IPHW 09

Chapter 09

“Wanted to show something simple, but I ended up making a big deal out of it….”

My mother muttered under her breath. But she didn’t look particularly burdened—in fact, she seemed almost excited. My father leaned down and whispered to me.

“Don’t believe her, Shana. It’s a lie. She’s actually the most excited one here.”

…Yeah, that does seem right.

She looked like she was thinking about what would make me happiest.

“Kael, don’t hog Shana to yourself. Let me see her too.”

“Alright, alright. We’re all looking at you, aren’t we? Come on, Shana. Say something to cheer Mom on.”

“Mom, fighting!”

“Fighting? What’s that?”

“Uh, wa….”

My pronunciation got even worse. I tried to twist my half-useless tongue as best as I could.

“Paa… tiing!”

Nope. That’s not happening.

“Cheer up!”

“Okay, Shana! Mom will do her best!”

Lord Lloyd muttered quietly, “At this rate, we might end up destroying part of the mansion.”

My father chuckled softly and said, “Anais already set up a barrier so that even if she gets too excited, none of it will reach Shana.”

“So choosing this place was the right decision, then.”

“Did you evacuate everyone else?”

“Don’t worry. No one is allowed anywhere near the training grounds—not even a rat.”

“Good.”

…Wait. Did I hear that right? Evacuate?

“Don’t worry, Shana. We’re safe.”

“…Dad, is Mom… a scary person?”

“Of course not.”

Lord Lloyd’s expression looked suspicious. My father didn’t continue after “of course not.” So which is it… is she or isn’t she?

“Since Shana is watching, I can’t just do something half-hearted. Watch closely, Shana! Your mother graduated top of the academy’s magic department! First, let me show you Hell Fi—”

“Anais, don’t demonstrate anything that affects Shana’s breathing.”

“Oh, right.”

I didn’t mishear that. He was going to say Hell Fire.

Hell fire…? She was about to summon hellfire?

Even without seeing it, the name alone already painted a vivid picture. I turned to my mother, unable to hide my anxiety. She smiled brightly at me, as if pleased by my blank stare.

It was a gentle, kind smile—but for some reason, it sent a chill down my spine.

“Hell Fire is too dangerous, and Meteor is also out. My specialty is large-scale attack magic…”

“Why don’t you use Lord Lloyd as a target?”

“…I’m fine. I don’t want Shana to see anything unpleasant.”

“Then pick something appropriate.”

“Hmm, this is easy enough… Light!”

At my mother’s snap of her fingers, dozens of glowing orbs appeared in the air.

Like fireflies, the small lights radiated a clear, beautiful glow—unlike my healing clay, which was dull by comparison.

My healing clay is more like a slime with less glitter.

“Waaah! Waaah!”

I clapped so hard my hands stung. My mother looked delighted.

“Ah, is something like this enough? Shana, I wanted to show you something more impressive! Like combining Fireball and Lightning Thunder into an attack spell…”

“No! It’s cool! Mom is amazing! So cool!”

Who are you even going to use that on?

I would’ve given her a standing ovation if I could, but I was still in my father’s arms.

“Hm, hm. That sounds nice. Do more.”

“Cool! Good! Shana wants to try too!”

In the face of excitement, I could even speak in the third person without hesitation.

“I want to learn too! Magic! I want to do it!”

“Umm…”

“Pretty! Boom! Like ‘paaa!’”

“Ahaha, what is that? That’s adorable!”

“I want to do it!”

I could feel my father laughing behind me. When I turned slightly, he was covering his mouth, shoulders shaking.

I got a little embarrassed, but that wasn’t important right now.

My mother knelt down to meet my eyes.

“I’m sorry, Shana. You can’t learn it.”

“Huh? Why! I want to do it!”

“You don’t have enough mana.”

“No! I can do it!”

“I’m sorry. I want to grant everything you wish for, but this is something I can’t change…”

“But…”

“If you did learn, you might only manage a single spell like Light after… maybe ten years of effort.”

“I’ll do it!”

“Ten years is… about this long…”

“….”

“…Forget it…”

“…Shana…”

My parents and Lord Lloyd all looked uneasy.

But I was genuinely disappointed.

I had been born into a world where magic existed—but I couldn’t use it. That realization stung, and I couldn’t hide my expression even though I knew it was troubling them.

“No mana… no magic?”

“Uhh… yes…”

“Other things…?”

“Well, spirit arts require affinity, and even then basic summoning needs mana…”

So spirits exist too… and I can’t use them either…

“Ugh…”

A healthy body, healthy mind—or so they say. In my baby body, my baby emotions welled up, and I bit my lip to stop myself from crying.

“Waa, wait! Shana! Look here! Kael, do something—where are her toys…!”

“They wouldn’t bring toys out here! Shana, are you… are you crying?”

“Waaah… sniff…”

“Waaah! Wait, Shana! Look! It’s an ogre! Lord Lloyd, do something, imitate one or something!”

Panicking, Lord Lloyd awkwardly beat his chest and made a gorilla-like sound under my father’s pressure.

“Lord Lloyd, that’s a gorilla, not a beastman. What even is that?”

“I—I was suddenly told to imitate a monster…!”

“You have to make Shana laugh somehow…”

His flustered monster noises turned his face bright red. That was so funny that my tears almost stopped.

“Shana? Don’t cry. We’ll find a way for you to use magic, okay?”

“Right, Shana. Money and power can solve most things. We can just buy powerful artifacts—it’ll feel like magic!”

I looked back and forth between my panicking parents and the awkwardly standing Lord Lloyd.

“…Shana?”

“Shana…”

They’re really… the kind of people who are dangerous for a child to have.

They’re the type who would do anything just because a child might cry. The kind of parents who’d create a spoiled kid who lies down in the store demanding toys.

Ah… I want to lecture them.

“…No more…”

But my clumsy tongue wouldn’t let me say it properly, so I decided to accept their feelings and not cry.

Still, once my emotions settled, I almost laughed instead.

“Foolish… funny…”

“Fufufu… I’m embarrassed, but I’ll do anything for you, Shana.”

“Knight dignity is gone…”

“Well, you ordered it, my lord. And adults tend to become ridiculous in front of children.”

My father coughed awkwardly.

Seeing that I had calmed down, my mother sighed in relief.

“You’re such a good girl for holding back your tears. So admirable.”

“I good girl! I held it in!”

I really am grown up, you know… even if you don’t believe me…

“I’ll show you something amazing as a reward.”

“Magic?”

“Yes. You won’t be disappointed, right?”

“I can’t do it, but… it’s okay…”

At least I could watch. That was enough.

“I like Mom’s magic! Show me!”

“Shana… don’t grow up too fast…”

“Show me fire! Boom! Fire!”

“Alright, if Shana wants to see it, I’ll show you. Fire Wall!”

At her gesture, a pillar of crimson flames erupted into the air.

The fire spread across the training grounds like a blazing curtain. Wow… wow… wow!

“Kyaa! Hot—!”

“Ah, it’s hot!”

“Huh?”

A child’s voice.

The heat hit me all at once as the wall of fire roared higher…