Chapter 23: Consultation with the Follower (2)

Chapter 23: Consultation with the Follower (2)

Everything was beyond my grasp.

I unconsciously reached into my pocket, but I hadnt smoked a cigarette in several years.

Not surprisingly, the familiar pack of cigarettes was absent from my pocket, so with a sigh slipping out of my mouth, the conversation resumed.

In any case, why dont I first hear from you about why you want me to train you? It grieves me to admit even to myself, Fina, but if I were to teach you magic, I would probably run out of things to share with you in less than a day since my level of expertise as a magician isnt all that different from yours.

Your self-esteem is as low as ever, Teacher. It is fine not to be overconfident, but undue modesty can lead to self-abasing and eventually to self-sabotage.Yôur favorite stories at novelhall.com

I cant believe you are really a sixteen-year-old This is the first time a student has made that remark to me.

With an empty laugh at the advice that was out of all proportion for a sixteen-year-old, I urged Fina to continue.

With the guidance of Lady Karen and my education at the school, I can say unequivocally that I have been granted a more than appropriate environment for learning about magic. However, now that two months have passed following my enrollment in the school, I still believe that what I lack is the experience in actual combat.

Listening to Finas story, mixed emotions welled up in my heart.

Indeed, what Fina said was on point. Being able to analyze oneself so precisely and objectively as a first-year student was, after all, the fruit of exceptional intellect. As a homeroom teacher, her ability made me incredibly ecstatic, but it was equally true that it left me with a sense of malaise because I knew exactly what Finas next words would be.

The other day, Teacher Kanaki, gave me a brief training in martial arts along with Lady Karen. Even though the training was relatively short, your guidance brought a great impact on me even in that one aspect alone. Your attention to detail, the rate at which you grasped the issues, and your own skill. More than anything, you presented us with unique concepts that had never been introduced to us by any of our previous instructors.

No, that much is something that Instructor Rivalz and others have already learned.

But still! I was touched by all of your teaching methods, and a thought struck me. If I want to rise to the next level and excel in the student knight tournament next month, I have no alternative but to seek guidance from you, Teacher Kanaki!

F-Fina. Relax

I was about to go on the offensive to pry that hole apart when Fina made an unpredictable counterattack.

But if you are willing to instruct me, I will definitely try to persuade her! But more than that, are you really so unwilling to teach me, Teacher!

T-Thats

Being told that straight out of the box would put me in a vulnerable spot too. After all, the girl I was aiming for was requesting me to go to such lengths. How can my conscience, which was present at the level of a minute particle, not be affected? Well, to begin with, the emotion I call my conscience was comprised of a total ulterior motive as well.

I understand.

After struggling over it many times, I was the one who finally yielded. I was still apprehensive, though, about demonstrating my own martial art. Had she not joined Kaguya, the story would have been different, but since she was a member, the possibility of encountering her as an adversary in the future could not be ruled out. Therefore, I set some conditions, and if Fina accepted them, I would mentor her.

However, there are some conditions. First, I will only provide verbal guidance. Even I have my own reasons. I cant teach you directly through kumite, as I did the other day. And one more thing. I have been occupied with various commitments. I will be training you during my apprentices training sessions. At that time, I wont be able to teach you alone, but if you agree to these two conditions, Ill be glad to help you, Fina.

A mentor-apprentice relationship between magicians can be established relatively easily with the agreement of both parties. Even though certain elite magicians with first-class qualifications may produce a certificate to prove their mentor-apprentice relationship, most other magicians formed a relatively loose relationship based on verbal promises. Even in the academy, a fair number of students and teachers shared a mentor-apprentice relationship, including myself, who presently had three students as apprentices.

I get it. It is certainly not my intention to impose only my convenience on you and to detain you for a long period of time. In exchange, please be strict with me when you teach me.

Are you a masochist, the thought flashed through my mind before dispersing it.

All right. You are welcome to join the practice session with my apprentices tomorrow after school. You do not have to be dressed in the schools gym uniform. The place is

After informing her of tomorrows schedule, Fina bowed and left the room.

Now that I was alone myself, I leaned back in the chair with a muttering to myself as I gazed out at the sky tinged by the setting sun.

Things have gotten to be complicated huh

However, it never dawned on me at the time that I would be entangled in something incomparably messier than this that night.