Chapter 4

My relationship with Roxy changed little after that night, but it did change.The very next day, while we were practicing trying to teach Roxy silent spell casting and Sylphie read quietly from the text on magic, the little mage spaced out when I held her hands over the bucket as usual. A ball of water formed between her hands and plopped down into the bucket. The sound seemed to snap her out of it and her eyes refocused on mine as she blushed. Looking between the bucket and the girl, I sent her a grin."Congratulations, Roxy! You got it!"Sylphie looked up from her reading, hopping up from where she lay on the grass and moved in to squeeze Roxy around the ribs. "Good job!""Huh?" The small mage looked confused, before her eyes found the bucket. "I cast?""Yup. Now, whatever you just did, do it again," I instructed, and Sylphie backed away to watch.It took a few more tries, but eventually she figured it out and after that, she began casting silently consistently. That earned me a hug and a full on kiss on the mouth. Sylphie covered her mouth with both hands as she blushed. "Eep!"Looking over at the blushing part-elf, I sent Roxy a grin. "She really is adorable. Can we keep her?""Rudeus," Roxy sighed, reaching up and bopping me on the top of the head with a fist. I noticed she didn't outright say no, however.I was pleased to see Roxy had finally seemed to break through whatever wall she had been smashing her head against this whole time, but Roxy was over the moon, and it showed. She found any excuse to touch me—brushing her fingers through my hair, laying her hand on my back or arms as we worked on spells, scooting her chair just a little closer and resting her thigh against my leg at meal times. Zenith and Lilia may have missed it, but Paul—womanizer that he was—didn't, and shot me a covert grin and a nod when no one was looking, a proud look on his face that pretty much screamed, 'That's my boy!'Of course, womanizer that he was, Paul was the second… third to pick up on Sylphie's crush, behind Roxy and myself."Two at the same time? You're walking a dangerous path, my son. I wish you luck," he told me quietly one evening, as Roxy walked Sylphie home.Our schedule changed a bit, shifting around to accommodate our new nightly… student/teacher bonding sessions and work around the addition of Sylphie.Not to the nightly sessions, get your mind out of the gutter. Sylphie was nowhere near ripe yet.We finished our lessons early, got Sylphie home at a reasonable hour with thanks from her parents, and climbed into bed together soon after our nightly baths. When Paul and Zenith started up their usual shenanigans, Roxy and I would make our own fun.She almost always managed to keep herself quiet, but the one time she didn't was the one time we got caught. Thankfully, it was just Lilia. She had most likely been taking a bath (and entertaining herself to the sound of my parents going at it), when Roxy didn't quite manage to cover one of her moans. My partner didn't stop playing with herself, but I kept an ear and an eye out just in case. I caught the door opening a crack and Lilia spying on us. As Roxy clung to me as she came again with my fingers helping to work her over, I used my free hand to bring a finger up to my lips and urge Lilia to keep quiet.For whatever reason, the maid did. We never heard a word out of her about the incident and my parents never said anything.When Roxy rode out to take on jobs for the villagers, I went with her and we brought Sylphie along for the ride. We learned the general prices for and methods of solving different problems with magic, along with getting to know the villagers—especially the ones who would be needing repeat business later on down the line. We both knew she would eventually leave, so Roxy made it as easy as possible for me to step in and fill her shoes when she was gone and make some money on the side.Roxy's lessons also changed as winter came to an end and it grew closer to my birthday. Where before her magic lessons had been direct and to the point, with clear subjects and goals in mind, it became clear as we progressed that she was struggling to find new things to teach me. We were reaching the ends of her practical knowledge and entering the realm of the theoretical. If those lessons grew a little shorter, I didn't say anything about it and instead took the opportunity to extend my own lessons on science to her, or give her more time with Sylphie, who could use the time to catch up. We wanted her up to at least Elementary-level proficiency before Roxy left and I took over her studies, so we were cramming in as much magical study for her as we could and it was agreed that I would pick up everything else when Roxy left.My fifth birthday came—a year and a half since Roxy got here. Apparently, this world has a custom of only celebrating every fifth birthday up until the fifteenth, when someone officially reaches adulthood. Probably, if I'm being morbid about it, due to infant/child mortality rates, either because of complications due to being