Grimoire
Returning back to our room, I saw Ralf was practicing the sword while Esta was studying.
Ralf’s practice was the same as always, and as for Esta’s ‘studies’, she was obviously learning how to properly read and write.
Since Esta was actually pretty smart, unlike Ralf, I had been teaching her the alphabet for some time.
Both were focusing on their respective things, and thus didn’t notice me holding a grimoire as I walked in.
“You two, got a minute? I’ve got something to show you.”
Both Esta who was focused on her desk, and Ralf who was sweating from his training, turned to look towards me at my call.
Her expressionless faces only lasted for a moment, as Esta who realized what I was holding on to, jumped out of her chair and frantically ran straight in front of me.
“TH-TH-TH-THIS IS……!”
“Yep, that’s right.”
“Oi, the hell is dirty ass book. Explain it to me too.”
“IT-It’s a Gr-Grimoire!!—-Chris-san did you buy this!?”
“Made quite the cash this month from all the cowbirds after all. Can’t have you guys be stuck hunting goblins forever, can I?”
“…….Really, Really, thank you very much. For not just looking after us but to even buy the grimoire…..I could never repay this debt to you.”
“A ‘thanks’ is not what I really want from you. If you do want to repay me, learn magic quickly and become strong enough to start contributing to the party itself.”
“YES! I will absolutely learn it as fast as I can!”
I wondered if she was crying, but her eyes were sparkling with motivation instead. One I hadn’t seen in her since now.
For someone I met while stopping a thievery attempt, my original impression of her was, let’s just say not that great. But that has since changed quite greatly.
“…….Oi, don’t leave me behind. So what’s a grimoire exactly anyway?”
“To put it simply, it’s a book that can teach magic. I haven’t read it so I cant say for certain but it should have all sorts of things written about magic written inside.”
“Are you for real!? Then Esta can start actually using magic? That’s awe……some?”
After Esta, Ralf also exploded with happiness, but only for a second, as his expression turned bitter as he realized something.
“Ralf? What’s wrong?”
“Nah, it’s just, well this might sound weird but………if you learn magic, I really will be nothing more than dead weight to you guys. It’s kinda scary to think about.”
“Pfft, well that’s not like you is it? Not to mention, honestly you have been a dead weight for a while now but that hasn’t stopped anything has it?”
“Well, yeah, I guess but………”
“After Esta, Ralf, you’re next. Once you two become capable of finishing Bronze quests, you’ll have to start saving up a lot more money okay?”
“Ye-YEAH!!”
.
.
Giving some words of encouragement to the depressed Ralf, I quickly switched to reading the grimoire with Esta.
Ralf too, stopped his training, and peeked in from the side, not that he could actually read anything.
“To first use magic, you have to get used to controlling mana. Imagine if your body was surrounded by water, and then try and control its circulation, make it go faster and then slower, and repeat—-or so it says.”
“Like circulate water around the body was it. Let me try.”
We all closed our eyes in a meditation pose, and tried to recreate what the book had written.
I tried to imagine water flowing around me desperately but I couldnt really feel anything different from usual.
I couldn’t feel not a single lick of this mana, and quite frankly just felt sleepy instead.
Quickly giving up, I opened my eyes and……..something misty was surrounding Esta.
“Oi Esta! You okay?”
“…..Hm? Ooh! What is that!?”
“I assume, that’s the mana as was explained……fu fu, I’m starting to get a hang of this I think”
Closing her eyes again and chuckling happily, Esta began to circulate this mist-like substance around her in different speeds.
Just that small paragraph alone made this happen?
Since I tried it myself I could tell, that Esta seemed like she had an exceptional talent for magic.
“Esta, please don’t destroy this room okay?”
“I should be fine. I’m only controlling raw mana I think, nothing more.”
“O, oi…….it really doesn’t look ‘fine’ to me though!? Also, isn’t the amount increasing!?”
“Okay, maybe I should stop for now.”
With those words, the mist around Esta began to dissipate and thin out.
While that’s exactly magic on its own yet, I feel like I got a good feel of how amazing magic can look.
A forever unknown ability to me.
“………Fuuu.”
“Esta, how was it?”
“I feel like I got the basic gist of it. It’s already too late so I’ll start proper magic practice from tomorrow.”
“Good. I suppose its to be expected from someone who received the [Magician] job from the heaven’s blessing eh?”
“Chris-san thank you. And not to add more to your plate but can you help me read the Grimoire tomorrow as well?”
“Of course. I’m well aware that it might be a tad too much to ask for you to read a Grimoire alone still.”
“Once again, thank you.”
And thus, from day one Esta has shown an incredible aptitude for magic.
If its with such a speed, she might become useful much faster than I originally thought.
While its not my own growth, I still felt excited to see how Esta would progress from here onwards as I headed to sleep for the night.