Chapter 4

A week has passed since I took my magic aptitude test. For that whole week I was ordered to stay in my room and recover, of course that insane doctor came to check on me every day but thankfully nothing happened. I almost shed tears of relief. Other than that Lord Adam stayed in the castle for the duration of my time in forced recovery, apparently, he got quite the dressing-down from my father. From what Ariel reported back to me almost everyone working near my father’s quarters could hear him reprimanding the count. I won’t lie I quite enjoyed hearing about it, after all this is a fair payback for what he did to me. Honestly, I am more angry about him catching me than about the test going wrong, you have no idea how scared I actually am from that doctor, I mean what will you think of a man who can tell another person to castrate themselves like it’s the easiest thing in the world, I truly am thankful that I am no longer a man I can only imagine what he would have done to me if I was. No, no, don’t think about it, Don’t Think About It!

Back to the present and my father explaining that lord Adam regretted his actions and as recompense he has decided to stay here and teach me himself everything there is to know about magic.

Ok... I admit it... I lost. There is no way I can refuse is there? He got me.

Naturally, I too had to play the role of the kind and forgiving girl who is grateful that a man of great importance is willing to give me his time to teach this delicate maiden (who can take out a knight) how to use the art of magic. Yeh right, I can see the glee in his eyes in him knowing that I have no way to back out. It might have been a mistake for me to ask to be reborn as a noble in the Middle Ages, same with the immortality thing, or really the whole reincarnation bit is a mistake. I have yet to even have a single privet conversation with him and I can still tell that this man is trouble; for me that is.

Anyway, following the week of rest imposed by my overprotective father I was able to leave my room. Oh, guess who is standing right outside my room, you guessed it.

“Lord Adam, may I ask why you are standing outside my room?”

“First of all, from now on you are to ether call me teacher or Professor, second, I hope you have enjoyed your last night of lazing around because from today onward you are to have magic lessons with me once early in the morning and a second time in the afternoon. Last but certainly not least I have a few questions for you so how about we get going.”

“Now, now, we have no need for such an inflexible schedule, how about we go eat breakfast and get to know each other a bit better.” Damn him, what does he think I am a salary man working two jobs, at age four at that.

“Magic requires one’s undivided attention, anything less and you might as well not learn anything at all. Young lady please go and eat your breakfast I will wait for you at the top of the central tower, that will be our classroom from now on.”

Inflexible, this man is really getting on my nerves. I did as was told, then asked Ariel to carry me to the top of the tower, what you thought that I would climb it myself, don’t be ridiculous, the stairs might as well be a mountain slope and I am 4. I swear he chose that location just to harass me.

“Now that you’ve arrived... Oh by the way next time you should climb the stairs yourself. I know you can use aura so it shouldn’t be much of an issue for you.” Oh man, and here I was hoping he wouldn’t notice but then again beating a night can’t be done without aura so it’s only rational that he would come to that conclusion. Maybe I should pretend that it was a fluke?

“Before you say it, no, you willingly used aura, if it was due to a moment of crisis or if you claim to have unwittingly used aura then the flow would have been natural, unlike that forced application of yours where you continuously force the aura into your limbs. Once you grow older you should also

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get a teacher for aura manipulation, 12 is a good age to start learning how to control your aura; you are good just not good enough to be called a natural talent. I have come to the conclusion that your real gift is your mind which allows you to learn faster than others, avoid what you can’t handle and get yourself out of thorny situations.”

He is attentive at least, he caught on everything I did, from my learning the basics of aura from the knights, to how I avoided fighting him since I knew that I had no chance of winning, and even my ploy where I diverted my father’s attention. At least he is competent, but this still doesn’t make me like him anymore than before.

“We will start our first lesson by explaining what magic is, simply said we don’t know, all we know is that it exists and that we can use it.” Really? And you call yourself a teacher, shame on you! “Next are the many ways we can operate magic, the first thing you need to understand is that depending on the mage they have different ways of gaining access to magic. First is by using the magic found around us, second is by absorbing and assimilating the magic into one’s own body, third is by creating a reservoir within one’s self where you can store the magic you accumulate, fourth is by borrowing a tool and using it as a medium or external reserve, finally and this is specific to other races but they can borrow the power of semi-intelligent life forms they call spirits and combining it with what they themselves can do from among the aforementioned methods. Of course, there are many other ways to gain access to magic, but they are mostly for mages with no talent but still desperate enough to be able to use magic.” How arrogant you could give them a break, what if you were one of them. One should always put themselves in another’s place and treat them the same way one wished to be treated. At least by the way he straight up insulted them in front of me and his eagerness to teach me I doubt I am one of them.

“Even if one can use magic it does not mean that they can use every system of magic. In fact, few are ever able to complete their primary tree of magic.”

“Tree of magic?” This is quite interesting, simply being able to use magic doesn’t mean that they can do anything they want with it.

