I was called to Lord Wilhelm’s study the morning after the training session.
I had barely slept a wink last night. Gossip had been rippling through the vassals and servants of House Werl ever since Lord Rein was found. They whispered that he had been sold to slave traders and treated so cruelly that his very appearance had changed. It was an open secret that the Saint had been summoned specifically to treat him, and a few people even claimed to have seen him from a distance during his rehabilitation exercises.
However, a strict gag order had been imposed regarding anything related to Lord Rein, and all visitation was forbidden.
Despite his young age, Lord Rein never acted spoiled or selfish. He was beloved by the staff, often handing out delicious new sweets to various people under the guise of them being "prototypes." Moreover, far too many people felt a personal sense of guilt over his kidnapping. I was no exception... Lord Rein was an incredibly sensitive topic. The atmosphere in the manor was such that if anyone spoke of him outside the castle walls, no one would be surprised if they turned up as a corpse the next day.
I was the first person allowed to have contact with him since the ban was lifted. During my initial briefing, I had been asked to handle him with extreme care, to avoid pushing him, and to never pry into his time as a slave. At the time, I had assumed they simply didn't want me to remind him of a period of grueling labor. But now, those words carried a sickening weight. The circumstantial evidence didn't point to mere overwork; it vividly suggested something far more hideous. I had spent the entire night wondering what could have happened until the sun came up.
When I opened the door, Lord Wilhelm was seated at the desk, with Lady Roswitha in the chair beside him. The purpose of this meeting was to report the results of yesterday’s training—and to demand an explanation for Lord Rein’s condition.
"Have a seat."
Prompted by Lord Wilhelm, I sat.
I began by reporting the results of Lord Rein’s training in order: his extraordinary mana capacity; his abnormal mana control; his visceral reaction when attempting Fire and Water magic; his total lack of hesitation regarding self-harm; and the incredible speed of his recovery magic, coupled with his inability to cast it on anyone but himself.
Both Lord Wilhelm and Lady Roswitha wore expressions of grim realization.
"So, his inability to manifest Fire and Water magic isn't a physical or magic organ issue?"
"His mana flow was perfectly normal. I believe the cause is psychological. But Lord Rein’s behavior is abnormal! What could have caused—"
"...Berta. The reason we have kept the details hidden until now was to protect Rein’s future. But you must be told. Please, ensure that what I am about to say never leaves this room."
"……Yes, my lord."
"The woman who bought Rein—Elizabeth—was a Water Attribute mage."
Lord Wilhelm’s voice was hauntingly quiet.
"That woman tortured Rein continuously for three years. According to our intelligence, she used slaves as targets for water bullets and subjected them to waterboarding. As for the fire... Rein’s torso is covered in branding iron marks and sear scars. His hair turning silver and the change in his eye colors were also results of the torture."
My breath hitched. That boy... in that tiny body?
"—Then, his reaction during training...!"
"...It was likely exactly what you’re thinking. His body rejected the magic as his mind relived the torture."
I felt a cold shiver run down my spine as I recalled Lord Rein’s state.
"Then... does that mean I was indirectly torturing him? I... What have I done...!"
As I began to spiral into a panic, Lady Roswitha spoke to me, her voice heavy with regret.
"I’m sorry. We only told you to be cautious, but we didn't give you the context you needed. We should have explained more clearly just how fragile his heart has become....But even we didn't realize that magic itself would be a trigger for him."
"This was our failure... However, there are still questions that need answering."
"……Yes. Even if he couldn't use elemental magic, why have his mana capacity and control increased to such a degree?"
"The only magic Rein can use is recovery magic... He told me he had reached a point where he could use it 'at any time.' I took that to mean he could activate it at will, but I may have misunderstood."
"He is likely using recovery magic constantly. No—could it be...!"
Lord Wilhelm turned pale, his voice catching as a horrifying realization struck him.
Lady Roswitha finished the thought, her words trembling.
"He had to use it constantly... to the point where his mana capacity and control became so far removed from that of an ordinary person! How could this...!!"
