Chapter 7: A talk

When Leila woke up, she's already back home. She had strained herself to go beyond her body's limit, so it's not surprising that she slept without knowing that she's being moved. She reckoned that the sun should be already setting at this very moment, observing the orange glow outside her window.

She was in her room, on her bed with her mother at her side. Her mother had a thoughtful look on her eyes as Leila turned her eyes on her. A look that the child was more than familiar with, after all the [Her] of her past life often wore them—a masked nonchalance.

"Leila, did you somehow hide your abilities during the test this morning?" Deliah asked wearily. She and her husband were prepared to live a life of hiding after the exams were done. But somehow they got congratulations and sympathies from Gina when they were informed. They just can't believe it as they had personally seen what their daughter is capable of.

Leila nodded in confirmation of what she did. "You don't want them to know, so they won't know."

Deliah was touched by the sentiment and the fact that her kid had delivered what she had said. Only that it brought forth complex emotions that the mother felt like a failure. Their own child had to solve the problem themselves.

But that feeling was short-lived, shame came abruptly. They actually crippled their child with the troubles they, her parents had exposed her with. Their daughter now had to live a life of restraint. The mother doesn't know which is better of the two lives they could have lived as? A reclusive nomad or a chained bird? She doesn't know. And don't want to know the answer.

She felt guilty, but also relieved. At least for now they can continue this life a little longer. A confusing emotion that she hopes not to cause more problems in the future.

Being a parent is really hard. Wanting their child to be excellent, but also want them to be always with them. Knowingly or unknowingly they either chained their children on ideas and risked their relationship in the long run or they install a mindset that their children are not capable on their own. A balance on a parent's wants and a child's own future is hard to find.

"Did anyone else know of what you have done?" Deliah asked as she searched for any lies that her child may speak of.

"No one else does." Leila said with a shake of her head. "But I did something to our instructor. I didn't like him and he hurt the children who were with me."

Deliah was startled and immediately panicked. Her plans of making her family on the run were made in a flash.

"W-what did you do? Did you a-assault your instructor or something?" The mother shattered her words as she asked. She fears the worst.

"No I didn't. You'll be sad if I did that." Leila said as she called the Mana to gather in her palm, like when she's a child she formed them in a ball then released them. "I just made the Mana mad at him. They won't listen to him for at least a month. If they do hear him out they will play a prank on them."

Deliah was more than certain long ago that her child is not normal. She had the markings of it ever since she was months old. And as she was growing up she continued to be more different than what the mother had imagined.

No child is as skilled as she when it comes to Mana. No person had ever commanded the Mana to listen to their request without any spells or mediums to convey their will. And no normal child will see another child as someone who needs to be protected like she's much older and capable. Leila was abnormal and the society is cruel to these kinds of people.

Any child who shows high quality potential is favored by all, but someone with out of this world's talents are not appreciated and is treated as monsters that needs to be in constant monitoring. No matter how sounding it will be termed, the ones under these are no longer treated as one of them. An outcast, yet a cattle to be slaughtered.

Unfortunately, it was stated and written black and white on the laws and provision of their land, the reason why aptitude tests are mandatory for all. The minority who exhibits these qualities are not given a chance to be like most children, like Deliah's brother. Use for all their worth, no chance to make a choice of their own at all.

"Leila will you promise me this one thing?" Deliah said as she gathered her child in her arms. As much as she believes in her daughter's capability, no harm in being too cautious. "Can you keep your abilities a secret that only us: me, you, your father and your grandparents know of?"

Leila immediately agreed, she was also thinking about it. She'll wait upon her maturity, the time when no one can fight against her to slowly show what she's really capable of. She's not yet suited to fly on her own, she will be patient on the time being.

Deliah was not at ease with that verbal promise and vowed to instill a cautious attitude to her daughter. She talked about some things that she wanted Leila to take note of and be wary of. Only when she saw that her child was listening to her in all seriousness did she feel at ease.

In the following days she will be doing the same thing again. Until Leila will be able to recite it by heart and live with it. Cruel brainwashing she is doing, but for her safety it is necessary. An example was already done and the mother doesn't want the same thing to repeat itself.

After all that did she changed the topic. With a smile she informed her daughter about what is tonight's dinner. They went on and took their merry way to the kitchen where the strong smell of the dish is strong.

Harold welcomed them into the kitchen, but advised them to wait on the dinner for a little while. The dish was already cooked and ready to be served, but the table is not yet set. Leila volunteered to do the table, asking the Mana to help her. In just a while the table was ready.

"Am I allowed to do this?" Leila asked as she remembered that her mother didn't allow her to do anything unusual.

