[ March 16, 1973. ]
The farewell party at Ryozanpaku was a huge success. Shizuka was secretly wiping away tears, Hayato and Saiga were laughing and drinking some hellish tincture made from pure alcohol and magical plants that could knock even their hardened bodies flat. Even Master Ma didn't try to peek under the young mother's kimono — something he'd never managed to pull off in my memory and always got thoroughly beaten for by both Saiga and the furious former Kuremisago.
And I marveled, watching them, at how spontaneous they were and how different from ordinary, extremely uptight Japanese people. No, the oddities of both mages and martial arts masters could be explained by the influence of their magic on the mind, but not everything could be explained by that. And I understood what it was about.
They weren't afraid to live for today. They were strong enough for that and understood that today, tomorrow, a master of the death fist could kill them. The fist of life, right? It embodied not only the desire to preserve any life, but also the desire to live.
The farewell the next morning was brief but emotional.
"Don't be sad, student," the giant clapped me on the shoulder so hard that I actually grunted despite my enhancement, and my feet sank into the ground up to my ankles. Good thing all my clothes were reinforced for such occasions. "Life should be enjoyed. Especially since Miu's birthday is in six months... do I need to tell you that if you don't come, I'll find you myself?"
"No," I laughed — threats from eyes burning with magical fire no longer affected me. Especially since I knew he would indeed come and find me. "Of course I'll come to little Miu. And I'll try to visit more often anyway."
"Take care of yourself," Shizuka said, while Saiga simply shook my hand firmly. About the debt, by the way, neither he nor Hayato reminded me even once — masters' word is even stronger than mages'.
"Here, my present for you," Ma Kensei approached me with a sly grin and placed a stack of photos in my hands. Opening them, I saw pictures of Shizuka bathing, which suddenly disappeared along with the Chinese master and Saiga. Shizuka turned crimson, but she was holding Miu in her arms.
"Hohoho, youth is so beautiful," the elder smiled broadly.
"Well, since we've said our goodbyes, we'll be going," even the prim Fenias couldn't suppress a slight smile.
"Good luck to you all and goodbye," I said, knowing that despite the chase, everyone would hear me — this was Ryozanpaku after all.
Taking my teacher's hand, we disappeared into hyperspace, only to emerge a second later in front of our house.
…
It was early spring, but here in the coven, everything was already blooming and fragrant. Birds sang their enchanting songs, lilac and bird cherry had opened their flowers, filling the air with intoxicating aromas, birds were building nests and spreading charming melodies.
I didn't know what this was connected to. Whether it was the warmer climate, or my apple trees, or the nymph and magical forest, or maybe all of it together. Since my senses were stronger than an ordinary person's, I heard and saw much more. That's exactly why I saw the sound-dampening canopy in mother's room and said:
"I think we should wait for mom in the living room."
"I think you're right, Arthur. You can also tell me what you've thought about your masterpiece," despite the fact that more than five thousand years had passed since Sumer, to obtain mastery one needed to create their masterpiece, a work for which you'd receive that very mastery. No, of course, an exam was also taken to prove that you didn't buy, steal, or have your Master make that masterpiece for you.
"Isn't it too early, teacher? After all, I still have much to learn," I said, sitting on a comfortable beige-colored sofa in minimalist style. Mom had gotten her hands on ordinary people's magazines again and even made the kitchen look like you were in the home of a well-off middle-class representative.
"Of course, you're still far from being a master," Fenias nodded, sitting across from me. "But you should start thinking about it now. Remember how long you fussed with your apple trees, for which, by the way, you could get a herbology master's degree."
"No, there I used too obviously ancient methods, and if you've already guessed about my knowledge, then there's no point in doubting the examiners," Marlow agreed and closed his eyes, while I cursed and put up a dome of secrets. "Now if I had initially translated all the necessary charms and runes into modern form, that might have worked, but as it is..."
"Yes, I can't deny your intelligence. But at some point all secrets become clear and some people will figure it out."
"By that time I hope to become strong enough to protect myself and my family. I'm strong now, but only compared to ordinary people. As for the masterpiece... I have one idea," I said, stroking Pixie who had flown out of my expanded-space pocket. The little one put on a proud look, as if my caresses had absolutely no effect on a proud and unapproachable girl, but as soon as I removed my finger, she immediately pulled it back with her little hands. And you can't fool empathy — she was blissful.
"And what might that be?"
"Have you heard that ordinary people have computers? Those huge calculating machines?"
"I've heard something like that," he said after thinking a bit. "They're supposedly used for calculations."
"Very recently, Xerox announced the creation of a personal computer prototype — the Xerox Alto. I thought it was an excellent idea, since not everyone can keep at home a contraption costing tens of thousands of dollars, the size of a room itself and weighing several tons. And I decided that creating its magical analog would be very useful."
"No one will accept enchanted muggle equipment from you," Fenias shook his head. "Though the idea isn't bad — often you need to spend months, even years calculating complex rituals, spells, or potions."
"I'm not talking about using ordinary people's computers, especially since you'd have to spend a long time learning to work on it, not to mention creating programs. I'm talking about creating a fully magical device. Going through father's records," — that's exactly how I explained having this knowledge, especially since it was pure truth — "I saw the summoning of mind spirits. True, the Sumerians themselves didn't go further than the summoning itself and the imprisonment of spirits."
"I've heard of them, though the summoning itself was lost. Lesser mind spirits are too stupid, and higher ones simply won't work just like that."
"I know, that's why I suggest taking quantity over quality. Lesser spirits will agree to sit in crystals for even a thousand years just for the fact of their development and feeding on magical energy — for them it's no time at all. Especially since they'll develop and only become smarter."
