Return Through Magic

CHAPTER 6: Learning Basic Magic

Yuki finally began learning basic magic from Aira as they had agreed. He was eager to learn so he could survive in this strange, magical world.

Yuki, Aira, and Seira, who was in the form of a little girl, sat in a circle on the grass.

"Do you know there are different elements of magic in this world, Yuki?" Aira started the lesson by asking Yuki about his knowledge of magic.

"I don't know," Yuki replied honestly. He knew nothing about magic because, in his world, magic was just an imaginative creation of artists.

"Huh? You don't know? Even children know this. Where are you really from?" Aira found it odd. Nevertheless, she decided to help Yuki because they had made an agreement.

Yuki grinned sheepishly. He couldn't possibly tell her he was from the modern world, not originally from the magical one.

"So, what do you want to learn first?" Aira asked, her tone a bit sharp out of frustration.

She felt like she had taken on a student who was truly clueless, not realizing Yuki was special.

"Hmm, I want to learn about the types of magic first so I can understand quickly when we practice later. I want to study the theory first." Yuki's eagerness as a learner was palpable.

"Hmm, theory, huh. That's good too. Theory is indeed important for learning magic. So, therefore..." Aira agreed with Yuki’s point and began to reach into her backpack while chanting a spell.

"Item box!" Aira called out, and a white light, like a portal to another dimension, shone from her backpack.

Yuki was amazed by this. Now he understood how Aira could pull a large pot from a small backpack when cooking.

"Like a game," Yuki muttered to himself.

"What? Game?" Aira, almost done with her task, repeated Yuki's words, though she was busy.

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just amazed by that." Yuki pointed to the backpack from which Aira had pulled out a thick book.

"Oh, this is called storage magic. It's a sub-space spell with unlimited space and no time constraints. Essentially, this spell is crucial for adventurers. Here, read this!" Aira tossed the book gently to Yuki.

"It's a basic book on learning magic." Knowing Yuki's curiosity, Aira explained further.

"Ooh..." Yuki nodded and began to open the book, flipping through the pages.

Yuki looked very serious as he read, his brow furrowed, which made Aira lose patience.

"What's wrong? Can't you read it?" Aira was suspicious, thinking Yuki might be a handsome but dim-witted person.

However, Yuki could read the writing in Aira's book. He was genuinely puzzled as to how he could read these unfamiliar characters.

"I can read it." Yuki smiled, hiding his surprise. He tried hard to keep Aira from becoming more suspicious.

"Oh, good. I don't have to teach you how to read and write." Aira was relieved she didn't have to start from the basics.

"So, can I learn that magic?"

"That magic? You mean the item box?" Aira repeated.

"Yes, it seems very efficient." Yuki was enthusiastic.

But Aira sighed, unlike Yuki's excitement.

"Is it too difficult?" Yuki guessed from Aira's expression.

"It's not about the difficulty of using sub-space magic. Actually, the item box is the lowest form of sub-space magic. We can even travel to other dimensions and create our own using sub-space magic. We could store entire worlds within the sub-space we create. But..." Aira stopped her explanation, making Yuki even more curious.

"But what?" Yuki couldn't help but ask.

"Using sub-space magic requires a huge amount of magical energy, and if the user doesn't have enough mana, instead of using sub-space magic, the magic itself will consume them. So, this magic is still too advanced for you." Aira decisively dashed Yuki's hopes of learning sub-space magic.

"Magical energy, huh? Just like a fantasy novel." Yuki muttered to himself again.

"Fantasy novel?" This time, Aira also heard Yuki's quiet mutter.

"Oh, it's nothing. So, what exactly is magical energy?" Yuki quickly changed the subject, afraid Aira might become suspicious.

Yuki felt odd that Aira's hearing was so sharp, even though his muttering was almost inaudible.

"Alright. Magical energy works like this." Aira took a stick and drew a simple human figure on the ground.

Yuki, seeing Aira's drawing, wanted to laugh but held it in so as not to offend Aira, who was teaching him magic.

"Human magical energy centers at three points: the heart, the head, and the stomach. From these three centers, magical energy spreads to every cell in the body, enabling the use of various types of magic." Aira explained while scribbling on her drawing.

"That's easy." Yuki nodded repeatedly.

"What's easy? Mages must control the flow of magical energy in their bodies. One small mistake can cause side effects. The mildest is tingling in the joints, and the worst can be paralysis, loss of senses, or even death." Aira's tone turned sharp again, frustrated by Yuki's underestimation.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just amazed," Yuki scratched his head and smiled sheepishly. "So, how do you control the flow of magical energy?"

Aira took a deep breath, trying to contain her annoyance. "Okay, listen carefully. First, you need to feel the magical energy in your body. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Feel the energy flowing from your heart, head, and stomach."

Yuki closed his eyes, following Aira's instructions. He tried to focus on his breath, feeling every pulse of energy in his body.

"Feel the energy, Yuki. Imagine it as a gentle river flowing within you," Aira continued in a softer voice.

After a few minutes of silence, Yuki slowly opened his eyes. "I can feel it! There’s a small flow of energy inside me!"

Aira gave a thin smile. "Good, that's the first step. Now, let's try directing that energy to your hands. Focus your energy on one point, imagining it flowing like water from a source to your hands."

Yuki closed his eyes again and tried to follow Aira's instructions. He imagined the energy flowing from his heart, head, and stomach to his hands. Gradually, he felt warmth in his palms.

"Good, Yuki. You're doing well," Aira praised him gently. "Now, feel that energy and form it into a small ball in your hands."

Yuki opened his eyes slightly, focusing on his hands. He felt the energy growing stronger and slowly forming a small, glowing ball in his palms.

"I did it!" Yuki exclaimed excitedly. "I really did it!"

Aira smiled proudly. "Good job, Yuki. That's an excellent start. But remember, this is just the beginning. There's still much more to learn and master."

Yuki nodded eagerly. "I'm ready, Aira. I'm ready to learn more."

Seira, who had been silently watching, smiled gently. "You both are amazing. Aira, you're a great teacher. Yuki, you're a quick learner."

Aira smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Seira. We'll continue to learn and train together."

With renewed enthusiasm, Yuki was ready to face the challenges of learning magic in this wondrous world. He knew that with Aira and Seira's help, he would master magic and become a part of this amazing world.