WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Malfoid

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◈ I Don't Need a Family ◈

Episode 6

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* * *

‘Magic resistance.’

After making Lola keep quiet about the misconduct of the Mage Tower people who had snooped around our home, I went over the related memories.

Vivette did not seem to like that ability very much.

No matter how high her magic resistance was, it did not help her use magic at all.

The only time it had been of any real use to Vivette was when she entered Erenston Academy.

The academy entrance exam considered practical scores, such as skill use, and magical aptitude alongside theory grades.

Since Vivette could not use magic, there was nothing she could do in most categories.

Still, as befitted a daughter of House Ashwilt, her theory grades were among the best.

Thanks to her exceptional magic resistance, enough to make up for every other weak area, she was accepted without difficulty.

“Magic resistance? Why are you even testing something so useless?”

Some parents who disliked Vivette even protested. Unlike the past, when combat magic had been in demand, they argued that it was a meaningless ability in these peaceful times.

“Oh, I see. She’s Duke Ashwilt’s daughter. This is unfair! A girl who can’t even use magic got into the academy over my child.”

“Even if she was accepted, what could she possibly do? Aside from her high score in magic resistance, she’s no different from someone with no magical ability.”

The controversy over her admission being little different from cheating had begun two years ago.

But after enrolling, Vivette took first place again and again.

Vivette was a student in the Department of Magical Engineering in the School of Magic.

Besides the major fields of combat magic and practical magic, magic studies also included areas known as magical engineering, such as magical-device crafting and mana-stone work.

Mages with uncertain talent often chose that major because it could be handled with only a very limited amount of mana.

Magical engineering research used mana stones rather than one’s own mana, so the amount of mana a person possessed was not important.

Since she knew theory inside and out, Vivette earned high grades. She was a child willing to work herself to death, at least.

But the achievement of being top of her class did not shine very brightly.

Vivette’s memories were pitiful and monotonous enough to rival Choi Eunseo’s.

Despair over her constitution, or the enormous effort she put into reaching even the level of an ordinary mage.

And the sneers and ridicule she heard along the way. That was all.

‘When spring comes, I’ll have to attend the academy again. I need to finish this before then.’

I planned to withdraw.

It would be uncomfortable attending the academy with Harris Ashwilt, who would become a first-year student, and more importantly...

Vivette was definitely someone without magical ability. Even if she completed one more year and graduated safely, she would never be able to make use of her major. Even magical engineers needed a tiny amount of mana.

She might be able to compete with theory alone at the academy, but the professional world would not be so easy.

‘I can’t waste an entire year of my precious life.’

I immediately began writing my withdrawal form.

* * *

“Shall I head inside?”

As I walked around the annex, it was already early evening.

‘Walking was so fun that I lost track of time.’

Exercise had been something I forced myself to do during rehabilitation, but it seemed I quite liked physical activity.

After I became independent, it might be fun to take up swordsmanship or archery as a hobby.

Near the wall by the annex entrance, I spotted a pale shape.

It was not a ghost, but it was hardly any better.

“Harris Ashwilt?”

It was Harris, Vivette’s cousin, two years younger than her.

Unlike the other taciturn members of the family, he had a lively personality. He was indifferent, but whenever he felt like it, he got along well with his older cousin. He was the person Vivette had clung to the most.

A proud mage who would enter Erenston Academy in spring.

His silver-white hair, a signature of the Ashwilts, looked so cold that it was almost blue. His elegant, arrogant bearing made it obvious that he was of ducal blood.

Yet that noble young man was crouched beneath the wall, his face buried in his knees.

‘Why did someone who usually shut himself in his room come all the way out here?’

Had he come looking for me on purpose? I frowned and asked.

“What are you doing here?”

Flustered as I asked, Harris slowly lifted his head and silently looked at me.

Only after our eyes met did I realize my mistake. I should not have spoken to him. He did not like Vivette much.

“Sister, could you please behave yourself at least until I enroll?”

“I don’t want people at the academy saying you’re my sister.”

“Please don’t act like you know me at the academy, Sister.”

Those were all things that bastard had said.

