Rayish
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Chapter 112
🕑 Added 2025-03-11 08:02:17 +0000 UTCAina stood up from her seat and smoothed her skirt before smiling at Riveria. "I'll start cooking dinner first. You can wait here, or if you want to start reading those books early, feel free."
Riveria initially nodded in agreement, but suddenly, an idea popped into her head. She touched her chin with her fingers, thinking to herself. The magecraft Shirou taught me, especially Reinforcement... I've mastered it enough, haven't I? I wonder if I can apply it to ingredients like Shirou does. If it works, will Aina notice the difference?
This small challenge seemed intriguing to Riveria. Her smile widened slightly before she stood up and said, "In that case, I'll help you cook."
Aina, who had already taken a few steps toward the kitchen, stopped and turned around with a surprised expression. "Huh? You... want to help cook?"
Riveria nodded calmly. "Yes, why not?"
Aina chuckled softly, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. "That's unusual. Don't tell me that since you've fallen for someone, you've started wanting to appear more feminine?" she teased with a clear, playful tone.
Riveria snorted, her eyes narrowing as if feeling challenged. "Hah, if anything, that person is far better at cooking than I am."
Aina became even more interested and crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh? So, he's good at cooking, too? Wow, I'm even more curious about who this man is."
Riveria averted her gaze toward the kitchen, hiding her slightly flushed face. "We're not discussing that. I said I wanted to help cook. So, let's get started."
Aina chuckled again but finally gave in. "Alright, alright. I won't ask further... for now." She stepped into the kitchen, followed by Riveria, who seemed determined to try her magecraft experiment.
Aina skillfully began gathering ingredients from the kitchen. She appeared accustomed to every movement, from washing vegetables to precisely cutting meat. Meanwhile, Riveria stood beside her, waiting for further instructions.
Before they truly began, Riveria closed her eyes for a moment. She took a deep breath, then focused her mind. To activate her magic circuits, she used the mental trigger she had been practicing—a seed planted in the soil, slowly growing into a giant tree, its roots spreading and connecting her to the flow of power within her body.
A warm sensation began to creep through her body. Like a small river finding its path, prana started flowing through every magic circuit she activated. Although it was still much slower compared to an experienced magus like Shirou, at least she could feel it clearly now.
"Riveria?"
Aina's slightly confused voice snapped Riveria out of her concentration. She opened her eyes and saw her friend looking at her with raised eyebrows.
"What are you doing?" Aina asked while placing a pot on the stove.
Riveria blinked for a moment before quickly shaking her head. "It's nothing. I was just... regulating my breathing. Let's start."
Aina looked at her with slight suspicion but eventually just shrugged. "Alright. Then, please chop this onion first."
Riveria took the kitchen knife and the onion Aina handed her. She began slicing it, but at the same time, she secretly channeled prana into the ingredient. The Reinforcement magecraft she had learned from Shirou started to take effect, though it required more effort to stabilize it.
Every time she tried to enhance the texture and quality of the ingredients, the prana in her body felt slightly heavier to control compared to when she used it on her body or her staff. However, she persisted, slowly channeling the energy into every ingredient she touched—vegetables, meat, and even the water used for cooking.
From the corner of her eye, Aina seemed to be observing her movements. Not because she noticed the magecraft, but because Riveria appeared slower and more awkward than usual.
"Are you okay?" Aina asked while frying pieces of meat in the pan. "You're usually not this tense just chopping vegetables."
Riveria tried to remain calm, though inside, she was slightly panicking. "I just... haven't cooked in a while."
Aina let out a small laugh. "So you really want to learn how to cook, huh? Seems like this person is very important to you, making you want to do things you rarely did before."
Riveria tried to keep her face from showing too much expression. While continuing to slice the onion, she simply replied in a flat tone, "You're overthinking it."
Aina giggled softly before returning her focus to the cooking. Meanwhile, Riveria kept trying to channel Reinforcement into every ingredient without drawing attention. However, without realizing it, her face began to show a slightly tense expression, which only made her appear even more awkward in Aina's eyes.
After all the ingredients were chopped and prepared, Aina started the stove, while Riveria remained standing beside her, waiting for further instructions. The aroma of spices began to fill the kitchen as Aina poured oil into the heated pan.
"Alright, now please stir this slowly," Aina said, handing a wooden spatula to Riveria.
Riveria took the spatula with slight hesitation but eventually began stirring the ingredients in the pan as instructed. Small splashes of hot oil made her flinch slightly, but she held on, trying not to appear too awkward in front of her friend.
From an outsider's perspective, the scene looked like two elf sisters cooking together in the kitchen. Both had long, shimmering green hair under the light, and their movements complemented each other, creating a beautiful harmony. Aina, who was more accustomed to the kitchen, skillfully managed all the ingredients, while Riveria, still somewhat stiff, tried to keep up with her friend's rhythm.
