Author: Akashari	Original Source: Syosetu
Translator: Mui	English Source: Re:Library

Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

“Unique magecraft? What’s that?”
“Well, it’s not surprising you don’t know.”

While the Saint tended to their wounds, I explained the purpose of this training to the two who had nothing else to do. It made sense that Momo, as an Outlander, wouldn’t be familiar with it. Nova, on the other hand, understood immediately, his face going pale.

“Unique magecraft is, as the name suggests, an original form of magecraft created by a wizard—one that only its creator can use.”
“Hey, Sorcerer, don’t go stealing my explanation.”
“Hehehe, I’m sorry. I’ve seen unique magecraft a few times myself. They’re always distinct and quite powerful.”
“Whoa, it’s like a wizard’s trump card, then! So the plan is to come up with an original spell as a countermeasure against dragons?” Momo asked, motivated.

“Impossible, missy. Unique magecraft is something a wizard can only maybe create after years of dedicated practice—if they’re lucky,” Nova interjected, looking half-dead already. “For someone like me, a washed-up wizard, or you, a total beginner, expecting to learn unique magecraft in just a few days is a joke. It’s sacrilege against magecraft itself.”
“Is… is it really that impossible?”
“Well, there’s some truth to that.”

As Nova said, it was absurd to think a novice and a rogue wizard, whose skills had rusted from a life of thievery, could master unique magecraft in such a short time. But the situation demanded the impossible; resigning oneself before even trying was out of the question.

“Nova, it seems you still don’t understand. I’m trying to give people who are about to die a slight chance of survival.”
“B-But… Sis…”
“That defeatist attitude is a bad habit of yours, Nova. Besides, Momo, you’ve already seen unique magecraft before.”
“Huh? When was that?”
“Remember when Stell was abducted? That spell that dragged you underground along with her—that was unique magecraft.”
“Oh, right! That assassin’s spell!”

A spell that could drag its target underground and navigate freely through the earth—it didn’t belong to any of the primary elemental systems of fire, water, earth, or air. And we had a confession from the caster after they were detained by the church; for someone that young to have reached the level of unique magecraft, she must have been highly skilled.

But on the flip side, it means that, with the right talent and a trigger, the number of years you’ve practiced doesn’t matter.

“Did that give you an idea? To make up for your lack of experience, what you need is confidence—the belief that you can do this. And from here on, I’m going to push you both until you’re desperate enough to grasp that confidence.”
“W-what exactly… does that mean…?”
“Oh, nothing’s changed. From here, I’m going to push you to the brink until you’re fighting for your lives. Tap into that last-ditch strength and pull through.”
“Alright, I’ve just about finished healing them too.”
“ “Gaaaaah!?” ”

✦✧✦✧✦

“That wraps up the morning. In the afternoon, we’ll be cranking up the firepower a bit more. Make sure you rest up while you can.”
“Death.”
“Life.”
“Looks like they’ve lost the ability to form human speech,” the Saint commented.

By noon, the grassy plain looked nothing like it had before. The landscape had been blasted into something resembling a crater. Though I’d been shooting off spells with her approval, I wondered if changing the terrain to this degree was really acceptable.

“M-Master… am I still… in one piece…?”
“You’re perfectly fine. Want a sandwich?”
“Y-yes… please…”

She crawled over to me, lured by the promise of food like some kind of ghoul. I had to admire her spirit; even in this state, she hadn’t lost her appetite. That was good—if they couldn’t eat when they had the chance, their prospects for surviving the training were bleak.

“Make sure you drink water too. You should eat something as well,” I said, looking at Nova.
“I… pass. If I eat now, I think I’ll throw it up…”
“Then do you instead prefer I shove water and food down your throat?”
“Fine! I’ll eat it, damn it!” he grumbled, snatching a sandwich. Yet his appetite was no less fierce than Momo’s, despite the complaints.

At this rate, I’d have no leftovers to deal with, which was a relief. Given the heat and weather, bringing anything back to save for dinner wasn’t exactly appealing.

“Huh? Aren’t you and Ms. Roche eating, Master?”
“I ate earlier,” the Saint replied.
“One sandwich is more than enough for me,” I said. “You two can have the rest.”
“You two hardly eat anything…”
“Where do you get that bottomless energy…” Nova muttered, glancing at me. “After all that casting, your magic power reserves haven’t even dipped…”
“You’re just inefficient with your magic power usage. I could go three more days and nights at this rate, easily.”

Throughout the morning, I’d been bombarding them with spells of the lowest tier, ones that I cast without much thought. I had used less than 20 percent of my total magic power. With careful management, I could stretch that three days into five.

“So you don’t need to worry about this training ending because I’ll run out of steam. You’ll either collapse or adapt first.”
“Damn it! I wish I hadn’t asked! Is there even a point to this kind of training…?”
“There is. I speak from experience. I went through a similar regimen myself.”
“You did, Master?”
“Yes, though I can’t imitate it perfectly. This is the toned-down version.”
“ “This is the toned-down version…?” ”

Even with my reserves, I could never replicate the sheer destructive power of a dragon—I wasn’t like that person. Still, I had only survived that deadly fight with Gibeon thanks to this absurd training method.

“So, Ms. Laika, did you create your own unique magecraft this way too?”
“Uh, no? It’s not something you can master overnight. I couldn’t do it back then, either.”
“What, you mean it didn’t even work?!”
“What matters most is the resolve to succeed… or, more precisely, to push yourself to the point where failure means death. Only when you’re that desperate do humans break past their own limits.”

“Master’s looking off into the distance… like, way off…”
“Well, that’s enough about me. We’re resuming training now. Show me that you’re willing to survive, no matter what.”
“Whaaat, no dessert after lunch?”
“Nope, none. Now, you’ve got five seconds to get ready, so hurry up and get in position.”
“Wait, wait! Mr. Nova, get up already—hurry!”
“Hold on, hold on! I’m still eating, so just—arrrgh!!”

A thunderous boom and a pained scream echoed across the plains, likely carrying all the way to Aldebaran in the wind.

Their training continued until sundown, and by the time they were done, not a single blade of grass was left standing on the field that had once been lush and green.

⇐ Previous

Next ⇒

⌈ Index ⌋