003: Alfred Slowlette

The day after I experienced God’s magic lecture, I started trying to practice magic when I woke up in the morning.

But I can’t get the light to appear.

I feel something warm and powerful around my chest, but it doesn’t move like I want it to. When I tried to take hold of it (to be precise, inside myself), it would disappear like smoke.

Ugh, frustrating.

Thanks to God’s magic lecture, I had a better understanding of the role of magic in the world. Since everyone had magical energy to some degree, that’s why this world of swords and magic arrived at this point. There were farmers, nobles, and kings. Babies grew to adults and aged into the elderly.

The amount of magic energy can be increased with proper training, but individuals had different magic energy potentials as well. A few individuals started with significant magical energy. Others had minor magical energy, and couldn’t grow it much over their lifetime, even with practice. Some can’t grow their energy at all. There are all sorts of different magical potentials.

Magic is the power that acts on the magic energy within you and in the environment. By chanting certain phrases or words, the energy can be actualized into magic. In addition, magical circles can be drawn, then activated by flowing magical energy into the circle. Recently, magical tools with embedded magic circles have been developed, though it’s early days for that technology.

This might sounds simple, but the reality is not so easy. Magicians need to manipulate the magic energy to activate magic. Without proper control, the effect of the magic can vary to dramatic effect. You could try to fill a glass with water, but with poor control you might give yourself an impromptu shower instead.

In other words, an important pillar of effective magic is precise manipulation. Furthermore, to employ powerful spells, a high magic energy is required. To increase your internal potential, an individual must use up their magical energy, which gives a little increase to the maximum potential.

How much is that increase? I’m not sure…

I don’t know how much I’m improving, and I don’t know how long the calendar year of this world is anyways, so it will be difficult to track my progress. I’ll just have to keep improving slowly.

I am a baby, so it’s not like I have many other activities to divert my attention. Magic practice is about all I can do. If I don’t keep practicing, I won’t be able to use Spatial Magic, I would hate that.

One month later

My mother, father, and sometimes my sister have been regularly talking to me, so I’ve been picking up the language little by little.

My father helped me with the written words by putting the words up on the wall of the room. Does he have the idea that showing the words will help babies learn? I’ve heard of the practice back on Earth, but I was never sure whether or not it was just a gimmick. Is it like playing classical music to a baby in the womb?

It’ll a bit too quick for a normal baby, but I can do speak some basic words.

“That’s not it.” Mother

My mother and I were playing a game by game by her pointing at a word and I would repeat it.

“Ah! Al is happy!” Al

“Yes.” Mother

I still can’t understand all the words, but I’ve figured out my name is Al. Apparently. I don’t know if it’s a full name or a nickname, but I’m glad I know my name. I like it. I can feel the love of my family and I’m already happy.

My magic training is also going well. At first, I didn’t have good control, so I couldn’t empty my magic energy each day. I got a bit impatient that first week. During my second week of practice, I was finally able to manipulate my magic energy precisely enough to use the light spell. It was faint, but I was finally able to cast a magic spell. I can now use all my magic energy every day to improve my magic capacity. Things are going well.

Three months old

I’m finally able to understand most of the words of my parents, so life is more interesting now.

• My name is Alfred Slowlette.
• My mother is Elna Slowlette.
• My father is Nord Slowlette.
• My sister is Eleanora Slowlette.
• My brother is Silvio Slowlette.

The title of the Slowlette family seems to be a baron, thanks to my father’s achievements. His title may be low, but we aren’t poor of assets. We seem to be comfortable in our position. My mother seems to be the daughter of a merchant, and has a good talent in magic. She used lights and fireballs to please me the other day. My father may be slim and gentle looking, but he’s a former adventurer. He must have achieved something significant as an adventurer to get to his current position.

I’m now able to roll myself onto my tummy and scoot around a bit. Normal children only get to this step at 4 or 5 months of age, it seems my arm and leg wiggling exercise actually worked! I may be developing a little early, but I should do this in front of my parents.

“I beseech. Reveal the light that illuminates everything” Al

Reach into your heart and activate the light magic at your fingertip. It seems the more practice you get with a spell will allow you spend less time gathering the magic and allows you to shorten your chant.

