Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Magic and Talent
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The breeze was warm. Rubbing my eyes as I woke up, I gazed toward where the wind was blowing and thought that. Through the open glass window—or door, perhaps—I could see the familiar backs of two people sitting on the veranda. Their hair fluttered in the wind.
The two were chatting away quietly. I flailed my short limbs and toddled toward them on the veranda. As I drew closer, their hushed voices grew louder.
"...So, starting tomorrow, I'll be heading out right away."
"I see..."
"Yeah. Oh? Eunha."
Noticing me up and waddling over, Auntie Seona turned around and smiled at me. Her long hair gracefully swayed. Then, Mom, sitting beside her, reached out and scooped me up into her arms. I nestled quietly into Mom's embrace. Auntie Seona gazed at me softly and said,
"Eunha's walking so well now."
Seeing her proud expression somehow made me shy. Mom nodded happily.
"Yeah. She's gotten really good at it lately. How about your little one?"
"Well, Inha just started walking. But Eunha's even better at it. She was born a bit earlier than Inha, after all."
"True enough."
At the mention of 'Inha,' I pictured her face and grinned widely. Auntie Seona was Mom's closest friend, so she often brought Inha over to our house. Whenever she did, I'd lie right next to her, admiring Inha's face. Inha really was a beautiful baby. For some reason, her pitch-black eyes shimmered with a blue hue—it was incredibly fascinating.
Even as a baby, you could tell she'd grow up stunningly gorgeous. Well, her parents were both such beauties.
Auntie Seona, for starters, was so strikingly beautiful that you'd never guess she had a child. Her silver eyes, like chips of ice, made me think Inha's eyes must come from her genes. Her high magical prowess had frozen her apparent age around twenty...
And in fact, Auntie Seona's husband was even more handsome. With his mouth shut, he had this cool, intellectual air, but his gentle features made 'cute' fit him perfectly. Plus, his constant little slip-ups with that face and expression only added to the charm.
Lost in those thoughts, I let my expression cloud over just a bit.
Then Auntie Seona took me from Mom's arms. She hugged me close, her eyes crinkling in a gentle smile. She was breathtakingly pretty—it was dizzying. How could anyone look at her and think 'mother'?
"Seeing our cute little Eunha like this might be the last time. Kind of a shame."
That was it—the topic they'd been discussing. Mom's voice trembled as she replied.
"What do you mean last time? It's not like we'll never see each other again..."
Auntie Seona smiled brightly.
"True. But this is probably the last time we'll see her as a baby, right?"
"Don't worry. I'll send pictures and stuff..."
Mom trailed off, her face falling as she mumbled,
"...Guess there's no way around going, huh?"
Auntie Seona gave a wry smile.
"Of course not. I'm their main powerhouse, after all. At least it's on this planet—that's lucky. If it were another one, it would've taken years more."
As she spoke, she sent a whirlwind of ice crystals skyward from her fingertips. Cool energy drifted down one by one atop the spring breeze. I shrank back at the unfamiliar sensation but watched Auntie Seona's rare display of magic with wide, wondrous eyes.
It couldn't be helped. Magic like this was commonplace in this world, but I—I had lived in a world without it before.
I'd seen it many times, yet it still amazed me. To wield something like that at will...
Reaching out toward the falling ice crystals with such thoughts in mind, Auntie Seona smiled at me.
"Oh my."
With a small exclamation, she conjured another ice crystal above my hand. This one was quite large. She placed it in my palm. I fiddled with the cold object in fascination.
Moreover, Auntie Seona's magic was especially remarkable. Above all, she was one of the world's most renowned and powerful mages. Dual main magics, ranked in the global top 100, and she'd reached S-rank in her mid-twenties!
An unbelievable resume. The mere fact that someone like her was around me was astonishing.
"Hehe, looks like Eunha likes it."
Auntie Seona gently stroked my hair. Mom watched her with a clouded expression, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Having such a talented friend sure comes with its hardships. ...I'll miss you."
"It's not that bad. We'll email and write letters often, and video call a ton. What, no plans to contact me? Why's Korea's finest communication mage acting like this~?"
