Recently, every day had been fulfilling. Reading books and then sleep. However, there was a slight change.

I’ve been getting along with the maids, they started talking while taking care of me. To be honest, this really saved me. Even if I learned a lot of words I won’t be able to use them in conversations if I can’t listen to how they are spoken. As of now, I’m able to understand simple phrases.

There were three maids, but one always comes when the other two aren’t present. According to my observation, Snake Maid-san doesn’t seem to get along much with the other two.

Well, today let’s work hard in reading, too. I pulled out the book I hid under the bed. I’ve finished reading half of it.

Then suddenly, a stabbing pain ran through my chest. I bent over desperately to ease the pain even a little and clutched my chest, trying not to let out even a small sound of pain.

This pain is dangerous. It’s like the pain when one is threading the boundary between life and death, similar in my previous life when I was hospitalized.

I still remember.

Mom broke down crying and Dad was just dumbfounded, his expression strained. The doctor tried to cure me with all his might. Throughout this, the nurse who looks after me became my confidante.

My breathing soon became rough.

No…! Somebody save me. Someone… anyone’s fine…!

Enduring the new wave of pain, I leaned from the bed and stretched a hand forward to try to call out for help. The hand I reached out was starting to blur.

Then back of my hand hit something.

It was a gla.s.s containing drinking water. The gla.s.s toppled over without any resistance, and water splashed on my left hand.

Aa…! I spilled it.

At that moment, cracking sounds could be heard as my chest lightened considerably.

“Eh…?”

The gla.s.s had stopped midair. It’s contents froze beautifully, as if the gla.s.s was being supported by the water.

This is a lie, right? I grabbed the gla.s.s in a panic. Only the frozen water stayed in it’s scattered shape midair.

Amazing! This could be perhaps a kind of magic. Is this common for a baby? Perhaps, this hair color might just be something trivial.

However, I haven’t seen any other babies for comparison so I decided to forget about it. I don’t want all my acting until now would go to waste.

That reminds me, the pain in my chest suddenly vanished. Does it mean that I have to experience this kind of pain every time I use magic?

I collected the frozen water using the gla.s.s while taking those things into consideration.

As I thought, this is unmistakably ice. A cold feeling is transmitted to my palm.

I want to learn more about magic, this desire suddenly welled inside me.

Some time later, the ice turned back to water inside the gla.s.s. I feel like it decreased a little… so this is evaporation, right? They evaporated.

The speed of water turning into vapor exceeded the speed of vapor turning into water.

I placed the gla.s.s between my legs and arranged my sitting position in the bed cheerfully. I intended to experiment using magic.

I dipped my forefinger to the gla.s.s and brought it before my face.

“Freeze!”

It was said in a low voice as to not be heard from the outside.

However, nothing happened.

I wonder why? My image was for my fingertip to be frozen thoroughly, though…?

As I thought of that, a cracking sound can be heard. My finger really froze!

I tried to bend my finger by its joint but it was futile. This time I applied a greater force and the ice broke, freeing my finger completely.

Just saying [Freeze], having only a clear image, and saying [Freeze] while having a clear image. I repeated these three methods and understood that a clear image seems to be a necessary condition. When the word is used with a mental image, it apparently freezes at a faster rate.

[Freeze]! [Freeze]! [Freeze]!

After that, I repeatedly froze it like an idiot and played with the small ice I made.

A while pa.s.sed by and even though I didn’t move, my breathing quickened. I wonder why? As I looked through the window while thinking about it, the suns slowly set until it became completely dark. I noticed that the time when the person comes for dinner was slowly approaching so I returned the gla.s.s and the book then lied down.

I wonder if this fatigue I acc.u.mulated indicates I won’t be able to use magic?

It seems like something worth investigating. I’ll start practicing from now on.

I thought about what I’ll do tomorrow as my eyelids slowly closed.

Starting from that day, my magic research and practice began.

Because I have no one to teach me, I have to learn everything by myself.

I started with freezing the water I scooped in my palm.

I grew up in the six months it took me to freeze water from a distance of three meters without incantation. It took a lot of time.

The barrier that allows one to freeze water without touching was large. Everyday, I continued practicing until my magic power (though I wasn’t sure if that was the proper term) run out, so somehow I was able to do it.

As of now, the distance I practice grew little by little.

I read when I get tired… this became my daily routine, until a new guy finally came to my room.

Fortunately, he came by while I was looking at the gla.s.s placed a distance away from my bed. The water it contained wasn’t frozen. From the outset, if one were to observe, only a baby could be seen. It’s a normal sight, isn’t it?

I could not take my eyes off the gla.s.s as I inwardly sweat, and I desperately wondered how one should act in this situation.

In the first place, why are you suddenly coming to visit just now despite neglecting me for half a year! You’ve got guts! You idiot!

While I slightly trembled in annoyance just thinking about it, the man came to a stop and stood in front of me. I didn’t notice this at all as I was distracted by my thoughts. The man picked up one of the books from the desk, and then began to read it.

It looks like he was reading the book for me.

Even so, I’m sorry. I finished reading that. I wanted you to do that half a year ago. Furthermore, even if I thought the ill.u.s.trations were very beautiful that it could even sell, you don’t need to show them to me while you read… not that I particularly mind.

Since I wasn’t doing anything, I observed his face. His deep red hair was very eye-catching. His face was… exceptionally good-looking. Extremely attractive. Could it be that all the people in this world have high-level looks? I’m defeated… Not to mention, if his deep red hair was any indication, his magic power must be strong.

How lucky.

I grew up a little from the past year. So this wouldn’t be my father… a big brother, perhaps? Well, I will know it in due time.

I already knew the contents of the book and I, who was tired from the magic practice I did a while ago, thought that the story would soon be over. I killed time while thinking about things like this.