In the end, it took a few dozens of minutes for Hinata to be conscious again. During that time, Mira talked with Creos about the summoning lessons they gave at the academy, how to ration the materials they had to make Magic Bomb Sealing Stones, and other topics like that. Creos accepted her suggestions with a lot of interest and thanked her, assuring her he’d work earnestly to help her out with her goals as well.
After that Amaratte asked her multiple questions about her magic robe set, which Mira answered to the best of her capabilities. When Amaratte heard about the way Magic Stones interacted with Mira’s clothes, her eyes glittered as she examined them even more closely. In the end, she only seemed to calm down when Mira promised her she’d ask Lily if she could make one for Amaratte as well.
Hinata’s brain resumed its functions when the three were still talking, but she was unable to interrupt a conversation between the vice-elder and Danbulf’s pupil, so she just observed them silently.
(She’s Danbulf’s pupil?! I never heard he had one. But she can use those kinds of spells, and Creos was the one who called her that… Ah! Would that mean that Danbulf did retire after all? Just so he could focus on teaching his pupil.
Also, I guess the way the school budget will get divided is also set now, thanks to Mira… Maybe I shouldn’t address her so casually though, but Creos already does it…but he is Creos after all. Should I call her Lady Mira then? That…sounds strangely fitting, maybe because of the way she talks. She always seems to try to sound impressive.
Amaratte’s clothes look like that popular magical girl style, I think? They’re really cute clothes. And Mira’s…or Lady Mira’s have a different air to it, but maybe they’re the same style. Maybe I should…no, they won’t look good on me.
And actually, why am I here in the first place?!)
After her thoughts wandered around like that, Hinata remembered that she was really out of place around them. Even though he had said that he was just a temporary vice-elder, that did not change the fact that he was one of the most prominent spellcasters of the continent. Ten years ago during the Defense of the Three Gods’ Countries, he had been in the frontlines together with Luminaria fighting against the devils that attempted to invade Arkite. And he claimed the girl sitting in front of him was even stronger than himself. Mira’s power had been imprinted into her mind. Hinata was sitting together with three spellcasters who could be entrusted with protecting the country, so it was impossible for her to be calm.
「Hmm, seems more body reinforcing equipment sets will be needed to proceed efficiently after all.」
「Yeah, I don’t want to put the students in danger. Things got better since we started using the one you left with me, but there are so many students that it keeps taking a lot of time. I tried putting some equipment together myself, but none were strong enough.」
Their conversation went a full circle and they were talking about the students’ progress again. The main points were how efficiently they could move forward and the difficulty of forming contracts.
「Oh, were those equipment infused with body reinforcing attributes?」
「Mostly power enhancing and physical reinforcement. But the stats were nowhere high enough so they weren’t safe at all.」
「I see. Then maybe I could do something with that.」
After thinking about it for a bit, Mira concluded that she might be able to make something with some Refining. As long as there were multiple sets of equipment, she would be able to condense and enhance their effects if they were too weak.
「Really?!」
「Yes, just leave it to me.」
Creos asked to make sure, his voice filled with expectation, and Mira replied confidently. To Hinata, the entire conversation felt like it was completely unrelated to her.
The four of them left the guest room and headed to the storage room of the summoner’s faculty, going to the building for technical studies to reach there. The ornate lights and furniture left in some of the places brought to mind more of a noble’s mansion image than a school.
Creos and Amaratte taught Mira about the history of the academy, explaining to her what the different items she showed interest in were, even if they looked out of place for a school. Hinata followed behind them, looking clearly nervous.
When the students around saw the group, they would hurry to salute while keeping close to the walls. Creos would always apologize for making a ruckus with a relaxed voice when he passed. Because of his gentle demeanor and the fact that he never used his position as leverage made Creos beloved not only by the students, but the average citizens as well. It was not just Creos who was like that, all the other vice-elder were humble and did not abuse their position, even if they had their respective eccentricities. But because of that, a portion of the nobles also shunned them, they would constantly stereotype them saying that the vice-elder always spoke one way, or that they would react in a certain way. As a result, there were many nobles in the country with haughty attitudes.
As soon as the group left, the students began discussing with each other.
