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5. Small Fire
I clearly remember the events that transpired in that instant.
The moment I wrote “卜” , the letter that should not have been visible shone with light, and I felt something come out of my fingertip.
In the next instant, there was ignition.
It was a lighter-sized flame, but I had written the character on my blanket. It caught fire in the blink of an eye.
“Fuafueeeeeee!” (Craaaaaaaap!)
I cried out in a flustered voice, hoping some adults would come running.
I’m just an infant. I’m unable to even run away by myself.
Before long, I could hear the sound of footsteps within the estate.
However, the fire was still spreading.
Then, I suddenly realise.
“……! Akua! Akua! π (Aqua)!”
I shout, picturing in my head『π』, the magic symbol for water that was introduced in the『Abaddon Magic Compilation』.
Among the magic symbols, I was barely able to pronounce π with my infant vocal chords at least.
Be that as it may, I was taking a gamble and only shouted out, without writing the symbol.
However, it was successful.
With a splash, a cupful of water was produced from my fingertip and extinguished a portion of the flames that had spread on the bed.
Because the flames had spread, it wasn’t enough to extinguish everything.
(……I can do it!)
“π π π π!”
I recklessly called out the magic symbol repeatedly.
Splash, Splash, Splash. I dispense water around the bed, and the flames that spread vanished, leaving behind black burn marks.
Then, the door of my room opened.
“Edgar-kun, what’s wrong!? ..Kyaa!”
Julia-kaasan barged in, and was surprised at the devastating spectacle on my bed.
At this time, I use magic as added insurance.
“π ,――au..!?”
As I heard my mother’s shriek, I lost consciousness for the first time, on the fourth day of my reincarnation.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
When I opened my eyes, my mother’s worried-looking face came at me.
Judging from the scene outside the window, not much time had passed.
I was scolded amply by Julia-kaasan.
I feel like there’s no point in scolding a 0 year old baby, but I suppose she had been that concerned.
Mother constantly supervised me after that.
It might be a justified reaction as a parent, but I was very troubled.
When my mother is here, I can’t use magic.
It appears that Mother is also an excellent magic user, and will immediately sense it when I try to use magic.
I thought I could somehow get away with the inconspicuous wind―― λ (wind), but it was “thwarted” before I could invoke it, as if she perceived signs of my magic invocation.
In regards to this “thwarting”, when I carefully observed my mother, she seemed to write a “∃”-like character on her own thigh to match my invocation of magic.
In that case, I thought to first show signs of using λ, solicit my mother’s “∃”, and then try writing my own “∃” in that instant.
But, it failed. Mother’s “∃” only erased my λ and my “∃” targeting Mother’s “∃” was not invoked.
I wrack my brains.
I see, I had pictured “∃” but didn’t picture its effects.
In other words, what’s necessary for the invocation of magic is to clearly picture the magic symbol and its effects.
With that conclusion, I once again displayed the action of invoking λ and induced my mother’s “∃”.
Then, I also invoked “∃”. This time I pictured both the symbol and effect. The imagined effect was, for the time being, the concept of “erasure”.
And so, in regards to what happened:
My “∃” was also safely invoked, negating my mother’s “∃”.
My mother opens her eyes widely.
And then, my λ that my mother tried to negate was invoked without obstruction, and a soft gust of wind blew in the room.
“The ∃ (erase) just then…… Edgar-kun?”
I giggle in response to Julia-kaasan, who was making a grim face.
“To think you would learn magic not even a year after your birth. It’s dangerous so stop……but even if I say that, you probably don’t understand.”
Mother exits the room while muttering, ‘how troubling.’
I feel like I did something a little bad, but it’s favourable for me now.
First, I’ll start with [Appraisal].
From now on, I will cut out unnecessary information.
《Edgar Chrebl
Level 1
HP 4/4
MP 5/7
Skills
• Mythical class
[No Fatigue] –
[Instant Interpretation] –
• Legendary class
[Appraisal] 9 (MAX)
[Database] 1
• General
[Fire Magic] 1
[Water Magic] 1
[Wind Magic] 1
[Mana Manipulation] 1
[Simultaneous Invocation] 1
<Goddess of Virtue’s Blessing> 》
Hmm. The status displayed each kind of attribute magic skill, not the magic symbol.
In any case, it looks like I safely acquired the skills, which is good.
Besides that, the issue is MP.
Firstly, the fact that my maximum value has risen.
This was still easy to understand.
It was because during the small fire incident just before, my MP was exhausted and I fainted.
