“It is a type of anesthetic, formulated with a combination of various magical ingredients, including mandrake oil, forget-me-not, Psilocybe venenata, Hydra venom, and so on. After taking a dose, the five senses of your physical body will become numb. That means the senses outside the physical—namely, those that sense your Sphere—will become easier to use. Please do your best to grasp it. Notice it. Awaken to this new sensation residing within yourselves that you have never been conscious of before. For that is the first step in your journey toward becoming a mage.”
Professor Anna gazed warmly at her charges.
“As the potion is very strong, first take only one drop onto your finger and lick it. If after that, you still haven’t grasped the sensation of your Sphere, you may take one more drop. Since you all possess a considerable inclination toward the magic arts, I believe all should be able to grasp their Spheres with this dose…but if you still haven’t after two drops, please tell me.”
With this, the new students took the first step on their journey to become mages—the ritual to open their Spheres began.
The class used the potion according to Professor Anna’s directions.
Then, seated in a large circle—the boys cross-legged, the girls on their heels—the students closed their eyes.
As instructed, they repeated a special breathing rhythm to calm the mind.
Then the potions began to take effect one after another.
“P-Professor…I’m scared…! I feel like I’m going to disappear…!”
“I-I’m falling… My body is falling away…!”
“Eek… A-aah…!”
Shouts of confusion rang out as everyone’s five senses started to turn numb.
“It’s all right, it’s all right. Please stay calm. Don’t allow your mind to wander; just keep breathing.” Professor Anna spoke gently in order to soothe the students. “Soon, you will temporarily lose your five physical senses entirely. It should feel much like your existence has completely disappeared from this world. But remember…though it may feel that way, you are still here. In this state, on what foundation does your consciousness and your mind still stand? Where does it exist? Please search carefully for the answer. In the answer, on that foundation…exists your Sphere.”
The wind flowed around them. The sound of the blowing tree branches was far away.
The ritual ground was enveloped in stillness.
The students calmed their minds and silently continued their meditation.
Five minutes passed. Then ten.
One hour… Two hours…
But without the five senses, all sense of time was ambiguous.
It was as if time had become infinite and the class was wandering in a void…when suddenly:
“Ah!”
One of the meditating students cried out as if they had come to a realization.
And with that:
“I—I see something…! I see it…!”
“Could this be it…? This feeling…?”
“I—I saw it, too! I felt it!”
“S-so this is where…I exist…?!”
“H-how didn’t I ever notice it before?!”
One by one, the students began to call out in surprise.
Seeing their progress, Professor Anna nodded in satisfaction.
“It seems you’ve begun to grasp it,” she said. “Now, those who have felt it, please stand up and open your eyes. Don’t worry, the potion will have already worn off by now.”
The students did as they were told.
““““Wh-whoa…””””
They stood with their eyes wide.
An unimaginable scene was unfolding before them.
“Heh-heh-heh, how is it, everyone?” Professor Anna asked. “Within the Stone Circle, those who have opened their Spheres should now be able to see a physical manifestation of their Sphere and the Spheres of others. What do you think? Visually, it should look something like an orb of light at the center of your body. And you will surely be able to feel everything within that orb. You should feel the sensation of light through your skin, see sound with your eyes, and taste scents. Within that orb, you should be able to clearly understand anything and everything. That is the Sphere. Congratulations. You all have now begun your journey toward becoming mages.”
Professor Anna clapped her hands in celebration for the students, some still frozen in surprise and others moved to tears.
“A-amazing… This is a Sphere?!” Randy exclaimed in excitement.
“I did it…! Me, of all people…! Even someone like me…,” Annie said with tears of joy.
“Oh-ho, those are some fine Spheres you two have,” Serephina remarked.
“Serephina!”
“From what I can tell, each of your Spheres is about five to six meters wide. That’s quite good for someone who’s only just opened their Sphere. You should be proud.”
“D-do you think so…?”
“By the way, for comparison’s sake, how big is your Sphere, Serephina?” Randy asked.
“Oh-ho, it would be easier to simply show you rather than explain! Pay close attention! Behold my magnificent Sphere!” Serephina boomed confidently with an exaggerated flourish of her hands.
““““Whoooooaaaaaaa?!””””
Randy, Annie, and the other students shouted in surprise.
“Wh-what’s with that Sphere?!”
“I-it’s huge! That’s gotta be over fifty meters!”
“And its field gives off so much power…!”
“Amazing… She’s on a totally different level…”
Serephina was on cloud nine, basking in the praise of her peers.
“Oh-ho-ho. Could this be the effect of the Fool’s Elixir?” she said. “I was able to reexamine parts of my Sphere that I had only been able to sense vaguely before, so perhaps that led to it becoming even stronger.”
“Heh-heh, I’m not surprised, Serephina. Thank you for showing yours as an example,” Professor Anna said with a smile.
“D-dammit… She’s a monster!” Alfred, meanwhile, was sourly pushing his glasses back up.
Faced with this crowd of excited students…
Oh crap… I have absolutely no idea what they’re talking about.
…Rix had broken into a cold sweat.
In all honesty, Rix was still completely lost.
No matter how much of the potion he used or how much he meditated, he had no clue what this cryptic sensation of the Sphere was supposed to be like. He couldn’t see whatever everyone else seemed to be seeing, either.
Unable to participate in the excitement, he felt extremely isolated.
Ummm… Maybe it’s just me, but this seems real bad…