Magic Lessons
“There’s something I’d like to ask of you.”
“A favor?”
“Yes.”
“What is it? Spit it out already.”
“I am saying it!”
The house fell quiet for a moment.
“Would it be all right if I taught the little one about herbs?”
“Huh?”
“Herb study?”
“I thought something was off when she asked earlier if he’d been studying.”
“What’s the reason?”
“No special reason.”
“If he’s going to live as an adventurer, knowledge of herbs is important.”
“Is that really all?”
Fer fixed Serina with a hard stare.
“That’s really all.”
“The more knowledge an adventurer has, the better.”
“We’d be grateful if you would, but…”
“Son, what about you?”
“I’d love to!”
“I want to talk about other things with Auntie, too.”
“I don’t have any more life stories left to dump on you…”
“But Auntie.”
“What?”
“How did you and Dad get so close?”
“Hmm…”
“Well, you see…”
“You’re actually going to tell him?”
“What does it matter?”
“Your father used to show up hurt all the time.”
“He’d always come to me for treatment.”
Those wounds I saw last time…
“And do you know what he said every single time?”
“That Armel doesn’t like it when he gets hurt.”
“He’d throw a tantrum and beg me to heal him completely.”
“Stop it…”
“One day he even went, ‘I miss Armel…’”
“He said that, too.”
Auntie was grinning mischievously.
“Oh, come on!”
“If we’re going there, what about you?!”
“The one who refused treatment because she broke up with her boyfriend!”
“Why is that coming up now?!”
“Both of you, enough.”
“Ahem.”
“My apologies.”
“I’m sorry.”
“The conversation wandered far thanks to our son, but…”
“We have no reason to refuse if Serina is willing to teach him.”
“But Serina.”
“Yes?”
“Is that… really the only reason?”
Armel was smiling, yet a faint chill ran through her words.
“Yes… that’s truly all.”
“All right, then.”
“But I know you’re busy. Will you be all right?”
“Me? Well… if I adjust things somehow.”
“I should be able to free up three or four days.”
Serina stroked the boy’s hair.
“Little one, how does three or four days sound?”
“You okay with that?”
“I’m fine with it!”
“Good. Understood.”
In that instant—
The way she looked at her son seemed to overlap with someone else.
And so we finished our meal.
Serina prepared to leave.
“I’ll let you know once I’m ready.”
“Thank you, Serina.”
“I’m the one who got a free meal.”
“And you even packed food for me. I’m the grateful one.”
“If I get hurt, I’ll give you a discount.”
Armel smiled with gentle warmth.
“Yes! I’ll make sure to come to you for treatment, Serina.”
Serina laughed brightly and took her leave.
Fer was watching his son with a look of mild wonder.
“It’s amazing…”
“What is?”
“How can he fall asleep the second he finishes eating?”
The sight of their sleeping son brought a little relief.
“He’s still a child.”
Fer carefully scooped the boy into his arms.
Armel brushed her son’s hair back as she spoke.
“I wish he could stay little forever… but that’s hard, isn’t it?”
A faint loneliness lingered in Armel’s eyes.
“It’s all right.”
“Even when the boy grows old, he’ll always be a child in our eyes.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
“Then let’s put him to bed and turn in ourselves.”
“Understood.”
While my wounds healed, I spent my days reading books at home and talking with my family.
Two weeks passed that way.
Mom said she had something to tell me once I was fully recovered, and for those two weeks she forbade sword training.
“My body’s in good shape, and the wounds have all healed, so I should ask Dad to start training again.”
“Dad, let’s do sword training again!”
“It’s good that you’re full of energy, but…”
“The person teaching you today is someone else.”
“Huh?”
“Someone other than Dad?”
Dad pointed at Mom.
“Ta-da!”
“Mom’s going to teach you starting today!”
“Really?”
“Yes!”
The news that Mom would train me filled me with excitement.
These past few days Mom had seemed a little busy, so the chance to do something together with her made me happy.
“Today…”
“We’re going to learn magic!”
“What?”
“Huh?”
For a moment, neither Mom nor I could say a word.
“Ma…gic?!”
“Real magic?”
“Uh…?”
“Yes!”
“I’m finally going to learn magic!”
“I thought you didn’t like it.”
“I was wrong?”
“Didn’t like it?”
“I’m so happy I get to learn magic!”
“Well, since they say our son has a lot of mana…”
“Mom will teach you, and Dad will watch over you.”
“Okay!”
“Then shall we head up the hill?”
“Yes!”
Our whole family climbed the hill together.
“All right, sit down for a moment.”
“Okay!”
Armel had spent some time putting together a magic training plan for her son, searching for anything on null attributes and any records that might exist.
“Now close your eyes and try to feel the mana flowing through your body.”
“Got it.”
Following Mom’s instructions, I first tried to sense the flow of mana inside me.
“Well? Can you feel it?”
“No… I don’t feel anything.”
“That’s fine.”
“Focus your awareness a little deeper and go further in.”
When I sank my consciousness deeper, mana began to slowly make itself known inside my body.
“I’m starting to feel it!”
“Are you?”
“Then what color is that mana?”
“It doesn’t have any color.”
“Fer…”
“Looks like what Lizette said was true.”
“Good. Well done. You can open your eyes now.”
“How did it feel, sensing mana for the first time?”
“It felt good…”
“Like I was floating gently through the night sky.”
“I see.”
“That’s the mana that lives inside you.”
“Hmm…”
“Practical work from the start would be dangerous.”
“So today, let’s begin with theory.”
“I’m fine with anything!”
“Then I’ll start with the basics.”
“Do you remember when Mom kicked Lizette during your fight with her?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“That was a supplementary magic called Physical Reinforcement.”
“Physical Reinforcement?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Regardless of attribute, it strengthens the body using only a person’s mana.”