"Of course I will! But still, it's disappointing... We can't actually meet, hold hands, or anything."
"Come on. We're not some star-crossed lovers who can't live without each other."
Yet even as she said it, Auntie Seona spread her arms and pulled Mom into a tight hug with a laugh.
"I'll miss you too. So call me anytime. Even in the middle of the night—it's fine."
"…Nah, I'm not that rude..."
"Still. And you've got your husband and Eunha. Of course, I've got mine and our girl too... But if you don't think of me at all, I'll get mad?"
"As if."
"Yeah, right?"
Watching them, I felt a twinge of disappointment myself. Mom was her best friend, sure, but I'd grown quite attached to Auntie Seona's daily visits. Plus, her whole family was so gorgeous—it was a feast for the eyes.
With that in mind, I unwittingly grabbed Auntie Seona's sleeve. She, who had lifted me up and was hugging Mom, looked at me with wide eyes and smiled.
"Oh my?"
Mom giggled softly at me too.
"Looks like Eunha knows you're leaving. She's sad."
"Uwa... I'll be so sad to leave this Eunha behind! Ah, what do I do? Eunha's just too cute!!"
Auntie Seona cried out, squeezing me tight. Sorry, but you have to go. Ah, it's really disappointing—what to do? Mom chuckled at her mumbling and asked,
"You said tomorrow? I'll see you off. How're you traveling?"
"Via international warp gate. Our organization's B-rank, so we qualify."
"You qualify on your own just fine? Mage world-ranked 98th."
The two women gazed at each other and burst into laughter.
To put it simply, I had been reincarnated.
At first, there was only deep, endless darkness, my consciousness sinking without sensing a thing. Then suddenly, the darkness rippled, and my awareness began to surface.
I heard a heartbeat and felt a warm sensation enveloping my body. Recalling nothing of my final moments before death, I simply smiled in comfort.
But that lasted only a moment. After listening to that warm heartbeat for a while, my body suddenly felt constricted, and cold air slapped against my skin. Joyful voices and tender hands reached for me—I could only wail in confusion.
Only after some time had passed did I realize.
Ah, I've been reincarnated.
Most people would be shocked upon realizing that. But not me. For one, reincarnation—or living a new life—wasn't new to me. And this life had been promised from the start.
The first thing I did upon coming to my senses was check the 'subspace' the Goddess had given me. Thankfully, everything I'd gathered in my previous life was there. Asking 'her' for the subspace had been the right call a hundred times over. She'd given it readily just for summoning and naming her, though she was a bit much herself. Anyway, she was truly, genuinely, incredibly kind.
Next, I reviewed my memories. I reflected on my previous life—not too long, not too short. My precious people, my loved one. Recalling those vivid past lives, I smiled in my infant body. Some memories were missing, but that was natural—I accepted it.
The world I was born into was vastly different from my previous one. It was definitely 21st-century Earth, but everything else was different. The year was 202X, yet civilization was far more advanced. Robots were commonplace, flying cars zipped through the skies, virtual games existed, and space travel via starships was routine.
Yet cultural things like games, books, and comics lagged about a decade behind. Comics from the 2000s in my past life were just coming out now.
The biggest difference? 'Magic.'
I moved my stubby limbs to sit up and focused on the TV broadcast in front of me.
[There are many kinds of magic in this world.]
It was a preschool educational program. The moving illustrations were quite captivating.
[The existence of magic was first discovered 200 years ago. Once the first true mage was found, it led to the discovery of magic kingdoms that had been passing down magic in secret—that marked the beginning of our current magic culture.]
An image of a witch appeared and vanished, magic symbols unfolding above her hand. A woman's voice continued.
[From that moment, magic began to evolve and has now become an inseparable part of our lives—a culture, a power, ever-present by our side.]
Several images appeared on screen.
[There are many types of magic in the world, but they broadly fall into four categories: True Magic, which manifests principles through diagrams and runes; Spell Magic, which activates via incantations and names matching the magic; Attribute Magic, which uses the inherent properties of mana as magic itself; and Unique Magic, which one creates and grows personally.]
Unique Magic. Hearing that term, I unconsciously moved my hand. It resonated perfectly in my heart—a delightful name.
