Tree-Cutting Magic
After playing Number Ten, I explained the rules of Concentration and Speed.
Concentration was apparently in the rulebook, so I only had to demonstrate Speed.
My opponent was the Guildmaster, who seemed still shocked from losing at Old Maid earlier.
But Speed was always my favorite card game. Even if my hands are small and I flip a little slow, I won’t lose to a beginner.
And just as I thought, it was an easy win!
Since you put cards down to the left and right, the Guildmaster kept hesitating about which side to play on, and while he was flustered, I laid card after card until the game ended.
The Vice-Guildmaster burst into laughter, Dad praised me with a big lift into the air, and while Mr. Elia patted him on the shoulder, the Guildmaster looked so downhearted I almost felt sorry for him.
“This Speed game works better with light paper cards, but for the other games, wooden tiles will do just fine.
Any adult good with Wood Magic could start making them right away, I’d say.”
“Yes, if adults who are skilled with Wood Magic gathered, they could mass-produce them immediately!”
“Village Chief, Mr. Paul, um, if possible, could the children help with making the cards too?”
The village leaders looked pleased, but I quickly interrupted.
They seemed a little surprised at involving children, but Dad seemed to understand right away and spoke for me.
"Well, bless my soul! When we were craftin’ those cards at home this time, I went ahead and trimmed the branches, shapin’ ‘em into nice little tiles.
But my darlin’ Vio, she’s the one who put in the elbow grease, sandin’ those surfaces smooth as a summer breeze.
If the young’uns are a bit older, they could try their hand at some woodworking, too.
And with all them cards we gotta make, it’ll be a fine way for ‘em to practice their mana control to boot!"
“Oh, in that case, let’s have them make cards in my lessons. I already have the three sisters practice mana control, but nothing beats hands-on experience.”
The one who agreed with Dad was Mrs. Ariana, the magic instructor.
She had been worrying about what to do in her next lessons, since today even a five-year-old successfully managed the Light spell.
So, it was decided that in the language class the day after tomorrow, we’d continue with karuta, and in the magic class after that, we’d work on processing trump cards and karuta boards.
Of course, those who wanted to practice offensive magic could do so, but we five-year-olds and the three nine-year-old sisters would be working on the karuta.
As for the monster and material karuta, the guild staff would all work together on the words and illustrations, and once those were finished, they’d be registered with the Merchants' Guild.
Since we’d also have the children’s gathering experience event this weekend, the results would be presented at the guild meeting in the Fire Season.
With about three months of trial results, it should be easy to present.
The meeting ended when my stomach let out a loud growl.
It was terribly embarrassing, but it seemed to be just the thing to calm down the overly excited adults.
Waving to the grown-ups who said they’d keep talking a little longer, I left early, carried in Dad’s arms.
"Vio, honey, how ‘bout we whip up a few extra cards so we can have ourselves a good ol’ game night at home, too?"
“Hehehe, yeah! Then we can play together, Dad.”
Though he’d just been watching, I guess Dad wanted to join once he understood the rules. He doesn’t have to remember every game, just a few would be fun.
We agreed he’d teach me the tree-cutting spell in the afternoon, then after lunch I took a one-hour nap.
Feeling refreshed, we went out to the forest behind the house.
“Whoa!”
“Well, now…”
We were going to prune trees near the river and headed across the fields, only to find a little hill of overgrown weeds.
There are herbs in the forest, but this had been a field ridge, so it shouldn’t look like a meadow.
Even Dad was startled, kneeling to examine it.
“Ah, this is your mana’s doin’, Vio”
Huh? This hill is my fault?
"Why, Vio, darlin’, you recollect the other day when you let loose all that mana ‘round here ‘til you plumb wore yourself out? Whew, that sure did charge up the soil somethin’ fierce!
If we’d had crops in the ground, we’d be lookin’ at a harvest fit to burst the barn.
But seein’ as nothin’ was planted, them pesky weeds just had themselves a field day instead!"
What! That failed spell from before!
What a waste! Dad had said the herbs in this forest grew well thanks to his care. If I’d known, I should’ve dumped the mana where the vegetables were.
“Oh, right—Dad, were you able to make an earth golem yet?”
