During lunch break, Jared was, as promised, engrossed in a magical discussion with Laurentz.
The group consisted of Jared, Crysta, and Lars, along with Laurentz, Bertha, and Kurt. Laurentz seemed keen to avoid any lingering animosity with Jared and had apparently looked for Drew, but couldn’t find him.
Bertha and Kurt were twins, the eldest son and daughter of the Bartram baronial family, who had a long-standing relationship with the Herring family. Their attitude and words clearly showed they valued their roles as Laurentz’s retainers more than their noble status.
After finishing lunch, Jared and his companions arranged two four-seater tables outside the cafeteria.
Jared discussed the difference between Earth Magic and Gaia Magic with Laurentz, while Crysta spoke in hushed tones with Bertha, who was of the same gender. Lars listened in on Jared’s conversation while drinking tea, and Kurt, as a fellow magician, also listened with keen interest.
“—I see. That was informative. Thank you, Jared.”
“I learned a lot too. Thank you.”
Laurentz’s approach and knowledge of magic, as he sought to master Earth Magic, had much for Jared to learn. While having three attributes sounded impressive, mastering them all would take considerable time. In that regard, a common single attribute was faster to master and allowed for greater concentration compared to a composite attribute.
Of course, mastering even a single attribute was a distant impossibility. Magicians pursued this endeavor with the full understanding of that fact.
“Hmm. Listening to Jared and Laurentz’s conversation, I had a question: is Earth Magic insufficient for manipulating plants?”
“I’d like to know too. I’ve never heard of an attribute magic that manipulates plants. I know magicians keep their secrets, but could you possibly share even a little?”
In response to Lars’s question and Laurentz’s plea, Jared began to explain.
“It’s not that I want to hide it, so it’s fine… I believe plants fall under Earth Magic.”
“Earth Magic— does that mean even I can use it?”
“Of course. However, the preparation required to use it is considerable. If you wanted to, you could send magic power to plants growing anywhere and manipulate them, but there’s a drawback: plants cannot fully receive the magic power. Even if you can manipulate them, plants themselves have limitations.”
He paused there, then took out several seeds from a paper packet and placed them on the table.
“What are these?”
“Although the variety is limited, these are seeds of plants that can withstand magic power. Some of them grow in monster nests or settlements, and they survive by absorbing magic power on a daily basis.”
“Was the thorny vine you used on Drew yesterday like that?”
“Correct. By sending magic power to the seeds, they sprout and are manipulated instantly. You can think of them as a kind of familiar, a plant familiar. Plants have their own will, too.”
Before they knew it, everyone’s interest was piqued.
Even Crysta, who was not a magician, leaned forward with curiosity.
“However, I believe that if magic power can be sent, plants can be utilized regardless of whether it’s Earth Magic?”
“It also comes down to compatibility. I think a water attribute magician could likely do the same, but fire attribute magic would not work.”
“Meaning?”
“What image do you have of fire?”
In response to Jared’s question, everyone fell silent, pondering.
Crysta was the first to speak.
“Burning, perhaps?”
“That’s right. It’s one aspect of fire attribute magic, but burning is the most easily imaginable. Magic of this attribute primarily specializes in offense, so fire attribute magicians cannot cultivate plants. Depending on the individual, aggressive magic power is not suited for protection or nurturing.”
As the conversation delved deeper, Kirsi Santala would likely have more knowledge on the subject. Having been dragged into numerous magic experiments, Jared understood this painful truth all too well. The method for manipulating plants was also something obtained through Kirsi’s experiments.
This was an ongoing area of research, so definitive answers had not yet been reached. However, when one hears “earth” or “ground,” plants are what most people, including magicians, tend to associate with it. Such imagination, preconceptions, and a magician’s aptitude are thought to be conducive to growing and controlling plants.
“Hmm, that’s difficult. So, it’s about intuition, isn’t it?”
“Not everything is clearly defined. For more detailed information, you should ask Sensei Kirsi. She’ll even teach you with experiments.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Wait, Jared. Is what you’ve just explained perhaps related to Sensei Santala’s research?”
“It is— oh, it’s fine to talk about this much. Going into more detail might get confusing. Ultimately, Earth Elemental Mages are thought to possess magic power that easily cultivates plants, and Gaia Magic, possessing the water attribute essential for plant growth, is considered even more effective for cultivation— or so it is believed. For now, just think of it that way.”
Jared himself wasn’t entirely sure. He simply used his innate talent for growing and controlling plants. Since it was also a result of Kirsi’s research, he had paid his dues and shared everything when he devised applications. He had served as a test subject, so he wouldn’t be criticized. Rather, he felt he had a right to complain about the exorbitant price.
Jared, who had been answering Laurentz’s questions, suddenly stopped.
Everyone, wondering what was happening, turned their attention to him.
“Hmm… a guest.”
Lars was the next to notice, following Jared’s lead.
They could hear small footsteps approaching. The owner of the footsteps seemed to be consciously trying to conceal their presence, but humans could not completely erase their presence.
Even if one held their breath, the heart continued to beat. Sound was an unavoidable fact.
However, the approaching individual was clearly a highly skilled practitioner.
As he stood up from his chair and drew a knife from his uniform jacket, preparing to defend himself, everyone except Lars was startled.
“Murphy-kun!?”
“Quietly.”
He replied curtly without looking back. His focus remained fixed. Jared’s gaze was fixed on a single door connecting the cafeteria to the outside.
“Um, please, I mean no hostility, so it would be helpful if you could lower your guard.”
Hearing a familiar voice, Jared immediately recognized who it belonged to.
“Dennis Beckman?”
“Yes, it’s Dennis. Long time no— well, not exactly, but hello. I’m about to open the door, but please don’t attack.”
The person who appeared was indeed Dennis Beckman from the Mage Association.
“Master Murphy, and esteemed friends, I am Dennis Beckman of the Mage Association. It’s generally not advisable for members of the Association to frequent academies, so I attempted to conceal my presence. I apologize if I caused alarm. Hahaha.”
“Liar,” Jared grumbled inwardly.
He had not missed the faint trace of hostility that Dennis had deliberately emitted, in addition to merely concealing his presence.
Since everyone except Lars was unaware, Jared had prepared to defend them. Had he been alone, he would have already attacked.
“Dennis, I don’t particularly like being spied on. What is it you want?”
“A request from the Mage Association for you, Jared Murphy.”
