Vol 2 Chapter 3 (1/2)

Chapter 3

Volume 2

Chapter 3

Days had pa.s.sed since the time I talked together with Princess in the arbor at the park and it now was the Sixth month where the sky continued to be spotless blue without any clouds. In j.a.pan, the rainy season would begin, and it would be a hot and humid season, however, Fimeria Kingdom had no rainy season.[1]

However it would soon be a heat wave. Currently, the condition was still fine if the windows are opened, but this world didn’t have the convenience of civilization: air conditioning. Ah, how I long for it.

I was looking at the hot-looking sight beyond the window with a blank look, but I must not keep fleeing from reality forever. I returned my line of sight back to the clay works in my hand. Then, I tilted my head.

「Hmm, something feels wrong.」(Mira)

I looked at the small rabbit wood carving ―― my nii-chan’s masterwork ―― that I brought as a model, this time I tilted my head to the other direction.

Currently, I was in the middle of elective art cla.s.s. Without looking at the cla.s.s affiliation, the number of the partic.i.p.ants for  each of the elective cla.s.ses: crafts, music, painting, or dance, was limited to 60 people. If the applicant number was greater than this, then they draw lots after school. If they draw the correct lot then they were able to take the cla.s.s like they wanted to, but if not then they will take their second choice. If their second choice cla.s.s had already reached its limitation, then they would take the cla.s.s of their third choice and continued to their fourth choice.

By the way, the first choice of commoner applicants was crafts. The next one would be painting. Few took music or dance. The reason for this was because the elementary first year students had few magic practices, but other than the training camp, at the crafts they could make goods using magic from their own mana. For students that have few opportunities to self-practice, the crafts cla.s.s is their chance for practicing magic.

For the n.o.bles, it was the opposite, the number of applicants for music and dance was numerous, and only few in crafts. With that said, what the clumsy me had chosen was the crafts.

…… I am sorry if I had robbed anyone of the chance. After all, I thought this is the best choice for me.

I can’t play any instrument in music cla.s.s, and dancing is surprisingly a test of stamina. Above all, both of them would make me the center of the attention. Won’t it be a foregone conclusion that my body would be petrified from all that nervousness? About my artistic talent for painting.... I know from my previous life that it doesn’t exist, so painting is rejected. If it’s crafts then I estimated that perhaps I could barely manage it, so it was chosen.

And today’s topic was clayworks.

「Maybe the ears are too short?」(Mira)

Cladding both of my hand with Terra FormansEarth Forming magic, I pinched the bunny-san’s ears, and it smoothly lengthened.

Gai who was sitting diagonally left in front of me was kneading the clay into the shape with his own hand. If he could use magic stones in the future, then he should be able to cast Terra FormansEarth Forming magic by using earth magic stone.

「This time it’s too long.」(Mira)

Once again, I carefully compared the wood carving bunny-san that my nii-chans presented to me as my birthday gi

ft and the clay bunny-san on my hand, and then I sighed.

Even though the imouto is so clumsy, the nii-chans are too skillful. Kugh, is this the difference in talent!?

「Or rather, I don’t know, it had become lop-eared rabbit-like[2]? But that kind of bunny, does it exist in this world? At the least, I don’t remember ever seeing something like that when I lived in Ilga Village.」(Mira)

While I was talking to myself, I put my second idea into practice. I tried to fold the too long ears in the middle.

It was completed for now, so I ended the Terra FormansEarth Forming. Just as if it had been waiting for that timing, Sensei who had saw the time from the clock flower, made an heartless verdict.

「The lesson will be over in another 15 minutes. Since the completed works will decorate the shelf behind each cla.s.s, everyone do your best.」(Sensei)

The works that were made in the lesson would oftentimes be used to decorate the locker shelves at the back of the cla.s.s, but who could imagine that even the another world have this kind of custom.[3]

(Eh, can this thing be shown to the public?)

I looked down at my handcrafted bunny and the questionable craftsmans.h.i.+p made my eyes swim away. At the destination of that swimming, was Keina who looked satisfied at her works.

「Fumu, Lik' this a'richt.」[4](Keina)

The clay work that she placed on her palm, was a beckoning cat[5] ――― or rather, a figure of a kitty cat was.h.i.+ng its head with its left paw.

