Chapter 8
“You don’t get it when I explain, so learn with your body.”
“…Have you ever considered that maybe you’re just a bad teacher?”
“There’s no way I’m bad at anything.”
Yeah, yeah, you’re amazing.
Grumbling inwardly, I took Hares’ hand once more.
‘I think I’m starting to get it… Also, his mana feels kind of refreshing.’
I let go of his hand just before that strange sensation washed over me again.
“I think I kind of get it now, so I’ll try it.”
I closed my eyes and focused, gathering the mana that had flowed into me at the center of my chest.
Faintly, I could feel a mana core.
“Oh? It worked!”
Now I finally understood what Hares had been saying.
‘It really did stick when I shwooped it like that.’
But that didn’t last. The mana soon scattered like smoke. Still, I was satisfied.
“Hares! I’ve graduated from newborn status! I did it!”
This worked way better than hearing those weird sound effects for four hours.
“You’ve just taken your first steps.”
By then, Hares had figured out the root of my problem. He pulled me up and tucked me under his arm.
“Gah! What the hell, you jerk!”
“Newborn Siena Winter. First, we’re building your stamina. Commence.”
“Who even says ‘commence’ to a newborn?!”
“You don’t actually think you’re a baby, right? If so, you’ve got serious issues.”
He added that he wasn’t interested in serving a mentally defective master, then pushed me into my room.
“Get changed and come out right away. We’re training outside today.”
Something about this felt very, very wrong.
* * *
“Sisi, that’s one lap.”
“I know. I know already.”
Haah. Why was the Winter estate so huge? It was unnecessarily massive, and it was killing me.
Since that day, I had been training with Hares every single day.
Specifically, physical training.
Hares believed my inability to properly use mana stemmed from my lack of stamina.
And to some degree, he was right.
After being diagnosed as terminally ill, I was so coddled by family and servants that even walking outside was a challenge.
‘My already poor stamina took a serious nosedive.’
Since it had come to this, I figured I’d use it as an opportunity to get healthy and learn magic more easily.
But my stamina was even worse than I thought.
I’d only walked around the estate once, yet my legs were shaking like a newborn deer’s.
I didn’t even run. I just walked!
Hares looked at me with a pitiful expression.
Just when I thought I could finally rest after one lap, he pushed on without a break.
“You know you’ve got two more laps left.”
“Gah… Hares… I’m seriously… dying…”
Forget magic—surviving right now was the priority. I abandoned all noble dignity and collapsed on the ground.
“How is it that you’re a lady and yet…”
“Don’t care. Sit down too. Let’s rest for just five minutes, okay? Haren, please.”
I blinked up at him with big, pleading eyes. He finally gave a reluctant nod.
“Just for a bit.”
“Mmhmm.”
I grinned and flopped onto my back.
Hares didn’t seem to realize it, but calling him by a nickname made him soft.
And I was exploiting that to the fullest.
“Sisi, hand.”
“Again?”
And, as always, Hares tried to hold my hand again.
“You need to master mana control quickly.”
“I do know how to do it now.”
Back then, it was a last resort because I really couldn’t get a grasp on it, but now I could. There was no need to hold hands anymore.
“…What’s your angle?”
I asked suspiciously, and Hares protested, looking offended.
“What angle? I’m doing this to protect you.”
“Protect me? We’re in a safe zone here.”
“There’s a hidden threat you’re unaware of.”
“Sure, sure. Whatever you say.”
As if. The Winter estate was guarded day and night by elite knights—it was practically a fortress. There was no such thing as danger here.
To my disinterested reply, Hares murmured in an obviously staged, pitiful voice.
“Sisi, how could you ignore my sincerity and effort? I’m hurt.”
“You’re impressively poetic with your nonsense.”
“My voice is kind of sweet, though.”
Ugh, I should’ve just stayed silent.
Hares always spewed nonsense in this exact manner. And somehow, I could never win against it.
“I win, right?”
Look at him wagging his metaphorical tail like a smug little fox.