「I’ve seen instructor Hinata before, but who was that other girl with them?」
「She was really cute.」
「I like Amaratte, but that girl wasn’t bad either.」
「Well, who is she though?」
There was not a single one who knew who she was, so they only threw theories around. Creos’ secret daughter, or someone else’s sister, a new student, a researcher from the tower, or maybe a fellow magic girl enthusiast like Amaratte. There was not much reasoning behind their guesses, but the students still had fun tossing ideas around.
All the storage rooms for the different faculties were located in the basement of the technical studies building, so once they reached down there to a dimly lit room, Creos stood still while Hinata went to borrow the key from the staff room and opened the door.
The storage room had been carefully maintained, not a single speck of dust in sight or stale smells. There was only the scent of paper and metal. Hinata had been the one diligently sorting and cleaning it. Since it was from her faculty, that was the good use she had found for her free time.
「Hinata, could you bring all the jewelry I brought here before?」
「Yes, just wait a moment!」
Her ears and back straight, Hinata quickly ran to one corner of the storage room. As she did that, Creos took a board that was leaning against a wall and placed it flat on the center of the room. There were multiple inscriptions of symbols and shapes on it, forming a magic circle. It was a Refining Board.
「Sorry for the wait.」
Hinata placed a box she was carrying on top of the board. Inside there were multiple rings and necklaces, there was nothing special about their shapes or materials, but they all had special properties.
「And…these too.」
Saying that, Creos emptied a small bag from the storage room on top of the board. There were countless crystals of Turquoise, Moonstone, and others. Materials necessary for Refining.
「Hmm, let’s make this quick then. Is it okay if I use up all these jewelry?」
「I don’t mind.」
Receiving Creos’ consent, Mira lined up the crystals on designated places of the board and started the process. Creos and Amaratte had already seen something like that back when they all were together in the castle for the Accord Cannon, so they watched her with admiration. On the other hand, Hinata did not understand what was happening.
As far as she knew, Refining was something that took considerable amounts of time to complete, and that was what she taught as well. At least half an hour would be necessary to convert multiple crystals into Refined Gems.
And the main use of Refining was to condense or extract the attributes infused into equipment.
Mira had already converted multiple crystals into Refined Gems, and was moving into the next step, which entailed extracting the superior effects from the jewelry and storing it inside the Refined Gems. Doing so would create a Magic Sealing Stone with a stronger attribute. The process was not perfectly efficient, but after repeating it a few times the attributes would get really strong.
She had already gone through ten necklaces, turning them into sand while the Refined Gems stored their attributes.
(This…this is Refining? I’ve seen it many times during practice, but this looks completely different! The pile of sand keeps growing bigger… Wait.)
「I’ll do this.」
Saying that, Hinata interrupted Creos who had started cleaning the sand, taking it all from his hands.
Creos reacted with an 「Oh, she took it」, while Amaratte monotonically advised him to think about Hinata at least a bit. Creos was a very thoughtful person by nature and always attempted to do as much as he could alone, but when he was around someone who admired him as much as Hinata, it would be impossible for her to let him do that. Amaratte had told him to keep that in mind multiple times, and he had attempted to remember it, but it was hard for him to change his nature so easily.
Around half an hour passed since Mira began Refining. All the jewelry had been turned into sand and their attributes stored inside twenty Magic Sealing Stones on top of the board.
「She’s really amazing after all.」
「Yes, I agree.」
They had seen it once before, but Creos and Amaratte still were impressed by her. Hinata saw how calm the two vice-elders were in front of such an uncommon sight, so she began changing what she thought was common in her mind.
「These ones have the power enhancing attributes, and these physical reinforcing attributes. Now we just have to find equipment that can endure storing them.」
「Equipment hmm… Ah, if I remember correctly there should be something around here…」
Creos looked like he had remembered something as he headed to the biggest shelf in the storage room and searched there, taking out multiple metallic pieces and various types of tools.
A pile of miscellaneous items built up at his feet until he finally reached a box stored at the end of the shelf, which he carried with him.
The box was small enough to be covered by his two hands. When he placed it on the board and opened it, the contents turned out to be inconspicuous rings and necklaces.
Those were the results of Creos’ work when he attempted to find a solution for their problem teaching new summoners. But as they literally had been left on the shelf, they had been failures, but now they might prove useful.
「They’re nothing to show around proudly, but since they’re made from pure gold I’m sure they’ll serve as a good basis.」
Gold had the highest capacity to store Refined attributes, so it was a very useful material to create Refined equipment. Just like Creos had said, they would be plenty as a base for the Refining Mira needed to perform.
