One day since two weeks had passed for El at the Count’s Manor.

“I will definitely enter the Magic Academy next year.”

“Really?”

El was lying down on the couch, disinterested in my words while chewing on a cookie.

“Don’t you have any more of this?”

“There is no more. Those are expensive.”

In this world, every magician turning 15 years old can enter the Magic Academy for free. And it’s said that if they graduate after learning magic for three years, they won’t have any problem finding work after.

Therefore, I definitely have to graduate from the Magic Academy. If I do, I can find work even after leaving this home and be able to live somehow.

There are 7 months left though. I have lots of time until April next year. The entrance examination will be at the beginning of next year. Though it seemed like it was only a simple test to verify whether you could use magic.

“It would be nice if you were a magician, too.”

“Sure.”

El laughed scornfully at me and ate the last cookie before turning his gaze at me.

“Even if you don’t go to that place, you can still use minimal magic.”

“Huh? Really? Let alone being able to use it at all, I don’t even know my element.”

Occasionally, a mysterious light would come out of the palm of my hand, but I didn’t know how to control it.

Because of that, I thought of studying diligently at the Magic Academy and aiming to be a splendid magician.

“Fire and light.”

“What?”

“You are a fire and light magician.”

El yawned while muttering.

“H-how do you know that?”

“I know by looking at you.”

That reminded me that El had previously said that his eyes were special. Though did he really know only from a glance?

To begin with, I’ve heard that possessing two elements was pretty rare. It wasn’t like I was doubting him, but it was too good to be true,

“Come to think of it, what happened with your arm?”

“Oh, this is from when Samantha pushed me.”

The arm he was pointing at had a relatively big bruise. After staring at it, El said,

“...Should I teach you magic?”

“Huh? But at your age…”

“Hey, I am better than anyone else. Ah… Anyhow, although I can’t use magic, I can at least teach you.”

I couldn’t hide my surprise at El’s sudden declaration. And this mystery really intrigued me.

However, the most surprising part was that El, who did nothing good for others unless it benefited him, suggested it himself.

“If you know that, prepare a lot of these cookies. For tomorrow.

“O-okay.”

“It’s a deal.”

It seemed like he only wanted to eat cookies.

After saying that, El stood up, opened a drawer in my desk, and pulled out a small knife.

To begin with, how in the world would El, who had turned 12 years old, teach magic? How can this be?

Thinking it to be strange, I watched him slash his thin white arm all of a sudden.

“El! What are you…!”

“You’re too loud, be quiet. Come on, we’ll begin now.”

El said as grabbed my trembling right hand and held it over his bleeding arm.

“Come on, use healing magic.”

“I-I told you that…”

Was there really such an unbelievable way of teaching?

“Feel the magic powers flowing from your heart and imagine my arm returning to how it was.”

“...!”

“Close the wound with magic with a feeling like you’re braiding.”

Even if he said that, I had only learned my elements a few minutes ago, so how could I do it right away? They say that experience is the best teacher, but this is still unreasonable.

Besides, I couldn’t concentrate watching the blood dripping from his arm.

El stared at me and said,

“If it’s you, you can do it. I guarantee it.”

For some reason, those words had a strange persuasive power.

While gazing into the transparent blue eyes, I calmed down.

“...Now, imagine it to be like before.”

“Yes.”

After taking a deep breath, I recalled what El had said previously and imagined like he described.

While I did that, a soft light enveloped El’s arm, and the wound closed in the blink of an eye. After seeing that, I slumped down on the floor.

I really ended up using magic. However, more than that, I was relieved El’s wound was cured.

“Look, you could do it after all. Good job.”

“...”

“As promised, prepare cookies for me.”

Saying that, El headed for the couch again, but I grabbed his arm before he could.

“...What, do you still have something to complain about?”

“Hey, please, never hurt yourself again.”

“What? I got better, so it’s fine.”

“Even then, don’t do it. Please.”

I said while gazing into his glass marble-like eyes. El showed a puzzled expression while he looked back at me.

“It has nothing to do with you whether I get hurt, right?”

“It does. You’re my family now, after all. Therefore, I don’t want you to do that.”

“...Family?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t have anything like that and I don’t need it either.”

El said and shook off my hand, then left the room.