Harold and Deliah met their eyes and nodded in the direction of their child. It's unfair that even in the safety of their own place that they need to restrict her. Of course they only allowed it if there was only them and there are no visitors inside their vicinity. Under no circumstances should she do anything that she's not supposed to know or capable of in front of strangers or even with a friend.

The parents made a mental note of moving places. Somewhere a little remote no matter the inconvenience it will cost. They cannot risk someone seeing Leila doing magic in secrecy. If by chance the one who saw her was an alarmist, who knows what fate awaits them.

The dinner ended finely for such an eventful day. Leila told how the exam went and to the horror of her parents with the borderline insane methods. It was then Leila was informed such a method for examination is often used on college level entrance tests and not on pre-school aptitude tests.

The test for their age group was supposed to be a written test and a small stimulation to call upon their latent magic.

The former goddess could only imagine how crowded tomorrow is with parents in the same group as her the least. It was actually only their own room that encountered such an abnormal test. And thankfully in Leila's mind that teachers of this world still have the chances of actually being nice people unlike that madman.

Everyone retired in a good mood after a few while. But to some people, the night was not good as they had. As Leila imagined, the school will be crowded the day next.

In the daycare center that Leila attends, Gina was sorting the files of their pupils. She read them one by one and wrote a separated file for each child. Every year, the caretaker does these and every time she laments about certain students that she liked didn't pass the magic test.

The country is fair for all those who didn't have the potential to see the signs on the entrance of the testing site are brought in another area to take a written exam. There they get to be tested for their possible career path, which kind of early to start planning. But the country is just above to mandate over the futures of the country.

Most of them are children with normal backgrounds and with little exposure to Magic in general. So it was not unexpected that they won't pass the magic test. Their future is more or less expected to be nothing but ordinary, the future workforce that will be on a much safer side of things.

The ones who saw a line on the tent were the ones with potential for magic. Suppose the ones on this test are to take a written test too inside and their inherent mana affinity is to be drawn out as they walk around the site. It had always been like that, but this year a divergent appeared.

It was the source of Gina's headache. For this year's test was the new approach that one of the instructors had applied. And it was something dangerous enough that can be grounds to close down her daycare center.

If only the man was not of certain status, she wouldn't mind trashing him with the techniques of her family. But the man was not just an ordinary teacher in some institute, he is also the son of the deputy head of the department of Magic research. Even with her family's backing, she cannot beat a man with the government's backing. That is plain suicide, she won't risk her path on a hopeless fight.

She was further angered when the man had actually placed a claim on some of the children. The nerve to snatch potential pupils on the grounds of being the one who found them. If that was the case, would she have a bigger claim on the children as she had known them for at least two years?

Gripping her pen in obvious irritation, Gina shattered the poor piece writing utensil. She thought with building fury that the guy had the nerve to do so. Ability wise he is capable, connections wise he is also far reaching, nothing about him can be picked about except his rotten personality.

The caretaker cannot fight against that, even with her own family backing her. In that angle she really can't spur any complaints. Only that she's angry about the fact she is the one who had to face the aftermath of the guy's operation. That hateful person will not take any blame, not the one who will face the anger of the said children's parents and guardians for his stunts, and not the one who might lose everything because of this small incident. She could practically hear the nagging and complaints of the guardians and parents the moment the day starts tomorrow.

As she was just thinking about it, a call arrived in her office. Seeing the number and the name on her phone, Gina really wanted not to deal with all these. But to her pride and life goals, this is her center; she can't just give up after all the hard work she poured into this place. So whatever that happens within the walls of her daycare, it is her responsibility even if the faults are not with her.

Staring blankly at the name of the caller, Gina felt all sorts of malice from the world concentrating at her.

It was the Jones that were calling her. Gina felt an imaginary funeral with her in the coffin. She forgot most children in that cluster group are of some families with status. They are often the hardest ones to deal with. And Jones is particularly known for stubbornness and ruthlessness. According to some people the family had once erased someone who wronged them due to some little wrong. No concrete evidence or fact to back up that rumour, but everyone not strong enough is very wary about this family.

Now Gina is faced with this type of family with some dubious history of erasing people's existence. The caretaker felt her life slipping away imagining her bleak fate.

Breathing a deep breath she gathered most of her energy and patience to deal with the call. Considering that this is an foregone scenario, might as well be done with it. Death will be the worst outcome, but it's the interrogation is the the she fears the most,

Making a mental note to make her last will afterwards, she uttered her usual greetings. Almost as if there is nothing wrong for those who didn't know.

Glancing at the serene night sky she hoped for the night to be done. She's sure that there are calls more coming, so she will need all her energy answering them. She would rather be sent to the military base for another year than talk with this incident. What is done is done. She could only wish of a better day tomorrow, she awaited her verdict.