The next day I woke up, yet I didn’t feel hungry. As I calmly sat down and thought about what I had done, an overwhelming sense of guilt came over me, but resolving myself. I thought ‘How was it possible?’

I used magic. Something that was told to be used only by nobles. How was it that I, who had no noble blood could use it?

Thinking maybe that Sarah would know something, I asked her.

“Sarah, am I really able to use magic?”

| I don’t know why. But, I can definitely say that you are a user of it. |

“How?”

She then proceeded to tell me an experiment to do. First I would need a bucket of water, second I would need to sit down, cross-legged and concentrate on the ‘feeling’ of blood.

“I don’t feel... it. Sarah.”

| Okay, just take the bucket of water and spill it on yourself. I’ll do the rest. |

“What...?”

| Just do it! |

“Fine~ Fine~”

I took the bucket, and spilled it on myself. And suddenlyー

| [Vessel] Interception: 85% |

The water didn’t go to the floor, it didn’t wet my skin either. It simply flowed on top of my body, as though there were veins on top of my body. 

| Try getting up and going outside. |

I got up, yet the water didn’t fall down. It just kept moving around my body. 

| Okay, I think we’ll stop now. |

And slowly the water went onto the bare soil, now it was wet. Yet my clothes were unaffected. This strange thing left me dumbfounded. What had just happened? I didn’t understand.

| That is called ‘Magic Flow’. |

“Magic flow..? Was it real? I thought it was just something that the nobles used to flaunt power...”

| Though your magic flow isn’t the actual magic flow, more of a primitive version of it. |

And suddenly a rising feeling in my throat, I vomited out blood. 

“Blergh! Gah! Pant.. Pant..”

“What’s going... Pant.. on?”

I don’t understand what’s happening... My head feels dizzy, and my body feels heavy.

| Uhm! Uh..! J-just calm d-down! Sit up s-straight! Against that wall! |

Doing my best to walk, I leaned on the shed and sat on the cold grass, calming down. I slowly breathed in and out. Feeling my senses return to me, I felt better and calmer. My body felt like it was pushed to its limits.

“What.. happened?”

| This is really surprising but you have opposing magic elements. |

“Hahaha! That’s funny... I didn’t even have magic before and now I have opposing dual elements..? What a joke... What a truly unfunny joke...”

‘If only I had this power before.’ That's all that resounded in my heart. Again and again. Why couldn’t I have had this before? I could’ve saved everyone...

Wiping my tears, I simply gazed at the blue and bright sky, yet now it seemed so unimaginably big, something I could never touch with my hands. 

“So, what elements are they?”

| Huh? |

“What elements are they? The powers I mean.”

| Light... and dark. |

“I get the rarest elements on top of that! How amusing! Thank you so much for your help god! Really really appreciate it!” I shouted like a madman. What was I to do? 

I felt a heavy realisation, I lost everyone I loved. Can’t I just kill myself now? What was the point of living?

‘Maru... Just know that.. I’ll always be with you.’ Those words were brought to my mind.

It was as though someone was playing with my heart, I didn’t deserve any of this. I lived my life with no harm to others, yetー Yet! I was abandoned by my karma. I was abandoned by my good will. 

Thinking that perhaps I’d have to get up and go now, I went to the village again. Standing there, I felt lost. 

“I don’t have... money.”

| Why don’t you just loot the houses? |

“I-... can’t do that...”

| But that money isn’t being used anymore? |

“But I don’t think I can take it away from them... It’s their hard earned money...”

| But they’re all dead already, and it’s not like they can use it. |

| Just take the money. |

“Sarah!”

“Please... I can’t take it...” subconsciously, tears started flowing down my eyes. 

| I-I’m sorry.. | 

| For saying those things... |

“It’s fine.. But please... I can’t take it...”

| Maru! To your right! |

I moved my body to the left, and saw an arrow fly by. Looking behind me, I saw an old man. A man with slicked back hair, and a black colored overcoat. He had the emblem of the duke’s insignia on his white shirt. He was carrying a sword, a long sword that was half his height. He stood tall and looked at me. Behind him were fifty archers and swordsmen standing in formation. Right as they were about to charge at me, he signalled them with his arm and stopped them. 

All of them bowed to him and stood back. 

As I stared at this man, I realised. He was the duke, the duke of Varland.