After six months of my reincarnation, I understood the basics of this world.
First, the language. The people of this country spoke Valero language. Its idea was the same as how English works, so learning it was not that hard.
When I was of four months; I could easily understand what others talked but writing was still a problem.
The only book I had access to was storybooks consisting of less than fifty pages and I was not even allowed to keep it with me.
The first word I learned was my name. It was Reez Vailon. Vailon was my mother’s surname, her actual name was Selena Vailon.
All the children who were raised in this orphanage had the same surname as the Head Mistress, Mary Lyuse. Exceptions were children arriving here with a name or children having known relatives like me.
Madam Mary was the only adult who can use Mizuna here other than Raina.
I had only limited knowledge about Mizuna and had only seen it a few times when Raina uses it in front of me.
One was only allowed to use Mizuna after the age of ten. They undergo a special process called binding which helps them to use Mizuna.
Over the last six months, a lot of things changed and a major one was I got a companion.
Her name was Kathrein Lyuse. We both were of the same age.
Someone left her in the orphanage’s garden. From that day, she and I were sharing the bed for about three months.
After her arrival, the trio’s attention was placed on her from me. Kathrein was much cute and childish than I was, so playing with her was more fun.
I didn’t care about the trio but after her arrival, Leefy started taking care both of us, giving me some unpleasant feeling.
‘Maybe I was jealous of her.’
Though, Leefy cared about me the most. For Leefy, my mother was like her sister. So, I was like her nephew.
Even though. I was jealous of her, having a baby near me was not a bad thing. I always had her on my side.
The past three months I spend with her, created a superior feeling inside me. Having a weak creature besides us always forced one to help it. Subconsciously, we feel responsible for it and start to take care of it.
I was the same. I helped her in every way possible from giving my toys to crying along with her. She was becoming more like a little sister to me.
In my previous life, I had no experience of having a sister other than my little cousin.
Kathrein’s innocent smile was enough for me to take her brother’s role.
A huge piece of cloud was hiding the sun which was only two hours before setting.
Outside our stay, Leefy held me in her hands and other kids were playing around us. Those who have successfully bonded with Mizu were training Mizuna under Raina.
I was told that Mizuna was the art of controlling and being controlled by Mizu. The primary step for mastering Mizuna was getting used to Mizu.
Mizu was invisible energy found in every nook and corner of this world. Only a few were able to use Mizuna, so the rest focused on other arts like swordsmanship and archery which were impossible to master only with Mizuna.
Five children, three girls, and the remaining boys were the only ones who formed a bonded with Mizu here. Rachel, who was the oldest and first to form the bond was having a match with Loran, the strongest Mizuna user among us.
Rachel was like a big sister to every one of us. She was the blond beauty of our home and had a mental maturity beyond her twelve-year-old body.
On the opposite, Loran was still a kid and acted like one. His skill in Mizuna was a real deal but for his straightforward character, an opponent who actually thinks during their fight like Rachel had a clear upper hand.
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The primary step for learning Mizuna was to absorb Mizu into one's body and increasing his or her capabilities like senses, raw strength, speed, and others. Anyone watching the present fight could tell that their movements could only be achieved using Mizuna.
Rachel and Loran were having a hand-to-hand battle. The match was more intense than every fight I had in my previous life. They made me realize how scary Mizuna was.
For every attack Laron made, Rachel would always find her defense and at the next moment, he would be lying on the ground. I had never seen Laron winning a fight against her.
On the other side, Herin and Tessy who formed their bond this year were having a Sight test. The objective was to increase their sight range using Mizu and read the words carved in a wooden board three meters away from them, which was impossible for any normal human.
A bunch of guys who have still to be bonded was undergoing normal fighting arts training under miss Eliviona, a trainer from Merlin Academy.
If failed the first time, one could always undergo bonding process after one month until the bond was formed.
Luke was the only missing student, and it was not new. The eleven-year-old Luke was the fifth Mizuna user and had the strongest physique among the orphanage kids.
