Chapter 2: Magical Present

-5 Years Old-

It’s been five years since I became aware of my reincarnation. During these five years, I’ve tried my best to act like an infant and then a toddler. Along the way, I’ve learned quite a few things about this new world.

First, the world is called Glacias. It’s a place where swords and magic exist. I still don’t fully understand magic yet, but the fact that it’s real here makes me excited. Second, other races besides humans exist. The reason for this is simple: this is a fantastical world!

The family I now belong to is part of the nobility, though their status is quite low and their territory is small. I’ve also learned that the woman who breastfed me on the very first day my consciousness awoke in this body has blonde hair that reaches her waist and is usually tied up in a ponytail. She has very beautiful, porcelain-like white skin.

As for my father, I haven’t seen him yet, but according to my mother, he is a very handsome man with black hair and black eyes. She told me that the reason he isn’t staying at home is that he is a knight serving the country. He has been assigned to the borders where the fighting is fiercest.

In this new life, my mother and a few servants have showered me with love, and because of that, I cherish and love them dearly.

From time to time, I would stay in my room and try to remember the cause of my death in my previous life. So far, I haven’t been successful, but what I do remember is quite substantial.

First, I was a guy, not that it matters now. Second, though I don’t know my exact age, I was a jobless shut-in who spent most of my life leeching off my parents. Third, the last game I played was titled *Glacias*. It has the same name as the world I now live in. Who knew such coincidences could occur?

This work is hosted on mananovel.com

I initially thought that maybe the game and this world were one and the same. So I did my best to remember its plot and characters. So far, the name of my character hasn’t come to mind, which means I am either a side character in the plot or just being paranoid.

Well, either way, I will live this life according to what I want. If I am just a side character in that game, then I will do my best to stay away from those involved. They experience too many tragedies and complex relationships, which is reason enough for me to avoid them. And if I am just being paranoid, then it means I am overthinking things.

***

“Nee~ Mama, where are we going?”

“We’re going to a special place, Lumina.”

I forgot to mention that in this world, my name is Lumina Chis Chem. Right now, I am walking with my mother on a stone-paved path toward a place that resembles the Vatican. The only differences are the banners lining the walls and its size, which is two or three times bigger than the Vatican. Each banner has an animal drawn on it. I don’t know what they symbolize, but none of them are the same.

Among them, four banners are much larger than the others. The first has a hawk-like symbol with a red background. The second has a lion symbol with a yellow background. The third has a turtle with a green background, and the last has a serpent with a blue background. Each of these represents an influential family whose authority is second only to the king.

(Yep… it’s really the same… well, it’s just a coincidence anyway… just a coincidence.)

I stared at the banners for a brief moment before resuming walking.

“Why are we going here, mama?”

“It’s my present for your fifth birthday.”

“... Huh?”

I tilted my head to the side and gave my mother a curious look.

(Is this place like an amusement park? If so, then I can’t wait!)

A smile floated to my face as I imagined going to an amusement park in this world. Unlike the world in my memories, this place has magic, so I expected the rides and attractions to be much more enjoyable.

“If it’s my present, then let’s hurry up! Mama, I can’t wait anymore!”

“Okay, okay…”

I walked a few steps ahead of my mother and faced her with an impatient aura. Seeing me act like this, my mother gave a wry smile and walked along the path with me in front.

A few minutes later, we entered a great hall in one of the buildings and were greeted by several elderly men. They all wore the same white togas, and most had long beards. As soon as I saw them, I hid behind my mother and clutched the hem of her skirt.

“May we know the reason why the two of you have come here?”

The man who stood in the middle of the group asked my mother while stroking his beard.

“We’ve come here to perform the ritual for her to become a magician.”

As she said this, my mother nudged me forward so I was visible to the long-bearded men.

(Huh? Magician? Is this the place where I become a magician? Hurray! But they still look creepy to me though.)

“Hoo, what a lovely young girl. Fumu, she’ll become a great magician in the future.”

The old men observed me from top to bottom. Their gazes felt unpleasant, and I really wanted to run away, but since my mother held my hand, I couldn’t escape.

Today, because we were going out, I wore a dress with a deep blue brooch on my chest. My skirt reached up to my knees and had many frills on the edges. The type of dress I was wearing was reminiscent of the 'Gothic Lolita' fashion from my memories.

“Then please proceed this way.”

After they finished inspecting me, one of the elderly men began to guide us down a large hallway. The design of the place was very similar to the Vatican in my world. I started to wonder if places like the Forbidden City and the Taj Mahal existed in this world.

“Then please have the girl stand in the middle of the circle before we proceed with the ceremony.”

While I was busy darting my eyes around the place, we arrived at the location where the ceremony would take place. My mother let go of my hand and gently pushed me toward the large circle.

“Do I have to go alone?”

I looked at my mother with an upturned gaze and teary eyes. Going alone was a simple matter and didn’t warrant the reluctance I showed, but I wanted her to come with me because those creepy old men were still near us.

“This is my… no, our present to you. You’ll be the first person in our family to become a magician, Lumina.”

Since my mother continued to urge me to go forward alone, I stopped resisting and reluctantly walked to the center of the huge circle.

“Then, shall we begin?”

I gave the creepy old man a nod to signal that I was ready. He then raised both of his hands and started muttering something. I listened to his words but couldn’t understand them. This world used the same language as the one in my memories, which relieved me because I didn’t have to start from scratch. But the old man spoke in a language unique to this world, which I didn’t recognize.

“Ha!”

The instant the man let out that shout, complex geometrical patterns and symbols became visible within the circle. An exact copy made of light floated above the circle under my feet, spinning around me. It passed through my legs and stopped above my head. It continued to pulsate for a while before disappearing.

“Fuuu~”

The man who performed the ceremony exhaled and looked at me with pity.

(Eh? Did it fail? Or am I not qualified to become a magician?)

He then slowly approached me with my mother in tow. Seeing the man’s face, my mother looked anxious as she waited for him to declare the result.

“This young girl has the qualifications to become a magician… it’s just that.”

“... Just that?”

“Just that?”

My mother frowned while I tilted my head.

“From the amount of ‘Mana’ awakened in her body, she’s only capable of doing elementary magic. By the time she’s an adult, she’ll only be capable of casting intermediate spells.”

Hearing the old man’s answer, I smiled and looked at my mother. Although the amount of Mana I had was small according to the old man, the fact that I could perform magic was already enough. Even though the old men looked very disappointed, my mother and I were very joyous about the result.

My mother took a few silver coins from her pouch and gave them to the men as payment. The two of us then departed from that place and hurried back home, both in high spirits.