Part 1

It has been three days since I started training with magic. Recently, I found that I haven't been acting like myself lately.

Myself...? Who is... er, never mind. Anyway,

I have been thinking about who I am. Dylon? Alice? It could be that I am both. It could also be that I am neither.

I have only inherited their memories, after all. In the beginning, I was confused and thought myself to be Dylon on reflex, but could it be that I am not him too?

Urgh! This is too complicated~ I don't wanna think anymore~

"Lady Alice, are you alright? ...Lady Alice?"

"Huh? What?"

After the boy called out to me, his face paled as if realizing something,

"O-Oh no! Did I ruin your concentration, milady?! I am so terribly sorry!"

The one who woke me up from my daze was the servant who led me down the long hall previously, a boy named Saldonius.

With his brown eyes and black hair, he wore a baggy robe along with a worried face. He looks... about above average.

This house doesn't hire anyone below a particular standard of beauty, huh? Not like it matters to me, though...

Recently, I've been bringing him together with us. The reason? I don't know, I just do.

"Ah... No worries, I was just lost in thought..."

With Saldonius, Handsome and Mira watching, I practice magic in the courtyard. Well, seeing as how I burned down an entire forest when my father let me go too far, he had decided to let me practice in the knights' courtyard.

Even today, I can feel the knights and servants sending curious stares my way.

P-P-Please don't stare. I-I-I-I'll cut you~

...Anyway.

I've become really amazing these days. And I mean really amazing!

What? What do you mean full of myself?

N-No! You've got it wrong, I tell you~

What I mean is, I can use chantless magic after all. Yep yep, I'm one of those.

I'm a hacker.

I've also learned how to control a bit of it.

"Mira, do you think you could teach me healing magic again?"

To my words, Mira smiled awkwardly while Handsome frowned.

Ignoring Handsome, Mira spoke,

"Ah. Yes, Lady Alice. As long as it doesn't... erm... end up like yesterday."

The event from yestreday? ... W-Why should I tell you?! I-It's... I, I'm...

It's a maiden's secret, stuuuupid~!

Ignoring the narrator-man who is also my imaginary friend, I peeked at Mira's expression once with a sidelong glance,

"I... I see... I got it, I'll practice a bit more... Ah! By the by, boy. Did you already send the letter?"

Suddenly remembering about tomorrow, I looked towards Saldonius.

He nodded once and said respectfully,

"Yes, milady. Prince Artaxias should have received your letter last night."

Ah, good. If that's the case, there should be a response by tonight.

"Ah. Good work."

Smiling as I said that, I begin to gather mana on my hands once again.

Feeling that it'll work out better than last time, I look towards the three of them with confidence.

"Alright~ Let's try it! Any volunteers?"

I clapped my hands twice as I asked with a smile.

But they--

"...Why are you retreating? ...sir L-Luke! Y-You're here for me, right?"

I look at him with insecure eyes.

Rejection really does feel painful.

"Mm."

Handsome nodded with determination.

Yay~

The other two, on the other hand,

"Siscon bastard..."

"Hyaaaa~ I knew it'd develop like this~"

Both of you are banned from commenting because you declined~!

Handsome walked forward and stood in front of me,

"Start any time, young miss."

I nodded with a smile.

Don't worry, I've got it this time!

I'm gonna do it!

I won't fail!

...Definitely not!

...I think.

I'm glad, though.

I whisper words of true gratitude, trying to let my voice be weak enough to be sure that only Handsome can hear.

"Big brother... thanks for believing in me."

"...No big deal."

As usual, my Divine Powers didn't work on him at all as his glare-like, menacing pokerface's lips only shifted upwards a little.

Wahh creepy.

I smile back at him, thanking him again.

"Well. I'll begin now."

Feeling my hands welling up with energy, I let it flow into the air around us.

Dense blue light suddenly enveloped us.

This is still okay, right?

After a few seconds, the light grew denser by the second,

"What the...?!"

One of the knights watching us shouted as the mana began to change.

After that, light so bright that it hurt my eyes began to shine from the surroundings,

"...!"

"What?!"

"Alice! Watch out!"

Mira's muffled scream, Saldonius's cry of surprise and Handsome's determined shout rang out simultaneously.

I closed my eyes and ducked with Handsome right above, protecting me.

I thought that when I opened my eyes, it would all be over.

That everything would be fine.

Handsome will protect me, he will save me.

Mira will be laughing with me again tomorrow.

Saldonius will help me welcome taxi lion tomorrow.

Tomorrow... tomorrow, this will all be but a memory.

Truly childish thoughts.

I opened my eyes--

"...At least it didn't turn out like yesterday."