[Among them, the symbol of a mage's power is, naturally, Unique Magic. It becomes the mage's power from the moment it's born from their imagination. Unique Magic has its own types: the central Main Magic, the supporting Sub Magic, and others typically called Auxiliary Magic.]
Magic born from a mage's imagination. It grows according to the mage's vision.
It was utterly unknown and fascinating to me.
Being born into a magic world was exciting enough, but the fact that I could create magic myself was pure joy.
Honestly, I couldn't wait to use magic, even a second sooner.
But I knew it was impossible.
Most start developing their 'Main' magic around elementary school age, at earliest. In early years, they test for mana aptitude and begin accumulating mana. From middle grades, they learn existing magics like Spell Magic. If talented, classes are divided by skill, and they start conceptualizing their own magic. It's usually middle school when the first Main Magics emerge. Well, above-average talents—prodigies—follow a different path...
So, I was still a baby, not even able to sense mana yet. Unique Magic? Out of the question.
To create magic, first sense mana, then control it, accumulating your own along the way. Only then can you use basic 'existing magics' like Spell or True Magic. Unique Magic comes after.
[Magic has now merged with science, evolving in ways once unimaginable.]
The broadcast shifted to science's brilliant advancements. I watched with sparkling eyes. Then Dad approached from behind. He sat behind me, legs around mine.
I turned my heavy head to look at him, wobbling—Dad caught me with both hands.
"Whoa."
"Wah─."
I made a lisping sound. My mind wasn't a baby's, so it was embarrassing. I glanced at the magic broadcast I'd been watching. Now it discussed 'mages' and 'non-mages.'
I sneaked a peek at Dad's face. But he seemed unfazed. I hesitated, thinking.
This was a magic world. 70% of the population were mages. Meaning, non-mages existed too.
Those with no aptitude for magic—or so minimal they couldn't use anything but formalized Spells and True Magic. Lacking the talent for Unique Magic, they could only handle basics. They were called 'non-mages.'
Dad was one. Such people often worked magic-related specialist jobs or ordinary companies. Dad was the latter. But I'd heard he was fairly well-known among non-mages for his efficiency.
Still... this world favored mages. Non-mages were somewhat overlooked. So I was cautious.
Sensing my thoughts, Dad smiled softly and stroked my hair.
"By the way, what kind of magic does Eunha want?"
His words made me awkward for a second, then I burst out laughing. Raising my hands, I replied joyfully.
"Ah─woo──."
...Though the words didn't come out right.
But I had so much to say—it was frustrating not being able to express it.
Truthfully, I'd thought a lot about my Main Magic but hadn't decided. It wasn't that simple. Still, I had plenty of magics I wanted to learn.
Teleportation first—essential. It's common in Auxiliary Magic, so I'd master it! Not as Main, though. I could create it if needed.
X-ray vision too. You have no idea how much I struggled finding things without magic! Tracking magic as well.
But the magic I truly wanted to create was one supremely useful for imagination.
In my past life, I'd been a novelist. So, yes—that's why.
My writing stemmed from that imagination. So I absolutely wanted a magic rooted in it. Something was coming to mind.
Creating Unique Magic involves heavy imagination anyway—wouldn't that give me an edge? As a former novelist. Giggling inwardly with anticipation for the future.
I formed words with my clumsy tongue.
"B─ba─."
Just gibberish, but Dad interpreted it differently.
"Huh? Did she just say Dad? Good job, our Eunha!"
Yes. Classic doting dad.
Nestled in his arms, I wondered: What magic had Dad wanted?
Of course, I'd never ask outright. It'd hurt a non-mage like him.
Anyway, I'd think more about magics to create. Honestly, just being born in a world where I could use magic made me thrilled.
'Hehehe.'
Cackling like a witch inside, I heard a door open. Mom, neatly dressed, flung it wide and stepped out. Seeing Dad and me, she scowled.
"You still haven't changed Eunha's clothes? We need to go now."
"Already?"
"Yes!"
Mom nodded with a pout. My ears perked up. Dad grinned awkwardly and quickly changed my outfit.
