Chapter 17 – Without the Dolls

“Well… we’re going to be living together from now on, so I need to show you my face… and explain.”

During a break after the tour, Clare decided to take off her hat and show her real face. She placed the doll next to her, put her hands on the hat and stopped moving for a moment… and then, as if determined, took off the hat.

Selena gasped. She could see Clare’s true form through the disguise magic… and her otherworldly appearance, coupled with the mysterious color of her hair and eyes, was clearly a surprise.

However, as Selena looked into her eyes in surprise, Clare was trembling slightly. Her expression didn’t change, but she eventually looked down and pulled the brim of her hat down, pulling it down deeper.

“Um…?”

“I’m sorry… but I’m embarrassed to show my face… I feel very uneasy without the doll. I’ll be able to do it if I get used to it a bit more…”

“Ah. I guess I should say she’s timid and introverted? Her facial expressions and attitude don’t really reveal her true feelings, but she does become a little suspicious without the doll… At this rate, she probably can’t have a good conversation with people she doesn’t know or hasn’t seen for a long time unless she uses ventriloquism.”

“I… is that so…?”

“It seems so. Well, her words and attitudes are true whether she’s controlling the doll or not, so you can rest assured about that. Also, it shouldn’t affect her in battle. It was a good idea to teach her that as well…”

When I first met her, I thought she was a magician with boundless potential and even mature, but the impression I got now was entirely different. However, from what Rona said, when Selena was surprised by the broom and the state of the hut, the doll reacted with a happy look, so she probably had a childlike side to her.

Selena thought that she was polite but not intimidated, but according to Rona, that was not the case at all.

“With the doll Lily, everything will be fine. See, here it is.”

Clare pulled the doll closer, and her tone immediately became normal. However, if you look closely, you can see that her mouth is not moving. It was ventriloquism.

Clare picked up the doll and seemed to have recovered, but that was just an appearance in the same way as when she was acting on stage, and deep down she was depressed. She even called the doll’s name, which she rarely says in public.

It was the first time in her life that she had shown her face to someone other than Rona without the doll or without switching between emotions, but Clare felt that she seemed to be much more shy than in her previous life. Her facial expression barely shows any emotion, but her inner turmoil seems to be getting worse.

If you think about it, it’s been over 10 years since she’s been naked with anyone other than Rona, who she considers family. Even if you take that into account, would she have been able to go this far without the doll? Clare seriously wonders if, like Selena, her facial expressions and emotions don’t match, and that there might be some influence from possessing some unique magic.

“Also… when you’re controlling a doll with magic, if you’re not careful, your emotions may appear on the doll.”

As if to prove Rona’s words, the doll, which is being controlled by magic, hangs its head with its hands on Clare’s thighs. The doll itself appears to be sitting quietly, but it appears that this is not the case on the inside.

“I see. No, it’s okay, Clare. I… well, I thought it was cute.”

Selena’s words are also her true feelings. I was surprised, but after hearing Rona’s explanation, I think Clare, who was trembling, could be said to be a shy and cute child.

“Uh, thank you…”

“Well, then, let’s talk a little bit about my training. I’ll also talk about what I do daily.”

Clare says that she uses magic to disguise her hair and eye color to avoid trouble, and when Rona uses a jamming spell on her in a surprise attack, she says that her daily training involves blocking it, so there’s no need to worry if you see her.

As she speaks, Rona suddenly unleashes a wave of magical power as if to demonstrate, and Clare deflects it almost reflexively.

The movement of magical power trying to dodge the powerful jamming spell is interesting to watch for Selena, who has little experience with magic.

“Well, it would be a problem if she were shaken up and her disguise was broken. I’ll leave that as it is. Once we’ve verified her strengths and weaknesses in magic, I’ll have Selena do something similar. Of course, it’ll be tailored to her abilities and nature.”

“That’s… I’ll do my best.”

“Yeah. We’ve got some new friends.”

If we’re talking about training in our daily lives–Clare and Rona are constantly deploying multiple spells, and it seems they use magical power to strengthen themselves with small movements and work.

“So, even if you can’t use anything other than your unique magic, can you strengthen your magic?”

“That’s–Yes. It’s possible, but intuitively.”

“That’s right. Basic strengthening of magic power is not strictly magic. Advanced ones can be further strengthened with a spell, but those with magic can get the effect just by concentrating their mind.”

“It’s like if you’re conscious and tense up, it won’t hurt even if something hits you in the same way.”

Clare gave this analogy, and Rona nodded.

“It’s not a metaphor or a joke. If you can control magic to a certain extent, the strength of your skin, muscles, and bones actually increases. And being able to consciously strengthen yourself is just the first step – you can sense magic. On top of that… you seem to have the quality and quantity of magic to use magic.”

Rona half-closes her eyes and observes Selena’s magic.

