The Forest after the Rain

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After I finished eating, I went to my room to practice using magic. There was no reason for me to go outside, so I was able to take my time with it.

First, I concentrate on the magical energy itself. The main current of power that runs within me. The power of water, ice, and fire. My hand stretches outward with the palm facing up. Then I imagine that magical energy is gathering there right in my hand.

Immediately, I feel as if my hand has gotten heavier. It was as if an invisible object had been placed there. Then I give this object a shape. A sphere. A slowly rotating mass. I close my eyes to help me with my imagination.

“Good…good…”

I breathe in deep and begin to adjust the shape of magical energy. I wanted it to be as perfectly round as possible. After that, I added color. A blue magical energy is overlaid. The color covers the spinning sphere and it marbles. Then the blue color envelopes the sphere completely.

I slowly open my eyes. There in the palm of my hand was a rotating ball of water.

“I really took my time with this one…”

I inspect the ball of water. This wasn’t a hasty construction like the ice bullet that I fired in the forest. I worked hard to build this thing with magical energy. I bring up my other hand which was empty and then I create a water ball without much thought. Comparing these two floating spheres up close, I started to feel as if the there was a difference in ‘density.’ But I didn’t have any skills that allowed me to actually detect this, so I wasn’t sure…

Well, I should ask my master if I didn’t know.

I kept the two balls floating on the palms of my hands as I opened the door with my foot and went out into the hallway. I was headed for Daniela’s room. She was also on the second floor, but on the opposite side. And so I had to walk. But I was able to reach her room without bumping into anyone else.

“Master Daniela. You in there?”

I had to call her as I couldn’t knock at the moment. The door promptly opened from the other side, and Daniela greeted me in her room clothes.

“What is it? There is no master here.”

“Master Daniela. Could you take a look at these?”

I thrust the two balls forward.

“Ahh! You fool. You must not use magic within living quarters!”

“What? Really?”

I really had no idea that this was a thing, and I tilt my head to the side.

“It is not impossible that it will get out of control and destroy the whole building!”

I feel my entire body freeze over. Oh, shit. What should I do…! Perhaps my frantic heart was affecting the magic, because now the balls of water were shaking and I could hear them splash.

“Ah, Asagi, take deep breaths. Deep breaths.”

“Huuhhh, haaahhh, huhhh, haaah…”

After I finally calmed down, the balls began to slowly rotate again. That was close…

“Damn it… It seems that you really do need a master to teach you?”

“I’m a disgrace…”

“Well, you can come in for now. There is no point in standing here is there?”

And so I entered with her invitation.

“So, what is that?”

“Ohh, this. This water ball was made through a process that started with me imagining the collecting of magical energy. This water ball was made by simply imaging a ball. Do you think that there is a difference?”

I pointed with my chin as I explained. Daniela smirked and folded her arms before giving the two balls a closer look.

“This one. The one with the extra steps taken has a higher concentration of magic. Though the other one is not too bad either. I suppose the difference comes from how you imagined them.”

I see. She had said before that your imagination was important. That you didn’t need to take those extra steps if you could imagine it correctly. But weren’t those extra steps about chanting? All of this was starting to make me think I had wasted my time with this practice. So I decided to not think about it.

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Isekai ni Kita Boku wa Kiyoubinbode Subaya-sa Tayorina Tabi o Suru Jack of all Trades