Since then, I've been experimenting with various "Physical Changes," but the conclusion is that it's too flexible, making it harder to master.
It's like when you start a character customization game and get overwhelmed with options, so you just go with the default settings. Sure, some people enjoy fine-tuning every detail, but it's not my forte.
Back to magic: physical changes really can do anything.
For instance, clothes. I wrapped Hina in "Silveit" and infused it with magic, creating a dress that delighted her.
Or food. I shaped Silveit into a house and infused it with magic, creating a gingerbread house. It was actually delicious when we tried it.
Through these experiments, I realized something significant: fairy tales like Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel might actually be true in this world.
The glass slipper and pumpkin carriage could be recreated with my magic through physical changes. Though the first time I made them, they reverted back to magic within an hour.
But every detail matched the stories exactly, making them seem like factual accounts.
Of course, there's no free use of physical changes. They consume significantly more magic than attribute changes.
To put it into perspective, if a normal attribute change is 1, creating clothes took 30. Making food also took 30, but creating a carriage shot up to 900.
After various trials, I found that the more complex the structure or the longer it needs to remain in this world, the more magic it consumes.
Though for someone like me, at the Seventh Rank, these constraints are hardly limiting.
Having practiced physical changes enough to handle them moderately well, I asked my mother to teach me healing magic, as I had been hoping for.
Seeing my proficiency with physical changes and my large magic reserves, she reluctantly agreed.
However, before I could start practicing healing magic, I found myself in a different situation.
"Itsuki, are you feeling car sick?" my father asked.
"I'm fine, Dad."
The large 4WD vehicle jolted as it hit a bump. The driver wasn't my father, but Renji from the Shimotsuki family.
Instead of practicing healing magic, I was now heading to a camping trip with Renji, Aya, and my father.
It's not a leisurely camping trip at a campsite but a legitimate exorcist mission. We received a call from the Tokyo Hunting Association about a bear-eating bear that turned out to be a monster.
I was surprised to learn that bears still roam Tokyo, but apparently, they do. And now, there's a bear attacking other bears, which is unusual and points to a monster.
The hunters initially went after it but were overpowered, prompting a request for exorcists.
So, our camping trip is actually a bear hunt. The reason children like us are brought along is to acclimate us to overnight exorcist missions.
"Yes?"
"Is this your car?"
"Yes, it's big, isn't it? It can accommodate many people for overnight missions."
"I see..."
It made me wonder if exorcists were well-paid. My father drove an expensive-looking car too, and there was no sign of financial strain even when they took in Hina.
Where does the salary come from?
"Renji, the barrier is set. We can detect any monsters within the radius."
"Thanks. My magic reserves aren't enough for this."
"Don't worry about it."
Renji handed my father a bottle of tea, and my father casually declined.
How are we supposed to hunt the monster after setting up the barrier? I tugged at my father's clothes and asked.
"So, what do we do next?"
"We wait."
"Huh?"
His response was simpler than I expected.
"Monsters consume magic. Exorcists have more magic than ordinary people, so they'll come to us. We just have to wait and ambush them."
"So, we just wait in the car?"
"Yes. Don't worry, it should come within three days at the latest."
"...Three days?"
My healing magic practice seemed farther away, but there was no point in complaining. I decided to use this time to learn new magic.
With renewed determination, I helped with the preparations. We finished in less than an hour and passed the time practicing magic and playing cards.
As the sun set and night fell, there were no streetlights nearby. The only light came from the lanterns in the car.
After finishing dinner, we were about to settle in for the night when...
"It's here," my father announced in a chilling voice.