CH 258

Chapter 258 : It’s Finished!

I put my left hand on Ester’s back and my right hand on Celine’s back and then started producing wind-attributed mana and fire-attributed mana at the same time.

After that, I concentrated the wind-attributed mana in my left hand, and the fire-attributed mana in my right hand.

I could feel a gentle breeze with my left hand and warm heat with my right hand as I started injecting my mana into Ester and Celine’s bodies.

Because it’s quite tricky to do, I practiced for a bit last night, but it seems that I can do it without any problems.

「Mark… Is this…」(Ester)

「Can you feel it? Now grab your Crystal Branch and let the mana flow into it.」(Mark)

「Eh…?」(Ester)

Ester looked confused for some reason. She glanced at Celine, who reached out her right hand and grabbed her Crystal Branch as I told, and did the same thing.

Celine seemed to be calm but on the other hand, I could feel Ester’s back trembling a bit. It seems that she’s still nervous.

Celine was sending my fire-attributed mana into her Crystal Branch like usual, but Ester didn’t seem to know how to do it. She was only receiving my mana without sending it into her Crystal Branch.

「Ester, you need to let the mana I sent you flow into your Crystal Branch, or it will be pointless.」(Mark)

「Eh? A, Alright… Like this…?」(Ester)

Listening to my advice, Ester glanced up at her Crystal Branch and started sending wind-attributed mana into it.

「…!! Mmmm~!!!」(Ester)

Soon after my mana started flowing through her body, Ester closed her eyes and groaned.

「Ester, how do you feel? Please tell me if you feel sick.」(Mark

「N, No, I’m not feeling sick… It’s just… My entire body feels kinda weird… Mmhh~!!」(Ester)

Ester answered me with a trembling voice.

Ester is not used to using magic like Celine, so the amount of mana I’m sending into her body is smaller than the mana I’m sending into Celine’s body, but seeing her trembling like this, I think I will reduce the amount a little bit more.

「Are you alright? Can you continue?」(Mark)

「Yeah… Mmhhh~! I, I’m fine… Hnghh~!」(Ester)

「Alright. Please hang in there! …Celine, how about you?」(Mark)

I looked at Celine, whose face turned bright red, and asked her.

「I’m good, at least for now.」(Celine)

「Great.」(Mark)

◇◇◇

It’s been ten minutes since we started. Celine was able to refrain from groaning, but as for Ester, she has been out of breath for some time now.

Ester turned her bright red face and looked at me.

「M, Mark…」(Ester)

「What’s wrong?」(Mark)

「Please… I can’t… hold it anymore… When are we going to… ‘do it’…? Please don’t tease me more than this… or I will… Uuu~…」(Ester)

「Tease you? Wait, I’m not teasing you. It may feel weird, but I’m helping you refine your Crystal Branch as promised. Your Crystal Branch will grow faster this way.」(Mark)

「…Eh? Helping me… refine my Crystal Branch…? What are you talking about…?」(Ester)

When Ester glanced at me with a confused face, Celine explained to her.

「Ester, look at your Crystal Branch closely. It has gotten way bigger than when we started, right? It looks like it’s about to be completed any time soon, so let’s bear with it a little longer!」(Celine)

While Celine was explaining, I looked at Ester’s Crystal Branch.

There was a light green Portal Stone hanging on the tip of the branch. It almost looked like a green apple.

The Portal Stone and the Crystal Branch were connected to each other by a thin stem that looked like it was going to break any time soon.

「Eh…? It indeed has gotten bigger, but… Hold on… Aren’t we going toー」(Ester)

Ester was about to say something, but before she could say it, her Portal Stone shone in green for a moment and then fell to the ground.

「Ara~ Ester, you did it! Congratulations!」(Celine)

「Eh…? Eeeehh…??」(Ester)

Celine congratulated Ester with a smile, but Ester seemed confused for some reason.

I stopped injecting mana into Ester’s body and grabbed her arm with my left hand to help her stand up.

「Congratulations, Ester!」(Mark)

「Congrats, Ester-chan!」(Nicola)

Nicola and I smiled at Ester and congratulated her, but she still looked confused somehow. I wonder why…

「U, Umm…」(Ester)

She looked at her Portal Stone on the ground and my face alternately.

「What’s wrong? Are you… not happy with it…?」(Mark)

「No, it’s just… I… thought…」(Ester)

「You thought…?」(Mark)

「We are going to… have seー …Awawawa!」(Ester)

「Have what?」(Mark)

Ester opened her eyes and mouth wide as if she just realized something.

Her face then turned even redder and sweat began to run down all over her face.

I wonder if she is okay. I’m afraid that she feels sick because I injected too much mana into her body.

「Ester, are youー」(Mark)

「ーAwawawawa!! No, I’m not misunderstanding things! I swear!」(Ester)

「Misunderstanding…? What do you mean?」(Mark)

「Awawawawa!! It’s nothing! Really! It’s just… AAaaAaaAAAaAA!! No, I’m not a lustful girl!! I’m nooooot!!」(Ester)

Ester held her head with both hands and shook it violently while yelling.

She then hurriedly picked up her Portal Stone and turned her back against me.

I could see her shoulders trembling and the back of her ears turn as red as a ripe tomato.

「E, Ester…?」(Celine)

「Hey, are you alright?」(Mark)

『Xixixixi…!』(Nicola)

Celine and I were worried but on the other hand, Nicola was giggling as if she knew something…

Ester hugged her Portal Stone on her chest and glanced at me with teary eyes.

「I, I’m fine! Don’t worry about me! …A, Ahem! …Ya, Yaaayy~~! I finally have a Portal Stone! Thank you for helping me, Mark! W, Well then, I’m going home now! See you guys later!」(Ester)

Ester said that rapidly and then immediately dashed toward the village, leaving us in a hurry for some reason.

「Ester, wait! You’re not going to take a bath? …Aa-ahh… She’s gone.」(Mark)

I looked at Celine and then we both tilted our heads at the same time, unable to comprehend what was going on.

Meanwhile, Nicola turned in the direction where Ester left, stood straight, and put her right hand diagonally on her forehead, saluting.

『To the courageous warrior, Ester… Hand salute!』(Nicola)

『What are you doing…?』(Mark)

『Don’t mind me~』(Nicola)

Leaving Nicola aside, I have no idea what’s wrong with Ester, but I hope she is okay.