章 49: Chapter 49
As I sigh and shake my head, attempting to ignore He, who watches me, I can't help but contemplate why things have suddenly gotten worse. I had asked Mia to speak to Goya, yet here I am in this predicament. What could she have said to him? I can feel his glares burning a hole in the back of my head.
"Hero Kura! These cupcakes have cute patterns drawn on them, I report!"
"Yes, they are very pretty,"
Nana thrust the cupcake towards me, displaying the floral patterns of its topping with pride. The cakes were absolutely gorgeous as if an artist had put their artistic touch on them. The most talented in the world have to be the chiefs of the elves.
It has been four days since the welcome-home party started, but it is still happening. Mia's parents had kindly offered for us to stay with them, but we had chosen to remain in the tree house this whole time. We didn't wish to intrude upon them while they had recently come together again with their child.
Mia was surrounded by plenty of elves, who were chatting away; she was clinging to her parents tenderly, an incredibly sweet sight to see. Tama and Pochi were beloved not just by the elves, but also by the brownies who would do the cleaning and serving. They were beginning to treat the two as if they were their own pets.
"Duck jerky?"
"This is red-deer jerky, sir!"
"Correct,"
"You girls are pretty good! Here, this one will stump you for sure..."
At the moment, they were either getting fed or, more accurately, playing a game in which they attempted to discern the kind of jerky by taste alone. Standing behind the two of them, Liza monitored their behaviour closely to ensure they did not get carried away. While doing so, any snacks she was offered were being quickly devoured by her.
"Master, I brought you some peculiar tea cakes,"
"Thank you, Arisa. There's no alcohol in this, is there?"
"I keep telling you: I won't make that mistake again!"
Arisa let out a joyous giggle as she dropped down next to Satou, clutching onto a basket of petite cupcakes which, even though they seemed dull, were actually bursting with delicious fruit goodness. I had already had a bite and it was heavenly.
"I will feed you, I insist,"
"Nana, more,"
"So soft,"
"These pastries are delish!"
After showing me the cupcake, Nana quickly broke it into small pieces for the fairies. Initially, their relationship had been rocky, but now they get along quite well. Unfortunately, one of them seemed to be a little too close to Nana. Unfortunately, one of them seemed to be a little too close to Nana. Two fairies were perched on her shoulders, while a third, who had exclaimed, 'So soft,' had settled in between Nana's breasts.
With a gentle smile gracing her lips, Sara sits gracefully, surrounded by a small herd of fairies that she is lovingly feeding. The gentle light of the room and the joyous fairies surrounding Sara only accentuated her natural beauty. At least I don't have to worry about her making the same mistake as Nana.
Those of us who were not able to understand the fairies' speech, which was in Elvish, wore translation rings in order to facilitate communication. Mia's parents had bestowed the rings upon us, which resembled the ones the Japanese summons had worn when we encountered them and Princess Menea in the Lumork Kingdom.
The rings must be rare, yet they allowed us to borrow them without any fees for an indefinite period of time. I heard from the people of Bolenan that an elf had previously been very passionate about creating translation rings, so they were not too unusual in the area. I wish I could have had the chance to meet the elf and learn about the process of their creation, but sadly they were snoozing away in the World Tree in something called a Sleep Tank.
I asked one of the more talkative elf's about the Sleep Tanks. According to him Sleep Tanks are designed for individuals who have become tired with life, are wary of their memories becoming forgotten, and so forth. An elf's memory can remain intact for up to five hundred years without difficulty. However, following that duration, the process of forgetting begins. It is said that even the elders, who have lived for tens of thousands of years, have begun to become to lose the ability to feel emotions.
It was understandable that some of the elves slept in order to protect their valuable memories, as it is impossible for any living thing's brain to keep storing new data forever. High Elves however don't have that problem. The High Elves rely on the memory archive to ensure their memories are preserved, so they rarely use the Sleep Tanks unless they are either bored of life or loathing themselves. I tried to ask more about the loathing thing but a serious-looking elf abruptly put a stop to our conversation.
"Satou,"
Mia had previously been clinging to her father's arm, but had now come over to Satou with three youthful elves. Although the emotional reunions had quietened down since the second day, there were still some elven newcomers.
"Soya. Puya. Aea,"
Mia usually introduces me to her guests with politeness, however, this time she immediately brought them to Satou without any formalities. It was not a very considerate introduction.
"So you're the Satou who beat Laya at shogi,"
"Strong,"
"Well, Laya is the weakest of the Bolenan Game Association's Four Kings of the Dawn! Do you really think your shogi can defeat the likes of us?!"