「You are really skillful, Keina.」(Mira)

「Fufufufu. Thanks. Ah ‘aint got any magic but ‘dis kind o’ thing kin be said as mah specialty from a long time ago. If it’s dried ‘n’ painted with color, it kin be placed in th’ shop whin ah return home in th’ summer break.」(Keina)

Uh-huh, Keina’s family manages a restaurant at a hot spring village, so a beckoning cat will be perfect. The cat raising its left paw means that it will beckon people to come.

「We have completed it too!」(Arthur)(Bertha)

Sitting on the other side of the table were Keina’s childhood friends, underling-A a.k.a Arthur-kun, and underling-B a.k.a. Bertha-kun. They displayed the clay work that they had completed.

Arthur-kun’s was a cat that was sitting down while raising both of its paws. It looks as if it was about to swoop down onto something. I am sure that a beckoning cat that was raising its right paw was for to invoke financial luck. And so, this child that raise both of its paws, then would it beckon both people and financial luck? But raising both of its paws also could be seen as 「I give up」.

I looked at Bertha-kun’s work: it was a curled up sleeping cat.

「Does everyone like cats?」(Mira)

Seeing that the three made cats, I tried to ask them, but they replied with unexpected answers.

「If ye ask whither a’m a dog-person or cat-person, then a’m a dog-person」, Keina said.

「Ah lik’ dog, too」, replied Arthur-kun.

「M-me is cat」, answered Bertha-kun, the only one who likes cats.

Bertha-kun seemed have a bewildered tone at Keina and Arthur-kun’s preference. I also tilted my head.

「If you are a dog-person, then why do you make a cat?」(Mira)

「A dog, ye know, sure hard to decide th’ pose. I ain’t hate cats too, ‘n’ if it’s a promotion goods then it will them cats.」(Keina)

「Since th’ Aneki[6] at mah place lik’ cats. If ah mak’ a cat ‘n’ gave it to her, ah kin earn pocket money.」(Arthur)

「Hey, hey.」(Bertha)

Bertha-kun made an amazed expression since he heard this for the first time even though they were childhood friend.

「So, Mira likes bunnies, desuno?」(Filseria)

Princess, who was sitting on my left, looked at the bunny on my table and asked me. By the way, her work was a bird. It’s not the swan-type bird with long neck, but more of a spot-billed duck-type one.

「Yes, I like them. I like small animals that are soft and fluffy.」(Mira)

I like bunnies and small birds too. I just can’t have enough of their round silhouette when their fur puffed up. Just by seeing it, my heart becomes warm and fluffy. I would succ.u.mb to the urge to wrap my hand around a tiny round hamster. Since it would bite back, I wouldn’t do it, though.

「But you made the bunny by looking at the bunny the nii-chan had given to you, it’s just copying, right?」(Gai)

Gai was. .h.i.tting it right on the sore spot. My eyes swam away once more.

「Ah, yeah. It’s like that.」(Mira)

By the way, Gai’s work was……

「This is… Lizard?」(Mira)

「Nope. Mana Eater.」(Gai)

This child! Why do you make something like that? Won’t it make you end up remembering about that time?

「Ah also thought ‘dat is a lizard.」(Arthur)

「I have seen it in the Monster Ill.u.s.tration book, but is it something like this?」(Bertha)

「Seriously guys!? Which part of it looks like a Lizard? Please tell me so I can fix it!」(Gai)

When Albert-kun and Bertha-kun also said that it looks like a lizard, Gai made a heartfelt request.

「It’s more crocodile-ish.」(Arthur)

「It has fangs, so make it so that it can be seen more clearly?」(Bertha)

They began to take turns in expressing their opinion to Gai.

In my opinion, the Mana Eater that Gai had made was a clay work so it was tiny. Because of that it might look like a lizard. Yeah. I won’t tell them this.

「If it’s to show the fangs, then how about if the mouth is open, like ‘Gwaaah’?」(Boy)

「I am not an Earth Magician, so a change that big will take too much time so it’s impossible.」(Gai)

The boy from the back seats heard their conversation and joined in, but Gai waved his hand sideways to reject the advice. With Gai as the center, the consultation a.s.sembly circle became wider little by little.