The words that came out of my mouth sounded like words of comfort.

But for some reason, it stung at my chest.

That's because--

"Where am I~~?"

Clearly, this is worse than yesterday.

Part 2

I like forests.

I really really like forests.

In fact, you could say I absolutely love~ them.

Maybe it was because of that reason my magic granted my wish.

I was teleported to some sort of forest.

Are you joking with me, huhhh?! You think this is funny, punk? 

Well... This is probably my fault for trying to cast magic I don't even understand the properties of...

I ended up casting something else entirely.

Forests are nice as well, so I don't really mind... I guess.

 I like taking soothing walks in them, the sound of the wildlife desperately crying out to have se--

Wait. I'm a girl now, so shouldn't I hold some propriety?

Well, I don't really care. I believe in gender equality!

...Wait, that's sexist. You can't expect me to act differently just because I don't have a *toot*!

What the...? I'm not even allowed to say it? Is this movie PG13 or something?

I continued to talk to myself to suppress the loneliness and urge to cry as I,

"Waaaa~ Paapa~ Paapa save mee~"

"...! Huff... Huff... Stop... Haah... Following me! Stalker! Weirdo! Pervert!"(Alice)

"...Just wait! I'm on your side, dammit!" (???)

The me who was breathing roughly(while shouting) was leading around a little girl around four to five years old with a strange appearance by the hand as I desperately ran with all the strength my dainty legs could muster.

Following closely behind me was an annoyingly handsome knight who had a bow and quiver on his back.

The situation? Oh y'know, just--

I. Am being chased. By wolves!

Why am I being chased?!

It wasn't me, I'm tellin' ya's! I was framed, I'm tellin' ya's!

Grrr...

AWOOOOoooOOO!!

T-They're calling for backup?!

Ah, yes. The current situation, right? How did it progress again...? Oh, oh yeah.

This happened around half an hour ago--

Chirp chirp~ Chirp~

"...Mm~"

Waking up to the song of the birds, my eyes opened slowly.

Feeling refreshed, I looked around me as I tried to remember what had happened.

I'm in a forest? I immediately think as I keep hearing the simultaneous calls of the birds and insects around,

The only memories on my head were that of a strong light after I had cast a simple healing spell.

...I failed again, didn't I?

I sighed and looked down with a depressed face as I picked up my sun hat which fell on the ground.

"....."

!!

"Who's there?!"

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

All the hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I felt a chilling gaze train on me from behind.

"....."

Oh dang... I'm on edge.

rustle rustle

I prepare myself to face whatever is making that rustling noise as I watch the bushes nervously.

"..."

rustle

"..."

rustle rustle

"Woof..."

At that moment, I felt my heart stop.

"Awwwww~ It's so cute~"

Doggy! A wild cutie has appeared!

Out of the bushes came out a wolf pup and I held my breath as it slowly stumbled its way towards my feet.

It must've been the inner maiden inside of me as I immediately picked it up, with the sense of danger disappearing almost completely.

I sat down on the ground and held the puppy, not caring at all that my dress might get dirtied.

"Awww~ Sho wittle~ Aw you lost, wittle one? I'll help you~ I can just bring you home-- Aah, don't lick my face~"

"Woof~"

My heart is melting. It's cute. Too cute. It looked at me with its big eyes as it licked my face while its tail was wagging left and right.

It likes me! Yay~

At least I think it does. It's not just hungry, right?

With a huge smile on my face, I hugged it tightly.

"....."

Feeling another stare from behind me, I immediately turn around, intent on protecting the puppy.

Right there is a giant wolf almost a meter and a half tall.

Uh-oh.

Is this the mommy? Did I anger her?

Expecting it to attack, cold sweat dripped down my back as my shoulders trembled.

The mommy wolf stared at me with eyes half-closed as it lowered its body to prepare to pounce.

I can fight back... I can fight back!

I can't fight back!

With the wolf's eyes fixed on me, I felt petrified and couldn't move.

Growl...

The mommy snarled at me while the puppy looked on in wonder with a "What's happening?" look on its face.

Rroooargh!

With a roar, the wolf sprung up

"Eep!"

My mouth released a small scream as I covered my eyes with both hands

...

...

"Wahh!"

After a few seconds, I peeked on the gaps between my fingers and saw that the mommy wolf had pinned down a little girl.

The wolf, then--

Sniff, sniff

"...?"

After sniffing the girl, mommy wolf retracted her nose from the girl's neck and carried her through the fabric of her dress and layed her down before me.

Probably because of shock, the little girl had already fainted without even crying.

Mommy wolf then looked at me as if waiting for something.

For some reason, I felt no more fear.

