"...that's what people think right now." Myra continued speaking without faltering.
"Actually, Ambrosia can be used in another way, one that will benefit us imnsely."
"Hold on." Cyril interrupted, "What are the conditions for it to explode?"
"Don't worry. It needs a special reagent for that. It's completely safe at the mont." Myra outstretched her hand.
As Cyril gave the stone to her, Myra cast a spell. Soon her free arm was covered in a bluish glow, forming a claw shape.
Another spell we weren't taught.
Myra suddenly threw Ambrosia upward. Once it was falling, she swiped at the air with her claw.
With an obvious cracking sound, the stone was cut, and two similar-looking pieces fell on top of the box on Myra's lap.
"What the hell is this madwoman doing?!" Rhamn turned around and closed her eyes. Morpho quickly flew up, making circles in place.
"..."
"Here, half of it should be easier to absorb." After cancelling the spell, Myra picked up a piece and then handed it to Cyril.
"...What's wrong?" She tilted her head as he remained unresponsive at first, her glance briefly touching the butterfly making circles in the air.
"Nothing." Cyril shook his head and accepted the stone.
She said it needed a reagent, don't be so scared.
Rhamn slowly turned around, then shot him a complaining stare. "You can't deceive with your poker face, you were startled too!"
...Think what you will.
He ignored her words, Morpho soon landing back on his shoulder.
"You said 'absorb it'?"
"Yes. With it we can improve the quality of our mana!" Myra leaned in and whispered, bringing the piece in her hand closer.
That's indeed impressive.
Cyril endured the peculiar attraction as he observed the Ambrosia she was holding.
"All you have to do is hold Ambrosia with your bare hand and move mana through it. Imagine yourself creating a magic circle on top of it."
With her smile widening, she nodded up and down. "Do that for 2 hours every day, for about a month, and you will have noticeable results."
"...Isn't that very slow?"
It's an opportunity that many people will not see in their lives.
"We got lucky today, it seems." Cyril put his piece in the pocket.
"We got incredibly lucky! Alright, I'll go try it out now." Myra jumped up to her feet. "See you tomorrow!" She waved and quickly walked away.
Rhamn observed her departure with a frown. "She said people don't know about Ambrosia. So how does she know?"
Sohow. It doesn't concern . Cyril replied, glancing at Morpho slowly dozing off on his shoulder.
He got up from the bench and slowly headed back to his dorm.
"But it does! Myra pesters you so much, it must be for a reason!"
...Maybe. Cyril helplessly sighed. For so reason, I can't take her seriously.
It's as if a puppy was acting coy, planning to trick into giving it a treat. I can't help but play along.
...
Carrying his bags, Cyril finally arrived at his dormitory.
It would've been convenient to have a portable storage of so kind... Cyril mused, having been carrying them around the whole day.
"Who knows? There might be a spell for it."
One can only hope.
Back ho Cyril put the majority of the newly bought things aside, only picking up a box-shaped terrarium that was already delivered by now.
Morpho, although sleepy, flew up and carefully considered where to put her new bed.
In the end, after everyone's input, it was decided to place the terrarium on the study desk near Cyril's bed.
Morpho happily landed on the plant inside of it and imdiately started drifting off into sleep.
We'll deal with the rest tomorrow. Cyril thought after glancing at the shopping bags near the entrance and went to the kitchen.
After eating a al, he lay down on the bed and held Ambrosia with his bare hand, observing it in detail.
Just as when he first saw it, there was a peculiar feeling Cyril was getting as he looked at it.
I just ate, and still. Why does this look so appetizing?
Is this normal? Just sothing Myra neglected to ntion?
...Or is it sothing different about that's causing this?
Rhamn appeared at his side. They were lying shoulder to shoulder, observing the sa rock.
"I don't know. Should we try injecting mana into it?"
Here goes nothing... After taking a deep breath, Cyril injected mana into the stone and lay completely still.
Nothing? A few minutes passed, and yet he got no response.
No matter how Cyril felt his mana, it didn't appear any different.
Myra did say you need to do this for a month…
What do you think? Feeling anything? Cyril asked his mind companion.
...Rhamn? Unlike usual, there was no imdiate reply.
Cyril stopped looking at Ambrosia and quickly turned to his side. Rhamn was still there.
"Ah!" She opened her mouth in an O shape and returned his gaze.
"I am here! Just got distracted a bit."
Is this because of the stone?
"It just looks way too tempting! Cyril, how about we try eating it?" Rhamn's red eyes seed slightly brighter at this mont.
Cyril froze, turning to face Ambrosia again. It does look rather appetizing.
What am I even thinking? He shook his head, trying to get rid of the impulse.
Slowly his arm holding the stone started moving towards his mouth.
Maybe just a taste...
