Chapter 6

“Magic is a phenomenon caused by magical energy…! Research into magic is still far from complete, but we have managed to figure out some basic principles!! Inside the bodies of you magical girls exists an energy called ‘magical energy,’ and that is the source of all magic…! Without it, you can’t use magic!”

The instructor’s voice echoed across the vast grounds.

The first class of the afternoon was practical magic on the grounds.

We’d all changed into what looked like gym uniforms and were now assembled on the grounds.

By the way, the moment class started, the magical girls began changing right there in the classroom, so I had to scramble out and change in a bathroom stall.

I breathed a sigh of relief just thinking about it now; I was this close to being labeled a pervert and making every magical girl here my enemy.

“What I’m having you do today is learn to grasp the magical energy inside your bodies. Then, you’ll shape that magical energy into magic! Normally, you all cast magic without thinking about it, but understanding the process will deepen your understanding of magic itself!!”

It seemed that the practical magic class was a joint session for all the first-year magical girls.

Over a hundred magical girls were lined up on the grounds, which were several times larger than the field at my old high school.

The woman teaching us magic was a former magical girl herself, and she was now lecturing the current generation on the fundamentals of magic.

“Magical energy, huh… So that’s what it’s called…”

There’s still a lot we don’t understand about magic, which can’t be explained by science, but apparently, it’s known that an energy source called magical energy is required to cast it.

It was the first time I’d heard the term “magical energy,” but I had a good idea of what it was.

Whenever I used magic, I felt a sensation of something inside me being depleted.

That was probably the magical energy she was talking about.

Magical girls consume the energy inside their bodies called “magical energy” to activate their magic.

“Alright, let’s get right to controlling your magical energy!! You will circulate the magical energy within your body and then release it outside. And releasing it doesn’t mean casting a spell! If you can learn to control your magical energy, you’ll be able to directly manipulate it before it even becomes magic…! Okay, begin…!!”

At the instructor’s signal, the practical exercise in controlling magical energy began.

“Mmm, this is difficult…”

“I can’t do it…”

“How do you control magical energy…?”

“I’ve always used magic without thinking, so I have no idea what to do when you suddenly start talking about magical energy…”

“Hmm… Magical energy inside my body? I think I can feel something, but… can I really control it…?”

The magical girls seemed to be struggling with controlling their energy.

They had troubled looks on their faces as they placed hands on their chests or held up their arms.

“Guess I’ll give it a shot…”

I’d always cast magic unconsciously myself and had never once tried to control my magical energy, but I figured I might as well try.

The instructor said magical energy was the energy inside our bodies.

I tried to consciously focus on the process I always went through unconsciously when I cast a spell.

As I did, at the very moment I was about to cast a spell, I felt something stir inside my body.

“Got it…!”

I tried to catch “it”—the thing that had begun to flicker like a flame inside me.

It smoldered within my body, and with a certain amount of focus, I seemed to be able to move it or release it.

“Do I just need to push this outside my body…?”

I focused on pushing “it”—the thing I’d caught inside me—out of my body.

I felt something drain from my body, and with it, I saw faintly colored particles flowing from my fingertips.

“Hoh…! You’ve got a real knack for this…!”

I realized the instructor was standing in front of me.

She grunted in admiration, looking at the magical energy I was releasing from my fingertips.

“Looks like you’re the first one to get the hang of it. To think that you—a boy and a newcomer at that—would be the first to master controlling magical energy!!”

“Wha—!?”

The instructor had deliberately said it in a loud voice for all the surrounding magical girls to hear.

…!

Hearing that, the magical girls shot me resentful glares.

“I refuse to be beaten by a boy…!”

“I’ll show you the pride of a magical girl…!”

“If that boy can do it, then so can I…!”

“I absolutely will not lose…!”

The magical girls around me got serious looks on their faces and began to immerse themselves in controlling their magical energy.

“Heh heh heh… A good trend. You keep at it, too. My students are exceptional. If you let your guard down, they’ll catch up to you in no time.”

“Right.”

The instructor patted my shoulder a couple of times and walked away.

I continued to practice controlling my magical energy while being furiously glared at by all the magical girls around me.

“Alright, that’s enough!! That’ll do for controlling magical energy!! Next up is practical combat training!! Pair up, two to a group, like always!!”

“Huh…? Huh!?”

A little while later, the instructor cut the energy control practice short and announced we were moving on to practical magic.

Ordered to get into pairs, the magical girls partnered up without hesitation.

“Let’s do this.”

“Very well.”

“Yoo-hoo! Wanna pair up?”

“Okay.”

“C’mon, let’s team up.”

“Sure.”

As voices confirming their partnerships echoed from all around, I found myself completely isolated.

As I was floundering, unsure of what to do, the instructor approached me.

“What’s the matter, Toujou? You don’t have a partner?”

“N-No, ma’am…”

“Can’t be helped… Alright then, you’ll work with me.”

“…Yes, ma’am.”

Just as I was about to become that pathetic guy with no friends who the teacher has to take pity on…

“Wait, Instructor!!”

Someone stopped the instructor and approached us.

It was a tall, beautiful girl with lustrous black hair.

She had sharp, dignified features and an unusually severe look in her eyes as she stared at me.

“Oh, Saionji. What is it?”

The instructor said the magical girl’s name.

The magical girl called Saionji gave me a sharp glare for some reason, then pointed a finger straight at me and declared:

“I’ll pair with this one. Please, let me.”