Chapter 21
The six Purification Sorcerers, including Haroz and Martin, greeted Iri.
Due to frequent trips outside the North, the Purification Sorcerers were relatively accustomed to proper etiquette.
At that moment, Iri spoke cautiously, as if offering a bribe.
"Um, I bwought tasty dwinks fow the teachaws-nimida!"
"Oh. Th-thank, you?"
Everyone except Haroz took a suspicious sip.
In the North, kids doing this usually meant they were up to no good.
But after one sip, their eyes widened hugely.
"I-it's just a real dwink? And it's so, sweet......"
"Yes! How does it taste-nimida? The head chefs made it specially fow my teachaws......"
"G-gasp. That fierce-tempered head chef?"
"Eek, no-nimida. They'we supew supew kind-nimida!"
"Y-yes."
Then Iri bowed her head with sparkling eyes.
"So pwease take good cawe of me fwom now on, teachaws-nimida!"
"Y-yes. Th-thank you."
Unlike the Purification Sorcerers completely swept into Iri's pace, Haroz's gaze was profound.
"Lady Iri, thank you. Now, shall we begin the lesson? Since it's the first class, we'll check which teaching style you prefer."
"Yes!"
Haroz brought the class schedule.
"Choose from these five classes."
1. Purification Power through Practical Purification Rituals
2. Purification Power Application: Hands-on Practice Purifying Magi Directly
3. Principles and Practice of Purification Sorcery: The Reality of Theory Learned in the Field
4. Encountering Monsters: Detecting and Understanding Magi in the Field
5. Theory and Basics of Purification through Meditation
Everyone except the gloomy-faced Martin raised their heads confidently, as if certain they'd be chosen.
But Iri's ears weren't really taking in the teachers' explanations.
Because Cookie was desperately telepathing from her pocket.
[Purification Meditation! Purification Meditation! Say you'll do Purification Meditation no matter what!]
"......?"
[Purification Meditation is best for you! Learn that, and you can draw in surrounding magi! It's hard, but if you stick with it steadily, it's the royal road to absorbing magi!]
Iri said seriously.
"I want to weawn the fifth one, Puwification Meditation-nimida!"
For a moment, Martin's gaze shook. The other Purification Sorcerers looked flustered too and asked.
"A-awe you sewious?"
"Yes! And I wike that it says 'basics' hewe too-nimida!"
Her instructor had said it: Always start from the basics in every class.
Unlike the flustered Purification Sorcerers, Haroz said calmly.
"In that case, we'll dismiss the others. My assistant here, Martin, can teach you the basics of Purification Sorcery: Purification Meditation."
"Vewey good!"
After the other Purification Sorcerers left without properly speaking, Martin tasted a reluctant victory.
But he shook his head inwardly, not wanting to expect anything.
*'Don't expect it, Martin. She'll get bored and leave soon.'*
The others had been the same.
*'She'll obviously not like it once she tries. Just like the other kids.'*
He'd seen plenty come out of curiosity for Purification Meditation, then spit and complain of boredom right away.
Martin muttered half-heartedly.
"Lady Iri, the basics of Purification Sorcery is Purification Meditation. Sit here first."
"Gasp, yes! I'll sit-nimida!"
"Then close your eyes. And try to sense the magi floating around you. It'll probably be hard though."
Martin was giving her an excuse to quit since it'd be difficult.
"Yes!"
"Alright, we'll start now."
Iri sat, closed her eyes, and quietly regulated her breathing.
Martin crossed his arms and observed her movements.
*'Maybe she's taking meditation seriously?'*
He quickly quashed the faint expectation.
Then he slowly began counting time inwardly.
Probably 30 seconds tops before she opens her eyes and whines of boredom.
But 10 minutes passed since he'd thought so cynically.
He couldn't believe it.
Was a child actually doing meditation properly?
But Martin calmed his surprise and looked again.
*'No, the surrounding magi isn't moving at all.'*
Maybe she was just sleeping with eyes closed.
