Chapter 120: Falling off a Horse (But it’s a Dragon)

“It looked like the magic that always perfectly overlapped you was pushed by Lei’s magic and flew behind you.”

“So, it was like that,” Otou-sama nodded. It was hard for me to be aware of my own magic, so I remembered seeing Otou-sama’s surprised expression before he fell.

“Phu, eeh.”

I almost cried again when I remembered it.

“Lei, it’s okay. I’m fine now.”

“A-ai.”

I pressed my face into his knee, and he rubbed my head.

“I made you experience something painful. That’s right, it was like I was being hit with someone’s palm. My magic repelled out of me from my back, then I fell,” Otou-sama analysed quietly.

“It didn’t hurt, but there was impact. I can tell now that something in our bodies reacts as a defense mechanism when other magic invades the body,” he said and patted Nii-sama and me.

Then, he continued, “Well, Lei, let’s try it again.”

I quickly looked up.

“No! Otou-syama wiww faww again.”

“Yes! It’s hard on Lei too!” Nii-sama desperately tried to stop him.

“No, Lei. You were worried that your magic wouldn’t reach me before, so you used a lot of force, didn’t you Lei?”

“Ai.”

I think I projected more magic than when I would using a barrier.

“Then, this time, make a small circle around you like when you make barriers instead of forcing it out in front of you.”

“Then I’ll do it!”

“Luke. Of course, you’ll do it later. But, let Lei do this. Lei.”

Otou-sama looked at me seriously.

“She’ll be afraid to use magic from now on if she doesn’t do this now. She can climb Rug Dragons. You can do it, right?”

If you fall off a horse, you get back on it right away. That’s what he means. Even if this world doesn’t have horses, but dragons, it means the same thing.

I was able to survive in Frontier because I had magic. Even if magic wouldn’t be useful to me from now on, it doesn’t mean I should abandon it. I can’t be afraid of it or run away from it. I lifted my face.

“Ai, Lei wiww do it.”

“Lei!”

I separated myself from Otou-sama and faced him like I did earlier. Nii-sama went behind me as if he’d given up when he saw my resolution, and gently leaned against me.

“Don’t think about attacking with magic. Think of magic wrapping around me, and I’ll do the same.”

“Ai.”

Gentle, soft, and small. I expelled my magic as if it was wrapping around Otou-sama.

“I see, this is…”

“Oh, it resonates gently, Lei. That’s enough.”

I was scared to open my eyes.

“Ith didn’th hurth?”

Otou-sama looked at me gently and nodded. Nii-sama who was behind me, softly patted my head.

“I’m okay. How about you, Lei?”

“Magic thouch and shwaysh.”

“It was the same for Otou-sama. Maybe it’s because our magic was close, but it was good to find out that magic interferes with each other.” He nodded in satisfaction.

“Then, next is me.”

“Ok.”

I thought it would turn out like this, geez.

Otou-sama must have thought he was gentle, but the spread of magic was still quite powerful. Nii-sama and I were taken aback.

“You repewwed withh a bam.”

“It was like a strong wind was blowing!”

However, this much wasn’t scary. Nii-sama’s eyes were sparkling.

“Fun.”

“It’s fun! Then, I’m next!”

Nii-sama is good at handling his magic, after all.

“Then, how about we just aim for Lei’s arm?”

“Wow! I wanna be thicwwed!” (I wanna be tickled.)

It had been shocking at first, but it was a fun day. But it’s about time I went to bed. When Otou-sama saw me yawning, he quickly said, “Oh, you played too much. It’s time for you to go to bed.”

“Ai.”

It’s better to sleep early so I can play a lot tomorrow instead of forcing myself to stay awake.

“Tree cwimbing.”

“Let’s look for a good tree to climb tomorrow, alright?” .”

“Ai…”

Nii-sama carried me to my room when I got really sleepy.

“Goodnighth.”

“Yes, goodnight.”

I fell asleep straight away.

◊♦◊♦◊♦◊ Otou-sama’s Perspective

“We did something unnecessary again.”

“I don’t think it’s good to try things just because we think it’s interesting.”

“One of us should tell the others to stop.”

“None of us would say that.”

I thought I wasn’t interested in anything. Luke didn’t want to say that he wanted to do this or that himself. Therefore, we were surprised at ourselves for being interested in the things we tried since Lei came.

“Anyway, it’s bad to make Lei cry.”

“We needed to try it one more time, right?”

I quietly closed my eyes at Luke’s words.

“If we want her to live a normal baby life without worrying about anything, then we should let her forget about magic.”

Luke is an excellent heir, so it doesn’t matter if Lei has no magic.

“But, Lei survived in Frontier because she had magic, and was curious about mastering it.”

“You’re right.”

Luke also nodded.

“If she cowers towards everything, then she’ll go back to how she was when she first came back to the mansion. A Lei who has lost fear and curiosity isn’t Lei.”

“Lei is Lei no matter how she is. But, the usual her is more like herself, so it’s more fun.”

The Lei, who always faces down and acts smart, isn’t Lei at all. Above all, she isn’t an Albans.

“But, I don’t want the royal family to use her to amuse themselves any further. I’ll let Prince Lambert experience magic directly.”

“Do it softly. Prince Lambert aside, Lei feels better thanks to Prince Nicholas.”

Isn’t it alright to be a little rough on him? But, this isn’t the time to be thinking about this, there’s something else we have to think about.

“Oh yes, I thought about celebrating your 12th birthday and Lei’s 2nd together. What do you think?”

I think not having her 1st debut backfired on us. It would be better if I show her off as a cute daughter of the Albans to noble society.

“I don’t mind. I think we need to show off Lei’s cuteness and how important she is to us.”

Luke also understands. He had a rough idea of who kidnapped Lei in Frontier. However, we had no evidence or reason to link that person to Lei’s kidnapping in the royal capital. The criminal is still unknown.

“He shouldn’t have a reason to kidnap her again, but we don’t even know why he did in the first place. Although, if a child who is close to the royal family is taken, then it’ll cause a big fuss this time. Let’s show her off instead of hiding her.”

“I actually just want her to stay as our Lei.”

Me too. But, the option to hide her was eliminated when I let her be the Prince’s playmate. I’ll make people recognise her as an Albans. That’s the goal this time.