Mahou Sensou:Volume 2 Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2: Aspect is Twilight

Part 1

Takeshi and Mui had gone out into the hallway on their way to the store. He already knew the way, but he was grateful to have her accompany him. As they walked, he stared at the holstered pistol Mui carried on her hip and asked:

"Hey, Mui, how long have you had your Aspect?"

"Oh, you mean Arthur?"

"What? Did you name it?"

"Of course. Many people name their Aspects." Mui smiled. "Arthur and I, we've been together since sixth grade."

"Impressive..."

"No, it's no big deal. I became a wizard almost since I was born, and although my relationship with magic started a long time ago, it took me a long time to get my Aspect. Nii-san on the other hand, already had his white gloves and Lancelot since he entered elementary school."

"Lancelot?"

"Yes, that's the name of the saber my brother always carries with him. It's not an Aspect, but it's very important to him, since it belonged to dad."

Mui looked happy as she talked, but as soon as she started talking about her brother, her countenance fell. Takeshi noticed this immediately and his smile also stopped, not knowing what to say.

Mui's older brother, Aiba Tsuganashi, was formerly also part of the <Wizard's Breath>, but currently, he was in the ranks of <the Trailers>. However, Mui firmly believed that Tsuganashi had been kidnapped by <the Trailers> and that they had altered his memory.

When Takeshi met him in the living world, he could tell that the young man did not recognize his younger sister in the slightest. Tsuganashi was a user of Destructive Magic, -the most dangerous of systematic magics-, and was now fighting on the enemy side against <Wizard's Breath>, using his ice magic called: "Evil Ice". As Takeshi started to make memories of him, chills went down his spine. He had never seen anyone before who had such a cold stare like his. Even when he looked at Mui, his gaze was utterly merciless and he seemed as heartless as his manner. That Tsuganashi was totally different from the one Mui talked so much about.

To lighten the atmosphere, Takeshi asked in a cheerful tone:

"When you were born, your parents were already wizards?"

"Yes, that's right, that's why Nii-san and I are considered part of the 'Magic Aristocracy'."

"Magic Aristocracy?"

Takeshi was already familiar with that term. Though it wasn't something they had been taught in the summer classes. Rather, he heard it from a classmate; And that is that if a baby is born into a family of wizards, it often ends up exposed either accidentally or on purpose, to the magic of its parents. These children who were turned into wizards by their parents or grandparents as babies are known as "pure-blooded wizards" and most of the time, these wizards are often favored by the communities to which they belong. This happens because almost always these pure-blooded wizards, usually join the community to which their parents belong, resulting in an inequality of status between pure-blooded and non-pure-blooded wizards.

Among more than fifty wizarding communities that existed in the world, there were seven that were recognized as the largest and most important. That group of communities were known as "The C7", and some of those communities were reserved only for Magic Aristocracy.

Takeshi did not pay much attention to what his companion said when he mentioned that term, but he heard that the vast majority of wizard were of noble lineage and very few were not. The fact that Mui was a magic Aristocracy wizard, was something very common there and the unusual one, was Takeshi and friends.

"Had you heard about the magica aristocracy before? Who told you about it?" Mui asked.

Takeshi nodded and answered:

"Yeah, it wasn't easy at first but I was able to figure out what it was about."

"Yes. If you come to this school, you have to always be attentive even in things you don't like, because there are people who put a lot of value on that nobility thing. There are groups that take those things into account to let you into a community."

The headmistress had told Takeshi earlier that it was better to choose a community when you are in school, therefore, Takeshi found himself meditating on it. Then he answered Mui right away:

"I think Wiza..."

"Stop!" Mui suddenly exclaimed, placing his index finger on Takeshi's lips.

He, stopped talking and stood in surprise and while she kept her finger his lips. Then she clarified:

"It's still too early for you to decide. Think it over carefully first, and see with your own eyes which community suits you best."

However, Takeshi's attention was on the sensation of the finger pressed against his lips. Unlike hand holding or shoulder touching, lips were a more intimate area. Mui suddenly realized that Takeshi was staring at her in complete silence. so she quickly removed her finger from his lips and turned around.

"A-ah...! First you have to choose your Aspect!" Mui exclaimed nervously.

Then, she continued to walk in a hurried manner, but unlike before, this time she walked stiffly as if she was a robot. The warm summer breeze blew through an open window, gently ruffling Mui's hair and exposing to Takeshi, her reddened ears. In that shy mood, Mui entered the store first.

"Hello!"

Immediately a middle-aged man with grayish hair peeked out from the other side of the glass counter.

"Ahh, hello. What will you want today, Mui-chan?"

"I don't want anything for me today, it's for him..."

Takeshi entered the store and looked around. He had been there before, but he hadn't had a chance to look because he was immediately taken away to the magic academy.