「Hey, Keina. Are Mana Eater popular amongst the boys?」(Mira)

Honestly, it was hard for me to comprehend this.

「Since it’s called th’ wirst magic beast, so maybe it feels cool? Though, it’s ain’t like they wanna actually catch up with one.」(Keina)

「That’s true.」(Mira)

While I was agreeing with Keina, Sensei clapped his hand.

「Alright everyone, you might be consulting with each other, but have you finished your own work yet?」(Sensei)

When Sensei warned them, the boys returned to their seats.

「Also, please finish the work in five more minutes, alright?」(Sensei)

……Five minutes.

I looked down at the work at my hand. If you ask me if it is completed, then it sure is, but the quality is low. Somehow this makes me feel depressed. It is frustrating that I can’t reproduce it even though I have an example.

What to do, I tilted my head left and right when I heard Gai speaking to himself.

「Hmm. The scales are not very good looking, but I can’t help it. If only I could use Terra FormansEarth Forming then I could create the small parts, too.」(Gai)

「I see, that’s right.」(Mira)

「Mira?」(Gai)

For the troubled me, Gai’s murmuring was a divine revelation. This place is a magic school in a magic world. Furthermore today’s topic has the objective to train the precision of Terra FormansEarth Forming. Since it will be alright to use it for the lesson, it would not do if I don’t do it, right? Yup.

「Mira, yer a’richt?」(Keina)

「Is something wrong, desuno?」(Filseria)

Since I, who was contemplating, suddenly said that I understood something, even Keina and Princess followed Gai and asked me with a worried expression. I answered everyone with a smile.

「I will remake it!」(Mira)

「「「Eh?」」」

「You will remake the doll, desuno?」(Filseria)

「Yes.」(Mira)

As soon as I replied, I once again invoked my magic.

「Guno, Terra FormansEarth Forming.」(Mira)

Guno, who was standing at the back, received my mana and then both of my hands were covered from the light of Terra FormansEarth Forming magic.

「Tei!」(Mira)

With a shout, I struck the clay with my palm and crushed it on the desk.

「「Ah!」」(Gai)(Bertha)

「Whit urr ye doing, Mira-chan!」(Arthur)

「Mi-Mira, thare onlie five mair minutes ye know!?」(Keina)

「Mira, you can’t give up in despair desuno…」(Filseria)

Because of my unexpected action, Gai and Bertha-kun yelled out, while Arthur-kun, Keina, and Princess said out in panic.

Or rather, Princess, you had been inadvertently cruel. Is it because the bunny just now was something that can be despaired about? Is it really so?

I really wanted to asked this, but there was no time for that. I held back many things that I wanted to say, and close my eyes to concentrate.

「Sphere.」(Mira)

I imagined a ball as big as a softball, and slowly raised my hand. When I opened my eyes to see at it, there was a magic circle at the top of the table. At the middle of it was a round clay ball.

Alright, a simple shape one is easy.

The cylinder that I had made during the training camp was also something like that, but for a simply shaped one, there is no need for my hand to guide the shape if I can imagine it clearly. However, no matter how you look at it, presenting a ball as my work of art was too playful.

I wrapped the clay ball with both of my hand, and seared the image of onii-chan’s bunny-san into my mind before closing my eyes once more. Leaving aside that wood and clay were different, I recalled the image of the bunny-san as the target.

「Bunny.」(Mira)

The shape of the clay changed in a twinkle. I didn’t think about the process to make it. I just continued to imagine nothing but the completed shape. When I was shutting myself out from the surrounding voices and immersing myself deeply, there was a Spirit’s Thought Transmission that came to my mind.

『Master,』(Guno)

The image of Guno smiling floated in my mind.

『Isn’t it already enough.』(Guno)

At his prompt, I ended the magic, and then slowly opened both of my hands. The clay ball had become identical with the wooden bunny-san.

「Na wey!」(Keina)

Keina can’t believe her eyes and approached to see it closely. From my left and the front seat, there were sporadic applauding hands clapping.