I’d forgotten, but the whole reason we tried Earth Magic was because making golems would be good mana control practice.
"Naw, sugar, yesterday you went and tuckered yerself out somethin’ awful, and I didn’t have a minute to fuss over it. So, what’s it gonna be, Vio, darlin’? What’d ya rather do?"
That’s true—he had carried me right away and then helped with the playground in the afternoon.
For now, I asked to learn tree-cutting first, since we needed it for making cards.
We left the weed patch for later, and Dad chose the trees for me to cut branches from.
"Well, now, these here and them few over yonder oughta do just fine. Vio, darlin’, come on over here!"
He marked several trees. I wasn’t sure what he was looking for—maybe how the sunlight fell?
I went over to the tree he pointed at.
"Alright, Vio, sugar, just rest your hand on that tree trunk there and ease your mana into it, nice and slow. Trees are livin’ things, so don’t go rushin’ in all at once, now.
First, take a moment to feel the natural rhythm of the mana flowin’ through that tree, then blend your mana in real gentle-like, matchin’ its flow as you let it seep in."
I nodded and pressed my palm firmly against the trunk.
More delicately than when I looked into the earth, with even less than a mist of water.
(Big tree, show me a little of what’s inside you.)
As I thought that, my mana seeped slowly into the tree, like water soaking into cloth.
Though the trunk under my hands looked unchanged, in my mind I saw a strange sight, as if in an X-ray or with layers of bark peeled away.
Like the blood vessels shown on an educational program, something was pulsing through the tree.
Looking closely, I saw things flowing up from the roots and down from above.
"Vio, darlin’, can you feel that flow hummin’ inside the tree? Through them roots, it’s sippin’ up mana and nutrients from the soil, spreadin’ ‘em all through its core. And from them leaves and branches, it’s soakin’ in light and that ambient mana, then givin’ a little bit back to the earth below."
Ah, so that’s what I’m seeing. Amazing.
“Yeah, I can see it. It really makes you feel the tree’s alive.”
"You got it, sugar! Now, let your senses drift on up to them branches. Some of ‘em are hoggin’ all the light, while others are fightin’ to get their share of nutrients."
I followed the flow upward. Though the real tree was much taller, in my mind the branches appeared at Dad’s height.
And yes, some of the higher ones looked weak from lack of light.
“I found them—the weak branches. Should I cut these?”
"Naw, darlin’, it’s them overgrown ones up top you wanna trim. Branches that get too big and greedy can stunt the rest. Just cut off the mana flow right at the base of them overfed ones."
Ah, so not the weak one, but the one above. Because it’s too full already.
Sure enough, three higher branches were swollen with excess mana, trying to return it to the roots but unable to.
It looked like a river about to flood at a blocked junction. That must be the spot to cut.
“There’s a spot where it feels clogged.”
"Well, ain’t you got a keen eye, Vio! Yup, right there at that clogged-up base, just focus your mind on slicin’ that mana flow clean off."
Oh, so no incantation. Dad hadn’t spoken one either.
(Alright, let’s slice clean through right here.)
As I thought it, the mana flow snapped at that point, and I heard a loud crash.
“Ah! I forgot!”
Before I knew it, Dad had grabbed me up and leapt back.
CRACK—BOOM!
When I turned, the fallen branch was thicker and heavier than I expected. It had broken some other branches on its way down.
Unlike Dad’s earlier work, mine was noisy—a failure, maybe?
"Oh, now, hold on, darlin’, you didn’t mess up none! I just plumb forgot to mention somethin’. Before you go cuttin’, ya gotta get some vines ready. Stretch ‘em out from them nearby branches and wrap ‘em snug ‘round the base of the one you’re fixin’ to trim. That way, the branch won’t go tumblin’ down all sudden-like but’ll ease on down nice and gentle. My apologies for givin’ you a scare, sugar!"
Oh, right—Dad’s vines had acted like a crane before.
Since I wasn’t hurt and the cutting itself was fine, we tried again with another tree.
This time, he had me prepare vines before cutting, and the branch lowered quietly.
If this were a game, I bet it would’ve popped up: “Vio learned the spell Tree-Cutting!” with a level-up jingle.
Hehe, tomorrow I’ll work hard on earth golems!
What do you think about this chapter?
