Chapter 105
“Uh... sorry, but whose younger sister are you?”
Aris asked awkwardly.
Naturally, that was because every human living here was a first-year student.
“Hehe, naturally, I’m the younger sister of the older sister lounging around over there like a layabout.”
That’s harsh.
But I felt this was the time for me to step in.
I didn’t know why Adrian had come, but I was the only one who could sort out this situation.
“Aris, this is Adrian, my younger sister for some reason. She has a lot of mana and keeps a lot of secrets, but she’s unmistakably human, so don’t worry.”
“Big sister, ordinary humans don’t introduce themselves as human.”
“Oh, really? Then I take that back.”
I would have needed experience introducing myself in the first place.
I even got into the guild through a parachute appointment.
I looked toward Adrian and said.
“This is Aris. She’s my friend.”
“Hehe, it’s nice to meet you.”
“There. Happy now?”
Of course, there was no way that would be enough.
Aris dragged me into a corner.
“Don’t you think that explanation was woefully inadequate!?”
Aris practically shouted in a whisper.
“But I don’t know what’s going on either.”
“Phew... So for now, I should just think of her as Yumia’s guest?”
“Exactly.”
She catches on quickly.
“Please, come in for now.”
***
Adrian, Linia, Aris, and I.
The four of us sat around one table.
“There isn’t much, but help yourself.”
Though in truth, I hadn’t prepared much.
Tea brewed from an instant tea bag, and macarons stashed away in the cooler in the corner of my Inventory.
I had saved them to eat later without taking them out, but I ended up using them now.
“So... this is Yumia’s younger sister?”
“Yes, my name is Adrian.”
What had this girl really come here for?
Linia asked with a dubious expression as well.
“Yumia’s younger sister? She looks older than Yumia.”
“Oh my, age has nothing to do with the relationship between sisters, you know?”
No, age absolutely matters.
“Well... Yumia does look younger than her actual age.”
Don’t go along with that.
“Could we please move on from the younger-sister thing?”
Explaining this would be complicated.
It was a little difficult to explain that this girl had arbitrarily started calling me big sister and following me around.
“Actually, I’ve heard about the two of you from my big sister.”
“What?”
“Huh?”
Had I ever told her anything?
“That one of you is a terrible nag, while the other does nothing but sleep and eat all the food.”
“What?”
“Excuse me?”
“But I also heard that you’re both kind and know a great deal about magic, so you’re helpful.”
“Hmm... You really said that about us?”
“Not bad. Yumia, you know how to say things like that?”
Did I say it while drunk?
I don’t remember.
“I’m glad my big sister’s friends are such nice people.”
“I never knew Yumia had a younger sister like this, either. Is she your adopted sister?”
“We’re blood-related.”
“Pardon?”
“She isn’t a Reinhart student, so did she visit through the School Market?”
Things were about to get a little complicated, but Linia changed the subject with another question.
“No, I didn’t come through an ordinary entrance.”
There was no way this girl would use an ordinary entrance.
Did she simply fly here?
“Hmm?”
“Still, there’s no need to worry. It wasn’t an improper means, and we’ve made all the necessary arrangements.”
As Adrian said that while sipping her tea, she truly looked like a noble young lady.
I almost forgot for a moment that this girl was a dragon.
“And these are modest gifts for the two of you.”
“What?”
“Something like this...?”
Before we knew it, Adrian was holding two artifacts in her hands.
They were dark blue talismans that gave off a faint mana.
“If you ever find yourself in danger, I’ll be able to sense it once. I may even be able to help.”
“Is it really okay for us to accept something like this?”
“Of course. You’re my big sister’s friends.”
Adrian said with a smile.
“I can sense some unusual mana.”
“The mana is incredibly dense...”
Of course, it was probably Adrian’s mana.
Adrian blended into the group more quickly than I expected.
Aris and Linia were also quite tolerant of new people.
But the bigger factor was that Adrian had gathered up her mana and disguised herself as a human.
And so, after the friendly atmosphere continued for an hour or two, Adrian indicated that she would be leaving first.
“I should be going now. I had a lovely time.”
“Come visit again!”
“Mm. I had fun.”
After descending to the first floor with me, Adrian spoke to me.
“Oh, big sister.”
“Hm?”
“Before I entered the house earlier, I sensed the presence of a divine beast.”
“Oh, that?”
“Could you show it to me? I won’t handle it roughly.”
Squishy frantically shook its head inside my Inventory.
‘It really doesn’t seem to like that.’
But still.
I had only known Squishy for a day, whereas Adrian had known me for several months and had done all sorts of things for me.
I had no choice but to grant the latter’s request.
And so I took Squishy out of my Inventory.
“Kkyu!??”
Adrian reached out a hand, but Squishy hid behind my back.
At the same time, it sent me a resentful look.
“Hey. She’s not going to hurt you.”
“Kkyuuu...”
“It seems to be afraid of me. That’s a good reaction.”
“That’s good?”
