A few years had passed without my father, the duke, ever coming to the annex. I am now two years old.
My life had been unusually smooth. Most days were spent reading, eating, and sleeping. I could walk properly now without any help from my maid, Estrella, and whenever I had free time, I read to gain more knowledge about this world.
While I was reading another book one afternoon, Estrella gently took it from my hands.
"Oh my, young master. I know you're a genius, but I don't want you staying inside all the time reading books. I want you to go outside," she said, worry clear in her eyes.
"I'm concerned for you, as your maid."
I couldn't bring myself to refuse her, so I simply nodded and followed her outside to get some fresh air.
Most of my days had been the same, reading, eating, and sleeping. So I had never really gone outside before. Strangely enough, I felt a bit interested in doing something more active.
When I stepped outside, I saw a garden filled with colorful flower beds and a small fountain at the center.
…It was actually beautiful.
Maybe reading outside wouldn't be so bad either.
The weather was perfect.
I walked through the garden, surrounded by roses and many kinds of flowers I had never seen before. The scent was gentle and calming.
Perhaps I should do this more often. Reading under a tree sounded peaceful.
Then I noticed a bird with beautiful feathers. Under the sunlight, its wings shimmered like a rainbow. It was mesmerizing to watch, until it suddenly flew away.
I really was in another world.
For some reason, it gave me a strange sense of adventure.
"Did you like the garden, young master?" Estrella asked with a smile. "The gardener we hired takes great pride in caring for it, especially for you."
I see.
I nodded.
Estrella then laid out a mat from the basket she was carrying and placed desserts and milk on top, almost like a picnic.
A picnic… this weather really suited it.
I sat down and ate the desserts the chef had prepared for me. I noticed Estrella wasn't eating anything, so I offered her some.
"Oh, young master, I can't. I'm a maid," she said hesitantly.
I gestured for her to eat.
After a moment of hesitation, she took a bite. Her eyes lit up as she smiled, saying it was delicious. I gave her more, and before we knew it, the desserts were gone.
Phew… that was good.
I lay down and looked up at the sky. The warmth of the sun and the gentle breeze made my eyelids heavy.
Before I realized it, I had fallen asleep.
Estrella's POV
My young master's sleeping face is so cute…
Estrella watched the child peacefully resting and smiled softly. She wished with all her heart that he could grow up happy and carefree.
I wish he could talk.
She had never heard him babble or speak even once. He only communicated through gestures and small signals. Worried, she once consulted a physician to examine the young master.
The physician said there was nothing wrong with his vocal cords. He suggested that the child might simply be a late talker, or experiencing a mild speech delay, something not uncommon among children.
Still, Estrella couldn't help but worry.
He was clearly gifted. He could already read words that were difficult even for older children, yet he spent most of his time alone with books.
She only wanted him to live like a normal child.
Gently, she touched his cheek and looked up at the sky.
"Oh, Goddess Hymoria," she whispered, "please bless this child, and grant him a life without hardship."
*******
I woke up a few minutes later.
The sun was still warm, and the garden was quiet. For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the sky.
Then a thought crossed my mind.
Maybe… I should do something productive.
In my past life, I was always busy with work. Day after day, it was the same routine. And when I finally retired from that so-called work, I spent all my time inside my apartment, playing games. I rarely went outside. I never tried to grow anything. Never built anything. Never really lived.
This life was different.
I had time now. Too much of it, actually.
Gardening didn't sound bad. It was simple, quiet, and didn't draw attention. More importantly, it felt… normal.
I slowly sat up and looked around the garden again. The flowers were well cared for, but there were empty patches of soil near the edges. Places where something new could grow.
Maybe starting small wouldn't hurt.
If I wanted a peaceful and lazy life, then I should at least learn how to enjoy it properly.
I wanted to ask Estrella.
But I couldn't.
For the past few years, I hadn't spoken a single word. No babbling. No crying. To everyone else, it was strange, worrying, even.
But to me, it was deliberate.
I could talk. In fact, I could speak perfectly well. I just chose not to.
If my father ever found out that I was unusually intelligent or capable, he might take interest in me. And interest from someone like him was the last thing I wanted.
If acting weak and harmless meant I could live quietly, then so be it.
A peaceful life required sacrifice.
And right now, that sacrifice was my voice.
So instead of speaking, I returned to the library and scanned the lower shelves again. That was when I found a thin storybook. Its cover was worn, but the title was clear.
A children's book about farming.
Perfect.
If I showed interest in something simple like gardening, no one would think twice about it. No ambition. No danger. Just a harmless hobby.
I took the book and hugged it to my chest.
Then I went to look for Estrella.
The annex was old, but still large enough to be tiring for a small child to walk through. There weren't many people here, only four maids, including Estrella, along with the chef and the gardener.
Six servants.
And one young master.
It took a while, but I finally found Estrella speaking with the other maids down the hall. I walked up behind her, careful not to trip.
