"Still slightly lacking."
I calmed down the mana energy that was boiling in my body. The cold wind, saturated with the night air, brushed against my skin.
Still seated in a cross-legged position, I slowly steadied my breathing and raised my head. The breath I exhaled formed a white mist.
The moon and stars were bright.
A night sky filled with countless stars, a breathtaking sight I couldn't see where I used to live. The stars densely filling the sky shone brightly.
In the original world, there must be just as many stars emitting their presence. It was surprising to realize that the city lights had hidden such bright lights.
"Master, you're still not asleep?"
"There's something I wanted to test with the magic power in my body."
While I was taking a short break, Emma, who had just finished her arduous training, approached, and spoke to me. Her white hair glistened with moisture she hadn't fully dried.
"If you don't dry it properly, it'll freeze."
"… ah, right. The moisture from my recent wash is still there. I'll dry it right away."
Emma activated her magic to let warm air pass through her hair. It seemed she was adjusting the intensity, conscious of my presence, to avoid looking unsightly.
"It's done. It's all dry now."
"You'll become a hero after graduating from Academia. If a prospective hero catches a cold, it would be quite embarrassing. Be careful."
"Yes, I'll be careful. Ah, Master? How long do you plan to stay out here?"
About another hour, I guessed.
There were still many things I wanted to confirm.
When I said that, Emma asked me to wait a moment and quickly disappeared, only to return soon after. She wasn't holding the towel she had used to wipe her moisture but something else.
"It's cold. How about wrapping yourself with this?"
As usual, Emma showed a gentle smile. What she handed me was a blanket from inside the room. It was warm, likely heated with magic on the way here.
"You were worried I'd catch a cold and make a fool of myself?"
"I don't worry about such things regarding the Master, but as a servant, I thought it was my duty."
Emma, who usually got flustered and embarrassed, surprisingly gave a proper answer this time. It seemed she had gotten quite used to it. Interesting.
"That aside, why are you still here? You can go now."
"Knowing that you are out in the cold winter night, I can't just sleep comfortably in a warm room. If it's not a bother, may I stay by your side? I'll be quiet and not disturb you."
"Oh, so you mean you want to stretch out your legs in bed and sleep comfortably, so you're telling me to stop this nonsense and go to bed already, huh?"
"No, no, that's a misunderstanding, Master!"
Her lips parted simultaneously, and her hands fluttered nervously. It seemed she still had a long way to go despite getting a bit used to it.
I covered myself with the blanket she brought. The warmth immediately spreads to my shoulders and back.
"It's a punishment, Emma. You'll receive a fitting punishment for suggesting something that's not beneficial to your master."
"Master… I didn't mean it like that…."
"Sit here."
Tap, tap.
I lightly tapped the empty spot next to me.
"Sit here with me, in the cold winter night wind. You're only allowed to wear those thin clothes for warmth."
"Huh…?"
Emma hesitated, seemingly unsure of my unexpected command.
"Let's just talk for a bit."
This minor episode would be a necessary procedure for the upcoming developments. I judged it that way.
---
"Um… Master? When you say talk…."
"It's nothing much. Consider it a report on your recent condition. To proceed with our work, I need to confirm your growth."
"Yes… but regarding magic, you're far more knowledgeable than I am, aren't you?"
"There are things even the person themselves might not know."
Until now, Emma wasn't familiar with mana and was ignorant of her own condition. Because of that, I never asked her about the changes she felt in her body, but now that she was getting the hang of it, it was different.
"Are my words that surprising to you? You're making that stupid face again."
"It's a bit surprising… oh, no. It's just that you suddenly asked for my opinion, so I was taken aback."
What nonsense.
It was all the same things.
Emma frowned, analyzing her current condition.
How was it when she just trained? Did the flow of mana become smoother? Such processes were happening inside her. It was obvious what she was thinking about just by looking at her. She was the kind who couldn't lie unless her personality changed drastically.
"I don't think there's anything particularly wrong. You'd know the visible results better than I do, Master, but I feel like my stamina has improved recently."
"That naturally improves as you control your mana. Anything else?"
"Anything else? Hmm…."
Emma pondered again.
"It doesn't have to be related to magic."
"Oh, really? I thought it was only about that."
Though it was necessary, there was something even more important right now.
"Even minor things like feeling down lately or feeling stiff in the mornings are fine."
"Mornings… ah."
Seeing her eyes widened like that, it seemed she remembered something.
"Is there something?"
"Ah… well, it's nothing major. It's really trivial…."
I met Emma's clear eyes. Her gaze momentarily shifted away, unable to face mine directly.
"I can't overlook that you're hiding something from your master."
I continued. If you didn't speak now, I would hypnotize you and make you confess, so you better speak properly.
Emma seemed to realize that ignoring my overbearing attitude was impossible and started hesitatingly.
"It's… a childish concern, but I've been having frequent nightmares recently."
"Oh, nightmares. Specifically, what kind?"
"Fragments of my childhood memories… to be exact, the moment my village was burning."
Emma's head gradually drooped. The brightness in her eyes faded, and darkness began to engulf that space.
"Keep talking."
"Keep… talking?"
Emma was showing obvious reluctance, but I didn't need to be considerate.
"You showed a similar attitude at the breakfast table the other day. Is there something you can't even tell your master?"
"… it's not that."
Emma's voice shrank to the size of a mouse hole.
"It's a boring story from the past. Do you still want to hear it?"
"I'll be the judge of that. Don't make assumptions on your own."
Her eyes wandered, trying to avoid mine, but eventually, she gave up and faced me.
And then.
Her heavy lips finally opened.
"… actually, the people you met the day you came to my house were not my biological parents. She is my second mother who took in an orphan like me."
"I see."
It was just as the original story went.
Even though I already knew the story, there was value in hearing it directly from her.
"Before I met my second mother, I was part of a family in a small rural village with my parents and my older sister. We weren't wealthy, but I thought we were a very happy family."
Emma smiled briefly at the thought of her family. The problem was that it didn't last long.