Chapter 3: The Young Lady, the Cat, Monsters, and Magic

The carriage that departed was running slowly for a while, but then the rocking became slightly more significant. It seemed to have increased its speed after leaving the town.

Isamu looked out of the window on the side, which had a small opening, and saw a vast expanse of land with low bushes and rocks rolling by.

It felt like a mix of savanna and wasteland, and as he was thinking that, he noticed that Annemarie was giving him furtive glances from the opposite seat.

It was not something that had just started; he had been feeling Annemarie’s gaze even before they got on the carriage. As a casual conversation starter, this time Isamu decided to speak to Annemarie.

“Um, Klaufeldt-san. Is there something wrong?”

“Ha-!? N-nothing at all!”

Annemarie replied with a big bite. Even though she said it was nothing, her gaze continued to dart toward Orihime, who was comfortably resting on Isamu’s lap.

Seeing this, Isamu asked.

“Um… would you like to pet her?”

“Eh!? P-pet her?! Are you sure?!”

Annemarie’s words were falling apart. 

Since her language was breaking down, Karina, who had been sitting next to Annemarie for a while, was shaking her shoulders as she faced the back. She couldn’t completely hide her laughter, but she managed to keep from bursting out laughing. When Isamu looked at his side, he saw Rudolf with his lips twitching and his nose twitching.

It seemed he couldn’t hold back his laughter.

Observing Rudolf’s reaction, Isamu was impressed by his long-standing service as a veteran steward, different from young girls like Karina.

“It’s alright. She’s a well-behaved girl.”

Isamu said this and placed Orihime on Annemarie’s lap.

As if half-dozing, Orihime looked up at Annemarie, tilted her head, and let out a soft “nya~.”

“Kyaa, kyawawawawa!!”

Annemarie was finally rendered speechless, unable to utter even meaningful words. She was trembling, and her eyes were completely heart-shaped. It might not befit a noble’s demeanor to have her mouth half-open like that.

And Karina, who had been sitting next to Annemarie for a while, seemed to have reached her limit and was also spouting incomprehensible words like “Bufooo”

“If you gently stroke behind her ears or her throat, she’ll enjoy it.”

Upon hearing Isamu’s advice, Annemarie quickly nodded and hesitantly stroked behind Orihime’s ears with her index finger.

She relaxed her expression as she felt the soft and fluffy texture.

After stroking Orihime absentmindedly for about ten minutes, she finally returned to reality.

“Th-thank you very much… and I’m sorry.”

She straightened her posture and apologized, but her cheeks were still flushed.

“No, no. Thank you for showing affection to Orihime. Do you like cats?”

“Cats? Do you call this little one ‘Orihime-chan’ a cat? I’ve never seen such an adorable creature in our world.”

A shocking fact was revealed. There were apparently no cats in this world.

For Isamu, who loved cats, it was a shocking revelation. At the same time, he wholeheartedly thought that bringing Princess Orihime with him was the right choice.

“In the place where Matsumoto-sama was, was it common to use such adorable creatures as familiars?”

“Familiars? What are they?”

“They’re animals or creatures used by magic users through contracts. Bats and snakes are common.”

“I see… In my world, we don’t have familiars. Orihime is more like a pet, or rather, a member of my family.”

“Family, you say? That’s nice. Here, we don’t treat animals like family members.”

“Is that so? In the future, I’d be happy if you could show affection to Orihime, too.”

“T-that’s a must!”

Annemarie’s breathing became heavier again.

Isamu had noticed a worrying word in Annemarie’s previous words.

Since magic existed, he had expected it to some extent, but…

“Um, you mentioned ‘monsters’ earlier, right? Are you saying that there are creatures different from animals in this world?”

“Yes, that’s right. Monsters may not be exactly like living beings, but there are definitely things that are distinct from animals.”

He had guessed right. If that was the case, it was a matter of degree.

“So, what kind of monsters are they? Are they in hostile relations with humans?”

