My name is Aria, a 16 year old beastkin of the cat tribe. As I’m not a noble, I bear no surname.

Due to the holidays, I’ve been neglecting my magic studies and decided to go to the marketplace to practice.

Why the marketplace?

Simply put various types of travellers and merchants pass through there. Often mages also go looking for rare artifacts brought by adventurers, it’s the perfect place to gather tips on magic control.

I quickly grab my hooded cloak and put it on. There’s generally no discrimination against beastkin here, but some travellers still seem to hold prejudice. So as not to cause unnecessary trouble, I raise the hood over my ears and make my way to the marketplace.

As I set myself up in a small corner, a strange sight catches my eye. A boy roughly my age with white hair and red eyes. Although slightly pale, he was considerably handsome, to the point where he could even rival the imperial prince.

However that wasn’t what was strange, the odd thing was the fact that the boy was carrying a scythe.

It was not unusual to carry weapons around the marketplace, but scythes are considered farming tools, they’re incredibly unbalanced as weapons.

Since he didn’t seem to be doing anything strange or dangerous, I decided to instead focus back on my magic training.

My primary element is fire, so I conjure an image of a candle flame in my mind. Following that, I raise my hand outwards and imagine the flame appearing in my hand.

Suddenly, a small yellow flame appears, hovering slightly above my cupped hand. Yellow is considered the weakest flame colour, despite practicing magic for so long, I’m still unable to change it.

Whilst focusing on the flame, I suddenly feel the air move in front of me, the flame flickers in response to that.

Looking up, I meet eyes with the boy from before. His red eyes are really beautiful, like rubies. Despite the beauty, I feel a strange darkness welling behind them. Wait...when did he get here?

Seeing how close he was to my face, I became flustered and tried to step back.

Without speaking a word, the boy grasps my hand holding the flame and closes it. The flame instantly disappears.

“What are you doing? You should never use magic where people can see it. They’ll become scared”

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He says as such with a calm voice, but why does it matter? I’m not disturbing anyone and what does he mean by scared? I tilt my head in confusion. It’s just a small flame, most people can conjure something of his level or slightly below by the time they turn ten years of age.

When I reply as such, he reprimands me.

“Maybe not to you, but if normal people see a cursed child using magic near them, it might incite a mob”

Cursed child? What’s that? I assume he’s referring to me, but I’m not cursed you know? I’m also not a child anymore.

I tilt my head to the unknown words. Without realising it, my hood has become loose, slipping off my head.

The boy who notices my ears poking out jumps backwards and aims his scythe at me.

“What are you?”

Ah, could he be one of the guys I’m always told to avoid? However, this doesn’t feel like discrimination. It’s more like he genuinely doesn’t know what I am. Perhaps he’s never seen a beastkin before?

I feel pity for him, but I won’t let him off easy. He’s been saying such mean things without any expression, like he doesn’t even care!

When I shout at him, his eyes quickly sharpen as the temperature around him instantly lowers.

Shivers run down my spine as an ominous black fog seeps from his body. The fog hits the ground, eroding away the floor as if it’s nothing.

I feel the blood escape my face, as my body trembles. Scary…...this guy is scary…..

I try to back away, but he keeps moving closer.

“Explain. What are you?”

His voice seemed to have dropped a few degrees as his eyes glow an ominous blood red, different than the beautiful jewels from before.

I try and reply, but I can’t make a sound. Fear has stolen my voice.

“Why do you carry the signature of the Vormun?”

His words are confusing. What does he mean Vormun? Despite my fear, I somehow manage to voice my confusion.

The boy who sees this sinks into deep thought. After a short while, he seems to have come to a conclusion, but before he can take a step closer to me--

“You there! Relinquish your weapon immediately”

Just in time! The guard captain has arrived with two subordinates.

The boy doesn’t seem to mind that they guards have arrived, he’s calmly staring them down.

“Guards”

After saying such as if to confirm it, his attitude changes and becomes compliant. I guess even people like him respect the guards.

“You’re making a mistake. This girl has traces of the Vormun inside her. She’s not human”

I’m not human though, I’m a beastkin. The guard captain voices my displeasure to the boy.

At those words, the boy looks around the marketplace at the faces of the bystanders. He seems to be thinking about something.

“I apologise, it was my mistake”

Surprisingly, he apologises to me whilst staring at my eyes. Prompted by that action, I touch the area near my eyes. When did I begin crying?

The boy immediately cancels his ability and lowers his scythe to the ground.

Did I really seem that pitiful?

As soon as his ability is cancelled, I feel a huge weight fall off my body as the temperature returns to normal. His normal appearance shows itself again. Yes, I much prefer this one.

The guards then collect his equipment, as the captain escorts him back to the guard post.

Some of the surrounding travellers go over to me to see if I’m ok. When I say I am, they return to what they were originally doing.

I’m not really harmed in at all. Besides, I think it was all just a misunderstanding. The boy seemed confused at my appearance. Perhaps he comes from a faraway village which is only occupied by humans?

Accepting that as the answer, I decide magic practice is over for today.

Looking towards the location the boy was once at, my blood runs cold as I remember something.

Just what was that magic?

The ground appeared to vanish under the boy like it was nothing. I have the strange feeling that if I had touched the fog, I’d have disappeared too. My body trembles unconsciously at the idea.

With those sinister thoughts in mind, I begin the arduous walk back home.