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"Lord Rosen, I've got superpowers now!"
Fresh out of the bath, Yuki Suou practically bragged as she showed off her glowing palms.
For now, she could only summon holy light, but it was enough to make her giddy.
"I see. But more important is getting control. If you can't handle your own power, it'll mess with your daily life."
Rosen chuckled.
"This afternoon, go train with Miko and Hana. Work those powers until they're second nature."
"Got it!"
Yuki's legs bounced with excitement, as if she were hoping a monster would appear right that instant.
What would her first battle be like? She couldn't wait.
"Congrats, Yuki! From now on, we're teammates!"
Hana Yurikawa greeted her warmly, though she herself hadn't been part of the group for long.
"There's this shop that makes amazing cream daifuku. After training, let's go together!"
"Mm. Let's do our best from here on," said Miko Yotsuya with a soft smile.
"There's one other senpai, but she's off traveling with her mom right now. You'll meet her later."
"Ohh, so retainers do get their own private time?" Yuki blinked in surprise.
"Of course! Lord Rosen treats us really well. He trains with us, then takes us out for feasts afterward. No matter how much I eat, he never complains!" Hana practically glowed with happiness.
"Oh? So if I'm tired, I can just sleep in?" Yuki smirked mischievously.
"Eh? Well, if you're tired, Lord Rosen never forces us…" Hana tilted her head, confused by the sudden question.
Rosen flicked Yuki's forehead with a sigh. Outwardly, she was the refined daughter of a noble family—but her years of anime obsession had left her mind much less "innocent" than she looked.
"In the source story, she could strip in front of the male lead without a blush, then argue excitedly about the finer points of character design…"
"Anyway, Yuki. Let me explain your abilities."
He handed her a sheet with her skill stats.
Yuki's eyes sparkled. So she'd awakened extra powers too? Summoning holy light must be the baseline—but what was hers? Could it be flight? A transformation armor sequence? Maybe she'd even get to shout a henshin line!
"…'Silver Tongue' and 'Projection Divine Art'?"
Not exactly the henshin she had imagined.
"Only two, but don't underestimate them. Used well, they're quite powerful."
Especially "Projection Divine Art."
It was born from the otaku habit of daydreaming—similar to a weaker form of "Reality Marble." She could only project real objects she had seen before.
The catch: they were illusions made solid. Food, water, fruit—they'd only be models, not functional. Complex shapes were hard to maintain.
Still, it was far simpler than true magecraft, since divine power fueled it.
Rosen explained, "Projection Magecraft takes countless steps: conceiving the idea, building the frame, copying materials, imitating craftsmanship, empathizing with the object's history, recreating its years… Only then do you get a projection.
"But your Divine Art skips straight to the result. Think it, and it appears. The downside? You must keep imagining it. Slip for even a second, and the projection will collapse."
"That's amazing!" the other girls gasped.
To manifest imagination into reality, even briefly—it was like Rosen's own ability in miniature.
Miko looked at Yuki with open envy. To share a power so close to their god's was a rare blessing indeed.
"Can I try making something?" Yuki's excitement spiked.
She pictured a dazzling, ornate sword.
A shining blade materialized in her hands, heavy and sharp to the touch.
But before she could show it off—crack! The sword snapped, dissolving into nothing.
"What?! Why did it just—"
"Your focus broke. Remember, projection isn't creation. The object exists only as long as your imagination holds. If your image falters, no matter how real it feels, it'll vanish."
Rosen ruffled her hair."So, girl… train well."
Just then, a ringtone chimed through the room.
Ayano Kunishima answered. On the other end, Yuki's mother spoke.
Ayano's brow furrowed as she glanced toward Yuki."Miss, it's… your mother."
"Mom?" Yuki took the phone, debating whether to brag about her new powers.
But her mother's voice cut her off.
"The airport? You want me there now? Why—?"
"..."
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