Ch14 - Learning

Space.

Space is kind of like the arena for vectors.

Vectors are simply how something is in space.

So naturally,

a space magic user could manipulate them.

Unluckily,

The complex math and physics equations I have to do in my head are about to drive me insane. 

'Why can't it just be a simple fucking drag and drop.'

"Fuck me, brother."

I've dealt with vectors and these types of calculations before, 

but directly controlling vectors was proving to be way more difficult.

I raised my palm forward into the air for like the 30th time tonight. 

"Hahh..."

'I wanna fucking die.'

The calculations, the math, the direction, the magnitude. 

All of it ran through my head like a cheetah.

And what did it amount to?

A gust of wind.

'I'm worse than a fucking fan.'

I walked out of my room, my eyes groggy, they felt like two bags were tied to them as I walked.

'I need some fucking caffeine.'

Cursing, I don't use many curse words. Just one. The most flexible word in all of words. Whenever I was tired or put into a tough situation, I said it in almost every sentence I spat out. 

It was a horrible habit; I developed from my past life. 

'Old habits die hard.'

Someone who I didn't want to see at all sat at the kitchen table eating some type of sugary midnight snack. 

"Sugar is bad before bed, didn't your mother ever teach you that?"

Her pure white hair dimly lit by the kitchen lights, and her bright golden eyes dulled in comparison to what I had seen the days before. 

"Mind your own business."

Her voice tired, yet it still carried an amusing annoyance. 

"Hahh... Mages like us have it tough. New spells, new arts, new movement techniques, even some combat techniques."

"Yeah..."

This time her voice trailed off lacking the annoyance she showed earlier.

"Just remember. At the very end, I'll be the best mage of this generation."

Her eyes snapped back glaring daggers into me.

'Ah, I guess I ruined it.'

"Space Magic, it's a completely useless magic to most. And yet here you are. A Space Mage at the top of his generation."

Her words were heavy with praise, but her voice wasn't. It was dissatisfied, regretful even.

"Second-best, I know the feeling."

I said whilst taking a seat across from her, but not directly across from her. 

"Really?"

"Yeah, in the past no matter how much I tried, no matter how much effort I gave. Second, third, fourth, fifth best was all I could gain."

She sat there her hand like a pillar supported her head as she leaned on it, she was attentively listening to me as I spoke. 

Not downplaying, one-upping, or just purely not caring.

Her deep golden eyes were completely focused on my words as I trailed off and off about the past, magic, life.

It shocked me. It really did.

'Am I losing her? Man, I really do talk too much.'

A soft yet sudden realization hit me as I thought those words in my head.

'Why am I so concerned about her attention? Am I really that socially awkward?'

However,

Her eyes softened, narrowing in quiet curiosity, no longer the scrutinizing gaze of annoyance she once gave me. 

"You're a lot nicer than you appear."

I knew Lily had a good heart from the very start. 

Yet, I still wanted to mention it.

'A heroic, beautiful mage, that brought hope and dispelled darkness with spells of ice and wind.'

Her soft lips began to curl inward as she questioned my statement. 

"What? Did you think I was some arrogant noble bitch?"

Her steady yet soft and gentle, and a soft chuckle had slipped out just under her breath.

"Yeah"

"Go to sleep."

Her voice filled with pure annoyance, but not actual annoyance.

A friendly, welcoming kind as if you were conversing with an old friend of yours. 

"With all this caffeine I'm drinking I doubt I'd sleep before you."

I had brewed a cup of coffee the moment I stepped into the kitchen and began conversing with her. 

It was really, strangely

warm.

Not hot just warm. 

A small heat spreading throughout my chest. 

"Hah, drinking caffeine is bad before bed, didn't your mother ever tell you that? 

Her voice sharp with sarcasm teasing me with the very thing I said before.

"But I'll definitely fall asleep after you. As a woman, I couldn't bear the thought of sleeping in front of you."

She teasingly remarked, her voice sharp yet playful.

"It's a challenge then."

'I'll win this just you watch, Lily.'

An hour passed by in the blink of an eye before one of us fell asleep.

Who was it?

Well obviously, it was Lily. 

I went to my room to grab my blanket, and I draped it over her shoulders. 

Then I started walking back to my room, but I couldn't help but look back at her one more time.

'She really is beautiful. Does she truly care? Or is she just politely tolerating me? At the end of the day, I can't fall for her, the female lead. Someone destined to be with Henry.'

My mind flashed back to our lighthearted banter throughout the night. Her smiles, laughs, and eyes.

I couldn't help but think to myself.

'Beautiful'

I could feel it. My heart racing inside my chest, and my head heating up ever so slightly. 

'It's probably just the caffeine.'

I inwardly chuckled at myself, a mix of self-deprecation and amusement.

'I don't want to make some stupid decision. Not ever again.'

Thus, I practiced with vectors once more.

Was it a distraction?

Maybe, but it didn't matter. 

Lily showed me a couple of basic wind magic spells that I could try and replicate so I just kept going at it.

After a while, I finally recreated the [Windblast] spell, a heavy gust of wind that struck in the palm of your hand. 

'My match is technically tomorrow, it's already 5 am. I should at least get some sleep. I should ask someone to help me train tomorrow.'

***

A whizzing sound cut through the air as Lucas swung his guns once again taking that baton-like form. 

[Space Magic: Sign Shift]

I could make things coming at me bounce back by changing their velocity vectors into the opposite sign. 

[Space Magic: Sign Shift]

[Space Magic: Sign Shift]

Every attack that came at me I redirected immediately as Lucas got faster so did I, this way of deflecting or redirecting attacks is much better than [Singularity].

It takes less mana, but it requires more calculations in my head.

But at some point, the calculations will just start becoming instinctual. 

Lucas began flickering and dancing around me swinging in every direction, and obviously some attacks went through.

My legs, back, arm, and abdomen all burned intensely in pain from Lucas' hits.

Slowly but surely, hour after hour of training. Lucas even swapped out a couple of times with Maria, whom I also asked to help me.

Naturally, I still had to manually think and do the calculations for every attack that came my way.

It just slowly became easier and easier as I progressed. 

My goal is to have some type of aura of invincibility. I first tried it with [Singularity] and [Condensed Space], but that didn't work. 

Now, my idea is to use [Sign Shift] and learn how to manipulate the properties of space around me to be able to conjure up some type of aura of redirection.

Of course, with my expertise in magic circles I could make it, but the academy's system would consider my clothes a magic tool. 

So, I'd only be able to use it outside of matches or outside of school.

Time doesn't wait for anyone and no matter how much learning I still need to do.

The match had come.

Henry Vilhelm vs Lucien Polstrey.