From Zero to Hero - Growing up in another world

Marsillas rose from his chair and wiped his eyes. He went to check on the children. That’s when he realized that among them, there was no demon. He lifted Aika, who, noticing the tear marks on his face, smiled and held out her hand. Marsillas noticed it. He held Aika high above his head, and staring in her eyes, he said:

”Do you understand me?”

Aika nodded. Marsillas rubbed his eyes and asked again. She nodded again.

“They are wonder children” he muttered to himself.

Then he heard a loud *Thump!*

It came from Aurelia’s room. He put Aika down and ran to the room. He found Aurelia lying on the ground, her face upward, gasping and eyes wide open, looking surprised. It seemed she had come back to herself and, trying to walk, fell because she had been bedridden for a month.

”Aurelia!” exclaimed Marsillas in excitement.

He helped her up and sat her in a chair.

”Are you okay? Can you walk? Are you dizzy? Do you feel pain anywhere?”

To this barrage of questions Aurelia smiled.

”You are as caring as always, Marsillas. I’m okay. Thank you for worrying about me.”

Maresillas blushed. He dearly loved Aurelia and didn’t want any harm to befall her.

During the next three months, Aurelia recovered slowly and her four children came to know their mother. A gentle woman, Aurelia was very beautiful. She had long silver hair and beautiful blue eyes. The children instantly loved her. It turned out that Marsillas married Aurelia after she had been chased away. She then took her husband’s surname, Lavande.

In the fifth month, Aurelia had fully recovered. They proceeded to the naming ceremony. This involved calling everyone to the town square and giving names to your child. Then, you would have a party with your family and close friends. It was also an opportunity to circumcise the boys.

So then, at the fountain in the town square, the Lavande family waited for the townspeople. When they arrived, they found the four in their cot, waiting to be named. Aurelia first took Kaede out and handed him to Marsillas, who circumcised him. Then he gave him a name: Abel. He was the first son. Alexander was followed by Aika, who was named Adele. Aiko was named Adelheid, and Hakuto, Abelheid. He was also circumcised.

That morning had started like any other. Aurelia was preparing lunch, and the children had once again snuck into the library.

“Check this out,” whispered Abel, pointing to an elaborate diagram in a scroll half as long as he was tall.

“It’s a merging spell. Says it fuses elements into one advanced attack.”

Adele leaned closer.

“Are we even allowed to try that?”

“We’re not allowed to be in here, period,” Abelheid muttered.

“Which means we definitely should,” Adelheid grinned.

With a few nods and mischievous smirks, they stood around the circle drawn on the floor, focused, and cast the spell.

At first, nothing happened.

Then the air shimmered.

A low hum began to vibrate in their chests. Light crackled from the circle, surrounding them. Dust trembled on the shelves. The scroll began to glow white-hot.

Wondering where the children had wandered off to, Aurelia opened the library door just as the spell triggered.

“Kids? Lunch is—”

A sudden pulse of light exploded from the center. The spell surged outward like a shockwave.

Aurelia froze in terror, too close to react.

“Barrier!” shouted Abelheid, raising his hand instinctively.

A dome of blue light snapped into place, catching the blast just inches before it would have struck her.

The shockwave shattered against the barrier in a burst of crackling sparks.

Silence.

Aurelia stood trembling, wide-eyed.

And then she screamed. Loud. The kind of scream that could summon the dead—and her husband.

Marsillas appeared moments later, breathless, face pale. When he heard what happened, he didn’t speak for a full minute.58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDI1GHPeUxB

Then he turned to the children and said dryly:

“We are never measuring your mana levels. I enjoy living, thank you.”58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhn99AihEqn

Later that afternoon, Marsillas stood at the back door of the house, staring at the forest. He rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

Aurelia joined him quietly, Jojo snuggled in her arms.

“They didn’t mean to hurt anyone,” she said softly.

“I know,” he replied. 58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡce8pcmXdIR

“But if they’re casting divine-level magic by accident, we need to know what else they’re capable of.”

She nodded. 58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrPHMdu3mO

“What will you do?”

“I’ll test their elemental affinities.”

He turned to call the children.

“Outside. Now. We’re playing a new game.”

The clearing behind the house was misty and cool. Marsillas knelt and drew a large circle in the dirt, carving six runes into the ground around it—Light, Dark, Fire, Ice, Nature, and Divine.

“Everyone stand in the center,” he instructed.

The children obeyed—curious, but unafraid.

He began the sensing chant, placing a hand on each child’s shoulder in turn. As he whispered the incantation, the circle lit up—not in a single color, but in a cascade of hues. Each elemental rune shimmered. One after another. Then all at once.

Marsillas blinked.58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQ7MBMqDfk

“That... that can’t be right.”

He tried again. And got the same result.

Each child pulsed with all six elemental affinities.

Even divine.

He stumbled backward, eyes wide. 58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8ozDkkyL6

“Impossible…”

Narrator: In Aedalon, most mages are born with one elemental affinity. Two, if they’re blessed. Rare affinities like nature and divine never occur together—and usually replace all others.58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HdR5eREUd

Abel raised a hand, summoned a flame, wrapped it in wind, then froze it with a whisper.

Adelheid formed glowing petals of ice and scattered them into the wind.

Adele summoned radiant light and disappeared in a flash, reappearing on Marsillas’s shoulders.

Abelheid crouched, vines spiraling up from the ground around his feet.

Marsillas stared at them all.

“Even the gods don’t have this,” he whispered.

Aurelia stepped forward. 58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsqLJSOG48

“It’s the seeds, isn’t it? The pact the kings made…”

He nodded slowly, still stunned.

Then Abelheid spoke.

“Can we learn to combine them now?”

Marsillas groaned and put his face in his hands.58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtybWERDXg3