Chapter 26: Her home environment

First thing Leila wanted to do when she arrived home was to run to her room. But her mother didn't agree.

Leila was told to set the dishes on the table as Deliah went to call her husband. She wants them to eat together in the evenings. No excuses will make her deter her enforcement of her will on this matter. Even her capable daughter can't make her change her mind.

Deliah has been strict to Leila ever since she turned 10. Despite being weaker than her daughter, she's a force to be reckoned with. Having a now teenage daughter just toughens her more than softens her.

Their dinner affair ended normally. She was then free to go to her room.

Closing her door for privacy, which was stipulated strictly by her parents from an early age, she summoned the resident around her.

Various animal shapes and plant shapes of many colors showed themselves after her call. They were the Mana she manipulated before her first aptitude test. They liked their current form and maintained their shapes as such ever since.

For reasons still not known to Leila. These Manas had been granted a breath of life when she first made them. Slowly but surely they are turning into species that will one day become loyal guardians of special things.

At the moment they are still far from that form. They are still forming their personalities and habits. Though small and cute, they are indeed much more powerful than the average immature Manas.

Like always they are very excited with the presence of Leila. They brushed their selves on her like kittens to their mothers or owners.

"I'm back everyone." She said as she smiled in content. One by one she touched and felt them for a while.

Leila then immediately went to change her clothes into something more comfortable. She let loose her braids and wore her fluffiest Cotton jacket. She found herself obsessed with them ever since she had become a human. In fact she cannot resist anything fluffy in general.

Finding it bothersome to keep wearing her glasses, she took them off making her blue eyes free from its obstructive lens. If it weren't for her safety she would not wear them at all. Her eyesight is really different from norm, sometimes according to her parents it changes colors.

It might have some inside reason why it does change. Her maternal grandparents may have some idea but withheld the information to their daughter and family. Whatever it was, Leila knew it's dangerous.

With her glasses that are made with unknown materials, her changes are hidden from the populace. It was gifted by her grandfather in order to safeguard her from horrors that made the elderly scared.

Leila can pry whatever she wants to know, but knows better not to invade someone's privacy. She always asks for permission before she investigates someone's life. Though out of habit, she often asks people this affirmation in sly. If the person in question hasn't noticed it, nothing could she do as they already gave her a go signal.

So far she wasn't able to get any permission from her parents and grandparents about certain matters she wanted to know.

Her only consolation was that she got an affirmation from Harvey, the guy might just thought of her joking. But she has already done her investigation on matters that call upon her attention. It is the factor that she's doing some extra work on the side to make him return to the past. Better yet be more than he used to be.

"Now then." Leila stretched herself on her bed. A laptop on her lap as she waited for it to boot up.

With practice ease, the shaped Mana scrambled to be the nearest to her. Some with opposite nature's fought on the side, while some made themselves/cozy in their chosen position.

When Leila's laptop was fully booted. Leila opened her secret files. She is going to think of some of her self made spells into something else. Their activity this morning has stimulated her enough.

Though if she had other alternatives, she would like to store her works to somewhere else. She's not really very trusting with anything digital. Call her ancient, but she's preferred using paper or better a parchment to transcribe her spells.

Writing down on a physical copy is more practical to her. It gives her a sense of security and peace, then storing her works with a device that is prone to be accessed by anyone knowledgeable enough to bypass all sorts of security. If she has it with a tangible form, she could enchant it with curses to whoever tries to crack it open.

But with how much the population promotes this form of technology, any other type of way of recording something is very scarce. Even a simple notebook is now rarely seen in her side of the city. It made her sulk for a few days, but became happier when her grandparents promised her to supply her with paper during summer time. Which Leila still has, but used carefully with how limited her stocks are.

After an hour, Leila is a littles satisfied with her progress. All she needs now is to test it out. To do so she needs to ask permission from her mother, but the nature of her new spells her request of testing them inside the house is close to null. But she ought to try.

Deliah was in the living room when Leila asked for permission. She was coordinating her customers' orders and making some after sales talk.

"Mom I have a request." Leila said as she tried to make herself look more confident. She wanted to present herself reliably, chances are her proposal will be accepted if she does so.

"What is it?"

"I have a new spell to test it out. Will you allow me to test it inside the house?"

Deliah stopped her business with her laptop and looked at her daughter. She wore a firm face. Leila knew that she better talk and lay down her points well at this point.

"What spells?" Deliah asked.

"Improve ones of what we're taught at school."

"Scale of 10, the possible inconvenience for me?"

"....around 7?"

"Are you sure about that estimate?"

"Not sure."

"Then no." Deliah said with a smile. She then returned to her business.

"But mom!" Leila found herself saying. She strongly felt the difference of treatment of her younger self compared to her of now.

Back then they used to indulge her with whatever she asked for as long as it was within their capability. But as she grew up, although still indulged on some matters they have been quite restrictive. Especially with her using new spells and experimenting on them.

On Daliah's defense renovation is costly. Every wrong spell or inaccurate amount of Mana being used leads to them not having a roof or a wall at times. So even if she allows indoor usage of Magic, she will not entertain anything that will add more on the household expenses.

Leila wanted to protest. But a single glare was enough to shut her up. Leila has never felt this type of terror during her days as a goddess, she just found herself unable to fight back with the existence she calls her mother.

"Then can I go out to test it?" Leila tried to bargain. She could have just gone her way without asking, but she doesn't want to face her mother with a face of a demon when she returns. Mothers are scary in that aspect too.

"I don't want to allow you. But I know if I didn't allow you, you're going to make your father negotiate for you." Deliah said as she once again turned to her daughter.

Leila turns her head to the side. She is indeed thinking of doing that. But convincing her father is hard, though not as tough as convincing her mother. It is her last resort if she really can't help it.

"I won't go far." Leila said.

She then explains that she's going to Mt. Tres. It's a little far, but it is the nearest mountain to use as an experimental site. Though there are other options, the trees are good covers with her activities.

"What assurance do I have that you'll be back in one piece." Deliah said as she considered her request. She is worried about her going far without her monitoring.

"These guys." Leila called the shaped Manas.

The little guys showed themselves one by one. They are confused why they are called with their favorite human's mother in the same room. They are normally not allowed to be seen by anyone unless necessary.

Deliah raised an eyebrow when the Man appeared. She sometimes sees them when she is tired. They cover her with blankets sometimes too, making her quite fond of them.

"These guys will alert you if something did happen to me. They are connected to me for some reasons. So please allow me out mom." Leila said, begging a little on the end.

The little Mana appealed for the benefits of Leila. They acted cute and cool to Deliah. It was fun doing it. Since Leila allowed them to be seen by Deliah, then they can appear as they liked in the future. So they better make good impressions now to always be welcomed.

Deliah melted with the actions of the little guys. She didn't show it though. Instead she looked all dignified. Waiting for a few moments she then gave her permission. Of course her child will not go out without some nagging from her.

Leila finally breathed a relieved sigh as she closed the door of her room. She went back to transfer a copy of her file to her phone before leaving.

She really wonders how she became this week in front of a mortal. In her younger years her parents cannot do much about her. She pretty much does whatever she pleases. Is this the side effect of being fully human? If so, then she can conquer the world as she pleases but she will always be helpless on the face of her parents.

Changing to some suitable clothing. She made a teleportation hub in her room. Requesting to the formless Mana in the air to find her a secluded area in Mt. Tres, she vanished from her room.