Delin’s Lake has a high concentration of mana in the atmosphere. It would have been a perfect place for cultivation if the mana level were moderate. However, because it’s excessively high, even a skilled practitioner struggles to breathe properly.
That’s also why Lloyd always slept at Delin’s Lake. The absence of people was an advantage, but the most significant advantage was…
He could sleep well!
Lloyd had been blessed with a strong affinity for mana, which allowed him to maintain a stable mental state. Nevertheless, he still had his concerns.
“I need a pillow.”
Tok tok.
Lloyd tapped his stiff shoulder.
Sleeping with a book as a pillow for the past week had given him a stiff neck.
“…It would be nice to have a bed.”
A natural grass mattress.
At first, he found it incredibly comfortable, but human desires are truly cunning.
“It would be even better with a blanket…”
His wish list grew longer.
But the most urgent need was a pillow.
Lloyd seriously contemplated his options.
The setting is in a medieval period.
Unlike the ergonomic pillows created in modern times, the options were rather uncomfortable.
Bringing the pillow from home wouldn’t improve the situation much.
“What should I do?”
How about casting an air bubble spell and sleeping underwater?
“…!”
Lloyd clapped his hands lightly.
Wow, what an ingenious idea!
He immediately decided to try it out.
He closed his eyes.
The method of casting the spell was straightforward.
When he first possessed this body, he roughly tried out some methods and found one that worked.
Casting spells was all about imagination.
Lloyd imagined himself inside an air bubble that would never burst.
The air inside was perpetually fresh, and the bubble felt incredibly soft and snug.
Soon, the waves of mana inside Lloyd’s body began to move.
He accurately realized the effect he desired.
“Alright.”
When Lloyd opened his eyes, a transparent air bubble enveloped him entirely.
Just to test it out, he touched the bubble lightly, and the ripples spread through the entire bubble, much like pudding.
Magic was so convenient and wondrous.
However, it couldn’t do everything.
The realm of ‘creation’ was impossible to achieve.
Still, Lloyd was quite satisfied with what he accomplished.
He decided to conduct a little experiment. Lloyd moved the air bubble, allowing his body to gently float.
Perhaps the air bubble’s softness caused this? Lloyd lost his balance and fell over.
But the air bubble gently wrapped around his body, cushioning any impact.
He didn’t feel the slightest shock.
Lloyd left the air bubble in the lake and molded it into a makeshift pillow.
Then, he felt the same comfort and coziness he would have with a real pillow.
Satisfied, Lloyd was about to drift off to sleep when he noticed a fish living in Delin’s Lake.
It was four times larger than Earth’s fish and resembled a deep-sea creature, likely due to the high mana concentration.
It could easily be called a monster.
“….”
Lloyd made eye contact with the fish.
– What the heck is this?
That’s the expression it made.
Its sharp fangs were particularly impressive.
Although the air bubble was made sturdy enough not to burst, sleeping in this environment would be impossible.
“Oh well.”
Lloyd’s face showed regret…
Zap!
He cast a scenery-blocking spell!
Along with it, all the surrounding noises were muted.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Theoretically, this air bubble could withstand even an explosion nearby.
Lloyd felt content.
“I’m a genius.”
A comfortable pillow.
A soft bed.
A cozy blanket.
With just one magic, he achieved all three.
Although being called a genius was merely a character setting, Lloyd believed he wasn’t far from it as he drifted off to sleep.
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Amelia briskly walked through the forest.
“As expected, this won’t do.”
Earlier, she retreated from Lloyd’s pace.
She couldn’t stand watching her only brother living like a loser, no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.
With determination in her heart, she headed towards where Lloyd was.
“Lloyd… huh?”
No one was there.
There were traces of flattened grass, but that was it.
“Where did he go?”
She spotted his shoes. It didn’t seem like he had gone anywhere and left them behind.
Moreover, the path she had just taken was the only normal route in this forest.
Suddenly, Amelia felt frightened.
“Lloyd! Lloyd!”
She called out anxiously, looking around.
There was no sign of Lloyd anywhere.
Could he have gotten lost?
Then, Amelia noticed a splashed water droplet where Lloyd had been.
She slowly lifted her head.
The Delin Lake sparkled before her.
The surrounding ground was wet.
A dreadful thought crossed Amelia’s mind.
“Could it be… he rolled and fell while sleeping?”
Her heart sank.
It was a plausible story. Lloyd tended to sleep deeply once he fell asleep, and he had some sleepwalking habits.
“No, no, it can’t be.”
A feeling of panic rushed through her.
Without hesitation, Amelia jumped into the lake.
“It can’t be true. It just can’t be.”
Her heart felt like it was falling apart.
