Teaching Dual Casting (Chapter 9)

Finally, Oscar asked.

"Why are you just standing there?"

"Geez, you know I can’t dual cast!"

Dual casting was the ability to use two different spells simultaneously, a skill typically only grasped by mages at level 4 or 5.

"Well, someone like you, a genius, probably picked it up early."

"It’s not that I’m a genius. It’s easy if you know the trick."

It was like learning to ride a bike.

Once you learned, you never forgot.

Oscar asked in a gentle voice.

"Every time you try dual casting, your mana flow tangles up and backfires, doesn’t it?"

"H-How did you…!"

Before Fran could add anything, Oscar spoke up.

"I’ll teach you. Dual casting."

Fran’s ears perked up at the offer.

It made sense since dual casting was a secret skill no one easily shared.

Unless you were born into a family of mages or had a high-ranking mage as a mentor, you’d have to figure it out on your own.

"…Really? You're not lying?"

"Really. It’s easy once you know the concept."

Oscar raised both hands, each showing one or two fingers.

"Alright, you see two hands in front of you. Which hand is more suited for dual casting?"

"Well… the right hand, I guess."

"Why do you think that?"

"You’ve got two fingers extended—somehow that feels like dual casting would work better."

"Correct. So what do you think these fingers represent?"

"The number of spells? Because it’s dual casting?"

"Wrong."

Oscar smiled faintly.

"This is where most mages go wrong with dual casting. They get fixated on completing two spells simultaneously."

"…Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?"

"Nope. If you’re off-track from the beginning, you’ll never reach the correct destination."

He wiggled his right hand, forming a V with two fingers.

"These two fingers actually represent mana."

"Huh? Mana, not spells?"

Fran looked baffled, repeating the unexpected answer.

"Yeah. Think about it. When someone who can’t dual cast tries to summon mana as usual, then abruptly splits it in two before casting—of course the flow would get tangled and backfire. That’s an advanced technique for people already used to dual casting."

"In other words, it’s like trying to run before you can walk?"

"Exactly. The proper way to practice dual casting is to prepare two streams of mana from the start: one for Spell A, the other for Spell B. That way, the flow doesn’t tangle."