It was quite shocking to realize the level of Daisaku the Hero's audacity, however, in the past few days I had collected evidence that he was the source of many of the elves' peculiar customs. Laya, Mia's father, frowned with displeasure and mumbled, 'Mrrr, rude,' yet to his dismay, no one responded.
Aside from the Kings of the Dawn, the Game Association also had multiple other series of kings such as the Kings of the Dusk, the Kings of the Gale, and several others. For some time now, Satou had been unbeatable in the game of shogi, earning him titles such as Shogi Master and King of Games.
"You'd like to play me in shogi? Fine,"
"All right, me first,"
"Since you're all here, why don't I take on all three of you at once?"
"Arrogant,"
"Hmph, you'll live to regret those words!"
Satou was wise to choose the risky strategy of facing all the elven 'kings' together, as most elves disliked losing and thus wanted a longer time to think as in Mia's father's case. This way, Satou could ensure a swift conclusion to the confrontation.
As expected. It didn't take long for Satou to win. At the same time as shouts of 'Wait!' ringing out through the three games, Lulu appeared from the kitchen wearing an apron, accompanied by the elf girls who adored cooking. Nea was the first to arrive, she was studying the Japanese cuisine which Daisaku the Hero had long ago described.
"Mr. Satou, I made the hamburg steak we discussed yesterday. Could you evaluate it for me, please?"
"Yes, I'd be happy to,"
"Cheater!"
Nea laid out a row of her bite-sized steak in front of Satou for them to sample. As she tried to feed him one, a jealous cry resonated in the room. Arisa sprinted across the room declaring she would feed Satou. Lulu, blushing, hurriedly followed suit, and Pochi and Tama quickly joined in. Even Liza and Nana got in on the action.
"Open,"
Mia must have felt excluded, which is why she offered me a piece of the mysterious fruit she was eating. It was sweet and left me desiring more, although I'm uncertain what type of fruit it was. Sara appeared to be feeling left out, so I fed her some of the fruit, which brought a smile to her face and caused Mia to puff out her cheeks.
"Mrrr..."
The intensity of Goya's gaze was palpable as I was served another piece of fruit by Mia. His eyes were narrowed and his hand tightly clenched the door frame, sending a clear message of his disapproval. His glare was unmistakable. I hope he doesn't do anything too crazy.
Grrrrwwwl.
But then Pochi and Tama's stomach's loudly growled causing everyone to turn towards them. The hungry expressions on Tama and Pochi as they stare at Satou would have you never suspecting that the two had just gone through a jerky-eating contest.
"Do you want to try?"
"Aye-aye!"
"Yes, sir!"
"If I can be of help, it would be my pleasure,"
Tama and Pochi eagerly raised their hands before Satou had even finished his offer; then, unexpectedly, Liza jumped into the scene. Although her face was portraying her usual composure, her tail was swishing rapidly, revealing her eagerness for the opportunity. Tama and Pochi attempted it initially, however, it did not turn out as they anticipated.
"Huuuh? This isn't hamburg,"
"Hamburg steaks are softer and juicier, sir! They make you happy when you chomp into them, sir!"
As Pochi was vigorously gesturing while speaking to Nea, Satou, out of precaution, removed the fork from her grip. After trying each sample, Liza gave a sage nod. Her tail had settled down, indicating that they were only okay. Suddenly, Lulu arrived with her freshly made hamburg steak. It had been plated like a high-end restaurant; a cast-iron skillet sat upon a wooden plate, giving off the inviting aroma.
Nea breathed in the aroma, her face lit up with delight as she fixated on the steak. She looked like she was trying to commit the details to memory. But she should enjoy it before it became cold.
"Go ahead and try it,"
Nea took a tiny portion with her fork and knife, bringing it near her lips. Pochi and Tama had their eyes fixed hungrily on the fork, drooling all the while. I glanced over at Liza and although her mouth was slightly agape, thankfully there was no drool.
After taking her first bite, Nea started to cry. Although it may seem a bit dramatic to cry while eating, I can empathize with her excitement over finally getting to try this dish after a long wait. I anticipated that given her capabilities, she would be able to replicate the dish quickly now that she had experienced the genuine version.
"Kura," Mia, who had been sitting on my lap, abruptly stood up. She nuzzled against me, her face pushed against mine in a desperate plea. "Tofu steak."
"Sure," Mia let go of me, allowing me to retrieve the Tofu steak from my storage. Mia's father is now glaring at me along with Goya. This misunderstanding just keeps getting worse by the second. "Here you go, Mia. Your order is ready."
"Mm. Thanks,"
When Mia's parents and the other elves laid eyes on the dish I served to her, there was a ripple of shock in the air. Everyone watched as she picked up a piece of the tofu hamburg steak and started to chew. After a few moments, Mia's eyes closed blissfully and a small noise of satisfaction escaped her. Although I'm not yet as skilled as Satou in creating tofu hamburg steaks, I'm making progress every day and my abilities are improving.
