SWNOVELXO Chapter 7
I burst into the house and announce with complete confidence to Selina, who lounges on the couch reading a book as usual.
“I can use magic now!”
Despite my enthusiasm, Selina merely glances up from her book with an irritated “Hmm.”
“Listen—I can do both Rasonpré and Air Cutter!” I provide the details, thinking perhaps I haven’t conveyed my achievement clearly enough.
“Fine, fine.” She finally stands and comes outside with me. “Go ahead, show me.”
The pressure of performing on command makes me nervous.
I chant “Rasonpré!” but nothing happens—not even a single twig or dried leaf appears.
“Air Cutter!” Panicking, I try to cut a small branch, but it’s useless.
“I really could do it before! I swear I’m telling the truth!” I plead desperately to Selina, who watches me with intense scrutiny.
“I don’t think you’d tell such an easily exposed lie. You’re trying too hard to impress me, so your magic isn’t working properly. Think back to when you used magic before and try again.”
Relief washes over me—she actually believes me!
When I used magic before... let me recall.
“I sang it!”
I’ve loved singing since before I recovered my past-life memories. I learned Selina’s off-key songs that she sometimes belts out when she’s drunk, and I sing them with the same nonsensical lyrics.
“Rasonpré♪” This time, dead branches and fallen leaves pile up into a small mountain.
“Interesting. Try Air Cutter as well.”
Does Selina find this singing approach funny? But doing it the normal way doesn’t work.
“Air Cutter♪” A small branch snaps cleanly in half.
“Hmm. Seems like you really can use magic properly now… Though singing like that is kind of lame. Come to think of it...” Suddenly, Selina rushes into the house with apparent urgency.
“Aren’t you supposed to say something encouraging? This is my first successful magic!”
I follow her inside, complaining to her retreating figure as she rummages through the already-chaotic bookshelf, creating an even greater mess.
“Cleaning will be horrible if you scatter everything about like that. Selina, you always say only you can touch the bookshelf!”
The children’s books I’m allowed to read are kept in a separate container. Though I do steal glances at the others when Selina’s away.
“Agh, you’re so noisy! I’m looking for a book I read ages and ages ago!”
She rifles through several volumes, flinging them to the floor, then finally finds her target, devouring it with her eyes.
Once Selina enters this state, my words can’t reach her at all. She ignores me periodically under normal circumstances, but when she’s absorbed in a book, it’s hopeless no matter what I say.
“I’ll go collect the branches I gathered! Let me know when you figure something out!”
It seems there were people who used to cast magic through song long ago, I think? Not that I’m really certain.
After I finish carrying the pile of branches to the woodshed, hunger strikes.
“Guess I’ll just have the leftover porridge for lunch.”
I enter the house through the woodshed door and warm the porridge. Selina still sits on the floor, absorbed in her book.
“Hey, it’s lunchtime!” When I tap her shoulder, she looks up with a start.
“Zoe, you might be a Music Mage—a Troubadour.”
What’s that?
I have numerous questions, but first I need to satisfy my hunger.
“Come on, Selina, you should eat too!”
I ladle porridge into wooden bowls and drizzle in some of Merry’s milk and precious honey. This’ll be my personal celebration feast for successfully using magic.
“Delicious!” I savor every bite, while Selina eats absent-mindedly.
“You’re wasting it eating like that!” I scold her.
“Agh! You’re so noisy! There haven’t been any Troubadours for hundreds of years. It says here that today’s minstrels are their descendants... but magic songs have fallen into obscurity...”
Selina mumbles around her large wooden spoon as she consumes her porridge.
I take my time savoring my special honey-sweetened porridge feast. Selina sometimes hunts Killer Bees and brings back honey, but we don’t have much left.
After finishing her meal, Selina suddenly jumps up and begins frantically stuffing sellable items into her bag.
“Selina! Are you going to the royal capital? Take me with you!”
I’ve asked hundreds of times before!
But once again, I receive a flat “No!”
“More importantly, you need to gather medicinal herbs. We’re going to sell them in Lang Village.”
“Wait—you’ll take me to Lang Village? When?”
She curtly replies “When I get back!” and heads off to the royal capital.
“I wonder when she’ll return?”
I sigh, gazing at the teleportation circle on the floor of the potion room I’m forbidden to enter. Will I ever get to teleport as well?