Meanwhile, as Dad dressed me, I beamed. Embarrassed about being undressed as a baby? That's a loss. Pfft!
Even so, I grinned because—though it was a hospital—we were going somewhere special. My first magic-related checkup since birth! Early development, or whatever.
Dad finished dressing me, Mom swaddled me in a baby carrier, and they headed out.
Dad drove. Scenery whizzed by. Amid my excited flailing, Mom's wistful voice reached my ears.
"If Seona were here, I'd ask Jeongmin."
"Ah… Her husband's a medical mage, right?"
"Yeah. Kind of a shame."
'Seona'—a name I hadn't heard in a bit. I blinked.
The car arrived at a quiet hospital. Despite the location, it bustled inside.
Held in Mom's arms, we waited, then entered the exam room. A doctor in white and a nurse sat there.
"Hello. I'm Yoo Jinhan, with the reservation."
"Yes. Here for the baby's mana circuit development?"
"Yes. This is her."
I felt my heart pounding tensely as the smiling doctor looked at me. Early childhood mana circuit development aided future mana control. Most kids here got it once. It started at age one minimum, but sooner was better for spotting talent.
It circulated mana along the body's mana circuits, clearing blockages—only skilled doctors could do it. Hence, pricey.
"Name?"
"Eunha."
"Got it. Hi, Eunha."
I mumbled vaguely, lips moving. Aoah... Still couldn't say much. Naturally, the doctor didn't understand.
"Then, please remove the baby's top and place her here."
"Okay."
I frowned slightly but accepted it. Worrying about undressing at the hospital? Loss. Especially as a baby... Urgh...
I was sat on the baby bed. Snaps undone, top off—it was a one-piece. The doctor placed a hand on my back. Somehow scared, I squeezed my eyes shut.
Then, a strange sensation started from my back. I opened my eyes wide. An itchy feeling from behind slowly circled my body. Somewhere itched. It was cozy. Warm, wondrous, fulfilling.
"Ah, ah─woo─."
'Wow...'
I marveled. This must be mana. I sensed it instinctively.
For reference, responses to baby circuit development varied. Some felt mana flowing in immediately, others after time, some not at all for a while.
Feeling injected mana didn't mean sensing ambient mana. But circuit development certainly influenced mana sensing.
As I murmured in awe, the doctor smiled faintly.
"Your daughter seems talented. The development's going smoothly. Not absolute, but I've seen many strong mages in cases like this."
"Oh..."
"Really? That's great."
"Wow~!"
I agreed wholeheartedly. Truth be told, though Main Magic was undecided, I had two in mind.
First: Barriers. Protective, space-sealing kinds. Space-manipulating magic.
Second: Rune Magic. Manifest written things into reality. Turn stories real. Fitting for a past-life novelist? Barriers for personal realms and runes for settings—combined, they'd vividly realize my visions.
But it felt insufficient for fully embodying my imagination. So, not Mains. Barriers as Sub, maybe. Runes closer to Main.
Unique Magic had no limit on numbers. Dual Mains were hard if incompatible, but creation had no cap if affinities matched. Many had dozens of Subs/Auxiliaries. Strength and capacity depended on personal skill.
I'd make the space barrier a Sub. Runes for Main.
Having rough plans made the talent news very welcome. Dad, a non-mage, beamed too. Mom's expression was ambiguous.
"Really...?"
She stroked my hair, saying that. I looked up curiously. She just smiled at me.
"Feeling good? Eunha?"
I burst into giggles at her words. Of course—ecstatic.
Sensing mana flow was thrilling and joyful. A new sensation I'd never experienced. I'd handled subspace before, but no other powers. Using magic from stories, comics, movies? Immense joy.
My heart raced. Grow up fast! I want to cast magic ASAP!!
I laughed gleefully again.
That night, I dreamed. Reaching for the sky, something swirled around my hand. This feeling—I remembered. Yes, mana! Ecstatic, I swung my arm. Mystical light burst forth.
"Wow─."
Eyes sparkling, I exclaimed. Because it was a dream, words came easily. If only this became reality soon. Dreams allowed anything, but they were illusions.
A pleasant dream.
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