Chapter 11 - Harsh Reality

Blessless.

"Refers to those who are born without the Blessings of god. Your black hair is the proof of that."

It took me a while to swallow that.

This is the first time I'm made aware of that fact.

I mean can you really blame me. There's no mirror here.

I pulled a strand of my hair and take it before my eyes.

(...Uwah, it really is black...)

Water mirror? I couldn't afford to even care about that. Goes to show how much I was panicking.

There were many points where I could have noticed it if only I was of sound mind, but my parents would do their everything to keep me in the dark.

When they cut my hair they would put a blindfold on me under the pretext of covering my eyes from fallen hair and only untie it once it was over.

That's just how thorough they were.

Besides, my mental state was fully preoccupied trying to learn words.

This house was my whole world since I was reborn here.

My parents are both blond with blue eyes. The old woman was silver [white haired]. Blue eyed too.

The young men I saw during fieldwork were blond and blue eyed. The four children were blond and blue eyed.

Naturally, who could have blamed me to think I were the same?

"Blessless is a detested existence."

As I was trying to make excuse for my slowness, father resumed on.

"There are many anecdotes... one says they have been [Abandoned] by god, [Punished], or [Cursed Child], [Child of Evil God] and such."

I could tell those words must have been flung around during the time father tried to appease the villagers.

My whole body was beset with rage myself when I heard that.

But, my mother's kind words loosened it up.

"But look at him now, so bright and lively. None of that anecdote could be true."

That was either an encouragement or soothing word to father.

But those words were enough to erase my rage.

"It is said that Blessings of god is the reason we are able to communicate through [Words]. There are also several other things said to be affected by Blessings."

Living in this world is tough enough for me, all the more with this handicap.

I'd probably meet a dead end in the future if I don't have a flexible mindset.

But the clincher hasn't been told yet. Which is.

"The lack of Blessing results in Manaless."

That must be the [Fuel] needed to cast magic, or so it should be in your usual fantasy setting.

But the mood is weird. I don't expect anything good from this.

And sure enough.

"Your body has no mana. None whatsoever."

It all clicks together.

[Mana] and [Less]. It's simple.

Manaless.

That's just it.

This fact didn't really come as a huge shock to me since I don't plan to become a wizard or anything.

Since I was sure I would lead a slow life in the country until the end of my life.

The thought of [Mana] connected to magic never even crossed my mind until now.

But it doesn't seem to be that lax of an issue.

"Mother never let you watch me cooking, didn't I. That's..."

Mother raised her forefinger up and...

"Flame."

Thus a lighter sized flame rose from the tip of her finger.