News

Two weeks later

Ever since his conversation with Rin, Hajime had been diligently working on mastering silent casting.

So far, he'd managed to silently cast a few basic spells—Fireball, Air Jump, and Air Bullet—which was impressive for someone his age. But all of them were Rank 1 spells.

Why is silent casting so hard? Hajime thought in frustration. All I have to do is remember the feeling—but even that doesn't help.

He stood panting in the training field, sweat dripping from his brow. His breathing was heavy, and his legs trembled from exhaustion. Dozens of failed attempts littered the air and ground around him—half-formed spells that fizzled out or never materialized at all.

There has to be an easier way…

Mom said to focus on the feeling, to recreate the emotion that came with the incantation. But if that method isn't working for me... maybe it's wrong—or at least incomplete.

His gaze drifted upward to the fading sky, where the sun had nearly vanished behind the horizon. Twin fluorescent moons began to glow, chasing away the dying light.

What if the information Mom received was wrong? Or maybe it's not one-size-fits-all.

A thought sparked in his mind.

Lifting his hand, Hajime tried again—but this time, he did something different. He didn't search for a feeling. He didn't recite the words in his head. He simply gathered mana into his palm and shaped it directly into the spell.

A second later, without a single word, a swirling ball of water formed in his hand.

"Yes! I knew it!" Hajime shouted, eyes wide with excitement.

The problem wasn't that he lacked talent—it was that he'd been trying to copy someone else's method. But by focusing solely on mana manipulation rather than trying to remember abstract feelings, he found his own path.

"I can't believe it actually worked..."

He let the water spell dissolve and stepped back, his mind already racing.

Okay… that worked with a small spell formed in my hand, but what about something larger—something summoned away from me, like Stone Wall?

Determined, he extended his hand and pointed to a spot on the ground roughly thirty feet away. Visualizing the Stone Wall spell, he gathered mana—not into his hand, but directly into the location he was targeting.

In a flash, a stone wall as tall as he erupted from the earth.

"I'm a genius!" Hajime shouted, throwing his arms into the air.

What Hajime didn't realize was that, in that moment, he had unintentionally pioneered an entirely new form of silent casting—one rooted in direct mana shaping rather than mental incantation or feeling recall.

He spent another hour refining this new technique. By the end of his session, he was able to silently cast Rank 2 spells—an accomplishment far beyond his years. Most mages didn't reach that level until they turned sixteen, and even then, silent casting at that level was nearly unheard of.

 2 weeks later

Hajime sat at the dining table with a plate of steak, potatoes, and beans in front of him.

I know I need the protein, but eating all this without salt, pepper, or even gravy is pure torture.

In this world, salt and pepper were rare commodities, typically reserved for special occasions or formal gatherings for nobles.

As Hajime, Rin, and Kazuma finished their meal, a thick silence settled over the table.

 Bradly and the maids cleared their empty plates, Rin and Kazuma exchanged a look and nodded in agreement.

"Hajime," Kazuma said, breaking the silence. "We need to talk."

Oh no. Did they find out about my night adventures?!

Hajime's face tensed. Panic crept in as he mentally retraced all his secret nighttime escapades. Did someone see me? Did I accidently leave a clue? Is there a type of time magic I don't know about?

Kazuma locked eyes with him, his tone serious.

"Well, Hajime…" Kazuma paused. "In a few days, there will be a monster hunt."

Instantly Hajime's tense demeanor quickly left.

Thank God this isn't about me sneaking out.

"A monster hunt?" Hajime asked cautiously.

"Yes," Kazuma continued. "A monster hunt happens when there's a large outbreak or horde of monsters. It's a coordinated effort to prevent the monsters from attacking settlements."

So, it's like a preemptive strike against potential threats… sounds kind of awesome, Hajime thought.

Kazuma nodded. "This hunt is in three days. I'll be going—and I want you to come with me."

Hajime froze. He didn't move, didn't blink, and his mouth hung slightly open.

