“………………”
“………………”
Both Dad and Mom kept their eyes cast down, neither of them saying a word.
It was incredibly awkward...
“U-Um...”
A voice suddenly broke the silence. I looked over to see my younger sister, Toko, peeking into the living room.
“Toko, go upstairs. We need to talk to your brother.”
“O-Okay...”
At Mom’s cold instruction, Toko quickly pulled back. I heard the sound of her hurried footsteps as she ran up the stairs.
“Well, regardless of the discussion, the conclusion is already clear. I don’t want to have my arm cut off.”
I broached the subject myself, unable to stand the heavy silence any longer.
“The Principal said what he did, but there are other practitioners who are more skilled at dispel magic than I am,” Mom said.
“Can it be dispelled, then?”
“There is a possibility.”
Even a one-percent chance was still a possibility.
“Hey, do you think I can actually learn dispel magic?”
“Shall I be honest with you?” Dad asked, looking for confirmation.
“Go ahead. No need for restraint at a time like this.”
I didn't care about my feelings anymore. I didn't need fatherly pity right now.
“Tsukasa, as a magician, you have the greatest talent imaginable, but your aptitude is zero.”
“………………”
“What does that mean?”
“Your mana capacity is massive. It’s larger than Toko’s, or mine... No, it’s larger than anyone in the Nagase or La Forge families. It’s a natural-born gift.”
Yeah...
To be honest, I had met relatives from both sides of the family, and I’d never seen anyone with more mana than me.
“But?”
“But you can’t handle it. You’re exceptionally poor at manifesting your internal mana externally.”
“I know that.”
That was exactly why I couldn’t even use basic fire magic.
“So, truthfully, I can’t say for sure. Because your mana pool is so vast, there’s a high possibility you could cast an incredible dispel magic. However, the difficulty of mastering it will be equally extreme.”
Yeah, I figured as much.
“Sigh... Dad, try calling Grandpa again.”
“I’ve tried many times, but he won’t pick up. He’s gone off the grid. Apparently, the people from Astral have put him on a wanted list and are searching for him, but they haven't found a single trace.”
“What on earth is he thinking...? Mom, what do you think? Should I go to the Magic Academy?”
I decided to ask for her opinion this time.
“To start with, I am in favor of you attending the Magic Academy. In fact, I had already been considering it for some time.”
“Really?”
“Through the La Forge family connections, you can enroll in the Magic Academy without even taking an entrance exam. Furthermore, the age demographic there is quite varied; it is an institution for working adults as well as students like you and Toko. Enrolling mid-term won't make you stand out at all.”
Huh... That sounded good. Usually, people would wonder why a kid was transferring in the middle of May.
“You should’ve told me sooner. I was bored out of my mind all through April.”
“That was because you stated you had no intention of becoming a magician.”
Oh, right.
“So, do you think I can learn dispel magic if I go to this academy?”
When I asked that, Mom lowered her gaze and shook her head.
“No go?”
“You are my child. My very precious child. But unfortunately, you are an idiot... Dispel magic requires a combination of knowledge, experience, and sharp wits.”
Well, that was blunt.
“Then what am I supposed to do?”
“The La Forge family says they will take you in.”
Hmm?
“Grandpa and Grandma over there? What does that mean?”
“They say they cannot allow you to die, and even if you were to lose an arm, they would ensure you are taken care of.”
Wait, what?
“What? They’re going to support me?”
So I was going to end up as a NEET after all?
“Well, in essence, yes... Um...”
Mom seemed to find the next part difficult to say.
“Giselle, I’ll take it from here. Tsukasa, come with me.”
Dad stood up and walked into the study adjacent to the living room. I followed him inside.
“What is it? Why couldn't Mom say it?”
“Well, your mother was raised as a lady, so it’s a hard topic for her. The La Forge family wants your blood.”
“Blood?” I asked. “Are they vampires or something?”
Or maybe mosquitoes.
“That’s not what I mean. I’m talking about your bloodline. The La Forge family wants your potential. Toko is the one who carries the La Forge name, but in terms of lineage, you’re the one with the real gift. It’s simply because of the sheer size of your mana pool. In other words, there’s a much higher chance that your children will be superior magicians compared to Toko’s children.”
If I do say so myself, I think there’s also a high chance they’d be born idiots.
“So they want me to move into their house?”
“Well, that’s not the only reason. Your grandfather and grandmother on that side have been worried about you ever since you failed your high school exams.”
Sorry about that.
“What happens if I go to their house?”
“They’ll probably look for a dispel magic specialist for you. Or rather, they’re likely searching already. From their perspective, losing your arm is the worst-case scenario, but it’s still better than you dying. They’ll support you even if you’re disabled, and they’ll introduce you to a wife.”
Are you serious?
“A wife?”
“It goes back to the bloodline thing. Your children have a high probability of being elite magicians. So, you’d be married off to a young lady from a family of similar standing.”
Marriage... I was only sixteen.
“By ‘young lady,’ do you mean someone from a prestigious magician family like the La Forges?”
“Most likely. I imagine they’d find someone nice, like your mother.”
That sentence immediately stripped away any lingering appeal. What kind of guy in his right mind would be happy to hear his wife would be like his mother?
“Pass! Besides, Grandma over there is way too loud. She blew a fuse when I let one rip at the dinner table.”
The La Forge family was a prestigious house, which made them incredibly strict about discipline and etiquette. For the record, the grandpa over there never said a word, but he was a good guy who always gave me pocket money. Even if it was always in Euros...
“To be fair, I’d like you to stop doing that in our house too. Your mother and Toko are always glaring at you, aren't they?”
“I don't care. Anyway, I’m not going there. I like Japan, and I have no intention of getting married yet.”
“I see... Let’s head back to the living room then.”
I followed Dad back into the main room.
“Giselle, Tsukasa says he doesn’t want to go to the main house.”
As we took our seats, Dad delivered the verdict.
“Well, I thought as much,” Mom replied, nodding as if she had expected it.
“I’ll go to that Magic Academy after all. I’ll give it a shot there.”
“Very well. I will inform your grandmother of your decision.”
“Thanks. So, how do I actually get to the Magic Academy?”
In the first place, what even was an otherworld? Was it that Astral place?
“I will explain the details once the paperwork is finalized. Before that, Tsukasa, you must not tell anyone about the bracelet.”
“Not even Toko?”
“Not even Toko. We will tell her that the reason you are entering the Magic Academy is because you’re a NEE— because you have nothing else to do.”
Mom is so kind...
I felt like I was going to cry.
“Got it.”
“Sigh... Go on, go upstairs.”
“Okay. Oh, I’m gonna take a bath first. I haven’t had one in like two days.”
When I said that, Mom looked at me with a gaze utterly devoid of maternal warmth, her eyes brimming with pure contempt.
I felt like I was going to cry.