第１６６９堀：魔術を学ぶには (Part2)
"Come to think of it, fireplaces are the same. They rely on chimneys, and they're just full of smoke... Wait! I've got it. It's breath! When you start a campfire by hand, you blow on it to increase the heat. In other words, is it air?"
"Oh, marvelous. That answer is correct."
Indeed, it is. When you think about how to start a campfire or make it blaze, you have to feed it air.
"In short, the candle in the glass went out because the air was depleted. The soil is no different."
"I see... But what does that have to do with magic?"
Ah, so we haven't quite reached that point yet, have we?
"It has everything to do with it. As I explained earlier, to make a fire burn, you need the fuel—the candle or the spark—and you need air, separately. You can conjure the fire with magic. Now, what should you do about the air?"
"Ah, wind magic!"
"Exactly. Though, that is difficult to calibrate. And when there is an appropriate amount of oxygen present..."
As Comet-sama says this, she lights a flame on her index finger, but then it changes. The familiar orange flame shifts to red, then white, then blue.
"Ooh!"
The students watching let out a collective gasp.
"If you've ever looked at the sun in the sky, you'll understand. It begins to emit a flash so intense you can no longer look at it directly. A flame visible to the naked eye is still far from the peak."
In the end, it shines just like the sun in the sky, and with it comes an incredible heat... wait.
"Comet-sama, it's burning. The heat is too high; the papers on the table are catching fire!"
"Oops."
As I warn her, she immediately extinguishes the flame and pats out the burning handouts.
"Now, this is what I mean by being able to adjust the power of magic through knowledge. The saying that those who work in smithing have a high aptitude for fire magic, or those who work with water have a high aptitude for water magic, isn't entirely a lie. It's because they understand the nature of those elements so well. And now, Hovis, demonstrate."
"Yes, understood."
Prompted by Comet-sama, I also activate fire magic on my index finger. I show them how to change the color of the flame, just as she did.
"Hovis doesn't have any particular talent for magic. The only difference is that he possesses this kind of foundational knowledge."
"Ahaha, though of course, you can't do it without mana!"
There isn't anyone with zero mana, but the question of quantity always follows.
"Is it impossible without mana?"
"No, it's a simple matter of the difference in the number of practice attempts. I've never seen anyone who theoretically has zero mana. However, those who have never handled magic can't control their mana, so if they don't have a large amount, it's difficult for them to grasp the sensation."
"I see."
"Well, I've digressed. With this, your understanding of fire has deepened. Try activating magic on your index fingers while being conscious of both the fire and the air."
"Yes!"
So instructed, the students begin to practice.
Some students succeed quickly, while others struggle. As I move around to assist them, I notice that the students—particularly the commoners who have handled fire themselves—are doing better, while the noble students, who have never dealt with fire outside of magic, are having a harder time.
However, it doesn't take long before every student succeeds in adjusting the color of their flames.
"Congratulations, students. This is the method we teach here in Weed: by understanding natural phenomena, you can make magic more efficient and easier to cast. As I believe you covered in Riel's class, this also applies to medicine. By knowing people—by knowing the human body—you can perform treatments accurately. If you learn the foundations well, there is much you can apply them to."
Comet-sama pauses to look at the students once more. After catching her breath, she adds:
"Now, this is the class I provide. If you wish to know more, you should attend the next one."
As she says this, the chime rings, and the class comes to an end.
I really wish Earth had mana, too. I'd love to try flying through the sky.