NOVEL NEXT 149- I Know You Have Light Magic. Part 2.
Two things.
First, in this world there are gods that people talked to (or still talk to, like Ronan does). That means that even though they've withdrawn from the world and are somewhat forbidden, I can try to reach them and ask for explanations.
Second, yes, my acceptance of being here is really weird. But aside from how hysterical I got the first day (and it wasn't that bad or for that long), I'm handling it pretty well, and when I think about my body on Earth, I feel calm, like things there are continuing normally. I mean, my body could be dead. But that's a thought I can't seem to hold onto. Maybe whatever god did this wants to give me the peace of mind of knowing, deep down, that my life there isn't being affected. Maybe time passes differently on Earth and what's years here is only seconds there, or maybe the original Bianca is in my body, adapting and behaving like I do here. I don't feel like my loved ones might be suffering from my loss or that I should be feeling bad about it.
It's very strange.
Even stranger is how little I've thought about this in these months.
Because sure, a world with magic is a dream for a gamer, like playing the most exciting video game made real. But it doesn't fit with my personality to not be turning it over and over in my mind, worried about my body, my parents, and my best friend.
Mary must be right: it has to be some kind of safeguard mechanism so I can keep being myself without going crazy with worry.
Because if that affected me and changed me, whoever brought me here wouldn't have any use for me anymore, right?
"Well, you don't know the half of it, Mary," I whisper to her. "Because I have more magic types, and when I touched the stone slab at the academy, they took me to the rector and told me to keep it secret. Let's take a walk through the park where it'll be quieter, and I'll tell you."
"Of course. I'm so glad you're being honest with me. Whatever you need, you know I'm here to help."
"Oh, Mary. You want to help everyone."
"And is that a problem?" she asks with a sweet smile.
"Not as long as you don't forget yourself along the way."
We finish our cake and tea talking about trivial things and walk to the park, where we find a spot away from passersby and I give her a summary of my element affinities and spirit magic, and how the academy has me training under an exceptional student contract.
"My God, Bianca. You're like a chosen one of the light."
She doesn't say "of the god of light". She can't.
I have to work not to crack a wry smile, because I don't think it's precisely the light god who brought me here and put me on the path to a contract with the seed of darkness.
"Mary, if there's a chosen one of the light, it's you. Look at yourself—high affinity, and your mother has only been with your father, right?"
Mary's eyes go wide and she's horrified.
"What are you suggesting?"
"Don't be scandalized. I'm not questioning your mother's purity and marital fidelity. Quite the opposite. The fact that you're not some noble's bastard shows that you must have been touched by the light to be born indigo."
That's what they called people in the otome who had magic without inheriting it. Strong, new magic. The beginnings of a new house of sorcerers.
"You're very kind, Bianca, but it would be sinful pride to think something like that. I simply have this magic and I have to use it to help. That doesn't make me special."
"To me you are. And to the rector, I imagine. Has he offered you an exceptional student contract?"
"No."
"Hmm... well, he definitely will as soon as you start improving your magic. He'd be an idiot not to."
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
"Bianca, don't talk about the rector like that," she scolds me while blushing at the compliment.
Between this and the indigo thing, I might be overwhelming her. Better change the subject.
"By the way, Vincent knows about my magic; I told him recently. Don't... don't look sad; you're my best friend. I'm happy and relieved to be able to share this with you. Besides, like I said, only you know about my original world. We call it Earth."
"Sorry, Bianca. Besides, it makes sense that you told him. After all, you like him."
"No, it's not that. I mean, yes," I hurry to add, flustered, "of course I like him. Very much."
"That's good; don't you dare worry about me. You know the prince was just an option for me. Ever since I realized you were serious about him, he's been nothing more than a good friend to me."
"You're so kind, Mary, thank you. The truth is, he's going to be my fiancé. We're just waiting for me to talk to Marco and break up with him first."
"Oh!" she lets out an excited little squeal. "That's wonderful! Oh Bianca, I'm so happy for you! I already knew Vincent really liked you because he told me, but also that you couldn't quite make up your mind. Seriously, this is wonderful—you make a great couple and I feel like you fit together, that you're going to be very happy together."