“Yes. That was also confirmed in the territory.”

“Good. Then, you should use magic strengthening as much as possible in your daily work, just like Clare. It will be hard at first, but your magic will increase eventually. You already use magic to maintain the magic of your eyes.”

“I understand.”

If that’s how she gets stronger, there’s no way Selena would be dissatisfied. It seems like the stagnant situation is suddenly moving forward, and her heart is pounding with expectation and excitement.

Selena can also strengthen her body with magical power because it is not strictly magic, but she uses it at key moments, such as when she is thrusting or stepping forward with her sword, or during a sword fight. However, Selena is careful that it is quite difficult to use it many times in daily life. Both of them must have a different amount of magical power than the other magicians Selena has seen so far.

Rona points to her eyes and says to Selena.

“Now, let’s talk about your eyes. Your eyes are constantly using unique magic without realizing it. There are benefits, but if you try to learn magic… you are forced to use magic in parallel from the beginning even though you are a beginner. So even if it is a simple magic, it is more difficult for you to learn and use it than others, and it is easy to show strengths and weaknesses.”

Magic is used by chanting and moving to move magical power to use the magic. Rona lectured cheerfully that this process would be hindered, and that it would be difficult to get a sense of how magic moves and even to chant without it because it would be impossible to activate it without it.

“I… so that’s how it is… I see…”

Rona’s explanation was obvious and easy to understand. Above all, it was a satisfying answer to the part that had been bothering me. I knew that I had magic within me, but when it came to minute movements, there was something big and I couldn’t sense the subtleties. I had always had that feeling.

“So, start by looking for a type of magic that you’re good at, one that doesn’t conflict with the eye’s unique magic… or a magic that is compatible with it. At the same time, look inside yourself and consciously explore and feel the movement of the magic that is being allocated to the unique magic. Once you’ve done that–Clare, what would you do?”

When Rona asked her some questions, Clare put her hand on the doll’s chin as if thinking about something.

“Hmm. If the basics are the same, then… you can keep deploying magic within your range and get used to working in parallel… right? I think that will also make it possible to do chanting without casting spells. ”

“That’s right. That’s the basic training that you can do alone. ”

“You can train even when Rona or I are at the Great Sea of Trees gathering materials. ”

“Well, one of us will probably stay at the hermitage, though.”

Selena was surprised by the conversation again. What she just said meant that Clare usually goes to the Great Sea of Trees alone. She said that she is the same age as she looks. To Selena, she is a senior disciple who is ahead of her, but she is a younger girl.

“Do you usually go to the Great Sea of Trees alone, Clare-sama?”

“I only do activities in areas that I can handle myself.”

I asked in surprise, and received that reply.

“That’s true, but… don’t use Clare as a standard. Since we’re apprentices, and we’re going to train together, I’ll tell you… Clare also has her own unique magic, and her circumstances are a little different.”

It would be inefficient to research, develop, and refine her unique magic while hiding it as long as we’re living together. That’s why Rona brought her to the hermitage.

“Unique magic…”

“Um. Here it is. What do you think?”

As the girl doll points, Clare lets magical threads hang from the fingertips of her outstretched hand.

“To my eyes, it looks like glowing threads are hanging from each of her fingertips.”

The threads are very thin. They’re so tiny that even Selena might not be able to see them from a distance.

“Yes. It’s the same for this magic.”

“–It seems so. This magic is particularly compatible with places with complex three-dimensional structures like the Great Sea of Trees. It’s no problem for the monsters that appear in the area where Clare goes to collect them.”

Selena couldn’t imagine how threads would be used to fight monsters, but she thought it would certainly be useful in a three-dimensional place.

In any case, there’s no doubt that both the master and his apprentice have high magical skills and various knowledge. Selena thought that this wasn’t because she was unfamiliar with magic.

“Also… Selena uses a sword. I’ll prepare a wooden sword of the same weight and length as that sword, so you can practice sword fighting with Clare with it.”

“I, I understand. Lady Clare… can you use a sword?”

Selena asked in surprise, but Clare tilted her head.

“Well, the only blades I’ve ever held are knives and sickles…”

“I think it’ll be something that’s meaningful to both of us. Since you don’t have much experience with people, it’s important for you to understand how swordsmen fight and think. Normally, a wizard would have to figure out how to survive when they approach you.”

Although Clare skipped that task with her unique magic, it’s certainly meaningful in the sense that it will increase the number of situations you can deal with. The reason why she hasn’t done so until now, despite the importance of knowing the normal procedures, is because she hasn’t had the opportunity to do so. If Selena is nearby, the story will be different.

“I see… Then I’ll borrow your sword as well.”

“I’m happy to have something to give back.”

Selena smiles as Clare bows with the doll.

“Well, then, that’s enough for a break. We’ve already cleared the space, so let’s make a storage room there and prepare Selena’s room.”

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