Is Being a Magician Considered a Job? Am I Jobless?

Chapter 16

I've been away for a long time because a relative of mine passed away. It's so painful to see that those who wish to live are the ones who die, while those who yearn for it continue on. I'm deeply saddened, but I suppose life must go on.

It's quite ironic if you ask me. I see my life as a complete joke and made light of my own death. However, when I encountered someone close to me with the same mindset, I found myself arguing against it. I said things I normally disdain, such as "You have value" and "You can be great, I know you will." These were the opposite of what I often told myself.

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As the weeks passed, Marisa refused to continue their journey until Roxy could use basic-level magic in all the elemental disciplines. Meanwhile, Marisa busied herself with buying books that caught her interest. If they were expensive, a quick trip outside to gather resources was all it took to cover the cost.

Marisa's understanding of flame magic deepened as she repeatedly cast fire spells, fine-tuning the mana output. By grasping the concepts of light and heat, she found herself capable of recreating Utsuho's flames or even generating something hotter. Some books nudged her in the right direction, leading her to form plasma. 

This plasma, essentially a highly energized gas, functioned like a concentrated laser. By adding more energy (heat), it could burn brighter than usual. However, there was a fatal flaw: Marisa could only create small amounts without risking injury. Without a barrier capable of withstanding extreme heat, manipulating plasma was perilous.

Marisa looked up at the sun, pondering whether she could create a plasma within a ball of fire. Perhaps the outer fire would contain and mute the heat of the plasma. It was an intriguing theory, and Marisa made a mental note to jot it down for further exploration.

"Marisa, I did it," Roxy announced as she stood at the doorstep of Marisa's rented room. Marisa, who valued her personal space and had therefore rented a separate room, looked up from her papers with interest. Although their nightly mana injection sessions were now less awkward, they remained a crucial part of Roxy's progress.

Marisa gestured for Roxy to demonstrate her progress. Roxy first conjured a flame from her palms, albeit weaker than Marisa's, showcasing her progress in fire magic. She then dissipated the flame and gathered the room's dust to create a small pebble, displaying resourcefulness in earth magic. Next, she effortlessly summoned a water ball and created a gust of wind that brushed against Marisa's face.

"You've passed. Buy what you need; we're embarking on a journey to find the other spirits while honing your skills," Marisa instructed, prompting a nod of understanding from Roxy. "Don't you want to join me?" Roxy inquired, to which Marisa shook her head.

"No, I'm on the verge of a breakthrough in my research," Marisa explained, gesturing toward her desk littered with papers on cold fire creation—a concept that defied conventional wisdom by manipulating heat to produce "cold" flames.

"Alright, do you need anything?" Roxy asked, adding with a teasing smile, "Except for poisons." Marisa clicked her tongue in response. "Buy supplies for both of us," Marisa instructed, and Roxy nodded before closing the door as she left to fulfill their shopping list.

Marisa stretched her arms and conjured a flame, gradually siphoning off its heat until the fire dimmed. With her theory in mind, she swiftly diverted the heat and transformed the element into ice, attempting to use ice as fuel for fire. However, the result was merely a cool mist—a predictable outcome for an experimental concept.

Undeterred, Marisa had more theories in her arsenal. This time, she created a flame using her mana as fuel instead of relying on the surrounding elements. She rapidly withdrew the heat and directed her mana into the fire, causing the flame to erupt into brilliant blue flames that surged wildly, almost reaching the ceiling. Surprisingly, the blue fire didn't burn; instead, it left behind an icy trail.

A wide smile spread across Marisa's face as she felt a surge of satisfaction. She promptly discarded the failed theory and embraced the successful one. With this new cold fire technique, she had a valuable addition to her arsenal—an attack that could reduce mobility due to its intense coldness. Now, the challenge lay in embedding this spell onto her body, but in what pose should she do it? The possibilities sparked her imagination.

But first, Marisa had to practice the spell repeatedly, focusing on increasing the speed of her casting. Currently, creating the blue flame took her about three seconds, which Marisa considered slow compared to her usual instantaneous spells. However, she knew that this delay was due to the spell being relatively new to her repertoire. With mastery, she could cut it down to two seconds per casting, and eventually make it almost instinctual.

Marisa committed herself to casting the spell over and over again, determined to embed it into her muscle memory. Each repetition brought her closer to the seamless execution she desired, honing her magical skills with each flicker of the blue flame.

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Roxy found herself hesitating over whether to buy the poisonous herbs. On one hand, she knew Marisa would be ecstatic to receive them, but on the other, it felt morally questionable to enable Marisa's potentially harmful habit. Ultimately, she decided against buying them, considering Marisa's well-being.

As Roxy contemplated her decision, Undyne suddenly appeared, noticing Roxy's conflicted expression. "Um... I believe Marisa is targeting the mana of those plants, not the poison. For her, mana poisoning is an event that strengthens her," Undyne explained, causing Roxy to hesitate once more. "But it could still pose serious risks," Roxy countered, expressing her concern.

Undyne pondered for a moment before offering a solution. "A skilled chef can extract the poison from ingredients while retaining their mana properties. In fact, there's a term for it called Mana Cuisine, where ingredients prone to causing mana poisoning are used," Undyne suggested, giving Roxy a newfound perspective.

Feeling a sense of duty to support Marisa without compromising her safety, Roxy decided to purchase the herbs. Undyne, ever vigilant, shadowed Roxy throughout her shopping trip, silently guarding her from any potential dangers. It was an unexpected role for a fairy of Undyne's stature, but she took her duties seriously, especially when it came to protecting someone as important as Roxy.

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Reimu woke up with a sense of unease, feeling like something was amiss. As she walked out of her room to investigate, she found Yukari on the balcony, gazing at the pond.

"Yukari, up so early?" Reimu grumbled, only to be met with a sigh from Yukari. "It's almost noon," Yukari corrected gently, which puzzled Reimu even more. "Noon? Impossible! Marisa always wakes me up loudly," Reimu retorted, voicing her confusion.

Yukari hesitated before softly revealing the unsettling truth. "Marisa entered a strange portal, and... I can't track her anymore," she admitted, causing Reimu's eyes to widen in shock. For Yukari to lose track of someone was highly unusual; it meant either that person no longer existed or had left their world entirely.

"You must be joking, Yukari," Reimu exclaimed, trying to rein in her emotions and stay calm. Yukari remained silent, prompting Reimu to sit down and gather her thoughts. "You have a solution, right? We can ask Eiki for help; she must have a way. And with so many gods, surely one of them can assist us," Reimu suggested, her desperation evident.

Yukari, feeling guilty for her inability to track Marisa, masked her sorrow with a lie. "Indeed, but it will take some time," she responded. Reimu, regaining a semblance of composure, expressed hope. "That's good to hear. I warned Marisa about being too curious... When she returns, I'll definitely tease her about it," Reimu declared, her shaky words infused with a hint of optimism. Yukari's mind raced with possibilities, knowing that there were numerous options and avenues to explore in their quest to find Marisa.

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Nine months in Mushoku World to just one day in Gensokyo? Sounds like a pretty fair time ratio to me! I mean, we can't have poor Reimu suffering for too long, right? Heck, maybe Marisa will even skip out of this world before Rudeus even gets born!

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How about diving into a fanfic where a Touhou character goes on a fanfic adventure and visits another world? If that sounds like your cup of tea, then 'Hong Meiling Sleepwalks Through the Heaven' is right up your alley! And hey, if you stumble upon any similar fanfics, be sure to let me know—I'm always on the lookout for a good/shitty read!