Lil had trouble waking up this morning. Yesterday, she played a lot, cooked, and ended up exhausted.

‘Come on, Lil, wake up! It’s morning!’

Kohaku’s persistent licking finally managed to wake her up.

She changed her clothes slowly, washed her face, and went to the entrance as usual.

“I wonder what kind of divine beasts will come to greet me today?”

Kohaku seemed excited, probably happy to meet her friends.

When Lil opened the door, there were many divine beasts again today. Today’s group seemed especially chaotic.

Bears, raccoons, foxes, boars, deer, rabbits, mice… Lil wondered if they were all actually friends.

For some reason, even the leopard that had visited two days ago was among them.

A bear, seemingly the representative of the group, spoke to Lil.

‘Sorry, everyone couldn’t wait, so we all rushed over… This is something we all gathered together. Would you accept it?’

Despite its large size, the bear was very gentle. On a large leaf, there were plenty of nuts and fruits.

Lil greeted everyone.

“Thank you for the gift! I’m Lil. Thank you for coming today!”

Upon saying that, all sorts of divine beasts gathered around her.

‘Nice to meet you.’

‘We wanted to see you.’

Everyone greeted her warmly. Lil picked up each one, hugging and petting them. They were all incredibly cute. Lil felt so happy having so many new friends all at once.

Curious about the leopard sunbathing in front of the entrance, Lil asked if it had any business there. The leopard lazily replied that this spot was perfect for sunbathing. Since the trees around the base had been cleared, the sunlight hit the area well, and with the knights providing security, it was quite safe. Nothing wrong with that.

“Feel free to visit anytime.”

Lil told the leopard, who wagged its tail and settled back down to sleep. Remembering that leopards are nocturnal, Lil decided to leave it alone.

Afterward, Lil played tag with the smaller divine beasts. She was surprised by how fast the rabbits were. How could such tiny bodies hold so much power?

As expected, the bear seemed respected by everyone. When the bear warned them, they all obeyed immediately. Apparently, the bear protected everyone. Such a kind bear.

Exhausted from running around, Lil leaned against the bear to rest. The bear gave her some juicy fruit. It quenched her thirst and felt amazing. Those who could eat joined in, munching on fruit and basking in the sunlight. Lil began to understand why the leopard loved sunbathing. Her body felt warm and comfortable.

They lazed about until the breakfast bell rang.

‘That’s it for greetings. From tomorrow, everyone can visit freely,’

The bear said before leaving. Lil was really looking forward to it.

Everyone returned to the forest. The leopard was still asleep, but Lil decided to leave it alone and inform the knights later.

During breakfast, Lil shared her morning experience. She mentioned that the forest seemed normal, the bear was kind, the leopard was sunbathing, and that everyone would visit freely starting tomorrow. Ian looked slightly worried, fearing another massive crowd. Although the base was spacious, the recent feline gathering had been overwhelming.

“Can we make a watering place for them?”

Today, Lil had learned from a raccoon that there weren’t enough watering spots in the forest. There seemed to be plenty in the deeper parts, but raccoons lived in shallow areas and struggled with competition from animals and magical beasts.

Since protecting divine beasts and supporting their well-being was the role of the Holy Knights, Ian promised Lil he’d check with the kingdom.

That afternoon, Gloria was on watch duty.

To Lil, Gloria seemed like a beautiful and graceful princess.

“Lil, let’s study together today. The Commander asked me to teach you.”

Gloria took Lil’s hand and led her to the garden. Lil wondered why they weren’t heading to the study room.

“Today we’ll study magic.”

Lil jumped for joy. She was finally going to learn magic!

“First, let’s measure your magical power. You’re still small, so your magic power will increase over time, but for now, let’s find out how much you have.”

Gloria handed Lil a smooth stone. The brighter it glowed, the greater the magical power.

The stone shone brightly, flickering.

“Lil, you have a lot of magic power. I’m sure you’ll become a wonderful magician.”

“Really?! I can become a magician?”

Gloria nodded firmly. Having enough power to make the stone flicker at six years old was quite rare.

“Now, I’ll explain magic. Magic relies on borrowing the power of unseen spirits. You ask the spirits to perform magic in exchange for your magical power. If you ask well, the magic will work smoothly.”

It was a very clear explanation.

“I think you’ll be fine, Lil, but if spirits dislike you, you may suddenly lose the ability to use magic. So always remember to show gratitude to the spirits.”

‘Gratitude is important,’ Michiru nodded.

Determined not to be disliked, Lil resolved to pray every day.

“You don’t need incantations to use magic, but since it’s your first time, try saying the words aloud.”

Gloria took out a candle and placed it on a stand.

“Watch closely. ‘Flame, light the candle’s fire.'”

As Gloria spoke, the candle’s flame ignited. Lil clapped excitedly at her first sight of magic.

“‘Wind, extinguish the candle’s fire.’ Now it’s your turn, Lil. Focus on the flame lighting up clearly. If your image is vague, the magic won’t work.”

‘You can do it, Lil.’

Encouraged by Kohaku, Lil focused hard. She visualized giving her magical power to the spirits and imagined the flame sparking to life.

“‘Flame, light the candle’s fire.'”

At that moment, Lil felt something flow out of her body, and the candle’s flame lit up—a vivid blue flame.

Overjoyed, Lil jumped around. Gloria smiled kindly and applauded.

“It’s a little strong, but you did well on your first try. You have talent for magic.”

Lil beamed with pride, and Kohaku celebrated beside her.

“Now, let’s try putting out the flame. Since you have a lot of magic power, try to use it more gently.”

Lil tried again, and this time, the candle’s flame extinguished without issue.

“It’s still a bit strong. You may need to start by learning magic control. We don’t want you to get hurt.”

Lil wondered what magic control was.

“Let me guide you a little.”

Gloria took Lil’s hand and began channeling magic. It felt strange.

“Normally, your magic should flow this softly and weakly. Strong magic is only necessary for big spells; this gentle flow is enough for everyday use.”

Lil felt her own magic gradually slow and soften.

“Now try channeling magic into me.”

Lil tried hard to send magic into Gloria, but struggled. Frustrated, she wrestled with her magic.

Watching Lil’s determination, Gloria remembered her own path. Gloria had run away from home, rejecting an arranged marriage that her noble bloodline had destined for her. She found Ian, a relative who had also left home, and became a knight here. With her powerful magic skills, Gloria thrived as a knight.

Having seen so many broken people cast aside here, Gloria now felt a strong desire to protect children like Lil.

“That’s it, Lil. You’re doing great. Don’t forget that feeling.”

Lil smiled brightly, and Kohaku celebrated too.

Gloria decided she’d continue teaching Lil all about magic. After all, as a ‘Magician,’ this was the best way she could help.

She prayed that Lil would always have a reason to smile.