Soon after, a delicious aroma began to waft through the room, signaling that their meal was almost ready. Aina smiled contentedly before turning off the heat and starting to plate the food.
Before them now lay several elven dishes full of natural ingredients. A light green herbal soup with pieces of mushrooms and wild rabbit meat steamed warmly, emitting a soothing aroma of spices. Beside it, there was flatbread baked with a layer of honey and nuts, offering a mix of sweet and savory flavors. As the main dish, there was a large bowl of pasta made from wild wheat, served with a sauce made from forest vegetables and soft cheese.
Riveria looked at the food in front of her with a slight sense of satisfaction. Although she couldn't claim to have contributed much to the cooking, at least she had tried something new.
"Alright, let's eat," Aina said, carrying the dishes to the dining table.
The two of them sat across from each other, enjoying the aroma of the food they had just made. With the kitchen still warm from the residual heat of the cooking and the herbal scent filling the room, their dinner felt more special this time.
Riveria placed her hands on the table and looked at Aina with hope. "Try it first," she said, trying to sound relaxed, though inside, she felt quite nervous.
Aina nodded, took a spoon, and gently blew on the steaming herbal soup before slowly sipping it. Her eyes widened slightly, and she nodded with a smile. "This is really delicious, Riveria," she said with a satisfied tone.
Although she heard the compliment, Riveria still wasn't entirely confident about the results of her experiment. She leaned forward slightly and asked in a flat tone, "How does it compare to your own cooking?"
Aina furrowed her brows, then took a piece of flatbread and dipped it into the soup before taking a bite. After that, she tried the pasta with the vegetable and cheese sauce. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the flavors meld on her tongue, before finally giving her opinion. "Hmmm... the flavor is sharper. It's like the seasoning has penetrated more than usual," she said, looking at Riveria with slight surprise.
Hearing that, Riveria held her breath for a moment before finally exhaling softly. Inside, she felt relieved. It worked! she thought. Her small experiment in applying Reinforcement to the ingredients had borne fruit. Previously, she had worried that the results wouldn't be as good as Shirou's, who used the technique more naturally and efficiently.
However, Riveria's calm didn't last long. Aina looked at her with a suspicious gaze, narrowing her eyes as if trying to read her thoughts. "You did something, didn't you...?" she asked in a probing tone.
Riveria shrugged, trying to remain calm. "Just a little... secret recipe," she replied mysteriously.
Aina raised an eyebrow, then let out a small laugh. "Hoooh, so now you have a 'secret' cooking technique?" she said, taking another bite. "I wonder where you learned this."
Riveria simply smiled faintly and picked up her own spoon. She didn't tell Aina directly that her secret was a technique taught by a young man who had quietly stolen her heart.
Riveria calmly scooped up some soup, letting the herbal aroma fill her nose before slowly sipping it. She smiled faintly, satisfied with the result, but her eyes glanced slightly at Aina, who still seemed curious.
"So... you really learned something new in cooking? From whom?" Aina finally asked, putting down her spoon and looking at her longtime friend with great interest.
Riveria shrugged with a mysterious attitude. "From someone," she answered briefly before returning to her meal.
Aina narrowed her eyes. "Someone?" she repeated, clearly unsatisfied with the vague answer. "Don't tell me this is still related to the person you like?"
Riveria almost choked on her soup. Quickly, she took a sip of water to hide her surprise. "That's not the issue," she deflected in a flat tone.
Aina smiled triumphantly, but before she could press further, Riveria added, "This technique is also related to the ancient books I brought."
Aina furrowed her brows, looking at the large bag of books still leaning against the sofa. "What do you mean?" she asked curiously.
Riveria simply smiled faintly and returned her focus to her meal. "After we finish eating, I'll explain," she said casually, enjoying the confused expression on Aina's face.
Aina sighed, knowing that Riveria was deliberately making her curious. However, she chose not to press further. "Alright, alright. I'll wait," she said before returning to enjoy their meal.
Even so, her curiosity grew stronger. What is the connection between the new cooking technique Riveria learned and the ancient books she brought? And more importantly—who exactly is this 'someone' who taught her?
After that conversation, the two of them continued their dinner in peace. Only the clinking of spoons and plates could be heard between them, accompanied by the warm aroma of the meal they had just made together. Aina occasionally glanced at Riveria, still curious about the secret her friend was keeping, but she chose to wait for the right time.
Once their meal was finished, the two of them began cleaning up. The sound of running water came from the sink, accompanied by the soft clinking of plates and bowls being stacked back. Riveria took a dishcloth, helping Aina dry the washed dishes.
"You're not bad," Aina commented with a smile. "You didn't even want to touch dirty dishes before."
Riveria just let out a soft snort. "People change."
