NOVEL NEXT Chapter 15
“Woof woof, are you okay?!”
Right after I burst the magic with a Rush.
The lady was startled and stopped the spar, running towards me.
“Are you hurt? Huh?”
She lifted my arm that had just burst the magic.
She grabbed both cheeks to check my face.
Then she felt my body to check my condition…
“I’m fine.”
…As if I could be hurt.
I’ve been catching the lady’s magic every time we train, haven’t I?
Well, the fireball was a bit bigger this time, but it wasn’t hard to block.
“Wow, you two are close.”
Seeing the lady’s worried face, Terra teased.
“We can’t let our dog get hurt…”
“I won’t get hurt from this.”
I’m tough, after all.
Honestly, if I just strengthened my guard a bit, I could’ve taken it head-on.
“Uh… are you okay?”
Serina, who was surprised by how I blocked the magic with Rush earlier, also came over and asked with concern.
Her attitude seemed a bit more cautious.
…Unintentionally, I just raised my value.
This damn talent.
To pull off both Fleet and Rush perfectly in such a tense situation.
But more importantly…
*Crack.*
I clenched and unclenched the hand that had burst the magic, recalling the moment.
…That felt amazing.
The thrill of bursting an energy ball was on a whole different level from popping balloons or bubble wrap.
“You blocked it more perfectly than I thought, huh?”
Seeing my reaction, Terra came back and lifted her chin.
Hmph, I thought she was just touching me after blocking the magic alone, but…
*Whoosh—*
An invisible energy flowed from her chin and was absorbed by Terra.
“You wasted mana for nothing.”
“…Did you put up a barrier?”
…When did she put a barrier around me?
She did it so subtly that I didn’t even notice.
“Of course. If the dog gets hurt, Aria would throw a fit.”
“Ah, right.”
What a sly one.
No wonder she kept touching me.
She must’ve been layering it bit by bit.
She didn’t show it, so she probably wanted to see how I’d react.
“By the way, how was sparring with each other?”
Anyway, putting that aside.
Terra went over to the two who had just sparred and asked.
“Hmm…”
“Honestly, it was fun.”
Come to think of it, was this their first spar?
If they hadn’t stopped midway, it would’ve been quite intense.
From what I see, their skills seem pretty evenly matched.
“Right? Sparring with someone at a similar level is fun and helps you improve.”
Yeah, I know that feeling.
As Aria’s bodyguard, I’ve sparred countless times with Kaiden and Darren.
You improve faster when you clash intensely.
“But it’s a shame, both of you are my students with similar attributes.”
“Are there no other elemental mages in the capital?”
“Not around your age. The older ones won’t spar with you.”
Well, at least my body’s fine.
I sat nearby and eavesdropped on Terra’s conversation with her students.
Hmm, it seems there aren’t many talented mages around the lady’s age in this kingdom.
And magic seems to be heavily influenced by attributes.
Most of the people I meet in this mansion are sweaty knights.
So listening to the conversation of these fiery mages was a rare treat.
“Or sparring with knights is good too… but that’s not a problem for you.”
“Are there knights who’d spar with us?”
“Not knights, but he’s right here.”
However.
I was clearly just an eavesdropping listener, but at some point, I became the topic of conversation.
“Ah, right.”
“A well-behaved aura user your age is rare.”
“…I’m not well-behaved.”
Do they think I’m some kind of mutt?
Huh? For your information, I’m the loyal hound of the Void Family.
I only listen to Lowell or the lady.
“Will you spar with us, dog?”
“…I’ll do it.”
…But.
If the lady asks, I have no choice.
“Good, dog. Sparring with mages at a similar level will be a good experience for you.”
“Yes…”
Honestly.
Really, honestly.
Their level is high for their age, but I’m not sure if I can handle them.
I may look like this, but I’m a proper aura user and know the Void Family’s secret techniques.
But…
“I’ll do my best.”
Terra and Serina here probably don’t know that yet, so I just nodded as if agreeing.
“Alright then, let’s do it next time.”
“…Not today?”
That was a bit unexpected.
I thought we’d do it right away.
“Look at them, they’re out of mana.”
“Ah.”
“Unlike knights, mages burn through mana quickly, especially if they’re inexperienced.”
…True.
Unlike aura users who use aura for body enhancement and only use techniques when necessary.
Mages use a significant amount of mana every time they cast a spell.
They can’t spar all day like knights.
“Then, since the spar is over, today’s lesson is done.”
“It ended early?”
“But you probably gained more than on other days.”
And so, it was time for the guests to leave.
“Bye, Serina.”
