Chapter: 282
“First of all, I have to make you a wizard, Sia.”
“Me as a wizard? Didn’t you say you were going to take a test? Shouldn’t I pass that test to become a wizard?”
“It’s not you who is taking the test. It’s a test for other humans. A test to see if humans can accept new knowledge.”
Encia tilted her head. What did that test have to do with making her a wizard?
“I don’t know.”
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t know. The ones being tested are not you, but the existing magicians. It’s a test to see if they will accept and adapt to new knowledge, or if they will reject it and become obsolete.”
It was Tia who was still saying things that were incomprehensible.
“In that sense, Sia, you will be both a test question and an answer for other wizards.”
“A test question and an answer?”
“Yes. If everything goes as I think, you will become a wizard beyond comparison with other wizards. However, since this is an unprecedented path, it won’t be an easy one. Are you prepared?”
“I don’t like difficult things…”
“Except for special cases like the Dragon Priestess, this is my first time properly training a regular wizard, so I might make some mistakes. But you have enough talent, so I think it’s worth a try.”
“Hmm… I don’t like hard things, but if I could become a wizard, I’d like to give it a shot!”
Encia clenched her small hands tightly with determination.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
And so, Encia began to follow Tia’s instructions and perform tasks that were incomprehensible to her, as if guided by a voice only she could hear.
“First, you need to feel the magic inside your body. Let’s start by trying to sense the magic through meditation.”
“Meditation? Feel the magic?”
“You already have ample magical power within you to use magic. Let’s start by closing your eyes and blocking your five senses.”
Tia’s words were confusing for Encia.
“Block out my five senses? How on earth do I do that?”
“First, sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and concentrate. Keep your focus directed inward, not outward.”
“Close my eyes and concentrate? I can block it like that? I don’t get it.”
“It won’t be easy. But you have to do it. It might be easier if you could feel the magic from the outside… But that would require help from others.”
“Can’t Tia help me?”
“I can help you, but… if I do, it means that other magicians also need help from others. I’m thinking about the condition where it’s possible to do it on your own.”
Encia was puzzled as to why Tia was pushing her towards a difficult path when there was an easier option available.
And thus, Encia diligently focused on meditation according to Tia’s guidance, and after several months, she finally felt the strands of magical power flowing within her body.
“Hmmm… Even though you must have a lot of magical power, was it a bit tough for you, Sia, who had never used magic before? Then again, Vivi was handling her magic as soon as she became the Dragon Priestess. That’s a different story altogether!”
“Vivi? The Dragon Priestess I heard about in legends?”
“Yeah. I did help her out a bit, but she was also exceptionally talented.”
“Did you ever teach the Dragon Priestess?”
“That’s a long time ago. Alright, enough about that. Now that you’re accustomed to working with your magic, let’s move on.”
With that, Tia directed Encia to utilize her magical power in various ways.
Training to move the magical power inside her body as she desired and to release it into the outside world.
Training to transform the magic she summoned into basic elements.
Sometimes, she used too little magic, causing it to flicker briefly before vanishing, while other times she used too much power, resulting in a spectacular water explosion. Boom! Splash!
After plenty of trial and error, Encia began to master extracting her magical power and transforming it into elements.
“Does this mean I’m a wizard now?”
“While you can say it’s somewhat similar to many instinctive magic users, it honestly feels a bit dishonest to label that as being a wizard.”
“Is that so?”
“That’s right. If I had to put it another way… ‘magic user’ is probably more appropriate.”
Encia tilted her head. A magic user? How was that different from a wizard?
“Well, this is just my perspective, but I believe a wizard isn’t just someone who uses magic, but also someone who researches and develops it like a scholar. But it bothers me when people brag about being wizards just because they can use magic instinctively… Honestly, it doesn’t sit well with me.”
“What does ‘brag’ mean?”
“That’s a term that might be hard for you to grasp since you’re still young, just ignore it.”
“Is that so?”
“Yep, that’s it.”
Though Encia sometimes failed to understand Tia’s perplexing statements, the training continued unabated.
Using the magical power she could freely maneuver, she began to take control of the magic that existed outside her body, continuing her practice of using that magic.
