Just like manifesting an element, this new technique I'm learning is way too difficult for me due to my lack of talent.
In theory, all I have to do to perform an elemental defense is to adopt the correct pose and manifest my element.
The pose, which is different for every single element, allows inner mana to flow on a circular pattern as soon as it leaves your body.
My problem is what comes after making my inner mana spin around me. Manifesting, turning raw, untainted mana into an element you've an affinity with.
In my case, wind.
"I guess you do have something nice going on with you. Your mana control is quite impressive" Kafka said as he walked in circles all around me.
"Most students struggle with controlling their mana when it's outside of them. That's why it takes an entire year to teach them this technique, as manifesting should be second nature to them after training it all throughout their first year"
Another failed attempt. As soon as I have to manifest an element, my mana disperses, and I have to start all over again.
"Yea... the easiest thing about learning a spell for me is the forming pre manifesting" I breathed out as I struck the pose once again.
"Isn't that interesting?" The director smirked at me as she let out a soft giggle.
I'd prefer it I they helped me more instead of making useless comments.
I could try outer mana... no... that's not possible.
Goldenlaw's comment before i started training on this technique really hit me hard. I'm not that smart, and compared to many scholars that have studied magic and mana all their lives, I started learning magic extremely recently.
A year ago, to be more precise.
Everything I try to come up with, every idea I have, they have probably been asked and thought about before.
But what about fake incantationless casting? What about skipping tiers and using outer mana? Those are things I got to experience and use, but no one ever talks about it.
If fake incantationless is so good, it'd be taught and used all over the world as the best way to use magic.
"We've been two hours on this. We'll finish for today" Kafka said when he saw me plummet to the ground and grasp for air.
"I... I can still... try..."
"Unlike others, student Alen, your progress will have to be slower. Remember that you're dealing with second year teachings on your first year"
The blonde woman stood up and began to walk towards the exit of the arena.
"You already have the basics. Try practicing on your own for now"
Kafka also followed behind the director.
"We'll meet later"
With that, both teacher and director left me alone on arena six.
I felt powerless, as if I had hit a wall I couldn't climb or break through.
Manifesting is the one thing that prevents me from advancing on my magic skills.
The only thing I noticed from today' special class was that elemental defense burns through my mana defenses pretty quickly.
I had to use a ton of mana stones to replenish my mana reserves just to try and fail again.
"Alen?"
I turned around and saw the white-haired, red-eyed prince's of the montanev kingdom entering the arena.
"Fran... hi..." I breathed out, noticing the sweat droplets that formed on my forehead drop to the ground.
"Here" she handed me a towel. She had a somewhat worried expression on her face "What happened?"
"That class where I'm the only one attending" I wiped the towel on my whole face.
"And why was director Goldenlaw also here?"
I forgot that no one knows that they're both giving me special classes.
"She had something to talk about with teacher Kafka" I made up an excuse, hoping that she would believe it.
"You won't be able to train with us then?" She sat next to me on the ground, giving me a concerned look.
"No... I will stay here to train. And if I'm too tired to train, I can just sit on the side and rest while I watch you guys train" I smiled at her, trying to ease the tension I felt coming from her.
For a moment, she was completely in silence.
After Julius' little event with us, I've been feeling like she has been a bit more distant towards me. As if something happened on that fight.
"A-alen... you're my friend, right?" She asked, looking down, avoiding to look at me.
"We are friends"
"Y-you wouldn't stop being my friend, right? No matter what happened, you'd still be my friend, wouldn't you?" She grabbed my hand and gave it a firm squeeze.
"No matter what happens, I'll be our friend. And if you ever need help, I'm here for you" I reassured her, remembering the day we became friends.
I also grabbed her hand. I felt slightly afraid of what she was going to say since it's not normal for her to act like this.
"The other day... Julius said something.... about my da... father, the king of the Montanev kingdom" she kept looking down to our hands, her voice trembling a bit.
I didn't want to mention about the king since I felt like it was a sensitive topic for her. Even if I was I intrigued about it since the king's very much alive in the game.
"I-I was worried that you... might hate me because I... don't have a father"
"Huh?"
What?
Both internally and externally, I was equally taken aback by what she said. As if I had taken actual physical damage from the unexpected reason as to why she was a bit distant with me.
"Well... I've never had a friend before you... so, my only experience regarding friendships was all taken from books. And in most of the stories I've read, the character with no parents is hated by everyone else"
"Fran... you really scared me" I breathed out as I grabbed her arms "I'd never stop being your friend over something like that"
I felt as if a heavy weight was lifted from both of us once I said that.
Fran looked obviously happy but quickly crossed her arms and raised her chin while a big smile formed on her face.
"I-I knew that! You told me that you'd be my friend no matter what, so it's only natural that you wouldn't care about that. I was only making sure that we were on the same page" she puffed her cheeks that were extremely red from blushing.
I just started laughing while I let go of my grasp on her arms.
I guess even she has those kinds of childish thoughts and conceptions. One thing that made me feel special was the fact that she only showed this side of hers with me. For a character I've always seen as the villainess of a game, she is clearly someone who truly matters to me.
"How about we go buy some sweets after training? I know you'd like some chocolates" I asked while standing up and extending my hand to her.
"We'll definitely be going" she held my hand and stood up.
"But I'll be the one spending coins" she said in a serious tone.
"But you've been the one paying for the last couple of times. At least let me pa-" I was interrupted by one of her fingers poking me in my chest.
"No! You being my friend is already enough to repay me for the money I spend on the sweets we eat" she pouted and kept poking me with her finger.
"Let me make it up to you in some other way"
"I don't want either that sinner or that nobody close to you" she referred to Kaida and Silva, the first one because she hates her, and the second one... honestly, I don't know why.
"I-I'll try"
"Hmph!" She squinted her eyes and had the most victorious smile on her face.
"Y-your finger" I said as I felt how her finger kept digging into my chest, and she wasn't pulling it away.
Fran quickly pulled her finger away and turned around. I could notice her ears having a slight pink shading to them.
"While we wait for all the other peasants to arrive, why don't we sit somewhere more comfortable?"
She started walking towards a set of stairs that led to the stands where all the people spectating a duel would sit.
I followed behind her.
Once we sat on the stands, she pulled out an ice and a wind spellbook.
"We can now find a spell that we can chain together" she sounded really happy about finding a set of spells that'd allow us to have more synergy when fighting together.
"I'll go searching on the wind spellbook for a tier one spell that could be useful" I snatched the wind spellbook from her hands.
Sitting down, I opened the spellbook, and I started looking for a spell.
But she quickly took out my book and handed me the wind spellbook.
"I'll be searching for a wind spell that could work. You search for an ice spell you think could be useful"
I eyed the cover of the spellbook.
"I can cast quite a few spells from the second tier, so don't worry about the difficulty of the spell. And don't worry, I'll only keep it on the first tier of wind spells"
She gave me a confident smile before burying herself on the spellbook.