The next day. I worked on the fields together with Mama as promised.
Anjou was delighted that she will be able to work with me, unfortunately, my work was not as delicate as Anjou’s. Anyhow, I’ll just use my magic. So, even though I was 8 years old, the heavier physical work was left to me.
Anjou was depressed when she heard that. Recently she got hooked on practicing magic and I teach her some secrets.
After stroking Anjou’s head, Mama brought me over to a field a little bit further away.
“Well then, you have to plow this field here”
“I’m good at wind magic but this…..”
This field was previously harvested already and the only thing remaining are the stalks, I looked towards Mama with scornful eyes.
By the way, to plow the soil I would need to use other elemental magic. I’m not really at good at fire or water magic. Also, search magic belongs to the non-attribute cla.s.s, which I’m able to use fairly well.
“It’s alright. Look! You will develop your special magic in a usual manner”
“Special huh……”
It’s not because it’s impossible. Mama can’t use even a little bit of non-elemental magic, so even If I teach her, she won’t be able to understand how amazing it is. However, if a person can use a little bit of magic, then I can develop it.
Honestly, I don’t wanna do it. Even though this is a remote village, the number of people coming in and out is not zero, so I totally understood if rumors of me leaks out.
It would be strange if I don’t have plans to develop my magic, as it seems to be important for this world.
“You can’t do it?”
Mama…… Don’t look at me with those sad and sorrowful eyes. I have no choice but to do it.
“I understand! I understand so please stop with the watery eyes!”
“Thank you. Because Mama has to go back to harvesting, come and tell me if you’re done plowing. And that will be your work for today”
“Roger that. Is this the only place where harvesting was done already? Is it really impossible to cultivate a new lands?”
“Yeah, we can’t handle all of it with rest of us if you expand it. Well then, good luck”
“Alright, it’s time to do it”
As for me, there is nothing my wind magic that can’t be applied , so I reflect upon that thought.
After I finished plowing, I went and spoke to Mama that my work was done.
Because I somehow completed it in the morning, my afternoon was completely free. I’m going back to my house for the time being as I considered where to eat lunch.
“Eldo-kun, Is your work done already?”
“Yeah, I just finished it now. I’m getting lunch now”
“I also finished today’s work too. Can I spend time with you later in the afternoon? “
“For magic practice?”
“Yes”
“Sure. But I would like to visit Anjou’s house first”
“Great, but do you need anything with Dad?”
Anjou’s house was built bigger than the other houses, it also became a place where the Village Chief works. Therefore, if you have any business in Anjou’s house, it’s usually have to do with the Village Chief.
There was no problem that the village didn’t have a separate town hall as the village chief have came from Anjou’s family for generations, but what are they going to do if the village chief changed from a different family? Are they gonna change their house?
“I just want some little information from him. So can we practice after that then? “
“Yes!”
“Then I’ll come by to your house later”
“I’ll be waiting then”
Anjou waved her arms in a big way while I responded lightly as I’m going back home for lunch.
Lunch in the countryside is very simple. Since Mama works in the morning and can’t prepare lunch, she had been making cheap pre-made lunch.
Sure enough, there is a sandwich on top of the table.
After eating heartily 2 to 3 mouthfuls, I’m went to change my clothes.
I have been farming using magic but still it’s hard that I still got considerable dirt and sweat on me. Really, I hesitated to go to Anjou’s house if I appeared as is.
I took out new clothes from the chest drawer and went outside. I scooped up a bucket of water from the water barrel, and dumped it all at once on my head, my spine tingled due to the cold water.
“Ooh, dang it’s still cold”
I shook of the water from my hair, wipe my body with the clothes I wore earlier and changed to the one I brought with me. Though it didn’t change much, but I felt really refreshed.
“Now then, time to go”
Anjou’s house is near the center of the village. Although the village itself is relatively small. Houses are densely packed to some extent so it didn’t take too much time at all, it’s true if visiting other houses too.
After walking for several minutes on a kid’s feet, I arrived in Anjou’s house. Its a wooden 2-storied house with a structure in the first floor sticking out, where the village chief works.
After I knocked the door for several times, I opened it. Of course it’s not locked.
“Excuse me, sorry to disturb you!”
Then, Anjou rushed from the back of the hallway.
“Welcome Eldo!”
“Yo, been quite a while. Is the chief inside?”
