David, also known as Kuro, walked alongside Emma toward their home. As they strolled, Emma shared her story—how life had changed after their mother passed away. Emma's younger sister, Lily, had been sent to an orphanage while Emma worked as a porter for adventurers, carrying their bags. After a year of hardship, Emma managed to bring Lily back and found a mentor who taught her magic in exchange for living with them.
In this world, magic required vivid imagination. Without the ability to imagine clearly and deeply, one could not wield magic effectively.
As they approached the house, Emma mentioned they would stop by the market later to buy clothes and food supplies.
Their home was modest: a two-story building that could comfortably accommodate four or five people, located a short distance from the town.
Emma opened the door, revealing a cozy living room with a large table in the center, surrounded by six chairs. At the table sat a woman with long purple hair, piercing purple eyes, and the attire of a witch. Her presence exuded power and mystery, and her eyes flickered with a sharp intelligence as they rested briefly on David. Across the room, in the kitchen, a young girl with long brown hair was busy preparing dishes.
"I'm home," Emma called out. "Master, Lily, I've brought a new family member. David, introduce yourself."
David, nervous and trembling, spoke up. "H-Hello, my name is David. Emma gave me this name. I'm a former slave."
A heavy silence fell over the room. Lily, Emma's younger sister, slowly turned to face David, her cold, calculating expression a stark contrast to her youthful features. The purple-haired woman, Emma's master, remained silent, her hat tilted low as she puffed on her pipe, observing David with an intensity that seemed to pierce through him.
Finally, Lily broke the silence. "Please wait outside," she said curtly, her voice sharp and commanding. "We need to have a family meeting."
David complied, stepping outside to wait. The cold air bit at his skin, but he barely noticed, his thoughts racing. After nearly an hour, Emma came to get him.
"It's time," she said, her expression unreadable.
David re-entered the house, his nerves steeled. Emma gestured for him to take a seat, and he chose the chair furthest from the others.
Lily began the questioning, her tone direct and unyielding. "How old are you? Why were you a slave? What happened to your parents? Why were you abandoned?"
David answered these questions easily, but as the interrogation continued, the questions grew sharper and more personal.
"Have you ever killed someone? Can you fight? Does your master know you're alive? Why are you still wearing shackles?"
David hesitated before answering. "Unfortunately, yes, I've killed someone. I can fight and use some magic. As for my former master, I don't think they know I'm alive. When I was abandoned in the forest, they likely assumed I was dead. And about these shackles—if they bother you, I can break them."
Lily's eyes narrowed, her expression colder than ever. Her presence was almost oppressive, a wall of judgment and suspicion. "You claim to be a former slave, yet you talk of magic. Explain yourself."
Emma interjected, her voice softer but firm. "These are slave shackles, cursed so the wearer must obey their master's commands and cannot remove them unless taken to a slave trader."
Hearing this, David began to absorb mana from the surroundings, his voice steady. "If it's a curse, I can do something. Have you heard the saying, 'If you curse someone, dig two graves'?"
Drawing on his inner energy—a power unique to his past life—David visualized cutting the strings of a puppet. He then chanted a spell:
"From shadow's bind and malice tight,
I summon forth the cleansing light.
By the stars above and earth below,
Let all curses break and wane in woe...
Cursebreaker's Light."
A radiant glow enveloped him, and the shackles shattered. Everyone stared in shock as David stood, now free of his bonds.
The purple-haired woman leapt to her feet, her pipe clattering to the table. Her eyes, wide with disbelief and burning with curiosity, locked onto David. "How do you know high-grade holy magic?" she demanded, her voice trembling with excitement and urgency. Her movements were quick and unsteady, as if her mind raced too fast for her body to keep up.
David replied calmly, "When I was outside, I thought about how to remove these shackles. I first tried brute force, but it didn't work. Then I imagined a spell, but it consumed a lot of mana. I'll need at least half a day to recover."
Lily, still suspicious, stood up and placed herself between David and her master. "I see. So you can use holy magic," she said, her voice laced with cold precision. "I'll tolerate your presence, but I don't acknowledge you as my brother. Prove yourself worthy."
Her eyes bore into David, and her presence demanded respect. It was clear she was not someone to take lightly, her demeanor radiating a sense of authority that even her master respected.
David nodded, silently acknowledging the challenge.
With that, he became part of Emma's family.