in a low-tech world and not having cheap or easy access to a mage with healing and detoxification magic or what medicine they had, or due to monster attacks.Zenith, Lilia, and Roxy spent the day preparing a feast while Sylphie watched and took pointers on cooking. I offered to help, but was quickly shooed out of the kitchen. Paul and I hung back and talked quietly while the ladies worked. "Best not to step in, Rudy. The kitchen is a woman's domain and they don't like men intruding."I shot the man who was a decade my junior mentally speaking an amused look. "But father, a man who can't even provide a meal for his wife when she's with child because he doesn't know how to cook doesn't seem like much of a man to me.""Urk," Paul croaked as he flinched back, and I chuckled as I realized I'd scored a critical hit.That night, festivities were had. Drinks were passed around and, despite her reluctance, even Roxy accepted a glass of ale. If the little mage got a little more handsy than usual, no one said anything. Considering Sylphie had clung onto my side like a limpet the entire time, I don't think anyone really noticed the extra attention from Roxy.Paul got drunk and demonstrated his sword swallowing technique while the ladies looked on and clapped. No, that isn't a euphemism for sucking cocks. I mean he literally took out his sword and shoved a couple of feet of steel down his throat. It was probably one of the stupidest but most impressive things I'd seen him do to date.When he was finished, Paul hurried off to one of the other rooms and came back with a sheathed sword, which he presented to me. "Happy birthday. This is for you," he said, taking a knee and holding the sword out.I took the weapon with all the proper gravitas and excitement it warranted—after all, it was a sword and while I preferred guns, this was a swords and sorceryworld so it was still pretty high on my list of cool things. Well below magic of course, but still cool. The weight was unfamiliar and heavy in my hands as he let it go and I nearly dropped it. Pulling the first few inches from the sheath, I found the blade was about the width of my hand. With the sheath's tip on the floor, the end of the pommel came up to my nose, putting it at over three feet in length.Yeah, I wouldn't be using this bad boy any time soon."Thank you very much, father," I grinned, examining the blade. "I'll use it well."Paul took the opportunity to stand and go into a spiel about protecting one's wife, how I couldn't get over confident even if I knew a little magic, and how I should keep a sword in my heart… Zenith chopped the back of his head and glared at him as he dragged on. "That's enough!"The ladies laughed as Paul sheepishly moved to stand in front of the hearth. Zenith took the opportunity to take out the book she had been hiding. It was a thick, leather bound tome with clasps and some artwork on the front. "Happy birthday! I know you like books, Rudy, so I hope you'll enjoy it."Judging by the title, it was a book for identifying various plants—a botanical encyclopedia. I cracked it open and found it filled with lifelike drawings of various plants, roots, and so forth along with very neat text detailing how to identify them, their properties, and uses. Yeah, I could immediately see how this would come in handy. Now, if only I could find some kind of a local guide to actually using those plants in recipes, either for food or medicine. At least, judging by the entries, it had suggested or common uses for them, even if it didn't go into details on how to use or prepare them. "I love it. Thank you, mother!""Ah, what a good boy you are!" Zenith cheered, pulling me into a hug and burying my face in her breasts. I didn't miss the smug look she sent Paul as she laughed—it seems they had decided to have a bit of a competition to see whose gift I liked better. I wasn't too surprised, they did things like this from time to time. Since they knew I could use magic, actually. Apparently, there was some sort of running bet on whether I'd turn out to be a caster, a swordsman, or something somewhere in the middle and had been ever since Zenith got pregnant. Considering that they used to be adventurers, I supposed it made sense.When Zenith joined Paul at the hearth, Roxy stood and made her way over before crouching down to my height. Reaching into one of the pockets of her robe, she withdrew a length of wood with a gem at the end of it. "Here, Rudy."I took up the length of wood and found that the end with the jewel was capped with metal to hold it in place. The jewel itself was shaped like an elongated egg and a bright red, approximately the size of a chicken's egg. The whole thing was a little over a foot long."That's a magic stone. It acts to amplify magic power, so it should be useful," Roxy explained.Looking up from the stone, I found her eyes and sent her a smile. "It's beautiful."The little mage smiled back. "Students who master elementary magic are customarily given wands by their masters, but you could already use it so it slipped my mind. My