Chapter 26

Just like an actual magic spell, the circle lit up, and the items came together like mana would. I watched intently to see what it would create. As the light faded, everything was gone. The circle, the symbols, the components. Where the circle had been carved into the ground, there was now a shallow hole with a small pile of snow in the middle.

"YEEEEEEES!" Maria jumped up with her hands in the air.

Everyone else looked over.

"It's not ice, but I finally, FINALLY have a decent outcome! Maybe a better opal with higher water content or a different water-to-feather ratio next time." Mari said as she lifted a notebook from the ground next to her.

"Congrats, Maria! It might not be ice, but snow is still great for cooling things. Make sure you take proper notes." Kazuo told her.

Kazuo smiled at me. "Want to see someone else's?"

"Uh, maybe just one more. I have to be somewhere else soon." I responded.

We wandered around for a bit, looking at other people's ritual magic. Some of them did nothing but go up in a puff of smoke, while others were creating small tornadoes and dancing lights. I thought about that thing Scott had done in the dark the day he arrived in prison.

"Hey, have you ever heard of one that can transform what something is made of into something else?" I asked while we walked around.

"Hmm. You mean, like, a person, or an item?"

"An item."

"Yeah! I'll show you!" He turned and went straight towards a human boy who looked about 16.

"This is Leo. He's been trying to turn things into wood to burn, since we can't go into the woods right now." Kazuo said.

"I was better at making fires, but I couldn't get one that burned for a meaningful length without fuel. If I can figure out how to make wood, though, maybe I could combine them and make burning wood." Leo said without turning to look at us.

His ritual circle was chaotic. It was in 2 sections, but both sides were full of symbols. I almost couldn't tell where one began and another ended. The ones I could make out were for transmutation, object, nature, tree, elemental, earth, water, and a few I hadn't seen before, or couldn't remember. He was placing things into the circle already, anyway. The first item was a thick branch. The second was a pile of something that smelled just like the stables at the inn. Fertilizer. And the last item was a rock. I was very confused. Kazuo must've also been confused, because he got a strange look on his face.

"Uh, Leo, Sam here is new. Why don't you explain your components to him?"

Nice save.

"Fine. The wood is the property I want, the poop is a nutrient that plants find valuable, and the rock is what I want to gain the properties of the wood.

"Well... that's certainly resourceful! Good luck!"

He placed everything in the circle. It lit up, everything came together, but instead of the desired result, there was a loud bang and smoke that reminded me of a cap gun.

"Damn. Thought that one would at least come together." Leo said.

"Keep at it! You'll get there." Kazuo reassured him.

I wanted to try one myself, but I also wanted to get going now. I remember there was a post on the notice board about this club thing.

"I have to get going, but can I come back on Monday?"

"Of course! Make sure to bring a few supplies of your own, though."

"Got it. See you later."

I waved goodbye and headed up the road a bit more until it curved out of sight, then ran up into the forest before I was spotted.

Despite entering from a completely different spot, this forest was actually pretty easy to navigate. You just had to find a spot where you could see the mountains through the trees. I made it to the clearing after nearly an hour of walking. They both still had their cloaks on. Ruri was sitting on the ledge over the river, kicking her feet over the edge, and Katsumi was standing behind her, watching me as I walked over. She didn't seem happy to see me, but she also didn't seem angry about it, which was an improvement from yesterday.

Before I could even say hello, Katsumi threw a stick toward me. I stepped to the side to avoid it and looked at her, confused.

"You're supposed to catch it." She said.

"Why did you throw it so hard then?"

She raised her own stick from under her cloak and held it like a sword.

"Don't whine! Let's battle!"

Ruri turned to look, but didn't say anything. Just smiled and watched.

"No, thanks."

"N-no, thanks?! You can't decline! We need to battle to find out who's stronger!"

"What? Why? It's probably you. I concede."

I was too tired for this. I just wanted to chill and try to catch a fish before I had to chop a tree down.

Ruri started laughing hysterically by the river. Katsumi didn't seem to like my response.

"You are the worst! Do you even realize just how lucky you are to be able to fight me? People would line up for miles just to-"

"Look, I don't really want to fight you. I understand maybe I went too far and hurt your feelings yesterday, and I'm really sorry for that, but I just want to take it easy today."

She seemed frozen in place, so I just walked by her. Ruri was rolling in the grass, holding her stomach, laughing so hard. Her cloak had fallen back off her head and revealed her blue hair and a pair of pointy ears. I had no idea what she found so funny, though. I set my bag down and sat down next to it, just as I heard the sound of a sword being drawn at a pitch I had never heard before, like distant lightning slowly striking along a path. I turned to see Katsumi with a katana, her hood back to reveal her white hair, wolf-like ears, and a bloodthirsty look in her eyes. Did she have that under her cloak this whole time?

"Ruri, please. I'll never ask you for anything again. Please."

Ruri was too busy crying with laughter to say anything. I felt a bit nervous. This was a bit far to be a joke. And that sword, it was odd. A deep black color that didn't reflect any light. I couldn't even see if it was sharp. Maybe it wasn't, and it was a training blade or something.

I turned to Ruri. "What's her deal? Is she always this aggressive?"

Ruri finally caught her breath and spoke. "Katsumi, put your blade away. You're the one who told me before, this isn't Felaris. He obviously doesn't know our culture."

"Did I do something wrong? Sorry. I didn't mean to offend anyone, I'm just really tired."

Katsumi stayed in that position for a few more moments until she finally sheathed the blade before lifting her chin and turning away from me.

"Beastkin value competition a lot. They compete for everything and believe that anyone more capable is more deserving, but there is nothing to gain from picking on the weak. They don't usually fight to the death, but the competition should match the reward. A spar to enter territory is common between friends and enemies. Win or lose, a good fight can help people grow closer, and having a strong rival is the best way to improve. You, walking by her like that, was like how someone really strong might treat someone much weaker than them. Like saying there's nothing you could gain from punching so low." Ruri explained in a childish, but surprisingly knowledgeable way.

"Oh. I didn't mean any of those things. Sorry again."

"For Katsumi, it's even more amusing. Lots of people would travel from far away just for a chance to battle with one of her family members over all sorts of things. Her family is sort of like human heroes in how people admire them. I've seen Katsumi decline fights with others often, but never the other way around."

"Yeah, well... don't worry about it too much. I don't really care for most of the heroes, either."

They both seemed surprised by that, but Ruri was the one to say something. "Really!? But the heroes are the reason humanity is a major race today. Without them, you would all still be a minor one."

"I appreciate the work heroes of the past have put in, and I do think some of the current ones are good, but a few of them just... give me a bad impression."

Ruri's eyes lit up. She suddenly looked really happy for some reason.

"Yeah! You understand. Just because they're at the top doesn't make them good people. You speak like you've met the heroes, though. Any- ... no. Never mind. That wouldn’t be fair."

She pulled away, not continuing that line of questioning. I kept forgetting she could detect lies, but she was being considerate with it.

I groaned as I stood up and began walking back towards the tree line. I guess if this was their way of becoming friends or something, I could oblige. I found the stick Katsumi had thrown my way. She had carved it down to look like a katana, which I had never held before. She was looking at me, confused, until I pointed it at her.

"Alright. I accept your challenge. Please go easy on me."