"Mia ate meat!"
"She ate it!"
"Mia! Meat!"
"Mia ate meat!"
The elves vocalized their reactions in unison, but in my opinion, the reaction was rather intense.
"Good,"
"We're so proud, Mia. That's wonderful. We'll have to make red rice to celebrate, now, won't we?"
Mia's parents joyfully embraced her, yet there seemed to be confusion in her expression. Nonetheless, it was clear that she was proud. Unfortunately, due to Mia seated on my lap, I became inadvertently involved in their family hug. I could tell that Mia's father was pinching me on purpose when he saw that I was there, although it wasn't particularly painful thanks to my resistance skills.
I want to apologize to Mia for keeping this a secret. I understand it may seem bad, but it is for the best. After getting confirmation from Mia's parents that she doesn't have any meat allergies, I created this hamburg tofu with a small percentage of meat.
When I sampled the dish I noticed it didn't have a meaty flavour, and evidently Mia overlooked the meat that was in it. Thus, I chose to slowly add extra meat each time she eats the steak before informing Mia of its presence. I hate lying to people like this. I ended up with the 'Trickster' skill because of this. I hope Mia will forgive me when I reveal the truth.
At that moment, Lulu came back with an abundance of hamburg steak dishes. To Liza's delight, Satou invited her to assist with bringing up some extra plates. Lulu had done an amazing job by making a huge batch of hamburg steaks, as the elves kept pouring in, eager to try them. The demand was so high that Goya almost got trampled when the horde of eager elves rushed towards the steaks.
"Tasty,"
"This is delicious! It's so soft, it practically melts in your mouth!"
To meet demand Satou cooked hamburg steaks with the help of Lulu and Liza, and the elves gave them rave reviews. Despite his best efforts, Satou couldn't prepare them quickly enough. Everyone wanted to try the legendary hamburg steaks the hero spoke of, and the allure was too strong. I would have offered to help but I now had both Mia and her mother on my lap. If looks could kill then Mia's father would have killed me ten times over by now with the look he shoots me.
Without the intervention of Nea and her two companions, Satou could have been confined to the kitchen for the entirety of the next day. However, thanks to the teaching of the recipe by Satou, the trio were able to quickly start manufacturing hamburg steaks in neighbouring tree houses, thus removing some of the burden.
Satou was pleasantly surprised when he was thanked for his hard work - the elated elves gave him livestock such as colossal sheep and vermillion chickens. These animals were to be placed in the enormous stable that was built into the tree's roots. Animatronic figures were tending to the horses, runosaurs, and other creatures that were kept there already.
"Mrrr..."
It looked like even the taste of the hamburg steaks was enough to stop Goya glaring at me. He won't take his eyes off me as he nibbles on his steak. I shouldn't find him as adorable as I do in this moment but he looks really cute right now despite his displeasure.
<0>
"Hey, boys and girls, you've got a visitor,"
After having breakfast on the seventh day of our stay at the elf village, the living room echoed with mysterious and unexpected voices. The carved wooden decorations that hung in the room had suddenly come alive and were speaking collectively. Tama was completely panicked and stood immobile in the middle of us playing shogi-piece Jenga, her tail suddenly poofing up.
Pochi's eyes widened dramatically, and she almost tumbled from her seat until Liza had to grab her to keep her from falling. The carvings that remained a mystery to us had been in the same place all night during the party, leading us to believe that whoever had left had been kind enough to activate them before they left. I pondered if the mirror situated alongside them would portray an image of the guest, however, I assume it wasn't quite so advanced. Once I rose to my feet, the carvings ceased their dialogue.
"I'll go and look,"
Lulu descended the stairs rapidly in order to greet the visitors.
"Good morning, Mr Satou, Miss Hero,"
"Good morning,"
Satou and I were taken aback when we saw who Lulu had come back with.
"Welcome, Lady Aialize, Miss Lua,"
"Good morning,"
Satou welcomed Lua, the shrine maiden, and Aialize, the high elf, into the room. Satou had a dreamy expression on his face, like one that inherently comes with being in love, and I silently cast a spell, 'Magic Hands,' to keep Arisa from ruining this special moment.
"Come on, Lady Aaze,"
"Nnngh, I know, I know. Don't push me, Lua,"
Aialize was motionless and silent, thus Lua gave her shoulder a few gentle nudges.
"Master, we'll go take the horses on a walk,"
"Sure, thanks,"
When it became apparent that Aialize was struggling to communicate, Lulu kindly ushered the other girls leave. Although Arisa attempted to stay, she eventually had to be pulled out of the room by Pearl.
"I'm terribly sorry if we've caused any trouble..."