It was probably the case of my maximum MP increasing after the MP was used up, as with the arrangement in the reincarnation webnovels.
Yeah, it’s good news.
However, the incomprehensible part was my current MP.
5.
I wonder why it has become this sketchy value.
Let’s think chronologically.
Firstly my MP became 0 due to the small fire incident.
This was evident from my fainting. It was even specified in the helpful information about MP, “One will faint when their MP reaches 0.”
After that, MP recovered during the short fainting spell……I suppose.
In that case, I should have fainted when I tried to discreetly cast magic in front of my mother.
The magic invocation was thwarted by Mother’s “∃” but I did sense the consumption of mana itself, so my MP should have decreased as well.
From what I could grasp with that thinking, the current MP should be 3.
The first try: λ was thwarted, -1.
The second try: λ was thwarted again in the same manner, -1. ∃ failed, 0.
For the third try, the ∃ that negated mother’s ∃ was -1, the λ invoked after that was -1, making it -2 in total.
That is to say, the total MP consumed after I woke up becomes 4.
And so, with 7 – 4, my current MP becomes 3. That would be the natural concept.
However, my current MP is 5.
Whilst puzzled, I perform [Appraisal] one more time.
《Edgar Chrebl
Level 1
HP 4/4
MP 7/7
Skills
• Mythical class
[No Fatigue] –
[Instant Interpretation] –
• Legendary class
[Appraisal] 9 (MAX)
[Database] 1
• General
[Fire Magic] 1
[Water Magic] 1
[Wind Magic] 1
[Mana Manipulation] 1
[Simultaneous Invocation] 1
<Goddess of Virtue’s Blessing> 》
……Huh?
My MP has recovered.
In other words, the MP in this world is something like the Stamina in certain hunting games and recovers through the passing of time?
Or, is the “won’t tire mentally” characteristic of [No Fatigue] involved somehow?
In that case, the mystery of the deficient ‘current MP’ from before is solved.
In short, it’s something like this:
・First λ negated, -1
・Second λ negated, -1. ∃ failed, 0
・At this time, MP recovers <- NEW!
・Third λ invoked, -1. ∃ invoked, -1 (Total -2)
・Consequently, 7 – 2 = 5
Incidentally,
・I had been contemplating the appraisal result
・During this time, MP recovers
・MP is 7 upon reappraisal
It needs verification but in the end, my MP recovers to the maximum value a short time after using magic.
Julia-kaasan returns, after I have analysed up to this point.
“I can’t do anything about what you’ve learned already, but ordinary magic is dangerous, okay~”
Saying that, she places a cardboard box-sized wooden crate down in front of me.
Inside the wooden crate were toy building blocks.
My mother picks up one of the building blocks from inside, on top of which she writes some kind of symbol with her finger.
It was a “♭”-like symbol.
The symbol disappears suddenly without even glowing and in the next instant, the building block floats up from my mother’s palm.
“Aua!” (Wow!)
I unintentionally give a cheer.
Mother retrieved a card-like thing from her pocket, and handed it over to me.
On the card was the “♭” from just now written in a large font.
When I turn it over, written down were the Marquekt letters read as “Physik”, according to my mental interaction chart.
“This is ♭ (physik). It might be complicated if I start talking about the details, but I suppose it’s fine to think of it as telekinesis, maybe? ……but even if I say that, you probably don’t understand.”
Mother puts several building blocks in front of me.
I immediately crawl towards them and write “♭” on a building block with my finger.
Gently, the building block floated.
“Uwah, it really succeeded. Is Edgar-kun a genius by any chance?”
Julia-kaasan chuckles in happiness.
A little pleased, I cast “♭” on the building blocks in front of me, one by one.
A total of six building blocks floated in the air.
When I looked at mother as if asking, ‘Howzat?’ Mother stared in wonder again.
“Y-you can do simultaneous invocation? W-well you did use ∃ on my ∃ while invoking λ just then……this is, I better consult with that person too.”
Casting a sidelong glance at my mumbling mother, I release the ♭ on the building blocks, and again etch ♭ on the building blocks fallen on my bed.
This time I was careful, so I realised that the MP recovery started about ten seconds after I released them.
During the small fire, I used π in a flash, so there was no time to recover.
“Ah, Edgar-kun, if you use magic in succession too much, you’ll faint again?”
Mum says worriedly.
As I expected, this recovery seems abnormal. In that case, it’s reasonable to think of it as an effect of [No Fatigue].
It might be better if I don’t continuously invoke magic in front of my mother.
――Anyhow, with this, I discovered the next repetitive operation after [No Fatigue].
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