(Attendances… plz…)
….
The next day, after a morning spent learning the basics of writing from Rem and playfully teasing a perpetually unamused Beatrice in the library, who then use herself as a teacher to force gojo to put books back the in the shelf.
Gojo could swear she was laughing at his state like looking down on him, under that fake reading and then replying with, "Betty still cant make up her mind. Now get your wretched face out of my library and get Betty some sweets. So, she can think and decide. I suppose!"
After all those tasks she finally agreed to teach him the yin magic... from tomorrow. Because she was busy today.
After that, Gojo found himself in the mansion's sun-drenched garden.
He stood opposite Emilia, a faint, shimmering orb of turquoise mana hovering over his open palm. With a soft breath, he compressed it, the light intensifying before he let it dissipate into harmless, glittering particles. For the past hour, under the watchful eyes of Emilia and Puck, he had practiced the fundamentals of magic.
"And that's that," Gojo said, flexing his fingers without a hint of fatigue. Even after an hour of continuous use, his mana reserves felt as full as when he had started, an anomaly that hadn't gone unnoticed.
Puck, who was floating near Emilia's shoulder, zipped over to hover in front of Gojo's face, his whiskers twitching. "Alright, I have to ask. Just how much mana do you have? Most beginners would be completely drained by now, but you're not even breathing hard."
Gojo shrugged, a relaxed smile on his face. "I wouldn't say it's large or small, since I don't know the average here. I learn fast, and I guess I'm talented in controlling it. Basically, I use it so efficiently that I barely waste a drop."
"But still…" Emilia chimed in, her violet eyes wide with a mixture of awe and confusion. "Even with perfect efficiency, it should run out eventually. I have a lot of mana, but even I get tired after a while. Have you done this before?"
"You could say that," Gojo said cryptically. "But you could also say I recover faster than I spend it. It's related to my blessing." He paused, tapping his temple. "Let's call it… Reverse Cursed Technique. It constantly heals me, and part of that involves replenishing my mana. It takes in mana from the world around me and fills my reserves faster than I can use it up."
"Hmm, a self-sustaining process," Puck mused, stroking his chin with a tiny paw. "That explains your rapid progress and why you never run out. You never reach a point of exhaustion. With reserves like that, you should consider forming a contract with a spirit. You could easily attract a high-ranking one, and it would be a great help to you."
"Wow! So your blessing is that amazing!" Emilia said, her hands clasped together. "It can heal you and recover your mana? That's incredible, Gojo!"
"Good. You're full of surprises, my dear student," Puck said, adopting the tone of a wise old master. "Now, you must use these teachings I've bestowed upon you to protect my daughter in the future!" He puffed out his little chest, acting like a frail father entrusting his most precious treasure.
Gojo smirked. "You know, for a doting dad, you're way different from Lia. She's so timid. Why don't you teach her to be more confident instead of letting her hide in her studies all day?"
Puck deflated with a dramatic sigh, floating over to nuzzle against Emilia's silver hair. "Well, I try, but she's just so stubborn with me! I can't bring myself to force my precious Lia to do anything she doesn't want to." He shook his head, placing both paws over his heart in a gesture of paternal defeat.
Emilia's face flushed a bright pink. "Hey! Can we not talk about me, please? We're here for Gojo's magic lesson! We should focus on that." She quickly changed the subject. "Besides, I think that's enough for today. You wanted to go to the village, right? I'm sure Ram is getting ready to leave. If you're not there on time, she might just go without you."
"Oh, look at that, Puck," Gojo teased, leaning forward. "Someone's too embarrassed to hear the truth. What do you think we should do?"
"Hmmm," Puck said, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I think we should stop, Gojo… otherwise, we might not get any sweets later."
Gojo gasped theatrically. "Emilia! Are you threatening us with sweets? That's just cruel!"
"I think we shouldn't give him any more sweets for teasing you, Lia," Puck declared, decisively switching sides.
"C-can you… please… not… tease me?" Emilia managed to say, her face puffed up like a tomato, though a reluctant smile played on her lips as she kept her eyes shut.
Puck zipped over to her shoulder. "It was all his idea to tease you, Lia! Not mine. I even spoke out against it."
"Wha…? This fluffy little traitor!" Gojo exclaimed. "Betraying me for a sugar fix!"
"Don't say it like you wouldn't do the same…" said puck.
"Gojo, if you don't hurry, Ram will leave you behind," Emilia repeated, using the opportunity to end the conversation.
He sighed in surrender. "Alright, I'm going. But no cutting my sweets ration! And are you sure you don't want to come, Emilia? I think you'd enjoy the trip."
Emilia gave him a gentle, apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Gojo, but I should probably stay. I already go there from time to time to place magic stones to keep the mabeasts away. Maybe next time. I also have a lot to study."
"Duty calls, I get it," Gojo said, turning to head back toward the mansion. Just before he disappeared from view, he called back over his shoulder, "It was Puck's plan, not mine!"
As he vanished, Puck just smiled slyly. "Well, Lia, you know me. You wouldn't trust a stranger's word over mine… would you?"
Emilia looked at her spirit, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she tried, and failed, to look intimidating. "I don't know about that."
….
Ram stood by the entrance, a small basket for supplies held neatly in one hand. She felt a presence rather than heard it, and Gojo's voice suddenly appeared from directly behind her.
"So, Rem's stoic older sister, how far is this village, exactly?"
Without turning, Ram replied in her perfectly flat tone, "It is a distance that will feel much longer if you continue to waste time with pointless questions, Barusu's associate… Gojoru!"
….
A/N: Well how was it?! Next chapter straight in the village. Ram New nickname for annoying gojo: Gojoru.
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