“—It’s mentioned here in the textbook that magic has affinity. Some attract each other while others repel. Therefore, the most efficient way to use magic is by grasping their elements.”

As I explained, the magical butterfly I had created flew around my hand. I was reviewing yesterday’s practical lesson. While admiring the butterfly, Anita furrowed her eyebrows.

“Hmm… Even if you say that, I don’t know how I’m supposed to grasp them… Please tell me more about this ‘element value’ and other things in details.”

“I see…”

The so-called ‘element value’ was a theory that I had proposed a long time ago.

Hmm…

Over the course of 800 years, said theory had been perfected. Nevertheless, it was still difficult to explain in words as it related to the sensory system.

“All right, let me give you an example!”

I took out a rabbit plushie from my bag. I spotted it at the grocery store in the morning and asked Eivind to buy it for me. I didn’t think it was just a simple plushie, though. After all, it was being sold at a magical academy, making it an authentic magic practice tool. By the way, the plushie also had a magic stone of each element embedded to it. By channeling magic into the plushie, I’d be able to control it.

However, the plushie itself was covered in dust when I received it, so I gander that it wasn’t very popular?

“…That’s a toy for soothing babies.”

“That’s kind of manipulative in a way.”

While saying that, I started moving the rabbit plushie. First, I made it say hello. Afterwards, I made it jump and roll around and finished with a complex and bizarre high-speed dance.

The rabbit had short limbs, so it didn’t seem that grand, but Anita was still impressed by my skillful magic manipulation.

“Amazing… But aside from that, you were able to manipulate it so easily with little magic power?”

“That is also part of the trick. I only need a small amount of my own magic because I’m basically combining and disassembling the magic contained in the stone.”

To put it simply, it was a very efficient use of the little magic I had.

If she still said that she didn’t understand even after that, I’d get angry…

Ah, I used to get angry like that a lot.

As a result, I was called a bad teacher. I often argued about it with my fiancé, a member of a royal family and a fellow researcher… And the rest was history.

But the past had no bearing on the present—on children who were born 800 years after that incident.

When I was about to give serious advice to my friend who was playing with the plushie…

“Hey, why isn’t Lord Eivind here yet!?”

…I was grateful at being able to practice with Anita in an empty classroom after school, but…

…What are you doing here, Cecily’s older sister?

I didn’t invite her to the study session, partly because she was from a different class. Of course, the same went for Eivind.

When Neria pouted while smugly reapplying her makeup, Anita called her out on it.

“Hey, you’re a distraction. Can you please leave?”

“Huh, but I’m Cecily’s older sister? It’s my obligation to monitor her!”

Monitor…

I knew she looked down on Cecily, but couldn’t she have chosen a better word?

Besides, I questioned the number of times she had to curl her eyelashes…  I mean, that thing she had in her hand… ‘Eyelash curler’ scared me. What if she accidentally curled her eyelids, too!?

While I was shocked, Cecily apologized to me inwardly.

[I’m sorry, my sister is being a burden…]

Not like it’s your fault, right?

[But…]

Even though no one else could hear her, she hesitated to speak…

I wondered if she was just meek, or if there was another reason why she was being bullied by her own sister.

In any case, that was only my second day knowing Cecily. I should ask her after she trusts me a bit more. In the meantime, let’s discuss another topic.

By the way, my name is Nora.

[Eh?]

What I’m saying is, you should just call me by my name! Other than you… There’s no one who’ll call me [Nora] anymore.

I didn’t know if Cecily would understand that, though.

For now, my surroundings were really noisy. The two were hurling insults at each other before I knew it.

“—It’s not like you came here to study, anyway! Just scram!”

“No, you scram! Are you planning to steal Lord Eivind from me!?”

“Huuuh!? Stop talking nonsense!”

I agreed with Anita.

What nonsense is she talking about?

Even in the middle of such a fight, Neria was still ordering me around.

“Hey, Cecily, tell her to scram!”

“No, I can’t. I made an arrangement with Anita. If anything, you should leave, Sister.”

“Then bring Lord Eivind to me!”

“I can’t do that either. We aren’t that close, per se.”

Certainly, he was cool and all, so I understood why Cecily’s older sister fell in love with him… But as much as I wanted to support her love journey, I didn’t think she was ‘dear’ to Cecily.

“I-it’s a hundred years too early for you to oppose me!”

“Unfortunately, we’re twins. So, when you’re 117-years-old, I’ll also be 117-years-old. Although, I do hope that by then, we’ll all get along and be good friends.”

By the way, I heard in class earlier that the life expectancy of modern people—be it men or women—was 80 years. In terms of longevity, the sealing technology I invented 800 years ago was quite amazing!

I’m so awesome!

“Oh, and also, have you relayed my love letter to him!?”

“Have I relayed your what to whom?”

“T-to Lord Eivind…?”

“…Oh, would you like to hear about it?”

Neria nodded, blushing like a maiden.

If that’s what Cecily’s sister wants, I shall oblige.

◆

Time rewound to lunchtime. I was about to go to the cafeteria with Anita, only to be stopped by Neria. She wanted me to deliver a love letter to Eivind. Apparently, she wrote it while in class.

So, I said to her.

“That’s not good, Sister. You have to pay attention to your lessons.”

“Ugh, it’s fine! Not like I have to study, anyway! This is more important! Engraved in this letter are my precious feelings! Be sure to give it to Lord Eivind!?”

“…Is it okay for me to touch something so important?”

When I asked with a grin, Neria froze. The look on her face told me everything. Despite wanting Cecily to deliver the letter, Cecily wasn’t supposed to touch it. What arrogance.

But then, she suddenly lit-up. That look on her face, as if she’d come up with a great idea, was as adorable as a foolish little child.

“I’ll let you take my handkerchief! Wrap the letter in it and deliver it! Aren’t you grateful to me? Make this handkerchief your lifelong treasure!”

Later, when I tried to deliver the letter to Eivind, he asked about the handkerchief. After I explained everything in detail, he simply snapped his fingers and the letter went up in flames.

“If it’s so dirty that Lady Cecily isn’t allowed to touch it, I don’t want to touch it either.”

He almost burned Cecily’s hand!

Thus, I told him to buy me the most expensive ice cream at the store.

◆

—And, scene.

Of course, when I told her everything…

…Neria burst into tears.

“W-why… Why does Lord Eivind disdain me so!?”

“Why would anyone like a woman who torments her own sister?”

“T-that’s because Cecily has no magical power!! Now, your only reason to live is to serve me!!”

Again, her positivity is really amazing.

Also, even when she was crying, she was still trying to curl her eyelashes.

I just have to respect that tenacity of hers…

I really wanted to see my parents’ faces. I would probably have to return home sooner or later, so maybe I’d get a chance to meet them someday.

How ugly would their magic look like?

While I was somewhat looking forward to that, I heard commotion outside the classroom.

Just as the sound of footsteps approached, the door opened with a bang.

A beautiful youth suddenly appeared.

“Lord Eivi—ouch!!”

[Neria…!!]

Neria stood up when her crush suddenly arrived… and accidentally pinched her eyelid with the eyelash curler.

Wow, that must be terribly painful…

It was her own fault, but Cecily was worried about her. It can’t be helped… I went to check on Neria’s injury.

But then, Neria was shoved away and fell on her butt. Eivind did that.

Hey, that’s awful—

—Before I could do anything else, Eivind grabbed my arm.

“Where did you hide the stolen doll!?”

As he shouted, the look on his face was the most grim I had ever seen.

---

***T/N: Nora is steadily building her yuri harem…

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