Work done by @elite3532 and @ParadexTM .
Enjoy ;)
Rimuru POV
I had been sitting on a comfortable tree branch using enhanced vision magic making it possible for me to look at places that are out of reach...a simple enhancement spell nothing special..
Rimuru: (She's doing chores again)
Right now, I was on a branch a few mountains away from Elaina and her teacher, observing them.
I would come here from time to time and watch Elaina grow since she had shown me that determination...for a single instant, I saw your reflection in her...
Something that a 4 years old kid shouldn't have...at that moment I was sure, Elaina was made for magic.
Also she looks a lot like her mother when she was young and to a degree where it could have been Victorica and not her.
Returning to Elaina's training...
It isn't unusual to use your kohai to do chores. It's like a deal, you are the one teaching them magic and in return they help you with basic things.
Naturally, there should be no issue if you respected those two conditions.
But the Stardust witch didn't...instead she has been abusing Elaina...not in a physical way but more mentally.
Right now, Elaina is the same as a slave who has access to clothes and food...
Speaking about the Stardust witch, I do remember her...she was introduced to me by Victorica decades ago, a young witch who had some potential.
At Least enough to become Victorica's disciple...
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Has it been a month already? I had been observing them quietly and didn't intervene as I had no serious reason for that.
Nothing changed as Elaina continued her boring chores without touching the magical field in any way.
But fortunately, on this fortunate day...Fran finally decided to train her or more likely, i closed my eyes and decided to stop my observation for now.
Their training must have been rough judging by the change in climate, the rain and clouds turning darker...
But suddenly, my eyebrow twitched as I felt an irregular flow of magic, it was different than normal and could easily be distinguished as the mana was distorted.
I quickly activated my enhanced vision and focused on them...and as expected, the flow of mana in their area was disturbed.
The source of this phenomenon is Elaina...what a cheeky brat, heh.
I chuckled a little as I watched in amazement a little girl replicating one of my spells.
This girl is definitively a genius for magic...i was right, she will go even further than me.
Because the magic she just unleashed is inaccessible even for the strongest witch...maybe Victorica could have done it if she trained years focused on that.
But a kid who is barely 14 did it!
Rimuru: kuhaha...hahaha...haaaa
I could only laugh, satisfied with her performance...but the next scene made my mood drop by a lot.
I was a little too unfocused and forgot about Elaina herself...this last month had put a lot of pressure on her.
She must have felt countless negative emotions...i didn't do anything because there was no reason but also because i knew this will benefit her as a witch later.
I also had no problem with Fran's method knowing that there is some kind of scheme behind, after all Elaina is Victorica's daughter.
But this time, they went too far...they made her cry...i would normally not care.
But something inside me clicked, I didn't know I could still be that emotional...
Rimuru: How dare they make her cry!
My hand covered my face leaving only my right glowing eyes visible, a quick peak of my mana escaped my body as I gritted my teeth.
3rd POV
Fran dispelled her magic as she made sure that Elaina was covered fully, her sleeping face put a smile on her teacher's face.
It was the first time Elaina had been sleeping here and she deserved it..
Fran: (She must have been tired after all we started normal magic training right after the fight)
Fran sighed softly knowing that she went way too overboard even when Victorica had asked her to show Elaina failure and deciding upon her reaction to teach her or not.
She still let her emotion go uncontrolled and almost killed her first student.
Closing the wooden door as quietly as possible, she then proceeded to walk towards her own room.
Finally laying down her hat upon the night table she planned to relax, the day was tiring even for her.
She hasn't got this much action both physically and emotionally.
Rimuru: You used the wrong methode
Suddenly hearing a cold voice coming from right behind her, Fran felt the creeps raising in her body.
She could already guess who standed behind her as she didn't feel any fluctuation of magic but a strong presence.
Her fear came quicker than she had expected...because the only one who is capable of concealing their mana completely are the strongest witch/sorcerer.
Fran: I know, it could have turned very ugly...or maybe it already did.
Fran answered honestly partly because she felt immense pressure in her current situation, he wasn't even doing anything but she was sure that one wrong move and this might be the last day she is physically complete.
Turning around, she looked at a swift figure with long blue silverish hair and his unforgettable mask.
Rimuru: And yet you decided to do so, let me guess you were bribed by Victorica to act like a bitch, she was always a fool when it came to her family.
Rimuru casually said as he took a seat on the window frame...he then took off his mask and laid it down on the desk...the natural light of the moon illuminated his face.
Summoning a pair of cups full of warm tea, he signaled the witch to take a seat with a light movement of his head.
To which Fran obeyed, sitting on the edge of her bed facing Rimuru.
