Wait, wait, wait, mother. What do you mean by training me in magic?
I look at my mother with my mind going awry, trying to make sense of what she just told me. It takes me a bit before I manage to formulate a phrase.
"Mom. You said you'll be training me. Are you able to use magic?"
:::
POV: Lillian Annes
Looking at Aurea's face reminds me of my own younger self. I'm happy that she shares the same passion about magic that I had back then, when the world was a happy place.
It's been so long. How many years have I been in this den, forgotten by the world? I look at the calendar on the wall and remember, five years. It's weird how quickly we get used to new situations.
In any case, I'm glad Aurea looks so much like me. It would have been a pain if she had taken from her father, the Duke. He's the only one who uses me while I'm here. I don't know if he paid for exclusive rights or something, that disgusting man. He is the one responsible for me being here, after he usurp-...
"Mom? Are you okay?"
I snap back to my present. My little daughter is right in front of me, the whole meaning of my life now.
:::
POV: Aurea Annes
After my question, my mother didn't answer, instead looking distant, as if lost somewhere else.
"Mom? Are you okay?" I ask, worried. She immediately snaps back and turns her attention to me.
"I'm sorry, darling, I just got lost in my thoughts. But yes, I was a very talented mage once. But have you noticed how the collars Cambucy and I use are different from the rest?"
Indeed, their collars are a bit... fancier? They have a different design, with something that resembles a gemstone etched into them.
"Yes... But what does it mean?"
"These are special collars, the magistones on them power a strong spell inside, that binds the user's access to the mana core. So we can't use any magic right now. There are several different types of collars; the ones the other girls use are the cheapest ones, which serve only to mark them as property, without any other restriction besides the fact that the user can't take them out."
"So, if you were to get rid of those collars, you could break free?" I almost shouted in excitement, my eyes glistening.
"Yeah, probably. We were quite the fierce pair back in the day."
"No ordinary knight would be able to measure up to Lady Lillian's magic, that's for sure."
"Lady?"
Cambucy complemented my mother's explanation and used a word I'm unfamiliar with in this language.
"Oh, it's nothing, don't worry about that."
"What's important is that while I can't use magic myself right now, but I can guide you. Do you want to learn more about your power?"
"Of course!"
Cambucy and Lillian were quick to brush aside my question about the word, but I didn't care, focused as I was on the magic stuff.
"But first, promise me one thing, Aurea. You will never let our overseers discover it while you're in here. The moment they discover you, you'll be gone forever."
"I swear, mother. I will only show them my magic the moment I'm striking them with it." I answer, my young voice full of resolve.
"You really don't look like you're a three-year-old." It's Cambucy who sighs at my resolution, while Mother only chuckles.
"But it's cute in a way, don't you think, Cambucy? She's a three-year-old with the aura of a scholar."
"It's a bit eerie, but I agree, Aurea is certainly a charming girl." Cambucy pets my head, while I try to hide the conflict inside me.
I've been trying not to sound like a woman in my forties, but it looks like I failed, I guess. The silver lining is that I'm the only child here, so I could just say that's the way I learned to speak because I've always been surrounded by adult women. Yeah, that should do the trick.
I pout, saying with feigned indignation, "It's not fair. I'm just a child!"
But both of them just laughed at me.
:::
Some time later, I was sitting with my Mom in a corner of the big room, and she was talking to me about how magic works.
"There are three types of elements in magic, but most people only know about two. There are the Primary Elements, the Composite Elements, and the Cosmic Elements. The Cosmic are the ones most people don't know about."
"When I was activating the mana core earlier, I saw colors in it... are they tied to the elements?"
"Yes, what a cutie little genius you are. Indeed, each element has its color, except for the Cosmic Elements, which are colourless. But tell me, which color did you see?"
"Oh, it was like a beautiful rainbow, full of col-"
I stopped in the middle of the sentence, both because of how I could explain that I know how a rainbow looks when I've never left this room, and also because of the shocked expression on my mother's face.
She was pale.
"Mom?"
"Did you just say that there were several colors? Not just one or two, or three?"
"...Yes... I didn't count them all, but there were yellow, orange, some shades of blue, and red... but the strongest color was purple. It kinda guided all the others."
"I... see. Aurea, don't ever tell this to anyone else. Don't let anyone know about it. Normally, humans are only compatible with one element. Some are compatible with two, and there have been tales of people compatible with three or even four elements, but those are extremely rare. If word goes out that a woman is compatible with several elements, only the Goddess knows what the people out there will do to get their hands on you."
"I promise, Mom. I'll never tell anyone about this, and only use the purple element when in public... But... what element is the purple color?"
My mother smiles at my promise and my question.
"It's Lightning. A composite element that is very useful for stunning enemies and also very powerful in offense. It's a versatile element that can also be used to enhance your body."
"And what are those Cosmic Elements that have no color? How do I know if I'm compatible with them or not?"