apologies."I slipped the end of the wand into my pocket and pulled the girl into a tight hug, earning a quiet squeak before she returned it. "No need to apologize, Roxy. Thank you, it's wonderful. I'll take good care of it."She gave a quiet little chuckle and pulled back. The smile on her face turned a bit bittersweet. "There's very little left that I can teach you, Rudy."My gaze shifted over to where Paul and Zenith stood. They had pulled each other close and both looked sad. Even Lilia sitting quietly at the table had turned away, focusing on her mug. Sylphie, on the other hand, looked confused. I could read the mood and guess where she was going. "Ah, so it's about that time?""Mm," Roxy nodded. "I'll hold your graduation exam tomorrow. After that…""You'll be moving on."Another nod and the sound of a chair scraping, then falling to the floor met our ears along with a wail from Sylphie as the girl slammed into us from the side and clung on. "No! You can't go! Please!"Roxy sighed, a sad smile pulling at her lips as she shifted one arm over to embrace Sylphie. "Shh, shh. It's okay. You won't be alone when I leave," she whispered, just loud enough for the three of us. "You have to be strong, or you'll never leave the nest.""It's scary.""I know," Roxy ran her fingers through the part-elf's hair. "But I know you can."Zenith made an attempt at convincing her to stay. "Roxy, you don't have to leave. The village loves you—I'm sure there's a place for you here. You can stay in our home—""No, mother," I cut her off, even as I saw Roxy looked both gratified at the offer and resolved that she wouldn't take it. Sylphie looked a little betrayed, but I kept going. "It's fine. She wants to do a little more study herself, right? About seven years?"Roxy's lips twitched up into a smile even as she blushed and looked away. Zenith and Lilia both gasped quietly while Paul laughed. "About that," Roxy agreed quietly."Well, I think it's about time for Sylphiette to go home and the rest of us to go to bed, then," Paul announced. "You want to be well rested for her final test tomorrow, after all."With that, we quickly cleared off the table while Lilia took Sylphie home. Paul and Zenith opted to skip the bath, and with Lilia out for the moment that meant one of us could take Lilia's turn. As usual, I opted to let Roxy go first. Instead, the mage took me by the hand and dragged me into the bathroom. I said nothing as she lit the candles and began running water. She turned and met my gaze for a moment before looking away, but as she did she began to undress.I wouldn't call it a strip tease by any stretch of the term. She was completely inexperienced and did nothing aside from pulling her clothes off piece by piece, but it was enticing all the same and the fact that her blush went all the way down was adorable. "Join me?" she asked, after a moment of standing there nude as we waited for the tub to fill.Shaking my head and pulling myself from my stupor, I quickly shucked my own clothes as she climbed into the partially filled tub. She hissed a little at the temperature as she dipped a toe in, the water apparently having cooled over the day, but a quick fire spell warmed it to a temperature she was comfortable with and she sat down. I kicked off the last of my clothes and eyed the stone tub full of cute girl. Roxy smiled and patted the water in front of her. Needing no further prompting, I climbed over the tall lip and settled down in her lap, between her spread legs. Two pale, delicate looking arms draped over my shoulders and pulled me back to rest against her chest."You know, I just realize I never asked. When's your birthday? I'll get you something great when you turn fifteen."One toned leg slipped up out of the water and turned the handle to shut off the water. "It's in the summer." She gave the the month and date, before adding, "You're a little late for that birthday.""Oh?" I hummed, shifting slightly against her before bringing my hands down and resting them on her smooth, silky, muscular thighs. Roxy's quiet intake of breath and warming against my back told me all I needed to know about how even the smallest touches still got her motor running. "Let's see if I can guess how far off. I had you figured for fourteen or so when you first arrived." A small hand pinched my side and I winced as the little mage made her displeasure known. "So, the Migurd. How long do they tend to live?""Two hundred is the highest recorded age," Roxy answered quietly.I blinked, squeezing Roxy's thighs as I reevaluated what I'd thought of her. After a few minutes, I started laughing but managed to keep it quiet. "Oh, that is good. It makes much more sense now. Why you're as good as you are. Why you know as much as you know. Why you're so well-traveled. I thought you were some sort of child prodigy—turns out, I was only half right. Prodigy, yes. Child, no. I'm going to guess you're probably about thirty, maybe mid-thirties. Twice the lifespan, so I'll double my estimate.""Not far off. Thirty-nine this year." I felt Roxy's breath