An appropriate amount of brightness appears on my fingertip. After about 30 seconds, it fades away as my concentration fails to sustain it. It’s quite difficult to keep the magical power consistent. 30 seconds is a new personal best for me, last week, I could only do 20 seconds. With my internal magic energy, I think I could do another 7 or so of 30 seconds instantiations.

As I basked in my accomplishment, I heard footsteps from behind my door. I wonder if it is my mother or father.

“Excuse me” whispers a female maid as she enters the room.

She seems about 20 years old, dressed in a black dress with a long skirt frilled in white fabric and a white apron. She has on a black headband with straight black hair. Hmm, it feels nostalgic to see a woman with black hair. Nevertheless, there’s a maid in the household. I wonder if that’s a normal part of living in a noble family? My original family was quite ordinary, so I didn’t have the experience of having a maid.

I wonder if my new parents will take care of the children, or will they leave it up to the household help?

“Nord-san is out working today, so I will take care of you with Mrs. Elna. Please take care of me, Sarah. Thank you.” The maid named Sarah bows her head down with a beautiful action.

Oh, I think I vaguely remember hearing that my dad would go out last night. I get pretty sleepy at that time of night. Even so, the maid is bowing her head to a three month old baby? How polite is she?

“Now, I’ll start cleaning the room.” Sarah

“Ai” I cry as a courteous answer.

“Hmm? That’s a odd coincidence? That timing seems too correct for a baby.” Sarah

Seems Sarah was surprised by my answer, she seems to think it an accident. She may look dignified, but her tone showed she was a 17 year old.

Sarah is cleaning one item after another.

“Excuse me, Alfred. I will replace the sheets.” Sarah

Sarah puts me on the floor with my pillow to change the sheets. I see my chance! The door was left open. Sarah is making the bed and not paying enough attention to baby Alfred. I can make a break for it! I can scoot around and explore the mansion beyond my room!

I scoot out of my room and enter the corridor, which was covered with red carpet. It seems quite wide and large, though I am seeing it from a baby’s perspective. I shouldn’t stay in front of my door, I’ll get caught immediately when Sarah realizes I’m gone.

Scoot, scoot, scoot down the hallway.

The next room’s door is also opened, probably because it is being cleaned as well. I see some chairs and desk, but little else. What is this lonely room used for?

Well, let’s keep going. I’ve found some stairs going down, this house must have two stories.

Through the next door, I seem some desks and shelves with books on them. It’s no library, but better than nothing. Would you call this room a study? I’d like to start reading books, but I’m not strong enough to hold the book. Maybe if I get a baby chair I could read some simple books by resting it on my thighs?

Well, I should scoot on to the next room…

“Huh? Where’d Alfred go? Where?!” shouts Sarah from my room. It seems my escape has been noticed.

I hear some footsteps coming up on the stairs.

“Good, good. Oof, this water is heavy, it’s tough….” maid

I locked eyes with the brown-haired maid who was climbing the stairs.

Today’s adventure is over.

“Ehhh!? Alfred!?” maid

“Eh? Do you see Mr. Alfred over there, Mina?” Sarah

Sarah exits my room.

“Eh? Yeah, he’s outside the study.” Mina

“When did he get there? How?” Sarah

“Sarah. Are you cleaning Alfred’s room?” Mina

“When I was cleaning the bed, I took my eyes off for a second…” Sarah

Sarah and Mina have a quick discussion about my escape, then sigh.

“Well, you had the most experience raising a baby, so I left it to Sarah. Please be more attentive.” Mina

“Yes, I’m sorry… uh, how did he get out here?” Sarah

“Yes, it’s a bit early for him to be moving around like this.” Mina

““How on earth?” Sarah

Night

“Mrs. Elna. I have a report about Alfred.” Sarah

“What happened?” Elna

“Today, when I took my eyes off him, Alfred left his room and crawled to the study.” Sarah

“Oh~? I wonder how he was able to do that?” Elna

“Isn’t it too early for that?” Sarah

“I saw him trying that a little while ago, but there was nothing too unusual in it. Let’s keep a closer eye on him so he can’t hurt himself.” Elna

“Yes” Sarah

Translation

Good Job!

Do Better!

Chapter

Love It!

What?

FFS!

Really?