「Hmm, you have a point. I’ll infuse it into these then.」
Saying that, Mira received the rings and necklaces, Refining them one after another. As the attributes were transferred into the jewelry, the Magic Sealing Stones gradually lost their colors, until they crumbled into dust.
The transferral continued without a hitch, Refining twenty pieces, after which the equipment was complete.
「Thank you, Mira! With this, multiple students will be able to form contracts at the same time, thank you very much!」
Creos kept thanking her as he took the Refined equipment with a happy smile. This was also something that Hinata appreciated. She had no idea what she had been witnessing, but at least she knew enough to understand that they had succeeded in creating equipment that would help summoners form contracts.
「Lady Mira, as a summoner instructor, let me express my gratitude as well.」
「…Hinata, did something happen to you? You’re sounding all kinds of weird.」
「Not at all. I’m very much calm.」
The shock from learning Mira was Danbulf’s pupil left Hinata unable to decide how she should address Mira, so her internal turmoil showed in her voice.
「Hmmm, I guess it’s really my fault.」
Creos grimaced as he said that. He realized the truth he mentioned to the oblivious Hinata had been the source of her current behavior.
「Hmmm. But I don’t have any actual position as opposed to Creos, I’m but a mere adventurer. There’s no reason at all to stiffen up.」
Mira spoke with a relaxed expression, and Hinata remembered what caused all of that when Mira mentioned her being stiff. Creos had already chastised her about how foolish it was of her to refuse to change her attitude.
After a moment of deliberation, Hinata finally steeled her resolve as she spoke again.
「Mira…」
「What is it?」
Mira smiled as she responded to Hinata’s call. Being an instructor, Hinata had a weakness against the smile of a child. After her face brightened up for a moment, Hinata returned to her senses as her ears sprung up.
「Thanks, Mira. I’ll also do my best teaching my classes.」
Seeing how Mira looked satisfied with that, Hinata sighed in relief knowing she had made the right choice, then after reinvigorating herself, she thanked Mira again.
「Well, I also couldn’t allow myself to overlook the situation here. If you ever need assistance with anything, feel free to contact me.」
Mira was ready to help with anything she could. As a summoner, she was also worried about the future of her kin.
Hinata, on the other hand, had yet to realize she had just made a stronger connection than anyone else in the other faculties.
「What are you going to do afterwards, Mira?」
As they ascended from the basement to the first floor, Creos asked that. Mira began thinking while keeping the examination in the back of her mind. Maybe it was because of the thirty year gap, but there were many skills on display at the examination which she had never heard about. There were others which she remembered working differently, so Mira got excited to learn more about that, even while taking into consideration that the representatives might have just been inexperienced. All in all, she was obviously keenly interested in all the changes that had happened during the last thirty years.
「I’d like to keep looking around the academy, if that was possible.」
When Creos heard that, he began saying 「In that case-」 before stopping. He had planned on saying he would accompany her and show her around, but then he remembered what Amaratte had told him.
「Err, instructor Hinata. You don’t have any classes today, right? So could you show Mira around?」
He smiled as he asked that of Hinata, whose face lit up realizing she had just received a direct request from Creos. Hinata had plenty of time, she could count the hours of class she had during a week in her hands. Though thanks to Creos’ efforts that would soon change for the better.
「Leave it to me, I’ll make sure to carry it out.」
Hinata replied with an energetic voice, her ears also standing up in high spirits.
When they returned to the first floor, they parted ways with the two tower attendants. Creos kept thanking Mira until he left the academy grounds, while Amaratte reminded her time and time again to speak to Lily about her, before saying 「Adieu.」 and heading to another academy building.
Once the two were out of sight, Hinata fired herself up as she turned towards Mira.
「Mira, is there any place you’d like to visit? I’ll show you anywhere you want.」
Hinata’s ears and tail fidgeted restlessly, so Mira mentioned the first place she wanted to visit with a soft voice.
「I’d like to see a display of skill, something like a mock fight.」
「Skills and mock fights, huh. Then maybe the practical training ground would be good. The students of the magic faculty are using it right now though.」
「Ohh, isn’t that just perfect though? Can you take me there?」
The magic faculty brought Kairos to mind immediately. Even though his magic was mostly just for show, it did possess some originality to it. It could be said that thirty years had largely changed the appearance of skills. Mira was intrigued by that, so she urged Hinata to take her there.