Then, the reason he could only heal himself... and the reason he didn't hesitate to hurt himself...
"No... that’s... that’s impossible...!"
My vision blurred behind my glasses. Every piece of evidence pointed toward a hellish environment where Lord Rein was being subjected to endless pain, forced to heal himself over and over again just to survive.
And I was partly responsible for that agony.
"If only... if only I had taught him even one attack magic spell back then...!"
"My judgment sent that child to hell..."
"I’m the one who crushed his talent...!"
It felt as though the floor had vanished, leaving me falling into an abyss. My vision grew dark under the weight of my self-loathing.
Lord Wilhelm spoke up, cutting through my despair.
"I believe I told you about that before, Berta."
"Not teaching attack magic to a seven-year-old was not a mistake in judgment. He was taken by twenty skilled mercenaries who could master physical enhancement. A child's attack magic wouldn't have changed a thing."
"But—"
"It is not your responsibility. The responsibility lies with me. I received the warnings but my intelligence failed to see the raid coming, and my guards were slaughtered...!"
Lord Wilhelm slammed his fist against the desk. A heavy, suffocating silence filled the study.
◇◇◇
When I was called to the study by Father, Mother was with him.
The atmosphere was uncomfortably heavy. As I took a seat, Father looked me straight in the eye.
"Rein. I’ve heard the report from Berta regarding yesterday."
"……Yes."
"For the time being, training in Fire and Water magic is prohibited. That leaves recovery magic... but I want to ask you something. Do you truly want to be able to cast recovery magic on others?"
Father’s eyes were dead serious. He wasn't just asking a question; he was testing my resolve.
That woman broke people with magic. She beat them with bullets of water and drowned them in it. Magic can destroy people. My body knew that better than anyone.
But Big Sister Therese healed me with magic. My lost limbs, my eye, my scarred skin—over the course of half a year, she brought me back to myself. Magic can save people. My body knew that, too.
"I do."
I nodded firmly.
"—I want to save people, just like Big Sister Therese did."
Father gave a small, satisfied nod. Mother’s expression softened.
"Very well. Then let us find a way."
Father crossed his arms, deep in thought.
"To train your recovery magic on others, you need injured subjects. The first option would be the Church, as they hold a monopoly on recovery magic training."
"However—"
Mother cut in.
"If the son of a Count joins the Church, it would be considered entering the priesthood. You would lose your noble status and have to live away from your family."
"And I doubt Rein wants that."
"On the other hand," Mother continued, "private clinics are staffed by recovery mages mediated by the Church, making them effectively Church institutions. They wouldn't look kindly on a member of House Werl training there without taking vows."
"……There is the option of using animals, I suppose."
Father started to suggest it, but then shook his head.
"They say that recovery mages who train on beasts end up with the beast's image bleeding into their spells. There are stories of those who trained only on rabbits, and every time they healed a wound, rabbit fur would sprout from the patient....I don't know if that's folklore or fact, but the method is avoided for a reason."
"We could have someone get injured on purpose for you to heal—but that is a bit much....Though I suspect Mira would happily volunteer for it."
He gave a dry chuckle. He was right; Mira would probably say, "If it's for Lord Rein, I'd be honored," with her eyes sparkling. But I couldn't let her do that.
After a long silence, Father spoke again.
"—Shall we buy some slaves?"
My body froze for a heartbeat. Those words dragged up memories of that dark room. The clinking of chains. The smell of old leather. That woman’s laughter.
"Rein."
Father’s voice pulled me back. He was watching my reaction closely.
"We will buy slaves who are already injured. If they are already wounded, they can serve as your practice subjects, and you will be treating them in return. After they are healed, we can grant them their freedom. It’s an arrangement that benefits everyone."
I took a slow breath and nodded.
"……I understand."
"Then you should visit a slave trader soon....I can’t leave the estate right now, but I’ll have Klaus accompany you. Go with Mira."
"Yes, Father."
I wanted to choose for myself. I wanted to see with my own eyes who I would be saving.
Father stood up, his tone final.
"It’s settled, then."