The store was a long, narrow space that appeared to have everything you'd expect a normal high school stationery store to have. On the shelves beyond the counter, it had mechanical pencils, pens of various colors, erasers, boxes of paint sets, calligraphy paper, and some kinds of inks. However, there were also things that were definitely not part of what you would find in an ordinary academy; inside the counter, there were glass bottles filled with stuffed spiders, there were also, 12-packs containing eyes (although at first glance, they looked like egg packets), there were also three stiff worms inserted in a pencil holder and some snake skins of different sizes.

"These look like witchcraft items..."

"I'd like to ask what all these are used for, but I think this is a good time."

The attendant spoke to Takeshi who was looking interestedly at the items:

"You look like you're seeing these things for the first time, boy."

"Hello..."

They both smiled and then exchanged greetings.

"He is the husband of the lady who gave you the textbooks that time..." Mui commented.

When the shopkeeper heard that, his smile widened even more.

"So you already knew my wife? I'm glad to hear that. Everything you'll need in this school can be found here, so we'll be seeing a lot of each other. My name is Katou, although the students call me 'Oyassan'. Nice to meet you?"

"Nice to meet you too, I am Nanase Takeshi."

When Takeshi introduced himself in a very formal manner, Oyassan smiled with slight shyness. From Takeshi's point of view, he should always greet his elders in the most cordial way since in the dojo he attended as a child, there were many older people and they were taught to greet them in the correct way even though they got along informally with their classmates.

"So what do you have in mind?" Oyassan asked.

"We want to find an Aspect for Takeshi-kun. He is an evasive magic user." Mui replied.

"In that case, he will require one that is of the weapon type."

Oyassan walked to the end of the counter, and lifted the table to leave. He walked to a small door at the back of the store and pulled out a bunch of keys from his pants pocket from which he chose one.

"Follow me."

As soon as he opened the door, he touched a switch on the side and turned on the light inside. However, when Takeshi entered the room, he stared at an area that was in complete darkness. There was light that was true, but the room was so large, it was not fully illuminated.

"What? I can't see the back of the room"

"He's surprised! He's surprised..." Mui muttered.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Mui and Oyassan laughed at Takeshi's reaction.

"Of course I'm surprised, it's my first time coming in here." Takeshi replied.

"All the boys who come in here, they have the same expression. It's so cute." Oyassan said.

Then he approached Takeshi and patted him on the back.

"Well, come on, Takeshi, adventure awaits us."

Not knowing if he was joking or not, Oyassan walked to the right side of the place and Mui hurried to follow him. Takeshi stood there for a while longer and took another look around. The place was a huge warehouse that stretched wide in all directions. When Takeshi finally caught up with them, he found Mui and Oyassan walking towards an aisle where there were some shelves with weapons lined up on them. There were spears of all sizes lined up perfectly on the shelves along four meters of wall, and on the wall on the other side, similarly crossbows of different sizes were lined up. That whole hallway where Takeshi walked, was full of weapons. But if he stayed to watch, he would lose sight of Mui and Oyassan.

"I guess if you already know his systematic magic, it's because he already used it before, right?" Oyassan asked Mui. She smiled and answered:

"Yes. although I'm sure that when he did it, he was using a wooden sword. right Takeshi-kun?" Mui turned to look back and Takeshi nodded.

"Yes."

Takeshi had finally managed to catch up but was still a bit disturbed by the atmosphere of the place.

"Then it has to be a sword. Come this way...#

Oyassan seemed to have complete knowledge of the place so without a second's hesitation, he led the two of them to a place where there were many swords. When Takeshi arrived, Oyassan was already standing in front of the shelves.

"Takeshi, is there any Aspect here that caught your attention?" Oyassan asked the confused Takeshi.

"Yes, but just out of curiosity, nothing out of the ordinary."

"Systematic magic can only be activated if you have an Aspect. The amount of magic required to activate it is at a completely different level than basic magic. Would you like to choose something on your own?"

"Yes!"

At that moment Oyassan moved a little away from the rack with swords and Takeshi approached.

There were swords of different sizes placed upright and on the back shelves, there were unusually shaped daggers lined up in rows of three. Without looking at anything in particular, Takeshi approached towards a vertically placed sheathed sword. There were dozens or perhaps hundreds of swords of various colors both old and new. Japanese swords, western swords and others quite curved that he had never seen before. All classified according to their type.

"Hey... How about this one?" Mui asked, picking up one of the swords.

"Let me see..."

Takeshi received the sword from Mui, held it by the hilt firmly and pulled it out of the scabbard. It was a very fine, highly polished sword, but the blade was less than five centimeters wide.

"It's too thin. It could break." Takeshi said.

"You're right... well, how about this one?

Mui pulled out another type of sword, but seeing that this one was more pointed than the previous one, she returned it to its place. However, that sword was so heavy that in the short time she held it, her hand trembled.

"I think I'd better not..."

Without even looking at the blade she knew that this sword was not the right one.

"Do you want me to help you?" Oyassan asked as he looked at them from behind.

"Yes, please" Takeshi answered.

When Takeshi accepted the help, Oyassan instead of taking a sword held Takeshi by both arms.

"hmmm..."

"Ouch...!"

Takeshi complained.