on my ear before her lips brushed against it. "You're still older. Did you think you were taking advantage of a young woman?""Kind of, yeah. I felt a bit guilty about it, if I'm being honest. I figured we were kind of close to even, since I'm physically way younger." I shrugged. "Doesn't matter now, does it?" I felt Roxy shake her head before pressing her cheek against mine. "So, what were you looking for all that time?"The tiny woman holding me hummed quietly, falling silent while she considered her answer. The water began to cool, but before I could do anything about it Roxy used a silent fire spell to heat it back up. "You just love showing that off now, don't you?""Yes," she agreed immediately. "As the master teaches, so too does she learn. Thank you for teaching me, Rudy.""Of course," I gave her a small squeeze. "And thank you, Roxy."She fell silent again for a bit before finally answering the question I'd asked. "Migurd are born with the ability to communicate with other Migurd directly, without speaking. With our minds.""Telepathy? Very cool. I'm guessing something happened?""Mm. I was born without the ability. All I can hear is a buzz. I got into a fight with my father and left the village. I couldn't make it as an adventurer, so I took up being a live-in instructor. All this time, I've been seeking somewhere to belong. More recently, I started wondering what it would be like to have someone special in my life.""My parents got to you, didn't they?"I felt Roxy's quiet laugh through my body where she pressed against my back. "Yes, I suppose so. I had never had an interest in sex before then. I feared I would never find my match. Either I would miss it, realize it too late, or they would fail to see past this," she pulled a strand of her blue hair, almost black in the water and candle light, forward for me to see. I lifted one hand out of the tub and gently stroked it—as always, her hair was as soft and smooth as the rest of her."I still say it's a wonderful shade of blue. The color of water. Like your eyes."It was minute, but I felt the woman's larger body tremble against my back. Her arms around me squeezed a little tighter. "I think I've found it and if you don't stop that I'm afraid I won't leave, or worse, I'll take you with me. I've always lived my life by being decisive when the time came, and if you keep saying things like that I'll take you now. Snap you up and spend the next decade diving into labyrinths and adventuring across the continents. A former student and a new apprentice to teach. I'll train you to be the perfect lover, just for me.""It sounds like fun," I admitted. "Can't say I'd be against that plan. We could leave tomorrow."Roxy shook her head. "I want some time on my own to grow further as a mage and you need your own time apart, or I'll corrupt you further. Sylphie won't grow if I stay, either."I snorted at that. "I'm a dirty old man in a child's body, Roxy. I thought I was the one corrupting you. Trust me, I'm stubborn enough that it'd work out even if you did kidnap me. At worst, we'd just rub off on each other. As for Sylphie, well, maybe. Or maybe she'd turn out fine." Letting go of her hair, I found her hand and squeezed it. "It's fine, as long as you come back. Just…"I wasn't quite sure how to ask what I wanted. The idea of her sleeping around with other people while she was gallivanting around turned my stomach and made my blood boil, but it wouldn't exactly be fair of me to ask her to remain faithful when we weren't actually in some sort of defined relationship. I wasn't quite sure what we were to each other, but I knew it went beyond master and student, fellow students, or even friends. Not quite lovers, but close enough.Roxy seemed to sense what I was trying to get across even if I left it unsaid. Her free hand came out of the water and a small fist bopped the top of my head. "I am not a loose woman, Rudeus. No one has caught my interest before you. I've never lain with a man before. I've waited this long, I can wait a little longer.""Jail bait wait," I laughed, earning a sigh and what was likely an eye roll from the girl. Yeah, she was used to my bullshit by now.We sat, quietly soaking and talking about the future, until long after we had pruned up before we even began washing each other. It was decided that when Roxy got to where she was going, she would send me a letter so I knew where to reach her and we would trade correspondence back and forth when we could.Once we finished our bath, we went to bed. That night, Roxy had to stifle herself with a pillow to keep from waking the house as I demonstrated oral sex for her."N-no, don't—don't lick it! Not there!""Oh, but I'm going to." Roxy's embarrassed face any time I played with the little mole under her arm was just too good to pass up.When the door slit open, Roxy's body went stiff and she slowly turned her head to regard our voyeur. A glance from the corner of my eye revealed it was too dark to see exactly who it was, but it was probably Lilia again. I sent her a cheeky wave before diving