Illusion of Integrity

Learning New Skills

Riss sits on the bench in auditorium. Today is the magic theory class. She has zero knowleldge on magic. Now that she thinks of it. Most of his days before the space warp incident was spent on useless things.

"Wow, you are early. Can I sit here?"

["Eh, it's the nice guy."]

"Sure, go ahead. By the way, you know that brown haired guy? The one who wielded the spear with stone arm?"

"Endine?"

"Yeah, Endine. What do you think?"

"Hmmm, he is actually smart you know. People may see him as being lazy, but he deal with things efficiently."

"Ahhh, so you are agree with his way of thinking?"

"If we are talking about practical life, yeah of course. But this is a school, it has rules. It doesn't mean that I disagree with him, but instead, I disagree with how the school teaches things."

"Hooo, what do you mean?"

"Everyone has their own talents, no one should learn the same way with another. School teaches uniformity, not creativity."

["Hard to believe that those words come from a 10 year old kid."]

"Yeah, it really is."

With just a few chats, the class started. The teacher explains the grouping of magic. In short, there are systems called Ancient Magic, Dark Magic, Elemental Magic and Light Magic. Today is the Ancient Magic class.

"Now, who can tell me an example of ancient magic?" The teacher asks.

"Magic from the gods, Sir!"

"Well, some of them uses ancient magic, yes, but truthfully, not all of them does. Example, Hefrost of Ice actually uses elemental magic, the ice element."

"Sir, what dictates which magic is ancient or elemental or dark etc?" Riss raises her hand.

"Ah, that's a very good question. People are taught that magic has grouping, but the way they grouped up is rarely explained. Elemental Magic is of course magic that exploits element. But ancient magic or dark magic for example, aren't originated from element. One of them is gravity magic, it's an ancient magic. It's rarely taught, because the lacks of element, the lacks of visual, it makes it harder to learn."

"Sir, what about Joker's Magic?"

"Ahhhhh, Joker? It's rare nowadays to hear something like that from a young people. Now everyone, any of you ever heard Joker?" The teacher asks. Some of the students nod, but most of them shake their heads. "See? But it's known that Joker's Magic is some type of ancient magic. How it works itself was never explained though. After all, not much people in history ever saw Joker's Magic. But some say that Joker's Magic is actually a copycat magic fundamentally. So how powerful the magic is depends on the user itself."

"Wow a magic that copies another magic?" One of the student exclaims.

"Yes, there are magic that can copy another magic. But usually it's like 1 or 2 magic copied at once. Surprisingly, those that met Joker actually told their next generation that Joker can copy a lot of magic at once. Anyway that's a good example of ancient magic. At least now you know that ancient magic can steer away from the normal standard of magic."

["To be honest I can copy skills, not just magic. But the power is decided randomly by the roll anyway."]

"What about the royal and ace skills?"

["Seems like there are 3 types of royal. It's King, Queen and Jack. King is area of effect, Queen is defensive, Jack is single target. The rolls are insanely stupid, so mostly I put it in normal skills. You don't want to roll Queen when you want to attack, don't you? But the Ace skills is some kind of Ultimate Magic, the truest form of that copied magic. I can only use it once for a day though."]

"So much rules for a magic."

["The last Joker must be a quick-witted person to be able to master these skills it seems."]

"Yeah, that's true."

After that, the teacher continues his explanation. The class ends soon before the teacher finishes explaining everything about ancient magic so he decides to continue the explanation for the next day.

["I think you need to learn to wield a weapon."]

"Why?"

["You should avoid using the Black Joker's abilities."]

"Hmmmm, yes you are right. But how do I learn it is another problem."

["We will think about it later then."]

"Wait, I think we can ask Sis about it."

["Fenicia? How?"]

"She is here, maybe she knows someone who can teach us."

["Well, it won't hurt to try."]

Riss decides to find her sister in the school. They both attending the same school after all. Fenicia is 4 years older than her, so Riss has to find her in the senior region.

"Excuse me, is there someone named Fenicia here?" Riss asks one of the student there.

"Fenicia? That blonde girl? Wait, what are you doing here? Aren't you a junior?"

"Ah, she is my older sister. I need to meet her."

"Ohh, okay then." 

The guy explains Fenicia's class location to her. It's not that far from there. So all it takes is just a few minutes walk to the class.

"Riss! Finally I can see you!" Fenicia hugs her when they meet. After Riss came back home, they haven't got the chance to meet after all.

"I miss you, Sis."

"Me too, you look different I think. You seems matured now."

"Ahaha.... I'm millenias old after all."

"No that wasn't what I meant, anyway, is there something you need that you came to me in such a time?"

"Do you know someone who can teach me using weapons, Sis?"

"Eh, we never used weapon, for what?"

"You know, I don't want people to know my abilities, so maybe I will try learning on how to use weapons."

"Ah, I see. Most people here use spears, but I know someone that can teach you swordmanship. He is a wandering swordsman. How is it?"

["My senses are tingling."]

"Sure, can you introduce him to me?"

"Well yeah, he is currently at the inn. Let's go then, has your class ended?"

"Yes, Sis."

"Okay, let's go."

Both of them decided to go right away. They have nothing to do after the afternoon, all the classes has ended. It takes a bit of fly for them to reach the location of the inn. At the inn, Fenicia asks the receptionist about the wandering swordsman.

"Wandering swordsman? Oh that guest, he is the only swordsman here after alll, so his sword pokes like a sore thumb. Let me call him then, please wait." The recptionist explains.

"Sis, you don't know the swordsman's name? How can we trust him?"

"I always forgot to ask him. Don't worry, I'm a good judge of character."

"If you say so."

Not a long time passes when 2 footsteps can be heard from the stair. One of them is the receptionist, but the other one is a familiar face to Riss.

"Huh!? Aren't you-"

"AHHHHHH GOOD DAY TO YOU FENICIA! AND THIS LITTLE GIRL IS!?"

"Was that yell necessary!?" Fenicia seems to be pissed off by the yelling.

["Yes the wandering swordsman in the banquet but you are dumb, truly dumb."]

"My bad, really."

"Let me introduce you to my little sister. Her name is Riss."

"Ah, Young Miss Riss, nice to meet you." Maha smiles annoyingly. It seems like he says indirectly how dumb Riss is to nearly reveal his identity.

"Yes, nice to meet you too."

"By the way, I never know your name." Fenicia tilts her head.

"What does a name needed for a wandering swordsman like me? Just call me swordie or something is fine."

"Fine, I will call you Swordie then. No one uses sword here after all."

"Ahaha, that's good. So, anything that I can help?"

"My sis wants to learn on how to wield weapon."

"Why swords then? You Xagan use spear. Only us human wield the swords."

"Well, I don' know why but my feeling says that you are the right person."

"I see, then, can you leave your little sister to me? We have to talk face to face. Some kind of test you know."

"Do I have to leave both of you alone?"

"Yes, we have to be alone. We human learn swordmanship differently from Xagan, so some of them are still kept as secret to outsiders."

"Ohhhh, okay then."

["She actually believes it? Really?"]

"I still can't believe your reasoning but, I guess you have your own circumstances. So I will be leaving then. See ya then, Sis."

"Okay, Sis. Thanks a lot."

Both Maha and Riss stare at Fenicia that leave them. After she is out of the inn, Maha suddenly yells again.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

"Trying to learn swordmanship?" Riss replies with a pokerface.

Maha facepalms, he doesn't know wether Riss tries to look dumb, or truly dumb.