Chapter 6
Unlike Pamenta, which was composed solely of happy and beautiful things, the dazzling facade of the outside world hid a desolate and filthy underbelly…
And unlike the leisurely flow of time in Pamenta, time outside flowed with a fierce intensity.
After that day, Jeina began secretly slipping out of Pamenta. Hiding her form, she roamed every corner of the magic-less lands, pouring out all her curiosity.
New discoveries were always fun! After all, it’s said that magic begins with the desire to explore the new.
Well, thanks to that, she even met an interesting kid… Even though he called her a witch and was scared of her, he’d follow her around every time he saw her. It was kind of cute…
“Jeina?”
“Yeah?”
Jeina grinned, looking at the mages gathered and murmuring amongst themselves.
“Hehe, well, you see…”
“……?”
“Well, you see…”
“You see…?”
The mages’ eyes gleamed as they looked at Jeina.
“What was the question again?”
Under the piercing gaze of their dark eyes, she scratched her cheek awkwardly.
“Uh, uh… Ah! You asked why I like it? It’s not so much that I like it…”
“Then?”
“Ah, I don’t know!”
Flick! A finger snapped against her forehead as she laughed, “Hehe!”
“Ow! Luccia!”
“Faking pain when it doesn’t hurt at all… Do you have any idea how much trouble we went through again today? We’re not young geniuses like you. We’re just old, worn-out, common mages.”
“…Ran out of rice cakes? I-I brought cookies too…”
“……”
“Sorry! Sorry! Next time, I’ll…”
She couldn’t bring herself to promise she wouldn’t go out. As if seeing right through her, Luccia snorted and ruffled her hair.
“Don’t let people see your real form! And if you must be seen, change your eye and hair color without fail!”
“Okay! Sure!”
“Avoid using magic if you can! And if you must use it, erase all traces meticulously! You know how to do that, right?”
“Of course I know! I know! Who do you think I am?”
“Right? At eleven, you’re all grown up now, aren’t you?”
The mages, who looked like they must be at least a few hundred years old, burst into cackling laughter.
“Tch, laugh it up, why don’t you?”
“Ahaha, alright, alright! So, our genius mage, what did you do today, hmm? What could you possibly have been up to to get your clothes so filthy in such a short time?”
As Erta asked, she cast a light cleansing spell on Jeina. Luccia grumbled next to her, saying this was exactly the kind of situation where she shouldn’t be using magic.
“It was the Empire’s festival day! It was fun, but, hmm… the fireworks were kinda boring, though. Why do they hate magic so much? I could make them bigger and prettier with magic! They don’t even know that. Fools.”
Jeina conjured a brilliant display of magical fireworks in the air.
Fwoosh— Boom! Fwoosh—
Colorful sparks lit up Pamenta’s night, and Jeina chattered on, utterly excited.
“And guess what, guess what! There’s also that kid there who cries so well? The first time I saw them, they were bawling their eyes out, and I was so fascinated… Their eyes get all big and red like raspberries, and when the tears come out, it’s so pretty! All sparkly!”
“Well, the humans in the Barren Lands do tend to cry easily. They just start leaking at the drop of a hat… I don’t know why they cry when they’re so busy laughing. Jeina, you live happily, always happily! Okay? Don’t cry.”
At Erta’s words, the mages nodded in agreement, looking at Jeina. Under their fervent gazes, Jeina played along.
“Yeah, yeah! I’ve heard that so many times it’s stuck in my ears! So I was nice and comforted them again.”
“Hmm… And you didn’t get caught?”
“…Uh, yeah? Y-Yes, of course! I didn’t get caught! Oh, and…”
Luccia sent a suspicious look her way, and Jeina hurriedly changed the subject.
“That’s right! Something really weird! I’ve been curious about it for a while now!”
“Hey? Don’t try to change the subject…”
“What is it? Ask me, little one! I may not look it, but I have the most experience with the outside world. Those lot over there never mingled with the Barren Lands folk even before we were driven out.”
Jaya, the largest mage in Pamenta, gently nudged Luccia aside and slipped into the circle. She scooped Jeina up and plopped her onto her lap.
Buried in the woman’s ample frame, Jeina launched into her tale.
“Just—stuff! They say festivals are for everyone to enjoy together, right? But then some places only let nobles in and block everyone else! I’ve always thought it was really weird! Huh? Like, like… the nobles go on about having ‘more precious blood’ or whatever. Pfft! They all look the same to me. They think they’re so special and everyone else is dirt. Why do they do that?”
“Hmm, that is, that’s… well……”
“That’s why we never bothered with them. Too childish,” Luccia interjected, crossing her arms.
Jaya, who had been pondering an answer, simply stood up, still holding Jeina.
“Haha, alright! We’ll finish this story another time. It’s time for a certain little one to go to bed, don’t you think?”
“Ah, just a bit longer! Let me stay up a little more! I’m not a baby anymore, you know?”
“You’ll always be a baby to me. My little girl! When will you ever grow up, hmm?”
And so the tussle began, ending with Jeina making an aerial escape. The mages, as if this were a familiar routine, grumbled but gave chase. Under the moonlight, they would eventually catch her and put her to sleep…
And without fail, the next day, Jeina would sneak off early to go exploring the world.
That’s how her days went on. A little chaotic, but warm and peaceful.
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