He grabbed my hand again.
Soon after, his mana slowly spread through my body.
It tingled at my fingertips as his mana blanketed over mine.
As I lay there, fidgeting and staring up at the sky, a question suddenly came to mind.
“Hey. Hares, if I lift your magical seal, what’s the first thing you’ll do?”
He looked surprised that I brought up the seal, something I’d deliberately avoided discussing until now.
“I’m going to see the ocean.”
“The ocean?”
I sat up straight, my eyes sparkling. My voice rose in excitement.
“Hares, have you ever seen the ocean?”
“No. Have you?”
“I have!”
I thought back to that day.
It was the year I turned seven.
“Before my illness worsened, I went with my father and brother to see the ocean. I begged them like crazy—said I’d run away if they didn’t take me.”
“You were a brat.”
“Yeah, I really was…”
Even I had to admit I’d been a handful.
“Anyway, that was the first time I saw the ocean.”
In my previous life, I never got to see it.
Most people saw the ocean at least once, but not me. That’s how bleak my life was.
‘Maybe that’s why it left such a vivid memory.’
The vast blue stretching beyond the horizon, the crashing waves, the salty scent lingering in the air, the gritty sand…
“You have to go. The ocean is the same color as your eyes—endless and blue. It’s really beautiful. You’ll love it.”
Hares silently tightened his grip on my hand.
“I’m scared to go alone.”
“You’ve lived for 500 years. What could you be scared of?”
“I don’t know anything. Without you, I’ll get lost.”
Well, I suppose being locked away for 500 years would make anyone scared of a changed world.
I got to my feet and offered my hand to Hares, who was sounding uncharacteristically timid.
“The first time is always scary. Once I’m cured, Lady Siena will take you there as a thank-you.”
“You promise?”
“I’m not a con artist like you. Let’s dip our feet in the water and pick up seashells together. I didn’t get to last time because it was winter.”
My father and brother had kicked up such a fuss about it.
In the end, I had to settle for walking barefoot along the sand.
“Next summer might be good.”
“Can’t we go this year?”
Hares pouted as he took my hand and stood up.
“Probably not. We’ll be too busy getting me treated.”
It was about time to get moving again.
“By the way, you were trapped in the ruby for 500 years, right? What did you do all that time? You said you were conscious.”
“Nothing, really.”
“Sounds boring.”
“There was an annoying little bug constantly bothering me, so I didn’t have time to be bored.”
“A bug?”
A scowl crept across Hares’ face.
“The demon I made a contract with. I got sealed up before I could even break the contract, so he got stuck in there with me.”
“So the bug is a demon…?”
“Yeah. He even looks like one—like a bug.”
Just remembering it made Hares visibly annoyed.
“So what happened to the demon?”
“Who knows. Probably managed to survive on his own somehow.”
Hmm, I assumed they’d be close since they were contract-bound, but apparently not.
He looked more like he hated the guy than anything.
“Let’s call it a day and head back.”
“Okay.”
Even after that, Hares held my hand a few more times, letting his mana sink into me before finally letting go.
* * *
A dark night with not even the moon in the sky.
A writhing black mass awakened in the Winter estate’s garden.
It stretched its head toward the mansion, scanning its surroundings.
“Which way is it? I can’t sense anything properly. Tch.”
If the seal was broken, then someone must’ve released it.
But no matter how much it looked around, it couldn’t feel any such power.
Its vision was poor, and the seal had weakened its strength—it wasn’t what it used to be.
“Here’s that guy… and over there too… Why the hell did he leave his trace everywhere?”
It was like he was deliberately trying to hide something.
The thing let out a scoff—just like a mother hiding her baby.
“Hmph. Doesn’t he know the more he hides, the more curious I get?”
I will find it, no matter what.
A red gleam flashed in the darkness.
“You think hiding it will stop me from finding it?”
But despite its will, time moved forward—and the sun began to rise.
“Damn.”
It had no choice but to burrow underground and hide again.
