Now that we have finished with the greetings, everyone headed to the second floor.

  “It’s better to do it outside, but it’s cold.”


  “Aai.”


  “Kuh.”


  When Nico saw me raise my hand, he imitated me, and Nii-sama covered his face when he saw this.

  Because the study room was left as it was this morning, there was a small table, chairs and a blackboard, so Nico and I quickly sat down, and waited excitedly for Nii-sama’s class to begin.

  “Mm, Lei and Your Highness.”


  “What’s wrong?”


  “Whath’sh wrong?”


  “I think Lei knows this, but we don’t use desks or chairs to practice magic.”


  Oh, that’s right. When Nico and I got off the chair, Nii-sama beckoned us to the carpet on the floor.

  “It’s called magic circulations, and you begin by being conscious of the magic inside you, and practice how to move it. “


  Indeed, Nii-sama and Otou-sama trained a lot at home.

  “However, to be honest, this is a bit boring. It’s not interesting at first.”


  At that time, the library door opened softly, and Nico’s father came in. Nico was listening seriously to Nii-sama, and Nii-sama didn’t pay attention to what was happening behind him. Nico’s father signalled me to be quiet by putting his finger to his mouth, so I kept quiet.

  “First, Lei. Let’s make His Highness aware of his magic.”


  “Ai!”


  I faced Nico and took his hand. I sent magic to him like I did with Alistair. He’ll be surprised. And if I send too much, it would probably feel gross to him, so I’ll just send a little.

  “Nico, Nico wiww shend magic.”


  “I’m not sure what you’re doing though.”


  Nico tilted his head in confusion, and I pushed a little magic into Nico.

  “Wow.”


  Nico was surprised and quickly let go of my hand. I laughed.

  “What did you do?”


  “Thath’sh magic.”


  “I feel like my body is swaying.”


  “Magic shwaysh.”


  Nico looked curious.

  “Your Highness, perhaps, you had too much of this swaying, so you felt bad.”


  “Lots of swaying…… I see.”


  Nico suddenly realised something.

  “You’re practising how to expel that swaying.”


  Nii-sama continued while looking mischievous, “It’s actually dangerous for students, so they practice slowly, but is it impossible for you, Your Highness?”


  “I can do it!

  Nico suddenly got motivated.

  “Then, this is a magic stone.”


  Nii-sama took out a small light magic stone out from his bag.

  “This is a magic stone used for light that Lei had filled up when she was one.”


  “Lei did?”


  Nico was surprised, and Nico’s father raised his eyebrows. It was an accident. An accident.

  “Ith jushth happened tho be in my hand.”


  “Fufu, everyone was worried at the time.”


  “Ai. Sowwy.”


  I’m good now.

  “You have more magic than Lei did at that time. So, you won’t feel bad if you channel your magic into this one stone. Do you want to try it?”


  “I do!”


  Nico nodded.

  “For now, hold it in your hand.”


  “Hmm.”


  Nico put the faded magic stone on his palm and tilted his head.

  “Nothing’s happening.

  “Lei wiww thry shwaying magic from thhe wefth.”


  “Hmm, do that.”


  I held Nico’s left hand as he held the magic stone in his right and gently pushed magic into him.

  “Oh, it’s swaying.”


  “Shwaying geththing bigger.”


  I swayed my body while still holding his hand.

  “Hahaha! Shake, shake!”


  Our magic also shook. The magic swaying inside the laughing Nico slipped off a little.

  “Ah.”


  The magic that had slid off of him was sucked in by the magic stone. The magic stone quickly turned red, then purple. It should repel soon.

  “Oh.”


  “Did you geth repewwed?”


  “It was like the magic stone was saying it didn’t need any more.”


  “Dat!”


  It seemed like his magic was sucked safely. Everyone was watching nervously, and then they felt relieved when they heard this.

  “Let’s get the magic stones to suck your excess magic once a week like this. And if you feel bad in the meantime, then let His Highness or Lei look at you, and get the magic stone to suck your magic again.”


  “Alright!”


  “Now, let’s leave that aside, and practice circulating your magic.”


  “Hmm.”


  Nico was full of motivation.

  “What? You’re finished?”


  “Father!”


  “Your…… Highness.”


  Nico looked at his father, and Nii-sama turned around and realised that the Prince was there. They both raised their voices. Gill, who had been watching happily, also adjusted his posture.

  “Isn’t it unfair for only Nico to experience these things?”


  I wondered what he would say, and he said that. Everyone became troubled. I know someone like this, so I knew what the Prince was going to say next.

  “I want to try it too.”


  “But, Your Highness, your job is to channel magic into the magic stones. Why do you want to channel your magic into a small one?”


  Nii-sama pointed out calmly.

  “I’m not saying I want to channel magic into the magic stone. I’m saying I haven’t done anything interesting like channelling magic into someone else.”


  Nii-sama glanced at me. Oh yeah, Nii-sama hasn’t done this either. In other words, the only person who has done it here is me, no wait, Nico too.

  “I haven’t done it before, either. But, I have met Hollows and felt my magic sway out of my body. I just replaced that and put in it a way that His Highness, Nicholas, would understand,” Nii-sama said a little coldly.

  “Then, let’s try it.”


  “No, thanks.”


  The Prince looked at Nii-sama who had refused, and my heart was beating. I’m sure this is the long-winded up feeling I felt when I was Japanese. The Prince looked at me without flinching at all.

  “If Luke won’t do it, then Lei, won’t you do it with me?”


  “She won’t,” Nii-sama refused before I could answer.

  “That way of speaking. You’re exactly like Dean.”


  “Thank you,” Nii-sama was curt.

  “The point is that right? You don’t want Lei to touch anyone.”


  “I’m-! I let her do it with Prince Nicholas because he’s still young, but I don’t want her to overuse her magic. She’s only one!”


  “Hmm.”


  Nii-sama is right on this. I straightened my posture that had weakened because of the Prince. I was about to send magic to him.

  “Then, Luke, you do it.”


  “That’s.”


  “You can’t?”


  “.…… I think I can.”


  You can just say you can’t!

  “If you don’t like being touched, then how about we shake our magic outside like Hollows do.”


  Nii-sama looked empty and went silent. Come to think of it, why do Hollows resound in our bodies? Even if we magic users are near each other, our bodies don’t resonate.

  No.

  There was a time when it did.

  I looked up at Nii-sama in surprise, and he also looked surprised.

  With the barrier!