Chapter 123: Sola’s Conditions

「Understood, then I-「Hold on for a moment!!!」」

As I was about to agree with Teybert’s condition, Sola suddenly interrupted me.

「Sola? Wedging oneself into a conversation isn’t exactly a lady-like act, isn’t it now?」 「My apologies. However, before agreeing to Sir Teybert, please hear my condition first.」

Right, Sola did say that she has a condition for me too. I was going to ask her later on since I already planned on accepting both of their conditions as long as it’s not too crazy, but from her perspective, she might have felt belittled since I’m already giving an answer after only hearing Tebby out.

「Pardon my manners. Then before I give my answer to Tebby, I’ll hear your condition first. Tebby, will that be alright?」 「Sure, I don’t mind.」

Making sure to prevent the same mistake from happening, this time I asked for confirmation beforehand. As Tebby nods without any issues, I turn to Sola to listen to what she has to say.

「Well then, please tell me your condition.」 「Alright. Still, in my opinion, my condition shouldn’t be too difficult for you. As you know, I can use three attributes: fire, water, and life. However, I have a fourth attribute that I haven’t used during the examination.」

Regarding the class selection exam before the academy opening, the truth is there’s no need to take all of the exams that align with your attributes. After all, there are cases when even though a person can use a certain attribute, they can barely utilize its effects.

As for why they know they can use an attribute even when they can barely make use of it, my only answer is that this is just how it works. With continued training and battles with monsters, you’ll sense within you if the types of magic you can use increases. It’s probably easier to understand when thinking of it as how leveling up in RPGs work. You won’t hear some mysterious voice tell you about it, but you’ll sense new magic appearing inside your head.

「In that case, then does that mean that you’re lacking a base attribute?」 「Yes, I suspect so. My fourth attribute is lightning.」

The lightning attribute is said to be a composite attribute of water and wind. By combining the water attribute which can control the moisture in the atmosphere and the wind attribute which can control the weather, it allows one to produce man-made lightning. Since it has a much wider range of effect than the fire attribute, it’s considerably useful for large-scale attacks; but for a world that is underdeveloped in the field of science, there’s practically no other way of utilizing this attribute other than that. After all, the infrastructures that make use of electricity as a convenient power source doesn’t exist.

Since Sola can only use fire, water, and life attributes, she doesn’t have the wind attribute needed to operate the lightning attribute. Without control of the weather, producing lightning is considerably difficult, and even if she can do so, controlling it would be practically impossible.

「If what you want from me is to make you capable of manipulating lightning attribute, then I can’t make any definite promises.」 「I know of course. Even I don’t intend to ask for something as brazen as that.」

Oh? I thought that would have been the case from how our conversation was going, but I guess I’m wrong?

「For my condition, Lily, I want you to train me in magic.」 「Train you in magic? But that’s-……」

Even without having to ask me for that, since Sola’s already capable enough to enroll in this academy and she’s also been assigned to class A where she’d get the highest level of education, she should be able to study any kind of magic as much as she wants. Tebby seems to have been fascinated by the “Burn” I displayed during the exam, but have I done something to pull on Sola’s heartstrings as well?

「Certainly, in this academy, I should be able to receive the highest quality of education with regard to magic. However, that is only limited to the other three attributes that I can use. The professors here would never instruct me on how to use lightning attribute magic.」

It looks like Sola has already had a talk with a professor that can use the lightning attribute before the entrance ceremony. The only answer she got:「If you can’t cast it, then give it up.」

「’Rather than wasting your time with that, brush up on the magic that you can use,’ was what I was told, that doing so would strengthen my footing in my faction. But honestly speaking, I don’t have that much investment in my own faction. My parents have also told me that I’m free to do as I want. Lily, under you I can learn the magic I want to learn as much as I want to. Isn’t that right?」

Come on now, you’re overpricing me. It’s not a bad feeling at all, but I still haven’t done enough to warrant that. Sola, Teybert, why do the two of them have so much faith in someone like me? And now that I think about it, except for the principal who I threatened with the authority of the White Peer’s household, Ces and the Guildmasters practically seemed to have trusted me unconditionally.1

「Then the two of you would like to have magic training with me, is this interpretation of mine correct?」 「Yes.」 「Yeah.」 「In that case, then there’s no issue at all. Rather, are you really satisfied with these conditions?」 「「Of course.」」

I asked for confirmation from the two of them, and both of them nodded in assent. I was expecting to hear something more unreasonable from the two of them, but are they really fine with just magic training?

「If you two are satisfied with it, then it’s not a problem for me at all, but……」 「Is there any other problems?」 「Not really, it’s just that, in regards to magic training, I already planned on conducting these for the student council officers and members as a part of our council activities, you see?」 「「Eh?」」

I’ve already planned on doing this to begin with, but if they want magic training, then I’ll be happy to oblige. After all, to reform the academy, the elevation of magic and magecraft grades is a necessary goal. If the training I initiate is more effective than the lectures from the professors, then no one will be able to ignore me.