Mom glanced at Dad and gave a little wave of her hand.
“Don’t overdo it…”
Whoosh.
Crack!
“Whoa!”
The apple Dad threw shattered into pieces.
“That’s Physical Reinforcement.”
“What do you think?”
“That’s so cool!”
“Right?!”
“So your first goal, son, is—”
“Successfully using Physical Reinforcement!”
“I’ll definitely succeed!”
“Good.”
Mom gently stroked my hair.
“Besides that, I’ll show you some other theory today.”
“What is it?”
“Attributes.”
“Attributes?”
“That’s right.”
“Watch carefully.”
The moment Mom opened her hand, six elements appeared in her palm.
“So these are attributes…”
“That’s right. Fire, water, wind, earth, light, and darkness.”
“The basics are the six attributes.”
“And there are attributes derived from those elements as well.”
“Then can I use attributes too?”
“……”
“Of course!”
“Wow!”
Fer quietly stepped closer and whispered.
“Armel, lying is bad.”
“I know.”
“But look at that face.”
Fer turned his head and looked at their son.
“Hah…”
“He looks like a boy who just got everything in the world.”
“Exactly.”
“And I never once said our son couldn’t use magic.”
“That child will be able to.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because he’s our son!”
Faced with Armel’s bright, lively smile, Fer looked ready to kiss her on the spot.
“I… love you so much.”
“My, why so suddenly? You’re embarrassing me.”
“Let me have this one.”
“Mom, Dad…”
“Stop being all lovey-dovey without me.”
“Huh?”
“Son, when did you learn that kind of talk?”
“Lovey-dovey?”
“I learned it from Aunt Serina.”
At that, neither of them said a word.
“I’ll have a word with Serina soon…”
“Please do…”
“Mom!”
“Yes?”
“How many attributes can someone use?”
“Usually, three at most, from what I know.”
“Then how many attributes do you have, Mom?”
“Well…”
Mom turned her head, reluctant to answer.
“Son.”
“Your mother is All-Attribute.”
“All-Attribute?”
“What’s that?”
“It means she can handle every single attribute.”
“Haha…”
“Mom, why didn’t you tell me you were that amazing?”
“Well…”
“The truth is, Mom used to be pretty incredible.”
“……”
The boy lowered his head without a word.
“Son?”
“I’m sorry, Mom didn’t mean to hide it.”
“You’re really amazing!”
“All-Attribute…”
“You’re a hero!”
Armel’s cheeks began to flush red at her son’s praise.
“Thank you…”
“Mom, are you sick?”
“Your cheeks are red.”
“Huh? No, that’s not—”
Dad came over to my side.
“Mom’s just embarrassed because her son praised her.”
“Why is she embarrassed?”
Dad gazed steadily at Mom as he answered.
“Because Mom is weak to compliments.”
“Isn’t she adorable?”
Thud.
“You’re only sharp at times like this, seriously!”
“Armel… I feel like I’ve been getting hit a lot lately.”
“Dad… are you okay?”
Mom came over and sat softly beside me.
“Son, could you look at Mom for a moment?”
“Yes?”
“Mom can use every attribute, but…”
“That isn’t always a good thing.”
“Why not?”
“Being able to use every attribute means…”
“It’s that much harder to focus on just one.”
“Is that so?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Even you prefer focusing on one food at a time because it tastes better, right?”
“If you eat a bunch of different things all at once, you can’t tell what’s what.”
“That’s true.”
“It’s the same idea.”
“Someone who focuses on just one…”
“Can sometimes surpass even Mom.”
“I see…”
“But.”
“I’ve never met anyone like that yet!”
“Because Mom is strong!”
“Thank you.”
“Then how many attributes does Dad have?”
“Dad?”
“Would you like to explain?”
“Very well.”
“Dad has two.”
“Fire and water magic.”
“Two attributes…”
“Dad’s cool too!”
“Compared to Mom, I’m weak.”
“That’s not true.”
“Every time I watch you fight with your sword and attributes together…”
“I think you’re wonderful.”
“Thank you…”
The boy looked back and forth between the two of us in silence.
“Mom and Dad are so youthful!”
“Did you learn that from Aunt Serina too?”
“No!”
“From a book Dad brought home!”
“Fer?”
“What kind of book did you buy?”
“Well…”
“It said it was a story of love and youth, so…”
“Hah…”
“I’m starting to worry a little about our son.”
“Don’t worry.”
“From now on I’ll hide them better so he doesn’t find them.”
“That’s not the point.”
“I’m sorry…”
And so we looked up at the sky, laughing as we came down the hill.
A little later—
As the sunset painted the sky and we descended the hill, Aunt Serina was standing in front of the house.
“Oh, it’s Aunt Serina.”
“So it is.”
“Aunt Serina!!!”
I waved with pure delight.
“Good to see you, little one!!!”
“It’s been a while, Serina.”
“It’s been a while.”
“Were the three of you out on a picnic?”
“Yes, I taught our son magic today.”
“Really… he’s growing more and more like the two of you.”
“He is, isn’t he. What brings you here?”
“I think I can start the lessons from tomorrow.”
“I’m sorry it took so long.”
“No, it’s perfectly fine.”
“Then we’ll send our son over starting tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
“If you haven’t eaten, stay and join us.”
“No, I’m all right.”
Growl.
“Your stomach clock is working just fine.”
“Be quiet.”
“If it’s all right, may I join you for the meal?”
“Of course!”
“Come on, let’s go!”
“All right.”
The boy took his aunt’s hand.
“Hurry!”
Serina looked at the child, and for a moment her breath caught.
Someone from a long-ago memory seemed to flicker past.
Then she smiled as if nothing had happened.
“Yes… let’s go.”