Satou reassured Lua that everything was fine, proposing that they both take a seat. Aialize, seemingly quite timid, wouldn't look up and kept shifting as if she was anxious, not uttering a single syllable.
"Come on, Lady Aaze. I understand you're upset that they saw you at your worst, but being shy about it won't get you anywhere, all right?"
Lua forcefully lifted Aialize's chin, compelling her to make eye contact with us. It looked like it hurt. I understood her emotions, yet I would hate for Aialize to become injured as a result. As our eyes met, Aialize was clearly becoming increasingly distraught; however, she did her utmost to express herself.
"I... I'm sorry about earlier!"
Without further explanation, she lowered her head. It seemed she was alluding to the imagined figure of the small silver-haired girl.
"No, no. If anything, I should apologize for taking your words literally and kissing you directly, Lady Aialize. I hope it was not too unpleasant an experience,"
"N... no, it wasn't..." Her face flushed at that.
"Let us agree that neither of us was at fault, then, shall we?"
"If that's all right with you, Satou..."
As Aialize let out a sigh of relief, an uncomfortable silence filled the air.
"The rumours were true. Both your spirit lights are beautiful,"
Lua, her gaze now a shimmering silver, graciously shifted the conversation for all of us.
"Is that right?" Satou responded. "I'm not able to see this 'spirit light,' so I can't really tell myself..."
"I can't see it either,"
"All that light, yet you don't have any 'Spirit Vision'?" Lua looked surprised.
"Heroes have the strangest gaps in their abilities, don't they? Daisaku was the same way,"
Aialize casually dropped the bombshell, to which Lua was the first to respond.
"Mr Satou is a hero too?"
"You knew that, didn't you, Lua? He's the hero with the rainbow-colored spirit light who was fighting the black dragon,"
"Erm, what might you be referring to?"
Aialize tilted her head as Satou played dumb.
"When you were fighting in the mountains... Wait, hmm? You don't have the Hero title today," Analyse was among Aialize's many gifts. "Now that I think about it, your name was blank back then, and your levels and skills are different now, too."
"Couldn't it have been someone else, then?"
"Ah-ha-ha, of course not! There can't be anyone else with such a strong and distinctive spirit light," Satou tried to feign ignorance, but Aialize simply laughed at him. "Neither the sky dragons nor even we high elves can emit such a splendid spirit light. Oh dear, were you trying to keep your identity a secret?"
"Well...yes. If anyone powerful were to find out that I'm a hero, I'm afraid it would lead to all kinds of trouble..."
"Yeah," I sigh. "You rarely get a moments rest around the nobility."
"Hmm. I see,"
Aialize didn't seem to be completely convinced, but when Lua leaned in to whisper something in her ear, the words became muffled, as if Lua had used a type of security magic tool. Even with my heightened sense of hearing thanks to the skill 'Keen Hearing,' I was not able to make out what was said.
I questioned whether or not Satou would have to deal with a classic blackmail-like ultimatum of 'you do this in exchange for me keeping your secret,' but I doubted it since I knew these elves wouldn't say anything of that nature. Thus far, everyone appeared to be quite candid; thus, if they wanted something from Satou, they would tend to just ask for it directly without attempting to negotiate.
"Then I! Shall be! Your teacher!"
Aialize rose to her feet, her hands balled into tight fists, and declared something fiercely. Despite my curiosity as to what she was about to impart, I silently held my breath and waited for her next words. The awkwardness of our staring made her blush and she hastily retook her seat.
"Ahem! That is to say, as thanks for bringing Mia back home, I shall teach you both how to control your spirit light!"
"Really? I couldn't possibly ask you to do that. Are you sure?"
"But of course!"
She hid behind Lua, who was not very tall, as she spoke. It was as if we had been transported back into middle school, with the timid teacher cowering behind their young pupil. Thus, we were forced to become the pupil of the slightly less-than-dependable Professor Aialize.
We were able to utilize a dryad's teleportation to transport us to a rocky area which was approximately twenty miles away from the World Tree. It appears that dryads can send people to almost any place in the Bolenan Forest.
"This way, please,"
Lua, the shrine maiden, guided us through the rocky terrain and eventually to a location where we could enjoy an unobstructed view of the majestic World Tree. There at the overlook of the waterfall, we stood in awe of its splendour.
"Wow..."
I couldn't think of a way to describe the World Tree's beauty. It is just simply breath taking.
"It certainly is large, isn't it?"
"Indeed. The Mountain-Trees are quite large as well, but the World Tree is in a class all its own,"
I couldn't believe it didn't collapse under its own sheer weight, and evidently Satou was thinking the same thing, prompting him to ask about it.
