Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: The Name of a Friend
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It hadn’t been long since vacation started when the rainy season arrived. Since it was kindergarten, there was no vacation homework. I just wrote a page or two in my diary every now and then, out of habit from my past life. Looking back at what I’d written so far, it was all about magic. I thought to myself that I was really obsessed. Or it was only about the times I met someone. Well, that’s when I wrote in it anyway.
When there was something I wanted to record, or when I met someone or had something fun happen. Or even when someone died.
I wrote in my diary on the day I expected I’d die too.
“It’s raining again today. The rainy season is always so oppressively humid.”
“Yeah?”
I was quietly reading a book, but at those words, I tilted my head and looked out the window. In the pouring rain, the flowers in the garden were growing vigorously, shining vividly. Even though it looked like enough rain to drown them. Seeing the garden flowers standing firm against the pounding raindrops reminded me of the ‘magic to breathe underwater’ I’d learned recently.
Magic really had all sorts of things. While learning it, I wondered if there was separate magic to open your eyes underwater, but then I realized I didn’t need it once I started making barriers. Just put a barrier over your eyes and everything’s fine.
…Hmm, now that I think about it, since a barrier handles it, I didn’t really need to learn the underwater breathing magic. But well, it’s faster and uses less mana than a barrier.
I stared out for a bit before getting up.
“Mom, I’m heading out.”
“Oh, really? Umbrella… you don’t need one?”
Mom gave a wry smile as she said it, but I shook my head.
“Nope, I’m not planning to use magic out in the open. I don’t use it much outside anyway.”
“I see. Okay then. Make sure to use the umbrella so you don’t catch a cold.”
“Yeah!”
I didn’t catch colds from a little rain even in my past life, but since I was six now, it wasn’t impossible, so I nodded. I thought about playing in the rain, but soaking my clothes would just worry Mom. I figured I’d just go where I planned and come back.
I dashed out energetically with my umbrella. Rainwater splashed against my shoes. With the red umbrella, a reddish glow reflected onto my skin. I headed through the alleys toward the hill behind. There was a nicely arranged flower bed nearby. I hummed a song I liked from my past life.
Soon, I reached my destination. A flower bed blooming with all sorts of colorful flowers. These flowers too were blooming steadfastly, undefeated by the rain.
“Still the same.”
I bowed my head toward the flowers and smiled faintly. It was worth seeing, with all kinds of flowers gathered, so I came by often—not just occasionally, but pretty frequently. After finishing what magic training I could do, whenever I got bored.
Honestly, if I’d been true to my nature, I wouldn’t have had time to be bored. Even reborn in a magic world, my original temperament didn’t change. I wouldn’t write novels with these tiny fingers, but I’d at least read whatever books were available.
But there was a problem: no bookstores nearby. That’s what made me bored.
‘Ah— I want to read comics!’
The library was far like a bookstore, but you could borrow most library books via transmitter. So for novels, I could get them from the e-library and transmit. But what I really loved was comics, and libraries usually didn’t stock them. Buying them all was impossible since I was a kid without money, and Mom and Dad would notice… ugh.
Bookstores were tricky because of ‘districts.’ This place was outside any district—that was the biggest issue. I reached out to touch a flower but stopped.
I liked flowers, so I’d tried growing them multiple times. Trees were one thing, but flowers always rotted at the roots, died, or wilted when I grew them….
No! I’m really innocent. I didn’t do anything! I watered them just the right amount!!
Anyway… infusing mana revived them, but they turned into special flowers. So I decided to just look at or buy flowers, never grow them. Damn, no wonder plant magic has the worst affinity for me.
I stared at the flowers, then squatted down under my umbrella. I flicked a few falling raindrops with my finger’s mana. The rain was so heavy that my clothes were already quite damp even though I hadn’t been out long. I made a displeased face at my half-wet clothes.
Since no one would see anyway, should I have wrapped myself in a barrier and used the umbrella? Eh, whatever. It’s not acid rain like in my past life; this is purified rain. I stood up. I did want to play in the rain. But I’d already said “yeah” to Mom….
As I walked around the flower bed thinking that, I spotted a puddle. I tilted my head, then kicked it with my sandaled foot. Water splashed forward with a whoosh.
Ah— suddenly I wanted to play in the water. I usually preferred ocean over streams, but this time a stream sounded good. Come to think of it, would riverbanks be fun in the rain? I knew it was dangerous, but it was just a thought, so no big deal. It was the humid heat of the rainy season making me think that. I didn’t walk around with mana cloaking me all day. That’d tire me out. Maintaining mana control took mental and physical stamina.
“What are you doing?”