She turned around in surprise.
"Young master? What are you doing here?"
I lifted the old, worn storybook and held it up for her to see.
"Oh? Do you want me to read it for you?" Estrella asked, surprise flickering across her face.
I shook my head.
Then I pointed toward the window, toward the garden outside.
Estrella blinked, following the direction of my finger. A moment passed before realization dawned on her face.
"…You want to garden?"
I nodded.
Her expression softened, and a small smile appeared on her lips.
Estrella looked at me for a moment before speaking again.
"Are you interested in gardening, young master?" she asked, glancing toward the garden outside.
I nodded.
Her face immediately brightened.
"Alright, young master. I'll prepare some clothes suitable for gardening, and I'll also bring the tools. The gardener will teach you."
I nodded once more.
Estrella led me back to my room and helped me change into simple, comfortable clothes, nothing fancy, just something easy to move in and suitable for getting dirty.
After that, we headed to the garden.
An old man was already waiting there. He held a small shovel, with other gardening tools neatly arranged beside him. The moment he saw me, he straightened up, looking noticeably nervous.
…Is it because this is the first time he's meeting me?
"Good day, young master. I'm Nester, the gardener of this estate," the old man said, bowing slightly. "I'll be teaching you the basics of gardening."
I listened quietly.
Nester knelt down and pointed to a small patch of soil near the edge of the garden.
"First, we choose a good place," he said. "Plants need sunlight, but not too much. This area is perfect."
He handed me a small shovel, sized just right for a child.
"Next, we loosen the soil," Nester continued. "If the soil is too hard, roots can't grow properly."
I copied his movements, pressing the shovel into the ground and turning the soil over. My hands were small, but I was careful and steady. It took a little effort, but the soil slowly loosened.
Nester watched closely, then nodded in approval.
"Well done, young master. You're doing it right."
He smiled gently then he then took out a small pouch.
"These are seeds," he said. "We place them gently into the soil. Not too deep."
He showed me how far to press them down. I followed his instructions, carefully dropping each seed and covering it lightly with soil.
"Good," Nester said, sounding pleasantly surprised then smiled. "Very good."
After that, he picked up a watering can.
"Lastly, we water them," he explained. "Not too much. Just enough to make the soil moist."
I held the can with both hands and slowly poured water over the soil. I made sure not to flood it.
The old man's eyes widened slightly.
" Hoho You're very careful, young master."
I stepped back and looked at our work.
It wasn't perfect, but it was neat.
For some reason, I felt… satisfied.
This was simple. Quiet. Productive.
Exactly the kind of thing I wanted.
Nester smiled warmly.
"If you keep this up, young master, these will grow strong."
I hoped so.
Watching something grow slowly felt better than winning any game.
Estrella watched quietly from the side, then smiled warmly.
"Well done, young master," she said. "You did very well today."
I nodded.
*******
The rest of the day passed peacefully. Before I knew it, the sky darkened and night settled over the annex.
After taking a bath, Estrella helped me change into my sleepwear. She tucked me into bed, just like she always did.
"Good night, young master," she said gently.
She turned off the light, closed the door softly, and left.
But I wasn't asleep.
Once I was sure the hallway was quiet, I slowly reached under my bed and pulled something out.
A book.
The same one I had seen when I was still a baby.
[Beginner Spellbook for Magicians.]
I had been reading it in secret for years. Little by little, until I finally finished it. I memorized the theories, the diagrams, and the explanations about mana.
Now, it was time.
I sat up on my bed and took a slow breath.
According to the book, mana existed within all living beings. To use it, one first had to sense it—then open the path that allowed it to flow.
I closed my eyes.
I calmed my breathing.
And focused inward.
If this worked…
My lazy, peaceful life might finally have a safety net.
I focused on my breathing and followed the instructions from the book.
First, sense the mana outside the body.
At first, there was nothing.
Then... slowly, I felt it...
A faint presence in the air, like a gentle current brushing against my skin. It wasn't visible, but it was there. Everywhere.
Mana.
I carefully guided that sensation inward, just as the book described.
The moment it touched my body, warmth spread through my chest.
Hot... but not painful.
It felt like something long closed had finally opened.
There was no explosion. No violent reaction. No sudden surge of power. It's not like the ones you see in a novel where mana surge of explosions affect the surrounding type but just a quiet surge of power opening inside my body...
Only silence.
And then… clarity.
Something deep inside me settled into place.
I had done it.
I opened my mana core.
The world around me changed. I could sense mana everywhere, flowing through the walls, the air, the ground beneath the mansion. When I opened my eyes, my vision shimmered faintly, the mana around me barely visible, like thin strands of light.
My eyes reflected a soft glow before slowly returning to normal.
Success.
I exhaled slowly and lay back down.
This was enough.
I didn't need to be strong right now.
Just strong enough to survive in this world.