Magic

Convenient things like hair dryers did not exist in this world.

Instead, it seemed they used a slender, transparent pillar about a meter high, made of some glass-like substance that stood in the dressing area.

Kuuga had thought it nothing more than a decorative object, but as he watched to see how it would be used, Gadilas placed his hand upon the pillar. In that instant, the pillar glowed softly, and a magical circle appeared on the floor around its base.

Then, tiny red lights flickered into being, dancing around the pillar before a wave of heat radiated out, warming the air around them.

…What is this, some kind of stove?

‘Gadi, what is this thing?’

“What do you mean?”

‘It’s not electricity, and those weird patterns are…?’

Padding at the floor near the pillar, Kuuga looked back and forth between the object and Gadilas. After a few repetitions, Gadilas seemed to get the idea and murmured, “Ah.”

“It’s a magic device that gives off heat.”

‘Magic device?’

Seeing Kuuga’s doubts, Gadilas furrowed his brow.

“…What don’t you understand? …Wait, you don’t know what a magic device is at all?”

‘Exactly.’

When Kuuga nodded twice, Gadilas looked surprised. That must be common knowledge here.

“Ah… Using magic itself is a hassle.”

‘Magic? Magic actually exists here?’

“…Don’t tell me—you don’t know about magic either?”

Kuuga nodded again. Gadilas watched him intently, his face puzzling over the realization that Kuuga knew so little.

Magic had never existed in the world Kuuga came from. It appeared in stories and games, so he understood what it was—but nothing beyond that. Was this some kind of problem?

Unsure, Kuuga watched anxiously as Gadilas’s expression grew troubled and he began to speak, hesitantly.

“Magic is… uh… a mysterious power. That’s all.”

‘………’

He must have thought Kuuga didn’t even know the word “magic.” Embarrassed at being unable to explain, Gadilas coughed lightly, mumbled “In any case,” and squatted down.

“Magic makes various things possible, but you need a corresponding circle and blood imbued with magical power to use it.”

Apparently giving up on broad theory, he switched to explaining how to use it.

As he spoke, Gadilas used water to trace out a simple magic circle on the floor. At the end, he bit his finger and let a drop of blood fall into the center. Instantly, the watered lines glowed faintly, and a single red light—like the ones before—began to float above the pattern.

Gadilas placed his open palm above the softly glowing diagram, and with a sweep of his hand, a small tongue of fire burst forth atop the circle.

‘Whoa!’

Startled, Kuuga leapt backward. Gadilas gave him a rare, searching look, as if the reaction was something novel. Embarrassed, Kuuga slunk back to his original spot, and Gadilas continued.

“It’s all right for something like a bonfire, but you can’t be bothered writing magic circles when you’re fighting.”

‘True. Unless you had a formation with frontline fighters covering the rear, there’s no way to prepare.’

“That’s why they developed magic devices. They have all the circles inscribed and are filled with artificial blood containing no magic power. When you touch a magic device and pour magic in from the outside, the artificial blood becomes magic-imbued blood, and the inscribed magic is triggered… Do you get it?”

Kuuga nodded twice in agreement at the thorough explanation. Gadilas extinguished the flame and stood, picking up a brush from a nearby shelf to begin combing Kuuga’s fur.

Delighted at the attention, Kuuga let himself be fussed over. The gentle warmth from the magic device wasn’t all that strong, but his fur was already beginning to dry—perhaps the device was specially designed for that purpose.

So there really was such a thing as magic in this world. When your own body had transformed into a beast, practically nothing should surprise you anymore.

“You feel much nicer to the touch after getting clean.”

‘That’s good to hear.’

And so, until the messenger arrived to notify them that dinner was ready, Kuuga and Gadilas remained in the dressing room, grooming and drying Kuuga’s coat.