I whipped around at the voice. Inha stood behind me with an umbrella, expressionless. Huh, since when? I hadn’t noticed at all. I greeted her awkwardly.
“Hi….”
“…….”
Inha stared silently as usual, then turned her head to look somewhere else. Curious, I followed her gaze. Not far away, two figures approached slowly. Auntie Seona and Uncle Jeongmin.
“Oh, Eunha. What are you doing here?”
I hesitated at the two waving at me, then answered.
“Playing in the rain…? Walk…?”
“Do you like the rain, Eunha?”
“Average…I guess…?”
“Hehe.”
Auntie Seona stroked my head with a look that said I was cute, then glanced at Inha before bending down to meet my eyes.
“Inha suddenly ran ahead, which was odd, but it was because of you. Perfect timing. Want to go home with Inha?”
“Uh….”
“Actually, Auntie and Uncle have another business trip. So Inha will stay at your house for about three days. Oh, I already told Mirae and Jinhan. Got it?”
I nodded. I see, again…. I glanced at Inha. She was silently watching Auntie Seona and me talk. Then Auntie Seona suddenly asked me.
“What do you think of Inha?”
Huh? Suddenly that….
Flustered, I glanced at Inha and Auntie before answering.
“Y-Yeah, I think she’s pretty.”
“Oh my. You’re cute too, Eunha.”
Auntie Seona laughed and kept petting my head. Then she straightened up and said.
“Then I’ll leave Inha to you. Sorry, Inha. Mom will bring back a gift.”
“……Take care.”
“Yeah.”
I blinked.
Inha was always expressionless, but not with family. Her stiff face would soften toward her parents sometimes.
Inha probably smiled normally at home too. Yeah, just like me. I tense up and go quiet around strangers. Inha felt uncomfortable around us too. So she didn’t show much expression even to family in front of people. Even if we didn’t mind, she thought we weren’t that close, or it was awkward….
Anyway, we weren’t close enough to be inside Inha’s comfort zone. That’s why she was always so stiff. Maybe we were similar in that way. Though I was just hopelessly shy.
The Inha from moments ago had such a childlike expression. It surprised me a bit.
Auntie Seona and Uncle Jeongmin waved goodbye to us. Inha and I watched them go with our eyes, then walked side by side slowly home. It was a really awkward time.
When we got home, Mom looked surprised to see Inha with me but soon smiled at us. I set my umbrella by the shoe rack. Inha watched me, then did the same and followed me to the living room.
“It’s Saturday, and you’re a bit wet, so how about a bath since you’re already damp? What do you think? Want to bathe together?”
Inha looked at me briefly before answering.
“…I did it yesterday.”
“I see? Then Eunha, let’s go together.”
“Yeah.”
“Inha, want to play in the meantime?”
“…Yes.”
“Okay.”
Mom beamed at Inha and led me away.
I was only six, so still short—washing my hair or bathing alone was hard. Mom did most of it for me. It was a kid privilege. I played with the water and enjoyed the bath with Mom.
Soon, I rinsed off the soap suds, dried with a towel, roughly dried my hair, and ran to my room ahead of Mom to change. Mom cleaned up the bathroom after. Ahem, this was more because I wasn’t good at tidying….
In my room, I changed into fresh clothes and dried my hair more with the towel. I didn’t use a hairdryer. It was heavy for this body, but honestly, I never used one even before—too lazy…. My already curly hair frizzed more right after washing. …I-It’s fine. Lately I learned to fix it with mana.
Mana was amazing— so many things you could do with just mana. You could even make wind just by moving it! Or move distant objects.
I hopped onto the bed and rolled around. A grin spread across my face.
Alright, next~ let’s practice some more magic while there’s time. I wrote letters in the air with my finger.
Lately, I could write in the air with my finger. Progress, but I focused more on fixing character magic’s weaknesses. Character magic used ‘letters’ to exert power. Writing sentences made the writing time a weakness.
So now I practiced writing characters just with mana movement. It could be faster than handwriting. If not… well, think of other ways.
I summoned mana and floated my mental image in the air. Magic activated, forming a question mark. Seeing it made me smile happily, and the floating mist changed from question mark to heart.
“Eunha, come out once you’re changed. Inha’s here.”
“Ah, yeah!”
I quickly erased the magic and opened the door. Mom looked at me, then sent her voice to my head with flame magic.
「Be careful with Inha around. You don’t want your magic found out, right?」
「…Yeah, I know.」
I was the one who said I wanted to live normally without anyone finding out about this magic. It was Mom’s wish too, but mostly mine. So I had to restrain myself.
I nodded and followed Mom down the stairs to the living room.
“Inha, is there anything you want to do?”
