26 A Different Session

"Sit down and get ready to be amazed by my high tier magic!"

"This is so exciting! To think I'll be able to witness a spellcaster! I can't wait any longer!"

This noise and exchange of words came from the cinema located on island three. Himiko was about to put on a private magic show, just for her tutor Sonia, which was the sole spectator in the cinema.

Himiko wanted something as close to a stage to perform. To her fortune, her tutor recalled the cinema's setup, which it closely resembled a theater of sorts. It had a stage in an upper platform compared to the spectator's seats. It was perfect for the occasion.

The self-proclaimed magician stood on the stage with some props beside her.

"For this show! I will be placed inside this cursed sarcophagus, covered completely by metal spikes in the inside. With my teleportation magic, I will escape the inside of this death trap before my body gets skewered by a thousand spikes!" Himiko stood proud in the stage.

"Amazing! I expected nothing less from a full-fledged magician!" Sonia couldn't contain herself. She has been looking forward to this since the first tutoring session she had with Himiko. Her interest in the occult started to blossom once again.

The sarcophagus looked really threatening. The spikes on it were definitely real. If someone were to be trapped inside, they will undoubtedly get skewered through their whole body.

"Why…am I here again?" At the far right of the stage by the stairs. There stood an uncomfortable-looking Shuichi.

"Every magician needs an apprentice. An apprentice helps their teacher and learns from him while doing so" Himiko said to a not convinced Shuichi.

"In simpler terms, you want me to be your assistant with your magic tricks?" Shuichi lacked the tact to follow Himiko's chuunibyou mind.

"It's real magic, apprentice…" Himiko held her hat while glaring at Shuichi with a hostile look. "There are no tricks, apprentice. This is real magic, real spells. That is your first lesson."

"Okay, okay I will help you with your magic tri—I mean magic" Shuichi found the right words to calm the small mage and her threatening face.

"Then let's start!" Himiko proclaimed. Claps from the single person crowd started to echo around the room as Himiko entered the open sarcophagus.

"Hey, Himiko" Shuichi whispered to her. "How far am I supposed to close the doors?" Shuichi wanted to be sure of Himiko's safety, and he didn't really know what the trick was here.

"Don't worry just close them all the way" These words made Shuichi's face lose a small amount of its color.

"But if I do that these spikes are going to kill you!" The magician glared once again at Shuichi with disappointment.

"Apprentice you need to trust your teacher. I am the greater magician here. Just do as I say" Himiko tried to convince her assistant. Shuichi gulped and nodded. "Now! I'll see all of you on the other side! Now my apprentice, get the doors"

Shuichi with a reluctant attitude started pushing the doors close. His face went completely pale when he felt his teacher's body with the door. It was in the way of the doors completely shutting. Shuichi gave one big push and he closed the sarcophagus. He took one big breath, not knowing the worst was yet to come.

Shuichi stood frozen in front of the sarcophagus. His anxiety didn't let his legs move, not a single inch. After a few seconds, he realized a liquid coming out from the sarcophagus small gaps, dripping all the way to the floor.

As soon as he realized the crimson color of it. His knees collapsed, dropping into the floor. Not being able to mutter a single word. Sonia, on the other hand, was just sitting in the public with brimming eyes, waiting for the magic to happen. She did not worry at all when she saw the blood. Once Shuichi could muster the strength to move. He came near the sarcophagus.

"Hi…Himiko…?" As soon as he called out to her, it looked like if a summoning took place.

"TA DA!" Out of thin air, Himiko appeared in the middle of the stage. "And this is just a small demonstration of my teleporting prowess! Thank you so much for coming today!"

"Amazing! I can't believe she just appeared on the stage out of nowhere. It all happened too suddenly. This is definitely magic!" Sonia stood from her seat and started applauding. Shuichi gave a huge sigh of relief. He thought he would've never seen his friend again.

"So, this bloodlike liquid is just some prop as well" Shuichi went ahead and opened the doors to investigate the origin of the red liquid. He discovered a bottle of ketchup skewered in one of the spikes. "How…Original… I think"

"Behold my magic powers!" Himiko puffed out her chest in pride, as Sonia clapped her for almost three minutes straight. Shuichi felt happy for her friend. She looked proud, but most of all happy. Shuichi's pale face slowly regained its color. As soon as the clapping stopped, Sonia walked from her seat to the stage.

"Himiko-chan, that was a spectacular performance!" Sonia instantly grabbed both of Himiko's shoulders and brought her closer. "You need to teach me this spell!" Sonia was clearly asking for the impossible.

There were no such things as spells. No real magic. Just magic tricks. And one girl with a Chuunibyou complex.

"I'm sorry, but your body does not hold enough mana to cast spells" Himiko was sweating bullets, trying to evade her request at all costs.

"I see…" Sonia sounded gloomy as he let Himiko go from her grab. She then shook her head and recovered with a big smile on her face. "It's okay I can instead watch your spellcasting!" Her face lightened up pretty quickly.

"Of course! Maybe you cannot cast spells, but you can help me polish mine" Himiko's face showed an ear to ear smile, trying to comfort Sonia's lack of "Mana".

"Yumeno-san" Himiko and Sonia turned their attention to the person calling her. "If you ever need my help again, just let me know. But maybe next time, try not to give me a heart attack" Himiko and Sonia laughed to Shuichi's remark, while he joined them with a nervous giggle.

"I'm serious though," He thought to himself.

"Thank you for giving me a hand, and you are definitely helping me with my next shows. After all, you are my one and only apprentice. A master wizard as myself needs to take care of its apprentice" Himiko couldn't have been more grateful to Shuichi, everyone turned her down except for him.

"Even though apprentice in Himiko's dictionary is a direct synonym to an assistant," Shuichi thought to himself once more.

"I can't wait for the next show. Himiko-chan, Shuichi-kun, do your best!" Sonia cheered the pair. Himiko jumped in excitement, "We will not let you down!" Shuichi could only smile as he sees Himiko's excitement.

"Look forward to it Nevermind-senpai" Shuichi said with determination.

*BAM*

"Ouch…." Himiko whined on the floor in pain. "Huuh…?" She looked around to found herself on the floor of her cabin.

"Himiko! Are you okay?!" Tenko quickly tended to Himiko.

"Nyeh… I'm fine. I think…" She got up with Tenko's help. She walked back to her bed and went back to sleep.

"Do you need anything else Himiko?" Tenko asked before heading to her bed.

"I'm fine... don't worry…" Himiko sounded sleepy, so Tenko left her alone for the night. "My apprentice…" Himiko muttered to herself in silence. "Why is it always a dream…" Himiko covers herself with her bed covers, all the way to her head. Hiding her red face from anyone that could catch a glimpse.