Aldo was dreaming. In his dream, a boy was playing a game. The protagonist of the game, a hero, had just defeated the final boss, a witch named Iris.
However, the game did not end there. After the defeat of Witch Iris, an additional storyline unfolded—a hidden boss who was even stronger than the final boss. The goal was to rescue the Spirit King, sealed away 1,000 years ago, by defeating the most powerful evil spirit.
The hidden boss was so strong that the boy couldn’t defeat it, no matter how hard he tried. Eventually, he gave up on clearing the game.
Aldo woke up.
He tried to recall the dream’s details, but all he could remember was the failed attempt to rescue the Spirit King. The rest felt hazy, like trying to see through a foggy window.
Dreams are often said to be a form of memory organization. Aldo chalked it up to having read a history book about the Spirit King before bed.
“Alright… let’s do our best today!”
Aldo got up and began his morning routine. Today was the day he and Clara would delve into a dungeon. Packing the Wind Blade, his weapon, into his bag, he prepared to leave directly from work.
“Good morning, Dad!”
“Ah, good morning, Iris.”
Iris rubbed her eyes as she woke up. Noticing Aldo packing the Wind Blade, her expression turned a little somber.
“Dad, are you going to the dungeon again?”
“Hm? Yeah, I am. I feel like we’re close to clearing it.”
“Hmm… is Clara going with you?”
“Of course.”
“I see…”
Iris said no more, but Aldo understood her feelings immediately. When he worked, Clara would usually look after Iris. But when Clara joined him in the dungeon, Iris had to be alone.
Having grown attached to Clara, Iris now felt the loneliness of being left behind while the others ventured into the dungeon.
“It’s okay, Iris. I’ll be back soon. I promise.”
Aldo hugged Iris tightly. Iris clung to the warmth of her father, trying to store it up for the lonely time ahead.
“Thanks, Dad. I’ll be fine, so don’t push yourself too hard.”
That morning, Iris saw Aldo off with a smile. Yet, the loneliness lingered. As she pondered her solitude, Clara arrived, passing Aldo on her way in.
“Good morning, Iris-chan!”
“Good morning.”
Iris bowed politely in greeting.
“Alright, let’s work hard today to overcome your mana sickness!”
“Yes, Master Clara!”
Iris began channeling mana throughout her body as she always did, trying to maintain the flow. For some people, this exercise could cause “mana sickness,” a condition arising from a lack of mana tolerance.
Clara had once told her, “Those who experience mana sickness often have greater talent,” a statement that was partly true and partly a comforting lie.
Mana sickness occurred due to low tolerance, which was a talent in itself. While it could be improved, its absence often indicated a lack of magical aptitude.
But Iris was different—she had above-average mana tolerance. By all logic, she shouldn’t suffer from mana sickness. Yet, she did. The reason for this became clear soon enough.
“Ah…!”
Iris gasped as her mana surged dramatically.
“What!?”
Clara’s eyes widened in shock, sensing the overwhelming amount of mana radiating from Iris. It was far greater than her own. Iris fell to one knee, overwhelmed by the surge.
“Iris-chan! Are you okay?”
Clara rushed to her side, but Iris stood up calmly.
“I’m fine. It just surprised me… I think I figured out a trick to draw out more mana.”
“A… trick? That’s amazing, Iris-chan.”
Clara couldn’t hide her astonishment. The sheer magnitude of Iris’s mana sent shivers down her spine.
The truth was clear: Iris’s mana reserves were enormous, far exceeding the limits of her tolerance. This imbalance caused her mana sickness, much like how even a person with high alcohol tolerance can still get drunk if they drink too much.
This revelation validated the saying, “Those with mana sickness have talent.” While it often served as comfort, it also held true in cases like Iris’s.
“Let’s stop using that trick for now, Iris-chan.”
“Why? I just figured it out!”
Iris looked startled. Unless there was a compelling reason, she couldn’t understand why Clara would discourage her newfound skill.
“You haven’t fully developed your mana tolerance yet. If you keep drawing out so much power, your body might not be able to handle it.”
“But, Clara-san, you said mana sickness doesn’t cause serious harm to the body…”
“Normally, yes. But your mana is extraordinary. I’ve never seen anything like it. If something happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to face Aldo-san.”
Hearing her father’s name, Iris relented. She didn’t want to make him worry unnecessarily.
“Okay, I’ll stop using it for now.”
“Thanks, Iris-chan. I know it’s exciting to discover your potential, but once you’ve built up your tolerance, you’ll be able to use it safely.”
Clara empathized with Iris, offering explanations instead of outright dismissal. By addressing Iris’s feelings, she eased her disappointment.
“Don’t worry, Iris-chan. You’re incredibly talented—no doubt about it. So, don’t feel down.”
“Really? I’m talented? Ehehe, that makes me happy.”
Iris scratched her head, blushing. She had secretly worried there was something wrong with her ability to use magic. Knowing she had talent reassured her.
Iris continued her training with renewed determination. The results of her efforts—
“Yeah, as long as you maintain a normal state, there’s no need to worry about mana sickness.”
“Really? Yay!”
Through steady effort, Iris had finally built up enough resistance to handle her own mana.
“So, Iris, which one do you want to try using: green magic or spirit magic?”
“Hmm… green, I think.”
Iris had an affinity for red and green magic. Clara, on the other hand, was proficient in blue and green magic, so she couldn’t teach red.
“Alright then, let’s start with something simple. The easiest green magic spell is Wind!
Clara focused her energy into her hand, releasing a breeze from her right palm.
A gentle wind brushed through Iris’s hair.
“Wow! Okay, let me try! Wind!“
Mimicking Clara, Iris cast the spell. A strong gust of wind blew directly at Clara, messing up her hair.
“I-Iris! Stop! Stop!”
Iris immediately canceled the spell.
“Let’s dial back the mana a bit. That was way too strong to be using indoors.”
Indeed, while it might have been fine outside, using such force indoors would leave the room in disarray.
“Ugh… I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, really! This isn’t your fault. It’s my bad for not explaining how to adjust the spell’s power first.”
Clara hadn’t anticipated just how overwhelming Iris’s mana output would be. The intensity of the wind had scaled proportionally with her large mana reserves. Most beginners couldn’t produce such a strong effect with their first spell.
Internally, Clara was both impressed and a little intimidated by the sheer potential of Iris’s abilities.