Vivette had been encouraging him before he even took the exam, getting excited on his behalf and saying that perhaps he would enter as the top student.

If it had been Gillian, he would have cruelly crushed Harris’s spirit for being disrespectful. But unfortunately, this did not even count as rudeness to Vivette.

He called her Sister, and he always spoke politely. That alone was enough for her to be grateful.

Just treat me well enough that I won’t be humiliated in front of the servants. Vivette had prayed that to herself and felt relieved.

‘What a bad guy. I should just ignore him and walk past.’

I decisively started walking, but footsteps sounded behind me.

Harris Ashwilt was following me.

“Sister.”

“......”

“Why are you just leaving? You saw me.”

I tried to ignore him as though I had not heard, but a flash burst behind me.

‘What was that?’

When I turned around, a massive pillar of light was cutting through the pale winter sky.

The beam rose from Harris’s hand, or more precisely, from the small magic circle in his palm.

The magic circle was silver-white, the traditional hair color of House Ashwilt, so cold that it almost seemed blue.

‘Did he just use magic to get my attention?’

The pillar of light was far brighter than the LED lights of my past life, yet it did not seem glaring at all.

Was that also thanks to Vivette’s magic resistance?

Still, a pillar of light made of magic was wondrous. It almost made me wish I were a mage too.

“Oh.”

When I let out a small exclamation without thinking, Harris puffed out his chest and grinned.

“I made even this smaller because I thought it might startle people.”

Aren’t I amazing? Tell me I’m amazing already.

His eyes clearly said that he wanted me to make a fuss and praise him.

But he was asking the wrong person. Unfortunately, I had taken over the body of his older cousin, and I was not much good at praise and had a cold personality.

Still, he did not move an inch, simply waiting for what I would say next.

‘He looks like he won’t get out of the way unless I praise him.’

After considering it, I recited a brief compliment in a businesslike tone.

“Yeah. You’re good.”

That should still have been far more generous praise than anything the Duke or Gillian would offer.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Harris’s face, as if to say, Is that it?

The massive pillar of light vanished in an instant. Harris ran a hand through his silver-white hair and spoke evenly.

“Sister, I came in second on the entrance exam.”

I had wondered why he had been waiting for me. Had he come to brag?

‘Even someone from a collateral branch came in second. The Ashwilts really are impressive.’

Every aspiring mage in the Empire must have taken that exam, yet he had placed second among them.

But Harris did not look pleased. An awkward silence passed between us before he spoke as if sulking, his voice deeply hurt.

“Sister. Why aren’t you comforting me?”

Comforting him? What comfort?

Did coming in second on an exam require comfort?

“Uncle did not seem pleased. My brother gave me an earful, asking why I couldn’t have tried a little harder.”

He only looked at the ground with a bitter expression.

‘It seems even second place is not good enough for the Ashwilts.’

Then how much must they have hated Vivette, a girl who could not even achieve that second place?

‘And he’s asking for comfort in front of someone who can’t use magic at all?’

Thoroughly selfish. Just like an Ashwilt.

I opened my mouth in an emotionless voice.

“Harris, I’m not going to comfort you.”

“What? Why not?”

The young man, who still had a boyish look about him, furrowed his brows.

“You came looking for me because there was no one else to comfort you, right? I was the only one in this house who understood how you felt.”

He could not bring himself to deny it. No matter how much Gillian cared for his younger brother, emotional matters were another matter.

Harris Ashwilt had earned Gillian’s approval, but never his love.

It was the opposite of Vivette, who had received love, however misguided, but had never once been acknowledged.

In this desolate household, the two of them could have filled what the other lacked. “It’s the same for me. I want someone to lean on when I’m depressed, too. But you never listened to me.”

“If I comfort you with kind words, you’ll act as though nothing happened and ignore me again. Even knowing I’ll be hurt watching you walk away, I have no intention of taking your side again.”

When Vivette was having a hard time, he ran away because he did not want to listen to her complaints.

I spoke firmly.

“I’m not a disposable shelter. Don’t come near me unless you mean to stay by my side.”

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