Chapter 9: Attribute and movement magic

[Etto…well then, let's begin.]

Is she a little nervous? Lindsey awkwardly announces. Somehow she shows shyness towards strangers or more precisely, she gives the impression of being too meek. The older sister should follow her example…is that even worth considering? I think she's starting to open up considerably from the time we met, yet she is still distant.

My magic lessons will be held today, so I'm going to take a break from guild tasks. In the backyard of the inn, I face Lindsey while sitting down on a worn out chair and table which I think isn't being used by the inn.

Ah, because Elsie said she's not going to join us, she left for the guild in the morning to do tasks she can complete alone.

[Well then Lindsey-sensei, yoroshiku onegaishimasu.]

[Se, sensei…! Auu…]

The sensei turns bright red and casts her eyes downwards. Dangerous, kawaii.

[So, what do we do first?]

[Ah, yes. Let's start with the basics, however….. there are several [Attributes] in magic.]

[Attributes?]

[They're things like fire and water. Etto, altogether there's 7 attributes which are fire, water, earth, wind, light, dark and null. Even if it's just a few among these, we found out yesterday that Touya-san has water attribute.]

(TLN: later null = non-attribute)

Aah, is it yesterday's magic stone? I guess it's surely certain that I have water attribute because I was able to create water.

[Although there was no problem because we found out the first time that you had water attribute, but if it is no good, we intend to try and use magic stones of different attributes.]

[Even if you say I can use magic, does that mean….each individual has a variety of attributes?]

[That's right. By the way I can use 3 attributes: fire, water and light. As for the other 4, I can't even use beginner magic. Also for the 3 attributes I can use, I'm good with fire attribute but I'm bad with light attribute.]

Does that mean for those people who are born here, they can't choose for themselves? That means they have to leave it to God. God has his problems too.

[By the way, I can somewhat understand fire and water, but what about light, dark and non-attribute?]

[Another name for light is holy magic. It's magic that uses light as a medium and healing magic is included here too. Dark is summoning magic…you can enslave demons and monsters through a contract. And now for non-attribute, this is a special magic that doesn't fit with the other 6. It is the magic attribute for a majority of individuals. Onee-chan's body strengthening is also of this attribute.]

I see. That seems to be a usable ability.

[All magic attributes excluding non-attribute magic manifests for the first time after the incantation has been completed. First let's investigate them since we would be helpless if we don't know your attributes.]

Then, Lindsey takes out magic stones from her pouch and lines them up on the table. There are seven in total: red, blue, brown, green, yellow, purple and transparent colourless.

[Respectively they are fire, water earth, wind, light, dark and null magic stones. Let's confirm them one by one.]

First I pick up a red magic stone and then concentrate my consciousness. I say the words that Lindsey tells me.

[Come forth, fire.]

The magic stone begins to catch fire and flares up vigorously. It goes out as soon as I release the magic stone from my hand in a hurry. Dangerous!

[It's alright, it isn't hot for the person himself who produces the fire with magic, but please be careful because you will feel the heat if it were to spread to your clothes.]

[Is that so?]

I pick up the magic stone once again and try to chant the incantation. It certainly isn't hot once the fire ignites again. Will the user get burned if this was to spread to something else? I guess it seems it's because the fire that spreads is no longer powered with magic….. At any rate, isn't the flame too big?

[The magical power is too large, isn't it?….I think you will be able to control it properly once you get used to it. Don't concentrate on it so much for no. On the contrary, you might be able to suppress it a little if you're distracted.]

I'll try it like that even though that sounds strange. Because the blue magic stone has already been confirmed, I continue to the light brown magic stone and hold it with my hand. This time, I don't concentrate on the magic stone and chant the words casually.

[Come forth, earth.]

Fine grains of sand falls down from the magic stone 'zazaa' onto the table. Aaah, it's full of sand. I have to clean it later….

Next is the green magic stone.

[Come forth, wind.]

This time a sudden gust of wind blows out and the sand on the table is blown away. Though, it's not necessary to clean it anymore, but even the magic stone rolls away. Ahh, mou.

[Come forth, light.]

Too bright! The magic stone emits a flash of light like a stroboscope in front of my eyes.

[Come forth, darkness.]

