"Since you're known as the Sage's Disciple, is your magic really that incredible?"
Alicia’s question was remarkably vague.
Just as she had with me, her eyes seemed to sparkle whenever she delved into the subject of magic. I suppose that’s the standard for a daughter of a ducal house in a nation celebrated as a Magic Kingdom.
"In its own way, I suppose. My specialty is Recovery Magic."
"Isn't it exceptionally rare to specialize in that?"
"It is."
I sat in silence beside them, listening to their lively chatter. I had essentially become Sebas’s surrogate, playing the role of the silent attendant.
Being a 'yes-man' to a young lady’s whims—isn't that a classic trait of a popular man? In every era and every world, that’s how it usually goes.
But back to the serious topic.
In truth, Recovery Magic is a discipline that almost anyone can use. The natural healing ability inherent to all humans is a form of it. While the quantity of magic power varies from person to person, mana is a fundamental component of the human body, and our biology is built on that premise. There have been cases where adventurers who thought they were talentless in magic developed incredibly sturdy bodies simply by tempering themselves through combat with monsters.
However, that only applies to the most rudimentary forms of healing. Recovery Magic derived from one's own natural vitality generally only works on oneself.
The standard for being considered a "specialist"—the threshold for entering the Academy as a Sage's Disciple—is the ability to treat others.
In this world, that is a profound rarity.
Mariana, who would eventually be revered as a Saint, can purge any disease and even restore severed limbs. Once she reaches that level of power, she makes it possible for the princes to perform "Zombie Attacks" during the Battle Part of the story. It leads to a disastrous Harmful End for the world, but that's how terrifyingly potent her existence is.
"Back then, I couldn't save my sick parents. Before they passed, they told me that if I ever found someone else precious to me, I should be able to save them. That’s why I decided to enroll in the Academy."
"Mariana, you... hic..."
"Alicia?! Oh, please don't cry!"
"Ugh, what a beautiful story..."
Matching Alicia’s sudden surge of emotion, I joined in and faked some tears to keep the mood going.
"Come to think of it, Ragna, you can treat others too, can't you?"
"Yeah, but my method is a special case. It wouldn't make for a good reference."
"Really? Well, it's Ragna, so I suppose that makes sense."
Since Alicia was on the verge of prying further, I let her words slide by with a non-committal shrug.
People tend to think of Recovery Magic as a gentle power, but that isn't always the case. My method is either a highly specialized outlier or perhaps the most literal application of the craft. One way to reach the level of healing others involves gaining a masterful understanding of human anatomy and visualizing the flow of an individual's magic power.
I can’t regenerate missing limbs or heal wounds so perfectly that they leave no trace, but I can repair critical internal organ damage or reattach a limb—provided the cut is clean and I get to it before the tissue begins to rot.
And how does one train for that?
Dissection.
It is a path of Shura, and it's even more effective if practiced while the subject is still alive. Naturally, that isn't something one can just do at the Academy.
The rare type of genius who specializes in Recovery Magic eventually becomes able to heal almost anything unconditionally by studying various spells and tempering their mana. That is what makes a Saint. With specialized items that amplify her magic power, Mariana will eventually become nearly invincible.
I wondered about the imposter. If only she were a special case like that. I really had to wonder how things would play out.
"Still, no other customers are coming in, are they?"
Despite our long conversation, Alicia and I remained the only people in the shop. Alicia looked puzzled, but that was actually my doing.
"Ah, sorry. It was so chaotic at first that I flipped the sign to 'Closed'."
"Ragna..."
The collar! I felt it coming!
But realistically, there was no way she could have handled customers in that state. Anyone would have closed the shop for a moment. It was thanks to that decision that we could have such a deep conversation, so I considered it a stroke of brilliance on my part.
"Open it this instant! You're interfering with her business! Open it!"
"Woof woof!"
"Eh? Woof woof...? No, it's quite alright. You don't have to open up. I don't usually open on school days, and lately, I've wanted to focus on my studies, so I've been staying closed on weekends too. I only opened today because I thought Alicia might stop by."
Having lost her parents, balancing her studies with running a shop was an impossible task for Mariana. Since she wasn't a noble, she couldn't just leave it to servants. I wondered why she hadn't hired part-time help, but there was likely a reason for that too.
Perhaps she was receiving support from a benefactor to attend the Academy? Knowing how serious and kind she was, she probably viewed that support as strictly for her education and refused to use it for the shop's overhead.
"Then how are you managing your living expenses?" Alicia asked with her usual lack of filter. "Your tuition and school fees are waived, aren't they? Wouldn't it have been much more efficient to move into the dormitory?"
"I love this house, Alicia. It's a manageable commute, and the Academy doesn't serve coffee, so I wouldn't have chosen the dorms anyway."
"That's true. I'm sorry. The people at House Brave told me to ask immediately if there was something I didn't understand, so I've picked up the habit of being very direct."
"Ahaha, I prefer people who are easy to understand. As Ragna-san said, since I'm a commoner, I declined the dormitory and commute from here." Mariana offered a gentle smile before continuing. "As for living expenses, the Headmaster provided me with the equivalent of the dormitory fees on the condition that I maintain top marks. I'm managing to scrape by."
That was a relief. I had worried for a moment that she might say House Ignite was supporting her, but it was a groundless fear.
Within the Academy, Volsea was a man of high integrity. In the game, he played the role of a shadow benefactor to the Heroine and the Prince’s romance. It seemed that part of the Canon Route was still functioning properly.
"It's about that time... I hate to leave, but we should probably head out."
Alicia stood up while checking the clock. We had been loitering in Mariana's shop for quite a while. We still had a long list of shopping to do, so it was time to move on.
"The coffee was wonderful. May I come back?"
"Alicia, you're welcome anytime!"
"Ragna, I have permission! We're coming here every weekend!"
"S-sure."
As long as we didn't become a nuisance, it seemed like a good idea. I could enjoy the world-class coffee while keeping a close eye on Mariana and her surroundings. It was killing two birds with one stone.
"Alicia, if anything happens at the Academy, please tell me! I might not look like much, but I was raised to always help my friends!"
"Hehe, just hearing you say that is enough. Thank you."
"Hawah... your smile is so bright it hurts!"
"I know the feeling," I muttered. I knew it all too well.
"Ragna-san, please give Alicia to me."
"Categorically refused."
Even if the world were turned upside down or destroyed by a Great Calamity, that was the one thing I would never do. I wouldn't even hand her over to the Prince. I’d turn the whole world into my enemy first.
"What are you two even talking about...?"
With that, we left Mariana's shop behind.
From the bottom of my heart, I wished that this peace would last for the next three years.
However, just as Volsea had warned, the tangled threads of fate rarely allow for peace. Once the gears have been forced out of alignment, a force acts to snap them back into place. Destiny always seeks to balance its accounts.
The power of those distorted waves is overwhelming. Those without strength are simply swallowed up.
And that is exactly why I sought it... why I obtained it.