We finished breakfast and waited for my mother to arrive. After the conversation, my nerves were on edge, tangled with the uncertainties of what was to come. I could only speculate. Would she intensify my education? My current lessons were nothing more than the basics—a smattering of etiquette and trivial skills fit for a child of four. But what if she had discovered my abnormal nature? The mere thought of it sent a shiver down my spine. I quickly pushed those thoughts aside, forcing myself to focus on the present.
Selahe, the goatman, turned to my retainer and said, "The fact that the young master is a mage indicates that he will be very powerful." Fazio nodded solemnly in response. Selahe continued, "This means he's likely to be targeted less frequently, as the fear of his power will keep some at bay. However, it also means the assassination attempts he faces will increase in aggression. For now, it's best if we hide his abilities until he can thwart most attempts on his own."
Earlier today, I wondered if Fazio was pleased with my abilities because it meant less work for him. Now, I realized the opposite was true—he had more work ahead of him. Protecting me from these future attempts would be his primary concern. The idea of more aggressive assassination attempts seemed unfathomable, considering I had already faced a poisoned dagger and a traitorous servant.
Fazio spoke, his voice tinged with the weight of his responsibility, "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."
Before Selahe could continue, the housekeeper interrupted, "Her ladyship's carriage has arrived." We promptly filed out to greet her. As we exited the villa, I saw her stepping out of the carriage. I ran to her and hugged her legs. Despite my mixed feelings, the sight of her filled me with warmth, and the embrace calmed my anxious heart.
"Have you grown since two weeks ago?" she exclaimed, returning my hug with equal affection. I pulled back and shook my head, a smile spreading across my face. Though I carried the mind of a twenty-year-old in the body of a four-year-old, the comfort of my mother's love was irresistible. She turned her gaze to Selahe and Fazio, who stood behind me.
Selahe spoke before she could, "There's been a development. We must talk in the basement." Her expression turned serious, and she nodded. The duchess took my hand, and we walked in silence, the air thick with tension.
Despite the atmosphere, she looked down at me and asked, "How has playing with Fazio been?"
"Good! I managed to get a couple of hits in!" I replied, trying to lift the mood.
She beamed at me, "Great job!" We both knew Fazio had let me land those hits, but the praise still warmed my heart. The lightness of the moment faded as we descended the stairs into the basement. Once inside, we locked the door, as was our custom.
She turned to Selahe and asked, "What happened?"
Selahe paused, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Dam can use magic."
Her eyes widened in shock, then turned to me. "Show me," she commanded gently.
I raised my palm and conjured a small flame, letting it flicker out after a moment. "Crude, but intriguing," she remarked. "Regardless—" she paused before throwing her hands up in celebration, "YES!"
She looked down at me, her smile wide with pride. "I'm so proud of you!" I couldn't help but smile back, basking in the warmth of her approval. She embraced me tightly, and we enjoyed the moment together.
I pulled back first and said hesitantly, "I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier. I thought I was a freak."
She shook her head, her expression tender. "No, you're just gifted. Others have had an instinctual grasp of magic and its rules. It's not common, but it's also not unheard of." Her smile returned, but I could see the gears of political strategy already turning in her mind.
My mother was relentless when it came to matters of power and influence, a trait she had honed in the treacherous northern territories. According to Selahe, the closer one got to the capital, the fiercer the political landscape became. My mother, a true northerner, had developed a single-minded pursuit of every inch of ground.
She turned to Selahe, taking a deep breath before asking, "Is there anything else you haven't shared?" I avoided her gaze.
I struggled to find the right words. "I can see things. It's hard to explain," I admitted.
"Like a slate made of glass with words on it?" she offered. I nodded, relieved that my assumptions were correct. She continued, "That means you've been blessed by Shani, the God of Order and Civilization."
I furrowed my brow. "Shani blessed me?" I wondered if she was the one responsible for pulling me from the other world. After all, it was the High Priestess of Shani who had helped summon me. I noticed Fazio and Mona exchange shocked glances at my mother's revelation. Clearly, this was not a common occurrence.
"It means you're very special," my mother said, smiling. I couldn't help but smile back. "There's something else I need to share," she added, her tone growing serious.
I tilted my head, curious.
"I didn't give birth to you," she confessed, concern clouding her features.
I nodded. "I heard people saying that I'm adopted." I couldn't tell her that I remembered being summoned to this world. She sighed in relief, clearly worried about how I might react.
"During the adoption procedures, which are largely a formality nowadays, we announced that you were left at our doorstep," she explained. Mona and Fazio seemed unsurprised, having been told the same story.
"But you were not left at our doorstep," she continued, letting the weight of her words hang in the air. "You were summoned from another world."
"Summoned?" I asked, "How?"
She shrugged, "I don't know the specifics, but there's a ritual for summoning people from other worlds with the help of the Gods. Those who are summoned with the help of Shani have something they call a 'System,' with special boons called 'Skills' and all manner of arcane acronyms."
Mona, her curiosity piqued, asked, "May I ask a question?" My mother nodded, and she continued, "When I first met Dam, he was practically a newborn. How could he have been summoned? I've heard that people were summoned as adults."
Fazio couldn't help but interject, "You've heard of this, mom? I had no idea what a 'summoned' was." He realized he had spoken out of turn when Selahe glared at him, and he quickly apologized.
My mother smiled at them, "A long time ago, a King used the summoned to conquer what are now the five duchies. After the dust settled, he had most of them assassinated or controlled them through threats to their families. He then banned the summoning of any more heroes out of fear of their power."
As her words sank in, the events in the capital began to make sense. The King was clearly concerned about the potential power I could wield. They likely believed that, because I was summoned as a baby, I could be molded to serve the kingdom's interests. Ironically, I was already on the path they had chosen for me. I briefly wondered what I truly wanted before Selahe's voice brought me back to the present.
Selahe suggested, "My lady, this is a lot at once. Let's take Dam shopping in town. You're only here for today, and it's his birthday." The prospect of going outside the villa for the first time in three years thrilled me.
She nodded, smiling. "Let's do that!"