Progress

Kazuya had no idea how he ended up in this situation. One moment, he was minding his own business, trying to navigate the ridiculous laws of Eldora. The next, an eccentric old man named Orin was force-feeding him what smelled suspiciously like boiled leather.

"This will put hair on your chest, boy!" Orin cackled, shoving another spoonful of the dubious stew toward Kazuya's face.

Kazuya recoiled. "I'd rather stay smooth, thanks."

Lilith, who sat across from him, was thoroughly enjoying his suffering. "You should be grateful, Orin doesn't just feed anyone."

"I'd rather starve." Kazuya glared at the sludgy bowl before him, then at the suspiciously spry old man who had taken it upon himself to mentor him in the ways of 'survival.'

Orin grinned, his missing teeth only adding to his unsettling charm. "Suit yourself, but don't expect me to save you when you pass out in the middle of town from hunger."

Kazuya groaned, pushing the bowl away. "I think I'd rather take my chances."

After barely escaping the horrors of Orin's cooking, Kazuya found himself in an open field, a smirking Lilith standing a few feet away, and Orin watching expectantly.

"Alright, boy," Orin said, rubbing his hands together. "Time to see if you've got even a sliver of talent for magic."

Kazuya tilted his head. "And if I don't?"

"Then you're useless," Lilith said with a teasing grin.

"Great." Kazuya sighed. "That's exactly what I needed to hear."

Orin handed him a small, jagged crystal. "Focus. Feel the energy inside you, let it flow through you, and channel it into this stone."

Kazuya stared at the crystal. "That's it? No incantations? No fancy gestures?"

Orin shrugged. "That's just for show. If you must wave your arms like a lunatic to make it work, that's your problem."

Kazuya sighed, closing his eyes and trying to 'feel the energy.' At first, there was nothing—just the usual frustration of being thrown into yet another bizarre situation. But then, faintly, he felt something. Like a spark dancing along his fingertips.

Lilith leaned in. "Well?"

Kazuya focused harder. The spark grew, flickering like a candle's flame. Encouraged, he tried pushing it into the crystal.

The result was immediate—and explosive.

A loud boom sent Kazuya flying backward, landing flat on his back with a groan. Smoke filled the air, and the crystal was nowhere to be seen.

Orin burst into laughter. "Well, you've got power! Just no control!"

Lilith stood over him, her arms crossed. "That was probably the most dramatic way to fail."

Kazuya coughed. "I hate magic."

Despite the disaster, Orin insisted on training Kazuya further. Over the next few days, he learned that the old man wasn't just a crazy hermit—he was a crazy hermit with an unsettling amount of knowledge about Eldora's strict magic regulations.

"Magic's only legal if you're licensed," Orin explained one evening. "Otherwise, they'll haul you off before you can even say 'oops.'"

Kazuya frowned. "And how does one get a license?"

"You don't," Lilith replied. "Not unless you're part of the nobility, the military, or have enough gold to bribe someone."

Kazuya groaned. "So I'm learning something I can never use?"

Orin grinned. "Not legally."

Kazuya buried his face in his hands. "Of course."

Lilith smirked. "Look on the bright side—at least now you know how to blow yourself up efficiently."

Kazuya shot her a glare. "Thanks, that's reassuring."

Orin let out a wheezy laugh, slapping Kazuya on the back. "You'll figure it out, boy. Just don't die trying."

With the way things were going, Kazuya wasn't entirely convinced that wasn't Orin's actual goal.

Over the next few days, Kazuya tried—and failed—multiple times to control his magic. His explosions, accidental fires, and mysterious floating objects had quickly made Orin's training ground look like a war zone.

"I think I turned that rock into soup," Kazuya muttered, staring at the puddle of something that was not solid anymore.

Orin examined it. "Eh, still looks edible."

Lilith, standing at a safe distance, shook her head. "I'm starting to think letting you learn magic was a mistake."

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence."

On the fifth day, something miraculous happened—Kazuya managed to create a small, controlled flame without setting himself on fire.

"I did it!" he exclaimed, holding the tiny ember between his fingers like a fragile treasure.

Orin squinted at it. "Hate to break it to you, but I've seen bigger flames from a candle."

Kazuya's eye twitched. "Just let me have this."

Lilith chuckled. "You're getting there. Slowly."

Kazuya sighed, allowing the flame to flicker out. As frustrating as it was, he had to admit—learning magic was kind of fun.

Even if he was one misstep away from blowing up again.

Kazuya had officially lost count of how many times he had nearly blown himself up, and yet, here he was again, sitting cross-legged in a clearing, staring at a small rock with the intense focus of a man about to lose his last shred of sanity.

