Magical Boy ~ English version

Chapter 7

Nanaya finally got interested in his tray. He had no idea where to start. He glanced at the others, who had decided to eat as well, and noticed at that moment, at a table further away, that Kotaro was staring at him angrily. When their eyes met, his friend looked away. But Nanaya had seen it. He didn't understand his behavior. He sighed and grabbed the apple.

"Hey... there's a painting of this in my dining room." He breathed. "How is it eaten?"

"Chikushō!" Miiko exclaimed. "Do you live in a cave ?! Who has never eaten an apple?"

"Shut up, Miiko." His brother scolded. 

Kenji made no remark. He just took the fruit, grabbed his own knife, and began to peel and cut it.

"You can also just bite into it." He explained, handing him the quarters. "But we do not know what pesticides are used on it, it is better to remove the skin. Above all, you have to remove the middle. Apple seeds contain cyanide. A very small amount, but it's still poison."

"I'm immune. "

Surprised looks fell on Nanaya again. He stopped his gesture as he was about to put a part of the apple in his mouth. It seemed so obvious to him.

" My father." The teen continued. "He made me immune to most poisons. He always said it was essential."

"How did he do ?" Mineko worried.

"By injecting them into me in small amounts, mix with the poison control agent of his conception."

"He could have killed you!" Kenji said indignantly.

"No. My father knows what he's doing."

"Like by depriving yourself of food?" Mineko growled again.

"He doesn't deprive me ..."

"You've never eaten an apple, you can't eat a full breakfast and you're skinny!"

"I'm not skinny."

"Are you joking ?!" Naoaki cut. "We can see your ribs."

"Father says it's because I'm still a child."

"No." Kenji growled. "You are a teenager and even for a child this isn't supposed to be normal! Now eat that apple and I don't want to hear any mention of your father again. "

Nanaya looked down. He had never questioned what his father was telling him. But come to think of it, wasn't it a villain's thing to lie?

He decided to stuff a wedge of apple in his mouth and froze in surprise. The sweet taste of the fruit was completely new to him. He couldn't even mentally describe what he was feeling. The flesh of the apple was tender and tasty. He couldn't remember having eaten anything so good.

His comrades had their eyes fixed on him to observe his reactions. 

He did not see, further, Kotaro looking at him too. He had often tried to get him to eat sweets and pastries when they were children, but Nanaya had always refused. It pissed him off even more to see that these other people, who had known his friend for less than a day, had succeeded. Of course, maybe he had taken it the wrong way ... but he refused to consider the possibility.

" So ?" Suddenly asked Yuto.

Nanaya snapped out of his stupor and turned his head towards her. It was the first time she had addressed him directly. She had a small, high-pitched voice but quite sweet. As soon as he met her gaze, she seemed to settle down in her chair, as if he was going to disintegrate her for daring to speak to him.

" ...its good." The young man muttered.

As if to confirm, he took a second quarter and tasted it. He tasted everything on his tray, with a pleasure he had never had and didn't leave a crumb. He would have liked to eat more of it, but Kenji assured him that, not being used to it, he could get sick if it was abused. So he was content with what he got.

Half past eight was approaching and with that, it was time for the first lessons. Nanaya, Mineko, Yuto and Inoue hurried up to the third floor. The boy didn't fail to notice the presence of what appeared to be workers in the hall, talking very seriously with Starlight and Bunny. He didn't linger there any longer and quickly climbed the stairs.

Angel Ferret was already in the room when they arrived, but they weren't the last. So they settled down in silence.

The professor adjusted her glasses, when everyone was seated, and the accompanying flying ferret landed beside her. Its coat was green and it had a pair of fluffy pink wings. He stood on his hind legs, his wings folded behind his back.

"Today," the woman announced. "You will receive your guardian. But first, Washi will give you some explanations."

"Before you can actually team up with a guardian," the ferret continued. "You need to know who we are and where we come from. There are some questions that I would not answer. There are details you don't need to know and there are details that we don't know ourselves. You should know that we were human too, before. Guardians are spirits. Spirits strong enough not to disappear. When we die, we are granted a power and a new form. By who or what, that is one of the questions you will not have the answer to. However, we are unable to use this magic on our own. We need to share it by bonding with a living human. Hm? Yes, Orio-san?"

"Do you remember your old life?" Asked the young girl, lowering her hand. "When were you human?"

"No. Well, most of the time. But there have already been exceptions. When a spirit is particularly attached to a loved one who is still alive, then its memories linger. Usually, the guardian will refuse to bond with another person and if their loved one already has power, they will just follow them without being able to help them. It's not my case. I don't know who I was or what time I was living. And your guardians will all be like me, without a doubt. Here. I'll leave the rest to you, Angel-chan."

"Good." Resumed the professor. "As you will understand, the power that will be entrusted to you does not really belong to you. If your guardian decides that you are not worthy, then he will take it back from you. You are all, born without any power. Your body is not able to have one. This is something you need to be fully aware of, otherwise you may not be taking precautions. This is where the scepters come in. Your body is indeed too weak to handle even the smallest power. The scepter in its original form, or that of a simple accessory, is a channeler. A magical girl... or a magical boy, must never part with his accessory. Let's be clear. You are perfectly capable of using the magic entrusted to you, without carrying your item. But the consequences would be disastrous. Besides losing consciousness for several hours, which could prove fatal in certain circumstances, your body would then be negatively exposed to your power. It will be more meaningful with a few examples. Take Bunny, the headmistress. Her power allows her to leap several meters. She can even jump on top of a building. If she didn't wear her ring, she would break her legs. "

A few students looked horrified. This hidden side of the magical girls had never been revealed to them. And for good reason. If a villain saw it, he would know all he had to do was destroy the accessory. Angel Ferret restored silence. She waited until eyes were on her again, and two large wings of pink feathers suddenly sprang from her back.

"My power." She continued. "Is to grow these wings at will. But, if I didn't wear the glasses Washi gave me, my back would tear and my bones would explode under the pressure of their presence. Some powers will only hurt their possessor, if they are not wearing the accessory. But others can prove fatal. So, young ladies ... and young man, as soon as you get yours, never part with it. "