After everything was done, they returned to the living room. Aina took a seat on the sofa while Riveria sat gracefully beside her. The large bag Riveria had brought was still next to the sofa, drawing Aina's attention as she remained curious about its connection to the cooking technique they had discussed earlier.
"Alright, Riveria," Aina looked at her friend seriously. "Now explain, what did you mean by the cooking technique being related to these ancient books?"
She then leaned forward, opened the large bag, and began peeking inside. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw a stack of old books with thick covers, some adorned with ancient hieroglyphs that could only be read by those who understood the language of ancient civilizations.
"Wait..." Aina picked up one of the books and looked at Riveria in confusion. "Don't tell me all these books are filled with ancient cooking recipes?"
Riveria smiled faintly, then shook her head. "No. This isn't about cooking recipes," she answered in a more serious tone. She then looked at Aina intently, her expression firmer than before. "But before I explain further, I want you to promise to keep what I'm about to say a secret."
Aina swallowed. The sudden change in Riveria's tone made the atmosphere heavier. She could feel that this wasn't just an ordinary matter. With slight hesitation, she put down the book in her hand and looked directly into Riveria's eyes.
"Alright... I promise," she said softly but firmly.
Riveria sighed, in her heart reconsidering whether this was the right decision. However, she was sure Shirou wouldn't mind if Aina knew about this. After all, she had already told Shirou beforehand that she would be staying at Aina's house to research ancient Elf magic. If there was anyone she could trust besides the members of the Loki Familia, it was Aina.
"Alright," she said, finally making up her mind. "What I'm about to explain isn't just about these books... but also about something unknown to people in this world—a technique different from the magic we usually use."
Aina became even more immersed in her curiosity, waiting patiently for Riveria to continue.
Riveria took a deep breath before speaking. Her eyes looked straight at Aina, making sure her friend was truly ready to hear something that might change her perspective on the concept of magic.
"Magecraft," Riveria said in a flat yet meaningful tone.
Aina furrowed her brows. "Magecraft?" she repeated, feeling strange with the term she had never heard before. "That's a foreign word to me... What does it mean?"
"Magecraft is a form of magic different from what we know," Riveria explained calmly. "It doesn't come from the Falna given by the gods, nor is it magic inherited naturally like Elf magic."
Aina leaned back on the sofa, digesting the information. "So... is it like Elf magic?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "Magic that can be used without joining a Familia?"
Riveria nodded but quickly added, "Yes, in some ways, it's similar. But Magecraft has significant differences compared to both Elf magic and magic derived from Falna."
Aina immediately leaned forward, her eyes shining with curiosity. "Oh? What kind of differences? I can't use magic, but if it's something related to you, I want to know more."
Riveria smiled faintly, pleased to see her friend so interested. She knew Aina always had a great sense of curiosity, especially about things related to knowledge or something beyond the understanding of ordinary people.
"Magecraft... is different because its system isn't tied to the blessings of the gods," she continued, "and more importantly, its limitations aren't as strict as regular magic."
Aina furrowed her brows. "Not as strict? What do you mean?"
Riveria crossed her arms and began to explain further. "You know that adventurers usually can only use a few types of magic they obtain from Falna, right?"
Aina nodded. "Yes, most only have one to three spells, except for those who are truly special like Lefiya or you, who can have more."
"Exactly," Riveria nodded. "But Magecraft doesn't have that limitation. A magus, the term for a Magecraft user, can learn various types of magic without being restricted by a specific number. As long as they have the ability and understanding, they can continue to grow."
Aina fell silent for a moment, processing the information. To her, this was a very new and intriguing concept. As someone who sometimes spent time at the Guild and heard so much information about magic and adventurers, she had never imagined there was another magic system outside of what was given by Falna or inherited naturally by certain races.
"So... Magecraft users can learn many spells without limits?" she asked, her voice filled with admiration.
Riveria nodded. "Correct. But that also means the training is much harder than simply obtaining magic from Falna."
Aina narrowed her eyes. "Hmm... then, who taught you this Magecraft?" she asked in a probing tone.
Riveria let out a soft sigh, picking up the teacup that had started to cool on the table and taking a sip before answering casually. "Someone who understands it far better than I do."
Aina immediately leaned closer, her eyes shining with curiosity. "Don't tell me... it's also the person you like?"
Riveria was surprised again upon hearing the question. She quickly put down her cup and glanced at Aina with a sharp look, her elf ears slightly reddening. "Aina!"
Aina just giggled, pleased to tease her friend. "Hey, you were the one who said I had to keep this a secret. But isn't it more interesting if I know all the details?"
Riveria massaged her temples, realizing that Aina wouldn't stop asking if she didn't divert the conversation. "Back to the topic," she said firmly. "I want to research Magecraft further, especially how it compares to the ancient Elf magic in these books."
Aina sighed, but her smile remained. "Alright, alright. But later I'll still ask you about that person."
Riveria just sighed in resignation. Tonight was going to be a long night.
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