"According to the elders, the World Tree itself maintains a Dimension Pile spell that supports its weight,"
That was the same spell that had been holding up the ship hulls we had seen before. Lua kept guiding us as we talked amongst ourselves. Eventually, we came across a massive rock sitting in front of a beautiful waterfall, forming a stone platform. Aialize had arrived long before us and was already waiting for us there. To our surprise, Aialize was wearing something shocking.
Clad in a white shirt, a tight skirt, and glasses that had triangular lenses, she had her hair pulled back in a bun, with a few strands cascading down either side of her face. As a finishing touch, the short wand in her hand seemingly acted as a substitute pointing stick, giving her the appearance of a stereotypical 'lady teacher,'. Daisaku, the hero, had a considerable impact on the culture of the elves.
"Satou. Kura. You're both late,"
Aialize couldn't stop blushing as she said that. She really isn't the kind of person who should be cosplaying.
"My apologies,"
Satou bowed his head, playing along with Aialize's act.
"Lady Aaze, can't you stop playing around and put on a proper outfit?"
"But Daisaku said this outfit would give a plus-one effect to my 'Education' skill!"
"I think that was a joke,"
Aialize appeared to be less stunned by Lua's fury than she was by the discovery that the 'Education' skill's plus-one bonus was a falsehood. She really is gullible. I'm honestly surprised Aialize managed to lead the Bolenan Clan if she is this easily tricked.
As I waited for Aialize to come to her senses, I glanced out at the stunning view of the cascading waterfall from the raised platform. Although it was not as grand as the renowned Niagara Falls, it was still an awe-inspiring sight to behold, with multiple waterfalls pouring down from one edge. There is even a rainbow forming just above the top of the falls.
When we heard a loud clearing of someone's throat, we spun around to find Aialize, returned to her shrine maiden garments. Satou and I were admiring the scene before us when we heard her clothes rustling as she changed. At least Satou didn't try to peak.
"Now then, before the lesson begins, please take this,"
Lua, who had been appointed as Aialize's aide for the lesson, gave us both a bundle of blue powder.
"What is it?"
The powder had a sapphire-like quality that reminded me of a jewellery workshop I had visited in the old capital. Every so often, it would glisten with a strange light, leading me to believe it was some kind of mystical substance.
"Holytree Stone powder," Satou quietly mumbled beside me.
"It's the powder of the Holytree Stone. Known more popularly outside the forest as the Philosopher's Stone, I believe," Lua explained. "It's often given to pregnant women before they give birth, but its most common use is to augment the effect of magic."
"The World Tree only produces one or two small stones a year, which means it's very valuable, you know! So don't spill it, all right?"
Aialize's strange competitiveness was sparked as she provided some of her own information. I took the blue powder Lua gave me and sprinkled it into my mouth, washing it down with some water. It didn't have any taste to it, but I could sense the slight shift in magic power due to my 'Magic Sense' skill. I could even feel it sliding down my throat.
"Now, first we should warm up. Watch and imitate my movements, all right?"
I closely observed Aialize and followed her every step, as we engaged in a rather strenuous series of exercises. We were attempting to disperse the powder throughout our bodies and I could literally feel the Holytree Stone particles breaking down in my stomach, travelling through my veins, and coming to rest in every inch of my body. It was reminiscent of my experience ingesting barium prior to a stomach X-ray.
"Next, send magic power coursing through your body,"
I obediently channelled a wave of magic through my body, almost like I was engaging in 'Self-Healing'. As the sensation coursed through my veins, I could feel the Holytree Stone particles in my bloodstream absorbing it.
"You're quite two good at this,"
"Indeed. Most struggle with either circulating the magic properly or letting it seep into the magic clothing, but you both seem to be a naturals,"
I had to be careful not to use too much magic as it could flow into the Yuriha fibres of my training clothes, so I made sure to not be too careless. It was quite challenging to get this under control, so I had to remain silent. Once a sufficient amount of magic had been absorbed by the particles in my bloodstream, they began to give off a luminosity resembling that of a Holy Sword.
"Okay, now catch the magic as it tries to leave your body and sort of pin it down. Then just wrap it around you like you're making a thin film over the surface of your body,"
The first part was a bit tricky and unlike Satou who seemed to master it at once I needed Lua to help me. The second part was much easier though. Aialize was an exceptionally talented person, making it difficult for her to explain her ideas simply. Despite this, I was able to comprehend what she was trying to convey. I was able to mimic her magical abilities and succeeded in doing so. Thanks to Satou showing me how to use Hayato the Hero's 'Magic Power Armour' beforehand, it wasn't a task that taxed me too much.
Sweet. I managed to gain the 'Spirit Light Control' and 'Magic Control' skills. I couldn't level them up but I find performing the last exercise a bit easier now.
