Another Beginning

He asked me the question all of a sudden that I froze in place. His unfazed expression as he glared at me sent shivers down my spine. I couldn’t comprehend why he asked me to learn magic. As I pondered, I figured out a reason. The only perception I had was something abnormal was occurring in Kurose’s body. Then he asked me the question. I regained my composure. I pinched a cookie between my middle and thumb finger and munched on it. I finished the cookie, then spoke.

“Qifrius-san, uh… Is something wrong with my body? Why are you asking me if I want to learn magic so suddenly?”

He stood up. “Well, I can say something’s abnormal in your body.” He pushed the chair under the table, then continued. “Kurose, did anything happen other than the incident?”

Nothing had happened other than the incident. I was living normally for the past two weeks. I couldn’t let any expression that could put a suspicion on me because the reason behind the abnormality could be me. My soul had assimilated in Kurose’s body. Kurose’s soul wasn’t in his body anymore. Even if he said that incident wasn’t the cause, I couldn’t believe his words because the reason was likely me.

“Umm, I don’t believe so.” I said, staring at the table as sweat dampened my forehead.

“Really?” He slid the window open, and a cool breeze drifted inside. “Then, I’ll just tell you what’s wrong.”

A feeling of dread had built up in me in a few seconds. The only words I didn’t want to hear him say from his mouth were that he knew Kurose wasn’t in his body anymore. I wasn’t aware how capable the spell was that he used on me twice. However, I couldn’t lose my composure. If he found out who I was, I had to do something to make him believe, even if it would be an act of hatred toward myself.

He ambled toward me, then sat on the sofa in front of me. “How should I say this?” He averted his eyes as he lowered his head, then looked at me. “Kurose, your soul is in a marvelous state, but the intensity of your magic levels is faintly dampened now.”

He had granted me a brief reprieve from my feeling of dread with a substantial amount of urgency. What did he mean when he said Kurose’s magic levels were faintly dampened now? I had come to know that magic was existential in this world in the past week, but I was negligent toward it. I had thought the day I’d learn magic would occur in months, and I could grasp the knowledge of it until then. But my chance to learn magic came earlier than I expected. That’s why I didn’t know what magic levels were and how they could be dampened. What’s more, how could he tell my soul’s condition was wonderful? The questions in my mind were piling up on each other and it seemed that if it kept going like this, I wouldn’t be able to comprehend anything.

“Well, it’s not as if they can’t be stabilized, Kurose,” he said as he shook his hand gently. “Hmm. Let’s see.” He kept thinking till he pointed a finger at me. “Oh! Kurose, eat vegetables… Wait. Kurose, are you eating vegetables?” He asked me with a curious expression.

“Well, they can be stabilized, Kurose.” He shook his hand gently. “Hmm, let’s see.” A silence lingered in the air for a moment till he raised a finger. “Kurose, are you eating vegetables properly?”

I was a little surprised, but not enough to lose my composure. If magic levels could be dampened, then of course, there was a way to return them to their mundane state. What intrigued me was his question. Why did he ask me if I was eating vegetables or not? At first, his thinking made no sense to me. I thought he was joking around. However, if I think back, for the past two weeks, I was avoiding vegetables because they tasted a little strange and unusual. I couldn’t eat them thoroughly even if my mother insisted. Perhaps, it had a connection with my magic levels fainting given the timing he asked me.

“Qifrius-san, I’m not eating too many vegetables.” I said, averting my eyes slightly.

“You really scared me.” He sighed in relief, and stood up, pushing himself up with his arms. “I thought something abnormal had happened.”

I was correct, but what bewildered me that I was somehow right. There was a connection between magic levels and vegetables. Another question forged in my mind, once again. What was the connection between them? How did vegetables affect the magic levels? I couldn’t ask him because Kurose plausibly had asked this question before. But unintentionally, the words had slipped out of my lips.

“Why do vegetables stabilize the intensity of my magic levels? What’s the connection between them—” I covered my mouth with my hands and looked at him.

He turned his head toward me. “Do you want to know?”

I had no choice but to agree now. I had spoken words that came out of my mouth inadvertently. Nevertheless, I had a feeling he would have told me even if I had denied. That’s why I nodded toward him in approval.

