1
"How do I start now…? I was sleeping in a dark place and when I came to... I looked around to only see images of my past."
"So that was your consciousness?"
"I don't know. I mean it was a dark place with these images appearing."
"Yes. That is your mind then."
"Maybe. Then I heard Tatsuya in the distance and I tried scaring him."
"Why did you even try to pull a useless stunt like that…?"
"I just… felt like it. Anyways, I don't remember anything after that. All I remember is seeing him fade away as he said 'Time to grab some z's."
"That… Is something he'd definitely say… I believe you fake-Tatsuya."
"Fake-Tatsuya? First of all I should've been the real one… I owe him a debt so I'll let it slide for the time being."
Kei couldn't understand the conversation and looked confused the whole time. Sieg looks at her confused face and bursts out laughing.
"Hahahah… What is that face you're making Kei?!"
"Hm?"
"I'll tell you what happened to Tatsuya so just wait for a bit."
"So anything else you wanted to know?"
"Yeah… More like knowing I'll just say this. Don't disclose to anyone that you're not Tatsuya and that you have time magic. Especially that you have time magic."
"Why though? If anyone knows there won't be a problem anyways."
"You don't get it do you? What can you do with your time magic?"
"Hm… How do I say it…? It's kinda difficult explaining it so I'll just show you."
"Ok." Says Sieg with excitement.
Then Perseus asks Sieg to punch him in the face.
"Is this necessary?"
"Yeah. You'll see why. Also hit me like you're fighting me."
"Hehe. You got it."
Sieg tries to land an explosive punch with super speed in Perseus's face but Perseus dodges the punch. He consecutively punches Perseus but he fails to land even a single blow.
"What?! How can you just dodge my bullet punches like that?!"
"This is my magic… It's a spell called 'Rewind'. I can go back in time. The limit is 2 seconds though. It's kinda useless if you ask me…"
"That is kinda overpowered if you'd ask me! Is there like some limit to how many times you can use it?"
"Yeah. There is a limit… I can only use this spell like probably 30 times in 2 days. It sucks up my most of my mana and I start feeling sluggish. That's why I make sure to use it less."
"I take back my words… It's useless for you."
"Don't be so rude! I'm one of the very few beings who possess Time magic!"
"Yeah. Yeah. I get it. But if you don't level up your body and your stamina… You'll surely die someday soon…"
The way Sieg said it makes Perseus shiver and then he says-
"Alright! Alright! I'll start training tomorrow onwards! So just please�� Help me with studying!"
"Wait, what?!"
"I… I have a traumatic experience with books."
"When I was about 3 years old I was travelling with my father and one day…"
"Wait. Stop! Why are you telling me a story now?"
"I was sleeping in the wagon when suddenly the horse started to run. The wagon moved a lot and as a result I hit my head over and over..."
"So... what does that have to do with books?"
"Suddenly the wagon stopped and my dad woke me up..."
"Ignoring me, huh?"
"We had entered a weird mist where we could hear howls of monsters."
...
"Dad... I'm scared."
"Why are you getting scared of now...? These are one of the pros of being a traveller. You want to become a traveller like me right!"
"What about that creepy house in front of the wagon then?!"
"What house are you talking..." when his father turned around he realizes they had stopped in front of a creepy looking mansion.
"It's dark now... Maybe we can stay here for the night."
"But what if a ghost appears?!
"Then... I'll die along with you. A con after becoming a traveller." says Perseus's father while smiling.
His father looked like any other man and had some facial hair. He looked like a wuss but was a pretty renowned traveller. They entered the mansion and just when they closed the door the hanging lamps lit up brightening the place up.
"Aaaarghh!!!"
"AAARRRGH!!!"
They look to both of their sides and then ask each other-
"Why did you scream?"
"I don't know I just felt like screaming..."
His father smacks him on the head and then shouts at him-
"I thought you saw your dead grandmother or something!"
The place was unexpectedly clean and as they were walking around in the mansion one thing had become sure... Someone was living in that mansion.
"Oh! A bedroom..." says Perseus's father and dives into the blanket on the bed.
"Dad... I feel like I saw something inside when you lifted it."
His dad lifted the blanket immediately and sees that there was nothing.
"Stop scaring me for God's sake!"
"I'm sorry... I'll sleep too then." Says Perseus and goes to sleep.
The next day after the Sun rose they got up and headed to the kitchen. Then his dad asked him-
"What do you wanna eat?" while yawning.
"Dad, why are you getting used to this place?"
"You know... Yesterday when I was asleep I had a dream."
"...So what happened in that dream?" said Perseus after gulping his spit.
"I... was surrounded by so many beautiful ladies that I fell unconscious and woke up."
"Dad, why don't you ever dream about mom?"
"Well... She's not here right now so what's the harm?!"