"All right, it worked,"
"What?! Wow, it really did. I can't see your spirit light at all now,"
Lua shut her eyes, then reopened them with 'Spirit Vision' switched on, her eyes becoming silver. She could confirm what Satou had said, though I still couldn't see the spiritual light myself, so I had to take her word for it.
"As for you hero... you seem to have gotten the skill but it is still leaking out a bit,"
I nodded, understanding that while my skills might have been impressive, they weren't enough when standing alongside Satou, who could master skills with effortless ease. Even my ability to learn skills at a rapid pace was no match for his.
"Don't worry. I'm sure you will get the hang of it soon,"
Aialize tried to cheer me up but I wasn't that upset. The main reason Satou could beat me was that he still had skill points to level up those skills while I had none. Once I level up again I will catch up with him. Or I could use one of my unique skills that allows me to level up other skills by repeatedly using them.
"Very impressive. That usually takes at least a few years,"
Aialize smiles as she turns to Satou.
"Why, it took me over a hundred... I guess ordinary standards really don't apply to heroes,"
Lua sighed with dissatisfaction, causing me to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. With Satou around, even the most talented seemed less than amateurish in comparison when it came to any subject other than music, which just so happened to be Satou's only true weakness.
"Next, let's begin the second round of training,"
"Good idea. Since we've already used valuable Holytree Stone powder, we might as well move on to the next course while it's still in effect,"
"Right. This time, with the magic still forming a membrane around you, try to focus on the section just before your eyes, and then you should be able to look through it,"
I thought it seemed difficult to only manipulate a part of it, but I was able to do it by envisioning it as if I were wearing magical contact lenses. It hurt my eyes at first but after a few seconds and the pain went away I opened my eyes.
"Now, look at the ends of my fingertips... Water Spirit Summoning Sui Seirei Shoukan!"
Aialize raised her hands and water began to pour forth, gathering into breathtaking, hovering spheres above her palms. The gentle wind blew a few droplets of the liquid away, forming a rainbow in the sky above her. She looked magical, as if a fairy or goddess had descended from the heavens. Satou must have had a similar thought because he is almost drooling at the sight of her.
"Watch carefully, Satou,"
"R... right,"
Aialize had an aura of solemnity around her that completely changed her appearance. Satou coughed to cover up his awe, as I gazed at the liquid spheres before me. At first, all I could see was water; however, when I shifted my focus, I noticed a faint, blue light shimmering within. I couldn't keep my eyes on it for too long, but when I looked away I could still catch a glimpse of it in my peripheral vision.
I ended up acquiring the 'Spirit Vision' skill before I knew it. I was amazed at how quickly I picked up the ability. I couldn't help but wonder if the Holytree Stone powder had something to do with it.
"I see it,"
"What?!"
"Really?!"
Both Aialize and Lua exclaimed at Satou declaration. They turn to me and I nod my head confirming I can see it too.
"Really?"
"I believe so. It's a kind of amorphous light-blue glow, correct?"
"Y... yes, that's right,"
"Incredible. Why, only one elf in a hundred can acquire that if not born with it,"
It is a pretty light. Gentle and warm looking. If this is what Mia saw wrapped around me when we first met, then I am not surprised when she called me pretty. I wish I was able to see it sooner.
"All right, round three, then! Let's try Spirit Magic next!"
Aialize became visibly excited, pumping her fists in the air. Despite being a gentleman and likely wanting to cast the Everyday Magic spell 'Dry' in order to dry her clothes, Satou opted to take in the sight for a while longer which prompted me to take charge. Aialize's face instantly reddened when she noticed her outfit had grown translucent.
"Here I go!... Wind Kaze!"
First, Aialize showed us something incredible. I was able to use my recently activated 'Spirit Vision' skill to truly observe her. She spoke a single word, and the formerly colourless spirits around her transformed into green wind spirits and unleashed the power of 'wind'. This was a spell as strong as 'Air Hammer', yet it only took her a moment to cast it.
"See?" Aialize said. "The magic it creates is no different from ordinary Wind Magic, but it has the advantages of short casting time and minimal required magic power."
"Though you must be careful, as it will not be effective in an area without spirits,"
Lua added, since Aialize seemed to have forgotten this important warning. They explained that there weren't many spirits in man-made buildings, monster dwellings, and so on.
When I activated my 'Spirit Vision,' I could see a stunning spectrum of metallic colours radiating from Aialize, mostly gold. Lua had a glowing aura surrounded by dim lights of a variety of cooler shades. From what I could observe, spirit lights often spanned many colours within a certain range, not just one. Even though I noticed some birds in the sky, their light was too faint for me to make out what they were.
