria sighed at their antics.
"I guess you were a bit too green, Ais. Practice it everyday until you almost hit mind down. I promise you, your sword will be the sharpest in Orario." Lars smiled as he combed her hair.
"Really?" Ais was excited and Riveria gave out a soft snort.
"Clean up this mess first." Riveria pointed at her room and they had really reluctant faces on.
"Or I won't let you buy any jagamarkuns." Riveria threatened and Ais moved like the wind.
"I guess we can proceed with yoga." Lars shrugged after Ais quickly cleaned up.
He then laid mats on the ground and the trio did yoga poses while meditating.
__Orario__
Lars was whistling and enjoying his little walk.
"I guess I learned a bit about magics, but I would still have to develop my first magic." Lars sighed.
"Hey! Lars-san!" Someone called out to him and Lars looked back.
"Syr?" He was perplexed at why the girl was calling out to him.
"Hello, Lars-san. You see, when you left your table. There was a book that got left behind." Syr explained why she stopped him.
"A book? But we didn't bring any." Lars raised a brow and he thought that she must be mistaken.
"Well, it might have come from the Loki familia. Could you please hold onto it? Pretty please?" Syr asked him while acting cute.
"I guess..." Lars didn't think much of it. "Yatta, thanks! It looked like a book on magic. Maybe Riveria-san left it." Syr gave it to him and she left.
"Hmm... She does look like the type to bring books everywhere." Lars chuckled.
And when he got back to his room in the wheat manor, he decided to check it out.
"There are two main magic types? So this is a book for a beginner huh?" Lars continued reading.
But he suddenly heard his voice even when he didn't speak.
"What is magic?" Lars blinked and he was compelled to answer.
"Overwhelming might to smite your foes." He grinned.
"What is magic?" The voice asked again and he laughed.
"You already know the answer. It's magic, it can be everything." Lars snorted.
"Then what is it that we seek from it?" His doppleganger grinned.
"To look absolutely cool while blowing shit up of course!" Lars laughed with his doppleganger and his falna glowed.
"Ravage..." Elements began to orbit his body and they were about to explode.
"Ahhh, that was close." Lars dispelled his mana.
"I'll have a lot of fun with this..." He had a wide grin on his face.
__
Thanks for reading everyone, ciao.