into Roxy's muff. The young woman was too turned on at that point to protest. Lilia, strangely enough, didn't leave until we finished and I had to shuffle Roxy around to get her into bed properly, seeing as she had lost all her strength.The next morning, we rode out early on Caravaggio, well away from the town."I will cast the Saint-level spell Cumulonimbus. I can only cast it twice, so please memorize it the first time. Your test will be to cast the spell and sustain it for an hour."Given the general progression in mana cost between spell tiers, I winced. Even I would be hard pressed to do that with mana alone, and my reserves dwarfed Roxy's, which had come a long way since we had started training her in mana capacity every night. "Which means the test is less about being able to cast it and more about being able to use combined spell effects to sustain it cheaply."A grin pulled at the small mage's lips. "This is why you are an amazing student, Rudy. Now, watch."Roxy lifted her staff above her head and began chanting. As she did, clouds gathered directly above her and quickly spread. My ears popped at the pressure change. Spontaneous creation of an area of low pressure. Gathering, cooling, and condensation of existing water vapor at upper levels, heating at lower levels.Lightning danced across the sky and thunder rumbled. Excitement of charged particles creating partially directed lightning. No, not directed, just way more than there would be in a normal thunderstorm and centered over…It was at this point, I realized where we were. Outside of town. Well away from any homes and farms. On a vast, rolling plain. Standing right next to the only tree within probably a square mile. "Oh, shit. Roxy!"My warning came a little too late as lightning struck the tree and Caravaggio screamed, barely audible over the blast of thunder, howling wind, and driving rain. Roxy immediately dispersed her spell, flying into a panic as she rushed over to the tree and tended to the horse. A healing spell had him back on his feet a few moments later and the woman breathed a sigh of relief."So clumsy," I accused, sending her an amused smile.Roxy huffed, turning away with a blush. "I forgot.""Right. So, move out from under the tree, would you? Don't want lightning to strike twice," I suggested.The bluenette sighed, sending me a mildly annoyed look. "I'll create a dome of earth around us. Please cast."I waited until she got her protection up before taking out my wand. Muttering the words to myself, I felt the pull at my magic and memorized how it felt. Cutting off the mana supply before the spell could finish, I held up the wand and cast the spell silently. Clouds began to gather and thunder rumbled as the rain began to come down. "Okay, phase two."Luckily, I actually knew how storms worked. Applying magic to duplicate that and feed the one growing above us was fairly simple. Cast a spell to gather mist at ground level. A second spell to heat the mist and cause the water vapor to rise. A third spell above to cool the air and cause more water to condense and fall, and a pair of large scale wind spells to force circulation.Now, let's see what I can do about that lightning, I mused, focusing on the spell still growing above me. There was an element to the spell for causing more lightning—specifically, the wording called for it—so I set my attention to that. Taking just that part of the spell, I manipulated my mana and tried to cast it. Lightning happens when a positive charge at ground level meets a negative charge at sky level and the resulting flash of electricity is the charge reaching balance…"Rudy, what are you doing?!" Roxy yelled over the roar of the storm, her mouth nearly pressed to my ear to be heard, as I felt something click and the spell I was trying to create flared to life. A mile or more out, lightning danced between the sky and the ground—one, five, ten, twenty, thirty strikes. I lost count. Roxy's eyes went wide and I laughed before reaching into the mana of all of my spells and dissipating them."Do I pass?"Roxy stood silent beside me, her whole body quivering as her hands squeezed my shoulders. "What was that?"I turned my head and shot her a grin. "I think I just figured out a lightning spell."The teacher in her had Roxy responding on auto-pilot. "Lightning isn't an element unto itself. Directed lightning is a King-level water spell."Chuckling, I pointed into the distance, where we could even now see smoke rising. "It is now. I mean, it's just a potential difference in electrical charge. Not like it's hard to do. I could generate artificial lightning with a spool of copper wire and a waterwheel, Roxy." Well, not quite. Close enough though.Shaking her head, Roxy sighed. "You are impossible. Truly impossible." Pulling me tight against her, she squeezed. "Now there really is nothing more I can teach you at the moment. Congratulations, Rudy. You are now a Saint-level Water Mage."We stayed like that for a while, before Roxy climbed onto Caravaggio and helped me up in front of her. We rode out and