The light radiating from my body was a subdued, pale white. I was curious, so I unleashed the energy I had been holding back, and my vision was suddenly awash with an intense array of colours, almost dazzlingly so. Spirits thronged around the waterfall, quickly congregating around me. With my view obscured, I could only guess that my aura encompassed the full range of primary colours, all of them quite vivid. Mia had said mine was 'pretty'. However, Aialize's light was more beauteous and graceful by comparison.
I quickly hid my spirit light again to ensure that it wouldn't be seen. Once their objective had been satisfied, the spirits dissipated in various directions. Most of them returned to their surrounding environment, apart from those that were drawn towards Lua's and Aialize's spirit lights. This went much more slowly than how they had initially come together.
"Goodness, such free rein you have already. She's quite adaptable, isn't she, Lady Aaze?"
"I... indeed,"
Aialize answered vaguely. She seemed dazed, still blinking the afterimage of my spirit light from her eyes.
"My apologies, Lady Aialize. I wanted to try something, so I loosened my control a tad too much,"
"I... it's all right, since it's your first time and all,"
Aialize seemed to have reverted back to her shy demeanour. Previously, she had been looking at me without hesitation and conversing without difficulty, but now her behaviour was uneasy and awkward. Perhaps my spirit light was too overwhelming for her.
"A... at any rate, give it a try!"
"All right... Wind Kaze!"
When Satou went first, they only created a light breeze. However, when I tried, a strong gust of wind blew and ripped leaves from the branches of the trees. It looks like I found something today I can beat Satou at.
"Oh? Are chants perhaps not your strong suit, Satou?"
"I'm afraid I can never seem to get them right,"
"And yet, the wind still appeared to blow just now, did it not?"
"Maybe the spirits were simply being generous," Satou shrugged.
"Impossible," Lua shook her head. "Aside from a few exceptions, like dryads, spirits do not have egos or intelligence. They are simply mechanisms that take mana from sources and relay it to creatures that need it."
Spirits were seen as a type of natural phenomenon. Upon activation of my 'Spirit Vision,' I believed these creatures to be more insect-like than simply unintelligent. I even thought they formed a kind of swarm, and it made me wonder if they had a hive mentality.
"You think so? Sometimes when a lot of them gather, they seem to be saying something,"
"Lady Aaze, you are the only person who has ever made such a claim. The other high elves all refuse to back you up, don't they?"
"Well, yeah...but still! It really does seem like they're talking,"
Aialize blew out her cheeks and spun away from Lua, which was very reminiscent of Mia's typical response. While it was possible that she was merely imagining things, you couldn't just make assumptions like that. Apart from talking, there are other methods of communication used by animals such as pheromones, vibrations, and body language. It is also possible that the spirits have their own way of communicating.
"Is it all right if I try it?"
"Oh, not you, too, Mr. Satou..."
"Please do! You'll hear it for sure!"
I try to listen but I don't hear anything. But they way they move makes me believe they have some way of communicating with each other.
"Don't tell me you believe her too, miss hero,"
"Well, all living things have to have a way of communicating,"
"See! I know I am right!"
"They did seem to be saying something, but I couldn't tell what,"
"Exactly! Oh, how I would love to speak with them, even just once,"
"You're sure you're not joking, Mr Satou?"
Lua appeared to be confused, yet Satou reassured her that it was indeed the reality.
Despite Satou's multiple attempts, he was never able to successfully cast Spirit Magic. On the other hand, I had no such difficulty. I had the ability to manipulate the wind, conjure light and even ignite a fire with my Spirit Magic, much to Satou's disappointment. I was at a loss as to why I could achieve what he couldn't. There must be something in how the magic is channelled that makes a difference.
Since I first started utilizing magic, I have sensed an innate connection with it and mana. It feels almost second-nature when it courses through my veins and I relish in the act of enchanting. Magic is the one thing I never have to worry about when I cast. That could be the reason I could use it while Satou struggles.
Aialize went a bit overboard while trying to show Satou something and ended up splashing us all with water, but I somehow gained the "Spirit Magic" skill, so it wasn't all bad. In fact, it was kind of adorable to see Aialize pouting when Lua got mad at her.
"What a shame. If you could only chant properly, you could probably even summon and employ pseudo-spirits as well as using Spirit Magic,"
As an example, Lua utilized a form of 'summoning' to manifest the pigeon-shaped pseudo-spirit she used to communicate with individuals from afar. Remarkably, it resembled a real pigeon, however its surface was illuminated in a ghostly white glow. In truth, Lua was merely taking advantage of small spirits in order to construct this being.
Pseudo-spirits had the advantage of not feeling any pain or fear, making them ideal for combat practice, hunting lures, and so forth. Their HP would hit zero and they would vanish, reverting to the spirits they were assembled from before dispersing.