“It means its rank isn’t low. If you raise it well, it’ll be quite useful. It’s a divine beast descended from the World Tree, after all.”
“Hmm.”
“Oh, and one more thing.”
“Hm?”
“I’ve been sensing demonic energy from the outskirts of Reinhart.”
That again?
I hadn’t expected Adrian to come warn me about it, too.
“Is that something I have to deal with?”
“It would be best if you or the professor handled it directly.”
But judging by the situation, the professor seemed to be involved somehow too.
“Then I’ll give it a shot.”
“Mm. If it’s you, big sister, I’m sure you can do it! And defeating demons raises your rank, which will be helpful.”
“Helpful where?”
“There’s such a thing.”
So she wasn’t going to tell me.
I wasn’t especially curious, so I asked her something else instead.
“But why don’t the others know what you really are?”
Aris should know, shouldn’t she?
She openly broke in last time.
“It’s thanks to my Authority. There’s an Authority that makes people forget. The King of Wings may be passed down through word of mouth, but I, Adrian, am not.”
“Authority?”
“Yes.”
“If something like that exists, I want to use it too!”
“You’ll have a chance to learn how it works later, big sister. Well, that’s all for now!”
Adrian spread her wings wide and flew away.
…As expected of Adrian, she only says what she wants to say and leaves.
* * *
After Adrian left.
I knew exactly what I had to do.
Go to the outskirts and hunt down every demon... no.
Somehow score full marks on the Rank 1 mage exam, which was right around the corner.
‘No extra assignments...!’
With that in mind, I paid a little more attention in class than usual.
And as a result.
“Encode, Bullet.”
A single line split the classroom.
A mana bullet that was incredibly quiet and clean.
“The encryption, speed, projectile speed, control, and mana-infusion method are all perfect.”
I had become capable of firing a mana bullet impressive enough to earn Karnarof’s admiration.
With encryption thrown in as a bonus.
“At the venue for the Rank 1 mage exam, you would normally receive full marks for reproducing eighty percent of this.”
After pausing for a moment, Karnarof continued.
“In other words, this is the standard for a mana bullet.”
Applause broke out.
“The top student really is on another level.”
“There’s a reason she beat Richard!”
That took care of the mana bullet portion.
My defensive magic was at a similar level.
And one more thing.
The Rank 1 battle mage exam was divided into written, practical, and combat sections.
Therefore, I needed to practice magic in preparation for the combat section.
“Oz Caster, Silver Shoes.”
The incantation for Oz Caster was long.
Even if I couldn’t make it chantless, shortening it to a brief incantation would help.
So I asked Karnarof.
He was the only person who used it, anyway.
“Oz Caster shouldn’t be necessary for the Rank 1 mage exam.”
“I still want to practice it a little.”
“Find a way yourself.”
That was the answer I got.
And then I asked Isabel.
“Please teach me a simple potion recipe.”
The exam-preparation documents said that was necessary too.
“What are you planning to use it for?”
“For the mage exam.”
“Was that necessary?”
“They said it was.”
Something had felt slightly out of sync for a while now.
Well, it probably didn’t matter.
“I’ll give you the recipe, for now!”
Isabel cheerfully wrote one down on a slip of paper.
“The recipe is really easy.”
The herb combinations were simple, and the effects could be adjusted according to the user’s sense.
“Then, next...”
I looked at the workbook in front of me.
The problems piled up on the first floor, which served as both a practice room and workshop.
Damn it, it was time to face reality.
Even though I had worked on them bit by bit because of Aris, this enormous amount was all that remained.
‘I’ve finished all the common mage exam questions, at least.’
What remained were past questions from the battle mage exams.
And applying various barrier techniques, as well as defensive magic, using dragon mana.
On top of that, Oz Caster.
Could I do it?
No.
I would.
“Let’s do thisssss!!!”
***
[The proficiency of the ability [Oz Caster (???)] has increased!]
[The proficiency of Basic Offensive Magic and Basic Defensive Magic is extremely high! They have been consolidated into Basic Magic (SSR)!]
[The possibility of upgrading to Beginner Magic (SR) has been unlocked!]
For the first time in a while, I was shut up in the little room on the first floor, spending day after day incredibly busy.
I’ve always been the type to see nothing but the task at hand when I’m concentrating, so I practically lived in the workshop except when eating or sleeping.
“Yumia! Yumia!”
“What is it, Aris? I said not to bother me for a week while I concentrate...”
“That’s true, but today’s the day we leave to take the exam!”
“Huh? It’s already time?”
“Wh-what is all this!?”
Magic books, herbs, and simple potions were strewn everywhere.
“Oh, I do need to clean up a little.”
“I’ll wash you clean with my Unique Magic, so hold still.”
“Encode, Purify.”
And so, Aris’s Unique Magic thoroughly washed the dust and grime from my body.
My skin even seemed to feel soft and fresh.
Feeling good, I kicked the workshop door.
With a bang, the door flew away from its hinges.
“Nya-ha! What a vigorous, wonderful morning!”
It was a perfect day to become a Rank 1 mage!