“Yeah, he is in the office. I told Dad you’re coming by, so just go in as is. “
“Thank you”
To be lead to the office is not needed since it’s just right next to the entrance.
I knocked several times then entered the office.
“Excuse me”
“You’ve finally come”
Having greeted the village chief, he prompted me to sit at the table in front of him. Narrow eyes, Blonde hair with a streak of grey, wores gla.s.ses, calm and almost as old as Papa. So I can’t imagine that this person was a rascal who ran out of the village to be an Aluminare Rider. Surely, I might just have misheard Papa.
Well, there may still be something related to Aluminare in the village chief’s collection of books. I’ll listen as much as I can.
“What business do you have for me today?”
“I want to know more about the Aluminare”
“Gohoogohooo …… A, Aluminare you say?”
I cut to the chase, and the village chief suddenly cleared his throat.
“Yes, I just had an opportunity to see it a little while ago, I wanted to know more details about it.”
“Uhum, I see, Eldo-kun is a boy indeed. What do you want to know about Aluminare? How to become a knight? Or how is it built?”
Well, if possible everything you can tell about it, but for now I want to know how it operates and its internal structure”
If I know how it operates perhaps I can make the Aluminare move, If I understand the internal structure, with the amount of knowledge I dabbled in, I can do emergency repairs.
For many years it has been exposed to wind and rain, It would need maintenance to its various parts.
“Hmm, how to operate and internal structure. Well, it would be better if you read this book”
When the village chief stood up from his seat, he took one of the old books on the bookshelf and gave it to me. I received and read the words in the cover of the book.
“Aluminare Basic Introduction?”
“Yes. It is a textbook given to you if you attend an Aluminare Technical School. Basic things about the Aluminare is written there”
Oh, now that I possess a textbook, the discussion became serious……
While breaking the former image of the village chief a little, I turned over the pages of the book to confirm its content. I can generally understand the alphabet of this world. As for the contents, It starts with the basic knowledge of the Aluminare, then it explained the various components and instruments in the c.o.c.kpit, followed by the basic control process, how to read the various drive systems, the internal mechanical structure, and finally the brain of the Aluminare which is called the Sense Board.
I briefly scanned it but I’m already drooling with just this much information.
“This! May I borrow this!”
“Ah, I don’t mind. Because I don’t use it anymore”
Thank you very much! Please excuse me then”
I left the office while holding the book. Then, I saw Anjou waiting in front.
“Are you done talking?”
“Yes. Were you waiting? I was just about to call you”
“Hehehe, somehow you are in a good mood. Is that because of what you discussed with Dad?”
Anjou looked at the textbook in my hand.
“Yeah, its doc.u.ments related to Aluminare”
“Aluminare?”
Anjou apparently still do not know anything about Aluminare. Well of course I would have also grown up without knowing it if I didn’t accidentally found that machine.
“I will describe it later. Aside from that, are you ready to practice magic?”
“Yup”
Anjou and I headed to the place where firewoods are stored in the village outskirts. As one would have expect, you can’t practice magic at your house and doing it near the forest is dangerous even if I accompany Anjou.
Also we were instructed by Papa and the Village Chief to use this place for practice.
The firewood storage was located between the village outskirts and the forest, villagers come here all the time to get firewood and the animals rarely approach this place.
Therefore this place here is relatively safe to practice magic.
I took a firewood and sat on it as a chair, since this place only has firewood stacked up to the roof of the storage.
“So, what kind of practice do you want today? Attack magics are useless since it has been banned by the Village Chief”
Anjou is good at using fire type magics, and honestly its more suitable to be an attack magic than mine but, it has been strictly forbidden by the Village Chief and Papa to teach those. Certainly is would be bad if kids accidentally casted it. However, I remember there is one that is allowed for the sake of crime prevention. I will have to consult this together with the Village Chief and the villagers in the future.
“I know already. Let me see, Is there a magic such as to clean clothes or magic to lift things to the air? After working in the field terribly dirty, it would be convenient to have such magic”
“I see. Removing dirt might be a little bit difficult but, there is one to lift things”
“Really!?”
Anjou smiled brightly as she clung unto me.
I invoked my magic to one of the firewood, which was scattered around nearby, as my target.
“[Levitation]“
As I casted my magic, the firewood immediately started to float slowly.
“Wow! Amazing! You made it so easy!”
“Well, at first glance it’s easy, but its still quite difficult you know? It’s because all you have been taught previously is just to get a sense of it”
“Is that so?”
