Rein, the arrogant jerk I'd just argued with, lost miserably against me. Heh. Victory tasted sweet.
He sulked away, probably to lick his wounds, when suddenly—
"Hi, Elvira. I'm Shimi!"
The voice came out of nowhere. I spun around, searching for the source.
"Down here!"
I glanced down—
And nearly jumped out of my skin.
A black snake. Wearing a bow around its neck.
"W-WHY is a snake wearing a… A BOW?!"
I stumbled back, heart pounding. Not only that—it had talked.
"She won't harm you unless I command it," came a calm voice from the doorway.
Master Obrone. Of course.
"Oh, and she's my mana pet."
"A… snake as a mana pet?!"
Behind me, Rein broke into uncontrollable laughter. He was holding his stomach, barely able to breathe.
"Pfft—HAHAHA—oh gods—her face—"
"Hey! Don't laugh! I've never even seen a mana pet before—let alone one that talks!"
Rein smirked between chuckles. "Don't tell me you don't even know what a mana pet is."
"Of course I do!"
Mana pets are entities that consume a portion of their master's mana to generate magic. Their powers depend on their master's element. They can fight, defend, create barriers, infiltrate… whatever their master needs. To tame one, you have to earn its trust—and prove your mana control.
"Shimi came to greet our new household member. Isn't she cute?" Master Obrone's voice softened with reverence.
"…Y-Yeah. Cute."
Cute? I wasn't sure about that. A snake in a bow wasn't exactly my definition of cute.
"Can I call you Elvira-sis?" Shimi asked sweetly, slithering closer.
"Uh… sure?"
She climbed up around my neck, peering straight into my eyes.
"Your lavender eyes are really pretty, Elvira-sis."
She was too close! Way too close!
"…Thanks," I muttered, stiff as a statue.
"Hehe, you're so timid," Shimi teased before slithering back to her master and followed him to the kitchen.
I released the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Thank the stars she was gone—I wasn't used to snakes at all.
Rein smirked from across the room. "You expect to stay here when you're scared of a mana pet?"
"I told you—I'm not scared! I'm just not used to them!"
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say." He disappeared into his room.
That bastard. Why did he have to be Obrone's student?
---
A little while later, Master Obrone served lunch.
Simple noodles and fried eggs. I took a bite…the spice balance was all wrong,but I kept a straight face.
"You see," Master Obrone admitted, "I can't cook anything fancy. This is all we eat here, since none of us can cook. I hope you don't mind."
I forced a smile. "It's fine, I can handle it."
But then, an idea struck me.
"Master Obrone—if nobody here can cook, then… can I take responsibility for it? I can cook."
His eyes widened in surprise. "You can?"
"Yes."
"Then by all means. From now on, you'll handle the meals."
I grinned. Finally—something I could contribute.
Of course, Rein had to ruin the moment.
"So should I call you 'the Cook' from now on?" he teased, chewing.
"That's not my profession, so no."
"You don't have a profession."
"Shut up and be grateful I'll cook for you. Or else, maybe I'll slip some poison into your portion."
"Oh? You should've said so sooner. Hello, Ms. Apothecary."
"Ugh! Fine, then you get a nickname too. Hmm...you're Rein Regulus? More like… Rain Regular."
"Hah. And you, Elvira? More like Aloe Vera."
"…Aloe Vera? No way!"
"Both of you—stop bickering at the table," Master Obrone cut in sharply.
We fell silent instantly. But under the table, we were still glaring daggers at each other.
---
After lunch, Master Obrone led me to the courtyard—the training grounds.
"Elvira, we'll start with swordsmanship," he explained. "It'll make controlling your mana easier once you awaken your element. How would you rate your skills?"
"Well… my grades in the academy were decent," I admitted.
"That's a good start. Watch closely."
He handed me a wooden sword, then took one for himself. His expression hardened, suddenly teacher-like.
"First, hold your breath. Circulate your mana core. Then release a deep breath—and swing quickly. Do it until your sword displays mana, like this."
He demonstrated. With a swift motion, his blade glowed faintly, a clear aura of mana trailing the arc.
Then, with practiced ease, he walked to a nearby tree. One deep breath—one swing—and the tree split cleanly in two.
"See? Now you try."
I nodded, tightened my grip, and imitated him. Deep breath, focus, swing—
A faint flicker of light shimmered for the briefest second. Barely visible.
"…It's weak," I muttered.
"It's normal for the first attempt," Obrone reassured me. "Keep practicing—you'll get it soon."
With that, he left me alone on the training ground.
I tightened my grip on the sword again.
I'll get it. I'll get it in no time.
---