It's nighttime, and my mother and father are currently in the dining hall. My mother insisted on taking me with her, but before she could, I pretended to be asleep—so she had no choice but to leave without me.
Right now, I'm lying in my cradle. Elise is in the room, quietly reading a book. I think if I don't make any noise, she won't notice me.
The reason I pretended to be asleep was so I could be alone. I want to test something—something that might help me improve and grow stronger.
And that something is to see if I can use magic now. I don't know much about how magic works, nor do I have any materials or books that could explain it—but if magic really does exist in this world, then there should be something, anything, to prove that it does.
Like some kind of unusual aura… just like the one I sensed from Father. It felt like more than just his presence—like something powerful magic flowing around him. And if it wasn't just him. Others had it too. I could reasonably assume that what I sensed from them to be there magical aura. I can prove in this world magic exists.
But now the question is—how can I sense this magical aura when I haven't seen it on anyone else besides my father?
Let's start by trying to sense that magical aura—if it really exists—starting with the space around this room.
I don't know if it'll work, but I have an idea. Maybe, instead of looking for something physical, I should try to feel it. Not the objects. Not the cradle beneath me. Just the aura itself.
So, I gently closed my eyes.
I took a slow breath and tried to clear my mind.
Forget the room. Forget Elise sitting nearby. Forget the faint sound of pages turning or the occasional flicker of candlelight.
Focus only on the unseen.
If magic exists in this world—if magical auras truly surround me—then I should be able to sense them, even faintly.
I let my thoughts drift into the silence.
And as I opened my eyes.
Slowly, I started to feel something—colors erupting from all directions. It was just like when I saw my father and his dark aura… but now, it was everywhere. The entire room began to shimmer with different lights, each one radiating a unique presence.
Some were faint, barely visible—like gentle ripples in water. Others were brighter, larger, more vibrant. Even the tiniest object had a soft, flickering glow around it. I think… that must be their magical aura.
But the most massive magical aura of all came from Elise.
It was a pure white glow—bright and steady, like moonlight. Compared to hers, everything else looked dim, like stars fading before dawn. It wasn't like my father's heavy, dark aura, but it was still incredibly powerful.
It made sense. Elise, as my father's personal maid, must have a high level of magical ability.
So now it's time to check—do I have a magical aura?
I turned my focus inward.
I blocked everything else out, concentrating solely on my own body, searching for even the faintest spark of magic.
After a couple of minutes… I felt it.
A faint glow—mixed white and black—light, but definitely there. The black aura was clearly larger than the white. But why two magical auras? Is it supposed to be like my hair, with two colors representing my mother and father?
That could be it. If this is truly a magical world, then just like I inherited their genes, maybe I also inherited their mana. Their power.
But from the looks of it, my own aura is much smaller than my father's. As for my mother—I haven't seen hers at all. Maybe she hides it, just like I didn't know Elise had one until now. Perhaps my father deliberately revealed his aura to make sure I sensed it.
But what exactly is this magical aura?
Based on what I'm sensing—and comparing it with my experiences from my previous life—I think I'm starting to understand.
The magical aura isn't magic itself.
It's just a visible layer, a reflection of something deeper: mana.
Mana is the true source of power.
The aura is like an outward signal—showing how much mana a person has. It's the way that mana naturally leaks out and manifests, creating a glow or presence that others can feel… or even see, if focused.
Take my mother, for example—I didn't see any magical aura around her, yet she clearly used magic the night the Fenrir attacked. So maybe it's like this: everything in this world has a magical aura, but you need to focus to actually see it. And the size or brightness of that aura probably reflects how much mana someone has.
Take my father and Elise, for example this time their auras are strong, and that likely means they have a lot of mana. That mana, flowing through and around them, is what gives birth to the aura I see.
But here's the question—if my magical aura is this small, doesn't that mean my mana is just as small? And if that's true, how am I supposed to use magic?
Is it even possible?
I don't know how much mana is needed to cast a spell or creat basic elements. Is my small amount enough? And if it is… how do I actually use it?
Do I need to say something aloud and it just happens? Or is there more to it?
If words are necessary, then I guess I'll have to wait a few more years…But maybe there's another way.
Maybe magic doesn't start with words—it starts with will. With intent. That makes sense, doesn't it?
If this mana inside me truly belongs to me, then I should be able to control it. Move it. Even shape it.
So I focused again.
This time on the mana inside my body—though I couldn't see it, I knew it was there.
This is mine. Move. Obey.
Even a flicker of response would be enough.
After a moment… I felt it.
A faint warmth, like a tiny flame, flickering deep within. My mana began to stir. Slowly, but definitely.
I focused harder.
Fire, I thought.
I imagined its heat. Its color. Its wild, dancing nature. I pictured it swirling in my palm, eager to be born.
Flow through my arm. Reach my hand. Become fire.
My tiny fingers twitched.
I didn't know what would happen, if anything at all. But I believed.
The mana began to swell. Thicker. Heavier. Too much for my tiny body to hold.
I held my breath.
Fire… become fire…
Then… something changed. The warmth began to fade. The flicker in my palm—it was slipping away.
Why? I tried to hold onto it, but it felt like it was being drained, pulled back inside me.
My aura began to dim.
And then, a wave of dizziness struck me. I could barely keep my eyes open.My tiny body was completely exhausted.
Everything faded.
I drifted off… not even sure when sleep fully took me.