| Author: Eltria | Original Source: Syosetu |
| Translator: Mui | English Source: Re:Library |
| Editor(s): Robinxen | |
After the self-introductions, a short break was followed by the start of the class.
The first lesson was on magic. On the desks arranged in a stepped formation, glass cups were placed for each student. The cups were empty.
“Nice to meet you all. I’m Anais, and I’ll be in charge of magical studies for the next year. In my class, I prioritize creativity—practical application rather than just knowledge. Please use your rich imagination and unleash that power. I’m looking forward to it.”
Anais, a woman with silver-gray hair, introduced herself with a refined smile. Although she spoke in a soft and gentle tone from the lectern, everyone in the class listened intently, using both their ears and eyes as if not to miss a single word.
“Now then, everyone, there’s a cup in front of you. Today, we will practice water magic using this.”
I wasn’t good at magic, but I wonder if my level was still acceptable at this age.
Anais looked genially at everyone, then waved a shining wand towards the blackboard. The words “O water” appeared on the board, the incantation for the basic water magic, Create Water.
“Now, let’s start by pouring water into the cups. Your magical aptitude has already been demonstrated in the entrance exam. Don’t be afraid, even if it’s your first time. Just imagine.”
Following the teacher’s signal, voices chanting the incantation “O water” echoed from various corners of the classroom. Looking to my side, I saw Alfe with a serious expression, shading her hand over the cup, attempting to create water.
“O water…”
Following everyone, I also chanted the incantation for Create Water. I successfully created water, filling about half of the cup without difficulty.
“Fantastic, well done!”
It seemed everyone succeeded. Anais clapped her hands.
Relieved by the applause from the teacher, voices of my classmates erupted from various parts of the classroom. The murmurs grew louder, and the whole classroom became a bit lively.
However, it was evident that, being the first time for everyone, although they all succeeded in creating water, the control wasn’t perfect.
Looking around, I noticed that various parts of the classroom were flooded, with water not only on desks but also splashed on brand-new textbooks. Water was overflowing from Alfe’s cup as well. However, Alfe seemed quite focused, not even aware of the fact that she was wet, let alone the commotion around her.
Whether this situation was common or not, Anais, the teacher, didn’t seem to mind at all and proceeded with the next instructions.
“Now, everyone. Are you ready? Let’s move on to the next step.”
With a bright voice, Anais clapped her hands once and scanned the students. The classroom’s murmur ceased at the teacher’s words.
“The next step involves application. Chant ‘Create’ and transform the water into the shape you envisioned. Success is not guaranteed for everyone. What matters is your imagination. Focus on making it more specific, vividly bringing it into existence.”
The gazes of classmates, directed at Anais, shifted to the water in their cups. Alfe, sitting next to me, was no exception. She closed her eyes, placing both hands around the cup as if embracing it.
A cool breeze drifted into the open classroom window. It gently lifted Alfe’s light purple hair, and then it flowed over my cheek as if caressing it.
“Create…”
A resolute voice quietly echoed in the classroom. As Alfe placed her hands around the cup, a faint, soft light appeared. It transformed into a seed, continued to grow into a young sprout, and ultimately blossomed into a beautiful, radiant, transparent flower.
“Wow…”
One after another, amazed voices arose from classmates who noticed Alfe’s creation.
“Very impressive, Alfe Clifford.”
Anais walked straight toward Alfe and directed a gentle gaze at the flower she had brought to life.
“So the flower that blooms in your heart looks like this.”
“…Th-thank you…”
Alfe, praised by the teacher, bowed with a shy demeanor.
A flower that blooms in the heart.
I thought it was a beautiful metaphor. Indeed, Alfe’s heart seemed to be filled with many such beautiful flowers.
“…What about you, Leafa Naga Rjuna?”
“I’m not good at imagining, so it didn’t work for me.”
Since I wasn’t good at such things, there was no need to try. I attempted to confess my failure to evade the situation, but Anais gently prompted me.
“Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. What’s important is believing in possibilities.”
Even in my past life as Glass, I struggled to believe in vague things like possibilities and hope. Besides, I didn’t understand the intention behind changing the form of water in the first place.
“If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”
Her response seemed to read my thoughts from my gaze to my inner thoughts. Suppressing a wry smile, I chose a question that might be helpful for the class.
“What is the intention behind using magic to change the form of the created water?”
“That’s an interesting question.”
It seemed a bit different from the expected question. Anais stared at me with interest.
“Water is something highly fluid, essentially lacking a fixed form. To solidify and maintain its shape requires advanced imagination and magical skills. In this task, we are gauging each of your hidden potentials.”
In essence, it seemed they were exploring advanced aptitudes like Alfe’s. However, Anais’ explanation didn’t end there.
“What does water mean to you, Leafa?”
“…To me, water is just water. It’s a drink and something used in daily life.”
I answered honestly. My difficulty with imagination stemmed from not being able to see the value of water beyond its everyday uses. For instance, even if I could create a sword from water, it would only be a mimicry of its form. It inherently fell short compared to a sword made from materials like metal.
“…Then, let’s approach it this way.”
After hearing my thoughts, Anais continued with a smile.
“Wouldn’t it be convenient if you could transport that water without the need for a container?”
“I see.”
The presented perspective was intriguing. With that image, even I could easily imagine it1.
“Is it something like this? ——Create.”
I shaded my hand over the cup filled with water and chanted. Unlike the changes with light as in Alfe’s case, there was hardly any visible alteration, except for a slight change in volume.
“…It worked.”
Feeling a response, I turned the cup upside down. The water inside smoothly slid out, falling onto the palm of my hand.
“Leafa, that’s amazing!”
The water had turned into a slightly gelatinous state, trembling on the palm of my hand. Alfe, excited and impressed, raised her voice, hugged me, and nestled close.
“Well done. That’s the essence of imagination. Let’s expand your unique imagination.”
Anais nodded satisfactorily, then turned on her heel. I also nodded, taking a small bite of the semi-solid water before returning it to the cup.
“Is it delicious?”
“Hmm. It doesn’t have a taste, but the sensation of turning back into water in my mouth isn’t bad.”
With this, it seemed convenient for times when I didn’t have a water container. It might be useful for camping in the wilderness.
I had underestimated it, thinking of it as just an elementary school, but considering it had been three hundred years since the Glass era, the methods of education had evolved significantly. While I still struggled with magic, learning under this teacher seemed interesting, and I found myself intrigued.
Anais continued to slowly circulate through the classroom, explaining the process of creation to each student in detail. Classmates who gained insights were succeeding in their creations one after another. The first magic class was much more interesting than I had imagined.
“Now, it’s time. Let’s tidy up the classroom and finish.”
Amidst the ringing of the end-of-class bell, Anais quietly raised her hand.
“Gather.”
As Anais chanted, the water scattered throughout the classroom, forming puddles on the floor and desks, began to float in the air as if being absorbed, gathering above her hand.
“Amazing…”
Even the water that had soaked Alfe’s clothes was drawn up, and the water droplets moved in the air, sparkling and dancing. On Anais’ raised hand, the gathered water transformed into a massive water sphere.
“Magic is imagination and fantasy. It’s about training your imagination.”
The collected water rapidly changed its form and now turned into fine mist, flowing outside the window.
While Anais’ guidance had given me a glimmer of hope in magic studies, this kind of imagination was beyond my reach. It felt like being shown the difference in levels, and I couldn’t help but smile wryly. As for Alfe next to me, she watched Anais’ impressive magic with sparkling eyes and applauded enthusiastically.
