#107
“So he’s coming to see Ana in person. Since he can’t trust anyone, he wants to see with his own eyes.”
Though I couldn’t understand why Ramtel hadn’t told Kuatrin about my identity, I thought that since he hadn’t said anything, Kuatrin might not pay more attention to me. However, Kuatrin hadn’t forgotten about me after our brief encounter.
“The First Prince is someone who wants to confirm everything with his own eyes. The only means to check on the Duke’s only son would be to observe the exam.”
Even if directly confirming my presence wouldn’t reveal that I was a half-demon and half-human, simply facing Kuatrin wasn’t something to take lightly.
“So, Ana.”
Persis looked at me directly and called me in a low voice. It felt like it had been a long time since I’d made eye contact with Persis. I nodded silently while looking at him.
“You need to be careful. You shouldn’t do anything that might catch the First Prince’s eye.”
“What if I don’t take the magic practical exam?”
I suggested a somewhat radical method.
“That won’t work. That would arouse suspicion in its own way.”
Persis was right. If a young master who had been properly using magic suddenly claimed to be sick and missed the exam on the day Kuatrin was coming, it could raise even greater suspicion. It would be disastrous if he decided to keep a closer eye on me. Yaksi, who had been listening to our conversation silently, looked at me and spoke.
“Andelion, this time you really need to use only magic power. The mana must not move.”
“What does that mean?”
“Ah, perhaps our Prince doesn’t know. Our Andelion now uses mana for magic.”
“What!?”
Persis turned to me in surprise. Somehow, he seemed a bit hurt. It seemed somewhat shocking that I hadn’t told him about it. But it wasn’t something worth boasting about, and I hadn’t encountered Persis much recently. Of course, I had met him since I properly learned to handle mana, but it wasn’t the atmosphere to suddenly bring it up, and I didn’t think it was such a big deal.
“I see. Our Ana learned to properly use mana but didn’t tell me.”
“No, it’s just that. I haven’t been able to use it for long.”
“That’s not true, it’s been several weeks already.”
I glanced sideways at Yaksi. Talking like that would only increase Persis’s hurt feelings. There was no need to explain the specific situation and rub salt in Persis’s wounds.
Though I didn’t think it was wrong not to have told Persis directly, I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so I decided to stay quiet without adding more words. Recognizing my discomfort, Persis also didn’t press further and let it go.
“So what’s the problem with that? If he can properly use mana, shouldn’t it be easier to hide?”
“The problem is using magic ‘with mana.’ If the First Prince notices the mana Andelion possesses…”
“That would be disastrous.”
I didn’t want to attract any more attention from Kuatrin. If it became known that I use mana, I couldn’t predict what would happen afterward. Since I had been using magic power again recently for the magic exam, using magic power wasn’t difficult.
I searched for the trajectory of power within me. It felt strange to concentrate so much on using magic power, which I had previously used as easily as breathing. I thought it would be good to first attempt a simple spell to illuminate the surroundings.
As I concentrated on the magic power and tried to create light at my fingertips, I felt mana suddenly wrapping around my hand.
“Uh…”
The suddenly emerged mana created light above my fingers and shook erratically. A crimson mana overlay on the bright light, wavering ominously.
I slowly turned my head toward Persis and Yaksi. Yaksi, with a pale face, stared intently at my fingertips. Persis also had a similar expression. I had tried to show them not to worry, but instead I had only increased their concerns.
I hadn’t expected mana to suddenly burst out like this either.
“Just a moment. This never happened during practice…”
After extinguishing the light, I tried to cast magic again. That’s when my eyes met Persis’s, and suddenly the surging mana created a large sphere of light at my fingertips. Looking up at the sphere of light floating in mid-air, Yaksi spoke in a dazed voice.
“Oh… This is bad.”
The situation had become difficult enough that she had to suppress the slang that momentarily slipped out.
* * *
Afterward, despite Persis and Yaksi trying various methods, my mana only became more unruly. Had I let my guard down because mana had been obeying me well recently? Magic power was nowhere to be seen, and only mana remained, amplifying the magic as much as possible.
Even I was upset that mana wasn’t listening like this. Eventually, we decided to seek help from Mujin in my dormitory room. As soon as I returned to my room, I told Mujin that Kuatrin would be coming to observe the practical exam.
[That bastard always has to be so annoying!]
When Mujin burst out, I felt like a blockage inside me had cleared. It felt somewhat relieving, as if he was saying what I wanted to say.
[If we don’t tell Zahar about this…]
“No. It’s fine. Don’t tell the Duke.”
[…]
I didn’t want to burden the already busy Duke. Moreover, even if the Duke knew about this, it wouldn’t necessarily provide a solution. All we could do now was to suppress the mana as much as possible and find a way to use magic power.
[Alright. Let’s try again then.]
I concentrated and created light above my finger. But…
[…? It’s working well?]
The mana that had been popping up without even being called was now as quiet as a well-behaved lamb. Only magic power was moving according to my will. Though it was a small amount, it was remarkable how well it followed my commands compared to mana. I looked at the light I had created with a bewildered face.
It certainly wasn’t like this just now when I practiced with Persis and Yaksi. No matter what I did, mana would pop out, and it felt like it was becoming more unruly as time passed. Fortunately, it didn’t go berserk or exert more power than I wanted, but the situation where I could only use mana wasn’t very welcome.
But now, I couldn’t find even a trace of mana.
“Why is this…”
Even I couldn’t help but be confused that the mana was suddenly behaving. I tried several more times just to be sure, but magic power moved according to my will and created light. Somehow, it seemed to work better the more I did it. I was so confused that I couldn’t say anything and just kept staring at the light at the tip of my fingers. It was embarrassing to think that I had been moaning with worry just moments ago.
Mujin remained silent for a long time before letting out a sigh.
[You said it wasn’t working well earlier?]
“Yes. I thought it was a disaster because mana kept coming out…”
[Last time when Yaksi was there, you properly used magic with magic power. The only difference now is…]
“That Persis was there?”
[That guy… was there?]
What correlation could there be between Persis’s presence and mana not listening to me? I thought hard but couldn’t find a proper answer. I had never heard of mana responding to specific humans. Even Clum, a mineral that responds to mana, wouldn’t do this, let alone a human. If that were the case, it would mean Persis influenced my mana every time it went berserk, but I had never thought that it had escalated things or made mana move more because of him…
“Mana is affected by my mood, right?”
[That’s right.]
“It responds sensitively to my emotions.”
[…Yes.]
Unable to hide my dismay, I slumped down on the bed. I couldn’t tell if Mujin inside the sword was looking at me or not, but somehow I felt embarrassed and wanted to hide my face. It felt like my innermost feelings, which I had been hiding with all my might, were laid bare.
[Andelion. What you’re feeling now is something that every demon experiences at least once… but.]
Heat increasingly rushed to my face. It wasn’t that I hadn’t been aware of it at all. There was something I realized as soon as I understood that mana was my emotion. That’s why I already knew that mana was emotion, and that mana fluctuated in front of Persis.
But I never thought it would manifest in such a visible form. I felt like an animal unable to hide its wagging tail. Persis probably didn’t know, but Mujin could easily figure out why mana had burst out like that.
[Young demons often do that. It’s difficult to control mana or emotions. Of, of course I’ve experienced it too!]
The more Mujin spoke up for me, the more my embarrassment grew. I wanted to lift the blanket I was sitting on and cover myself if possible.
[So, at this age, it’s only natural.]
“Yes. I got it. I understand, so…”
You don’t have to say more.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
