Enhancement

Aside from the attribute and spell slot increases brought by simply leveling up, Aoko also gained two additional increases to her maximum number of spells prepared each day.

This meant her daily spell pool had grown larger, giving her more ways to deal with all kinds of situations. A cause for celebration.

As for feats, since she had gained one level in Metamagic Specialist, she also gained an additional metamagic feat. She had instinctively chosen it before disconnecting from the Weave.

Aoko examined it carefully and found that her second metamagic feat was Empower Spell.

This metamagic feat allowed any spell with variable effects to become one-half more powerful when used with Empower Spell. Of course, she needed to expend a spell slot two levels higher than normal to cast the metamagic-enhanced spell.

For example, if her Fireball originally required a 3rd-level spell slot to deal 10 points of damage, then after applying Empower Spell, she could expend a 5th-level spell slot to cast a Fireball that dealt 15 points of damage.

Combined with the Heighten Spell metamagic feat Aoko had acquired earlier, this brand-new metamagic feat could achieve something like this: first empower Fireball, then heighten it, then use a 6th-level spell slot to cast it, creating a super Fireball with greater damage than the empowered 15 points and a wider area of effect...

Of course, even after double metamagic, the spell was still Fireball. Its essence had not changed.

Still, she needed to use such metamagic techniques cautiously, because every metamagic technique meant greater expenditure. If a metamagic-enhanced strike failed to destroy the caster's enemy, then sustained combat capability would become the greatest problem afterward.

Because she had gained a Metamagic Specialist class level, Aoko had also acquired this class's unique ability.

Since her current Metamagic Specialist level was only 1, Aoko received only one Metamagic Specialist ability.

School Focus: This ability caused Aoko, as a Metamagic Specialist, to lose the possibility of continuing her studies in Necromancy spells, but enhanced her ability and speed in learning spells from other schools. Moreover, because Aoko had not selected a specialized school or opposed school before becoming a Metamagic Specialist, Necromancy was now her only opposed school, while Abjuration was automatically set as her specialized school. It should be said that this was an extremely ideal starting state.

Beyond these abilities that could be quantified in detail, Aoko felt that her body had undergone some vague and indescribable changes. Yet after repeatedly examining herself carefully, she could not find where those changes manifested.

After thinking it over, she believed the changes might be improvements to some of her basic attributes other than Intelligence. Thus far, Aoko had calculated her Intelligence score backward from the number of spells she could prepare each day and her class level according to class rules, but she had no way to quantify other attributes that were not the primary attributes of her class.

Could my Perception or Constitution have improved? It couldn't possibly be Strength, could it?

With that question in mind, Aoko began her daily spell preparation.

About twenty minutes later, Aoko left her room and arrived at the living room on the first floor of the Kuonji residence.

At first glance, she saw Alice sitting on the sofa, drinking black tea and staring at her with an especially resentful gaze.

Did I do something terrible to wrong Alice? Aoko's mind raced as she recalled which of the secrets Alice absolutely could not know had been exposed.

The two of them stared at each other awkwardly for a moment before Aoko suddenly heard a nearly imperceptible sound from Alice's direction.

It was a soft, delicate "gurgle."

"I'll go make 'breakfast' right away!"

Understanding why her housemate was staring at her with such resentment, Aoko immediately turned and headed for the kitchen. She put on an apron and began preparing food.

After opening the refrigerator and checking the ingredients, Aoko considered that she was somewhat hungry herself. If she made anything too complicated, Alice would likely become even angrier, so she decided to make something simple and delicious for "breakfast."

About half an hour later, she had prepared a hearty breakfast consisting of coffee, toasted sandwiches—fried eggs, lettuce, ham, mayonnaise, and American cheese—fried hash browns, and half a pot of milk.

Though the calories were explosive, since both of them were magi who did not have to worry about their figures going out of shape, that amount of calories was no problem. If anything, Aoko preferred food that brought such a strong sense of satisfaction.

Aoko took off her apron and pushed the serving cart into the dining room on the first floor, where she found Alice already seated in the spot she usually occupied.

When Alice saw Aoko arrive, she said nothing. She merely closed the book in her hands, set it aside, and looked out the window.

It seemed she had left this young lady hungry, and she was still sulking.

Aoko smiled faintly and did not mind Alice's little temper. Compared to when she had first met Alice, Alice Kuonji had become far gentler toward her now, rather than being that icy girl who resembled a hedgehog.

Of course, even for Aoko, achieving this result had not been easy. She had brought out the same effort she had once used while taking care of Touko, conquering this lonely girl who often liked ordering takeout with years of superb cooking and endlessly varied delicious food.

Ah, thinking back on those days, it really wasn't easy, she mused to herself.

While letting her thoughts wander, Aoko set the fragrant, steaming "breakfast" on the table and poured both Alice and herself a cup of coffee. The sugar and milk were placed to one side so Alice could adjust them to her own taste.

Without saying a word, the two began eating their food with an odd mutual understanding.

Today's breakfast was a little plain... Alice felt slightly dissatisfied.

But because she and Aoko had gone to bed rather late last night, it was understandable for breakfast to be simpler today... Besides, she had been very hungry just now.

It was delicious, so she would forgive Aoko. As Alice took small bites of hash brown, she made her decision inwardly.

Aoko had always eaten in a rather "forthright" manner. This was not to say that Aoko lacked table manners, but rather that she resembled those efficient white-collar elites who worked at full capacity every day, perfectly balancing eating quickly with maintaining her poise.

Watching Aoko eat gave others a pleasing feeling.

Alice secretly watched Aoko deal with the sandwich in her hands, and her own hunger became more apparent, causing her to unconsciously speed up her chewing.

Aoko looked slightly different today...? Alice thought as she ate. Was there something unusual about her body?

Aoko's every movement seemed a little more graceful and attractive today. Her appearance had not changed either; she was still as beautiful as ever...

Alice's expression darkened as she reached a conclusion completely opposite to the truth: Since there was nothing wrong with Aoko, could the problem possibly be me?

She frowned and began seriously examining herself.