It was about 4 pm. As we passed the farmland, I noticed something moving in the water. I moved closer—and there were fish, lots of them.
(They swam all the way from the river… well, don't blame me then.)
They say fish are good for the brain. Right now I really needed to strengthen my memory so I could learn magic.
"Lina, do you want fish for dinner?" I asked.
"Yes!" she answered.
"I'll go fetch a bucket. Wait here."
"Mm."
I grabbed a bucket and turned back—but what I saw made me stop in my tracks. A few fish were drifting through the air, enclosed in spheres of water. Lina stood nearby, a finger raised, manipulating the water spheres.
(That must be the magic she just learned.)
I could tell at once it was Lina's new magic. She was watching the irrigation ditch, probably wanting to catch more. I walked over to her.
"Real water, surround and capture them."
I heard her mumble—words I didn't understand at first. Surround? Capture? Who? She hadn't finished the sentence.
"Water Cage"
After she spoke, a water globe rose from the surface, several fish trapped inside. Then two globes merged into a larger one. I realized she had been chanting.
That magic was scary—anything trapped in it probably couldn't get out and would drown. Terrifying.
Lina turned toward me and pointed at the bucket in my hand. Suddenly a water globe shot toward me, aimed straight at my bucket. I sensed the danger and ducked to the side. The globe slammed into the ground and burst, scattering the fish across the dirt. Out of water, the fish flopped and jumped.
Lina marched over angrily and demanded, "Karen, why did you dodge!?"
"Sorry—reflex. But you should've warned me," I replied.
She should have given me a heads up so I could be prepared. A sudden flock of flying fish is frightening.
"Ah… sorry…" Lina looked contrite.
I looked at the fish on the ground. Dinner was solved—one fish each would be enough.
"It's okay. Let's keep two and put the rest back," I said.
"Mm."
I scooped up a bucket of water, dropped two of the fish into it, and returned the others to the ditch. Then we headed home.
On the way back I asked about Lina's magic. "Lina, what was that magic just now?"
"That was "Water Cage". It can grab things that are in water. But the object has to be in water—otherwise it won't work. Still, no matter how heavy, it can lift things easily."
"I see."
So it had a condition: the target must be in water. The upside was that it could easily lift heavy objects.
(Is this magic meant for catching fish?)
I wondered whether she could shape a water ball around something, then use "Water Cage".
"Lina, can you control a water ball? Try wrapping the object with a globe, then use "Water Cage"."
"I'll try."
I set the bucket down and said, "Try on the bucket."
"Mm."
Lina formed a water ball larger than the bucket and tried to separate it from her hand. It drifted a little, then became unstable and exploded.
"Whoa!"
We both instinctively covered our faces. The burst drenched us to the skin. Lina let out a small cry.
Soaking wet felt awful. Better go home and change before we study more—wouldn't want to catch a cold.
"Breeze"
Just then I felt a warm little wind brush past—had a breeze started? A white strand of hair floated up in the sunlight, dazzling me. I was stunned, but I didn't stare too long. I looked at the source—Lina. Her palm hovered near her hair, and the hair followed the motion of her hand.
It was Lina's wind magic. The warmth I felt came from the fact that wind magic, like water magic, can change temperature. Wind magic was handy.
(Like a hairdryer.)
She tucked her hand into her clothes and, with the sunshine, her clothes dried quickly.
When Lina's clothes were completely dry, she turned to me and aimed a hand at my shirt, releasing a warm gust that dried my wet clothes.
"Thanks," I said.
"Welcome, heh."
With our clothes dry, we went back to testing.
"Lina, let's start with a normal-sized water globe. If that works, we'll gradually increase the size."
"Mm."
She made a usual-sized water ball and pushed it from her palm. It wavered but didn't explode this time. I watched her—she stared at that water ball without taking her eyes off it. The water ball stabilized into a perfect sphere and drifted farther from her hand.
Just as it neared the bucket, the water ball burst. So close. But Lina was a genius—she mastered it on her second try.
"Amazing… Ah, Lina!" I cried out.
I glanced toward her to praise her, and froze. Lina was suddenly lying on the ground. I shouted her name, but she didn't respond.
My breath quickened and my heart pounded. Why had Lina collapsed? What had happened?
(No—check her condition first. Everything else can wait.)
I leaned close to her nose to check for breath, then placed a hand on her forehead. No fever—she seemed to have fainted.
Relief flooded me, and I slumped down. If she had died, I don't think I could have recovered.
After her breathing steadied, I lifted Lina and let her lean against my back, then carried her home. I'd planned a princess carry, but my arms weren't strong enough.
At home I laid her on the bed and covered her with a blanket. I sat in a chair and stared at her.
(Why did she faint? Heatstroke? No—that's impossible. The temperature here is like in my previous life. Though sunny, no one here ever actually collapses from heat, and we were wearing hats. Maybe…)
I suddenly jumped up and ran outside. When I'd felt her forehead on the field, my hand might have been too warm to judge correctly.
I plunged my hand into the irrigation water to cool it, then retrieved the bucket we'd used to hold the two fish.
Back inside, I put my cool hand to Lina's forehead again—no change.
(No fever. Then what is it?)
I sat for a long time and couldn't find an answer. In the end I gave up and decided to wait until Lina woke and ask her then.
I didn't just wait idly—I studied vocabulary while I waited.