“Therefore, you have to designate the range and maintain the path”
Invoking magic on your body, like to lit up a flame on one’s fingertip, is the basic of basics. In the case of making a fireball, you have to designate a range away from one’s body like my [Air Shock Absorber] or [Air Cushion]. Then you have to maintain the path of magic by continuing to sustain your magic. For example when you cast a basic fire magic, once you started it, it will continue to burn without controlling it, that’s not the case when it comes to levitating magic. It must be always be maintained by connecting your senses to control it. This is what maintaining the path means.
Anjou remembered more or less all the magic needed for each sequence, although this is the first time she had performed all of it together. This is the culmination of all her knowledge.
“Ok, do it”
“Yes, [Levitation]!”
Anjou activated the magic. Then the firewood slowly floated, when it reached up to Anjou’s waist, it dropped to the ground with a thud.
“Oh”
“There is no problem up to the designated range. Next, about the maintaining the path. Well, there is nothing you can do but to repeatedly practice it until you master it. Keep practicing, I’ll be watching over you”
“Yes. Well then, [Levitation]!”
Anjou began practicing the [Levitation] Magic as I picked up the textbook beside me.
I can still keep observing her practice while reading.
I started to grin while reading the basic introduction.
“Eldo-kun! Hey Eldo kun! “
“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry”
I saw Anjou right in front of me when I looked up. Anjou glared at me while her cheeks became somewhat reddish.
“You told me you’re gonna watch over me”
“My bad. I was just got a little bit occupied”
What can you say? The Aluminare Basic Introduction is very interesting. Since it’s a textbook, you might thought that it’s something boring, but I get excited on it as this was written like an instruction manual for a plastic model.
At first, I’m catching glimpse on Anjou’s magic, but before I was aware of it, I’ already got hooked on reading. Thanks to it, I have learned a lot of things about the Aluminare.
“Eldo-kun!”
“Oh……”
“Look……. I can do it perfectly now”
“I see, Show me a little bit”
“I understand. So watch properly! [Levitation]! “
The firewood slowly rose up and stopped right in front of Eldo. Now for the first time, there are no signs that it would fall to the ground or would fly up to the sky.
“It seems to be stable”
“It’s because I worked hard!”
“If that’s the case, let’s put it to practical use”
“Eh?”
We still have time until evening comes. I’ll let Anjou be happy for now, I’ll just present her more challenges. This is mainly so I could read the textbook.
“[Levitation], [Double Setup]. [Start]“
As I casted my magic, Anjou and a firewood apart from her, started to float. This is what I call, Mutli-Casting. I had considerable hardship to make this possible. Even now, I could only do a maximum of 4. With this, I have decided for Anjou to practice it until dusk.
While I was remembering those time, I saw something unexpected–
“[Levitation], [Double Setup]. [Start]!”
She can easily do it now as I do?…… Seriously?……
You see, mutil-tasking is the main problem of Multi-Casting. Even during the modern age, I heard that women are good at multi-tasking. So does this mean that it is already expected for Anjou to be good at Multi-Casting?
“To be successful all of a sudden…… Well, let’s see how much you can do in one go. If you carry the vegetables, will you able to do it more than one?”
“Yes”
“Use [Triple] for three, [Quadruple] for four, and [Quintuple] for five. By the way, I can only use up to[Quadruple]“
“With hard work, I’m gonna surpa.s.s you Eldo-kun”
I’m afraid that she will seriously surpa.s.s me….. Oh well, for now she’s gonna have to work hard.
Anjou ask for some guidance in casting [Triple], so I left my eyes from the textbook again.
At the end of the day, Anjou was successful in doing a [Triple] Multi-Cast.
“That’s amazing. It took me one week to do it”
I wonder what’s my weak and strong points are? But [Quadruple] seems to be really difficult”
“Im sure Anjou will be able to do it in the near future. It’s possible to practice while doing field work”
“Ok. Thank you for today”
“Since I have more free time this week, just ask me if you feel like practicing”
“I understand. See you tomorrow then”
“Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow”
I went back to the house and ate dinner.
It has became a routine in this village that every family will finish their dinner before it becomes dark, and spend the night with the lanterns lit up afterwards.
Still, I can’t read the book when the sun is totally gone.
While remembering what I had read today, I spent the rest of the night in my bed going to sleep.