The Problem Is The Solution

While Yamato and Yuki were spending their free day shopping, Arina was not in the mood for silly free time activities. She was instead focused solely on training. The test exam had made her even more aware of her own weakness and vulnerability. Disappointed, regret and shame were tormenting her since that day. She wasn't even mad at Yamato or Yuki for getting her disqualified twice. She felt useless and like a failure. In the end, the only way she was useful was when she sacrificed herself. Or more was sacrificed by them, but it felt like the same thing to her. What did she even contribute? Sure, she was able to beat Mikio. But then again, she was only able to do so after Yuki miraculously knew about his abilities. Would she have been able to beat him without Yuki? Couldn't Yuki have just beaten him himself if she wanted to? It all only made her doubt herself even more. No, it wasn't just self doubt. If was hatred. She hated herself. She hated herself because she failed. This exam and her own promise to herself, her friends and family. If she wasn't even able to be of use in a simple training exam, how would she be of use in the real competitive exam? Or when she graduates, when she gets into actual confrontations? Never again, she thought determined. However for that, she needed to evolve and that quickly. Her attack and defense magic was actually only on a basic level. Where she excelled at was buffing her own physical attributes and objects she saw as weapons. A unique ability that came with the title "True Hero Candidate", which she received at the day of the destruction of her village, called "The Need To Protect"

"The users strength, speed and endurance get increased depending on the amount of mana the user possesses.

Additionally, anything the user views as a weapon, can be enchanted with increased durability, sharpness and a size extension of up to 50%. The weapon loses all alterations if the user stops touching it after five seconds."

Even though this was a powerful ability which had served her well during the teat exam, it was clearly not enough. Increasing her regular magic would be an option, but also not quite what she was looking for.

But the then she realized, she was looking at it completely wrong. Her problem was her lack of independence of her friends, because she feared that she can't protect anyone if the only way she can fight is with the people she can protect. So trying to find a solution on her own was just as flawed as her ability to fight on her own. Meaning if she wanted to become independent, maybe she needed help for that. It sounds contradictory when it really isn't. In her mind it was like going down to be further up at the end.

With that train of thought, she came to the conclusion that in order to prove that she can do it without Yuki in the future, she would ask Yuki for help.

But when she knocked at Yuki's door, no one answered. Obviously, because Yuki was out with Yamato at the moment which Arina didn't know. Though since Arina almost always saw the two together, she went to Yamato's dorm in hopes of finding them there.

When she arrived at the boys dorms and at Yamato's door, it opened from the gentle knock already. Although surprised that the door wasn't locked, she was even more surprised when she saw Yuki standing next to the bed holding a pillow in her hand.

"…What are you doing, Yuki?"

"Ah…!"

Yuki stared at her dumbfounded, not having any excuse since she didn't expect anyone to enter.

"Wa… This isn't what it looks like!"

"I don't even know what it looks like…"

"It looks like nothing! Nothing at all!"

"No, it does look like something, I just can't identify it."

"…Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was looking for you, actually. I need your help with something. Please, I'm willing to beg if that's what it takes."

"…Take it easy there. You don't have to go that far. Let's just… Go for a walk! Outside. By leaving the room. Now."

"Uh… Sure, okay…"

Yuki pushed Arina outside, taking the pillow in her hand with her and closing the door behind her and then locking it with a key then she quickly hid before Arina could see it. She was too confused by the situation. Yuki had made the spare key the first day she entered Yamato's room. Purely as a protective measure, of course. What else?

After Yamato bought her the necklace, and they walked around a bit more, when walking back, she said she would go somewhere else and so when Yamato was going back on his own, she hurried back to be there before him. But now she got caught by Arina and her whole operation was messed up. And on top of all that would Yamato be back soon and wonder what they were doing infront of his room, which was why she had to hurry.

After pushing Arina out all the way to Yuki's room, so from the boys dorms to the girls dorms, she let out a sigh of relief.

"Phew…"

"Didn't you say we should go on a walk…?"

"Yeah, walk, whatever. We can walk in here."

She brushed it off, as she out the pillow on her bed and a book, which she seemed to have had behind the pillow as well, in a shelf where it didn't seem to fit at all.

"Uhm… So the reason I wanted to talk to you was-…"

"You feel super guilty about your performance during the exam, and like you didn't contribute at all!"

"I…Yes, exactly! How did you know?!"

"Pft, lucky guess!"

"Master told me she would go to either me or him for that reason… I wonder how he knew…"

"I really need your help, Yuki!"

"Of course you do~ I will take you under my wing!"

"No pun intended"

"Really?! Thank you so much!"

"Your welcome! Got any money?"

"…Uhh, no?"

"Aw. Well, I will teach you anyway!"

"How generous…!"

"I know~ First, you read all of those!"

Yuki handed her a bunch of books, which Arina was only barely able to balance and carry.

"Come back when you're finished. I will probably maybe be here!"

With that, she shoved her out of her room and shut the door behind her. Leaving her stand in the middle of the hallway with the seemingly random books Yuki had just grabbed from the same shelf that she just placed the one she brought with her earlier.

"…"

Without much of a choice, Arina walked to her own room and read the books. She was already getting used to Yuki by now, though she couldn't quite tell if she was happy about that or not.

It took her the whole rest of the day and the whole night, even though she was a very fast reader. It were very thick books. But eventually she was finished, at around 6 am. Which was about when she would usually get up to go to school. Which she also remembered by then, they only were given one day off. So today was going to be tough, since she hadn't slept at all.

Arriving at school, it was hard to stay focused on what prof. Isaac was talking about. He mostly talked about the preparation exam, and the upcoming competitive exam. The atmosphere in the class was rather tense, with the attention being focused on Yamato and Yuki, who were just sitting there and ignoring it. But she was too tired to really care. She was barely able to take notes, but eventually made it through the day. When school finally ended, she was already in her bed, not remembering how she got there entirely, just that she walked out of the classroom even though she wanted to talk to Yuki first. She must've slept the whole afternoon, since it was already getting dark outside. Looking out of the window, she felt disappointment about herself. She wasn't even able to go a day without sleep. Although, she was actually much more exhausted due to the exam, in which she truly gave it her all. And since she used the rest day to train, it had been building up until now without her really noticing. A night without sleep at all was just what pushed her over the edge. Just when she was about to close her eyes again and make fun of herself in her mind, she noticed someone was sitting next to her.

"Your room is real messy, y'know? I mean, I know I said read all those books, but it was meant to be a task for the whole week… But by the looks of it, you already finished that. I do acknowledge your determination though."

"Huh…?"

Once Arina realized Yuki was sitting next to her, reading a book she took from the floor, she jumped up immediately.

"What were those books anyway!"

"Oh, those? Didn't you see me grab them? Just random stuff, duh."

"I didn't think she'd care that much, honestly. Well, that's what I get for twisting his instructions…"

"Random stuff?!"

"Well, cool random stuff. But anyway, you seem like you wouldn't last long if we started today."

"Started what?"

"Your actual, super special, exclusive training!"

"…"

"You're welcome~ I promise, no more useless books for you. Right after tomorrow's school! No, not right after… Like, one hour after! You're welcome again~"

"Okay, I guess…"

"Trust me, I'm a pro! Now, anyways, I will be gone then. See you tomorrow!"

She gave her a condescending head pat and left without much else, leaving Arina left alone with her thoughts. It was only a week left until the competitive exam, and if Arina was going to get stronger, then through Yuki. But of course she knew that it wouldn't be easy. If she didn't know any better, she would say having to train under Yuki would be as laid back as she was. But having seen her abilities during the exam, something told her that it was not going to be laid back at all.