Chapter 32: The Revived Twin Flash

“You can cure it… you mean Nero?”

Zelda Onee-sama, recovering from her blank expression, asked me that, so I nodded once in affirmation.

“It’s ‘Petrification’, you know? Unlike normal injuries, it won’t heal with Light Attribute recovery magic, you know?”

“I know that. But you can cure it with Null Magic, right?”

Null Magic [Recovery]. With this magic that cures all kinds of status ailments, I can easily cure ‘Petrification’ too. Or rather, I’ve nearly been petrified twice in the past and cured myself, so I know. Null Magic is also called Personal Magic, and rarely do two people use the same magic. Therefore, it is said that being able to use one Null Magic is rare, but to tell the truth, I can use five. [Recovery] is one of them. The Guild Master of the Adventurer’s Guild in Elfrau told me that my aptitude is clearly suited for a mage. Well, hearing that I have a large amount of magic power, can use three basic attributes, and on top of that, five Null Magics… anyone would think so. But you see… I just think hitting is faster than shooting magic. Personality-wise, I don’t think I’m suited for it. Well, enough about me. If I use [Recovery], I think I can restore Chiba-senpai’s hand to normal.

“Let’s go outside for now.”

Finishing my melon soda, I urged the two of them. Either way, I can’t use [Recovery] here. Leaving the cafe, we sat on a bench in the central square just outside. Several food stalls were lined up in the central square, welcoming tourists. Maybe because I ate a strawberry parfait, I want to eat something salty. Yakitori sounds good.

“In other words, umm, Nero can use Null Magic that cures status ailments?”

“Yes. I’ve actually cured ‘Petrification’ before, so I think it will definitely be cured, but there is one condition.”

When I broached the subject with Chiba-senpai, she looked at me with serious, intense eyes.

“If this hand can be cured, I’ll accept any condition. If it’s money, no matter how much it costs, I’ll definitely pay…!”

“No, I don’t need money or anything. I just want you to keep this a secret.”

“Eh?”

Master told me. Don’t use [Recovery] recklessly. If you use it as an exception, make sure to silence the other party. Apparently, since [Recovery] is a precious magic with very few users, if it gets out, I’ll get wrapped up in troublesome matters. I think so too. It’s a magic that can even dispel ‘Curses’. If rumors spread, I might get scouted as a Saintess by the Ramish Theocracy or something.

“I-is that all?”

“Yes. Chiba-senpai’s hand was suddenly cured one day. The effect of the incomplete ‘Petrification’ probably just wore off, maybe.”

“Eh, isn’t that a bit too unreasonable…?”

It’s fine, nobody knows the truth anyway. It’s a hassle, let’s just cure it quickly.

“[Recovery].”

“Wha…?!”

A small light born from my hand was sucked into Chiba-senpai’s right hand. Hidden by me in front and Zelda Onee-sama standing to the side, nobody should be seeing this.

“Okay, done.”

The light disappeared, and Chiba-senpai fearfully brought her right hand in front of her eyes. Twitch… the thumb, then the pinky, the index finger… the fingers started to move, and she clenched them tightly. This time she slowly opened them, and clenched them again. Before long, her fingers were moving naturally.

“It moves…! My hand, it moves…!”

Chiba-senpai shed large tears, pressing her right hand to her chest as if it were precious.

“Since you haven’t moved it for a long time, the muscles might have atrophied. You should do rehabilitation little by lit—wapu?!”

Suddenly, I was hugged with full force by Chiba-senpai in front of me.

“Thank you…! Thank you…! You are my angel…!”

“No, that’s heavy?!”

Isn’t that an exaggeration?! No, I don’t know this person’s hardships, so I can’t say for sure, though! Also, the hug is too strong! Stop squeezing me so tight! The contents will come out! Ah, this is really bad. I’m gonna black out… gueh…! Tap tap…!

“Senpai! Nero is suffering!”

“Ah, ahhh…! S-sorry! I was just so happy…!”

Released suddenly, I staggered and almost fell, but Zelda Onee-sama supported me. I nearly ascended to heaven there… Well, I’m glad she’s happy, anyway.

“Thank you, Nero. As expected, you are… …No, having gained such a wonderful little sister, I am very proud. I’m really happy for you, Senpai.”

“Yes! I can’t believe such a miracle happened! I want to grip a katana soon!”

“I said it earlier, but little by little, okay? It’s better to train your grip with a hand gripper first.”

“Right… First I have to regain the sensation.”

Swapping places with Chiba-senpai who stood up from the bench, I sat down this time. Phew… somehow I’m tired… Even though I didn’t do anything big…

“Ah, Senpai. About that request…”

“Eh? Ah, the one about wanting me to teach swordsmanship to your new little sister?”

