Chapter 2 - A Certain Half-Baked Mage's Regression
A Certain Half-Baked Mage's Regression
Chapter 2
Part 1. Outer Residence of the Northern Magic Tower
2.A Certain Half-Baked Mage's Regression
"Lili, what are you doing?"
Liliope startled at the voice that suddenly pierced her ears, snapping her out of her daze.
"Why are you spacing out all of a sudden? Are you sick or something?"
The shimmering light returned to her unfocused purple eyes. The breath she had unconsciously held also filled her lungs once more.
Liliope felt the blood begin to flow again in her numb limbs, and slowly blinked her dry eyes.
'Huh? What is this? Why am I in a place like this...?'
The light of a jewel-studded chandelier was the first thing to pierce her vision.
On the table before her were a dazzling vase, a metal candlestick, and all sorts of sweet treats that children would love.
Liliope's dazed eyes blinked blankly.
What was going on?
She had clearly been in a dark forest in the pouring rain, but suddenly the surroundings had changed to a bright and warm interior.
"Aish, seriously. What's wrong with you? Can't you hear me? Look over here."
But it was too early to be surprised.
Before she could regain her sense of reality, a warm sensation suddenly touched her cheek.
Liliope was led by the strangely familiar voice and touch, and blankly turned her head.
"...Kalliona, Sister?"
Immediately after, a bewildered voice escaped from her gaping lips.
What Liliope saw was the face of a young girl with a worried expression.
Hair as black as ebony and eyes with a deep purple hue like ripe grapes.
Except for the fact that her sharp eyes, which seemed capable of cutting anyone down, had become a little rounder, and that her slender face had some baby fat left, making her look younger, the girl's face was very familiar to Liliope.
It was only natural. This girl was... none other than Kalliona.
But it was strange. Her sister, her sister had clearly died...
Liliope still vividly remembered the chilling feeling of her cold, still body touching her fingertips.
But how could Kalliona be in front of her, and in such a young form?
"Ah... Am I dreaming right now?"
"What? A dream?"
Kalliona chuckled at Liliope, who was mumbling blankly, unable to grasp reality.
"Well, I guess the food is good enough to make you think it's a dream. It's been a while since you've had something this delicious, right? But you get stomachaches easily, so don't rush too much, and slowly eat the warm soup so you don't get indigestion."
She playfully pinched Liliope's nose and then turned back to continue her meal.
A soft, happy smile was on the face of the young Kalliona, who was slicing a golden-brown pancake and spreading butter on it.
They were not the only sisters in the large dining hall.
The surroundings were noisy with children who were mindlessly devouring the mouth-watering food.
Liliope was too busy looking at Kalliona's profile to pay attention to anything else.
She didn't know if she was dreaming or if she was in heaven. But either way, it felt like a miracle that her dead sister was alive and breathing in front of her again.
"Hey, hey, look at those girls eat."
But unfortunately, Liliope couldn't stay immersed in her emotions for long.
"Hmph, anyone would think they're princesses from somewhere. They're all from the same slum orphanage, but they're acting all high and mighty!"
Suddenly, an unknown boy sitting across the table from them laughed loudly and threw the pie he had been tearing apart with his hands.
Unfortunately, it landed right in the soup bowl in front of Liliope, making a mess of the surroundings.
"Lili! Are you okay? Hey, what do you think you're doing?"
In a moment of strange déjà vu, Kalliona wrapped her hand around Liliope's and scolded the boy across from them.
He was probably around fourteen years old.
The red-haired boy, who looked about the same age as Kalliona, didn't bat an eye and sneered at the sisters again.
"Putting on airs. Everyone else is busy filling their stomachs, but one of them is leisurely filling up on vegetable water like some noble, and the other is making a fuss with a fork and knife while eating a measly piece of bread. Hmph, I guess you guys aren't hungry enough yet?"
"What's it to you how we eat?"
"Why isn't it any of my business? It's annoying to watch, so it's ruining my appetite!"
The boy defiantly picked up a new piece of bread with his bare hands and tore it apart messily.
Kalliona, in turn, seemed disgusted by the boy. She ignored him as if she didn't want to argue any further and checked on Liliope.
"Lili, give me your hand. Ah, look at this! It's red already."
Liliope silently watched Kalliona carefully wipe the soup off her hand with a napkin.
"It looks like you got a slight burn, doesn't it sting? Wait a minute. I'll cool it down with cold water."
My sister is worried about me...?
My sister... is being kind to me like she used to be.
Suddenly, an unbearable longing washed over her, and Liliope's eyes turned red.
"Wow. What, are you crying just because a few drops of soup splashed on you?"
"Lili has sensitive skin! Look, it's red because of you!"
"Heh, hmph! It's not even that noticeable, you're just exaggerating."
Even so, the red-haired boy glanced at Liliope, as if he was a little concerned.
Kalliona glared fiercely at the boy.
But... what was it?
This situation, this conversation.
She had vaguely felt it a moment ago, but for some reason, it felt strangely familiar, as if she had experienced it once before.
"Boss, just ignore those girls and eat quickly! The other kids have eaten all the meat-filled bread, and there's not much left!"
Even the voices of the boys sitting on either side of the boy, urging him urgently, subtly stimulated a corner of her memory.
"Hey, it's okay. The grand feast or whatever that's going to be held later is supposed to be even better. So you guys should eat moderately now."
"Grand feast? Boss, what's that?"
"Didn't you hear what the person who guided us to the dining hall said earlier? I don't know either, but I guess it's like a welcoming party. They're probably deeply moved that a future archmage like me has joined the Northern Magic Tower and are trying to treat me with the utmost respect."
As the boy spoke pompously, Liliope's face stiffened as if she had been splashed with cold water.
Grand feast.
Northern Magic Tower.
An inescapable sound flowed from the boy's mouth.
"Hmph. It's ridiculous that a rude boy like you has the qualifications to enter the Magic Tower. You'll definitely be kicked out soon, saying they made a mistake."
"What? Who says that! I was the boss in our neighborhood! I was rumored to be the smartest!"
"Smart? It's obvious if you're still childishly playing neighborhood boss at this age."
"Pla, playing? Take that back right now!"
While the young Kalliona and the boy were bickering again, Liliope hurriedly raised her head and looked around.
Before long, goosebumps rose on her arms and the back of her neck stiffened.
No wonder the interior decorations felt strangely familiar, this was the dining hall belonging to the outer residence of the Northern Magic Tower, from which Liliope had been expelled.
This was where guests who entered the Magic Tower for the first time were received.
Liliope had only seen this place once in her life, on the day she entered the Northern Magic Tower with her sister, but she still had a vivid memory of it.
How could she forget? She had regretted it countless times, thinking back to this day.
"No... I have to get out of here right now."
There was no time to think any further. Liliope jumped up from her seat and pulled Kalliona along.