[–How stange…]
‘Is it really possible for one’s mindset to change so drastically just because he finally found something he wanna do?’
To obtain vision using magic.
The moment Kunon found the means to achieve his wish, his outlook, not just in life, but in everything, had changed.
Food, for example.
Until recently, Kunon just eats his mini-sandwiches mechanically just for the sake of sustaining himself to live.
Regardless of its taste, as long as it’s easy to eat, then he’d just let it be.
Afterall, no matter what dish he’s served, he won’t know anything about it.
But that isn’t the case anymore.
Within his mouth where myriad of flavors from different ingredients crumble, arouse his curiosity to distinguish each component of the food he swallows.
‘What’s this crispy and fresh grasslike thing in here?’
‘How about this sour thing that’s spread on the bread?’
‘Oh, I know this one. It’s a sliced apple.’
[–The grasslike thing is called lettuce. As for what’s on the bread, it’s called mustard, yes.]
Kunon asked Iko, his maidservant who’s been with him all this time, about the things he’s curious about.
[Oh, and that one’s an apple.] (Iko)
[I know that it is an apple.] (Kunon)
‘Where else where you can experience such vivid texture and taste apart from an apple?’
‘With such defining characteristics and flavors, from the day I first ate an apple, I wasn’t able to forget what it’s called.’
[…or so it seems, but it’s a Plum!] (I)
[Huh? Plum? What is that?] (K)
‘Raise your awareness. Having certain recognition of things after you become aware of them would be of great help if you want to use your mana and magic to perceive in your stead.’
‘You can even train your own awareness and get familiar with a lot of things by yourself from the things you do everyday if you really want to train.’
That’s what his magic instructor had said.
Also, the thing that Kunon, who still sucks in manipulating mana, should do for now is to get more familiar with mana until he can move it according to his will.
[So, so, next, how about this one? Do you know this one as well, hm? Kunon-samaaaa~?]
[What I know is I’d have them cut off your pay.]
[Ah!!! Sorry, please pretend you didn’t hear anything!]
—
They finish their breakfast and his tutor has now arrived.
In the mornings, he’s schedule consists of academic lectures.
Though as fancy as it’s called, it’s just more or less Kunon listening to his instructor reading a book and discussing it together with him thereafter.
On his teacher’s defense, they cannot proceed in teaching Kunon using the traditional methods because of his lack of vision. That’s why they agreed to use such a method.
Baroness Flara Garden.
She’s been Kunon’s teacher since he was five years old which makes her now his professor for two years.
Baroness Flara Garden is a woman whose age is a little bit above thirty with a soothing voice and relaxing air around her.
It seems that the Baroness has a daughter around the same age as Kunon as well. Perhaps that’s the reason why, from time to time, even though she should have gotten used to Kunon for the past two years already, he can still hear his teacher’s sighs filled with pity and sympathy.
[–History, you say?] (Flara)
[–Yes. I’d like to know more about the Holy Knight Histor specifically.] (Kunon)
The Great War of the Seventeen Royal Heroes.
For Kunon who believes that the root of his blindness came from the historical war many years ago, such a subject fills him with nothing but disgust and hatred.
Every time Flara touches upon this topic, Kunon’s face crumples in distaste which leads her to purposely avoid talking about contents related to it.
The story must be taught to everyone as long as they’re citizens of Yuguria but… thinking of Kunon’s feelings, she couldn’t take it upon herself to tell the boy of the story that could just hurt him.
That’s why after she heard what Kunon had said just now, her eyes inadvertently moved towards his handmaiden who’s standing by along the walls. Iko.
‘Is this really fine?’, she beckoned.
Iko then nods lightly in return.
[–I see] (Flara)
She then closes the book that she specifically brought for today.
‘I am not certain as to why, but Kunon is now trying to face his fears and troubles.’
With such thoughts in mind, Flara complies with the young boy’s request and talks about the royal heroes.