Mary hugs me without us getting up from the bench. She looks really excited. I hug her back. I love not being alone in this new world and being able to count on a young woman with Mary's moral convictions and sincere way of being.
She has no problem with me ending up with the prince. The truth is, it hasn't been a competition either. It just happened naturally. In fact, we'd both tried to get the other to spend time with him, but somehow I'm the one who connected with him the most.
"Hey, I think it's great that you want to talk to Marco first."
"Thanks." I smile at her. "I went to see him, but he wasn't at his family's manor house. It seems he's already left on his trip for the ball. Will you come with me after the dress fitting to ask at the main inn in the city? To see if he's arrived."
Since he's just a baron's son, his family doesn't have a residence here. Which leaves two options: either the only high-end inn in Solstar or the local regent noble's residence. But being a low-ranking noble, I'm betting on the former.
"Of course, consider it done."
"By the way, Mary, now that you've finished your mission, you should try to do another one."
"I could use that. The investigation mission was difficulty 4 and they gave me 20 points. I imagine because of how laborious it was. Plus, doing it alone meant they were all mine. How many points do you have?"
Uh... I don't want her to make comparisons that would make her feel bad. What she did was incredible—saving the lives of many girls. My dungeon grinding, and on top of that getting custom orders, was simply a way to optimize both experience and points. Honestly, I'm the one who should feel bad because I was being selfish, choosing to collect components while there were missions like Mary's that actually saved people.
Despite that, I'd rather not give her my point total. The difference is too big.
"A lot. We've been repeating a dungeon on purpose to get them, and between Ronan's magic and mine, it feels like we've been cheating."
It's not that Mary's mission gave few points because 20 is quite a lot. The problem is that Ronan and I are a couple of monsters who do in minutes what's supposed to take hours and a larger group.
So I have to help my friend get more points. If I invite her, I won't be able to have the puppy farming experience—he'll have to limit himself to 5% of mine. I'd rather send her with Theodore's group so she spends more time with him. However, with the prince, Alistair, Darius, and the cling-on, they're already five. The dungeon for their mission had that maximum group size limitation, so it's not going to work.
And I'm not leaving her alone. I refuse.
I sigh.
Sorry, seed of evil, I think to myself while sending it a mental kiss that obviously won't reach it.
"Look, you can come with Ronan and me. I'm sure he'd be fine with it. I'd tell you to go with Theodore so you two can get to know each other better, but his group is full. Karina has attached herself to them, that girl with high fire affinity."
"Oh, the one who's after your prince?" Mary wonders.
Hold on. "My prince" sounds great. But what does she mean by Karina's after him?
"After him?"
"Yes, maybe you haven't noticed, but she's been watching him for weeks and trying to run into him with silly excuses."
"No, I really haven't..."
"Don't worry, Vincent is a good guy. Now that he's decided on you, there's nothing any other girl can do. Much to Sol's dismay," she finishes with a little smile that doesn't suit her at all.
Too malicious for sweet Mary.
"You're not really fond of Sol, are you?"
"You'll have to forgive me, but no. I try to be fair to her and see her nice side, but she makes it very difficult with how she treats me."
Yeah... in the otome, if you played as Mary, both Sol and her three lackeys—Bianca included—made Mary's life impossible. Luckily here we stopped the ribbon thing and, for now, we're avoiding the rest of the attacks.
Do they look down on her for being a commoner? Do they complain to the other female students about having to share classes with her? I don't doubt it.
As for me, if I hear the slightest nonsense, I shut it down immediately. But since the ribbon incident, it seems like I've become their number one enemy and object of their disdain and petty schemes, like the false rumors she loves to spread.
"Well, I didn't want to miss Sol's face when she saw me walk into the ball on the prince's arm, but now I don't know if that'll be possible."
"Then we'll watch together when you two make your engagement official."
"Count on it. Well, that was everything I wanted to tell you. We can head to the seamstress's shop now."
"Perfect, let's go."
We get up and head there.