「Okay, it’s this way.」
Saying that, Hinata took Mira to a training building adjacent to the technical studies faculty.
The training building was almost as large as half the academy, and was located straight past the technical studies faculty when entering from the academy gates. Its appearance resembled a gym, and voices from students and rumbling from spells could be heard from outside.
The two entered the training grounds through the front entrance, a lobby that resembled an event venue greeting them inside. There were countless seats arranged there, and even a shop where students drenched in sweat would go to buy something to drink.
「Oh, instructor Hinata. Can I help you somehow? The summoner faculty isn’t scheduled today.」
From inside the lobby, a middle aged man appeared and walked towards them while saying that. On his average, plain face, everything that showed was a puzzled look and a bit of nervousness.
But rather than that, something else sprang into Mira’s attention.
(He’s wearing a tracksuit, an actual proper tracksuit. That’s so nice… there are no other clothes with as much freedom as that.)
The middle aged man was wearing a blue tracksuit. Tracksuits were good to exercise, or to wear at home, maybe even to go do some light shopping. Mira thought of them as unusually useful clothes.
「Ah, instructor Siegfried. Good day, I know we aren’t scheduled today, Mira here wanted to see the academy so I was just showing her around.」
「Ahh, that’s why.」
Saying that, the man referred to as instructor Sigfried turned his gaze to the girl standing beside Hinata.
(Siegfried in a tracksuit… pfft)
Somehow that hit Mira’s laughter nerve, so she looked away while trying to contain her laughter, a really unflattering image floating in her mind.
「And that reminds me, instructor Hinata. My name is pretty long, so you can just call me Sieg.」
「I know, but you’ve still been an instructor here for way longer than I have, I’m just a newcomer.」
Hinata replied with a reserved tone. This was not the first time they had an exchange like that. Siegfried insisted on being called by a nickname, while Hinata refused out of respect.
Siegfried lowered his shoulders in dejection, turning to look at Mira again. She was pretending to be looking at the building around, avoiding eye contact.
「Err, you said you wanted to see the academy? But as you can see, the magic faculty is carrying out their practice at the moment, is that okay? I think it could get a bit dangerous for a young girl like yourself.」
He kept looking at Mira as he said that. What he said was true, most of the spells used by magicians were attack spells, so it could be dangerous to watch. Then again, none of that would pose any real danger to Mira, and Hinata was aware of that having seen her in action, but Siegfried only had his first impression to go by, so he wanted to avoid exposing a cute little girl like Mira to danger.
「No need to worry about that. Mira is quite strong herself.」
Hinata confidently replied that way, puffing her chest like she was talking about herself. That made Siegfried remember something he had heard just earlier.
「Ohh, could she be that girl that was suddenly swapped in as summoner representative and took the first place?」
Saying that, Siegfried quickly moved closer to Mira and extended his hand to her.
「Nice to meet you, Mira. I’m Siegfried, an instructor of the magic faculty. I’m a bit vexed that we lost, but you worked well.」
「M-mhm. It was nothing special.」
Siegfried spoke to her with an amiable smile, wearing a tracksuit. Still trying to restrain her laughter, Mira shook his hand back. She was still a bit hesitant thinking what to do, given that because of her the magic faculty had been relegated to second place. But Siegfried was just as happy for her, energetically shaking her hand before turning to Hinata satisfied.
「Well well, congratulations instructor Hinata. Creos seems to be hard at work as well, so it’s just going to keep getting better for summoners!」
「Yes, thank you very much.」
Hinata thanked him happily for his commendation. Seeing her smile like that, Siegfried’s cheek blushed red.
Siegfried had always been worried for Hinata, seeing how the standing of summoners was weak and she had to go through many hardships.
Mira noticed that reaction in him, and figured he had actually fallen for Hinata. That also made her understand why he was so happy even though his faculty had lost. He probably had been really worried seeing how depressed Hinata was after ending up in the last place on every examination as well.
「But well, if it’s her who wants to see, then it should be alright.」
Mira’s strength was real. Now convinced of that, Siegfried let them pass to watch.
「Thank you very much, Sieg…fried.」
Hinata bowed to him, then entered into the training grounds together with Mira. Seeing the two of them off, Siegfried sighed deeply realizing he still was unable to have an effect on her.
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