Kazuma's concern grew. Crap… is he scared? Rin was probably right—Hajime might be too young for this.

But Kazuma's assumption couldn't have been more wrong.

Hajime wasn't scared—he was stunned. For once, his mother who was sitting at the table hadn't interrupted or objected to his father's proposal. 

No way… did he really just say that in front of Mom?

Hajime was shocked because of his overprotective mom.

Rin ever since the day they found Hajime in the woods has been way too overprotective. She never let Hajime leave their mansions premise, afraid that Hajime could get hurt. So, when Rin didn't object Hajime couldn't help but go silent.

Still waiting for a response, Kazuma leaned forward. "Well? What do you think?"

Hajime snapped out of his daze. In one swift, blur-fast motion, he shot to his feet and slammed his palms onto the table.

Rin and Kazuma jumped from the sudden burst of energy.

"Yes! I would love to go, Father!" Hajime exclaimed, eyes gleaming.

Kazuma blinked. "Wait—you want to go?"

He had braced for refusal—or worse, tears. Instead, his son looked ready to leap into battle on the spot.

"Are you sure about this, Hajime?"

"Of course! I'll finally gain real battle experience—and see how far I've come."

Of course that was partly the truth. In reality Hajime wanted to live his other worldly experience to the fullest, being able to fight monsters with magic, which to Hajime nothing could get better than that.

Kazuma smiled proudly. "Alright then. In three days, we ride out. But for the next two days, training will be longer and tougher."

"I understand, Father."

This is it, Hajime thought, excitement pulsing through him. In just a few days, I'll be fighting monsters! I can't wait!

Though in the middle of his thought, his thoughts briefly turned to vampires—Rin just a month ago had explained they were mutated humans, products of mana imbalance.

I don't want to kill something that might still remember who they were…

Shaking off the thought, he refocused.

"Well, Father, I'm going to get some extra training in. I want to be fully prepared." Hajime gave a respectful bow and left the dining room.

Back at the table, Rin watched him leave, her smile quickly giving way to concern.

"Dear… are we making the right choice? I don't think Hajime understands how dangerous monster hunting really is."

Kazuma chuckled softly before sighing. "Rin, I love him just as much as you do—but he can't stay sheltered forever."

Rin opened her mouth to argue but couldn't find the words.

"He can already match me in swordsmanship," Kazuma continued. "If he were older and bigger, he'd probably beat me."

He paused to let her process that before adding, "Didn't you say he can already cast rank two spells, and is already advanced in nearly every type of magic already?"

Rin looked away, unsure how to respond.

"Our boy has talent. He's determined. Someday, I believe he'll be a key figure in this kingdom. This is the kind of experience he needs to grow."

He stood and walked over to Rin, who still sat, worry etched into her face.

"Trust me on this," he said gently, lifting her chin so their eyes met.

He leaned in and gave her a soft kiss. Rin's shoulders relaxed slightly, her heart comforted by his words and touch.

As their lips parted, Kazuma smiled.

"But… if you're still worried, maybe it's not so bad."

"And why is that?" Rin asked, puffing out her cheeks.

Kazuma scratched the back of his head. "Well… Bradly told me Hajime's been sneaking out at night, exploring the city on his own."

"HE'S BEEN DOING WHAT?!" Rin shouted.

"It's okay!" Kazuma said quickly, hands raised. "Bradly's been keeping an eye on him from a distance. Nothing happened."

He paused, then added sheepishly, "Although… I did think about confronting Hajime when I found out Hajime climbed the Count's Tower and took a nap on the roof."

"He what?!" Rin cried, eyes wide with rage and worry. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

Kazuma backed up, sweat forming. "I thought it was fine at first! I mean, I didn't expect him to climb a tower!"

"I deserve to know these things, Kazuma!" Rin growled. "For that, you're not getting any tonight."

"W-Wait! That's a bit harsh, don't you think?"

Rin's face darkened. "It's what you get for hiding things—and don't think Hajime's off the hook either!"