Seeing me not making any move, mommy wolf nudged the little girl with her nose twice, as if prompting me to check on her.

Looking at the little girl about four years old, I see that her hair had an unusual color of light blue with green tips. The first thought that came to my mind is that perhaps she is someone like me with genetic mutation.

I sat down on the ground and laid her head on my lap, rubbing her head gently as I hummed a tune, my hair and sun hat gently swaying in the breeze.

The puppy settled down beside me while the mommy watched us with warm eyes, a little bit away.

...What's with this situation?

These wolves are wild, right...?

Why do they treat me like their owner or something...

After a few minutes, the girl woke up.

"...Mu?"

I figured I ought to explain the situation first.

I'm someone who is not from here, I cast healing magic but it wasn't healing magic and it teleported me here instead where I met a puppy and his mommy who pinned down a girl with strange hair.

Wait, what?

Before I could even begin formulating any form of explanation, the little girl, with her head still resting on my lap, reached her little hands for my hair.

I quietly let her feel my hair as I overlook her expression from above.

She looked at me directly in the eyes before finally, words came out of her mouth.

"...Are you my mommy?"

I froze.

The girl got up just to sit back down on my lap. She looked up at me again and tilted her head.

"...?"

No I'm not but I want to be.

...No I'm not but I want to be.

I want to be.

W-W-Wait wait! What am I saying?!

"What? N-No, I'm not--"

Grrrrr...

Before I could even finish my words, the wolf let out a low growl.

Whoosh

Out of nowhere, an arrow had pierced through mommy wolf's back.

The wolf yelped in pained agony.

...Hunters? No...!

Following that, three men and one girl stepped out of the thicket, surrounding the wolf from all sides.

Noticing that they were in armor and seeing the crest on their shoulder, I recognized them to be knights of the second lowest order.

...Lame.

Turns out all that reading actually taught me something.

The pup looked alarmed and immediately rushed to his mother.

As soon as they saw me, the men began talking.

"Looks like we made it in time, huh?"

"Haah~ Another day, another maiden. Oi, lass, are you alright-- Well I'll be damned! Ain't she just the prettiest? Looks like you had a lucky shot in more ways than one, Nide."

Seeing them act like this, I couldn't help but stare at them.

...Do you think you're heroes or something?

While thinking so, my gaze returns back to the wolf.

It had fallen on the ground, breathing weakly.

Why? It was just one arrow... Could it have been poisoned?

I sent a scouring glance at the knights and quickly found my target.

Approaching the one who looked like the youngest of the men, the only one with a bow and a quiver, I--

Smack!

Slapped him hard enough that even I was surprised.

"Mama...!"

"Wha...?!"

"..."

"W-What do you think you're doing, wench?! To think you could do that to the one who saved you!"

The little girl gasped while covering her eyes and the only female among the knights immediately pointed a sword my direction while the other two looked on in surprise.

The one most shocked was of course the bowman, the one I slapped.

Ignoring the rest of them, I looked the bowman straight in the eye.

It was because of this that I failed to notice the change in the surroundings.

The reason why I didn't notice the deathly silence.

The fact that the pup had already disappeared.

"Boy. Do you realize what you have just done?"

My emotionless voice rang out, cold enough to send chills down a person's spine.

The boy, still in a daze looked back at me with eyes as if he didn't understand my actions; he then began talking,

"I... Saved you--?"

"Saved me?"

Before he could even finish, I cut him off. I turn my back towards him as I head to where the fallen wolf lay.

Even then I didn't stop talking,

"Do I look like I needed saving? That wolf was watching over--"

"Watching over? They're wild wolves! Wild, woman!"

The male knight who looked like the eldest among them chided me as if he was scolding a spoiled child.

Annoyed by his tone, I clicked my tongue as I grasped the shaft of the arrow that got stuck on the wolf's back.

Splurt

"...wooOoo..."

The wolf released a weak moan as I pulled the arrow out, I was conflicted whether I should teach them a lesson-- or if I even could, but,

It was then that the situation changed.

The one who chided me earlier began to break out in cold sweat with a wry grin on his face while the female knight's eyes looked around vigilantly.

"Ah crap. This always happens when we dawdle for too long."(Oldest male knight)

"...What should we do about this wench? She's a liability."(Female knight)

...? What are they talking about?

I looked at the wolf in wonder.

Wooooo...

In response, the wolf rubbed my arm, neck and belly with its head before falling limp on the ground.

...She's not dead, is she?

Grrrrrr

AWOooOOOOoo

Grrrrr

"Oh." (Alice)

So that's what happened.

I felt that my heart had stopped at least several times today, I hope it doesn't turn into a condition...

Surrounding the five of us, were dozens of wolves.