Eventually he brought the rock to his lips, opened his mouth, and licked it.
"This...!"
The taste was strong, overwhelming, and pleasant, but, strangely, he felt like sothing was not quite there.
This was not the proper state of this thing, it's long since past its expiration date. Still superb, but it could be better.
Such thoughts sohow ended up in Cyril's head.
After a mont of confusion, Cyril quickly sat up and reflexively threw the stone away from him.
It rolled a few tis and stopped on the wooden floor.
What was that!?
He took a deep breath while avoiding staring in Ambrosia's direction.
"Maybe it's a good thing. I say we should eat it!"
Cyril didn't reply to her. He closed his eyes and cald down.
"Huh... How peculiar." Rhamn mumbled after a mont.
When Cyril finally opened his eyes, he still didn't dare to look in the direction of the Ambrosia. Instead, he focused on Rhamn.
I don't like this. That can't be anything good.
Rhamn pinched her chin, keeping silent.
After a few seconds she suddenly raised her head, a dangerous glint in her eyes.
"You can feel it yourself, can't you? Your mana quality just increased."
Cyril quietly moved the mana within his body, finding it noticeably easier already.
"This way we don't need a month! Just a few short monts!" Rhamn exclaid and moved her face closer to him.
"And I just have this feeling, this is important to us! We must consu it!"
Cyril stared at her red eyes that were only a breath away from his and then turned to look at the ceiling.
I am not sure this is a good idea after all.
Rhamn quickly reappeared, leaning over him, her face again obscuring his vision.
"Whatever this stone is, with it, I feel I can get new possibilities and advance sowhere beyond who we currently are."
Her eyes were unusually bright at this mont, brighter than Cyril had ever seen them.
"If there is only one thing in this life that you will do for , Cyril, then, please, make it this." She smiled, her red contrasting with the surrounding darkness.
Cyril froze, unable to move his eyes away.
At this mont, Morpho shook off her sleepiness and landed on his nose. There she fluttered her wings, her compound eyes joining with Rhamn's.
Fine, let's try it.
Cyril couldn't help but agree under this combined attack.
...
He got up from the bed, walked a few steps, carefully picked up the fallen pitch-black stone, and washed it in the sink.
After that he brought Ambrosia close.
The temptation it gave off beca even stronger at this mont, making it seem like the most valuable treasure in the whole world.
What the hell is this...?
After taking a breath, he put it in his mouth and swallowed it.
He stood like this, enduring the intoxicating taste, and soon a warm current started going through his whole body.
It continued for a few minutes before slowly disappearing.
Well? Are you satisfied now?
He wiped his mouth, carefully feeling the state of his body.
Rhamn's reply didn't co, only silence in its stead.
Cyril looked around the room for her. This ti, however, there was no one.
Rhamn? He called out, checking the room again, with still the sa result.
The silence continued uninterrupted for a few minutes, during which Cyril stood still, expecting to hear a familiar, lodic voice.
Hello?
But it was still quiet.
Co out. How is the effect? He called out again, beginning to walk around the dorm.
Just as he was moving into the kitchen, a butterfly with red wings flew onto his shoulder, her antennae twitching as she did so.
Cyril glanced at this insect and took a deep breath.
"Sorry, Morpho. I just got a bit confused." He replied in a steady manner.
I didn't expect to get so used to her presence... Cyril chastised himself in his mind.
"Let's wait a bit." He said to Morpho, who fluttered her wings in response.
Maybe Rhamn is sleeping? Is she even capable of sleep? ...She must be digesting the gains from Ambrosia, she should co back in ti.
After standing in the stillness of the room for a few seconds, Cyril walked towards the study desk.
Enduring the silence he was no longer used to, he sat by the table and began reading the Spellmaking textbook.
Though a bored feeling radiating from soone nearby soon attracted his attention.
Morpho lazily twitched her antennae, giving the impression of a human yawning.
"This might be too hard to understand for you right now." Cyril shook his head, then froze, his own words giving him a particular whim.
He opened the book to its first pages, put it on the table, and turned to look at the bored butterfly.
"Morpho, do you want to learn Spellmaking?"
The butterfly froze, glancing at the unidentifiable scribbles in the book, then at Cyril again.
In the end she stiffly nodded her insect head.
Cyril imperceptibly smiled and started a special lecture late into the night.
"Magic can be used in many ways, but nowadays, people agree that creating a circle to enhance the spell is the most efficient and accessible way. I think you should be able to do it. Let's begin by..."
Morpho faced her greatest challenge yet today, fighting her tiredness and the boring study session at the sa ti.
Cyril continued explaining the basics, his voice steady and patient, while Morpho valiantly struggled to keep her wings from drooping.
Tonight's lesson might be a struggle, but at least the silence didn't feel quite so heavy anymore.
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