“Yes, magic is divided into multiple systems, they are called trees as no matter how high you climb, you will always find another branch to study and learn from. I myself have almost mastered elemental magic and have started my study in alteration magic.” Ok so that thing he used on me is it something like wind or is it gravity manipulation, I am leaning on it being the second.

“Now that we know how to gain access to magic, we can move on to how we can use it. magic is flexible as it can be used in many differing ways. First comes the traditional chanting or the invocation of an effect, think of it as you taking action through the power of words, this might be the easiest way to learn magic as most of the work has already been done by others resulting in mages who mostly focus on memorizing the chants and shifting their magic training towards the efficient use of the magic available to them. There are many drawbacks to being an invocator, least of which is the time each spell needs to take effect, another is the inflexible nature of the spells as if one wishes to make the slightest change to the begotten effects then they would need to restructure the entire incantation, from start to finish. I would not recommend using magic through chants. The second method to use magic is through spell formations such as magic circles and the like. This is extremely complicated and requires you to create your own language if you do not wish to give your opponent complete knowledge of what you intend to do. This method was created in ancient times by a mute mage who’s desire to learn magic knew no bound, as such he created his own system of magic that mirrors the one that uses incantations but by using the written word instead; there exist a branch of study that utilises gestures rather than drawings and inscribing, I’ve always found them fascinating.” Are you sure you aren’t using sleeping magic, because I am about to keel over and take a nap. I might be an adult in the inside, but I still have the attention span of a four- year-old. Teacher then when on a long tangent explaining the multiple ways one can use to apply magic and the history behinds them, from using precious stones to the forced assimilation of magic with natural substances such as plants which serves as the foundation of alchemy, to how spirits can

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serve to skip the entire process and instead act according to the will of the one borrowing their power. Teacher Adams chew my ears off, by the time he was done teaching me the basic methodology of each sect my brain had turned to mush.

To think that after all that he has yet to tell me which method I can use what a waste of time.

“Now as for you my young apprentice, you are able to use all of them, you can even blame your talent with magic as the main cause for the pain you felt during the test. Having every possible avenue of magic react to magic drove your body into overdrive thus resulting in phantom pain.” Now we’re getting some ware, wait... phantom pain? And you still let the doctor speak such nonsense as bleeding me, this bastard!

Our morning lesson over, I quickly made my way out of the central tower only to be caught by my mother crying tears of joy and insisting that I tell her everything I learned. Give it a break woman, well it’s not like I can get away from her, so I had no chose but to recount everything I learned whilst eating my lunch. The very moment I finished my last spoon full of porridge I felt a presence behind me and frankly I did everything in my power to ignore it, but it was all for not. By the way, it took me a long time to adapt to eating what these people consider food, I mean has the chef never heard of spices? The only time I somewhat enjoy my meals is when we have meat to eat, and to think that in my past life I use to hate eating meat and instead preferring sea foods. Thankfully I believe that I came up with a way to solve this issue, I will have to try it to see if it does indeed work but if it doesn’t then I will have to find another way to improve the culinary culture such as trade.

“Lord Adam, Elly here was telling me everything about your first session. Please take good care of her, she’s always wanted to learn how to use magic, so much so that my husband told me she reminds him of you when you were young.”

“But of course, it is the very reason for my imposing upon you.”

Their back and forth continued for a while until he took me by the hand and dragged me to finish my torture session. When we returned to our classroom teacher Adam continued with the lesson but this time, he was the one asking questions. From my miraculous ability to heal to my immeasurable magical talent, he bombarded me with questions, most of them I managed to brush off.

Then I hear him murmuring something disconcerting “You don’t seem willing to tell me anything, I will have to experiment on you later.” I was right this guy is trouble.

“Moving on, what tree of magic do you wish to start learning?” “Creation magic, if possible if not then Destruction magic.”

“Those are a part of the domain of the gods, no one can learn to create or destroy other than the gods. To be exact, permanent creation through magic is impossible for us mortals, no matter what we try to create it will, at some point, revert to magic. This applies to every magic without exception.” I will need to check on my gold stash, but I think that this doesn’t apply to me since I am using a part of G’s power. “There are a few exceptions to the rule, but they are all remnants of the era of the gods, in the Western Empire there is an eternal flame that will burn for as long as a descendent of the chosen representative of the gods sits on the throne. There also exists a gored in the continent to the south that can create water out of nothing. Another example would be the trees of the elven forest who, if touched by someone the gods or the elves do not approve of would destroy their whole physical being.” God like beings use to exist in this world, I wander where they are now, and could G be one of them?

But more to the point, what should I do? Should I tell him about my powers? I have yet to determine if he is trustworthy but my experience until now makes me reluctant to draw more of his attention to me. Then again without his help I doubt I will be able to use these powers proficiently. I made my decision, I at least want to be his match before I reveal my powers, until then I will learn magic the traditional way.