Fran: You can take off your Mask casually now? That's new...
This filled the room with silence for several seconds generating an awkward atmosphere...
Until Rimuru broke it by stirring a sugar into his tea and answered her question shortly.
His face showed no signs of emotions.
Rimuru: That doesn't concern you in any way.
Fran: After our last meeting I am surprised that we are able to sit on the same table again... anyways I just heard today that you were looking after her but what did you think while teaching her such a terrifying spell?
Rimuru: First, you are the one who decided to never meet me again, I guess your puny little self was just too shy to confront me.
As the words left his mouth, Fran blushed a little in embarrassment...back then she was still a teenager and Rimuru's presence terrified her.
Just standing near him could make her faint...but this was the past, now she had grown and evolved.
Rimuru: Also i just taught her the basics, this spell was just a reward for her hard work.
Fran: That's a little more than the basics...even her movement and magic control is already intermediate...
Rimuru: Elaina is a curious and clever girl...her talent for magic too is way above the norm.
Fran: And because she has talent, you were forced to teach her a unique spell?
Rimuru: It's pretty normal, beside the spell she used Gravity collapse is a basic spell who barely reaches the supreme grade.
Fran sighed and couldn't believe Rimuru's answers.
Spell and magic are categorized by their power...lower, intermediate, higher and supreme;
Those define every spell and magic...in general useful magic such as drying clothes, cleaning dishes and more are part of the lower tier.
In the intermediate, we have the start of offensive and defensive magic...in the high tier, it is the sector where most stop at.
The magic there is complex and only a few can achieve...passing from mass destruction to a special type of magic like time rewind...this level can be defined as the greatest achievement of any witch.
The supreme grade is reserved for legendary spells...most of them are forbidden for their generosity.
Among them, things like resurrection, immortality or death magic can be found...
This is just how dangerous Elaina becomes for an instant.
Fran: Okay, I give up...you are the strongest you can do whatever you want.
She took a sip of her warm tea and smiled.
Fran: So...did you come here just to scold me?
Rimuru: Not really, I have no reason to scold you.
This confused Fran who suddenly dropped the cup of tea...she quickly looked up and stared at Rimuru terrified.
Everything froze...the cup of tea was half way down, the butterflies outside were inanimate levitating, her body was rigid but her eyes perceive things normally.
Her eyes were fixed on Rimuru who slowly stood from his original position and approached her.
His hand then stretched until he grabbed her throat with glowing eyes.
Rimuru: You are her teacher, what can I scold you for when you taught her? No...I came here for another reason.
Tightening his grip, Fran started to choke, her eyes were begging for breath and life was slowly leaving her body.
Rimuru: I give you a warning...
Bending a little, Rimuru's face made its way all the way down until his mouth was right beside her ear.
Rimuru: Make her cry again and I'll make sure you'll regret it.
His voice shook her entire being...a few tears started to form on the corner of her eyes as she experienced hell.
Rimuru: Nod if you understand.
Quickly nodding, Fran's eyes started to lose their light...she was now in a state of near death...
Scared, she closed her eyes hoping that she would be able to open then again.
And maybe god answered her request as the pressure on her neck disappeared...not only the pressure but also the man who was previously here.
Fran: Ugh!
She immediately started to cough while massaging her throat...she didn't dream because of the fresh red mark around her neck.
Sighing, she lowered her head and promised.
Fran: Who would make this girl cry after experiencing your wrath...
She honestly wished to never see him again...at least not angry.
Fran: Mou, he could have been more gentle...
After leaving, Rimuru went to his next target...the mastermind behind Elaina's training...her own mother Victorica.
He waited for the sun to rise and go...
The concerned person was actually doing the laundry in her garden, she was humming a song peacefully not knowing the storm was near.
Victorica: (Mmh, this is weird...Elaina didn't come back last night...)
She finally asked herself a question, she too felt the magic fluctuation last night but Fran didn't call her.
So she trusted that nothing happened to Elaina...
But suddenly she felt a hidden presence behind her, she already knew who it was so she simply sighed.
Victorica: How kind of you to visit me so soon, I thought you might take another 10 years...
Rimuru: ...
Leaving the laundry, Victorica turned to Rimuru and went to take a seat beside him...their figure covered by the shadow of the house.
Victorica: So you have been observing Elaina...what a stalker you are.
Noticing the tense atmosphere, Victorica tried to ease it...by teasing him but it failed miserably.
Rimuru: Don't you think you went overboard this time?
Victorica: Mmh, I don't see what you mean.
Rimuru: Stop acting, you...