Mom asked Inha, leaving me behind. For a moment, our eyes met.
“…Can I practice magic?”
“Hm? Oh, right—you’ve already gathered mana, and you started basic magic practice a few days ago. And you’re already thinking about your main magic….”
Really? I blinked. Mom and Auntie Seona really shared everything. Mom didn’t tell Auntie about me due to my request, but Auntie casually told Mom about Inha’s talent.
But Inha was impressive. Not that I should talk, but that progress at this age… amazing talent. I was impressed anew.
“What magic are you practicing?”
“‘Light’….”
“I see? Starting with light attribute magic that suits you. Good, Auntie will help.”
“Thank you.”
Inha bowed silently. Mom was decent with light magic affinity-wise. Somehow it felt odd. ‘Light’ was magic I’d succeeded at last year.
Feeling a bit complicated, I leaned against the glass door and sat. I planned to watch their practice. But suddenly, Inha looked at me. She hesitated, then said to Mom.
“Um, Eunha….”
“Yeah?”
“I heard Eunha sensed mana last year, so now….”
I was shocked. Huh? Me? Why me?
But Inha stared at me oddly for a moment, then turned away.
“…No, never mind.”
I tilted my head. She seemed about to say something…. But honestly, I was grateful she didn’t ask about my skills. I sat quietly watching Mom and Inha practice. Inha was seriously practicing with no expression change.
Suddenly, a strong urge to practice magic welled up from deep inside, but I suppressed it.
‘No, well, a few days off is fine. Inha doesn’t come sleep over every day.’
…She comes often though.
That thought gave me a slight headache.
But more than that, watching Inha and Mom practice made me a bit down. Thinking about it now, Auntie Seona, Uncle Jeongmin, and Inha seemed discreet—maybe it’d be okay if they knew.
I lowered my head slightly. But still…. That feeling made me gloomy sometimes.
Though my selfish heart made it pop up briefly and vanish.
Inha finally succeeded at Light magic after a few hours.
After, she learned a few more light magic theories. She succeeded at two—both basic ones I could use.
Watching from the corner, reading a book, time flew. Dad came home from work by evening. Dinner was warm and cheerful.
“Time for bed?”
I nodded. Then I headed to the bathroom but paused.
“Um, Inha, want to wash first?”
Inha looked away from the TV at me and nodded. Inha washed first and came out. I washed after, then greeted Mom and Dad.
“Good night.”
“Yeah, good night, Eunha, Inha.”
“…Good night.”
Honestly, I wasn’t sleepy yet. It was night, but only 9:30—too early for me.
I headed to my room. With time left, maybe write more about magic. In a good mood, I climbed the stairs, but suddenly Inha grabbed my hand from behind. I flinched.
“…Where?”
“Huh? My room…. I got it recently.”
“…….”
Inha let go and turned, quickly entering the master bedroom. The door closed. I stared blankly, then headed to my room. Click, the door opened, and Inha came back to the living room with a pillow.
“Oh, Inha? Where to?”
“…I’ll sleep with Eunha.”
“Really? I’ll bring a blanket then.”
“Thank you.”
Huh?
I stared at Inha in surprise. She looked back silently.
‘Huh?’
A bit dazed, I walked to my room. Inha followed closely and placed her pillow next to mine on the bed. Seeing it, I was genuinely, really flustered.
No, it’s not that I hate sleeping with Inha. I like sleeping alone, but… I don’t dislike Inha, and we’d always slept together when she stayed here.
But still, it was unexpected. This situation was truly unexpected.
Soon Mom brought Inha’s blanket. We lay side by side under our covers.
“Good night, both of you.”
“Yeah.”
“…….”
Mom left and closed the door tight. Silence filled the room.
“…Good night.”
Sorry, I’m not sleepy.
But since Inha greeted me, I replied cheerfully. Yeah, you too, Inha.
……But honestly, sleep didn’t come. After a few minutes, when Inha’s breathing evened out, I slowly sat up. I’d just had a great idea for illusion magic, so I couldn’t sleep. Better write it down first. I quietly edged along the bed frame and got down.
At the desk, I carefully took a notebook from the shelf and opened it. Flipping pages, I saw 『Illusion Magic』 boldly at the top. I traced the notes below— all my ideas from time past.
I took a light orb from the drawer and infused it with mana. It glowed softly.
Sitting properly at the desk, I glanced at Inha. She’s really asleep, right? It’d be nice if I could tell by mana flow. Cautiously, I started writing in the notebook.
…Haha. If Inha wakes here, she’d find out I can move mana. Thinking that, I couldn’t stop my hand. Once I start writing, I have to finish.
In the end, I fell asleep past 11.