Chapter 44 - Surprise

The days flew by, making Lily wonder if she shouldn't have chosen Time magic instead. Perhaps she could have slowed it down and had more time to do everything!

Crappy lessons at the orphanage, potion brewing with Camilla, and profitable scribe work took up time she would have preferred to use practicing magic.

As she had estimated, she had only one more outing with Rose. After spending an entire afternoon scouring for monsters, they discovered another slime, another spider, and a fat rat.

"I think I've scared everything off…" Rose joked, although both of them believed there might have been some truth to the matter.

"If you come out after I'm gone, just make sure you don't go too far. Maybe only do it with the shadow cloak?" Rose suggested. "Or ask one of the boys to show you how strong he is? I'm sure you can get one to beat a rat or two for you with a stick."

Lily nodded, her determination shining through. She knew she needed to try improving her Mana Core, and monster slaying was the best method available. She had a lengthy road ahead to catch up to Rose and join her in Regarth, but she was ready to face the challenge head-on.

While her Core growth was less than she wanted, at least she had made some headway in her Mana manipulation and could quite readily focus the Mana to a specific extremity.

She wasn't quite at the level required for imbuing without a tool, but she felt close. Anytime she was brewing with Camilla, she tried to focus hard and imagine how her Mana flowed out of her and into the ladle and how the tool began distributing it into the concoction.

Arakil had recommended that with Mana in general, and she tried to take it to heart. Anytime her Mana was being spent, gathered, or manipulated, she tried her best to scrutinize everything about it.

Her starlight spell was now also at the base level, and she almost felt embarrassed to call her first and second attempts "successes."

After almost a week of practicing the spell nonstop every night until her Core was on its last dregs of Mana, not only could she manifest two stars with a single casting, but she could also get them to slowly float towards a destination after the casting.

She aimed to get them to manifest at a distant location, which was beyond her capabilities. At best, she could get it to appear within a meter of her body and then slowly drift to a point 10 meters away.

Arakil had praised her nonetheless, but Lily was upset by how slowly they moved. She had also managed to keep it a secret from Rose, and when the girl asked about it, she could shrug it off by saying she was still practicing hard so it would be perfect.

And in no time… It was Rose's final night before her trip with Lady Desthu. Lily felt somber about it, but Rose seemed surprisingly excited about it, so Lily held her tongue and tried to put on a brave face of positivity.

She's going on an adventure; it's been her dream forever… I must just use this as proper motivation to catch up to her. I can't let myself be dragged along in her shadow forever; I want to be following at her side!

"Let me guess… You want to show me some big spell or thing you've prepared?" Rose asked teasingly as she entered Lily's room.

Lily gaped and fumbled as, once again, she was read like an open book. She tried to think of some excuse to save the surprise, but eventually, she just sighed and gave up.

"Yes…"

Rose giggled and patted Lily on the head reassuringly. "I knew you wouldn't struggle with one spell for so long!"

"I was trying to surprise you…" Lily grumbled.

"Well, I'm sure I'll still be surprised!" Rose shrugged. "I'm sure you'll send me off with a bang!"

"Not really a bang… More like a…" Lily paused and let out a grunt. "I don't know, I'll just show you!"

Rose giggled again while Lily frustratingly put out the light.

"Another light show? The last one was very impressive, so you've set my expectations high!" Rose teased.

Lily nodded as she gathered her Mana. Each time, she felt it was a tiny increment easier than before. She outstretched both her hands and, as silently as possible, said the chant, forming two stars floating in each palm and illuminating the room with gentle starlight.

Rose whispered excitedly as she stared at the two sparkling lights. Then, when Lily sent both of them gently rising to the ceiling, she couldn't help but start clapping.

Lily walked over and grabbed one of Rose's hands, quickly did another chant, and placed a single star in the palm of Rose's hand.

"For good luck!" Lily said with a beaming smile.

"Well, they do say you should wish upon a star…" Rose smiled softly as she gave Lily a one-armed hug, scared that the star would fall and break.

Lily giggled and poked the star, which only made it temporarily wink out. Rose gasped in surprise and then spent the next few minutes poking it herself.

"This is quite a crazy spell… I've seen light spells, but nothing like this," Rose admitted.

"Arakil said it's called Astral magic. Although this is a subcategory light spell… Whatever that means," Lily admitted with a shrug.

Rose formed a tiny flame with her other hand, illuminating the room further. Rose stared at the flame and Lily before sighing. "I wish I could give you mine, but you can't poke mine unless you're fireproof."

"It's fine… You've done more than enough for me…" Lily said as she hugged Rose's side tightly. "I'll catch up to you and join you at the Regarth!"

"I don't doubt it for a second!" Rose replied. "They better get ready because you're going to blow their minds!"

"They'll have a year to recover after you drop a bombshell on them first," Lily giggled.

"Exactly! I'll claim it first and make way for you to join me!" Rose exclaimed confidently.

"Just don't go punching out any students or teachers this time…" Lily teased.

"One time! It happened one time!" Rose defended herself, feigning outrage.

"Well… I'll make a wish too then!" Lily said as she blew on the tiny flame in Rose's hand. It flickered a little from the stream of air but otherwise remained firm.

"Uhh…" Rose looked questioningly at Lily.

"It was supposed to go out… You know, like birthday candles? Make a wish?" Lily explained.

"Oh, right! That makes sense… Try again!" Rose said with a giggle and a wink.