“There’s magic everywhere. In your body, in the flowing wind, even in solid rock. It would be foolish to only use the magic within your body without tapping into that external power.”
“Is that so?”
“Exactly. For simple magic, your own power is fine. But if you want to cast real spells, you need to draw on external magic.”
Following Tia’s instructions, Encia blended her magical power with the external magic.
“You must use your magic to stir the external magic. The stronger your will and the greater your magic, the more of the nature’s magic you can weave together.”
“‘Weave together’?”
“Yep. You can use any method you like! You could weave your magic into a net to ensnare nature’s magic or extend it like branches to capture it. The crucial part is that the intent woven in your magic needs to convey itself to the magic of nature. Pay close attention to that.”
“Ugh… This is tough.”
“It’s hard to explain, but trying it hands-on won’t be that difficult. Just give it a go!”
And so, the magic Encia sent out started to spread little by little, resembling a puffy cloud, gently connecting with the magical energies around her. Shwoosh!
In accordance with Encia’s thoughts and magical power, the surrounding magic began to shimmer and shift.
“How is it? Not difficult, eh? Easy to grasp?”
“Yeah. One thing I’ve learned is that Tia is terrible at explaining things.”
“Why?!”
And just like that, Encia began to learn magic, following her own will instead of merely relying on instinct.
“I think it’s about time. Let’s try using magic properly.”
“It’s been a year since I learned to harness the magic of nature, and we’re just starting now?!”
“Because a year has gone by! You’re now capable of controlling the external magic and utilizing it like your own. You can manage magical power to this extent now.”
“Is magical control really that important?”
“Absolutely. If you use magic without proper control, you could accidentally turn the whole village into a raging inferno, you know? Fwoosh!”
Encia shuddered at Tia’s warning. This village might not be huge, but picturing it becoming a sea of flames was alarming.
Such immense magic was truly possible?
“Well, let’s put that aside for now. Sia, what kind of magic do you want to use?”
“What kind of magic?”
“Right. What do you want to achieve with your magic? What desires do you wish to manifest? That’s the most important.”
At Tia’s prompting, Encia paused to think a moment before responding.
“I want to help my parents. I want to help the townspeople!”
“Good! Let’s narrow it down a bit more.”
“Um… well, actually, it hasn’t rained lately, so Mom and Dad have been worrying. I want to try making it rain!”
“Rain. A spell to summon rain! Not bad at all. The scale is significant, and we’ll see how your magic shapes up. Sounds good!”
“Can I give it a shot?”
“Not here! We’re indoors! Let’s head outside!”
Obeying Tia’s word, Encia cautiously stepped out of the house.
A hot, dry wind greeted her. It felt even drier than usual, as though it were sucking moisture right out of the air.
Encia squinted against the harshness of her homeland’s climate—this hot, dry wind was not to her liking.
“Alright then! Draw out as much of your magic as possible and spread it. Control the magical forces around you. With your magic and willpower… and a little help from me, I think we can cover this whole village!”
“Okay! I’ll give it my best!”
Thus, Encia squeezed out her magical power until it spread wide, enveloping a vast area around her. Pssshhh!
“What do you want to do with your magic? Think hard about it.”
“I want to make it rain!”
“What do you need to summon the rain?”
“Clouds! I need dark clouds!”
“In that case… It seems I need to summon some dark clouds!”
Encia’s magic began to take form, morphing into dark, moisture-laden clouds. Woooosh!
Then, drop by drop, the rain began to fall.
One drop, then another. Soon heavy downpour cascaded down, soaking the dry village like a refreshing gift from the sky.
“It’s raining! It’s raining!!!”
“Suddenly dark clouds are gathering… What on earth is happening?”
“Bowls! Buckets! Bring them out! It’s a rare rain, let’s catch as much as we can! We haven’t seen rain like this for ages!”
The falling rain seeped into the parched village folk, like a blessing from the heavens.
And so, the villagers began to express their gratitude for the rain.
“Will this truly help the townspeople?”
“Absolutely! For those living in arid lands, what treasure is more precious than the pouring rain?”
Thus, the silver-haired girl, Encia, reflected on her own magic as a wizard.
The sight before her was… a profoundly joyful one. Ahhh!
And that, my friends, was a day to remember! ☀️
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