[9]

By September of 1989, about six months had passed since Touko departed on her journey to Europe. At that time, Aoko had made significant strides in mastering the Arcane Magic. In two years, her mage level had risen to 8, granting her access to two 4th-level spell slots and increasing her intelligence by two points, reaching a total of 20.

However, Aoko was uncertain whether her growth followed the exact system of the Player's Handbook from her previous life. Before reaching level 8, she had already acquired the Spell Mastery feat through daily meditation and research. This allowed her to prepare certain spells without needing a spellbook, and, by briefly meditating, she could ready several spells equal to her Intelligence modifier—(20-10)/2, or 5 spells. This greatly sped up her morning spell preparation.

When she reached level 8, she didn't automatically gain two additional points of intelligence by choice. It appeared that her intelligence would increase naturally as she progressed, even without actively selecting it. Additionally, if she acquired a feat early through personal effort and talent, it replaced the bonus feat she would normally receive at that level. Thus, class levels served more as a safety net for Aoko. As long as she was smart enough and had the physical potential, she could acquire certain class abilities earlier than usual.

In the game, limitations balanced character abilities, but this didn't seem to apply in reality. For instance, when Aoko selected Alertness as her first bonus feat, her Intelligence still increased by two points.

According to Aoko's understanding, classes were merely a human interpretation of the universe's rules. Since this universe had no concept of classes, Aoko could only draw on her abilities from the Woven Fragment within her.

Aoko had also mastered several 4th-level spells: Dimensional Anchor, Ice Storm, and Dimension Door, along with lower-level spells like Nondetection, Protection from Energy, Greater Mage Armor, and Dimensional Prison. These spells were all highly effective when used in the right circumstances, testing a mage's experience and wisdom.

Thanks to her strong scientific background from her previous life, especially in mathematics, Aoko excelled in learning this world's mathematical magecraft. Her talent in this area even drew praise from the usually aloof Kuonji Alice. Aoko was learning mathematical magecraft from Alice because this discipline increased the efficiency of magical operations. With her already inhuman mana circulation efficiency, she wanted to push this strength even further.

Using mathematical magecraft, Aoko raised her signature spell, magic bullet projection, to a level that would make even a Lord from the Clock Tower exclaim, "What a monster!" This fully unleashed her destructive potential. Mathematical magecraft was also a supportive type of magecraft, assisting with constructing spell formulas and bounded fields, making it highly beneficial. Even Alice, now Aoko's magecraft tutor, approved of her learning it.

Beyond her personal growth, last year, Aoko had imported a young New Caledonian Crow, which she made her familiar. Known for their intelligence, these crows are among the most clever of birds. Once transformed into a familiar, this crow gained a supernatural ability to understand a language of Aoko's choosing, and she chose English for its practicality.

With Aoko's high intelligence and level, her familiar now had an intelligence score of 10, equivalent to that of a human. She often chatted with it, and a strong bond grew between them. She named the clever little crow Stark (meaning "Strong") in the hope it would grow strong and healthy.

Stark was intelligent and obedient, grateful to Aoko for transforming it from an ordinary crow into a highly intelligent familiar, and it cherished its new identity. It diligently performed all tasks Aoko assigned, fearing that if it didn't perform well, it might be replaced and reverted to an ordinary animal. Stark did not want that fate; it hoped to remain Aoko's familiar for life.

In reality, Stark's worry was unfounded. Aoko viewed the New Caledonian Crow as the ideal familiar, not only for its natural intelligence but also for its linguistic abilities, which made it far more convenient than other options. She also appreciated Stark's sleek, iridescent feathers, which gave it a refined appearance.

Aoko went so far as to purchase various imported nuts and specialized supplements for pet crows, ensuring Stark grew faster and healthier than its peers. Alice, too, had a familiar, a robin named Robin, left behind by her mother. While Robin could speak, as a man-made familiar, its speech patterns followed a set magus logic. Outsiders might not notice, but Alice knew Robin's personality was limited. Compared to Stark, Robin felt lacking.

Moreover, Stark could share some of Aoko's spellcasting abilities, an advantage Robin didn't have. Kuonji Alice was a solitary girl, and though she said nothing, she envied Aoko's close bond with Stark.

Aoko had noticed Alice sneaking snacks to Stark more than once, but she never confronted her. She simply told Stark, "If Alice leaves you snacks, feel free to eat them."

Of course, Alice had one complaint about Stark, though it wasn't directed at the crow but rather at Aoko. Alice had a refined sense of taste, and upon learning that Aoko had named her precious familiar "Stark," she nearly started an argument. However, Aoko deftly sidestepped the topic, leaving Alice with no choice but to drop the matter.

Perhaps Aoko would give Stark a new name someday, but for now, she was too unbothered to change it. "Stark" was just fine—after all, a humble name can help one thrive.