Training Mahiru

"I can't answer you right now. Let me think about it a little. I'll give you an answer tomorrow."

Even though these weren't exactly the words the student council members wanted to hear, there was still a glimmer of hope.

Mateus said he would think about the proposal, which still left a good chance that he might accept it.

'If he's still thinking about it, that means he wants to be part of the council, but something is holding him back.' With his sharp mind, Miyuki Shirogane was already considering the possibilities of what might happen with Mateus' response.

But since Mateus asked for time to answer the question, the only thing everyone could do was wait. Only when time passed could they truly confirm anything.

With the matter settled for the day in the student council room, Mateus spent the next few minutes talking with the council members.

After saying goodbye to some of them, Mateus headed back to his classroom, where he would have afternoon classes. With plenty of time to spare, Mateus thought about what to do with Mahiru. He had promised to teach her how to use magic, but the truth was, she had little to no mana within her.

Faced with this problem, Mateus could only search for a solution. As he pushed his mind to its limits, he reached a satisfactory conclusion. 'How about creating a spell that turns people into my familiars? With the advantage of gaining a large amount of mana and being able to learn magic.'

With this idea in mind, Mateus had the entire afternoon class period to work on the spell. That's exactly what he would be focused on during the upcoming lessons.

Using his immense control over any form of energy, along with all his knowledge of magical unification, Mateus began crafting a spell that he considered perfect.

With more effort than he initially thought it would take, Mateus finally completed a spell he could call his own, and one that he had the honor of calling a masterpiece.

Without realizing it, time had flown by, and it was already the end of the school day. Mateus and Mahiru, being part of the "go-straight-home" club, joined together and headed to a café that sold the crepes Mateus had promised her earlier.

Walking together, enjoying each other's company, they engaged in light conversation until they reached the place where they had planned to eat crepes. Ordering two crepes and some drinks, they enjoyed the food and the companionship.

After finishing their meal, they walked a little further, this time in a comfortable silence. Breaking the quiet, Mateus said, "Mahiru, I've been thinking about the best way to train you, and I've come to a conclusion." Seeing that Mahiru was fully paying attention, he continued, "The magic system for humans in this world is very complex, so to spare you from all that trouble, I decided to create my own."

Mahiru was surprised by Mateus's words. In their conversation the previous night, Mateus had explained that there were few methods for a human to use magic, and from what little she knew, creating a new magical system sounded like a major achievement.

"When we get home, I'll explain the basics of this magic system."

With a silent nod, Mahiru agreed. Enjoying their walk, they continued toward the place they called home.

Taking the elevator up to their floor, they finally arrived at their apartment. Once they were settled in, Mateus finally explained, "There's one more thing I didn't tell you. You don't have any talent for magic, nor do you have enough mana, or magical energy, whatever you want to call it, to do anything." Before Mahiru could get upset by his words, Mateus continued, "However, I've thought of an alternative for that. I created a spell that would allow you to become my familiar. This would give you a large amount of mana and magical aptitude, and it would work within my own magic system, which is as simple as using your imagination. However, you'd still need to train to control your magical power properly."

Taking a deep breath, Mateus asked, "Do you accept, Mahiru?"

Without hesitation, Mahiru responded, "Yes!"

She couldn't contain the excitement that was building in her chest. The idea of finally learning magic, of not depending on Mateus to protect her anymore, filled her heart with enthusiasm. It was a chance to grow, to no longer be just a spectator to the dangers they faced. Her thoughts raced with the possibilities this power would bring her.

Mateus, noticing his girlfriend's excitement, smiled with satisfaction. Seeing her so determined, he knew this was the right decision. Gently ruffling her hair, he said, "Good choice, Mahiru. Let's start training now."

Smiling back, Mahiru agreed, eager to begin her new journey. She wanted to learn, to master her powers, and to show Mateus that she was ready to fight alongside him.

After ensuring everything was prepared, Mateus focused and began using his Familiar Magic for the first time. Placing his hand on Mahiru's head, he released an immense amount of magical power.

The energy emanating from Mateus was overwhelming, almost suffocating, and he felt his body being drained at an alarming rate. 'This is sucking my mana like a leech. If I didn't have an unlimited reserve, I would have passed out long ago.' He took a deep breath, silently grateful for the system that provided him with infinite mana, allowing him to continue the ritual.

The process seemed endless, the room around them vibrating with the force of the magic, and the air felt electrified. Mahiru, eyes closed, felt a lightness in her body but also a strange tension. Time seemed to stand still, and all she could do was wait for it to end.

After what felt like an eternity, Mateus finally withdrew his hand, exhausted but satisfied. Slowly opening her eyes, Mahiru looked around, trying to understand what had changed. Mateus's gentle smile reassured her, but doubt began to creep in.

"Congratulations, you can now use magic freely," Mateus said, still catching his breath.

Mahiru looked at her hands, expecting to feel something different. A wave of uncertainty crossed her mind. 'Did it work? I don't feel any different...' The silence between them was broken only by the sound of her own quickened breathing. Was something wrong? Had something gone wrong?

Mahiru glanced at Mateus, the doubt clear in her eyes, but before she could ask, he stepped forward and gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

"It's normal not to feel anything right away," he said, sensing her apprehension. "But trust me, you'll notice it soon. Let's start with something simple to test your control."

Still uncertain, Mahiru nodded, determined to move forward. Even if it felt strange now, she trusted Mateus. He always knew what he was doing.