The Encounter Between the Forsaken Healing Magic’s Beloved Child and the Betrayed Black Dragon Princess of Calamity - 46

Chapter 46: The Price of Dragon Magic

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“Gil-kun, are you ready?”

Mer-san and I were standing in the middle of the castle courtyard. She whispered into my ear as she hugged me from behind. Right now, Mer-san was about to use magic through my body and the target was the fountain before us.

“I’m fine. I’m ready whenever you are.”

“…Understood. I’ll channel magical power into your body and cast fire magic. Just as I mentioned earlier, I will keep the power to a minimum, but there’s still a chance that you might get hurt in the process, so…”

“Yes. If that happens, I will immediately use healing magic to heal the wounds-“

“No. That’s not it. Alright. Tell me one more thing first. I know you can use healing magic to heal the wound, but the pain that you’ve felt won’t disappear, right, Gil-kun?”

“Ye-Yes.”

“Just because you can heal your wounds, doesn’t mean you’re allowed to be reckless with your body.”

Mer-san scolded me with an unusually serious expression on her face and I nodded obediently in return. I could tell how much she cared about me and it made me really happy. 

“You know, Mer-san…”

“What is it?”

“It’s just… I really like you, Mer-san.”

“Ah… Fufu~ I also like Gil-kun a lot.”

Somehow, I felt like the type of love Mer-san had for me was different from mine. Maybe because I was still 10 years old, but… But someday, when I grow bigger…

“Gil-kun. I will start now.”

“Yes!”

I could feel Mer-san’s magic power flowing from her body to me through my back. Her magic power coursed through me like blood, spreading throughout my body until it finally gathered in one place. My right hand.

“Gil-kun, point your right hand at the fountain.”

“Y-Yes!”

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I focused on the fountain and raised my right hand. Then, Mer-san placed her hand over mine. 

“Now then… Here we go! 【Flamme】!”

“-?!”

Hot?! My right hand… My right hand feels like burning! It’s so hot! B-But… I can’t afford to stop here! I need to keep on going! I have to learn dragon magic. I need to master dragon magic so I can protect Mer-san and all the people precious to me!

“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!”

I screamed at the top of my lungs, as if the scream could drown the pain coursing in my right hand. 

The pain…. Just let it disappear somewhere far away! I have something more important I need to focus on!

I…I…!

—FWOOOOSH!

“-?!”

With a roaring sound, a massive fireball bursts forth from my right hand. The ball of fire quickly flew toward the fountain. In an instant, all the water that had been flowing in the fountain evaporated and the fountain itself… No. The fountain didn’t only get gouged. The fountain actually melted from the intense heat of the flames. 

“A-Amazing…”

I hadn’t expected dragon magic would be this powerful. I was rendered utterly speechless, but then…

“-?! Gil-kun! Are you okay?!”

“Huh…? Oh…”

Mer-san’s anguished voice snapped me back to reality. It seemed I hadn’t realized that my right hand had been reduced to something resembling charred coal because of the fire magic. 

But, if it’s just this…

“There!”

I raised my left hand and with healing magic, my charred right hand quickly returned to normal. 

“I-I’m fine. Look! See?”

“I already told you, didn’t I?! You have to tell me before you get badly wounded like this! And yet… Good grief!”

“Ah…”

Seeing Mer-san’s beautiful face crumpled in distress made it crystal clear that I had done something wrong. Sure, I was determined to master dragon magic so I could protect her, but making her sad like this actually defeated the whole purpose…

“I…. I’m sorry.”

“Seriously! You’re not allowed to treat your own body so carelessly again! Okay?!”

“Yes…”

Being seriously scolded by Mer-san filled my heart with guilt. But…

“But… I think I’m okay now. With this, I’m sure I will be able to master dragon magic someday.”

“If this kind of thing happens again, I will stop you. You’re not allowed to learn dragon magic again!”

“Yes…”

In order to avoid worrying Mer-san, I need to master dragon magic perfectly… Of course, without damaging my body too badly in the process. 

Seeing her beautiful crimson eyes laced with tears, I vowed solemnly in my heart. 

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“I can’t…”

It was late at night. I had sneaked out of my room and headed to the courtyard so I could continue learning dragon magic in secret. 

I have to master dragon magic so Mer-san won’t worry about me again, but…

“Even though I can cast the magic now, but I keep burning my hand in the process.”

I had figured out how to transform my magic power and concentrate it at a single point and then release it all in one go. It was all thanks to the demonstration Mer-san had performed through my body. I could use the fire spell, 【Flamme】, but I couldn’t prevent my hand from getting charred. 

“Maybe dragons don’t get hurt like this because their bodies are far tougher than a human’s…”

I was starting to understand why only dragons could use dragon magic. This magic was beyond human capabilities. Of course, thanks to Mer-san’s tutelage, I had learned how to manipulate and concentrate my magic power properly. That was already quite an achievement in itself. 

“Anyway, I just need to improve my control of magic so I don’t hurt myself with my own spells.”

And for that, I need to keep practicing, over and over again until I can get the hang of it. 

Feeling determined, I pumped myself up and cast 【Flamme】 again, but… 

“Gilbert-sama.”

“Ah…”

Elsa-san suddenly appeared in the courtyard. It seemed my secret training session had been discovered. 

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