Kays Translations

Chapter 13- Special Training: Alchemy (1)

“Good, Itsuki-kun. Alchemy elements refines magic power! It is the art of using it to create a higher phase of magical power!”

“......?"

It was Nina-chan who told me about it.

I don't understand a single thing Nina is saying.

I was a college graduate in my previous life, but I'm usually shocked when I don't understand what elementary school kids are talking about.

“...... Now so you can understand.”

“Uhmmm…”

Nina-chan stared at me with narrowed eyes and I groaned.

Even if she says that, if I don’t know it, then I don’t know it.

What's this about refining magic power?

“Itsuki-kun. Give me your hand.”

“Yes?”

Nina-chan, who couldn't help but look at me, told me to do so, and I put out my hand.

She quickly takes my hand and says, "I'm going," and meditates.

“Heat…”

The next moment, I felt the heat of magic power in my hand.

It is the heat of familiar magic. I've touched three of them: my father's, Aya-chan's, and Hina's, and I can always tell when it's my own. So there’s no way I could ever misjudge that heat.

This is definitely the heat of Nina-chan’s magic.

But the level of heat is incomparably hotter than ours.

“I have collected in my hands the magic power refined by the "Alchemy Elements". What do you think?"

“It’s completely diffrent.”

“Right?”

Nina-chan smiles proudly.

“How do you do this?"

“First of all, you have to do the magic refinement training. We do this when we are three years old, and we have a lot of magic power in our stomachs, right?”

Nina-chan pointed at my stomach.

By the way, I know where she is pointing.

It's the belly, the place where magic power is stored.

“You have to let out a little bit of the magic power in there. Then the heavy magic power stays in your belly, and the light magic power slowly flows out of your belly and into your body.”

“.......?"

I tilted my head at Nina-chan's words.

I’ve never heard that magic power could be heavy or light.

Magic power is magic power, right?

“Can you stand straight on your feet?”

“Yes.”

“From the place where magic power is stored in your stomach, you let it out into your body little by little, like smoke. Just try it.”

"......?"

Is that Kaijutsu ?

With that in mind, the moment I was about to do as Nina-chan said, she stopped me.

“Oh, Itsuki-kun. Wait a minute."

“What's wrong?"

“Give me your hand.”

“......?”

I don't really understand, but that's what Nina-chan said, so I gave her my hand.

"Try it."

I did as Nina told me and focused on the magic power in my belly and released it.

The moment the magic power that I turned around my whole body in the manner of  Kaijutsu reached my palm, Nina-chan got angry with me.

"This is no good, Itsuki-kun. The density of the magic is not all right.”

“Can't we do it together?”

“No. The heavy magic stays in your stomach, and the light magic goes to the very edge of your body. The first step is to know what it feels like!”

If she puts it that way, I guess that's true.

I still don't really understand it.

“So, one more time.”

I did as I was told and returned all the magic power in my body to my belly.

I haven't had to put magic back into my belly since my "magic eater" training.

Hmm? I feel like I'm getting a stomach ache.

No, I think it's just my imagination.

So I tried again.

I take the magic power in my body into my hands again, but it's no good.

Nina-chan was furious with me, saying, "The magic power is too much!”

Just as I was about to try a third time, the classroom door opened and my homeroom teacher walked in.

"Oh, Itsuki-kun. Are you and Nina-chan friends already?"

Then she looked at us and said one word.

No, well, I guess so.

It looks that way from the outside, doesn't it?

After all, we were standing at the edge of the classroom, holding hands.

It would be strange to think that we don't get along.

But Nina-chan is, after all, one of my magic teachers.

We are now true friends. It is no exaggeration to say that we are Mabudachi(close friends).

...... I wonder if elementary school students today can understand the word "mabudachi".

Unlike me, who was thinking about such things, Nina-chan didn't like what the teacher said and looked a little angry.

“We're not getting along!”

“But I'm glad you two are getting along.”

"Ahhh Hurry up and go away!”

"Yes. See you tomorrow, Nina-chan. Itsuki-kun.”

The teacher picked up the journal she had left behind and left the classroom with a smile on her face.

Oh, adults...!

I think there are too many well-behaved adults around me in this world, like Renji-san and the teacher.

I used to think that when I grew up, I could be a well-behaved adult like that. Hmmm. I feel like I haven't grown inside since I was in high school. What is this?

As I was shocked, Nina-chan turned to me, blushing a little.

“One more time!”

“...... Yes.”

If my master tells me to do something, I have no choice but to obey.

I did as Nina-chan told me and turned the magic all over my body again, but she didn't like this either.

“You know, you’re trying to control the magic too much by putting too much power into it. You need to let your magic power be more free.”

“Be free?”

“Relax, but control your power so that the magic doesn't return to your stomach on its own, so that the heavy magic is separated from the light magic.”

When I was told this, I became aware of my habit.

The habit of wanting to control the magic power tightly.

It may be true, if she puts it that way.

As soon as I was born, I thoroughly controlled my magic power in order to avoid the pain of magic eating. I can say that I have more experience than any other exorcist of my age when it comes to manipulating the magic in my body.

But is that why I can't even stand at the entrance of Alchemy Elements?

This is it.

I heard something similar when I was training with Renji-san for the "sixth sense".

“Hey Itsuki-kun, I’ll show you a demonstration. Give me your hand.”

I was holding Nina's right hand.

I was told to lend her my hand, but the only hand I have free is my left hand. ......

When I held out my left hand, Nina took my hand and placed it on her stomach.

“Here I go."

“...... Um, yeah."

I was a little nervous because I had never touched another person's stomach, even through their clothes.

The next moment, however, I was taken aback by the movement of Nina-chan's magic power.

The intensity of the heat was different.

The heat in her belly and the heat at the tip of her hand were different.

“Good? Let the magic power be free. Then the light magic will be at the end of your body like this. The heavy magic stays in your stomach. It's tricky, but anyone can do it once they get used to it.”

I see, this is amazing.

Certainly, if I ask Nina, it is understandable that there are shades of magical power.

“Here. Try it.”

“Yes."

I nodded, and Nina removed her left hand and placed it on my stomach.

Take two deep breaths.

Then I became less aware of the magic.

Softly, the magic power begins to move freely in my body.

I hadn't felt this sensation since I was born, when I was attacked by the "magic-eaters" and almost died, and it was a traumatic experience that stirred me to tears.

But the me of then and the me of now are different.

I have gone through numerous training sessions, crossed the line of death, and am now able to manipulate magic power with subtlety.

A moment later, I felt the separation of magic power in my body.

No, not separation.

The heavy magic power that cannot be moved by my too weak power stays in my belly, and the magic power that is too light to be stopped by that power is coming to my palm.

It is a strange sensation that cannot be experienced with Kaijutsu.

The moment the magic reached the tip of my hand, Nina-chan pulled my hand away.

“It's better than average. But it felt good. It felt really weird, didn't it?”

“Yes. There are two magic powers.”

“Yes. That's the entrance to the Alchemy of Elements! This is where the real work begins!”

The next moment, the bell for the end of the sixth period rang.

I see.

There is still time for more training.

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