8. Magic Stones, Sebas and I

As for what happened after that... Since our schedules don't align, I still don't see Father in the mornings, but he's started making sure to stop by as soon as he gets home from work. Now, he stays by my side from after dinner until bedtime, even if we aren't doing anything in particular.

When he's busy, he even takes me to his study. While he's busy tackling difficult paperwork, I try walking along the edge of his desk, attempt to scramble up onto the sofa, or try reading the documents scattered around.

He seems to find it amusing and tries to give me books that are easy enough to read, but even then, I can only manage the simplest ones. I can feel him watching me occasionally with sharp eyes that seem a little softer than before.

When it's my brother's day off, he joins in on the fun. It seems Father still has quite a few things to do even on his days off; sometimes he dresses up to go out, and it looks like he goes riding on horseback, but most of the time, he's with us.

While we're lying down looking at picture books, he'll lie down right next to us reading his reference materials. I wonder if his work is that demanding. I wonder what kind of work he actually does, too. It's a mystery.

"A small creature's perspective is quite interesting. Is this how you see the world, Luke and Lia?"

Lying there, Father says this with an air of admiration as he looks around.

"I don't look from down here. That's just Lia."

"Nooo, Bwatha, same!"

"No, Lia and you really are the same."

"Such a cheeky little thing."

When he said that, Big Brother pinched my cheek, so I rolled over to resist him. He caught me, and Father had to pin him down—it's become something I truly look forward to before bedtime.

By the time I was turning one, Big Brother had started magic circulation training during his evening hours, not just playtime. To me, it just looks like he's sitting there with his eyes closed, concentrating. Besides, I've never actually seen magic. I wonder why he has to do magic circulation training if there's no magic to be seen.

"As you know, among the four Marquis houses, our Allvance house and Stan's house Lisburn support this country's barriers. Luke, your power is significant, but if you keep pouring it out without control, you'll only shorten your own life. You must learn to channel your magic into magic stones efficiently and without waste."

Father repeats that to Big Brother all the time. Now I finally know the family name, and it seems there are other nobles out there too.

"It is rare for two people in a single generation to be born with violet eyes. Moreover, I sense a great amount of magic in Lia as well. If the two of you work together, things will become much easier than they are now."

I was quite surprised to hear this. It seems I have magic too. It's a power used to channel energy into magic stones. It's something that I, Big Brother, and Father have, but Hannah and Sebas do not. I found that out sooner than I expected.

One day, I saw Hannah doing something by the lamp in my room. It was the first time I'd seen her doing something like that.

"Hanna, whaat?"

Hannah reached up to the lamp, pulled something out, and showed it to me. It was a tiny, faintly red thing, like a small crystal.

"It's a magic stone for the lamp. The power is starting to fade, so we have to infuse it with mana. Once we do that, it'll work again."

"Ma-gic..."

"That's right."

I was becoming able to speak a little bit now. So a magic stone is like a battery? And Father has magic in him, too.

"Dada, do?"

Hannah giggled at my question.

"All of the Lord's mana is used for the barrier. Those of us with a little bit of magic can put some in, but usually, we just take them all to a magic shop to be refilled."

With that, Hannah let me hold the magic stone since I looked so curious, and she went back up to replace the one in the lamp. The replacement stone was a deep violet.

I sat there, staring intently at the magic stone I'd been given. It was a tiny, tiny stone that fit right in my baby hands, and I could see right through it. I was wondering how on earth they put magic into something like this when, while I was gripping it, something suddenly began to flow from my body into the stone, as if a switch had been flipped. It felt like a warm sensation was steadily pouring out of me—like that rushing feeling you get when the blood drains from your head when you feel lightheaded. Just as it had when it started, it stopped just as suddenly.

The stone had turned a deep violet.

It felt like that dizzy spell I had earlier, but I didn't feel sick. If that's the case, then what just flowed out must have been mana. I gave the magic stone a gentle squeeze, and it seemed to push back slightly, as if to say, 'I'm done.' If I could hold a few more stones, I bet I could get a better sense of how mana feels.

"Lady Lilia? Do you like the magic stone? Eek!"

'Eek'? That's a pretty ungraceful scream for a fifteen-year-old girl, don't you think? I shook my head in disappointment.

"Hanna, no..."

"This is no time to be saying 'no'! Are you feeling unwell anywhere? I mean, regardless, we must tell Sebas!"

Before I knew it, Hannah had scooped me up along with the magic stone and was rushing toward Sebas. Honestly, wouldn't it be better if you just took the stone away?

"My apologies. Lady Lilia is so clever, I thought she wouldn't try to eat the magic stone..."

Hannah was making excuses to Sebas. How rude. For one thing, I've never accidentally put anything in my mouth! Besides, that's not even the point. Hannah is truly disappointing sometimes. Sebas sat me down in a chair, knelt to hold my hands, peered into my eyes, checked my neck, and then helped me down so I could walk a little.

"Hmm. No chills, no fever, complexion is normal, and she can walk just fine."

He let out a sigh of relief and picked me up.

"Lady Lilia, do you understand what you've done?"

I think I accidentally let some magic leak out, but I didn't know how to explain it. I just waved my hands around.

"Swoosh, something went... like dis!"

"So, something just flowed right out of your hands, did it?"

"Yesh"

"I see."

Sebas looked grave as he turned to Hannah and said,

"In any case, you must never let anything related to magic stones near Lady Lilia. In some cases, it could actually make her sick."

He lectured her sternly.

"Yes."

Hannah looks like she's about to cry. Well, I suppose it can't be helped.

"Lady Lilia?"

"Mm!"

"This is no time for you to be thinking 'it can't be helped' about Hannah."

"Ugh."

Oh no. For some reason, Sebas seems to be able to read my mind. And now he's turned his attention toward me.

"Why do you think the Lord is making the brilliant Lord Luke undergo such intense training? If it were just about pouring mana into something, anyone with magic could do it. But if one pours too much mana into a magic stone that doesn't suit them all at once, it could actually shorten their lifespan."

"Sebas, please don't say such things to Lady Lilia."

Hannah tries to intervene.

"No, Lady Lilia understands. You possess a great deal of mana. But if anything were to happen to you, you have no idea how much Lord Luke and the Master would grieve."

I hung my head. Why would I want to cause more sorrow for the two of them, who were already so heartbroken after losing Mother?

But wait... what if it's just one magic stone? What if Father or Sebas were watching over me?

"Even with those eyes, it is a no. Not until you are ten. That is the rule."

Tsk. I flopped against Sebas's chest and rubbed my head against him.

"Guh... No!"

Mission failed. I thought I heard Sebas mutter that that was a close one. I'll just have to be patient a little longer regarding my mana.