“I’ll come again next time.”
Serina and the lady seemed to have gotten a bit closer.
Is the lady finally making a friend?
Thinking about it, she’s always been alone in the mansion, so she must’ve been lonely.
They’re both mages with similar interests and ages, so it’d be good if they became friends.
“But it’s a shame.”
“Huh? Why?”
During this somewhat heartwarming farewell.
Serina said something regretful to the lady before leaving.
“You seem close to your dog. Won’t you miss him a lot when you go to magic school?”
“Huh? Can’t I bring him?”
“No? Pets aren’t allowed there.”
The one most surprised by Serina’s words was none other than me.
…Magic school?
Is it time for our lady to go to school already?
This is news to me.
**
The Royal Magic School.
Founded by the Astel Family with the kingdom’s support, it’s the only magic school in the Adel Kingdom.
It’s no exaggeration to say that all the kingdom’s core mages come from here.
And it was announced that the lady would be enrolling in this Royal Magic School.
To me, it sounded like a golden opportunity.
Isn’t this a no-mark training chance?
Wait, no.
If the lady goes, will Darren and Kaiden go as bodyguards?
Then the number of aura users to spar with would decrease, making it harder.
As I was thinking about how to train in the mansion without the lady.
“No!”
I heard the lady’s voice arguing with Lowell.
“I’m taking the dog with me!”
“Lady, you can’t bring pets to the Royal Magic School.”
“Then I’ll take him as a servant!”
“When did you call him a dog? Now he’s a servant?”
“The dog can be a servant! He can be a service dog!”
Lowell seems to think it’s better for me to stay here.
But the lady is adamant about taking me.
“Wait, sorry to interrupt.”
While the two were deep in their argument.
“Aria here needs to study abroad in the Empire. I’ve said it many times.”
Terra, who had been listening to the lady’s tantrum, brought up the Empire instead of the Royal Magic School.
“The family head is strongly against it.”
“I’ll persuade him. Aria’s talent can’t be nurtured at the Royal Magic School.”
“But there are excellent teachers there…”
“Come on, if they were so excellent, would Serina be learning from me? Even though her family runs the school?”
“…Sigh, you’re right.”
So the Empire has schools too… I guess.
Well, as the strongest nation on the continent, their education must be on another level.
“I’m not going abroad either!”
Well, the lady seems to hate going anywhere.
But I’d like her to go to the Empire.
It’s the most developed city on the continent.
It’d be good for the lady to broaden her horizons there.
“If I can’t take the dog, I’m not going anywhere!”
But, unaware of my deep thoughts, the lady continued to throw a tantrum in front of Lowell and Terra.
“Won’t the dog be lonely without me?”
Now she’s even dragging me into it.
“Right?”
She hugged my neck and spoke pitifully, but…
Honestly, I don’t really care.
It’s not like she’s leaving forever, right?
Besides, the Royal Magic School is in the capital, so it’s not that far.
“…I must follow the lady’s wishes.”
But.
If I say that, the lady will be heartbroken, so I sided with her appropriately.
My opinion doesn’t matter anyway.
Might as well choose the side that gets me less hate.
“See! The dog wants to go with me too!”
“Look at his face, that dog would be fine anywhere.”
“…Huh? Dog?”
Damn it.
That crazy mage.
The lady looked at me as if asking if it was true.
…Sadly, I’m not good at acting.
“Even you! Waaah!”
In the end.
The lady, who hadn’t cried like this since puberty hit, hugged me tightly and sobbed.
“I fed you! I gave you a place to sleep! I trained you!”
“…Lady, your clothes are getting wet.”
It’s been a while since I’ve seen the lady cry like this.
Since early puberty started, I hadn’t seen this side of her, so as I felt her clothes getting wet, I was filled with nostalgia.
Is this what it feels like to raise a child?
Just a year ago, I saw this side of her more often.
Lately, she’s been a bit prickly, which is a bit disappointing.
“Waaah!”
…Oops, the lady is seriously upset, and here I am thinking nonsense.
“Lady, don’t be too upset.”
“Why? Will you come with me?”
“There are weekends, right?”
“Waaah!! I’m not going!”
The lady threw a fit all day, but.
In the end.
“Waaah, dog…”
With swollen eyes, she cried all day in the doghouse, finally accepting the situation.
“I’ll visit often… Don’t go anywhere…”
“…Understood.”
And so.
The lady’s enrollment in the magic school was confirmed.
…Considering the mansion in the capital is less than a 20-minute carriage ride from the Royal Magic School, this whole ordeal is quite amusing.