“Yes. Monsters are extremely aggressive, especially toward anything other than monsters, even including humans. Most of them attack. To ask that means that there were no monsters in the world where Matsumoto-san was, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Although we were attacked by large carnivorous animals… Clearly hostile creatures in opposition to humans didn’t exist.”

“I see. In that case, and about this world in general, I’ll briefly explain it to you.”

Annemarie initially looked surprised for a moment but quickly returned to her usual expression, starting to explain the basics of this world to Isamu.

As for when monsters appeared in this world, there were various theories among researchers, and it was not clear.

However, it was a definite fact that since ancient times, they had always been in antagonistic relations with humans and had remained a constant threat.

The distinction between animals and monsters was clear and based on the presence or absence of something called a “magic core.”

If they had a magic core, they were monsters; if not, they weren’t.

Of course, merely having a magic core didn’t mean they were a threat to humanity.

Creatures in Ethersia had magic power to a great extent, except for a few exceptions. It was said that only about 20% of humans could control that magic power.

However, if they had a magic core, they could accumulate and unconsciously utilize that magic power. Having a magic core didn’t mean that all creatures could suddenly start throwing flames or throwing stones, but all monsters, to a greater or lesser extent, strengthened their bodies with magic power.

This was the main reason why monsters were monsters.

Being physically strong was simple, which was why their effect was so great.

“I see. So, there are monsters in this world that pose a threat to humanity.”

“Yes. In Ethersia, it’s common and part of everyday life. Therefore, one of the main duties of nobles who own territories is to protect the residents from monsters. We enclose towns with walls and guard them with soldiers. Even traveling between towns, like today with knights and guards, is done to protect against the threat of monsters. By making an effort, people can finally gain safety.”

As Annemarie said, because there were monsters all over the world, there were very few places where safety was guaranteed.

Even fields where crops were grown were constantly threatened by monsters. So, cities surrounded by walls, like a safe place, were rare.

Since he was now more or less informed about monsters, Isamu decided to ask Annemarie about something that had been bothering him.

“Klaufeldt-san, what should I do in this world after we arrive at your territory?”

Isamu looked straight into Annemarie’s eyes as he asked.

He wondered what he should do. They said that wanderers were taken care of, but it was likely part formality.

Even if they were nobles, they wouldn’t want to feed an idle person without a purpose.

“Well, eventually, it would be appreciated if you could contribute to the development of our territory or the Klaufeldt family in some way. Of course, that’s our true desire. In the past, there have been noble families that greatly prospered due to the benefits of the abilities, skills, or knowledge brought by wanderers. However, it wouldn’t be right to impose our circumstances on someone who has come to an unknown world without their consent. Therefore, I think it would be best for you to explore what you can do over time, including how to use your ability or skills. You don’t have to feel pressured about it. You have some leeway.”

Saying this, Annemarie smiled kindly.

She’s like a saint, Isamu thought. Why would she say something like that to a complete stranger from who knows where?

To hide the fact that he was about to cry, he decided to change the topic cheerfully and somewhat forcefully.

“Thank you! By the way, you mentioned that there’s magic here. Since there was no magic in the world I came from, would it be possible for me to see what it’s like?”

He spoke rapidly because he had spoken so quickly earlier.

Annemarie was a bit surprised by this sudden change, but she quickly responded with a kind expression.

“Yes, that’s right. Since Matsumoto-sama’s abilities and skills are related to magic, it might be a good idea to show you. I dabble in magic myself, although I’m not very skilled. We’re inside a carriage, so it might be perfect for this. We also have knights who are good at magic with us. I’ll save the big magic for another day, but today, I can show you a bit as entertainment.”

Having said that, Annemarie rolled up her sleeves a bit.

She slightly opened her arms, bent her elbows to 90 degrees, and brought both her hands up to eye level. She then lightly curled her fingers as if grabbing an invisible ball in the air.

Her concentrated expression was evident.

