Magic Maker - How to make magic in another world - - Chapter 3

Magic Maker – How to make magic in another world –

Chapter 3   There is no magic in this other world

The four of us, our family, sat around the dining table.

Plates were arranged on the table.

Meals in this world are simple.

Generally, there’s hard bread and soup, and occasionally some meat or fish.

There’s a bit of variation, but it’s mostly the same lineup.

It gets quite monotonous. But I can’t really complain.

“Ugh! The same meal again! I’m tired of it!”

Complaining about luxury was my sister, Marie.

Well, that’s understandable.

Children get tired easily. Very easily.

With meals being three times a day, they won’t tolerate the lack of flavor variation.

The seasoning is mostly the same too.

Salt and pepper are the basics. Occasionally, they bake or stew with herbs.

Considering this level of civilization, I think it’s a pretty decent meal. But even I’m getting tired of it.

Ah, I want to eat rice.

“Oh dear, Marie-chan. You shouldn’t be so picky. The commoners live a frugal life. We shouldn’t indulge ourselves, you know?”

“But I’m tired of it!”

I’m tired of it too!

Ah, I want to eat curry.

Father, who silently watched the scene of Marie complaining and mother scolding her, shook his head, sighed, and eventually said.

“Marie, you shouldn’t be so indulgent.”

“But, but…”

“I’ll buy you some sweets next time, so be patient.”

“Sweets!? Okay, I’ll be patient!”

Sweets. In this world, they’re a luxurious treat.

Even a small amount comes at a significant cost, so we don’t have them often at home.

I’ve only had them a few times, but compared to Japanese sweets, they’re much sweeter, almost like pure sugar.

However, considering the monotony of this lifestyle and the lack of other entertainment, I understand looking forward to them.

I’ve only been out to the courtyard, so I don’t know much about the outside world.

Well, for now, Marie has calmed down.

Dinner is over, so it’s time to start the conversation.

“Father.”

“Yes, what is it, Shion?”

Father looks at me with a gentle smile.

Mother is the same, these parents are very gentle. They rarely get angry.

“The villagers and mom were talking about it, but what does it mean?”

“Well, I haven’t told you yet, Shion. It’s a bit complicated.”

“Maybe I can handle it.”

It’s a somewhat challenging topic to explain to a three-year-old child.

Marie probably knows about it though.

“That’s right. I need to explain it properly to Marie too.”

You haven’t explained anything.

I glance at Marie, who looks like she’s had her fill.

With this sister, it’s unlikely she’ll listen properly, but it can’t be helped. Is this what being five is like?

“I want to hear, even though I might not fully understand!”

“I’ll listen carefully.”

When Marie and I said that, Father nodded graciously.

“Marie, Shion, you see, we’re lords known as minor nobility who govern this area.”

My sister just blinked her eyes and clearly didn’t understand.

“I don’t get it. You need to explain it more gently.”

“I see… How should I put it in simpler terms?”

“It means taking care of the people who live nearby, right?”

When I said that, Father and Mother both widened their eyes in surprise.

“Ah, yes, that’s right. Shion is smart.”

“Hehehe”

“I, I understand too!”

When our parents praised me, Marie chimed in, not wanting to be left out.

I didn’t say it to seek praise.

“Hehe, that’s right. Marie is smart too. But for now, let’s listen to Father’s story.”

“Ugh! O-Okay.”

Clearly dissatisfied, Marie fell silent.

Father, the pillar of our family, was absolute.

Disrespecting or belittling the father was not tolerated in this household.

Perhaps it’s commonplace in this world.

Modern fathers… hang in there.

“As Shion said, my job is to take care of the people living nearby. We call those people subjects, and my position is called lord. Specifically, if the subjects are in trouble, I help them, and sometimes I collect money from them and send it to the kingdom. Nobles, how should I put it… we’re slightly more important people. Among nobles, minor nobility is the lowest, slightly more important people.”

“So, is Father important?”

“It’s a bit complicated, but it’s not that I’m important. To have a job where you’re in charge of others, you need to be important. If I weren’t important, both Marie and Shion would be troubled, right? I have to be important because I need to support everyone.”

Marie nodded, trying to understand. However, from her profile, it was clear that she didn’t fully grasp it. This sister prioritizes emotions, so it takes time to understand these kinds of things. Mother always struggles with this.