"Fine, but how to control them?" Marlow didn't give up. From upstairs the canopy had already been removed and the sounds of two people's footsteps could be heard.
"Illusory interface or directly with a mental circlet," — mental control of artifacts wasn't new and had long been used.
"Hmm, this might work," Fenias pondered. I was sure he was already fired up by this idea himself.
"Son!" The footsteps quickened, I removed the dome of secrets, and therefore disheveled and flushed mom threw herself around my neck. "Why didn't you warn me earlier that you were coming back?"
"Surprise!" Yes, I could have told her about this through the two-way mirror, but decided to make a surprise. "Or aren't you glad?"
"Of course I'm glad!" She began squeezing me, but immediately stopped. "Merlin, you're like stone now! And you used to be so soft."
"Hehe, should have trained so I wouldn't get squeezed."
"Mr. Marlow, good morning to you," my mom distracted the old man from his thoughts and calculations. "The usual for you? Three pancakes and tea with milk?"
"Yes, I'd be grateful," he smiled.
"Good morning," Ludwig also came downstairs, yawning and shook hands with me and Fenias.
"Sleepless night?" I smirked. "Making me a little sister?"
"Why not a little brother?" von Schroeder also wasn't one to back down.
"You're too weak for a brother," I looked at him with astral vision. Yes, the guy was strong. Stronger than an ordinary mage by about twice and equal to me in this indicator, but the problem was that mom was already strong, and had also been training all these years.
I looked at her too - she was about three and a half times stronger than an average thirty-year-old mage who used magic only occasionally, while Fenias was hiding his strength. Wait a minute, I returned my gaze to Ariel and saw a doubled bundle of auras in her womb area. "Mom, you can stop trying — you're having twins."
"What?" Something broke in the kitchen, and Ludwig went pale, red, and blue all at once.
"You heard me, you should be celebrating!" And I quietly added to Schroeder, "Well, what are you sitting there for, go hug my mom."
I didn't need to repeat it twice, and the bear-like man jumped up, joyfully picked up Ariel and spun her around, after which I also joined the celebration of life, while Pixie flew around us shooting fireworks from her wand.
"Are you sure?" Ariel asked, since she couldn't see her own aura.
"99 percent sure, and that only because you can never be 100 percent sure of anything. Congratulations."
"And you... don't mind that you'll have little sisters?" she asked shyly.
"Mom, I wasn't against your relationship with Ludwig, and you're talking about little sisters? Of course I'm happy. Don't forget to go to the doctor and get yourself development potions, and go through the rituals."
"Sometimes it seems to me that you're the one taking care of Ariel, not her taking care of you," Ludwig commented.
"One doesn't interfere with the other. First parents take care of children, then children take care of parents," I smirked, restoring the mug with a wave of my wand.
For now I didn't fully trust the Care of Magical Creatures teacher, but after the wedding, when they went through a real marriage ritual and not just registered at the Ministry of Magic, there would be no need to worry about this. Our secrets would become his secrets too, and if he still wanted to leave the family, he wouldn't be able to tell anyone anything. Such a cynic I am.
Though there were almost no cases of divorce in magical marriage — spouses adjusted to each other mentally and emotionally, beginning to literally understand each other from half a word. Such insurance from ancient mages who often married for convenience.
"It's just that you grew up too fast somehow," mom stroked my head.
"It's fine, you'll get practice with the twins," I replied, after which mom threw herself into cooking dinner with doubled enthusiasm. No one brought up serious topics anymore, and there was no need to. Especially since I had plenty of new funny stories from Ryozanpaku that entertained everyone.
***
I had two days of rest. Two wonderful days without training, beatings, and violence against my body and mind. Even Fenias apparated to some friend of his to walk around and reminisce about the past. After all, he had his own affairs that I usually didn't inquire about.
And so, lying under the warm spring sun beneath my apple tree and stroking a small wolf cub between the ears where Pixie sat, enjoying the tranquility of nature, I heard a familiar voice.
"You've become stronger," the nymph appeared imperceptibly as always.
"Thank you, and you're as beautiful as ever," I replied. I was so lazy that I answered while still lying down.
"Aren't you curious why I came exactly now?"
"If you came, then you needed to."
"Are you gaining wisdom or impudence?" her voice sounded like the ringing of bells, the babbling of a brook, and the rustling of leaves.
"Close friends and teachers showed me how important it is to accept life as it is."
"So you found yourself good friends," she smiled as if remembering someone, sitting down next to me. She smelled dizzyingly of freshly cut grass and flowers. Pixie flew over to her hand and rubbed her cheek against her finger. "A beautiful creature, but short-lived. Five winters, no more they live. You know this, don't you?"
"I know," I replied sadly. And you can't relocate her like me — the soul is too small and weak.
"I can help you, or rather you've already helped yourself."
"I would be grateful to you," I replied, sitting up.
"As I said, you've already helped yourself by growing the magical apple trees. One tree has grown strong enough to create a new nymph. I can use the fairy's soul as a foundation, but you must be near as often as possible and pour your energy into the tree," she surprised me. And I thought I had overdone it that time, but it turned out like this.
"But nymphs can't go far from their tree, can they?" I remembered.
"Ordinary ones, yes, but yours will be bound to your soul and will feed from you. As long as you live, she will live too. So do you agree?"
"I agree, thank you," I stood and bowed, but the nymph didn't need my gestures — she paid no attention to me and simply "went" into the tree.
"Come in three days with your fairy, everything will be ready for the relocation."
***
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Thank you for the help with the power stones!!!