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 unfoldedโa 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 couldnโt defeat it, no matter how hard he tried. Eventually, he gave up on clearing the game.
Aldo woke up.
He tried to recall the dreamโs 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.
โAlrightโฆ letโs do our best today!โ
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.
โGood morning, Dad!โ
โAh, good morning, Iris.โ
Iris rubbed her eyes as she woke up. Noticing Aldo packing the Wind Blade, her expression turned a little somber.
โDad, are you going to the dungeon again?โ
โHm? Yeah, I am. I feel like weโre close to clearing it.โ
โHmmโฆ is Clara going with you?โ
โOf course.โ
โI seeโฆโ
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.
โItโs okay, Iris. Iโll be back soon. I promise.โ
Aldo hugged Iris tightly. Iris clung to the warmth of her father, trying to store it up for the lonely time ahead.
โThanks, Dad. Iโll be fine, so donโt push yourself too hard.โ
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.
โGood morning, Iris-chan!โ
โGood morning.โ
Iris bowed politely in greeting.
โAlright, letโs work hard today to overcome your mana sickness!โ
โYes, Master Clara!โ
Iris began channeling mana throughout her body as she always did, trying to maintain the flow. For some people, this exercise could cause โmana sickness,โ a condition arising from a lack of mana tolerance.
Clara had once told her, โThose who experience mana sickness often have greater talent,โ 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 differentโshe had above-average mana tolerance. By all logic, she shouldnโt suffer from mana sickness. Yet, she did. The reason for this became clear soon enough.
โAhโฆ!โ
Iris gasped as her mana surged dramatically.
โWhat!?โ
Claraโs 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.
โIris-chan! Are you okay?โ
Clara rushed to her side, but Iris stood up calmly.
โIโm fine. It just surprised meโฆ I think I figured out a trick to draw out more mana.โ
โAโฆ trick? Thatโs amazing, Iris-chan.โ
Clara couldnโt hide her astonishment. The sheer magnitude of Irisโs mana sent shivers down her spine.
The truth was clear: Irisโs 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, โThose with mana sickness have talent.โ While it often served as comfort, it also held true in cases like Irisโs.
โLetโs stop using that trick for now, Iris-chan.โ
โWhy? I just figured it out!โ
Iris looked startled. Unless there was a compelling reason, she couldnโt understand why Clara would discourage her newfound skill.
โYou havenโt fully developed your mana tolerance yet. If you keep drawing out so much power, your body might not be able to handle it.โ
โBut, Clara-san, you said mana sickness doesnโt cause serious harm to the bodyโฆโ
โNormally, yes. But your mana is extraordinary. Iโve never seen anything like it. If something happened to you, I wouldnโt be able to face Aldo-san.โ
Hearing her fatherโs name, Iris relented. She didnโt want to make him worry unnecessarily.
โOkay, Iโll stop using it for now.โ
โThanks, Iris-chan. I know itโs exciting to discover your potential, but once youโve built up your tolerance, youโll be able to use it safely.โ
Clara empathized with Iris, offering explanations instead of outright dismissal. By addressing Irisโs feelings, she eased her disappointment.
โDonโt worry, Iris-chan. Youโre incredibly talentedโno doubt about it. So, donโt feel down.โ
โReally? Iโm talented? Ehehe, that makes me happy.โ
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 effortsโ
โYeah, as long as you maintain a normal state, thereโs no need to worry about mana sickness.โ
โReally? Yay!โ
Through steady effort, Iris had finally built up enough resistance to handle her own mana.
โSo, Iris, which one do you want to try using: green magic or spirit magic?โ
โHmmโฆ green, I think.โ
Iris had an affinity for red and green magic. Clara, on the other hand, was proficient in blue and green magic, so she couldnโt teach red.
โAlright then, letโs 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 Irisโs hair.
โWow! Okay, let me try! Wind!โ
Mimicking Clara, Iris cast the spell. A strong gust of wind blew directly at Clara, messing up her hair.
โI-Iris! Stop! Stop!โ
Iris immediately canceled the spell.
โLetโs dial back the mana a bit. That was way too strong to be using indoors.โ
Indeed, while it might have been fine outside, using such force indoors would leave the room in disarray.
โUghโฆ Iโm sorry.โ
โItโs okay, really! This isnโt your fault. Itโs my bad for not explaining how to adjust the spellโs power first.โ
Clara hadnโt anticipated just how overwhelming Irisโs mana output would be. The intensity of the wind had scaled proportionally with her large mana reserves. Most beginners couldnโt produce such a strong effect with their first spell.
Internally, Clara was both impressed and a little intimidated by the sheer potential of Irisโs abilities.