My inaugural attempt at magic had concluded in a colossal catastrophe. I found myself slumped in the living room, my knees drawn close to my chest. Before me, Cliff and Leila both loomed with rigid expressions that spoke volumes. The prevailing atmosphere in the room left no room for doubt.
I'd messed up—badly!
Their somber looks weighed heavily on me, and the silence in the air became palpable. My face began to stiffen, and a creeping unease set in. Had it been a terrible idea for me to dabble in magic?
Of course, it had been. After all, I had just left a gaping hole in the backyard as a testament to my colossal blunder.
I gazed up at my parents, my eyes clearly betraying my anxiety. These two had taken me in as a helpless baby, and I couldn't be more grateful for their love and care. Yet, here I was, causing even more trouble for them. The mere thought of being sent away sent a shiver down my spine. What would I do if they decided they couldn't handle my blunders anymore?
But surely, they wouldn't do that, right? After all, I was still just a three-year-old, barely able to walk straight and steady.
To think my second life would start off like this, making a mess at the tender age of three! What the hell!
The awkward silence stretched on, with Cliff uncomfortably shifting his gaze between Leila and me. In the stillness, the sound of my racing heart became deafening.
Unable to endure the tension any longer, I mustered the courage to break the silence.
I summoned all the courage I could muster and began to speak, my voice quivering with a mix of anxiety and guilt. "Look, I'm really sorry for going behind your backs and trying to practice magic outside. I sneaked out and saw a woman doing something similar, although not quite in the same explosive manner. My point is, I didn't know it was a crime to use magic. I mean, the other woman was doing it, so I thought, if she can, why can't I? Please, don't send me away."
The expressions on both Layla's and Cliff's faces stiffened even further, and for a brief moment, I halted my speech. Then, it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Ah... the game's up!
"Reo... you can talk?" Layla's voice carried astonishment and disbelief.
"... And quite a lot too..." Cliff chimed in, his tone filled with equal amazement. They exchanged a bewildered and shocked glance, their surprise at my sudden revelation palpable
I had concealed my ability to speak fluently from both Leila and Cliff, determined not to alarm them. My plan was to maintain this secret until I reached a more appropriate age, perhaps around five years old. However, my unexpected revelation had thrown everything into disarray.
"So, you can talk and perform magic at three. Is there perhaps anything else you can do, like... anything else?" Cliff inquired, his tone carrying a hint of resignation or perhaps sarcasm, as if he had given up trying to grasp the full extent of the situation.
Layla shot him a sidelong glare, and he wisely bit back any further comments.
"Well, I..." I started to respond but paused, carefully considering my words.
"No, nothing else," I quickly replied, opting for a straightforward and less complicated response.
Cliff let out a relieved sigh. It seemed like I had made the right decision in that moment.
Layla approached me, her voice carrying a soothing tone as she spoke. "We're not going to persecute you or send you away or anything like that. It's just... we were a bit surprised and confused, that's all." She continued, "You being able to use magic is just... unexpected. I mean, coming home to find your three-year-old boy capable of something like that isn't exactly, well, you know, normal."
I nodded in understanding. It had become evident that my existence wasn't exactly ordinary.
"What I'm trying to say is, a three-year-old child capable of magic isn't exactly a natural occurrence. It isn't even an occurrence at all," Leila elaborated.
Indeed, it was apparent that the ability to use magic at such a young age was unusual. It wasn't something children under a specific age were known to do in this world, or at least, there had been no recorded instances to date.
Layla proceeded to offer further explanation, clarifying the unique nature of my abilities.
My ability to use magic at such a tender age was an unprecedented event in the history of this world—a true anomaly. In essence, I was an irregular existence, particularly given the fact that I had been reincarnated with memories from my past life.
The initial expressions of concern on Cliff and Leila's faces had stemmed from their worry for me. They had no intention of letting me go; their bewilderment had arisen purely from the unexpected revelation.
The prospect of a three-year-old wielding magic could be seen as a potential magical breakthrough, one that might attract the attention of those who sought to conduct numerous experiments that could ultimately prove fatal for me.
Therefore, both Leila and Cliff had cautioned me against using magic, at least for the time being, until I was fully grown and of a suitable age. It was for my own safety.
I made a firm decision and took an oath to refrain from using magic until I had reached the appropriate age. I vowed to keep my talent dormant for the years to come.
While it was disappointing that I had to wait several more years before I could openly use my magical abilities, I understood that this sacrifice was necessary for the ordinary life I aimed to lead. For that, I was willing to exercise patience and restraint.
A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I realized that my fears about Cliff and Layla wanting to send me away were unfounded.
With that worry put to rest, I could continue to navigate my second chance life in this fantasy world. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that a red flag had been raised, and my tranquil existence had veered slightly off its original course.
Lost in these contemplations and concerns, I was jolted back to reality by the sound of Layla's enraged voice piercing through the air.
"So, you snuck out, huh?" she exclaimed angrily.
Ah, right, I completely forgot about that part.