As Isamu watched in anticipation, Annemarie’s hands began to glow faintly.

“Water, gather from nothingness into my hand… Water Ball.”

As Annemarie quietly muttered these words, something like a magic circle shining in shades of blue briefly appeared around her hand. Afterward, numerous small blue lights manifested in the air.

These lights gradually gathered and formed a softball-sized water sphere, hovering between Annemarie’s palms, just as if it were a scene from a painting.

Isamu, with his eyes wide open, was awestruck by this water magic.

Annemarie, who had noticed Isamu’s reaction from the corner of her eye, faintly smiled and moved her hands beneath the water sphere. As she did, the water sphere slowly ascended towards the ceiling.

As Annemarie moved her hands slowly, the water sphere danced in the air in response to her movements. With each movement, tiny blue lights glistened around the water sphere.

Isamu, his mouth literally agape, was in a state of disbelief. On his lap, Orihime’s eyes gleamed, and she seemed eager.

After a minute of the water sphere’s dance, it began to descend slowly. As if prepared for using magic, Rudolf held a wooden bowl about 30 cm in diameter, and the water sphere was directed towards it.

With just about 10 cm left before landing, a white shape suddenly pounced onto the water sphere.

“Aww-nya.”

A meow was heard, and it seemed like the water sphere lost its form. It splashed down noisily, and water poured down vigorously from the bowl’s center. Annemarie let out a small “Kyaa” at the unexpected event.

It was a perfect cat punch executed by Orihime.

The surroundings were soaked, but the cat in question was already in a safe area, unharmed. She was curiously licking the paw she used to poke the water sphere.

“S-sorry!! Orihime, or rather cats, loves things that shine or move, and she can’t resist batting at them…”

Isamu, who had been overwhelmed with emotion just moments ago, was now apologizing with a blue face.

However, Annemarie didn’t get angry; instead, she looked very pleased.

“No, no, there’s no problem at all. I see, Orihime-chan likes Water Balls, it seems.”

With narrowed eyes, Annemarie continued to pet Orihime.

“That spell you just saw is the basic water magic, Water Ball. As the name suggests, it creates and controls water spheres. The size and flight speed vary depending on the amount of magic power poured into it.”

“Amazing! To be able to create water out of nothing… And the sparkling blue lights were so beautiful! How is it done?”

In Isamu’s understanding, water couldn’t come from nothing. If he were to explain the previous phenomenon scientifically, it might be something like collecting moisture from the air.

As per his memory, the amount of water in the air was around 15g per cubic meter. The water sphere earlier appeared to be at least 1kg, so it would require over 60 cubic meters of air. Although collecting moisture from the surrounding air was theoretically possible, there didn’t seem to be a noticeable drop in humidity.

“It’s said that magic is the conversion of magic power into various phenomena. Magic power is the basis for creating everything, and by concentrating it, along with a magic incantation and a clear mental image, we can release magic.”

Other than magic power, all that’s needed is the incantation and the mental image. It’s shocking, but it seems that’s all it takes to use magic!

Isamu’s excitement rises due to this shocking fact.

“Amazing! So, can I learn to do it too?”

“Yes, I think so. It remains to be seen whether you can master it, but Matsumoto-sama, we know from the appraisal, has a certain amount of magic power. I believe you’ll be able to use it, at least to some extent.”

“Oh!!!”

What an incredible development! The thought that he could use magic, too, was undoubtedly the most exciting moment in his life so far.

“If you’re interested, I can teach you when we reach the capital city. Unfortunately, I don’t have any teaching materials with me right now, so please wait a bit longer.”

“Yes, please, I’d appreciate that!”

“Hehe. So now, Matsumoto-sama, you have one thing you can do here. How about tomorrow we watch the knights use their magic outdoors?”

Just as Annemarie said, Isamu felt like he had finally found something he wanted to do in this world. It might be a small goal, but he felt like he had finally become a part of this world’s inhabitants.

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