This is one I don't know. Something like a black haze begins to float around the magic stone. Spooky.

I notice Lindsey's funny expression after I finish confirming the 6 attributes. Even though she was pleased together with me a while ago, the number of times she spoke gradually decreases until her meek expression turns serious.

[…What's wrong?]

[Aah, no, this is the first time I've seen a person who can use as many as 6 attributes….I can use 3. Even so, that kind of person is rare. But even so…amazing, desu.]

So that's why. Uun, this is also one of God's effects which results in this dishonest feeling of cheating. I feel somewhat guilty since there are people who can't use magic even if they wanted to.

Well, can't be helped even if I try to worry. The last one, I pick up the colourless transparent stone.

[…Huh? How do you activate this?]

I've used [Come forth〜] to invoke the previous ones until now, but is [Come forth, nothing] fine? That feels a little weird.

[The non-attribute magic is special. The incantation isn't particularly decided since you only need to concentrate magical power and the magic name to activate it.]

Hmm, is that so. That's convenient. Colourless magic.

[For example, Onee-chan's body reinforcement activates when she chants [Boost]. In addition, [Power Rise] increases physical attack power and there's also an unusual movement magic [Gate] that can be used to move great distances.]

So this is the convenient non-attribute magic that doesn't apply with the other six attributes.

[…But, how can I find out what non-attribute I can use and how to use them?]

[Onee-chan said that she just somehow knows the magic name. The non-attribute is called personal magic because there's rarely any other person who can use the same magic.]

Errー, is that so. That's inconvenient. Colourless magic.

[Then, right now I don't know if I have aptitude for non-attribute magic or not…]

[No, we will know if you try to use any non-attribute magic with the magic stone you're holding. Because even if the magic doesn't activate, there should be some changes like the magic stone shines for a moment or shakes for a little.]

[What if there's no change?]

[…I'm afraid that means there's no aptitude for non-attribute magic.]

Well, let's try something for now….

Wouldn't it be convenient if I can use something like movement magic similar to yesterday when we had to walk on foot to the forest?

OK. With the colourless magic stone in hand, I try to mutter.

[Gate.]

Suddenly, light is released from the magic stone and next to us a translucent wall emitting a pale light appears. The size is about the same as a door. I imagined a door, but the thickness isn't even one centimetre. It's closer to a plane.

[So it was possible.]

[…So it is.]

Lindsey answers to my words while staring blank in amazement.

As I timidly touch the plane, a ripple spreads from where my fingertip touches it. It's as if it is made from a membrane of water. I extend my arm into the membrane and I draw it back when I confirm that there are no problems. Then I make up my mind and poke my face inside.

Next, a forest spreading out jumps into my view and then there is the appearance of Elsie on her behind with wide eyes.

[...What are you doing, Elsie?]

[W, wh, what you say...Touya!? How did this happen!?]

I withdraw my face for a moment, then I lead Lindsey by hand and we move together into the forest.

[Lindsey too!? eh, eh, what is this, where did you come out from!?]

Lindsey briefly explains to the panicking Elsie. Apparently, this seems to be the east forest that we went to yesterday. Elsie was gathering herbs here that treated illnesses when a wall of light suddenly appeared and an arm extended out. It seems she was unable to stand up due to fear when the arms retracted. Well, that's about it.

[It seems it can go anywhere that the gate magic user has been to once. Probably, when Touya-san used the magic, perhaps he thought about this place….]

Ahー, certainly. I thought about yesterday, not needing to walk, didn't I?

[Haー, at any rate, this means that you can use all attributes…. you're a little strange.]

Elsie mutters in amazement. Well, I can understand the feeling.

[I've never seen such a person who can use all attributes. Touya-san is amazing, desu.]

Lindsey feels admiration contrary to Elsie. I couldn't help but be wryly towards it.

It seems Elsie's herb collection is over, so as if finding a godsend ship, we pass through the gate together and return to the backyard of the inn.

[I came back in an instant even though it took two hours to go there. This magic is so convenient.]

Elsie who said that is finished with her task and so, has gone to the guild.

We end the magic lecture here for the time being and thus we decide to come back into the inn because it will be lunch soon. I wonder what today's menu will be. Aahー, I'm hungry.