Qifrius sat on the sofa that was in front of me once again, and smiled as he spoke. “Well, Kurose, it might be too early for you to learn something you wouldn’t be able to understand. But I’ll tell you if you are eager to learn magic.”

The question he asked me before had almost slipped out of my mind. Nevertheless, the words I was going to say were on my lips. My answer was already decided. The most valuable thing for me in this moment and as I will grow up was information. If I were able to learn about this world, I could find out how the Goddess of Light: Clartia existed when there should be no existential beings left. Before answering him, I thought about them because asking them about learning magic was better than studying it without their consent.

“Qifirius-san, I’ll ask my parents—”

“No. I’ll ask Hely-san and Ven. Kurose,” he smiled faintly at me. “What’s your answer?”

As I parted my lips to speak, I noticed a reflection of a white, square board on the mirror that was behind him. I narrowed my eyes and realized the board had an intricate pattern drawn on it. Suddenly, an urge sparked inside me to see it from up close. I pointed my finger behind me, at the board and spoke.

“Qifrius-san, can I take a look at that board?”

Without any delay, he replied as he crossed his arms. “I don’t mind. Go ahead.”

I stood up and walked toward the board. If there was something that would necessitate my need for knowledge written on it, I had to learn it. The first step to solve the mystery of Goddess Clartia could be taken here—in Qifrius’s room. As I closed my distance against the board, I saw a circle with thin outer lines drawn on it, and a tall cylindrical in the centre of it. Below it was a text, I wasn’t able to read it. I walked even closer to the board and narrowed my eyes to grasp it clearly. When I read the text from its beginning to its end, my pupils wavered, I couldn’t speak a word even though my mouth was parted. What I read bewildered me. I thought about how it could be possible. The words stated on the board were:

                                                               The Village of Venetis.

                        The 78th largest village of the Incorporated States out of 108th.

I assumed that this village’s name was the Village of Venetis. But what made me tremble and my hands quiver were the words underneath it. How a village that was magnificent and so large that someone would interpret it as a town at their glance was only the 78th largest village? The thought of even thinking of the largest village was incomprehensible to me. And what were the Incorporated States? I had never heard of it, my parents never talked about them, either. Nothing was making sense to me other than the image above the words that I assumed was of the Village of Venetis. I let out a deep breath quietly and turned my head around. 

“Qifrius-san, is this village really the 78th largest village…?”

“Yes. Kurose, you’re okay?”

“...Yes.”

In an instant, I decided to go home. The amount of questions in my mind grew so large that I thought I would faint if I would question even one more thing. I lowered my head, and walked to the door that will lead me outside of Qifrius’s room.

“Then, I’ll be going now. Qifrius-san.”

“Well, it’s getting late.”

“Good night.”

“Good night— W-wait.”

As my hand reached the doorknob, he placed his hand over my left shoulder. I turned my head to look at him.

“What’s your answer?” He said, faintly smiling.

Even if I had been overwhelmed, my answer didn’t change. “...” I let out a deep sigh, then clenched my fists and spoke. “I’ll be in your care. Qifrius-san.”

“I see. I’m glad.”

I turned the doorknob and pushed the door forward. My father was sitting in the front pew, while my mother was darting with her steps around him. Her hands were clasped around her chest.

“Mother!” I said and waved at her.

As she noticed me, a blush crept across her face along with a bright smile. She spoke.

“Kurose!”

As I stepped closer to my mother, she held out her arms and warmly wrapped them around me. “Kurose, are you okay? Did everything go well?” I replied to her with a nod, and she tightened her grip around me with a bright smile on her face.

As I stepped closer to her, she held out her arms and warmly wrapped them around me. “Kurose, are you okay?” I replied to her with a nod, and she tightened her grip around me with a bright smile.

“Ven-san.”

He explained to my parents how my magic levels weren’t stable, and about teaching me magic. To my surprise, they weren’t bewildered. What’s more, they were already contemplating teaching Kurose magic. Qifrius insisted and procured their approval even though it was early for me to wield magic because of Kurose’s age.

“So, what’s the schedule?” Father said, looking at Qifrius. “You know we can’t be here every day. Our house is far from the Village.”