「Wow, Mira-chan’s absurd action is aye as th’ same.」(Arthur)

「Isn’t it? If the hand can’t do the trick, then doing it only by imagining it, is something that Mira-chan-ish.」(Bertha)

「Since it is Mira.」(Filseria)

Not only Arthur-kun and Bertha-kun, but Princess too has the same reasoning that was 『Since it’s Mira』. I had gotten accustomed to be treated as someone who broke common sense, but it was a bit lonely. While I was thinking like that, in front me, I saw Gai make a nod with s.h.i.+ning eyes.

「Hey, Gai. What is it now? Why are you nodding?」(Mira)

Can you tell it to this onee-san?

「Hm? About how Mira is amazing like always.」(Gai)

「……Thanks?」(Mira)

I was losing my composure when I thought that even my childhood friend ended up taking a 『Since it is Mira』 att.i.tude, but it turned out to be something different. Since the time when I first used magic, Gai had always honestly praised me, and this made me feel embarra.s.sed to myself. Sorry for doubting you, ‘kay?

「…… Sensei, isn’t the lesson almost over?」(Boy)

「Eh, ah, that’s true」(Sensei)

Sensei who was looking at my table flabbergasted, was surprised when being called out by another student, before announcing that the cla.s.s had ended.

✧✦✧✦

With the elective art cla.s.s finished, which was the last cla.s.s of the busy today, we returned to each of the cla.s.srooms to place our clay work. Since the vocational practice room was located on the second floor of the central building and it wasn’t connected to my cla.s.sroom at the eastern building, it will take time and labor to go there, but it can’t be helped. It also couldn’t be helped if there was a descending stairway on the way, too.

But I am saved since my cla.s.sroom is located on the first floor, right? When I become a second year student next year, I would end up on the second floor, though.

If my acrophobia didn’t get better even by a bit, if I ended up separated from Princess or Keina’s group due to cla.s.s shuffle, I would be greatly troubled since the person that could help me will be gone. It was because, even if we were in the same Magician Course, when the cla.s.s is different, except for the combined cla.s.s and elective cla.s.s, our schedule would be different.

Alright, when push comes to shove, I will have Guno and others to help me. I turned back and looked at them who were walking a bit behind me and hardened my pessimistic resolution. Then, for now, I looked forward at the hurdle in front of me.

I gave my clay bunny to Arthur-kun and Bertha-kun carried Gai’s lizardish Mana Eater. The wooden bunny-san had been put into the tie-dyed pouch[7]and was inside the tote bag with my notes and pens. That tote bag was now dangling at Keina’s hand.

Of both of my hands, which now had been freed, one was holding hands with Gai’s, while the other one was placed on the staircase. The standby preparation was OK. I slowly began to descend the stairs. When I finally reached the first floor, I felt that I had endured through a trial.

「Arthur-kun, Bertha-kun, Keina, thank you for holding our things.」(Mira)

「Nay, na worries.」(Arthur)

「Something like this is no biggie.」(Bertha)

「That’s richt. Something lik’ ‘dis can’t be said as a big help. If ye worry ‘bout it, then how ‘bout ye treat us juice?」(Keina)

「Then, on tomorrow’s lunch break I will surely treat you!」(Mira)

We were having a banter when Keina handed me my bag and so I also made a jestful promise too.

「Aw richt. Then mah is apple juice.」(Keina)

Keina turned her body cheerfully and started walking towards the cla.s.sroom. Then we began to follow her.

「Then, mah is orange.」(Arthur)

「I will be orange too.」(Bertha)

I nodded at Albert-kun and Bertha-kun’s requests before s.h.i.+fting my look towards Princess and Gai’s direction.

「What would Princess like to have to drink? Gai, too.」(Mira)

「I will also be treated?」(Gai)

「Me too, desuno?」(Filseria)

I nodded ‘of course’ to Gai and Princess who were staring at me in puzzlement.

「Since Gai and Princess have also helped me in many occasions before.」(Mira)

「Uuu. Then in my case…… look, you know, it’s normal to help someone who I treat as a little sister.[8]」(Gai)

It seems that he didn’t want to say any word of thanks for being saved in the training camp. Perhaps it’s a man’s pride…… or maybe not, right? Gai is a child who will say thanks when it’s the time where thanks need to be said. Gai’s mother, Ina-san was strict in teaching discipline.

Then why is it? Perhaps he didn’t feel that much of a debt of favor to me?

U-myuu, I don’t understand.[9]