Chapter 15 (2/2)
I’m sure that thinking of the n.o.ble girl’s sad future hurt.
Recently, Sirius’ expressions have been getting a lot more rich.
That is a pleasant change.
(Shut up.)
It’s vexing that his foulmouthedness hasn’t changed a bit though.
「Even so, I’m grateful. Not informing her of the risks is probably terribly cruel and irresponsible. But I believe in her, as her mother. If Liliana-chan begins to walk down the wrong path, I will, as her mother, stop her with all my power. And I will take responsibility with her. I’ve had that responsibility since she was in my belly. That is why I removed her magic seal and didn’t teach her magic.」
(Mother is strong, huh? It’s very obvious that she cares deeply for the n.o.ble girl and her relatives, but her love as a parent exceeds that and is much deeper.)
「Actually, before I took off the magic seal, I asked Liliana-chan a question. “Normally, what are you thinking about?”.」
As if she was reliving those days, her expression completely changed from the sombre expression from moments before to chuckling with a smiling face.
「Liliana-chan said this. 『The same as everyone else. ‘It would be nice if it was sunny.’, ‘It would be nice if we have a bountiful harvest.’, like that, I just think of a lot of ‘it would be nice’s. But I think that what’s most important is for everyone to have a happy smile. But I think that everyone thinks of these things. But, to say these things out loud is, embarra.s.sing. But saying them aloud, I feel like will cause them to come true, like Kotodama.』 Liliana-chan is such a kind girl.」
「And Kotodama is……?」
(Kotodama? Even I haven’t heard of that before.)
「Mysterious power is said to dwell in words. It is said that words, when said, have the ability to manipulate reality. And this is apparently called ‘Kotodama’; the Soul of Language. That’s why Liliana-chan says good things, and keeps ominous things in the depths of her heart, she said. She shouldn’t have understood magic yet, but she said that as if she had complete faith in it. It really surprised me.」
(That’s just like Liliana-sama. But as always she talks as if she knows everything.)
(Kotodama…… although the words are different, it almost has the exact same meaning as magic.)
「Liliana-chan’s magic feels as if it harmonises with the earth and air, it gives you a warm feeling like being hugged. When you realise that you feel it, it’s right next to you. Liliana-chan’s kind magic.」 (?)
(To wish for fortune. That is an invisible, unreliable force, yet people don’t stop wis.h.i.+ng for it.)
「Liliana-chan is still in her growing period. Magic power continues to grow up until maturity at 16 years old. Really, while she’s my daughter, how ominous. But, she is our pride and joy daughter. She just has a bit more magic power than normal, a child that can make people happy, like you can find anywhere.」
What she has, is unconditional motherly love.
I had something I was curious about.
Sirius left the room, but I stayed.
The people in the room were Oliviria Viscountess and I.
She stands up from her seat and faces me.
When that happens, the glaring sun is hidden by clouds, and the room is covered in a gloomy darkness.
I think ‘Perfect’, and observe her eyes.
Her eyes in the light looked amber.
But, in the darkness her eyes had a faint redness in them.
(I see, so it’s like that.)
「I am terribly sorry for being tardy in my introductions. Water Spirit-sama.」
She, like a lady, elegantly bows to me and doesn’t raise her head.
「Just as my husband is my husband, and I am myself, I attempted to test Sirius. My husband wanted Sirius to be able to come to understand Liliana. I wanted him to think of Liliana as most important. Sirius pointed that out splendidly.」
She is not a human blessed by a spirit.
That’s why I cannot voice my thoughts.
But, she can see my form.
She probably wants to tell me.
「I humbly apologise for putting Water Spirit-sama and Sirius through such a terrible experience. Especially Sirius who only has power equivalent to a normal person, giving him a strict task that could even have been life-threatening. But I went through with it, knowing that he has Water Spirit-sama’s blessing. The rampage was suppressed and Sirius and Liliana made it through safely thanks to the a.s.sistance of you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.」
So she knew I had granted Sirius my blessing, before testing.
Just as Sirius said, everything played out in her hand.
「Also, please forgive my rudeness. Liliana has Hime’s blood. Following the contract, I leave Liliana in your hands.」
For humans it was far in the past.
For spirits it was just in the past.
There was once a human called ‘Hime’ by spirits.
I close my eyes, and a memory from long ago surfaces vividly in my mind.
Glittering, gently flowing hair and large pupils that seem to draw you in, clad in supreme, sacred-colours.
Hime was an infinitely pure and beautiful human.
『Ufufu, so you are Mistia-sama, am I correct? Spirit King-sama mentioned a water spirit that wasn’t suited to water so I was looking forward to meeting you. My name is——』
The lineage of Hime.
In other words, she is of the bloodline of that ally.
Hime and spirit’s contract.
Spirits cannot make mistakes in contracts.
Nevertheless, what a cunning woman.
But, it’s not like I dislike that.
I grab the shoulder of the woman who still has not raised her head, and have her raise it.
I too, will tell her.
I looked her in the eye and smiled
(With this, the acknowledgement is established.)
The next day, Sirius tests making ripples with magic at the lake, I say but I watch at a distance again.
(Are you planning on making the same mistake as yesterday?)
(Trying to get Liliana to acquire awareness of her own magic power, as I did yesterday, is a mistake. Like that, the magic power in Liliana-sama’s body (vessel) would be used like in yesterday’s magic. Then, Liliana-sama’s magic power numerical value equivalent of 100 was too much, so it ended like that.)
(I’m glad. So it’s not like you forgot.)
I remember yesterday’s magic power torrent and start trembling without realising.
(That’s why I told Liliana-sama to forget the concept of magic power. Like that, the emitted magic power would start to get utilised in the magic instead. We’re starting.)
As I watch the n.o.ble girl, she closes her eyes and concentrates on her imagination like yesterday.
Then the n.o.ble girl’s magic power starts to gather.
I, without thinking, froze my body, but it wasn’t a torrent of high-cla.s.s magic power like yesterday, and the a.s.sembled magic power blends with the water, gently a.s.similating.
The water surface, without a single wave, was covered in a veil of silence.
The n.o.ble girl crosses her fingers, drawing them to her chin.
「I pray that ripples will appear on the pond!」
As the n.o.ble girl words her wish, ripples appear on the lake’s surface as if a stone had just been thrown in.
From the center, the ripples resonate and expand.
(It’s as if the n.o.ble girl’s feelings are being put into the ripples.)
(That’s not necessarily untrue.)
The n.o.ble girl slowly opens her eyes.
「Sirius-sensei! I was able to create some beautiful ripples!!」
The n.o.ble girl must have been really happy as she turned around full of vigor to Sirius.
Her eyes, s.h.i.+ning with excitement, would mesmerise anyone.
By just looking at her, it even makes me happy.
I climb to the sky in a good mood.
When I do, I receive a telepathic message from Sirius.
(But spirits are really mysterious, huh. You grant a blessing to someone like me, but it seems like Liliana-sama also has enough worth to catch your interest.)
(Ara, did you think I would give you the reason so simply? You’ll come to know it sooner or later.)
(That is true.)
Sirius likes mysteries and secrets now more than he did as a child.
And, he likes nothing more than to solve those.
When Sirius stops pursuing mysteries, that’s when I will turn my back on him.
Don’t disappoint me.
Recently, some wind spirit has also shown signs of taking a liking to Sirius.
To try to take my things, what nerve.
I was the first to find him.
I float down as if I was slipping on a water surface.
(Now, don’t make me bored. My precious children of men!!)
Ara, Sirius.
What is with that look? It’s rude.
My heart speeds up at the thought of the coming future, as I disappear into the water.
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