Chantless Magic

Of course, his system also rewarded him for practice. But after he spent an entire day and night practicing Water Ball, it stopped giving him experience for lower-tier water magic.

Maybe he had maxed out Water Ball's proficiency.

That power... Was it the Intermediate-class water spell Water Cannon?!

Roxy stared at the Water Bullet that had blasted the tree apart. Her mouth fell open, and she covered her lips as she gazed in disbelief at the damage Water Cannon had done.

The tree was beyond saving. Not even Intermediate Healing Magic could bring it back.

"Y-you didn't chant just now, did you?!"

"Huh? You have to chant to cast magic?!"

"Of course you do!! Casting without chanting is the strange part!!!"

"O-okay, Master, I'll chant properly. Just don't get so close."

"That's not the point, you idiot!"

Cain looked at the adorable, angry face inches from his own. She was so close he could feel the warm, damp air of Roxy's breath.

A faint blush rose to his cheeks, and he took two steps back.

"Wait, Cain. Could you use magic from the start? And you usually cast it without chanting, don't you? Come on, tell me the truth!"

"I will, I will. Teacher Roxy, please stay calm—no, please give me some space."

Cain pursed his lips and retreated another two steps. He steadied Roxy by the shoulders and sighed, his face still faintly red. He wasn't into little girls.

But they were a man and a woman, after all. He still needed to keep some distance from his teacher.

There was no denying Roxy was cute. Right now, though, she seemed desperate to learn how he cast magic without chanting.

Cain scratched his flushed cheek as he watched Roxy. She had calmed down a little, but her wide eyes remained fixed on him.

Had his silly teacher forgotten something? He was a Sword God of the Sword God Style. If he meant her harm, she'd be in real danger. Why wasn't she wary of him at all?

He was glad she trusted him, of course, but she still needed to be careful.

He was happy they had grown close so quickly, but surely his teacher ought to show a little caution. She could relax around him, though.

Cain smiled at the thought.

Oh well. They had plenty of time. As long as he was by her side, nothing would happen to her.

Cain composed himself and looked at Roxy.

"I only discovered two weeks ago that I could cast magic without chanting. And I hardly used magic at all in the Sword Sanctum."

Was he showing off? How infuriating... So this was the difference talent made. Had she finally reached this point herself? Sorry, Teacher Jinas. Now she knew how it felt to envy a student's talent.

Roxy knew nothing about the system. She even felt sorry that Cain hadn't studied magic from childhood and made full use of his gift.

"S-so you're saying it's a natural talent of yours...?"

Roxy looked crushed. She crouched down with a dejected smile and began drawing circles in the snow.

Don't just toss your staff away...

Watching the staff get abandoned yet again, Cain smiled, though the corner of his mouth twitched. If he threw his sword on the ground, his master, Sword God Gall, would make him swing it ten thousand times.

Cain picked up the discarded staff, rested a hand on Roxy's shoulder, and offered a few words of comfort.

"Cain... Am I a terrible teacher?"

"Not at all! You're an amazing mage in my eyes, Teacher Roxy!"

"Huh? Really? You're not just trying to make me feel better?"

"I'm not. I mean it! I swear on the Sword God's honor!"

His master's honor, that was. Not his own.

"A-all right..." Roxy cleared her throat twice and took a deep breath. She seemed to pull herself together, and she looked at Cain with a serious expression.

There was no doubt Cain was a genius, gifted beyond measure in both Swordsmanship and magic. Roxy had never seen anyone cast magic without chanting. Not one person.

"You'll become a mage far stronger than your teacher. That much I promise you on my name as a Water Saint. I might even come to envy your talent someday..."

"Huh? You'd envy me, Teacher?"

"I would... I already do..."

Roxy pursed her lips and puffed out her cheeks. She looked at Cain's unmistakably amused face, took her staff from him, and sighed as she gave his head a light tap.

"Please don't get cocky."

"I'll stay humble, Master Roxy!"

Cain might even become someone like the legendary hero, the first Water God—a magic swordsman who reached Divine Rank in both magic and Swordsmanship. As his first magic teacher, Roxy already felt proud of him.

A faint smile touched Roxy's lips as she looked at Cain.

"Ahem. Anyway, I'll start teaching you magic now, though you may not need lessons..."

"Please teach me! I'll give it everything I've got, Master Roxy!"

At Cain's reply, Roxy puffed out her cheeks again.

She was so jealous...

That evening stretched on. Without a spellbook, Roxy could only teach Cain spells she knew well and used often. For example:

"Great spirit of water, son of the Thunder Emperor who ascends to the heavens! Forge a mighty sword of ice and bring it crashing down!"

"Lcice Break! Ice Spike!"

A huge spike of ice formed above Roxy's staff, then shot forward with a thunderous crash. It pulverized the trunk of another green tree beside the one Water Cannon had destroyed!

"That's amazing!" Cain's eyes lit up.

"That's an Intermediate-class ice spell. Cain, try the method I taught you. Picture water freezing into ice, then release it at your target."

"Okay! Leave it to me!"

Cain raised a hand toward the last tree. He pictured the enormous Ice Spike Roxy had formed, then began pouring Magic Power into his hand.

The outline of an Ice Spike appeared above him. It kept growing larger and more solid, only stopping when it was twice the size of the one Roxy had cast with her staff.

She was a little jealous... but mostly, she was happy.

Roxy smiled helplessly, brushed her bangs from her forehead, and pressed her lips together.

Even with the boost from her staff, her Ice Spike was so much smaller than Cain's first attempt. His reserves of Magic Power were terrifying. Was she really qualified to teach him...?

Even if Cain weren't a Sword God, his talent would surely make him a King-class mage, or even an Emperor-class one.

There would always be extraordinary geniuses like Cain in the world...

Roxy held down her hat. Her blue eyes brightened as she watched the boy gather magic with his eyes closed, and the corners of her lips rose.

"Cain, you need to look at your target when you cast. Please don't close your eyes."

"Got it, Master!"

Cain slowly opened his eyes. Once he confirmed that his target was the lone green pine still standing, his gaze sharpened.

"Ice Spike!"

Boom! The massive Ice Spike, nearly two stories long, shot forward with a whoosh!

But it grazed past the tree and slammed into the snow. Instead of hitting its target, it punched through the level ground and left a rocky pit several meters deep.

Roxy's smile grew wider.

"Wonderful! Ahem—I mean, what a shame. Cain, you still need to work on your aim."

"Okay, Master Roxy. I'll be more careful next time!"

[Successfully cast Intermediate-class ice magic: Ice Spike!]

[Proficiency: +167]

[Rewards: Slightly increased ice-magic casting speed, ice-magic Magic Power cost -5%, total Magic Power +1%, ice-magic power +1%]

Cain blinked at the lovely smile on Roxy's face. His teacher seemed happy. She must be pleased that he had cast the spell. He really had misjudged the Ice Spike's aim, though. He hoped she wasn't disappointed.

The main reason he had missed, however, was a question that had suddenly occurred to him. Why were there evergreen trees near the city gate in all this ice and snow? Could it be...