Mana was absolutely the key factor that determined a mage's potential. Roxy was fairly skilled at magic, but the limits of her mana meant she could only reach the rank of Water Saint. On top of that, being overshadowed by two geniuses and one monster had left her feeling a little inferior.
She had thought she was just teaching for some extra money, nothing more. She hadn't expected to gain something so unexpected in return.
As she felt the Magic Seed in her heart beating wildly, mana began to gather within her without end.
It was a mana that was dark, yet pure. It was connected to Roa's mana, and whenever she was near him, she could feel the boy's presence.
And when she looked at Roa again, her cheeks inexplicably flushed. The boy in front of her seemed strangely alluring. It wasn't quite as though she held his life and death in her hands, as Roa had said, but she felt she would rarely refuse him anything he asked.
Seeing Roxy's flushed cheeks, Roa was baffled. Why was she blushing again?
Roxy took a deep breath, but all she smelled was that faint, delicate fragrance.
Roa's scent.
She hadn't thought much of it before, but now the boy's scent seemed like a winter plum blossom, releasing an alluring fragrance. It felt dangerous, yet she inexplicably wanted to draw closer.
She wanted to calm down, but her thoughts only grew more muddled.
Damn it!
Roxy covered her burning cheeks and hurried out of the room.
For the next few days, Roxy kept avoiding him. Her evasiveness left Roa feeling awkward. So what if he'd kissed her? So what if he'd taken a tiny liberty with her? Was this really necessary? Roa muttered under his breath. Roxy's strange behavior left him at a loss.
Even when they went to bed, they stayed silent. Only after she had fallen sound asleep did Roxy's hand, driven by some irresistible force, wander restlessly over him. More importantly, the girl seemed to press herself against him even more tightly than before, often squeezing him awake in the middle of the night.
Roa suffered, but he was happy.
Time passed, and no matter how reluctant they were, the days had to move on.
That day, after teaching them Water Saint-level magic, Roxy was going to leave and set out on a new journey.
Bathed in the morning sunlight, Roxy gazed at the sparrows chirping in the distance and murmured, "It's the last day."
She smiled and looked back at everyone. Roa yawned without expression, while Rudeus was playing with Zenith.
Two years had passed, and they had all grown up.
The tiny little boy who had once been so small now stood as tall as her chest. Before long, he would grow more mature and handsome, and become stronger and stronger.
Mana flowed with Roxy's heartbeat, its vast power spreading little by little through her body along with her blood.
In the end, they had to part. In the end, she had to leave.
She could no longer teach him.
Looking at Roa's calm face, Roxy sighed.
How she wished she could stay by the boy's side and teach him for a few more years. But it wouldn't work, not for him or for her.
She took a deep breath, savoring the last trace of the boy's delicate scent. She had smelled it countless times; it had become a part of her.
With a solemn expression, she said, "Today is the last lesson. I'll teach you Water Saint-level magic, 'Torrential Thunderstorm.' I'll only cast it once, so you have to learn it, Roa."
Roxy's expression was unusually calm, but her voice trembled despite herself.
Roa fell silent. The day had finally come. He said nothing more and nodded.
They went outside. Beyond the house lay the fields. They followed a winding path, walking past golden ears of rice. Beyond the fields stretched an endless grassland, with a few thick tree trunks scattered not far away, their branches lush with leaves.
A breeze passed, stirring the grass. The nameless fragrance of flowers drifted on the wind and brushed against their clothes.
"You have to learn it. I'll only cast it once!" Roxy repeated.
Roa stepped forward. Mana surged around him, and his dark mana formed a gigantic round shield that enclosed Rudeus and Zenith.
Roxy was slightly surprised, but said nothing. She let out a gentle breath to steady herself, then stepped forward.
[Great spirit of water]
[Child of the Thunder Emperor who soars through the sky]
[Grant my wish]
Roxy's voice was not loud, but it carried clearly across the open field. As she moved, the Magic Wand in her hand began to glow blue. Mana poured into it, guiding the elements into formation.
Dark clouds began to gather, blotting out the blue sky above. The sunlight was obscured.
Rain.
Raindrops began to fall.
Scattered drops fell from above.
A fine misty rain began to fall from the sky, each drop drifting slowly downward.
Raindrops traced Roxy's cheeks as her blue hair fluttered in the wind. Her unchanging mage's robe flapped loudly around her.
[Bring forth the gift of savage might]
[Show this insignificant being the power you wield]
The wind began to rage, sweeping across the land. Air currents rose, and thunder gathered in the clouds, purple lightning flashing with a destructive glow.
No matter what, lightning was the most terrifying force in nature.
For some reason, Roa thought of the cultivators in the novels from his previous life. Now he finally understood why they were always talking about undergoing lightning tribulations. The most terrifying force in nature was probably lightning.
[The divine hammer strikes the anvil, revealing all your fear]
[May the floodwaters submerge the earth]
[O torrential rain]
[Wash away, surge onward, and drive out all in your path]
[Cumulonimbus!]
As Roxy finished speaking, the Magic Wand in her hand shone with a dazzling blue light.
Rain poured down in torrents, and the wind swept everything across the land.
A massive bolt of lightning crashed down, and the rain came down in sheets. In an instant, the grassland ahead was transformed into a huge crater.
It was powerful, worthy of being called Water Saint-level magic. But that was all it was—Water Saint-level magic.
It wasn't powerful enough. At least, not in Roa's eyes.
Roxy was already soaked through. He had no idea what her robe was made of, but even though it was drenched, the clothes underneath remained completely dry.
The caster wouldn't be harmed by their own spell, but magic on such a vast scale would still have some effect on them.
A fine rain still fell outside, but every raindrop was kept at bay by the invisible barrier Roa had released, sliding off to either side and falling into the soil.
Roxy adjusted the brim of her hat, which the wind had pushed crooked, and walked toward Roa.
Rudeus was a little surprised by the spell's power, and Zenith was just as amazed. Magic of that magnitude could completely reshape the terrain over a small area.
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