The dust settled, and I stood over Eris, my magical construct sword dissipating into shimmering particles. Eris was panting, her grip on the wooden sword trembling from exhaustion. Her face was a mix of shock, frustration, and something new—admiration.
She wiped the sweat from her brow, her crimson eyes locked onto me with a newfound intensity. "That magic… those swords… where did you learn that?"
I hesitated, trying to compose myself. The truth was simple: I hadn't learned it. It came from the gacha system—a tool that no one else had access to. But I couldn't exactly tell her that.
With a confident smirk, I crossed my arms and tilted my head slightly. "It's a spell I invented myself. No one else in the world can do it, except me."
Eris's eyes widened, her exhaustion forgotten as she shot up to her feet. "You invented it? You mean, no one else can teach me how to make swords out of thin air?"
I nodded slowly. "That's right. I'm the only one who can teach you. It's my own creation."
In reality, I wasn't entirely sure if I could even teach it. The gacha system made it possible for me, but passing that ability to someone else? That was a whole different challenge. Still, I had to maintain my composure. If I wanted to earn her respect—and, more importantly, her cooperation—I had to act like I was in complete control.
Eris's face lit up with excitement. "I've never seen magic like that before! You can make swords appear from nothing! I want to learn it!"
I blinked, taken aback by her sudden enthusiasm. She was no longer the bratty, stubborn princess who had dismissed me minutes ago. Now she was practically begging me to teach her.
I straightened my posture and put on my best teacherly tone. "Well, it's not something that can be learned easily. It requires a deep understanding of magic and intense focus."
Eris stomped her foot impatiently. "I don't care! I'll do whatever it takes! Teach me!"
My heart raced as I considered the consequences. If she found out I wasn't as in control of this power as I claimed, I could lose her respect again. But if I played it right, I could at least keep her intrigued long enough to figure out how to handle this.
"Alright," I said, feigning reluctance. "I'll take you on as my disciple. But it won't be easy. You'll have to follow my instructions exactly."
Eris's eyes gleamed with determination. "I'll do it! Whatever you say!"
and that is how I became a teacher.
The following morning, Eris appeared in the training courtyard, eager and dressed in her usual training attire. Her fiery red hair was tied up, and her wooden sword was at her side, though I could tell she was more interested in magic today.
I had spent most of the night trying to figure out how I could actually teach her to create magical constructs. In theory, it was possible to teach her basic magic principles, but the constructs were different. They weren't part of any known magic system. They were from Gwen Tennyson's abilities, pulled through the gacha system, not something I could pass on through traditional means.
Still, I had to try.
"Alright, Eris," I began, trying to sound authoritative. "Today, we'll start with the basics of magic control."
Eris frowned, crossing her arms. "Magic control? I thought you were going to teach me how to make swords out of thin air!"
I raised a hand to calm her. "Patience. To make those swords, you need precise control over your mana. Without that, it's impossible to manifest anything. So first you will be learning the basics of magic and spellcasting"
Eris grumbled but nodded, reluctantly agreeing to follow my lead.
I spent the next hour explaining how mana flows through the body, how to focus and gather it, and how to project it outward. Eris, despite her usual impatience, listened carefully. It was clear she was determined to learn.
After a while, I demonstrated by forming a small, shimmering shield using construct magic, similar to the swords I had used in the duel but simpler. "This is the first step," I said. "You need to be able to manifest your mana into a shape."
Eris stared at the shield in awe. "That's… amazing."
"Now, you try."
She nodded and closed her eyes, concentrating. I could feel her mana stirring, but her first few attempts were weak. She managed to project her mana, but it flickered and faded almost instantly.The result was no surprise
Frustration began to show on her face. "Why can't I do it?"
I remained calm. "It's normal. It took me years to develop this technique. Now before you get discouraged I learned this by myself without knowing where will it lead me to, but know case is different . you already have a clear path thanks to me. So you just need to follow my instructions and maybe in a year you will master it "
I could feel the weight of my lie pressing down on me, but I pushed it aside. Eris didn't need to know the truth. Not yet.
Days turned into weeks and weeks into months, and Eris threw herself into training with an intensity I hadn't expected. She had always been dedicated to her sword training, but her obsession with learning my magic pushed her to new heights of determination.
Still, progress was slow.
"I don't understand," she growled one afternoon after another failed attempt. "You make it look so easy!"
I sighed, trying to remain patient. "It's because you're trying to force it. You need to let the mana flow naturally. It's not about power; it's about control."
Eris glared at me, but I could see she was struggling to internalize the lesson. She was used to brute force—pushing through obstacles with sheer willpower. Magic, however, required finesse.
"Let's take a break," I suggested, sensing her frustration. "We'll come back to it later."
Eris grumbled but nodded, collapsing onto the grass. "How did you even come up with this magic?"
I paused, unsure how to answer. "It just… came to me."
She sat up, her expression curious. "Is it really true that no one else in the world knows how to do it?"
I nodded, leaning into the lie. "That's right. I'm the only one. the closest thing would be barrier magic but it can only make barriers as the name suggest so no swords"
Eris's eyes sparkled with excitement. "That's incredible! I'm going to be the second, then. I'll be the only other person in the world who can make swords out of nothing."
Her words stirred something in me. I hadn't expected her to take this so seriously, but the weight of her determination was beginning to sink in. I needed to figure out a way to teach her something—anything—that resembled the construct magic.
But how?