checked the damage caused by my lightning spell. The ground was burned and glassed in a hundred yard circle and I could make out individual marks where each bolt had struck. The little mage was left in silent awe as we turned back for home.I convinced Roxy to swing through the village on the way back. While we were there, I had her pick up a few things, knowing Paul and Zenith would pay her back when we returned. Fresh cream, fresh milk, sugar, salt, and a seasoning plant that smelled like vanilla. We stopped by Sylphie's home, but the girl refused to leave. She gave Roxy a teary goodbye before running off to her room.When we got home, I took the ingredients and made my way into the kitchen, where Zenith and Lilia were working. Roxy followed, curious since she knew from our conversations that I could cook. Magic created all the tools I needed as I eyeballed my measurements, heated part of the cream, along with the salt, sugar, and vanilla in a sauce pan using magic. Creating a stone cylinder, I poured everything into it in the proper proportions and set the cylinder in the sink. Then, I conjured water around the cylinder and froze it. Finally, I made a lid with a long paddle and fitted it inside the bucket. Putting my hand on top, I used more magic to make the paddle turn slowly inside the cylinder."Rudy, what are you making?" Zenith finally asked, when asking Roxy turned up a shrug."I figured I should make our last meal with Roxy one to remember," I answered vaguely, concentrating on maintaining something like two and a half spells—water for the cooling, earth for the cylinder and its moving parts. It wasn't draining, it just required focus.Roxy planted herself at my side and watched, studying the entire process silently. Eventually, she made a guess. "A cold dessert?""Yep." I turned and shot a grin up at her. "I know you have a sweet tooth."Roxy's face that night, upon first tasting ice cream, was positively orgasmic. No, really, that's not an exaggeration. I'd seen her o-face so I knew exactly what I was seeing.Paul wasn't all that impressed, but the man preferred meat—umami was his flavor of choice. Zenith and Lilia, on the other hand, were begging for the recipe by the time they finished their first bowl. Roxy's silent, longing gaze convinced me to give it to her as well before she left.We spent the night after our nightly routine with me as the little spoon to her big spoon—or maybe, it'd be more accurate to say Roxy used me as a human dakimakura. The next morning, before anyone was up, I woke her up with kisses, followed by petting, followed by one last time getting her off—this time, without her helping in any way. I had picked up most of her erogenous zones and tells, her likes and dislikes, so I knew exactly how to get her going hard and fast. We quickly cleaned up after and headed downstairs, just as light was beginning to brighten the eastern sky.Paul and Zenith joined us shortly and, after a quick breakfast and a trip upstairs to gather her luggage, we all went outside. Kneeling down to my level, Roxy reached around her neck and took off the green, crystal pendant I knew she wore there. I'd enjoyed the sight of it hanging between her breasts as she panted in ecstasy many times now and I knew it on sight."I didn't have time to prepare a graduation party or gift, so this will have to do. It's a charm from my home town. If you ever find yourself on the demon continent, if they see you wearing it you should be treated more favorably," she explained, slipping the pendant around my neck."Thank you, Roxy. I'll look after it for you until you come back."The woman smiled faintly. "I'm glad." Standing, she sighed and picked up her staff and luggage. "It's time I leave."Turning to my parents, she bowed slightly at the waist. "Thank you for having me." Her blue eyed gaze fell and lingered on me. "Goodbye."Watching her turn away, I felt a bitter smile pull at my lips. "Safe travels. And Roxy?" Her head turned slightly, enough to catch my eyes. "If you aren't back in seven years, I'll come looking."Her smile this time was beautiful. "See you then, Rudy.""You too, Roxy."I watched her until she faded into the distance before turning and heading back into the house. Walking up to our room—my room now, I suppose—I went to put away my wand and now the necklace so I could start my training. I didn't want to get them dirty, or accidentally break one.There, laying folded neatly on my pillow, I found a small bundle of what looked like white silk. Raising an eyebrow, I unfolded it. Laughter spilled out before I could stop it. There in my hands, I held Roxy's favorite set of panties—the ones with the cute little black bow on top, that I'd remarked upon more than once since she started sharing the bed with me. They even smelled of her. In fact, opening them up, I saw that the inside was still damp—in other words, these were the panties she wore to bed last night. "Left me something to remember you by, huh?"I carefully folded them and put them on the book shelf, under her necklace and my wand.