After Merlin told Ophelia the news that she seemed to have a tiny bit of mana, Ophelia suggested that she teach Merlin personally.
To prevent any complications, Ophelia took Merlin back to the small cottage where they had lived together until recently to practice.
As it turned out, Merlin struggled even with the basic task of guiding the mana within her body.
Fine beads of sweat had already formed on Merlin’s forehead, and her voice carried a hint of uncertainty.
“Is… it like this?”
Ophelia’s voice was gentle.
“Wrong.”
“Like this?”
“Let’s rest for a while. Guiding mana relies on intuition; it’s not something that can be achieved through effort alone.”
Seeing Merlin’s anxious expression, Ophelia felt that continuing to obsess over it would be futile.
She walked back into the cottage, the wooden floor giving a faint “creak.” She prepared a large glass of cool barley tea for Merlin.
Merlin, who followed silently behind Ophelia, sat down in her usual seat.
Even though she had only been away from this home for a little over a month, it felt as if a long time had passed.
Holding the cup with both hands, she began to take small sips of the barley tea.
Ophelia watched Merlin drink her tea.
Was it because she had worked too hard?
It felt like she was drinking much faster than usual.
Moreover… the cup was no longer suitable for the current Merlin. It was too big and too heavy.
While seeing Merlin hold a large cup was cute, it must be tiring for her.
I should find a time to replace all the daily necessities; boys and girls are different after all.
Merlin placed the half-finished cup back on the table, revealing a satisfied smile.
“There’s no need to rush. After all, you didn’t have mana before.”
“Speaking of which, Mother doesn’t seem surprised that I have mana.”
Ophelia indeed did not seem very surprised.
“I told you, didn’t I? It’s only a matter of time before your mana recovers, even if it takes about two hundred years to fully recover.”
“Two hundred years is way too long.”
It was that phrase again.
Ophelia didn’t know how many times she had heard it.
She didn’t intend to continue explaining anything to this fifteen-year-old baby.
Compared to fifteen, two hundred was indeed a long time.
“Just wait patiently. Your damaged soul has recovered quite a bit, and your physical body has returned to its original state. Given the extent of the damage, everything from here on will be focused on repairing the crystal core.”
Hmm… The day she realized she had a bit of mana…
Merlin recalled the feeling of using the testing device that day and closed her eyes, trying to guide the mana within her body.
Did something seem to surge toward her fingertips?
Ophelia added, “Correct. Try to guide it to your fingertips. Make the water move according to your will, just as I taught you.”
A stream of water surged from Merlin’s fingertips, turning into a jet that rushed toward the door.
Although its strength was only enough to push open the wooden door, this was the first time Merlin had successfully used magic.
Merlin let out a soft cry of surprise.
“Ah…”
“Merlin!”
Then, a watery mist blurred her eyes.
This was the first time she had used magic.
She had once believed she would never be able to use magic in her life, and had even persuaded herself to give up.
Because she had no mana while Machina did, they had no choice but to be separated.
During the days and nights spent waiting for Machina’s return, Merlin had also wondered…
Even if she had to go to the battlefield, even if she would be covered in wounds, if only she had mana and could stand by Machina’s side.
Would everything have been different?
Initially, Merlin truly believed that it didn’t matter even if she had no mana.
Ever since she was abandoned by Machina on that night, the lack of mana and the inability to use magic had become a thorn in her heart.
Even after being adopted by Ophelia, Merlin would still occasionally wonder.
If she had mana, would her current life be different?
Now she finally had mana, and she could use magic—even if it was just a trivial spell…
“Don’t cry, don’t cry.”
Ophelia rushed to Merlin’s side and pulled her into a tight embrace.
Merlin finally had mana and could use magic; she was no longer that child without mana.
The wounds that had been stagnant in her heart for so long—those concerning abandonment, resentment, and self-denial—finally had a small breach washed open by this weak stream of water at this moment.
Although she comforted herself by saying it was fine and that she could live well by relying on alchemy, and even though she had received Lucia’s recognition, she could never get over the hurdle in her heart.
“Uuu…”
Merlin gripped the fabric of Ophelia’s clothes at her chest, as if grasping the only light in the dark night. Her suppressed sobs did not stop for a long time.
Even if she only had a tiny bit of mana now, even if the power of the magic was only comparable to the strength required to push a door…
It was still magic…
It was the magic Merlin once dared not even hope for.
Upon entering the academy, Merlin had also tested her mana capacity, but there had been no reaction when she placed her hand on the device.
From that moment on, Merlin had given up. Since she didn’t have even a single drop of mana at this age, it was better to just stop trying.
Ophelia patted her back gently, using her own cheek to softly and tenderly nuzzle her daughter’s wet cheek and burning ears.
She quietly held Merlin like that in the tranquil forest, where the faint sounds of sobbing and the chirping of birds quietly harmonized.
After a long time, the sobbing finally stopped, leaving only the birdsong.
“Do you feel a bit better?”
Realizing how shameful this state was, Merlin fell into a dilemma.
She hadn’t controlled her tears and had shown an embarrassing side of herself in front of Ophelia.
If she left Ophelia’s embrace now, she would likely have to face her gaze directly, as well as her own tear-stained face and Ophelia’s soaked shirt.
Just imagining it was awkward.
But she couldn’t stay curled up in Ophelia’s arms forever.
This was like accumulated interest; it would only grow over time. Avoiding it now would only make it even more awkward when they inevitably had to part for dinner.
“I only wanted to give you a helping hand before the exam by teaching you a little magic. I didn’t expect you to cry like this.”
Ophelia pulled back slightly from Merlin and began to wipe Merlin’s tears with a handkerchief.
“I can wipe them myself.”
“What is someone saying after having a good cry, calming down, and then feeling embarrassed? I don’t mind. Stop trying to act tough in front of your mother.”
Ophelia only dared to lightly use the handkerchief to blot the tears at the corners of Merlin’s eyes.
She had cried so hard that the corners of her eyes were red and swollen; it felt as if the skin would break with even a little force.
“As expected, it’s better to have magic, isn’t it?”
Having cried like that, Merlin naturally couldn’t talk her way out of it anymore.
“But I don’t want it at the cost of her life.”
“Mm… true. My child is just stubborn, but we’ll still have to ask the Queen for her opinion.”
Ophelia gently pushed Merlin away, turning her around so she sat with her back to her.
“Merlin, is school fun?”
“It’s pretty good, I suppose. There’s good and bad.”
Aside from Machina looking for trouble every day, Merlin didn’t feel any discomfort.
The students in the Alchemy Department were very kind to her, and she could feel everyone’s affection. Merlin didn’t think it was so bad to be surrounded by everyone like that.
“I see. Good luck with the exams. No matter what the result is, worst case scenario, we just go back to the Elven Forest.”
“Thank you, Mother.”