"Roast chicken!"
Tike shouted with excitement as he once again poured his water magic into the tree. Soon, a plump, large fruit materialized on the branch. He plucked it and cracked it open—sure enough, inside lay a golden roast chicken even bigger than the last one.
Just as Tike wiped away the drool that had unconsciously escaped and prepared to share it with Ultear, Ur suddenly spoke up.
"May I have a taste?"
"Of course!"
Tike nodded happily, cupping the strange fruit holding the roast chicken in both hands and carefully handing it over.
Ur took it, gently tore off a strip of meat, and placed it in her mouth.
Instantly, a rich aroma and delicious flavor bloomed on her tongue, causing her eyes to light up slightly.
She had never eaten such delicious roast chicken!
But more than that—
(It's not just about the taste...)
Ur had specifically focused her attention when Tike cast his magic this time. She discovered that the magic he poured into the tree contained a special kind of power.
As she swallowed the chicken, that power was actively restoring the physical strength she had just exerted.
(This child's magic... could it be the legendary Healing Magic?)
Healing Magic was a form of Lost Magic—arts that had largely vanished from history. As a Maker Wizard, Ur couldn't offer Tike any training advice in that specific area.
Ur was wondering what to do next when she noticed Lyon standing nearby, staring unblinkingly at the roast chicken. There was even a hint of drool at the corner of his mouth.
"You want some too?"
"Yeah!" Lyon nodded without hesitation, admitting it openly.
"Eat up!"
Before Ur could say anything, Tike generously invited the other two to share in the delicious meal.
"Don't mind if I do!"
Lyon rushed forward excitedly, couldn't wait to tear off a drumstick, and wolfed it down in one go, not leaving a scrap of meat on the bone.
To the side, Gray wore a cold expression and said, "I'm not hungry. I'd rather keep training than eat."
(Ah, the scent of a lie.)
Tike could smell that Gray was just pretending not to care. Ur understood her disciple thoroughly as well, so she unceremoniously tore off a chunk of meat and stuffed it right into his mouth.
"Mmph..." Gray chewed the meat in his mouth, an expression of satisfaction involuntarily appearing on his face. "It's good..."
"Looks like you like it too," Ur teased, her voice filled with obvious amusement.
"It's just okay, I guess!"
Gray immediately put his cold mask back on, turning his head away with a hmph, though he couldn't hide the joy in his heart.
(How can there be something so delicious in this world?!)
Ur smiled as she watched Gray, then turned her gaze back to Tike.
The boy was excitedly explaining his vision for his magic to Ultear.
"I'll just call this 'Food-Make' then! With this, we'll never have to worry about going hungry again!"
Lyon raised an eyebrow and questioned seriously, "But what's the point of just making food? Are you going to feed the enemy to death or something?"
"Of course not!" Tike shook his head decisively. "I'm not sharing good food with people I don't like!"
"Then how will you fight?" Lyon asked again.
At this moment, Ultear, who was relishing a piece of meat, spoke up with her mouth full.
"It doesn't matter if you can't fight. I will always protect you."
"But... I want to protect you too, Big Sis..." Tike mumbled softly, pouting his lips in slight dissatisfaction.
"Why not try a different shape?" Ur suggested gently. "Maker Magic doesn't have to be limited to one form. As long as it suits you, anything works."
They could find someone to help with the Healing Magic later. The key right now was to help him master offensive magic so he would have the power to protect himself against bad people who might covet his abilities.
Tike followed Ur's advice and refocused his attention.
This time, however, he didn't think about roast chicken. Instead, he mimicked Lyon's approach, imagining the snow spirits he had just encountered on the snowfield.
A few seconds later, Tike slowly opened his eyes. A clear, transparent water spirit condensed before him. Its figure was graceful and soft, and its eyes were innocent and harmless, looking just like a carefree child.
Seeing Tike produce a similar construct, Lyon got interested. He immediately created a majestic ice bear.
"Want to spar?"
Tike looked at Ur hesitantly, seeking her opinion.
Ur smiled and nodded.
"Give it a try."
With Ur's permission, the water spirit and the ice bear immediately began their duel.
Lyon started off full of confidence, but his eyes soon widened at the unfolding scene.
That seemingly delicate water spirit possessed strength far greater than the ice bear he had worked so hard to create. With ease, it executed a beautiful over-the-shoulder throw, smashing the ice bear into fragments.
Lyon was devastated, muttering under his breath, "I used both hands this time, so why did I still lose..."
Ur smiled and rubbed Lyon's head, encouraging him to keep working hard, then turned her gaze to Tike.
"How did that shape feel? Do you think it suits you?"
"Mm, felt pretty good," Tike nodded thoughtfully, his eyes twinkling with a lively light. "I want to try something else."
Saying that, Tike brought his hands together gently in the stance for Maker Magic. Several crystal-clear water weapons materialized out of thin air.
Everyone looked closely—they were the knives and forks usually used for dining.
"That's certainly your style," Ur smiled helplessly, then turned to Gray. "Do you want to test Tike too?"
Gray glanced at the floating cutlery and scoffed, "What use can those useless things be? Lyon only lost because he's weak!"
"Who are you calling weak?" Lyon immediately retorted, unconvinced. "I don't see you doing any better!"
Gray didn't bother responding to him. instead, he took his stance, his cold gaze fixed on Tike. "Let's see what you got."
Tike nodded silently, his expression turning serious.
As both of them cast their respective Maker Magic, an ice lance and a small water fork collided violently in mid-air.
Finally, accompanied by a crisp cracking sound, Gray's ice lance shattered into crystalline fragments. Tike's water fork, however, continued forward, flying right between Gray's legs with barely an inch to spare before embedding itself deeply into the snow.
Gray was devastated, a wave of frustration rising in his heart that was hard to quell.
(I can't even beat a kid younger than me who just started learning magic... If this keeps up, how can I ever avenge my parents?)
The heavy aura radiating from Gray drifted into Tike's nose, making him feel a bit uncomfortable. He tilted his little head in thought for a moment, then suddenly asked innocently:
"Is that Deliora guy as strong as me? How about I go take him out right now, and we can cut off his meat for dinner?"
"Huh?"
Gray looked at him with an incredulous expression. He then frowned, shaking his head with a mix of annoyance and anger.
"Stop joking around! You think Deliora is on the same level as the wild beasts in these mountains? You'd have to be dreaming to think you can beat it!"
"I..."
Tike wanted to say something else, but Gray had already turned around in a huff, running off to the side to continue practicing magic alone. Clearly, he didn't want to talk to Tike anymore.
Confused, Tike turned to look at Ur.
"Can I really not beat Deliora?"
"..."
Ur paused for a brief moment, then gently shook her head.
"Not right now."