"It's easy to summon them around you two or Lady Aaze because your spirit light is so intense," Lua added.
"By the way, how exactly do the varying strengths of these 'spirit lights' work?"
"Who knows?"
"Oh, Lady Aaze," Aialize placed her finger to her chin, tilting her head in an innocent manner. In response, Lua groaned before beginning to explain. "In the case of underground veins and such, areas with stronger flow will have a brighter light. The vicinity of a mana source shines especially brightly." She paused, as if the remaining words were more difficult to express. "But for people, it appears to be more complex than just the amount of magic power, so we don't actually know what causes it."
Although the Elves were known for their great longevity, there were things they could not comprehend. On my travels, I had heard that source was the energy force from which magic was derived, while intermediaries, called 'spirits', could transform that energy into sorcery. It was likely that areas with a powerful pool of mana and magical energy seemed to be surrounded by spirit light, much like electromagnetic radiations came forth from electricity.
"What exactly is a source?"
"An opening where mana spills from an underground vein, perhaps?"
"Indeed. On this continent, the Valley of Dragons is by far the most extraordinary, but there are over a hundred other notable spots as well,"
The Valley of Dragons was special, which made sense since it was the home of the dragon god, the strongest deity of all. Because of this, it is conceivable that the unusualness of my spirit light was a product of the power granted to me by the dragon god, emanating from the Valley of Dragons.
"That's right. In fact..." Aialize abruptly clapped her hands in unison, as if Lua's words jogged her memory. "...I believe the bottom of this very waterfall is also a spirit pool, a kind of source!"
When I cast my gaze downward, I was able to activate my 'Spirit Vision' and noticed a faint yet clear light emanating from the base of the waterfall. The light's radiance was not particularly strong, yet the water was perfectly transparent.
"Is this one of those hundred notable spots?"
"No, no. Those are the kinds that are big enough to build a city or town over," Lua shook her head.
"The size of a source can vary immensely. As far as small ones like this, it's difficult to count just how many there might be,"
Surprisingly, small sources were quite frequent. My curiosity piqued, I gazed upon the majestic World Tree with my 'Spirit Vision'. I was awestruck by its dazzling brightness, and upon focusing my gaze for a longer period, I could observe concentric circles of light radiating from the trunk like ripples on a pond.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Aialize noticed my gaze and responded with a warm, gentle smile.
"Yes, very. So is the World Tree a source, too?"
"No, not exactly,"
"Lady Aaze..."
"Instead of an underground vein, it comes from the... Ah, am I not supposed to tell him this?"
"Well, I suppose it's all right if it's Mr Satou and miss hero, but please don't share this knowledge with anyone else,"
Satou and I nodded in agreement with Lua's approval, signalling that Aialize had finished her explanation.
"Do you know about the aether that flows through the void?"
"Please forgive my ignorance,"
"I'm sorry, I don't know either,"
I was completely unaware of the definition of the 'void'. The World Tree seemed to soar up to a tremendous level, which made me think that maybe it was the incognizable void of space. Although, I was secretly hoping that it was a more imaginative explanation like 'the spirit world' or something along those lines.
"I'm glad for the chance to teach you, then. The aether is..."
Aialize seemed quite pleased with herself as she delivered her unusually articulate explanation of the aether. This explanation included the concept of a fifth element aside from earth, water, fire, and wind. To summarize, the basic theory was that the "aether" was a material in outer space mediating the vast amount of mana emitted by the sun.
"...Now, the World Tree stretches out thin threadlike limbs called 'emerald branches' to the aether to absorb its mana. Then it sends that mana deep into the earth, where it flows through the underground veins and keeps them active."
Aialize spread her arms wide, smiling at the World Tree like a mother admiring her cherished child. Her expression put it into perspective for me that she was much older than myself.
"The light of the World Tree is the spirits picking up the mana that escapes as it flows from the sky to the earth,"
I understand. The World Tree was basically a huge magical device that kept the world functioning.
"If greedier folk were to learn of this, other nations would start to target forests like Bolenan that contain World Trees, which is why we keep it a secret,"
If someone were to gain control of these massive energy sources, they could likely attain immense power and potentially even dominate the world.
"I won't tell anyone of this,"
"I promise never to speak of this to anyone. If my word is not enough, I will gladly be bound by Geis or 'Contract,"
"Oh, that's hardly necessary,"
It seemed like a pretty important secret to me, but Lua chuckled as if Satou were exaggerating. He was serious. Elves appear to be very trusting creatures, and Satou stated his worry about this to Lua. In response, she said...
"I do not think the worst is very likely. If someone truly did attempt to control the World Trees and destroy the world, the gods would punish them."
"Mrrr..."
Why did Goya show up to glare at me here?
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