"Alright, boy," Orin said, crouching beside him. "Let's go over the basics again, since you seem to be struggling with the concept of 'not dying.'"

Lilith smirked from her perch on a nearby log. "At this point, I think Kazuya's true magic is self-destruction."

Kazuya shot her a glare. "Thanks for the support. Really feeling the encouragement."

"Anytime." Lilith grinned.

Orin ignored their bickering and tapped the rock in front of Kazuya. "Now, focus on channeling your energy, not blasting it all out at once like an idiot. You need to control it, shape it—like molding dough."

Kazuya sighed, rubbing his temples. "Orin, I don't know if you've noticed, but I've never baked anything in my life."

Orin chuckled. "Then it's no wonder you suck at magic. Cooking and spellcasting aren't so different, you know. Both require patience, control, and knowing when to turn the heat down."

Kazuya groaned but decided to give it another shot. He closed his eyes, feeling the energy stir within him, like a small ember waiting to ignite. Slowly, carefully, he directed it towards the rock. A soft, golden glow flickered around his fingertips.

Lilith leaned forward. "Huh. Maybe you won't explode this time."

Orin clapped his hands together. "Now, keep it steady! No sudden—"

BOOM.

A dust cloud erupted, and when it cleared, Kazuya was flat on his back, hair singed and face covered in soot. The rock was nowhere to be found.

Lilith burst into laughter. "I take it back."

Orin coughed through the smoke. "Boy, I swear, if magic could kill by incompetence, you'd have set a record."

Kazuya groaned, sitting up with a pained expression. "I hate everything."

Despite nearly losing his eyebrows, Kazuya refused to give up. He had already suffered enough in Eldora—if he had to go through hell, he might as well come out with some firepower.

The next day, Orin made him repeat the same exercise, but this time, he placed a bowl of soup in front of Kazuya instead of a rock.

Kazuya raised an eyebrow. "Are we just giving up and having lunch instead? Because I'm okay with that."

"Not quite." Orin folded his arms. "Your magic control is terrible, so instead of making things explode, let's start with something small—warming up this soup. If you burn it, no dinner."

Lilith tapped her chin thoughtfully. "You know, at this point, he might just starve."

Kazuya glared at her before turning his attention back to the bowl. This should be easy, right? Just a little heat—no explosions. He took a deep breath, focused, and pushed the energy out gently.

The soup shimmered…and then immediately boiled over, spilling onto the ground.

Orin sighed. "Well, at least you didn't die."

Lilith snickered. "Congratulations, Kazuya. You've officially learned how to ruin food."

"I hate both of you," Kazuya muttered.

Just as Kazuya was contemplating running away and living as a hermit, the trio heard footsteps approaching. A group of armored knights was making their way down the dirt path, their polished armor glinting under the sun.

Lilith stiffened. "Guards."

Kazuya froze. "Wait, why are you acting like we just got caught committing a crime?"

Orin chuckled. "Because teaching magic without a permit is technically illegal."

Kazuya's eye twitched. "And you're telling me this now?!"

Before Kazuya could run for his life, one of the knights stopped in front of them. "What's going on here?"

Orin smiled innocently. "Oh, nothing at all, officer. Just a simple lesson in…uh…fire safety!"

Kazuya glanced at the charred grass around him. "Yeah, real convincing."

The knight narrowed his eyes. "You're not conducting illegal magic training, are you?"

Lilith stepped forward, her voice smooth and confident. "Of course not. This poor fool—" she gestured at Kazuya, "—was just trying to cook his lunch and failed spectacularly."

The knight glanced at the spilled soup, then at Kazuya, who still had soot on his face. After a long pause, he shook his head. "Pathetic."

Kazuya wanted to die.

"Just don't let us catch you doing anything suspicious." The knight turned and walked off, his men following him.

Once they were gone, Kazuya turned to Lilith, his face blank. "You could have come up with anything, and you chose to insult me."

Lilith smiled. "I know."

Orin let out a wheezy laugh. "Boy, if you ever learn magic properly, I hope you remember today."

Kazuya sighed. "Oh, trust me. I will."

After the chaotic encounter, Kazuya finally managed to warm the soup without setting anything on fire. It was a small victory, but one that gave him hope that maybe—just maybe—he could learn magic properly.

Lilith handed him a bowl. "Here. You earned it."

Kazuya took it with a grateful nod. "You know, for all the torment, this wasn't the worst day ever."

Orin grinned. "That's the spirit! Now, let's see if you can manage not to die tomorrow."

Kazuya groaned. "I need better mentors."

Lilith smirked. "Too bad. You're stuck with us."

Despite himself, Kazuya couldn't help but chuckle. Maybe, just maybe, he was starting to get the hang of this world.

Even if it was trying to kill him at every turn.