章 43: Development in magic
At night, on a quiet beach, a silver-haired girl could be seen. She was panting heavily, hurling water-based spells here and there, yet something was clearly holding her back.
"Why? Why can't I create that water serpent again? Or any other spell for that matter? What changed?" Noelle muttered to herself, frustration etched on her face.
She paused, lost in thought, her mind drifting back to yesterday. Back then, the spells had come to her effortlessly. She had been calm, her mind free from distractions. All the things that usually troubled her—her family, the Silva household, her status—had simply faded into the background. But now, her thoughts were a mess. She couldn't quiet them.
"How do I do it again? Back then, it just happened…" she murmured, searching for answers.
Suddenly, an image of a boy with ash-colored hair appeared in her mind. Despite his often goofy behavior, Asta seemed utterly unbothered by such burdensome thoughts.
"Maybe… I should ask him?" she said out loud. After thinking it over for a moment, she nodded to herself, resolving to do so.
Returning to the inn, she took a long bath to relax and then went to bed, her thoughts occupied by what the next day might bring.
---
Early the next morning, Noelle awoke and glanced out her window. There, she saw Asta. He was already training, as usual, even at such an early hour.
Determined, she dressed quickly and headed toward him. As she approached, Asta noticed her and began waving enthusiastically.
"Hey, Noelle! Good morning! How are you?" he called out, smiling brightly.
"G-good morning, Asta… Listen, can you help me with something?" she stammered, her cheeks tinged with a slight blush.
"Help you? Of course! I'd be happy to help!" he responded energetically, moving closer.
"Well… can you tell me how you avoid having troubling thoughts?" she asked, her expression serious.
"Troubling thoughts?" Asta echoed, tilting his head as he pondered. "Hmm… If I think about it, it's probably because of my physical training. When I'm running or working out, I don't get distracted by any thoughts."
"Physical training?" Noelle repeated, frowning. "Would that even work? I doubt it."
"I don't know, but you should give it a shot!" Asta replied, full of enthusiasm.
Noelle hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"Alright. I'll try."
"Great! How about running with me?" he suggested, extending his hand toward her.
Looking at his outstretched hand, Noelle felt a strange sense of unease, as if he were inviting her to a dance. Blushing, she placed her hand in his.
"Fine."
"Awesome! Let's get started right now!" Asta exclaimed, grabbing her hand and pulling her along before she could protest.
---
It didn't take long for Noelle to find herself out of breath.
"I… can't… go on…" she gasped, stopping in her tracks.
Her lack of physical fitness was evident. Yet, amidst her exhaustion, she realized something remarkable—her troubling thoughts had vanished.
From that day onward, Noelle began training with Asta every morning. She found it not only helped her clear her mind but also strengthened her physically.
---
After several weeks, Noelle noticed a significant improvement. Her spells had grown more precise, and she could once again summon her water serpent.
But she didn't stop there. She continued pushing herself for another month, her progress fueled by daily runs with Asta. She achieved much during this time, both mentally and physically.
Grateful for his help, Noelle decided it was time to thank Asta properly.
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