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This time, when Lily blew on the flame, it winked out. She knew Rose was canceling the spell, but she still giggled happily.

"You know… I'm supposed to wish on a shooting star, right?" Rose asked.

"The best I can offer you is a snail star," Lily giggled, casting another one and sending it drifting off.

"I guess it will have to do…" Rose sighed before winking and giggling. She closed her eyes and mumbled something that Lily couldn't make out.

Seeing that Rose's wish was done, Lily made that particular little star vanish.

"So, how does it feel to be the first magic bunny?" Rose asked.

"I don't think I'm the first… I'm sure some Lagia used glyph ink before me," Lily replied.

"Yeah, but you might be the first one with real magic, right?" Rose prodded.

"Don't!" Lily warned.

"Yeah, yeah. Glyph magic is real magic, too…" Rose said, rolling her eyes. "But you know what I mean, with your own Mana!"

"Maybe?" Lily shrugged. "Maybe someone else did a crazy ritual or something? It's not like we know all the history of the world."

"Bah! I wanted more confidence than that!" Rose said, giving Lily a light shoulder shove. "You're the first, and you're going to be the best!"

Lily frantically nodded to agree with the boisterous dragon before they giggled and sat on her bed, watching the twinkling of starlight spells.

Lily was the first to speak up. "Promise you'll be safe?"

Rose snorted. "I should be saying that to you ! Don't go doing any crazy rituals without me."

Lily frowned and tried to shove Rose in the shoulder. "Promise!"

"Okay, okay… I promise," Rose finally said. "It's not like I'm going alone. This is all organized by Lady Desthu, and she's way too hoity-toity to not have this safe and sound for her delicate rump."

Lily giggled. "Is she really that bad?"

"Woman has ice running through her veins," Rose replied. "And she complains if her tea doesn't have enough sugar or her steak isn't perfectly grilled. She nearly kicked her butler once because her pillow wasn't fluffy!"

They joyfully laughed at the absurdity of the noblewoman. When one of the stars winked out, Lily replaced it with a fresh one.

"I'm going to miss you…" Lily said softly.

"Hey… Don't worry, we will see each other soon enough," Rose replied gently. "And I'm going to miss you too… Where else will I find such a cuddly bunny to hug, with such soft ears to rub?"

Lily grabbed her ears defensively, but with her arms raised, her side was open. Rose seized the opportunity to poke it playfully, causing Lily to flinch from the ticklish spot.

"Don't worry, it's only for a short time. You'll be so distracted by studying magic that you'll blink and suddenly be getting carted off to Regarth!" Rose said, wrapping Lily in a soft hug.

"Okay…" Lily mumbled.

"And if any of the boys give you any trouble, I give you full permission to set them on fire!" Rose grinned fiendishly. "I'm sure that book of yours can teach you something amazing !"

They continued to chat into the night before Rose finally said she had to return to her own room. She gave Lily a goodbye hug but, before leaving, picked up Arakil's book and poked it firmly in the margins.

"Arakil!" Rose declared. "You better look after Lily while I'm gone! I expect my little sister to be the best applicant Regarth has ever seen! Don't let me down!"

"We won't!" Lily replied since Arakil couldn't say anything.

With a firm nod, Rose placed the oversized book in Lily's hands and left after saying goodnight. Lily gently ran a delicate hand down the spine of the book.

"We have to do it…" Lily whispered.

***

When Lily woke up, she frantically got out of bed, skipping most of her usual morning routine. She rushed over to Rose's bedroom as soon as she could. When she reached for the door, she found it unlocked, and it opened with a gentle push.

"Rose?" Lily asked as she entered.

The room was empty, and Lily felt her heart sink.

"She left already…?" Lily asked, disheartened.

Lily looked around the room as she sniffed, her eyes beginning to dampen. On Rose's bedside cabinet was a piece of paper sitting under what looked like a potion bottle. She walked over, lifted the bottle, and pulled out the page.

At the top, in bold letters, was her name, written in absolutely horrific handwriting with multiple ink smears and smudges.

[Lily.

I'm terrible with goodbyes, so I'm letting this letter do it for me! Since you like reading and writing so much, I thought you'd appreciate it!]

"Jerk…" Lily mumbled while she sniffed back some tears.

[So this trip is going to be exciting. I expect it will get me through this whole dragon puberty thing in one go, and then I can stop being so angry all the time! While it's fun to punch things, even I'm growing tired of it.

I hope you study and work hard, but remember to take breaks and watch your health! No more three-day naps! I expect you to be in even better health when I next see you.

If you do go monster hunting, make sure you stick to small things like slimes. Or ask some of the boys to help you, maybe even Oz? Just please be safe. You mean the world to me.

You're the best sister I could've ever asked for, and no matter what happens, I'll always be there for you.

If Regarth doesn't work out, let me know, and I'll come charging no matter whose heads I need to smash!

Your cuddly, warm, lovable, big dragon sister!

~Rose.

PS: I left some blood in this potion bottle.

Apparently, it won't dry out for over a week as long as you don't open it, but I don't know. Don't let it go to waste!

I know you hate blood and stuff, but it's the only going-away present I could think of. Let your big sister help you grow your Core a bit?]

"Why !?" Lily cried with a frown as she glared at the potion bottle.

It was a crude yet loving letter, and Rose had ruined it by bringing up blood, of all things.

And what if I wasn't the first one to find the letter? They'd ask so many questions! Stupid musclebrained dragon!

Lily thought as she chuckled and wiped away her now-stopped tears.