The Little Duchess’ Home Tutor - Vol 1 Chapter 10
Vol 1 Chapter 10 – A Glimpse
Overwhelming magical power enveloped the entire room.
The area around Her Highness turned white, progressively freezing over.
“The Howard family’s ‘Ice’!?”
For the past month, I had tested every elemental magic.
Of course, ‘Ice’ as well.
However, Her Highness hadn’t been able to use any magic. Why now, all of a sudden?
…I’ll figure out the cause later. With this much magical power, I highly doubt Her Highness, who has never used magic before, could possibly be in control.
—She’s losing control.
Her current state is like a fully open water main.
No matter how vast her magical power, if this continues, it will eventually run dry, and in the worst case—
“Tina!”
“―――――――!”
I try to get closer, but breaking through the blizzard that has become a barrier is next to impossible.
It’s all I can do to delay the advance of the ‘Ice’.
Moreover, for a little while now, my flame magic hasn’t activated at all.
…This horrible sensation, like my heart is being gripped… some unknown ‘Something’ is there. A ‘Something’ I shouldn’t be confronting.
Even if I want to grasp the situation, Her Highness’s voice is blocked by the fierce blizzard.
…I’m completely stuck. At this rate, my own magical power will run out first.
What do I do? What can I do? Think, think—think!
Just then, the room’s door suddenly opened.
“Ah, Allen-sensei, kyaa!”
“Allen-sama, wh-what in the world is this?!”
“Ellie! Don’t come in!! Graham-san! Please isolate the detached wing with a military-grade barrier. If this continues, everything will be engulfed!!! I’ll get Her Highness—”
“Allen-sensei…”
“—Understood. I entrust Her Ladyship to you.”
Graham-san retreated, taking a worried-looking Ellie with him. As expected of the head butler of a ducal house. His judgment is swift.
The ‘Ice’ grew even stronger, its fury intensifying. The advance I had barely managed to halt resumed. Already, my surroundings were also turning white.
Flames are unusable.
Light, Lightning, and Earth are also extremely sluggish.
Water and Wind show a reaction, but… they’re frightened. I’m forcibly activating them to delay the advance, but as a result, my mana efficiency has drastically worsened.
And then—Darkness is too dense. If I were to deploy magic here, I’d likely make my own magical power run wild too.
The beliefs I’ve held onto are severely shaken.
Clearly, there’s a ‘Something’ present that specializes only in Water, Wind, and Dark attributes, to the extent that it renders other attributes unusable.
Considering my own abilities and magical power, breaking through this blizzard is impossible. I don’t know how long I can maintain temperature control either.
…Perhaps I should brace myself. Even though I never wanted to do this again.
Knowing it would guzzle my mana, I activate Water and Wind magic. I also reduce the temperature control around myself to a minimum, diverting that power.
I forcibly interfere with the blizzard. I call out to Her Highness using magic.
“Tina! Tina!! If you can hear me, please answer!”
“――――ii…”
Relying on the faintly heard voice, I interfere again.
…This is worlds tougher than it was with Lidia. And I should have grown somewhat stronger since then.
Somehow, I manage to form a connection to Her Highness. Considering my remaining mana, I can’t maintain it for long.
“Tina!”
“—sei! Hear—m—I—What’s—”
“Right now, your magical power is running wild. If this continues—in the worst case, you’ll lose your life.”
“—do then?”
Her voice is intermittent, but it’s getting through.
Now, if only Her Highness will accept it… I wring out my mana and strengthen the connection.
—I can hold it for a few dozen seconds at most.
“I’m going to connect my mana circuit to yours now and control your magical power.”
“I-Is something like that even possible?”
“I succeeded with this method when Lidia lost control of her power. I imagine it will be unpleasant, but your mana—”
“It’s okay! There’s no problem at all!! I believe in you, sensei!!!”
“Ghk…”
Her immediate reply leaves me speechless.
Entrusting one’s own magical power to another. In a way, it’s synonymous with entrusting your very life to them. Anyone with normal nerves would hesitate.
What’s more, I’ve only known Her Highness for about a month.
…When this is over, I’ll ask her why she trusts me so much. This time, I’ll hear her out to the end.
“Thank you—Here I go.”
“Yes!”
I connect the circuits—Excruciating pain.
My frail body screams from the sheer amount of her magical power. My head feels like it’s about to burn out.
Simultaneously, what flows in is—anger, dejection, disappointment, fear, impatience, and a strong joy—Are these Her Highness’s feelings? Because we’re so deeply connected, her emotions are leaking out… and naturally, mine are too.
I control her magical power and weaken the blizzard. At the same time, my flames begin to revive.
But—that ‘Something’ I’ve been sensing is still present. It doesn’t let the blizzard completely dissipate.
Scraping together the dregs of my own mana, I activate a mock ‘Fire Phoenix’ flame spell.
“This is it!”
I activate it and charge in.
The ‘Fire Phoenix’, clearly weaker than Lidia’s, scatters immediately.
—It’s enough. I’ve already pinpointed Tina’s location. I reach out my hand. Reach her!
“Tina!”
“Sensei!”
I grab her hand, pull her close, and embrace her. I was so glad my cute Tina was safe.
The body I’m holding is trembling. She must have been terrified.
While gently stroking her back—I shift my gaze to the ‘Something’.
Its mana supply cut off, it can no longer manifest and quietly fades away.
That was the lost magic of the—
“Ice Crane’?”
“—S-Sensei.”
I look down to see Tina’s face bright red.
…The circuit is still connected. I hastily sever it.
“I’m so glad you’re safe, truly.”
‘Ah, thank you very much… Also, Sensei.”
“Yes?”
“Please call me ‘cute Tina,’ okay? In your heart, from now on, always.”
“…I’ll do my best.”
“Hehe, please do.”
After this, until a tearful Ellie burst into the room, I was teased relentlessly… I’m never connecting our mana again.