While eating they suddenly hear a thud upstairs. It sounded like a book or something had been dropped.
"Wait here... I'll check it out and be back." Says Perseus's father and run's upstairs.
"Aren't you supposed to be quiet at times like these?!"
After a few minutes he hears his dad shriek like a little girl so he runs upstairs as well. He sees an open door and he runs inside the room. But what he saw inside the room terrified him and made him feel confused at the same time.
2
He saw a large room filled with books and a small girl dressed in black sitting in the middle of the room reading the book. Then he notices his father floating above the girl. He couldn't move his hands or feet and when he tried to move he looked like a fish struggling to escape the net.
"Oh... I told you not to irritate people... Especially little girls!"
"Little girl, huh! So rude!"
"What is a little girl like you doing in this mansion all by herself?"
"Why are you being so rude to me?! First you enter my house without permission and then decide to stay here for the night!"
"Huh~! Wait, your house?!"
"That's right! I may not look like it but I'm older than you!"
Perseus had forgotten about his father and was busy conversing with the girl. She had jade-coloured eyes and her blonde hair was shining in the sunlight.
"I believe you!"
"Do you really believe me though?"
"I believe that you're a little child!"
"Stop being so rude to me! I'm a renowned witch!"
"Witch? At your age? No, no, no, no, not possible..."
"Alright! Since you don't believe me... I'll prove it to you!"
"Prove it to me...?" says Perseus and when he thinks about what she could mean he notices his father stuck to the ceiling and when his father sees him looking at him his father moves around more and makes gestures for help. Perseus ignores him and follows the strange girl downstairs.
She opens the main door and tells him-
"Follow me otherwise you'll get lost in this mist..."
"Yes!"
They walk some distance and reach a lake. Perseus looks surprised on seeing a huge lake and he says-
"So big! I never knew that there was a lake here!��
"Of course you'd never know... People don't explore this mist because of a reason..."
"Hm. I know why. They say that there are dangerous monsters in the mist."
"There is not a single monster in this mist..."
"No monster? How would you know that?"
"After all... I have lived here for more than 30 years now." Says the girl with a smile.
"So cute..."says Perseus to himself.
"Hm? Did you say something?
"Nope! Nothing at all! By the way, you were going to prove something right?"
"Oh right! Okay then. I'll show you my magic. Don't get scared now..."
Then she faces the lake and starts to float. She had her eyes closed while floating and then she says-
"Time magic: Rewind!" and when she opens her eyes the lake starts to act weirdly.
The lake had been silent but now it had started to form waves. To a normal person this lake would look like it was moving backwards. All the lake movements were going against the wind and after a while the whole lake froze. The girl lands on the ground and exhales.
"See... Now you know that I'm not a little girl!"
"The lake... It froze!"
"I turned back the time for the river. It's frozen because last year's winter was pretty rough... It's gonna be winter in a month or two anyways... So it doesn't matter!"
Perseus looked surprised and couldn't utter a single word. Then the girl starts to walk back to the mansion and tells him to keep up with her. He follows her back to the mansion. The mansion doors open for them and when they enter the mansion the door close by themselves. When the girl starts to walk up the stairs Perseus says-
"Um..."
"Hm...? What is it?"
"What should I call you?"
"Aquila is fine... and what should I call you then?"
"I'm Pe-perseus..."
"That's a nice name..."
"So I was thinking..."
"Just say it. No need to be so formal now."
"Can you teach me magic?"
"... That is too much to ask. There's no way you can use the same magic that I use. What type of element is your magic?"
"I...I don't know. Nobody could get an answer in my town..."
"Could it be that this child..." Thinks Aquila to herself.
"I'll see what your magic is... so follow me."
"O-okay!" says Perseus and follows her to the room filled with books.
"Is this room a library?"
"No. Rather than a library it's my special room where I store books that I only like."
Then she drops his father and he runs and hides behind Perseus.
"This girl is scary... She even sealed my mouth..."
"Dad... Aren't you a renowned traveller? Then act like one."
"No. Nope. You're asking too much of me... I just came up to check what was here and this girl saw me called me a 'Perverted old man' and shut me up with her magic."
"Ok... Dad! I think you deserved it!"
"Why would you talk about your father that way? Why are you turning out to be like your mother?"
Aquila then brings a crystal ball and says-
"Place your hand on this ball."
"Will this show what magic I have?!"
"Yes, of course. I mean I built this thing so I'm pretty sure it will show the right readings."
Perseus places his hand over the ball and then it shows something.
"This is...! A constellation device!" says Perseus's father with surprise.
"Oho~! You know what this is... Only few people are supposed to know about this device. Who are you, perverted old man?"
"I wanted to say something for a while now... I'm not a perverted old man. Also, I think I know who you are now... also what this mist is!"