“Brother… how did you? Was that mid-level magic?” said Nevil.

‘He knows it was mid-level magic? He’s going to the academy after all,’ Verda thought.

“Mmf. Hmf. Mf.” Eli tried to say something but was muffled by a cookie she holds in her mouth. She offered a cookie in her right hand to Verda.

“For me? Thank you.” Verda grabbed the cookie and patted his sister.

“Hf. Hmmf.” She moved the cookie in her mouth to her now empty hand. “Youl welcome.”

‘I need to make a good lie…’ Verda glace at Lagios. ‘That might work.’

“um… I borrowed the power from my new familiar.”

“Is… that bird your familiar?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve never seen a familiar before. Grandpa had said that grandma had one. Hers wasn’t a bird. I think it was a fire newt. What’s your familiar’s element?”

“Wind and fire.”

While they were talking, Lagios perched on Eli’s head.

“Two elements!?” Nevil looked to Lagios. “Could I get one?” he mumbled.

“What’s a familial?” said Eli.

“A familiar is a spirit that made someone their friends,” said Verda. ‘It’s more complicated and involves contract magic, but she should know it when she’s in the academy.’

“And yeah, anyone could get one.”

Eli had eaten both of her cookies and left crumbs on her lips.

“Eli… you ate both cookies? I thought one was for me…” said Nevil.

“No. Bwothel Nevi aleady had one. Hmph.”

“Eliii! Again with the name!?” Nevil tickled her.

Verda took this moment to eat his cookie. ‘Now that I think about it. I did contract Lagios to be my helper. Does that count as a familiar?’

After Nevil tickled her sister, He wipes her mouth with his hand to remove the crumbs.

Their dad comes out from the manor bringing two wooden practice swords. “Nevil, time to practice your swordsmanship.”

“Ughhh…. I don’t like sparing with dad.”

“Verda. Want to try sparring with your brother?”

Nevil’s face gave out a look saying “Please.”

“No thank you, dad.”

‘Although, if you allow magic I’d gladly spar with you.’

Nevil's hands dropped from Verda’s answer. Their dad drags Nevil to the backyard’s center and starts to spar with each other. Eli sat beside Verda on the short stone wall. She couldn’t raise her body up to the wall. So Verda helps her to get on it.

“Bwother, why don’t you spal?”

“I’m not good with swords Eli...”

“Will you spar with Eli?”

‘Eh?’ “Err, maybe when you’re older.”

“Okay.”

‘No, I won’t…’

They watch their brother spar with their dad. It went as good as an amateur bandit vs an army general… without the bloody mess.

‘I don’t think letting my sister watch their spar might be a good idea. Especially if she were to keep asking me to spar with her.’

“Eli, wanna see more magic?”

“Yes!” She said with sparkles in her eyes.

‘What’s a good display spell... Those… what do they call it? Fireworks was it? These new devices for events are showy.’

“[Fireworks],” chant Verda with his hand raised up to the afternoon skies.

It wasn’t as showy as he’d wanted it to be. Maybe he should’ve cast it at night, or maybe a minified [Fireball] spell and a bit of wind magic was the cause.

‘Couldn’t beat those devices yet. How do they make them?’

Even though it hadn’t been what Verda wanted, his sister was still amazed by it. His brother has a different thought about it.

“Verdaa.” Nevil complained. Beaten by his father again. This time he got hit with dad’s sword on his arm when he tried to strike dad.

“Focus! Thanks for the distraction Verda.” he gave out a smile.

“Eli,” said Verda. ‘Better to keep her attention elsewhere'

“Yeah?”

“Wanna try magic?”

“Yeah!”

‘Let’s see what elements she’s proficient in.’

“Try this, [Breeze].” The spell was cast at Eli’s face. Her hair swung from the soft wind.

“[Bweeze].” She tried, but the spell didn’t cast.

‘Is wind not it? Or she lacks mana and focus?’

“Eli, hold my hand.” ‘I’ll help her a bit’

She holds his hand with their palms up.

“Try this, [Fire].” From those hand’s palms, there was a fire. At first, the fire was as tall as Eli’s head. As Verda cuts his mana from the spell, it dissipates.

“[Fiel].” The same effect happened.

“Eli did magic!” she shouted.

“Dad! Dad! Look!”

Dad was still sparing with their brother. Her voice made dad look at her, and that gave brother a strike on dad’s shin.

“Focus dad! Thanks for the distraction, Eli!” He smiled and winked at her.

“Hey!” said dad to his own word used against him.

“Youl welcome.” She said, clueless that her shout made her brother win. Dad and brother walk to where Verda and Eli are.

“Eli. What’s on your head?” said dad.

“Vewda Familial.”

Father looked surprised at the familiar’s owner. “Your familiar!?”

Verda nods like it wasn’t important.

“Dad! Dad, look.”

”[Fiel].” Fire comes out of her palm, but she got disappointed because the spell was smaller that the first one she had cast. It was shorter than her thumb was tall.

“Did she?” said dad disbelieving in what he had seen. Both Verda and Nevil nod.

“My daughter can do magic!” He grabbed and raise her above him. “All my children are talented!” His forehead touched Eli’s. “Unlike me and brother. Why does he need that much money?” he murmured.

‘Hmn?’ thought Verda. ‘Uncle does have a spending habit. I wonder what he does with the money.’

“Dad. has. talent. Youl swod.”

Dad chuckled at her lisps. “Thank you, Eli.”

“Nevil, what would your major be?”

“I’ll major in swordsmanship and minor in magic.”

“Ah! You’re following your old man's footsteps I see.” He said, proud of what his son had said.

“What about you Verda? What would you take When you got accepted there?”

“Artificer and magic?” said Verda, unsure.

His dad seems a bit down by that. “Verda. Artificer is a minor now, because only a few people chose it. Are you sure?”

“I’ll major in magic and minor in artificer then.” ‘I’ll show them how powerful and convenient an artifact is!’

“Alright then. Your brother will go to the academy tomorrow. You won’t see him again until summer breaks. Have fun!” Dad put Eli down and went inside the manor.

‘[Message]. Lagios, follow the carriage. I want to know what he spends his money for.’

‘Yes, master.’ Lagios flaps his wings and left the manor.

“Bwother youl familial!”

”He’ll be fine. Let’s continue playing today.”