Chapter 21: Learning Magic (2)
Since Olgan had mastered the concept much faster than Edith expected, she decided to continue on instead of resting for the night.
Taking on the role of a teacher, Edith patiently explained, "Alright, next I'll teach you how to learn elemental magic. However, your ability to learn depends on your compatibility with the elements. For example, if you have an affinity for fire, you won't be able to learn ice magic. While there are rare cases of a fire user learning ice, those instances are extremely rare, almost impossible.
"For now, let's test your compatibility with fire control. With [Basic Mana Control] to assist you, this should be much easier, but it will still take some time before you can truly control fire. Focus on the campfire in front of us and try to influence it with your mana.
"Use your mana to sense how the fire takes shape, how it moves, how it exists, and how it burns. The more you understand fire, the better and faster the learning process will be.
"Don't worry if you fail; it took me at least a month—" Her words caught in her throat as she stood up, staring in disbelief at the small flame flickering in Olgan's palm.
A fire!
How?! All three of them stared at the flame in his hands, questioning their own reality.
Then, as if coming to a realization, Edith sighed in relief. "That's right, you had amnesia. Perhaps you learned it before, allowing you to instinctively conjure the fire."
He had an amnesia? Olex pondered, glancing at Olgan. Edith's reasoning made some sense.
He refused to believe someone could achieve such a feat so quickly. Even with an exceptionally high Potential for SPR, it seemed utterly impossible! Unless one possessed at least 15 Potentials, a reality so improbable that going back in time seems easier.
The thought of Olgan being a spy from Wintoria Empire, who has his own memories erased deliberately, briefly crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it.
Why would they send such a knowleadgable and valuable spy? What kind of spy would stand out so boldly? If they were attempting to climb ranks, they wouldn't be as overt as Olgan, who had taught Princess Edith about her new Class and now demonstrated this incredible talent for mana control.
Besides, it was better to let Princess Edith and her Knight assess the situation; they had spent far more time with him, and thus far, they seemed to trust him a lot.
Meanwhile, Olgan looked at the small flickering flame in his palm, disbelief etched on his face.
It's so... easy? Confusion washed over him, but reality confirmed it—he had conjured fire.
[You have learned Basic Fire Control]
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Skill: Basic Fire Control (Passive)
Level: 5 (00.00% EXP)
Description: Basic Fire Control is a foundational skill of fire magic that allows you to efficiently manage and manipulate small flames. This skill serves as the gateway to mastering fire-related skills, enabling you to conjure and control flickering flames.
Fire-related Skill EXP gains: +14%
Fire-related Skill Bonus Damage: +14%
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It's real... and it started at Level 5. Olgan was dumbfounded.
After listening to Edith explain, "The more you understand fire, the better and faster the learning process will be," he recalled knowledge from Earth. Fire is created from combustion; it needs fuel, oxygen, and sufficient heat to ignite. He repeated this in his mind, envisioning rubbing two pieces of wood together rapidly to create friction and spark a flame.
Done!
A fire was created, and a skill was learned!
Maybe I can use this to teach my students later... Wait, do they even understand what oxygen is? With Olex present, he decided to hold off on asking either Edith or Lenna for now.
"Maybe my high SPR helps?" he said, feigning innocence.
"Hmm, maybe you're right. Not many people accidentally raise their SPR as high as you," Edith replied with a smile, playing along.
"Come on, don't rub salt in my wounds. It was just a mistake," Olgan pretended to be dejected.
He maintained the flame in his palm for a while, observing its effect on his MP. Surprisingly, his MP didn't decrease at all.
I can't tell whether the skill costs 0 MP or if my MP regeneration outpaces the consumption... He made a mental note to experiment more later.
Next, he checked his previously acquired [Basic Mana Control]. Aside from a slight increase in EXP, it remained at Level 1. It seemed that understanding how fire works didn't translate to better mana control.
Just then, he felt Edith lightly tap his shoulder. "Maybe you're compatible with other elements too. Why not try?"
Curious, he asked, "How many elements are there?"
She pondered for a moment before answering, "No one really knows. New elements are discovered occasionally as civilization progresses. However, the most common ones are Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Lightning, and Nature. The Nature element is currently under debate of name changing; some think the term is too broad, originated from the Elves. Names like 'Plant' or 'Grass' don't quite fit as mainstream element names either."
Nodding thoughtfully, Olgan decided to start with water.
Gathering the moisture in the air... water consists of two hydrogens and an oxygen.... forming H2O. As he mumbled this in his mind, a drop of water instantly formed in his palm, leaving all three pairs of eyes wide with astonishment.
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Skill: Basic Water Control (Passive)
Level: 5 (00.00% EXP)
Description: Basic Water Control is a foundational skill of water magic that allows you to efficiently manage and manipulate drops of water. This skill serves as the gateway to mastering water-related skills, enabling you to conjure and control drops of water.
Water-related Skill EXP gains: +14%
Water-related Skill Bonus Damage: +14%
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"Y-you possess both water and fire elements—a contradictory elements..." Edith stammered in disbelief, but quickly regained her composure.
"Ahem... well, having both water and fire elements, while rare, isn't unheard of. However, if you suddenly conjure ice, the absolute opposite of fire, I might just pass out..." Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she looked at Olgan.
"How is that possible?" Olgan chuckled nervously, dispelling the water in his palm.
He felt he could probably conjure a cube of ice, but it seemed wise to keep that to himself—especially with Olex nearby.
Feeling a bit disappointed, Edith sat back down, her mood quickly lifting again. "So, what other elements are you compatible with?"
Olgan began to conjure Wind and Lightning in quick succession, effortlessly pushing both to Level 5 upon acquisition. However, he struggled with Earth and Nature. No matter how he imagined various minerals, he couldn't get Earth to manifest. As for Nature, he had absolutely no idea how to proceed.
"Phew... I might actually have a heart attack if you managed to conjure all the common elements instantly," Edith said, her voice tinged with relief, regaining her confidence.
With the excitement settling down, they shared a few more words as he watched Edith juggling her own sword with interest before retreating to their own tents for the night. The campsite was illuminated by a large blue glowing mushroom, casting a serene light over the area.
As Olgan lay down, he felt peaceful and comfortable, slowly drifting off to sleep.