Chapter 25 – Ririi becomes a sorcerer

“Itchy… Tah!”

Says Ririi while stretching her arm.

…That’s a pretty nice pose, but my magic energy inside her didn’t budge at all.

“Nununu… Tah!”

…Still there.

“Hn!!!”

No changes.

“…The itchy won’t come out.”

“Hm… It’s tricky.”

…Ririi’s magic energy detection training hasn’t been going well. The ‘third party’s magic energy assisted method’, I’m trying is actually used in classes, but even students with no sense at all get the hang of it eventually. And from there, it’s not long until they can feel their own magic energy.

But it feels like Ririi’s getting further away from success the more she tries.

“Ririh… Can’t be a sorcerer…?”

Ririi drops her shoulders and tears well up in her eyes. I wipe her face and hug her small body tightly.

“That’s not true. You’re going to be a great sorcerer. Daddy promises.”

“Yes…”

I’m not just trying to console her or anything. If the description of high elves I read in that magic book is true, Ririi is bound to become a great sorcerer. I’m sure she’ll be better than me when she grows up.

…But the fact that she’s a high elf might be holding her back right now. There has to be a reason why she’s stumbling so much in trying to feel her magic energy for the first time.

“…Maybe we’ll go ask her…”

◆

“You know I’m not a teacher anymore…”

The next day, we head to Miss Esmeralda’s store and explain what’s going on, and she gets up while letting out a big sigh. Then she walks slowly towards Ririi.

“T-thank you for helping!”

“Hee hee, what a polite girl. You’re nothing like your father. I like kids like you.”

Her deeply wrinkled hand pats Ririi’s head, and Ririi curls up and waits for Miss Esmeralda to finish. She doesn’t usually react to people like that.

“Can you see anything?”

“Don’t rush me. I haven’t even done anything yet.”

Miss Esmeralda pulls her hand away from Ririi’s head, and suddenly grabs Ririi’s hand.

She keeps holding it with her eyes closed. I’m sure she’s looking for Ririi’s magic energy.

“Weiss, how did you send magic energy to her?”

“How… The usual way.”

“Ahh… I knew it. That’s why you couldn’t draw her magic energy out no matter how long you did it.”

“…What do you mean?”

Ririi was struggling because of me?

…If that’s true, that means I ended up making her sad.

“Her magic energy flows faster than normal kids’. She doesn’t feel it yet, but her body knows. So basically, she’s used to magic energy flowing fast.

And then you came along and made your slow magic energy flow into her and confused her body.”

“So that’s it…”

Her words do a lot of emotional damage. I can’t get Ririi’s tears from yesterday out of my mind, and now it turns out I’m the one who caused them.

“What’s wrong daddy? Does something hurt?”

I can’t hide my shock, and Ririi looks up at me with a concerned look on her face.

…Stop it. I can’t worry her even more. I can be sad all I want, but I can’t let that worry a kid like her.

“It’s nothing… Thanks Ririi. So, Miss Esmeralda, what should I do?”

I force myself to smile, and Ririi looks relieved.

“It’s simple, just increase the speed of the flow of your magic energy. Adjusting the speed isn’t easy, but it shouldn’t be that much trouble for you, right?”

“Of course. Ririi, do you want to give that itchiness another shot?”

“Yes!”

I hold back the amount, but increase the speed of flow, as I hold Ririi’s hand and minutely control my magic energy.

“The itchy is different.”

“What does it feel like?”

“Hm… I dunno, but it feels nicer.”

Nicer… I don’t really get it, but that doesn’t sound like a bad thing. Maybe it means it’s getting closer to her magic energy.

Ririi closes her eyes and groans a little. She’s probably focusing. I watch her while focusing on not breaking the flow and… Ririi opens her eyes and yells.

“Tah!

“Uoh!?”

It all happens in an instant. My magic energy comes bursting out of her hand, and Ririi’s magic energy gushes towards a wall. Thankfully, I manage to put up a magic barrier just before it happens.

“Daddy! The itchy came out!”

Ririi’s eyes shine as she looks up at me.

Looking at her smile makes me feel happy, regret over the difficulties she had with it, and an indescribable feeling of accomplishment.

A tear flows down her cheek, and before I know it, I’m crying too.

“Ririi, I’m sorry… No, congratulations. You’re a sorcerer now.”

And that’s how Ririi became a sorcerer.