“Eh? To me?”

Hearing Zelda Onee-sama and Chiba-senpai’s conversation, I looked up. Swordsmanship… me?

“After fighting Nero, I realized, you are originally a type who fights with bare hands, right? But I heard your machine is a Lightning Frame.”

“Yeah, that’s right…”

“In that case, you cannot fully utilize the machine’s characteristics. Any intention of switching to a Ritter Frame?”

“Not at the moment.”

I understand what Zelda Onee-sama is trying to say. If I fight with bare-handed punches and kicks, the Lightning Frame is too weak in durability. A Ritter or Titan would have sufficient durability. But in exchange, I’d be killing my speed. Honestly speaking, that’s where the stress lies. Because my flesh-and-blood fighting style is the type that dodges with speed, unleashes techniques in openings, and wins with volume of attacks.

“If you fight with a Lightning Frame, using a weapon gives you more reach than bare hands, and expands the range of offense and defense. Actually, Chiba-senpai also uses a Lightning Frame. I think her fighting style is close to Nero’s.”

“Eh? Really?”

“Yes. I use something called a ‘Kodachi’, which is shorter than a normal katana. It’s like taking down the opponent with hit-and-run tactics and volume of attacks.”

Oh. That certainly is my ideal fighting style. What Master called ‘Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’.

“Chiba-senpai climbed up to S-Rank with a dual Kodachi style she developed herself. She even has the alias [Twin Flash].”

“Though I dropped quickly once I couldn’t use my right hand… But for swordsmanship, wouldn’t it be fine if Zelda taught her the Lestia Style Swordsmanship?”

“Lestia Style Swordsmanship has more techniques meant to finish the opponent in a single blow. It is clearly unsuitable for Nero, and I am bad at teaching…”

Is this that thing? Because geniuses learn by sensation, they can only convey it by sensation when teaching others? Master was that type too… saying incomprehensible things like “When the opponent goes gah, you go guwah like this” or “If they go hah, then guh“. In the end, it became something like “Watch and steal”… Thanks to that, I experienced various techniques, though.

“I don’t know if this counts as thanks, but if you’re okay with me, I’ll give you lessons…”

“No, if that’s the case, I’d be grateful. Please treat me well.”

Alright! Got a swordsmanship teacher! I did think it would be better to use some kind of weapon, but since I’m doing it, obviously it’s better to be taught by someone with a similar fighting style.

“Actually… I introduced you thinking that teaching Nero might help Senpai become a little more positive about your unusable hand… But it turned out to be an even better result.”

“I was very lucky to be introduced. Even if I graduated from the ‘Academy’ like this, I probably couldn’t become a [Trooper]. So I was even thinking maybe it would be better to just drop out gracefully…”

She was brooding that much… Good thing I could cure it before that.

“It might be difficult to reach S-Rank from now until graduation, but I want to rise to A-Rank once more.”

“I think you can do it, Senpai…”

“Having a blank period, the ‘Nine Duchesses Recommendation Slot’ might be tough, though… Of course, I intend to aim for it.”

Nine Duchesses Recommendation Slot. The recommendation slot from the ‘Academy’ to participate in the [Magical Great War: Ragnarok], which is held once a year with the prestige of the nation at stake. Normally, nine S-Rank students are chosen, but rarely, if there are withdrawals due to injury or something, A-Rank students might move up into the slot. If chosen, you can participate by belonging to a country of your choice. Well, normally they belong to their home country apparently. If I become able to participate, I think I’ll participate belonging to Elfrau. By the way, the ‘School’ also has Nine Duchesses Recommendation Slots, so a total of eighteen Trooper apprentices will participate. For the country sent an apprentice, it’s difficult whether to see this as a promising new star or baggage…

“Before that is the summer ‘Inter-School Match’, I guess. I’ll aim to be a fifth-year representative.”

“For that one, you should be fine, Senpai.”

The ‘Inter-School Match’… the competition against the ‘School’. That one is by grade level, and the top nine plus three reserves, totaling twelve people, are chosen, right? The difficulty is far lower than the S-Rank nine from all grades. Well, even so, you have to get into the top twelve out of one hundred eighty students in the grade. Incidentally, right now, I am within these twelve. Because I got a mass of stars through a lucky break. That said, my rank is eighth, a position I can’t let my guard down in. If I idle around, there’s a high possibility I’ll be overtaken by summer. I have to put my back into this. To do that, I have to work hard to learn the dual Kodachi style from Chiba-senpai. Hmm, I have no time for club activities, looks like. Well, I didn’t have any intention of doing them from the start, though. First, towards the ‘Inter-School Match’, I’ll do my best too.