“Dad, even though you’re the lord, why are you always out in the carriage?”

“Huh? Oh, that’s to check on the villagers, help with transporting crops, and assist with people’s movement.

Also, it’s for shopping. Not many people have carriages, you see.

There’s a lot you won’t understand without seeing the village’s actual situation, and I don’t have a personal army.

No real subordinates either. That’s why I directly inspect things.

Besides, I’m trying to abolish forced labor. That’s why there are no peasants like that in this area.

As a result, there’s a shortage of labor, and I am, relatively free to move…”

Dad stopped there and suddenly realized.

Marie, sitting next to me, had her mouth agape.

She had a bewildered expression, as if she didn’t understand what was being said.

Mom was glaring at Dad.

Dad cleared his throat and straightened his posture.

“Dad is doing his best in many ways!”

He cut to the chase.

But those words seemed suitable for Marie, and she finally seemed to snap back to reality.

“I see! Father is amazing!”

“Oh, ahaha, maybe. Perhaps!”

Ahaha, they laughed together, a cozy atmosphere, but I smiled as if resigning.

The conversation wasn’t progressing.

Anyway, I understood that our family is a lower noble, a lord, and relatively well-off.

Forced labor, I remember, is working without pay for the lower classes like farmers.

Of course, they have regular jobs.

It’s a black-minded management to make them do other work for free.

Just like in Japan. Huh? Different? Fundamentally the same, isn’t it?

Anyway, Dad is trying to correct that system.

Hmm, my father is a good person.

And apparently, quite capable.

Yet, we lead a prosperous life even though we’re letting go of the opportunity to acquire free labor.

I wonder if the villagers also have a stable life.

Little by little, I’m starting to understand my situation.

Alright, for now, I’ve made a starting point in the conversation.

I’ve had enough.

It’s okay, right?

I’ve reached my limit of patience.

It’s impossible now.

Suppressing my restless thoughts, I spoke up.

“Um, um, Dad. I have more questions.”

Calm down. It’ll be fine. After all, things have been set up this far.

“Hmm. What is it?”

Let’s start with something light.

“Uh… Are there monsters?”

“There are. That’s why you must not go outside yet. I think Mom has told you not to go out.”

They exist!

There are monsters!

Or rather, is that the reason we can’t go outside?

I heard it for the first time! I wish you’d told me sooner, though.

“W-What are they like?”

“They’re terrifying creatures. They attack people and harm them. Don’t get close. It’s dangerous.

If you see one, run away immediately and seek help from an adult.”

Hooray for fantasy!

Indeed, cheers for the other world. Thank you, other world.

If there are monsters, then there should be other things too.

I realized I was filled with excitement, and trembling was building up.

I’m starting to get nervous. Is this trembling out of fear?

Sweat started to appear. My heart is incredibly loud.

But since I’ve taken a step, I have to move forward.

Or rather, I want to move forward.

Let’s go to the next topic.

“Do fairies or spirits exist?”

“They do. I haven’t heard about spirits, but fairies do exist.

They’re rare, and encounters are quite infrequent. There are specialized procurers for them.”

They exist!

If there are fairies and spirits, it’s practically confirmed.

I heard something unsettling, but right now, I could only think about magic.

“By the way, what are they like?”

“Well, fairies are small humanoid creatures, or… I’m not sure if ‘creatures’ is the right word.

They can suddenly disappear or appear, and they have mysterious powers and such.”

“R-Right…”

Father and mother seemed somewhat bewildered.

And Marie, sitting next to me, alternated between looking at me and our parents, seemingly not understanding the situation.

I, too, felt disoriented and didn’t grasp the situation.

I need to ask questions soon.

Let’s get to the main point.

“S-So, um… M-Magic!? Is there magic!?”

Inadvertently, I stood up from my chair and leaned forward.

I placed both hands on the table, leaning in, staring at my father’s face.

With such vigor, my father was taken aback.

“Um, magic?”

“Yes! Magic! Like producing fire, water, wind, light, and various other things!”

My father and mother exchanged glances.

It was clear they were confused.

And they probably felt like something was amiss.

But I couldn’t stop now.

Because I had been enduring it for so long.

For these three years.

No, for over thirty years.

But…

“There isn’t any.”

“There isn’t…?”

Reality was merciless.