*'Still, that's pretty noble-like.'*
He thought he'd praise her when she woke up, but at that moment,
The faint magi surrounding them slowly began to gather.
No, not toward him.
The surrounding magi was visibly drifting slowly toward Iri.
To Martin, who had learned Purification Meditation, magi appeared in a very faint form.
*'But...... the magi is moving?'*
Was there really a child seriously doing Purification Meditation and drawing in magi through it?
Startled, Martin hurriedly straightened his posture.
Unaware Haroz was smiling at him, he stared intently at Iri.
Meanwhile, Iri was meditating in lotus position, just as she'd learned during character education at the taekwondo dojo.
Meditation after so long!
*'Yeah, fwom now on, Mastah Martin is my instwuctow!'*
It felt just like returning to the taekwondo dojo after ages!
Iri was super excited.
10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes.
She steadily practiced drawing in surrounding magi through meditation.
*'But it's still not easy!'*
Yet around 30 minutes in,
Iri felt something.
A power-like thing slowly following her from around her!
And Iri's eyes snapped open.
The magi drawn from surroundings swirled once around her Ring of Purification inside her body and turned into her Purification Power!
"Gasp, I'm done-nimida!"
Martin, the mid-level Purification Sorcerer.
His eyes widened hugely.
The black magi gathering around Iri, who had nothing before, suddenly vanished whoosh.
*'If the magi suddenly disappeared, it probably failed at the end. But......'*
Still, gathering magi through meditation was something.
Purification Meditation was dismissed by many as not improving skills right away.
But Iri was different.
She took his teaching seriously and didn't dismiss it.
"Th-thank you."
"Um, what scowe did I get today-nimida?"
Meditation wasn't scored. It was an abstract study.
But seeing Iri's attitude, Martin felt he had to say something.
"A-a hundwed points?"
"Wow!"
Martin felt his heart throb oddly.
It might change once proper classes started.
But those sparkling eyes......
*'She's the real deal.'*
"You passed today's test well, so we'll end here."
"Yes!"
Even her voice was spirited.
Haroz, who had watched everything, said indifferently.
"Martin, didn't you say your palms tingle?"
"Ah, not tingling yet."
Haroz said lightly.
"Yeah, then probably by next class. We'll see you next week, Lady Iri."
"Yes! I'll pwactice meditation hawd in the meantime-nimida!"
Seeing Iri smile brightly, Martin thought.
What to do.
A unicorn-like child like that.
Would his palms really tingle?
But Martin shook his head inwardly.
*'No, it's just the first time.'*
* * *
Meanwhile, in Declan Ortejo's office.
A Messenger Orb brought mail from the South.
[The moment you touch even a fingertip of Iri, consider it war.
I'll find a way soon and come North, so watch out.
Marquess Melissa.]
He was used to his mother-in-law Marquess Melissa's rudeness.
Since his wife died, she'd been especially hostile toward the North.
*"I'll raise Iri myself. But on the condition not a speck of foul magi touches her!"*
So they hadn't met until Iri came.
*'That's that.'*
Declan naturally folded the note and put it in a drawer.
"You wead it and spit......"
Instead, he had work to do.
"No matter how I think about it, it's suspicious that Iri suddenly became an immune."
"Ah, yeah."
"So we need to investigate that measurement situation. How to grill them."
"Pawdon? Gwilled?"
"Yeah. Whether someone tampered during my daughter's measurement, or what trick made her suddenly an immune."
"Y-yes, siw......"
"Observe the child first and request the imperial palace's ancient stone."
......Have to do what he's told.
*'The palace hasn't been responding lately.'*
Raspin, who nodded roughly, changed the subject.
"Ah! Speaking of which, I brought something healing anyway. Purification Sorcerer Haroz said?"
"No more healing or whatever. Work."
"Hm, you'll regret not listening."
"Won't regret."
Raspin grandly held up the report card.
A report card with [Iri] crookedly written at the top.
Below it, 100 points.
"Weally no wegwets?"
