After finishing the conversation with our mother, my sister and I decided to enjoy a late afternoon tea in the garden.
“Alyssa. Don’t you think moments like this are nice sometimes? Relaxing with a cup of tea while enjoying the sound of rain hitting the parasol… it feels like the elegance of a proper lady.”
“…I don’t quite see the appeal.”
“You really are still a child. When you grow up a little more, you’ll come to appreciate it.”
I had deliberately arranged this tea time to stop Alyssa from rushing off somewhere, not simply to enjoy tea but because it was essential to achieve my purpose.
…It’s about time to get to the main topic.
“…Alyssa. Forget the foolish display you saw earlier.”
“Was that what you held me back to say, sister?”
That I nearly shed tears in front of someone?
And in front of Alyssa, of all people?
…Unacceptable.
No matter how much Mother’s words hurt me, such a thing could not and should not happen.
“I did not cry. It’s true Mother’s words were harsh, but I was completely fine. The tears you saw… yes! They were simply because the long-unoccupied study had dust flying everywhere. My corneas are so sensitive that even a little light makes them water, as you know. Understand? It wasn’t because I was hurt or moved by your sudden assistance!”
My lungs ached from the effort of delivering that lengthy explanation without pausing. Physically taxing as it was, persuading Alyssa would make it worth it.
“…Alyssa, why are you covering your ears?”
Could it be… she didn’t listen?
“It’s too long.”
“What!?”
“Honestly, Sister, the more you talk, the more undignified you look. Don’t pinch my cheek!”
Why did I bother expressing gratitude to someone like her?
With no one around to see us, her attitude towards me completely changed.
She may look the same as when she was younger, but her strength has grown absurdly while I’ve only become weaker with age.
“Sister, instead of holding me here, why don’t you study for your academy entrance exam?”
“…Entrance exam?”
“Oh, you didn’t know? To enter the academy, you need to pass at least a basic test. Normally, it wouldn’t be an issue, but considering how clueless you are, it might be tough.”
Stretch!
“Ow, ow! That hurts!”
“You underestimate me far too much! Just watch—I’ll pass that test with ease!”
“Wait, Sister! Hold on—!”
After pulling Alyssa’s cheek with a satisfying stretch, I fled to the mansion.
In the past, she might have taken it quietly, but now, who knows how she might retaliate?
“…I should’ve asked her about the test.”
Panting from the rare exertion, I clutched my pounding chest and headed for my room.
Though going back to ask her would be wise, my pride refused to allow it.
That option was erased the moment I left.
Once in my room with the door locked, I considered the test and quickly came to a conclusion.
‘…It must be one of these: academics, magic, or swordsmanship.’
The Philia Academy offers three fields of study, so the test would surely cover one of them.
While deducing the subjects was simple, I faced two major problems.
First, less than a week remained until the entrance deadline.
Missing this spring enrollment meant waiting an entire year—a deadline I could not afford to miss.
Second, I lacked confidence in all three subjects.
Academics?
My tutors gave up long ago.
Swordsmanship?
Out of the question.
That left magic as my only hope.
However, my body was notoriously incompatible with mana.
Fire, water, earth, wind—none of the basic elements suited me.
I couldn’t even gather the fundamental energy, making my body a hopeless vessel.
Despite years of effort to prove everyone wrong, my attempts were met with ridicule and pity.
Worse, I was compared to Alyssa, who mastered all four elements in a single lesson.
Ah, thinking about it again brought back bad memories.
‘…Still.’
Years had passed since then.
Maybe things had improved, even just a little.Â
Just because I couldn’t do it as a child didn’t mean I’d fail now.
‘Focus, Amy.’
Clinging to a sliver of hope, I spread my hands and concentrated on the faint energy flowing within me.
Thump. Thump.
I could faintly feel something flowing, like sand being gathered.
But each time I tried to consolidate it, the energy scattered again, betraying my efforts.
‘Just a little more…’
Though it was the same as when I was younger, I stubbornly repeated the process, driven by sheer determination.
Sweat dripped, and my body weakened, but I refused to give up.
“Huff… sniff…”
But perhaps miracles only happen because they are rare.
I remained incapable of producing even the smallest orb of light.
Why did I try, knowing the result?
Effort always betrayed me.
Should I give up?
Should I resort to less honorable means, as always…
“Sister, is that the end?”
“Eek!”
Hearing my younger sister’s voice from behind, I quickly turned around.
There stood Alyssa, staring at me with a somewhat uncomfortable expression.
“Since… since when…?”
“…Since the very moment you started concentrating.”
My fingertips trembled with shame and anger.
I was certain I had locked the door, practicing in the comfort of my room so no one would witness my pitiful state.
