Learning that I could do magic came as quite the shock to me. I knew that it existed in this world, but I assumed as an outsider that it simply wasn't possible for me to do. After all, how would someone that was born without it, be able to perform any spells?

However, that turned out to be very much the case, now that I was standing in front of Saffron in another one of the rooms in this mansion. This one was open and pretty big as well. Seeing as she wanted to see me perform some spells, it made sense. But, why not just do it outside, instead of making a room for it?

“Are you ready?” She asked in a cheerful singsong voice. “You better be!” She closed her eyes, focusing herself it seems. Then she blew my mind as she showed what she was made of, as fire started forming in her hands.

“Wow, so I'm going to learn how to do that?” That looks like some of the fun I was looking forward to when I first got here.

“Nope.” Way to bring a guy down easy there, Saffron. “You see, in this world, people can usually do only one element.” She told me that, but I wonder exactly what element healing magic would fall under then? Something nature-based, I guess?

“So then, yours is fire?”

“Actually, I'm special.” She then performed another spell, conjuring the cool breeze of ice flowing around her. “I can use every element.” Lucky for her... Actually, how is that possible?

“So what's my element?”

“You have something special too.” I would hope so, if I'm really the reincarnation of her old master. From her stories about him, he seemed like a really powerful dude. “You don't have an element.” What she just said doesn’t make any sense, if I don't have an element, then why can I do magic?

“If what I did in the bathhouse wasn't an element, then what is it?”

“It's called light magic.” She explained the basics, but to distill it down even further. Unlike the element-based magic, which was about creating something from the magic within the body. My type of magic actually uses my emotions to create magic itself.

When I heard her tell it to me like that, it made sense why I was able to use it back in the bathhouse. I did it because of how mad I was to see those scars. Thinking about how much she suffered in the past, that must've put me over the edge. It also explains why it healed her scars a little bit as well.

“So, what else can I do?” I hope that light magic doesn't just lend me to being just a supporting character. It's not a bad thing if I can do buffs and healing stuff, but I'd like to be able to fight as well.

“You can make a shield.” I guess I'm not going to be rising as a hero. Actually, I say that, but there's not even anything to save in this world. Mostly thanks to her, in fact. “Just try.”

Just try? What type of teaching is this? Well, if it's based on my emotion, then I have to feel it. Not really sure what feeling for a shield means, but it worth a shot.

I get into a stance, which thankfully no one can see me doing. Because, it's really cheesy, but I'm not sure what I need to do anyway. I put my hand up, palm out to set up the shield.

Then I close my eyes and try to envision that shield. Yes, that's right, I can see it. That glowing, it looks like a wall of light is growing. I'm doing it! I'm doing it!

Wait, I have to open my eyes first. I do, and there’s... Nothing there.

“Um, did I make a shield?” I ask her nervously. She gives a rather... Sad response.

“But, all you did was stand there and close your eyes.” Well, that was embarrassing. Okay, maybe it's like with when I did that healing magic. I just need to get angry.

“Ahhh!” With all my energy, I yell out and push out my palm again. Nothing.

I don't understand, I was able to do it without trying before. There's gotta be something to this magic business I'm not getting here. Maybe if I ask her for a demonstration, that could give me an idea of what I'm doing wrong.

So I ask for another example, and she's more than happy to show me. When she begins, I start to realize that she's doing this as a means to impress me, isn't she? Saffron starts with snapping her fingers, at first I don't know what this is supposed to do. However, sparks start to fly out, she's using electric magic here. In a magnificent flash, she slings out a shot, striking the wall next to us. Now that’s a powerful move right there. It really gave me the shivers there.

Wait a second... I got an idea. “Saffron, attack me.” She's completely shocked at the command I threw at her.

“What? There's no way I'd do that to you!” She gets really upset at that comment. “Why would you ask for something stupid like that?”

“I should've clarified, but maybe it might help me do a spell.” I'm not asking for a big attack or anything. She can throw a small fireball, and I'll try to get my shield up. Nothing life-threatening, but it's not safe either. I understand that I can get seriously injured doing it, but I'm willing to take the risk. Mostly because I'm confident that I can pull it off.

After some convincing, I'm able to get her to do it. Slowly, she builds up a tiny ball of fire, then tosses it at me. It's going pretty slow, so I should have time to block it.

“Ahh!” I yell, throwing my hand out in front of me. All right, time for it to come up... Any second now... Any... Please just work, why won't it work!?

“Just get out of the way!” She yells at me, but I'm not giving up just yet. I can't fail now, I don't want to fail. Please, I don't want to get hurt!

That's when it happened, a tiny shield finally came when I needed it the most. Too bad that it was exactly that, a tiny shield. The flame ran into my small light shield, but it wasn't even big enough to cover my hand.

“Tsk, ow!” My fingers, oh my fingers. This hurts so bad... I collapse from the pain, as Saffron runs up to me in fear. Great, now she's going to get sad because she'll think it's her fault. It's not, it's my own stupid fault for going past my abilities. Now I'm dealing with the consequences of it.

“Are you okay?” She runs up and takes a closer look at the burned hand. It's so bad, that even her soft touch stings me to no end. I recoil away from her, just to minimize this pain.

Ah! It just hurts so bad. If only I could somehow heal it... Oh wait, I can, or at least I should be able to.

With my other hand, I try to gather the thoughts I need to perform that healing spell I did earlier. Hearing her encouragements makes me feel a little better about trying to do this. I can do this, and that's exactly what happens as my hand starts to glow like it did back then.

Slowly, I put my hand over the burnt skin. As expected, it starts to fade and return to its original tone, and along with it, the pain. That's a relief, it would've been pretty bad if I couldn't heal this.

“You did it!” She gives me a tight hug once I'm finished. I wouldn't have hugged her back, but even if I wanted to, my body just couldn't do it. I can’t even get up from the ground. It's so hard to breathe right now, what's wrong? “It's okay. You're just tired from using that spell.”

I thought that was strange, I didn't feel tired the last time I did it. Maybe the amount of power needed to fade a longtime scar was a lot less than healing an active wound.

Saffron's kind enough to help me back to my feet. I'm so weak, that I can't even walk on my own right now. So she takes me to my room...

She's not taking me to my room? We're walking past it right now, Saffron of all people should know that... That girl's taking me to her room, isn't she?

“Hey, um aren’t we going to my bed?” I don’t know why I asked her this. Maybe there was just a part of me that hoped she wasn’t doing what I thought she was doing.

“Your room? But, you’re not feeling well, so I need to take care of you.” She smiles over the prospect of this. What is she even talking about? I’m not sick, isn’t this just exhaustion based off of my lack of experience in magic. Surely some sleep in my bed would have been enough.

Not for her though, and I’m way too tired to fight back against her. Saffron opens the door to her room, and slowly she brings me to her own bed.

You know what, as much as I might’ve said I didn’t want to go to her bed, it’s not that bad. In fact, as I sink into her mattress, it’s a lot softer than mine’s.

“Okay, just get some rest now.” She pats me on the head, and slowly I drift off to sleep.