It has been two years for Nanami since she was adopted by a kind couple. Now, she is named Astra Silvia Acquati.
When she was blessed with a name, the couple were very happy. Her mother was the most enthusiastic about it.
"Stars, the forest, and water! It's perfect!"
Is was what Astra's mother had said at the time.
Over the past two years Astra had learned many things.
1. The world that she had been reincarnated into had magic. Yes, magic! Astra was very excited about it and tried it right away. Of course, it worked. As Zuhi had said, she never ran out of mana and could cast any spell that she wanted to as long as she imagined it. Personally, Astra thought that it was a bit anticlimactic.
2. Even if she had unlimited magic and the power to cast any spell, Astra still needed the skill to cast the magic or else it would take a really long time. She also needs a clear image of the spell.
3. Mana is the energy source of all living things. If one ran out of mana, they would die. Astra had wondered at the time, "Would that mean that I could live forever?" Astra was glad when she heard that it wasn't true because even if they had lots of mana, they would die of old age.
4. Elves aged at the same rate as humans until they turned 16. When they turned 16, their growth would stagnate. This was extremely important to Astra because she wanted to grow up with her human family "normally."
5. Her adoptive mother was a princess of the Gardenia royal family and her adoptive father was the from the Ducal house of Acquati from the neighboring country, Burim. Right now, they belong to a new Ducal house in light of her father's achievements in war, but they don't care about politics, so they live at the edge of a forest. They couldn't have a child due to the after effect of a maid sneaking abortion medications into the food of Astra's mother.
6. The goddess Zuhi is an idiot. Zuhi had promised to visit Astra later to explain everything, but she hasn't visited at all. Astra came to the conclusion that Zuhi is an idiot that has no sense of time or that sense of time is different in the place where the gods and goddesses live.
7. Astra's mind was being influenced by her body. This resulted in Astra having having a childish behavior. Astra didn't particularly mind this because it helped her seem a bit more normal.
Her mother's gentle voice interrupted Astra's thoughts.
"Happy Birthday!"
Astra's mother came running in and hugged her.
"Dank yoo!" (Thank you!)
By the way, when Astra first spoke, her parents who had no knowledge on children simply praised her. They thought, "She's really smart" and thought nothing else of it.
"So cute!"
Her mother squeezed Astra harder. It was too hard for Astra who's body had not matured yet.
"Cand Bwead." (Can't Breathe.)
"Oh my, sorry."
Astra's mother noticed that she had been squeezing too hard and immediately let her grip go. Soon, Astra's father slammed the door open and rushed to her.
"Where's my darling girl?"
Her father ran towards Astra, picked her up, and swung her around. It was too intense for Astra's small body.
"Dear, that's dangerous!"
(And it wasn't when you squeezed me tightly?)
Astra wanted to refute her mother. When her father finally let her down, she was wobbling around.
"Da wald ish shpinning..." (The world is spinning.....)
They laughed at Astra who was wobbling around.
"Meaniesh." (Meanies.)
Astra glared at her parents as her father tried to comfort her. Astra pouted to emphasize how mad she was, but it only emphasized how cute she was to her parents.
"Now, now, calm down and happy birthday! Here's your present from the two of us!"
Astra's father held out a small wooden box and gave it to her. Her parents eagerly watched her as she opened it to find a small locket with a picture of the three of them inside.
"I will fowgibe yoo jusht dish onshe." (I will forgive you just this once.
"Got it, got it."
Her parents patted her head.
"I alsho habe a pwesend fow yoo." (I also have a present for you.)
Astra hugged her mother while healing the after effect of the abortion medication. As for the reason that she had not done it already, it was because she didn't really have a chance to, so she continued practicing magic until she could cast it in less than a second for this very moment.
"Aww, thank you!"
It was obvious that Astra's mother had only thought that Astra had hugged and nothing more.
"Won't you give daddy one too?"
"Waid, sheck mama'sh body." (Wait, check mama's body.)
Astra's father did as she said and scanned the body of Astra's mother with magic. He started crying tears of joy. Astra's mother who could not understand why he was crying, checked her body with magic and started crying as well.
After calming down, they started to ask Astra some questions.
"Astra, what did you do?"
Her father was looking at Astra gently. Astra smiled. She had already prepared an answer for that question.
"I fwound a book in da woodsh and pwactished da magick in id." (I found a book in the woods and practiced the magic in it.)
"Can you show it to us?"
Her mother asked Astra.
(Nope, no can do! Because there isn't one!)
Was what Astra wanted to say, but in reality...
"Shawwy, bud id dishapeawed da necsht day." (Sorry, but it disappeared the next day.)
It pained Astra to lie, but she couldn't reveal the truth to her kind parents. They probably wouldn't even believe the truth.
Her parents looked a bit disappointed, but then they smiled.
"It's fine. Thank you for healing me."
Her mother comforted Astra and hugged her again.
"It's the same for me! Gimme a hug!"
Her father opened his arms to Astra who ran to him and hugged him happily. Behind her cheerful exterior was sadness. She wanted to tell them the truth, but it scared her to think about the possibility of being abandoned by them even though she knew that they wouldn't do that.
She also was scared that the information about her power would leak out and that they would get hurt trying to protect her. She needed to act more "normal."