Romy brings me food not long after and I gratefully wolf it down. She watches me eat while fussing-

“Is that enough? Do you want more? You went a long time without eating.” Her concern is very touching, and useful. I need to eat more and grow bigger for sure. In the wilderness, I probably didn’t have very good nutrition since I ate so much wild beast meat. If I’m to grow properly to take my revenge, then I absolutely need some vegetables. “Should I bring you something else?”

“Vegetables. Lots of vegetables.” I say in-between wolfish bites.

“You…want to eat vegetables?” Romy peers at me curiously, “Well, okay then! More broccoli coming right up!”

“Thank you.”

Once I am so full that another bite might make all my hard work go out the wrong way, I let out a big burp. Then I start putting into the action the plan I thought up before dinner.

“Auntie Romy.” I think throwing in the auntie bit makes her very happy. Romy’s eyes light up like Christmas lights and I’m pretty sure she will agree to anything I say now. She’s so much easier to deal with than Mark. “Can you teach me magic?”

“Sur-oh…you want to learn magic? But you’ve just turned five.” She starts to agree and then hesitates. “You know that only those who have the talent can learn magic, right? You’ll have to wait and hope that the aptitude to control magic comes to you. I can teach you the basic chants to a spell, but there’s no guarantee that it will work.”

“I already know the chants.” I reply and Romy raises an eyebrow as if she doesn’t believe me.

“Reaaally?” She says and crosses her arms, “Well, I suppose Mephis did say you were smart. It’s not unreasonable that you’d know the chants. But just so you know, actually casting your first spell is the true test of becoming a mage-”

“I can cast Chill, Burn, Gust, and Meld.” I list the names of the four basic spells Mephis taught me. Though he was unable to demonstrate anything but Chill, I’ve managed to master them through the chants alone. “Is that enough?”

“W-What?! Child, it’s not good to lie…!” Romy doesn’t believe me. However, when I point into the corner and silently cast chill in the air, the ice crystal which forms in the air cannot be disproven. “Oh…oh my gods! Holy crap! What the hell?! Wait…when did you say the incantation! WHEN DID YOU SAY IT! HOW DID YOU SAY IT SO QUIETLY!”

“I didn’t say it out loud. But I can if you want something more powerful.” The memory of trying to cast Chill when Mephis was in danger flashes through me. I failed to deflect the dagger that time. Never again. I will practice more. Practice until I can cast silent magic in my sleep. My magic will not be weak anymore.

[Frozen Wind of My Soul, Come Forth-Chill]

I chant the incantation out loud and a large ice crystal the size of my fist manifests. It falls to the floor with a thunk.

Then Romy follows it.

She slides down to the ground while incoherently muttering-

“Impossible…once in a lifetime…really Lian…silent magic…your child…did…you…cheat with an elf…?”

“Romy?! What was that!” Mark busts into my room once more. When he sees Romy on the floor, he hurriedly runs to her, “What’s wrong! Kid, what happened?!”

“I-It’s…fine. I’m okay.” Romy lifts her head from the floor while staring directly at me. Mark’s head follows her gaze and then notices the fat ice crystal slowly melting on the floor by my feet.

“Hey, that looks almost like…”

“Mark.” Romy suddenly snaps at him. The man turns back to his wife on the ground in surprise. It’s weird seeing a woman order a man around while lying on the floor. But she makes it seem natural, “How much have we saved for his college fund?”

“Huh? You want to talk about that now? Well, it’s a bit early, but by the time he’s ready, we’ll definitely be able to make it work…” Mark’s head tilts as he mentally does some math. “We have fifty silvers and the tuition is something like 63 so I think we’re almost there…”

“Get it for me. We’re spending it. Make sure the count is right. Actually, that might not be enough for a magic tutor. Grab our retirement as well.”

“Okay…sure thing…wait WHAT?!” He shouts but when Romy kicks him viciously in the shin, he’s forced to retreat from the room. “Fine, FINE! I’m going, one second!” It becomes quiet as Mark’s banging footsteps disappear down the hallway outside. Even I feel a bit awkward hearing Romy talking about her retirement savings. I’m prepared to get my revenge at any cost, but your retirement savings? Woman, isn’t that a bit much?

“You know, it doesn’t have to be the best teacher. I learn quickly, so I can make do with one that’s not so good…” I say guiltily, though I definitely don’t want a crappy tutor. However, Romy shakes her head.

“No. Absolutely not. I told you we would raise you as if you were our own son. You…you actually casted a perfect Chill…no, a better than perfect Chill at the age of five. And then there’s the matter of the silent...oh my gods I still can’t believe it even after seeing it with my own eyes. Are you sure you’re really Lian’s child?” She giggles and the sound of madness begins to invade her voice, “He…ehehehe…crazy. But you look like her so I guess it must be true. Regardless, this is exactly why an ordinary teacher won’t do. If we wasted your potential with a bad tutor, we would be the greatest sinners in Yuel…no, the worst traitors to the human race! I’d never be able to face your mother again.”

“Umm…well if you think so, then I can only accept your hospitality.” I get up from the bed and bow deeply to Romy who watches me from the floor. “Thank you, I will definitely pay you back one day for everything.”

“Hey! I said to treat us as if we were family!” Romy springs to her feet with surprisingly agility and smacks me as Mark comes back into the room, “Don’t act so formal with your Auntie! Also…heh, it’s not as if a future genius like you will not be able to make a lot of money. This is an investment okay? You don’t need to pay me back…but…if you were to come into a lot of money in the future…don’t forget about Auntie Romy, okay? Aish, imagine how bad it would be if I spent all our retirement and Mark left me…I’d have to go back to adventuring…”

Suddenly a shiver runs up my spine as I begin to get the feeling that Romy is smarter than she appears.

“Hey, what kind of guilt trip are you trying to put on the kid!” Mark yells from the corner but he’s ignored.

“Ah okay!” I agree and Romy takes my shoulders and brings me back to the bed. Mark watches us with a confused expression. However, when his wife snaps her fingers, he brings over a large ceramic piggy bank with a red nose.

“Mark…I told you to get our retirement as well.” She growls dangerously and the man sheepishly hands over a small pouch which clinks with coins as well. “Good. Also…this feels a bit light. You’re not holding anything back…are you? Because you know how much Lian did for us. I mean, if I find out you’re being stingy with her son, I can’t imagine what I’d do…”

“…” Mark silently reaches into his pocket and hands over another handful of coins. I see the glint of silver in-between his fingers and some tears might have fallen from his eyes, but I politely look away. Sorry, Mark. But this is for my revenge. As a man, you’ll understand right?

“That’s everything?” Romy asks suspiciously.

“Unless you want our grocery money for this month as well…”

“No, we need food. He’s still growing.” She seems satisfied with that and then hurls the piggybank against the floor.

*Crack*

I flinch but she swiftly counts the pile of silver coins which comes out. Adding together with the ones in the pouch and the coins Mark gave her, Romy tallies up the total.

“89…90…alright, 91 silvers! That will have to be enough!” Putting everything in the pouch, she pulls the string tight. “Tomorrow, at first light, I’ll start searching for a teacher! There’s no time to waste when training a genius!”