She frantically swam towards the lake bottom.
And there she saw it.
Her younger brother, peacefully sleeping inside a water bubble.
Gulp.
“….”
Amelia stared at that bizarre sight with horror.
**
“Are you conscious or not?”
“…Sorry.”
“No matter what, how could you think of sleeping at the lake bottom? You could drown if you lose focus, drown!”
Amelia scolded Lloyd who looked like a soaked rat.
Lloyd blinked slowly and repeated the same words.
“Sorry.”
Amelia let out a sigh.
Earlier, it was really dizzying. She was worried about how he had ended up there and how chillingly cold he felt.
She was relieved that he was unharmed, but she didn’t want to experience it again.
“This won’t do.”
Lloyd thought, still not fully awake.
He had forgotten about Amelia. She would visit him three times a day, and if she wasn’t there, it was only natural for her to come looking for him.
“But how did she find me?”
He decided to overlook the minor details.
Lloyd let out a long yawn.
“It’s just in time, big sis.”
“Anyway, from today on, you must attend your classes properly… huh?”
“I need a pillow.”
“Ah, yes. If you need one, I’ll get it for you… Are you listening to me, big sis?”
“Do not sleep on the bottom of the lake,” they said.
“Yeah, but… why get mad?”
Amelia felt exasperated.
“What about a pillow instead?”
“Look at this.”
Lloyd pointed at the book he had been using as a pillow.
“It looks pretty stiff.”
“Yeah, well, it’s a book.”
“I’ve got a crick in my neck.”
Lloyd tapped his own neck.
“That’s why I hope Amé finds a comfortable and nice pillow for me.”
“Oh, yeah. Got it. So, I should bring you a pillow?”
“Bring it quickly.”
“Alright, I got you.”
Amelia grinned and turned back to where she came from.
Not long after, she hurried back to Lloyd.
“That’s not it!”
This time, thankfully, he regained his senses.
Amelia sat firmly on the ground, tapping the space in front of her, glaring at Lloyd.
“It’s been a week since the classes started, Lloyd.”
“Yeah.”
“Even though the headmaster allowed your laziness, it’s not okay for a freshman to act like this.”
“Why?”
“Why? Well…”
Amelia’s words faltered.
Indeed, her younger brother was an unbelievable prodigy.
From the moment he was born, he knew how to use magic, moving mana before even speaking a word.
At the age of 10, when they brought in a master from outside, he defeated the expert on their first encounter. The martial arts master, whom they paid handsomely, was still suffering from depression.
No one knew why a magic genius was born in the renowned swordsmanship lineage of the Windsor family, but that’s how it happened.
One thing was certain; he wasn’t at the academy level yet.
“…Magic isn’t everything, you know. The end of learning is as vast as the sea.”
“For example?”
“Well…”
Amelia rolled her eyes. Lloyd’s genius wasn’t confined to just magic.
Before being called the ‘Sloth Sage,’ he was known as the ‘Sage’s Reincarnation.’
He was much smarter than her, even though she had spent her entire life with the sword.
But Amelia focused on why she was here.
“You need social skills, Lloyd. Attending the academy is not only about learning, but it’s also about understanding human relationships. Meeting diverse people.”
Amelia spoke, pleased with herself, and twitched her nose.
“See? Got it now? You should sleep at home and, at least, attend classes…”
“Why do I need social skills?”
Amelia raised an eyebrow.
Her brother’s attitude of always responding with a question irritated her.
But when she looked at Lloyd’s face, her anger naturally subsided, and she spoke gently.
“Living alone is sad, Lloyd. Humans can’t survive alone. Despite being a genius, you’re definitely lacking in that area. Don’t you have a single friend until now?”
“If that’s the case, I don’t need them.”
Amelia decided she had to scold him this time.
But…
“I have you.”
“…!”
Lloyd’s words made her emotions waver like melting ice cream.
Amelia tried to suppress her laughter, but it kept leaking out as she scratched her head.
“Hehe. You’re right. Having me, you don’t need anyone else. Indeed, you’re a genius, Lloyd.”
Amelia gently stroked his head and got up from her spot.
“Well then, I’ll come back when classes end. Get a good rest~”
“Yeah. Don’t forget the pillow when you come.”
“Sure, sure. I got it.”
And with determined steps, Amelia headed back to the main building.
“Lip service is tiring.”
As soon as Amelia disappeared, Lloyd yawned, stretched, and lay down on the grassy bed.
Ah, so warm.
“Fifteen years of school is enough.”
He had already spent 15 years in school in his past life. Going to school again in this life was not part of Lloyd’s plan to live a happy and relaxed life.
Stress is the root of all illness.
Lloyd wanted to live a long life.
