Chapter 9 -- Nightmare (8)

"Let's see."

Aside from her library, Athy's room had a bookshelf of its own. In that bookshelf was a book of magic. Although she had read it several times already, the princess found herself flipping through its familiar content.

Being able to use magic is a very rare phenomenon. Only ten out of a million people possess this ability. And out of these ten, only one can use magic at will. Using their body's magic, or that found within nature, these individuals can move or change objects. Also...

The first sections of the book were all about theory. Athy had memorized them long ago and wasn't interested in going over them again.

VERY EASY AND BEGINNER LEVEL MAGIC! EVEN DUMMIES CAN FOLLOW ALONG! (Of course, unless you're mentally challenged.)

Hm. This sentence irritates me no matter how many times I read it. Back when I was reading this for fun, it was hilarious. Now that I want to use it as a guide to using magic for real, it's nothing but frustrating.

Lucas had once told her that Blackie was the manifestation of her magic, and only appeared to be a living creature. Coincidentally, the divine animal had disappeared at the same time as Athy's magical explosion. After days of contemplation, she concluded that Blackie might have returned to her original form. Thus, she had come to open the book of magic with the plan of learning from it.

Now, what should I do? Looking very serious, Athy read through the book. She was relieved to know that it wasn't necessary to recite the actual titles of the spells. She would have given up on being a Great Magician if it was required that she shout things like Loli Loli Lollipop! Receive me, Rose Blossom Power☆ or Darkness darker than the abyss; please bring death upon my enemy! Not to mention that it would have been impossible to keep herself from laughing whenever Lucas used magic in front of her.

For a moment, Athy imagined Lucas reciting a spell like Darkness' Darkness, Death's Death! Feeling as though he might suddenly appear to kill her with an evil grin, Athy quickly stopped thinking about it. Still, the thought had made her feel better.

The book had long and grand explanations, but the gist of it was that one only had to imagine something and then strongly desire it.

That's it? Isn't that easier said than done? To think a book like this got published. They're practically con-artists. If using magic were this easy, I could have written a book of magic too.

Despite that, all the princess could do was blindly follow its instructions.

Currently, she was reading one of the beginner's sections: Summoning Objects. She chose to try and summon something familiar. According to a middle-school kid that she'd met back when she was a part-timer in a PC room, people usually did things like that when they were in situations like hers.

I doubt this will work, but...

"Fireball!" Athy extended her hand and shouted with grandeur. Suddenly, a red flame appeared before her eyes and wavered as if it was about to explode...! Or, at least, that was what WOULD have happened if she'd been in a novel. In reality, nothing had happened. The room was so quiet that one could have heard a pin drop.

Uh, this is slightly embarrassing. N-No one saw me, right?

Athy slowly lowered her hand and looked around. After confirming she was alone in the room, she clutched her chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

It doesn't work. This magic book is full of lies!

But after a moment, Athy wondered if she simply didn't have the magic to use the spell. After all, she'd felt no different after Blackie disappeared.

Would this mean that Blackie didn't absorb into me? She is so dainty and delicate. What if she was just surprised by the explosion and ran away somewhere? Didn't Lucas say that Blackie had a strong instinct to flee?

The thought was tempting.

Maybe I read this book for nothing. How could I think that I would suddenly become a Great Magician?

Throwing the magic book aside, Athy fell upon her bed.

Well, there's nothing special about magic anyway. Technically, the life I was living up until now was like magic to me. Whenever I ask Lily or the other maids for something, it appears right before my eyes. I used to think that if I found a genie's lamp or a goblin's bat, I would wish for things like money, a house, and delicious food to eat. Other kids might have wanted toys or pretty clothes, but I had to grow up fast. It's almost sad.

"Open Sesame!"

Remembering her childhood innocence, Athy began to shout various spells from cartoons she'd seen when she was younger.

"Abracadabra!"

When I was a little girl, I used to do things like this.

"Make Gold Knock Knock! Make Silver Knock Knock!" Maybe if she shouted spells like that, they'd come true. The sound of money falling from somewhere made Athy flinch. What was that? Confused, she turned her head towards the source of the sound. What she saw was a spectacular sight.

What is this? Coins are falling out of the air!

Silver and gold coins began to appear one by one. They were the same as the ones Lucas had used when they went on their outing.

But why so suddenly? Did Lucas return perhaps?

"L-Lucas?"

The room was silent.

"If you came back, stop hiding and come out!"

The room was silent again. There wasn't so much as a shadow of a person to be seen. She thought back to the spell she'd just been reciting.

Don't tell me...

"Make Gold Knock Knock, Make Silver Knock Knock…?" Athy mindlessly stared at the continued creation of coins as she mumbled the spell again.

"Ack!" The coins rained down upon her bed. "MR. COINS, WAIT A MOMENT!" The coins continued to flood Athy's room. She felt as though she might have a mental breakdown. "WAIT, WAIT! STOP! I'M TELLING YOU TO STOP!" After her desperate shouting, the coins finally stopped appearing. Athy panted.

What happened to me just now? Am I asleep? Is this a dream? But when she pinched herself, she definitely felt pain.

"What is this?" The princess stared at the gold and silver around her. Even though she was sitting on top of her bed, the coins nearly covered her feet.

"Come out, gold coin! Ah, wait. JUST ONE!" Athy spoke once more after extending her hand in front of her. A sparkling coin fell upon her hand.

"Haha…" Athy couldn't help but chuckle in utter disbelief.

I really made this? Really? Really really?

Unable to completely believe what happened, she recited the spell again and again. Each time, coins would fall into her upturned hand. It seemed as though she would now be able to create counterfeit money, as Lucas once had.

W-Wow. I can't believe it. But, when I cried "Fireball" earlier, nothing happened. Why did this work?

Eventually, she concluded that her magic respected her vulgar nature.

Athy rose and took a single step forward. The coins that had piled up on top of her feet rolled onto the ground. After a moment of dumbfounded contemplation, she decided to lay on top of the mountain of coins. It was something she had done in the past. She could find her peace of mind by resting atop the treasures of the royal vault that Claude had given her. Yup! This is the real money cushion! Have you ever heard of golden-money therapy?

"Wow, I'm rich."

Her bewilderment reached new heights as she felt the cold, metal coins all around her.

I know that crazy things have been happening lately, but to think that this boss-level weirdness was still around the corner? I can use magic now?! Did my dream of becoming a Great Magician come true?

"Wow."

But, for some reason, the blonde wasn't having fun.

If something like this had happened to her before, she wouldn't have been able to keep the grin off her face. Maybe it's because none of this feels real?

"Seriously. Wow." She mumbled soullessly to herself. "Blackie really disappeared."

Then, it's true. Right?

The emptiness in her chest grew deeper.

I knew Blackie would disappear one day, but I didn't think it would be so soon. Instead of listening to Lucas, I let myself love Blackie more and more every day. Perhaps he had known her heart better than she did.

Only now, Lucas wasn't there to scold her for being stupid.

"What is this?"

Thinking about Lucas and Blackie agitated her for some reason. Raising her arms, she covered her eyes. Her mind was riddled with thoughts of Claude.

This is all too much. I want to sleep for a week and not have to think about anything.

As if her magic granted her wish, a wave of exhaustion washed over her. Pretending that she could not fight that overwhelming tiredness, Athy closed her eyes.