Volume 1 Chapter 8 First Magic – Part II
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Special attribute…? Y-Yeah, Rumi is good at earth and fire attributes! Hehe, I’m surprisingly powerful, you know!”
Rumi’s face turned bright red as she confidently revealed her special attributes.
”Wow, 2 attributes! Rumi is amazing!”
I remember that most people only had one special attribute.
”Then, let’s start with fire, which is useful in daily life. Now, gather the Magic Power in your palm and focus it to the tip of your fingers, then imagine turning it into fire.”
”Okay, I’ll try! I wonder if I can do it──I’m so excited!”
Rumi eagerly began to picture gathering the Magic Power from her palm to the tips of her fingers.
Slowly, the Magic Power collected at her fingertips, and tiny sparks of fire began to appear.
”Hmm… umm…!”
Rumi struggled hard to concentrate, trying to create a small flame at her fingertip.
Finally, a tiny light flickered to life, and Rumi’s face lit up with joy.
”Yes, great! …Now keep it like that. You might feel your Magic Power running out soon and start to feel sick.”
This was her first magic.
Just like me, she would probably run out of Magic Power quickly.
* * *
Rumi was filled with joy from her first magic success, but soon she started to feel unwell.
”Ugh, umm… I think I might be having trouble breathing…”
Rumi grimaced, struggling with a heavy feeling in her chest.
As her Magic Power slowly drained, her condition worsened rapidly.
”Haah… haah… I might be in trouble…”
Rumi feels a heavy pressure in her chest, and the fatigue from her lack of magic power hits her hard.
Realizing she hasn’t practiced enough, Rumi desperately tries to get her energy back.
Her face is pale, and she looks really uncomfortable.
I activate my Magic Detection.
When I check Rumi’s magic power level, it’s almost gone.
”Stop! Rumi, put out the fire. If you keep going like this, you’ll faint. Good job, you did your best.”
I encourage Rumi and gently rub her back to help her relax.
Even while struggling to breathe, Rumi notices my voice and tries hard to put out the fire, her face tense.
”This… this isn’t a big deal…”
Rumi tries to act tough, but her face still looks bad as she puts out the fire.
Even though she’s not feeling well, I can see she’s trying to lift her spirits.
”I’m… I’m sorry… haah… haah…”
Rumi tries to hide her pain, but it’s clear her efforts are in vain.
Still, her strong will makes my heart warm.
(I might have pushed her a bit too hard~)
I squat down and turn my back to Rumi.
”Rumi, let’s call it a day for training. Ride on my back, and I’ll take you home.”
Rumi hesitates for a moment but then obediently climbs onto my back.
”…Thank you, Rob.”
Her genuine words of thanks spill out.
Rumi’s exhausted expression is different from her usual tsundere self; it’s filled with weakness and cuteness.
I carry Rumi on my back and start walking home.
(…Oh no. I just realized, I don’t know where Rumi lives.)
”Where’s your house, Rumi? You said I shouldn’t come over before, so it’s okay if it’s close to home, but I’m worried, so should I walk you home?”
Rumi was tightly held against my back, feeling safe.
But when she realized I didn’t know where her house was, Rumi answered a bit shyly.
”Ah, right… actually, my house is a little far. But if Rob can walk me home, I’d be happy…”
* * *
I arrived at Rumi’s house.
”Rumi, we’re here! Is it okay to stop here? If you want, I can carry you to your room?”
The area was in bad shape, with a creaky sliding door making noise and the wind howling.
The outside walls of the house were bare and scratched, with weeds growing everywhere.
”…Yeah, thanks, Rob. You can come in my room if you want.”
Rumi said this a bit shyly.
With her magic power almost gone, she could only choose her words carefully in a soft voice.
Inside the building, I laid Rumi down on her bed.
Rumi was breathing a little heavily.
I used earth magic to make a cup and poured water made with water magic into it.
”Rumi, drink this. And let’s rest a bit. Sleeping helps recover your magic power faster.”
I offered Rumi the water.
Rumi smiled slightly, took the cup, and gulped it down.
”…Thank you, Rob. So sleeping helps recover magic power faster… yeah, let’s rest a little.”
* * *
…Before I knew it, both Rumi and I had fallen asleep.
It was starting to get dark outside.
I don’t really like the idea of leaving Rumi here all alone.
”Rumi, hey, can you wake up for a bit?”
”…hmm… what? …good morning, Rob.”
”Do you live here all by yourself, Rumi?”
After thinking for a moment and frowning, Rumi opened her mouth.
”…yeah, that’s right. Actually, my papa and mama are adventurers, and they haven’t come back recently. So, I’m all alone at home.”
(…It seems unlikely that they would take a long job and leave such a young child alone, so I have a bad feeling they might be dead, but I can’t be sure.)
”Rumi, why don’t you come to my house? You can’t eat properly here, and I’d be happy if you came.”
Rumi looked surprised by my suggestion.
However, her expression showed she was unsure about what to do.
”…no, I’m fine being alone…!”
”I think it’s too hard to be here all by yourself.”
”Because, I’m… waiting. I believe that papa and mama will come back for sure!”
Rumi stubbornly insisted on staying here.
But I had no intention of leaving things as they were.
(…Maybe I should talk to my mom about this.)
* * *
After that, I quickly returned home and reported everything to my mom, asking for her advice on what to do.
”…so, what do you think we should do?”
After thinking for a moment, my mom came to a conclusion.
”Rob, starting today, you will sleep at Rummie’s place at night. And during breakfast and dinner, you must always bring Rummie here. We can’t force Rummie to live here, so this is the only way.”
”What about lunch?”
”You two should prepare it together. It would be good to gather ingredients from the river or the forest and cook for yourselves. You can take the necessary seasonings from this house.”
”Got it. Thanks, Mom.”
”Since you both are still 5 years old, I could take care of everything here. Oh, and for training, you two should try doing it alone for a while. Izana probably wants to go to the dungeon soon too.”
* * *
I got Rumi’s dinner from Mom at home and returned to Rumi’s house.
”I’m back… Looks like she’s sleeping.”
Rumi was sleeping soundly.
I lightly shook Rumi’s shoulder and called out to her.
”Rumi, wake up. I brought food.”
”…Hmm… food? Oh, Rob, you came again?”
”Yeah, this is Rumi’s dinner.”
I placed Rumi’s dinner, which I got from Mom, on the table by the wall.
”…Thank you. Have you eaten, Rob?”
”I ate at home. Starting today, I’m going to sleep here too, so please take care of me.”
”…Is that okay?”
”Yeah, and during breakfast and dinner, we have to come to my house to eat together.”
”…Hic… sniff… Waaaah!”
(Oh no, she started crying…)
So, from this day on, I began sleeping at Rumi’s house.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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