—
Kunon is now having his free time after his morning lectures.
But for the person himself, this is a long awaited moment where he can finally practice his magic.
[— A ・ Ori ]1(Kunon)
Kunon is now currently in the garden together with Iko as he practices the very first magic every water mage had been introduced to. Water Ball.
[You’re doing great, Kunon-sama!] (Iko)
As an inexplicable form of power seeps out from inside of him, changes start to manifest around his surroundings.
‘One, two, three, and four.’
‘Just like that, yeah, about the size of an eyeball.’
[Oh, just as I was wondering who it was but it’s you! Our up and coming super mage!] (Iko)
‘–hmmm, how should I proceed to make these things function like real eyes though?’
‘I just don’t know how to work from here.’
‘Even my magic instructor said she’s lost about it as well’
—To be more accurate, Kunon’s teacher was lost on what he was saying right from the beginning to the end. (TL: Kunon’s murmurs in prologue)
[You look so dashing! OMG!] (Iko)
That being the case, Kunon doesn’t have anyone he can consult about it and can only rely on his own devices.
Regardless, even if he is just by himself, he will certainly make it happen.
[—… agh..] (Kunon)
‘Handling mana still feels difficult for me…’
The longer Kunon tried to keep the active time of his <Water Ball>, the shorter and harder it became for him to breathe and cold sweat kept pouring out from his forehead.
[It’s really heart warming watching kids do their best! Fighting!] (Iko)
The moment Kunon’s concentration fluctuate, all of the four water balls fall towards the ground and burst.
[Ha… haa….] (Kunon)
Everytime he runs out of breath, he stops.
After he catches up his breath, he continues.
All to practice Magic. One, two, and many more times.
Kunon practiced his magic as long as he could breathe.
Even until the sun had finally set and Kunon finally lost his consciousness.
[Kunon-sama!] (Iko)
And by the time he wakes up, he found himself inside his room instead off the ground.
It must have been Iko who’d picked Kunon up and carried him back to his house.
—
[—It isn’t that bad…] (Kunon)
His body had given up in exhaustion.
It feels like all of his muscles are crying as pain assaults him from all directions.
However, as he said, it doesn’t feel so bad for the boy.
It might appear mundane for some people, but this day had been pretty special for Kunon as it was the first time he really felt he was ‘living’.
‘Yeah, it isn’t so bad after all.’
Tomorrow, he will do his best ‘living’ once again. For sure.
The future remains to be dark and uncertain — however, for Kunon, it feels like a small, faint, sliver of hope can now finally be seen.
—
[Iko, you here?] (Kunon)
[—I’m here.] (Iko)
[You’ve been pretty loud and annoying while I was training, you know.] (K)
[Thank goodness, my voice has reached you indeed. If you’ve kept ignoring me like that until night time, I’d probably cry myself to sleep!] (I)
‘…That doesn’t sound too bad. I should have ignored her and let her cry.’
Or so Kunon said in his mind.
Translator’s Notes:
- In the novel, the spell was written as Water Ball but pronounced/chanted as A ・ Ori. I don’t think we need an index for spells in this novel but I’d try to put how it is translated either in the notes or beside the chant.
- As a normal person, how do you feel watching Paralympics? To be honest, I know some people who’d make fun of it. As for me, I was quite apathetic about it. But not anymore. Putting it into perspective, ‘If I put myself into their place, would I really be able to do something like that?’. No. I am confident I wouldn’t have the mental strength to cope up with it either. Have you seen any photos from it? If you closed in with their expression, they aren’t any less from any athlete when it comes to passion. And seeing how passionate people do the things they do makes me want to cheer for them, just like Iko. It might have been late but I can now finally appreciate their sport.
- I know not all people found the way of life they want to do. But please don’t quit. Just like Kunon, someday, you’ll awaken to the things you want to do yourself and will be able to experience what ‘living’ is too. Don’t give up and be open trying something new. The possibilities might have always been there, we just have to look.
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