Stranger’s Handbook Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Magic Master

I could hear the sound of chirping birds in my room……a gentle morning sets in.
It’s a calm weather that’s neither too hot, nor too cold.
I got up from my bed and when I looked up the window I was blinded by the bright sparkling blue sky and greenery…..

“In the end…..I couldn’t even get a wink of sleep…..”

The ones that were sparkling brightly were in fact my tears.
My tears wouldn’t stop falling…..

Later, a maid prepared my breakfast and after I finished it, the blue robed man came into my room and led me to the magic training field.
Is this the mansion’s inner-courtyard? It was a vast perfectly maintained lawn.
I see, this is where we’ll have our magic practice…..

It’s finally starting.
If I don’t show results in 1 year, I bet I’ll be thrown away, but still, to be taught by such a good-looking man doesn’t really make me happy either….
After all, for the me who has no confidence in my appearance, a good looking companion is too harsh.

“Now, I know it’s sudden but we should start. I am called Sonia and I’ll be your teacher from now on. I am also the magic division commander of the Frontier Count’s army and I won’t say that I’m the perfect instructor for you…..but I’m not a bad partner either.”

You’re good looking and you also have true strength…….you sure are a winner, huh?

“Yes. I’ll be in your care, master.”

“Good. Well then, let’s first examine your magic apt.i.tudes. Hold this crystal ball with both hands.”

After he said that, he handed me  a 20 cm crystal ball.
The moment I hold it in my hands, a white lighted sphere started to float inside it.

Come on, why isn’t it breaking or shining with a violent light!?
A white light…..doesn’t this mean I have no talent at all…..?

While I felt disappointed I looked at my master and he had such a smile on his face that showed pity, despise and arrogance…..

Haa……As I thought, I am so useless…….

“Wonderful! The light attribute! Moreover, such a pure white light! To have the same attribute as the hero-sama who fought in the great war in the past, you sure are something different. I’ve also read about this in books, but it’s the first time I’ve seen this crystal shine with such a white light.”

……….Am I being praised? This? Master, your face and your words are not in agreement at all!

“L…light attribute? What kind is this?”

My master nodded, wearing that usual smile of his that shows how much he looks down on people.

“Compared to the other 5 attributes, fire, water, earth, wind and darkness, with the light attribute you can learn magic specialized in defense and recovery. You can’t do this with the other attributes. There are some light attribute users in our empire, but they are so few you can enumerate them all. It’s an extremely rare attribute.”

…….Defense and recovery, huh?
This won’t count as a magic cheat that would make me peerless, huh……d.a.m.n it!

“While we’re at it, a light attribute user has a very strong protection against the so-called abnormal conditions, like poison, paralysis, sleep and so on, and if you’re a high ranking user you can even nullify everything. Well, you can say this is an extra ability.”

Wha!? Isn’t this enough of a cheat ability, master!!??

Well, even though it’s considered to be something extra, for me it’s good enough. It’ll become my trump card.
For the worse, if I can nullify abnormal conditions, I can continue to survive in this world.
Poisonous mushrooms, rotten meat, you can all come to me!

I could even challenge garbage! Even though I’d hate it…….

“Well then, let’s try using magic. It’s quite easy! For the light attribute there’s no need for incantation or motions. All you have to do is to focus your magical powers and call to your mind the things you want to create. Oh well, it’s not an attribute that needs me to teach you that.”

He said that and placed his hand on my shoulder.
What’s this…..it’s like something warm is entering my whole body!

“Errr, master…..Is this thing entering my body magical power?”

He answered with a facial expression that looked like he was watching a disastrous  something.

“That’s right. This is magical power. While sensing this magical power…make a crystal ball that shines gently to float in front of your eyes……..”

I was imagining it as I was being told, and it was really floating in front of my eyes…..a light sphere……

Master was grinning broadly.

Hii!? That’s why you’re scary! Good looking men don’t show such an evil smiling face!

“That’s right. That is magic, easy right? Even though, a light attribute user that can’t use magic is unheard of. Now, let’s practice something that doesn’t need my a.s.sistance, shall we?”

This person shows sarcasm with every single thing he says.
Even though that was my first magic…..a long-awaited first magic…….
I’m the type of person that advances when praised! I have the mental state of a bean-curd……

“Yes! I will do my best, master!”

In fact, it was easy even without my master’s a.s.sistance…..
Once you feel the magical power, you can feel and use it naturally, to a degree that it becomes strange you weren’t able to do it up until that time.
I can understand now why master said he doesn’t need to teach me this.

“Well, it’s because the light attribute is quite simple in itself. To the point that even users of other magic attributes can use easy light attribute magic. It’s the type of magic that you could use normally even without having any sort of apt.i.tude. Dispatching some light and brightness is something that anyone can do, right?”

He said these words even though I was constantly practicing with the crystal of light.
Am I practicing something that anyone could easily do……..?

“However, when this light attribute becomes an apt.i.tude, it’s a different story. You can use defense and recovery magic on your allies without the need of a hymn or incantations. The width of things you could do extends at once and it truly becomes the type of magic perfect for a hero. That’s why……..”

Yeah, I think this person is a wonderful master.
Only if his words wouldn’t be so biting, his laughter wouldn’t look down on me this much and his smiling face wouldn’t look like that of a villain.

“That’s why…..this is the perfect type of magic for my daughter’s husband. I have great expectations from you! Son-in-law-dono!”

While I was looking at my smiling master, I was praying that his daughter wouldn’t resemble him, and lost my consciousness.

I don’t want to die……..