My father shook his head, looking troubled.

His expression and words felt like they were in slow motion.

Huh?

There isn’t?

No magic?

“I’ve never even heard the word ‘magic.'”

“Well, what about ‘sorcery’?”

“I’ve never heard the word ‘sorcery’ either.”

“…S-So, this isn’t just about you not having heard of it, Dad?”

“There are things I might not know. However, I have a reasonable level of education.

At the very least, things like magic aren’t generally known, and I’ve never heard of such tales.”

My father is a noble.

In a society at this level of civilization, nobles should have received some education.

Common folk might not be able to study, but nobles can.

Meaning nobles are quite knowledgeable in this world.

Of course, they might not know about specialized fields.

But they should be aware that such fields exist to some extent.

Yet my father doesn’t know.

Which means…

Magic truly doesn’t exist?

It’s a lie. It has to be a lie. Then why am I here?

Was my reincarnation just a mere coincidence?

I thought I received it as a reward for sincerely wanting to use magic.

But that was a misunderstanding.

I was reincarnated for no reason, into a world without magic.

I felt dejected and sat in the chair.

“….Shion. Where did you learn about creatures like monsters, fairies, and that thing called magic?

Emma shouldn’t have told you, right?”

“Uh, well, I don’t think she told me…”

A three-year-old child. Moreover, a child who has hardly been outside. There’s no way they should know.

There are no books in this house. I’m not even sure if there are many books in this world to begin with.

So, the only way to get information from the outside is through Mom or Dad.

That child knows words that those two don’t know.

That child knows things those two haven’t talked about.

There’s no way I wouldn’t be questioned about that.

“Shion, where did you hear this? Tell me.”

Unlike usual, his tone was stern.

Lost in profound disappointment, my mind wasn’t functioning properly.

“Did you talk to an adult? When I wasn’t here, did someone come? What kind of person was it? A man or a woman?”

I didn’t understand what my father was saying.

I absentmindedly listened to his words, slowly piecing things together.

Ah, I see.

Neither Mom nor Dad had spoken about it.

Perhaps they thought I learned about the outside world from someone else.

It wouldn’t be unreasonable to think that.

I understood it was a bad situation.

But I couldn’t summon any strength.

Because I thought I could use magic.

Coming to this world, that was my one and only hope.

And now, that sole glimmer of hope had been extinguished.

Seeing me in a daze, my father began to panic.

He probably thought I couldn’t speak.

He seemed to understand that very clearly, and while feeling sorry, my heart remained downcast.

Just as my father seemed about to press me further, there was a sharp sound, like a dry crack.

It seemed like my mother clapped her hands.

“That’s right! I remember now! I was the one who told him!”

“You…?”

My father looked puzzled as he glanced at my mother.

My mother was displaying her usual cheerful smile.

“Yes. I remembered that I told him it’s dangerous to go outside.

And about the fairies too, I must have mentioned them.”

“And what about this ‘magic’?”

“I wonder? Adults don’t always understand what children say.

Children say strange things. Maybe it appeared in a dream or something.

After all, he’s always with me. He never talks to anyone else.”

Half of it was true, and half was a lie.

It seemed like my mother was defending me.

But in reality, I never had the chance to talk to other people, and she might have thought it wasn’t an issue.

Still, I was grateful.

“…I see. If that’s the case, then it’s fine.”

My father looked at me with concern.

He was genuinely worried.

Even though I felt intimidated, I knew it was out of concern for me.

It pained my heart, but I couldn’t put it into words.

“Now then! Let’s tidy up!”

My mother started cleaning the dishes.

I remained bowed, away from the dining table.

Marie, who was beside me, seemed unsure and followed me.

As we left the living room and headed to our rooms, Marie hesitantly spoke.

“Shion, are you okay…?”

“Huh?”

“Your complexion doesn’t look good… Is your stomach hurting?”

Upon being asked, some of my senses returned.

There’s no mirror, so I can’t tell, but apparently, my face is pale.

I was in shock.

There’s no magic.

Magic was the only thing I was looking forward to.

“…N-No, I’m okay.”

“R-Really.”

Marie didn’t say anything more and walked beside me.

Her concern was apparent.

A five-year-old girl is worrying about me.

Understanding that feeling, I couldn’t show my lively self.

Because…

There’s no magic in this other world.