“I see that you are taking this decision seriously, as you should, no matter how long one lives, they are unlikely to learn more than two trees of magic as the knowledge and foundation of those systems will start to conflict with one another.” Yes, please add more stress to this four-year-old child. I chose to take the rest of the day to decide what tree I will first study.

The number of possibilities is staggering, I could learn elemental magic like my teacher, but I doubt that it would help me since I can create just about any natural phenomenon with my creation magic. I can use my control magic to give shape to my thought and control the world so learning manipulation would be just as useless. I mean this is the reason I wonted these powers, there isn’t a thing I can’t do with creation, alteration, and destruction, but in fact there were. As they are specific to this world, I have no knowledge over them. Divination, enchantment, illusion, curses, and alchemy are all things I have little to no knowledge over as such choosing one of them to serve as my introduction to magic would be most rewarding. I don’t intend on becoming the most powerful being in the world but at the same time I would hate to be called weak. I am lazy by nature, but I become diligent when I want something, and I really want to learn magic. I mean it’s like half the reason I asked G to send me to this world.

While leaving the room, teacher Adam stopped me and informed me that he asked my father to allow him to start my successor training to which the duke agreed. As such I am now stuck with this geezer for every moment of every day, literally from morning to dusk. Nevertheless, this works in my favour, I think lord Adams sees potential in me and so wants to nurture it.

The next day I went early in the morning and just as lord Adam instructed, I climbed that mountain shaped staircase. When he asked me about my choice, I told him that I wanted to learn alchemy, this way even if I say that I created something I can claim that it’s a new application of the concepts of alchemy. At the same time, I won’t have to go to see that doctor ever again, I’m a genius, two birds with one stone.

And so, the days passed by.

The only time I can rest is when I am eating or when my mother and Ariel transform me into their personal dress up doll. I used to hate being a dress up doll for the two of them but with Lord Adam teaching me from morning to dusk I’ve honestly started to look forward to them kidnaping me. By the way those two became good friends, I am not supposed to know this, but not too long ago Ariel became my father’s mistress. I must admit even though she was a slave, Ariel is still a beauty, nicely done old man but please don’t have kids especially not a boy, otherwise getting hold of this duchy will become a lot harder. How is my mother taking it you ask? There was no change in her, at least none that I could tell. I doubt she could do anything even if she wished to, she is the duchess in name only, even the management of the household is left to the head maid and the head butler. I am thankful for that because I am good friends with Ariel and I’d hate to have to see her go, she did take care of me ever since the kidnaping incident. I started to imagine her being a sort of older sister or second mother although everyone including me still treat her like any other servant.

I learned quite a bit from Professor Adam, but I have to admit my dislike of him only grew, as alchemy is amongst the harder magic systems to learn from my progress was slow which disappointed him greatly ‘what do you want me to do, learn something at which I might be even better than you?’ That is not to say that I didn’t surprise him from time to time, the first time I did so is when I created a piece of rock that didn’t turn back into magic even after a month. This was my way of testing if my creation magic could pass for alchemy, and he believed it. As of now the rock is being kept in a corner of the classroom where he is measuring the length of time it will take for it to turn back into magic.

‘Sorry old man but that’s not alchemy but creation magic, that piece of rock will be there longer than you will live.’

Nonetheless Alchemy is very interesting, thanks to it I came to the conclusion that this world works on different scientific principles or really the science I know is only halfway applicable. Alchemy

can be said to be the missing science, when combined with my innate knowledge I can do just about anything. I really did make the right decision.

Time continued to flow; I came to be known as a prodigy in the art of alchemy to the point that people of all walks of life come to me to be healed or treated. In this world there is no such thing as healing magic but instead there are miracles that gods grant on occasion, alchemy can serve as an alternative where treatments can be created by the alchemist herself. I made connections with many people of great influence, from great nobles to merchants and even mercenaries. Many of them are indebted to me, if not financially, as is the case with the many mercenaries who came to me specifically to get treated, then emotionally as I have saved many family members and sometimes even great nobles themselves. I have reached the age of 12 and people started respecting me as both a kind healer and a great lady of the Silvier house. Little do they know that I will soon call in all those favours. Now that I am 12, I’ve completely adapted to being a noble lady, I wonder is it the time I spent being one myself that made me accept the change or is it my mentality that changed or maybe hormones; are we slaves to our bodies? No matter what the answer is I’ve long gotten passed my post birth shock, sadly there is one thing that I have yet to adapt to and that is getting a period, I mean why in god’s name do women have to suffer like this? This is just cruel, I really do feel sorry for all the times I called my mother lazy when she was on her period.

More important than any of this is that I am soon going to start learning aura manipulation from the head knight “Sir Mayron”. My birthday is today, and I can’t wait, but I should have, I really should have. In the middle of the hall my father decided to make an announcement, one that I’ve dreaded about for years now, Ariel is pregnant...