Victorica: Ah okay, don't want you to do another boring speech! Yeah i did it...
Rimuru stayed quiet for a moment, his gaze never left the horizon...which was just a garden...
Rimuru: She could have died, you know...
Victorica: Is that so? I trust Fran and my daughter...if she chose this path, she have to become strong...maybe even stronger than us.
Rimuru: I can see what's your point but she is still a child.
Victorica: We were too...and this didn't stop you from...
Realizing that she was going to pass a point of no return by mentioning one of their many dark secrets.
Victorica quickly shutted her mouth and kept it quiet...her face showed a troubled expression.
Rimuru: Back then, Magic was still very controversial and didn't have its proof...now the world is regulated by this same magic, Elaina don't have to go the same path as us.
Victorica sighed...she knew inside that he was right...but she still wanted the best for her daughter.
She honestly doesn't trust the current system but has no words in that she is a retired witch.
Deciding to stop the conversation there, she got up intending to return to her laundry.
Victorica: I just want Elaina to be strong and ready for what might happen in her travels...even with you, I don't trust this world and all the malice humans have.
Rimuru: I see...she is your daughter, I can't interfere in her education...
Victorica nodded, satisfied with this conclusion, she turned her back on him and started to leave.
Not expecting the mage's next action, grabbing her arm and swiftly smashing her on the wall behind.
Their position quickly turned into a romantic one...despite not having a hint of love there.
Having her arm locked above her head, Victorica smirked and looked at Rimuru with a cheeky smile.
Their body touched and face were dangerously close.
Victorica: Heh, you haven't changed Ri-kun.
Rimuru: You neither, always put on an innocent facade when you are the incarnation of a prankster.
They stared at each other for a long minute, if someone passed by...they would immediately mistook them for a couple.
Ultimately, Victorica broke eye contact with a deep sigh.
Victorica: You are really something...doing that to a married woman...and what worse is you don't even have consciousness of your action.
Rimuru: Say whatever you want.
Victorica: So what do you want? I wouldn't want my husband to see us like that.
Bringing his face closer, Victorica was once again reminded of Rimuru's beauty...
She didn't blush or had any reaction since she had been around for longer than even her own husband but any normal girl would surely sell their own life to be in this position with this man.
Rimuru: Apologize to Elaina, that's all I need you to do.
Victorica: Heh...it seems I was wrong. You did change a little.
She hasn't seen Rimuru so passionate about something in decades...there was always something that lacked in his life.
But right now, his eyes were shining...not from his mana but something else...maybe it's determination, no one can know as this something is coming from Rimuru.
Someone who can hardly be understood.
Victorica: I will apologize once she comes back.
Rimuru: You gave in quickly...i expected you to bite back a few times like the strong head that you are.
Victorica: I will ignore this rude comment but you're right, maybe I changed too.
Finally letting go, Victorica massaged her arm softly and started using healing magic...Rimuru grip is strong despite being a mage.
He could even beat in hand to hand combat any knight in the current era.
Rimuru: Since you complied, I will take my leave now.
Victorica: Yeah, be careful on your way back as to not kill or destroy too many things.
Rimuru: I won't.
As he was about to leave via teleportation, he was once again called out by Victorica.
Victorica: Also Ri-kun, please refrain yourself from grabbing a lady's arm, it's not very gentlemanly.
Rimuru: Is that so?
Victorica: You are so dense when it comes to romance, you are lucky to have this beautiful face so every girl you did it to fell for you.
The memories of their adventures once again flashed in her mind, back then to gather information...Rimuru would randomly pick a prey which always turned out to be a woman...
And do these kind of thing, non intentional flirt..the worse is that this always worked.
Rimuru: I see, I will think about it.
Victorica: You know, I might have cheated on my husband with you if we weren't friend and acquaintances.
Rimuru: Sorry but I am not interested in witches like you.
Victorica: Aw that too bad~
Rimuru: I would be too scared to face your prank and daily attempt of murder on me.
Victorica: Oy, is my image that bad?
Rimuru looked at her briefly, his eyes showing some nostalgia.
Rimuru: Maybe...in the past yeah but you grew up into a fine woman.
He muttered the last part so only he could hear, because of this Victorica pouted and just looked away like a child.
Rimuru: That aside, I'll leave for good now and don't mention my passage here to Elaina.
Victorica: Hai Hai.
Finally leaving, Rimuru disappeared...leaving the spot he was standing on empty.
Victorica returned to her housewife activity and everything returned to normal.
For the next 3 years...Elaina was trained by Fran in magic, the Stardust witch had to be very careful and taught everything she could to her only student.
Elaina took a great step toward her dream and goal.