He was a bully just like I used to be and hardly attended any training classes. He had no friends and most of the adults were fed up with him.
Early, I used to feel sorry for him and wanted to help him, but one day he entered our room secretly and was going to do something on Kathrein.
I cried aloud seeking the grown-up's help and stopped his action. From that day I became extra cautious about him.
He had the most unpredictable personality among the kids, still, miss Mary rarely took any action against him.
‘Was she afraid of him or she didn’t want to associate with him?’
Neither was wrong, I think. I could only see kids other than the trio during my evening playtime. I was cautious, not to do anything beyond my physical age. I didn’t want others to think I was special in any way.
The life I was having now has been pretty satisfying. But even if not publicly, I wanted to do everything I possibly can.
Beside me, Kathrein was playing with the trio. I usually copied Kathrein’s way of doing to act like a real child. Playing with the trio was not at all interesting compared to resting in Leefy’s shoulder.
I looked up to the sun which started to set behind the forest. The surroundings were unusually dull today because of the dark clouds covering the sky. There was a sign of heavy rain tonight.
The sound of thunder shattered through the windows. Leefy, who was feeding us, stopped and went to close the windows. Kath(rein) started to cry from the heavy sound. So, Leefy took her upon her chest and started patting her head.
Crying from the thunder sound was normal for a child to do, but I didn’t want to cause any more trouble for Leefy.
So, I looked at her and smiled showing that I was fine here. Still, she took me up and placed me on her right chest. Her warmth was reassuring.
‘This is why I love her.’
After Kath slept, she placed us on the bed.
Raina entered the room to put off the light stone but Leefy wanted her to leave the stone lighted.
Light stone was a gem covered in glass that uses Mizu to shine. Only a Mizuna user could control the light stone, so it was Raina’s job. Not only light stone but most Mizuna-related works we had here was Raina’s responsibility.
Leefy spread the sheets over us and slept with us.
The storm was getting heavier outside, ignoring that I closed my eyes facing Kath who was lying between us.
When I woke up, the room was in shades. The light stone was no more illuminating. Also, the lights in the hallway were also out.
During the night, the hallway was always left illuminated for guiding the kids to the washroom. But today, that was not the case.
The rain had already stopped, leaving the room in silence.
I heard the sound of footsteps approaching our door. I didn’t believe in ghosts or demons when I was on Earth, but that was not the case anymore. In this world filled with Mizuna and energy, every possibility exists.
Feared, l looked at Leefy to soothe my mind. But that sight made me more anxious.
The expression Leefy was making, I had never seen before. Her eyes were deadlock towards the door. Her gaze was the scariest thing in that room like a lion waiting for its prey.
She was hardly moving. A slight movement from my side would be enough for catching her attention. She could already know that I was awake.
I turned my face towards the door in the most natural way possible.
There was Luke, walking through the hallway holding an illuminated light stone in his hand.
‘What was he doing? Why the hell he had was holding a light stone?’
He peeked inside, probably checking if anyone was awake. After confirming our sleeping state, he walked forward towards the hallway.
For a primary Mizuna user like Luke, it was impossible for charging a light stone with Mizu. And also, he was somehow able to control the light stones of all the rooms and hallways without coming in contact with it.
I had never seen Raina turning the light stone without contacting it. So, it should be impossible for Luke.
The only possible answer was some superior Mizuna user helped Luke by controlling the lights. And the only one capable of doing it was madam Mary Lyuse.
I had only heard from the sisters, but Mary was a great Mizuna user in her youth. Though I had never seen her using it.
But the face Leefy made was even more surprising. One could have never thought that the always sweet and charming Leefy could make a face like that.
I turned my head for checking Leefy’s state again, but she was already sleeping in her normal self.
Come to think, I hardly knew anything about Leefy and her past. I also didn’t know about myself. Who was my mother? What about my father?
Leefy never mentioned my father before and I was also was not in a state to ask her. I wanted to know more about my life, about Leefy, and about this world.