He was right. Even if we rode a wagon, it took hours to reach the Village of Venetis because our house was too far away from the village.

“I know,” Qifrius said, then raised a finger. “How about one day a week? Hely-san can be at ease too.”

My father glanced at her. My mother gave him a slight nod as her grip tightened around me, and averted her eyes. “Got it. I’ll bring Kurose here every week. This week counts, right?”

“Yes. Thank you, Hely-san.” He looked at me, then at my mother with a smile. “It’s alright. I, Qifrius, am teaching Kurose. I’ll not let anything unfortunate happen, Hely-san.”

“...” Her grip softened around me as she gave a quiet smile. “I see. I’ll leave it to you.”

“Thank you so much.”

My father rubbed the back of his head and spoke. “Kurose, uh… You wanted to eat skewers, right? Let’s go and eat some.”

“Okay.”

“Umm,” Qifrius mumbled, then cleared his throat. “Uhm, the twilight has fallen. If you don’t hurry, the stalls will close,” he glanced at us and gave a quiet laugh.

“Then Kurose, let’s go.” She said and held my hand.

“Okay.”

“Once again, thank you. Qifrius.” He thanked him with a smile and began to move toward the church’s door. We left the church and I noticed a wagon was waiting for us right outside it. My mother and I stepped into the wagon’s cabin, then my father followed me from behind. After a while, we had reached a place that was supposedly called Bazaar. We stepped out of the wagon and I was surprised to see how the Bazaar was bustling with crowds even after twilight had passed.

The roads were illuminated by the tangled warm lights above the stalls with lanterns hung on tall wooden stakes. As far as I could see, the stalls stretched along the sides of the road. There were various types of stalls I noticed, some vendors were selling dishes with fish, or some were vegetables and fruits. I couldn’t even tell what vendors were selling at a few stalls.

My mother held my hand and began walking on the stone pathway that stretched alongside the stalls. My parents were talking to each other and I tried to find a stall that sold chicken skewers, but wasn’t able to. My legs were hurting even though I only walked a few steps. Perhaps, Kurose’s body was frail. However, it may be possible I was just exhausted, given I hadn’t felt anything wrong with Kurose's body in the last two weeks.

“Mother.” I said, tugging her arm lightly.

“I know. We are near the stall. Kurose.” My mother said with a gentle voice.

I replied to her with a nod as my father turned around. “Kurose.” He said, then stretched his arms toward me.

“Uhm.” I was wondering what he was trying to do? I had never seen him act like this before. As I tried to take a guess, my mother lightly pushed me from behind. When I stepped closer to him, he stood up, and scratched his forehead, then turned forward. I could notice his ears were flushed but wasn’t able to figure out why. My mother walked past me, toward him. She talked to him and tapped his head lightly with a sigh. Nothing that had happened just now made sense to me. What was he trying to do? After pondering, I let the question slip out of my mind as I wasn’t able to find the answer.

My mother ambled back to me, and held my hand gently. A few minutes passed, and I yawned lightly. We hadn’t yet reached the specific stall. I began to think that the chicken skewers stall had closed. Suddenly, my mother went behind me and covered my eyes with her hands, leaving no gaps in between them. “Mother? What happened?” I asked.

“Three, two. One! Ta-da!”

“Look there, Kurose!” She pointed at one of the stalls nearby. I narrowed my eyes and realized it was the stall that was selling chicken skewers.

A smile curled on my lips. My minutes of walking would finally pay off. However, it soon vanished as the feeling of tiredness struck me. I yawned and rubbed my eyes. I realized I was going to fall if there was no support. My mother somehow noticed and took me in her arms as my eyelids gradually began to flutter. “Sleepy?” Her voice sounded distant from me and my eyes closed. Eventually, I fell asleep in my mother’s arms.

I opened my eyes. The darkness was surrounding me, and a few candles were lit up in the candelabrum. I felt a comfortable, familiar feeling on the back of my head. When I rolled on the right side, I found out my mother was sleeping beside me and I was resting on her arm—a faint smile appeared on my face as I rolled forward. I wanted to eat skewers. Well, I’ll eat them next week. After a moment, I fell asleep.