“This spell is called Shackles of Holy Light. It releases quickly and with very little movement, making it perfect for catching an opponent off guard.”
When Isaiah demonstrated the magic to Mia, it took her only a few minutes to replicate it. The construction speed of her magic circuit was not inferior to his at all, and it was flawless.
Isaiah originally thought Roland was impressive enough, but he hadn’t expected Mia to be even better. “Did you learn this fast when Roland taught you magic?”
Mia shook her head. She used her magic to control a pen and notebook to write. This was a spell she had just figured out herself. Although she was still clumsy with it, it allowed her to free up her hands instead of having to hold things all the time.
Large, crooked letters were written in the notebook: “Learning a spell from Mom takes about an hour.”
“A beginner being able to learn a single spell in one week is considered talented. What on earth are your brains made of?”
Mia didn’t explain. Unlike other magic, she always felt a sense of clarity when learning light magic, as if it were something that originally belonged to her and she was simply reclaiming it now.
As long as she learned more magic, she could become stronger. She could stop once she was strong enough to solve all of her mother’s problems.
At least, that was what she believed.
***
*Crackle —*
The burning bonfire made popping sounds.
Leonora sat on the floor with a relatively dry wooden board under her. She stretched out her feet, which were pale from the cold, to toast them by the fire. Her shoes and socks were laid out beside her.
After all, winter was approaching. If left alone, she would easily get chilblains. Since no one else would see her anyway, she used the fire Roland had lit with magic to warm herself. The fuel consisted mostly of discarded paper and wood.
Roland wandered through the massive library, flipping through books that were already falling apart, trying to find something.
After finally finding a few relatively intact books, she sat down on a chair. The chair couldn’t withstand the pressure and disintegrated on the spot, sending her tumbling backward.
“Hahaha, you’re so funny!” Leonora mocked, gloating.
Roland stood up and put the book down. She used magic to freeze the moisture in the air into a smooth block of ice, then threw it straight at Leonora’s face. The cold made Leonora gasp sharply, her back straightening instantly.
“I’m freezing! Why are you so petty? You won’t even let me laugh.”
“Because I’m unhappy.”
“Well, I’m happy.”
“I don’t have time to bicker with you. I need to read.”
Roland opened the book, only to find that the pages were soaked. They would tear with even the slightest force. To avoid further damaging the book, she could only bring it to the fire and use the heat to dry it.
Beside the fire, the two stared at each other.
Leonora was the first to break the awkward atmosphere. She asked, “Why do you like reading so much?”
Roland added some firewood and said, “It’s not that I like it, but that I have to.”
“What do you mean? Did some dark mage curse you to die if you don’t read?”
“I read simply to gain more knowledge and learn magic. Only then can I protect myself and my family.”
“Do you have younger siblings?”
“No, but I… have an adopted daughter.”
Roland considered it for a moment before finally revealing the truth.
“Huh?! How old are you?” Leonora’s mouth opened wide enough to fit a walnut.
Roland waved her hand and said nonchalantly, “Don’t make a fuss. I’m only 17.”
“I’m the same age! Why did you adopt her? Is there some kind of benefit for you?”
Faced with the question, Roland just lowered her head and quietly watched the growing fire, as if seeing her past self and Mia within it.
At that time, driven by the need for self-preservation and personal interest, she had chosen to bring Mia back to the Baron’s manor. But gradually, as she became fully familiar with the environment and the rhythm of life, the original sense of urgency disappeared. It was replaced by an indescribable emotion.
Emotion drove her to focus her eyes and her entire future on Mia. The person she originally wanted to protect had quietly shifted to this girl she had lived with for less than one month.
‘Why did things turn out this way?’
Roland considered herself a very rational and selfish person. She would retaliate against any person or action that infringed upon her interests. If Mia ever became an enemy one day, she would not hesitate to point her blade at her.
But was that really the case?
‘I’m probably just deceiving myself.’
Roland had to admit that she could no longer live without Mia.
Perhaps, just as the system hoped, she was becoming a capable mother.
Despite this, she still clung to the memories of her past life, always holding herself to the standards of a grown man.
Whether in responsibility, action, or speech, she could never show even a hint of vulnerability to anyone. What she needed was not sympathy, but allies.
Perhaps sensing that Roland had unspeakable secrets, Leonora sensibly didn’t ask. Everyone had secrets, and she was no exception, but she didn’t mind sharing her own with others.
“My grandfather was a very powerful man,” Leonora began slowly.
“He was a respected lord and a successful Archmage. Everyone wanted to follow in his footsteps, and I was no exception. You’ve seen it, right? That journal was actually left behind by my grandfather.”
“Yes, I’ve seen it,” Roland replied.
Leonora continued, “When I was very young, my grandfather was still alive. He loved me more than anyone else. He was willing to use magic to make ice pops for me and teach me how to pursue the things I liked. So, I fantasized about one day becoming a great person like him. But I didn’t have the talent. It’s actually a miracle that I even became a mage.”
“But now you want to be an adventurer. How did it come to this? What happened?”
“My grandfather died. After he died, my father didn’t say a word before arranging my engagement to a count’s family, planning to marry me off the day I turned of age. I hated that feeling, so I tried to resist and run away, only to be met with house arrest and verbal abuse. He said I didn’t understand his kindness at all, that I was ruining the reputation of the Westwood family, and that I was an ungrateful wretch.”
“He… he never even asked me… What right does he have to judge me?” As she spoke, Leonora’s eyes were already red. She was very emotional, and her voice began to choke up.
Roland listened quietly to her heart’s words but couldn’t help but put herself in the situation. The person she identified with, without a doubt, was Leonora’s father.
Wiping away her tears, Leonora continued, “At that time, I learned about adventurers. I learned that there is actually such a free life in this world. So I started to long for it, dreaming that one day I could become a bird that could fly, soaring into the vast, endless sky.”
“If that happened, my father would regret it forever. He would regret hurting me and regret why he wasn’t willing to listen to my feelings.”
“Having thoughts like these… I really am a bad child, aren’t I?”