Arcadian dungeon II

  We were still in the dungeon...

  I recall looking at Laia and seeing myself...

  I've called myself useless more than once, and it's only inspired more self-loathing simply as a result of being born with what doctors would call mana deficiency syndrome [MDS].

As stupid as it sounds those words demoralized me for a long period of my life. I don't plan on watching someone else suffer the title of weakness, if it is within my power then I will offer them that aid they need.

Watching her speak ill about herself made me recollect the words I'd said to myself when I was much younger.

"Miss Laia. If you're interested, would you like to take some lessons from me?"

  She looked surprised, but her reticent nature made it very hard to pick up as well as the dimly lit tunnels.

I would have generated some sort of bioluminescent spell but the darkness helped us see the Polymorphs better because they glow in the dark thanks to their core. "Lessons? From you?" Belitha was equally astonished that I wanted to give Laia some lessons, what exactly did I know she thought.

Sure, I may not know much yet, but I believe I can offer her some help. I wore my usual mild smile, I'm frequently told my facial expressions were usually ones of tranquil which in turn makes me an approachable fellow.

"I'd like to help you build up your confidence a bit."

  "B-But, I don't think that's possible." her voice quivered as she spoke, anyone could easily tell she had low self-esteem, something we need to get rid of if she wants any chance of success.

Even the most minimal doubt in oneself is enough to paralyze your goals. Belitha also offered her support to Laia, by imploring her to trust me.

Confidence in one's worth is like gold, precious but hard to mine. I'm not worth it, that's basically what she thought of herself and conveyed onto us.

"If we didn't help our friends what would that say about us?!"

  Belitha, still insisting that she takes up the offer. Friend? Yes that was the strangest word to Laia as she's never truly had one. This really did make her feel a tad bit special, I noticed this when she looked into my eyes and truly the eyes is were you can realize, real lies.

She hesitated, but I knew in the end she'd make the right choice so I kept smiling till she did so.

"Th-Then please teach me!"

She was very eager to learn.

  I began the lesson by manifesting a small magic seal on the tips of my fingers which generated a small orb of flame, more controlled than small.

After all the idea was mana control, if one knows how to control their mana output then they're already a step closer to becoming the perfect mage. Laia attempted the same action, but she failed on the first try as her orb of flame sparked out of control.

She failed again, and again, and again. Which only made me see even more of myself, although I failed a lot worse than her as I couldn't even muster the use of mana, it was too small to do anything prior to the [Oracle Engine].

Now she sulked in the corner, demoralized again just after having been fired up by inspirational words.

"D-Don't worry Laia, I'm sure you'll..."

  Belitha didn't have the right words to say to her and I on the other hand focused on thinking of better ways to make her training go smoothly.

I didn't think it fair to tell her not to feel down, because I'd have done the same thing, or maybe even worse. Adjusting my tie and navy blue blazer I thought heavily on what exactly I could do to make sure help didn't elude her.

"I'm really useless aren't I...?"

  She spoke so ill about herself, I knew I had to say something as a friend and also as someone who's been in her shoes "That's not true at all, you're just having a hard time starting off. And to be honest, if you get a hang of the basics, Miss Laia, you do—" I was cut in between finishing my sentence by Laia.

She shouted at the top of her slightly cracking voice "Please don't me try to feel good about myself!" that was the loudest I'd ever heard her voice go.

All her confidence diminished from the toilsome years of insults and discrimination. Which would make this a bit trickier. Until Scentia made me realize something.

"Don't give in Miss Laia, just one more try..."

It was the perfect timing, another Polymorph was approaching us and thanks to the darkness we could notice it in time. I planned to practice something I'd just thought of on this foe.

The tip of my index finger illuminated and like a marker I drew across the air with light streaks of energy, using the magicubes in the surrounding area I was able to draw three magic seals [Type/Script Magic].

These seals manifested around the Polymoprh before beams of energy perforated the body of the creature and focused another magic seal on the inside before leading to the detonation of the said foe.

I had monitored the most critical point to react my attack with to get the best pressure point that'd cause it's break down, thanks to the skill: [Mana Vision] enabling me to see the varying patterns of mana in living creatures.

I was able to salvage the core this time. So I walked over to pick it up.

[ Unique Skill ---> Oracle Engine ]

Activating...

[ Item Analysis ---> Polymorphic Crystal ]

Processing...

[ Item Analyzed ]

Replicated...

  I hadn't understood a thing that had just occurred when I touched the core but we'd already gotten when we needed. So I stuffed it into the brown bag I had worn on my back prior to the start of this dungeon exploration.

The core was ahout the size of a tennis ball, so that in it's own meant I could get a large number and not suffer any discomfort. "Wh-What did you just do?" the person asking is Belitha, she'd never seen me learn any of the spells I performed so she was always asking.

I was yet to inform her about my status as a the Revenant. As I took an upright position I informed them of what they wanted to know.

"It's a technique for the quick activation of spells by projecting simple magic seals into the air. I call it Type Magic."

  Belitha mentioned that she'd never seen or heard of such magic before. To which I agreed because I had only just created this magic now, seemingly [Chant Annulment] wasn't the only way for Scentia to hasten spell casting, this was another recommended shortcut. Without a doubt the two were astonished.

"You created a magic technique so casually?!" said Laia with a voice of surprise, "Aren't you amazed, that's our Nyx for you!" Belitha uttered but I assured them both that they could use the spell.

And besides, Belitha was always looking for ways to improve her magic, since it's a technique created with the desire to simplify activation and help slower spell casters, especially one with little mana control.

"The logic behind it was simple. You incorporate a technique using the mana with the atmosphere known as magicubes, as its energy source into the magic seal. In doing so, it consumes zero magical energy, so it's not affected by the state of the user, either. Now, let's memorize the simple magic seal I wanna show you."

"Sure!" they both eagerly said, their mind invested in learning this new ability.

  After a few well spent hours, it paid off. Laia was better off using my newly invented Type Magic than the normal boring process we're thought in school.

She was responsible for the numerous vanquished Polymorphs and I simply did my job of collecting the cores and stashing them into my backpack.

Her practicing my new technique was the best thing that had ever happened to her in a long while, notice the way she immediately grabbed my arm as a way to thank me. She was glad. And as she increases the precision of the magic seals, it will improve even more.

I kept smiling at her with her bosom still tightly wrapped around my right arm.

Maybe out of envy, Belitha grabbed my arm as well but the one on the left. It was a bit awkward, two beautiful girls so close to me like I was wearing them as accessories but I paid it no heed.

"Hey, Nyx. So we have all the cores now doesn't that leave us with getting the gallanite?"

That's right, Ophelia's—our teacher's practical. I'd almost forgotten. Belitha attempted to drag me forward by the arm, and so did Laia. But then an opening manifests in the ground beneath us as we fell screaming into this dark tunnel that I didn't know where it led.

Where do we go from here?