“I know you’re angry because I sneaked in, but before you slap me, can I ask one thing? Why… are you trying so hard?”
“What…?”
“You know as well as I do, don’t you? Noble children can enroll in academic courses by simply paying a bit of gold without having to take any exams. You’re smart enough to know that.”
Of course, I knew that.
But still…
I wanted to enter on my own merit.
I wanted to be able to say with pride that I wasn’t just a pretty-faced reject.
“Get out of my room now…”
“Sister…”
“Please, leave… quickly!”
“…I’ll help you.”
“What did you say?”
“I’ll help you learn magic.”
Alyssa’s reluctant expression matched my own unwillingness.
Learn from her?
Of all people?
“…Alyssa, have you grown overly familiar just because we’ve gotten a little closer lately?”
“Do you know why I gave up on magic? On the very first day of lessons with you, when you were praised as a genius, Mother told me to give up magic. She said it would be better to spend the money on buying the books you needed.”
It was a painful memory I had buried deep.
When I returned home, devastated by Mother’s words, Alyssa had proudly shared her achievements.
But all I felt was ugly jealousy.
“If you feel even the slightest pity for your sister, just leave. And don’t show me your face for a while…”
“Sister.”
Alyssa grabbed my hand as I tried to push her away and forcibly hugged me.
The warmth of her body contrasted with the disgusting feelings in my heart, pulling me further into a pit of despair.
“Please trust me. I know how you can use magic.”
Pat, pat.
“I wasn’t going to teach you, but you might just be an exception.”
Her words felt sincere, leaving me powerless to do anything but drop my raised hand and stare blankly at the ceiling.
“…What is it, exactly?”
“You were taught wrong from the start. The tutors couldn’t understand your true potential. In fact, they never could.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Your attribute… is ‘Darkness.'”
“Darkness…?”
“It’s a rare element, unlike the four main ones. Hardly anyone knows about it, and history has only recorded a few who possessed it. That is your true power.”
Darkness.
Even though it was unfamiliar, it felt strangely comforting, as if it had always been mine.
When I carefully called upon the power hidden deep inside me, it answered immediately.
“This… this is… dangerous…!”
The power rapidly expanded, plunging my brightly lit room into total darkness.
It wasn’t satisfied with just my room; it spread outward, shrouding the entire mansion in darkness as if night had fallen.
After confirming that even the view outside the window had turned pitch black, I collapsed, overwhelmed by exhaustion.
“This… this is my power…”
Though my body was tired, I felt more alive than ever.
The chronic stomachaches and headaches that plagued me vanished, and I felt like I was in the best condition of my life.
With this power, I could achieve anything I wanted.
“Ahaha… Ahaha!”
I couldn’t stop laughing.
I was so happy, so elated, I felt like I could fly.
“Sister…!”
Even Alyssa’s annoying voice couldn’t bother me right now.
Ah, no, there’s no need to hold back anymore.
First, I’ll deal with those condescending blue eyes…!
“…Alyssa.”
Just as my mind was succumbing to the darkness—
“Why… is there a wound on your cheek?”
—It abruptly came to a halt when I noticed the sharp cut marring Alyssa’s otherwise beautiful face.
“A lady should take care of her face. Come, let me see it.”
I stood up, grabbed Alyssa’s shoulders, and gently lifted her face.
Taking out the handkerchief I always carried, I carefully wiped the blood from her cheek.
“You’re… not going to attack me?”
“Huh? What are you talking about? A lady never forgets a favor! Though it wasn’t intentional, thanks to you, Alyssa, I learned magic, so I sincerely thank you!”
Prickle, prickle.
The stomachache I thought had disappeared came back the moment I stood up, mercilessly tormenting me again.
It was painful and exhausting, but it was a pain I had grown used to, so I could endure it.
Sigh, so it was only temporary after all. I wish the stomachache had gone away instead of the magic.
“…As I thought, you’re not the Amy Roswell I knew.”
“What are you saying…”
Hug.
“Amy, from now on, I’m your true sister, Alyssa Roswell.”
“…Alyssa, are you in your right mind? You sound like you’re saying you weren’t my sister before.”
“Hehe… Sister…”
I wanted to push her away immediately, but the desperate embrace felt oddly pitiful, so I couldn’t help but let her be.
This time, since I did receive her help in many ways, I decided to quietly lend her my shoulder.
“Oh, by the way, the power you just used was all the magic you’ve accumulated so far, so you won’t be able to output that level again.”
“…Is that true?”
“Until you properly learn magic, I’ll help you from now on. Hehe.”
“…I don’t need it.”
Learning magic from Alyssa every single day?
I’d rather not use magic at all.
Never, absolutely never will I learn it!