‘⋯⋯ Stand!’

“Ahh!”

While I shouted cheerfully, my head tilted forward.

“⋯⋯!”

I swung my hands and pushed the top of my head with magic. Then the center of gravity shifted back again. When I hurriedly supported my back with magic, my body stood up again.

“Ua.”

To stand properly, I have to support my lower body as well as my lower back. After contemplating, I circled the magic around my waist and regained my balance, just walking on a round pedestal.

Then there was stability, and the amount of magic consumption significantly decreased compared to when my body was floating with magic alone.

My idea was correct. It would be more efficient to support my weight with my feet and assist with magic rather than flying and moving with only magic. So I have been practicing now and then, and I’m so glad that I’m doing so well.

“Adada.”

‘Standing and walking are great.’

I felt a piercing sensation in my foot as I stepped on the ground. I groaned a little and felt both feet on the ground. The memories of pushing my stomach, hiding books, crawling on the floor, and sweating ran through my head.

Grown-ups say crawling is a military exercise. A baby’s life is a battlefield where every moment is fierce. Adults make life easy.

“Ana, Doo.”

‘One, two.’

I counted my steps and took one step forward. I was under pressure to grow up fast, so I think the problem was that I drank too much formula. The white socks Linda put on my feet were too small for my chubby body. It took very delicate magic control for my socks to withstand my relatively large body.

‘I used to do this when I sprained my ankle.’

At the time, I was struggling to live. Because if I showed my weakness, things would get worse.

In the Imperial palace infested with enemies, magic helped a lot. This power eventually even brought me back to the past. Because I was a witch, I faced a lot of shame, but it was ironic that I was able to overcome it because I was a witch.

‘One hundred and one, one hundred and two.’

My steps were simply baby steps. My legs are short, so my steps are narrow, and it seems that I have to take three or four steps to take an adult step. I shed tears at the shortened movement, but I worked hard as I counted the steps inwardly.

If my stamina wears out, I use the power of healing. Compared to a priest, who was born with healing properties, mine was an insignificant ability. But it was still capable of recovering stamina and healing minor wounds.

‘My worn-out stamina is restored with divinity, and my lack of strength is restored with magic. I will take these steps until morning comes, I will retrieve the spellbook.’

That was my plan. I was very worried, but fortunately, it seemed to be going as I planned.

‘No, maybe it’s a lot smoother than I thought?’

I looked at the magic that wrapped around my body with strange eyes.

I was anxious to think that I have to quickly retrieve the spellbook before the end of the week, my aunt’s vacation duration. So, I calculated the distance between her room and my room and based the amount of magic needed on that. Then, I diligently collected it. So, on the 7th day, I met my target and came out.

But strangely, I feel relaxed.

In the past, my magic used to leak easily when I used it, but now it doesn’t feel like it’s leaking

‘Is it because of the time leap⋯⋯?’

Just as a warrior gets stronger every time they go through war. Did I also grow stronger as a witch by casting a large-scale spell?

I’ve never seen a witch other than myself, so I don’t know how they usually strengthened, but it’s possible.

‘Five thousand five hundred, five thousand and five hundred one⋯⋯.’

I wonder if it’s been an hour or two.

Finally, the wall leading to my aunt’s room was gradually appearing.

If I were an ordinary baby, I would’ve been exhausted already, but with the help of my divinity, I wasn’t very tired.

‘Five thousand five hundred and twenty!’

“Kkya!”

Arriving in front of the wall, I cheered quietly.

I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud of myself.

‘This was really successful.’

I put my ears on the wall with excitement. I couldn’t feel any presence. When I pushed with my hand against the wall, the wall was gently pushed even though I didn’t put much force.

Soon, a familiar space unfolded in front of me. It was deep dawn, but the large moon lit up the darkness and I could see it all at once.

‘It’s my aunt’s room.’

I leaned on the wall. Then, I lifted my head and looked around. It sure seems like no one is here, so I ran back and forth.

Unfortunately, I walked out and searched under the bed.

‘The Spellbook, the Spellbook.’

As I bent down to the bed skirt and fumbled on the floor, I soon found something at my fingertips. I was assisted by my magic, and I grabbed hold of it and pulled it with all my might. Popping from under the bed was my mother’s spellbook, which I was so worried about.

I did it!

“Kkya⋯!”

I was amazed unconsciously, but then I was surprised.

My hard frozen gaze briefly and looked at the door. I was frozen in sweat, but when there was no moment, I slightly sighed silently.

“⋯⋯ Hu.” 

‘⋯⋯Evenna, are you really stupid?’

I asked myself a question with an unbelievable face. He sobbed in front of his father, and now he is impressed by the work that is behind him. Did my emotions intensify after becoming a baby?

I couldn’t tell and shook my head.

Then, I held the spellbook with both hands and carefully headed to the secret door. On the way, I stepped on the rug under my feet, so I deliberately stepped on it with all my might.

Rug, look at this. This is the difference in superiority between you and me. 

How hard it was before to pass it when I was hungry. Even if it was thanks to my magic, it was refreshing to walk around. My two legs then hurried.

Arriving in the passage with a waddle, I took a small gasp of air with my back against the closed wall and held the book. It was a short distance, but I ran out of breath when I moved my short body in fear of anyone coming in. Since I have achieved my goal, I can take a short break. I fell to the floor.

As I took my breath away, I looked at the green spellbook with a large emerald embedded in it.

“Heh⋯⋯.”

I smiled softly and stroked the spellbook. As a result of my mission, the evidence that I am a witch has disappeared from the world forever.

Besides,

‘Mom’s spellbook.’

At first, when I saw it, the situation was embarrassing while I was in a hurry to hide it, but that book in my hands was my mother’s only keepsake. I found this book by accident last year, when I was 15 years old, where it was hidden behind a bookshelf. At first, I didn’t even know it was a spellbook. My aunt tried to open it, but it wouldn’t budge, so I knew it was a spellbook.

I tried so hard not to let my uncle find out about this.

There was a very simple spell in the book. A spell where only the last person who closes the book can open the book.

Moreover, it did not tear or break under any impact. When you open it up, the whole book is fully blank, but if you use a little magic, the contents inside will be revealed. This secret spellbook was full of traces of my mother.

‘I also found the time leap in there⋯⋯.’

Thanks to her, I can turn back time and live like this. To me, my mom and the spellbook were like lifesavers.

I carefully opened the book. On the blank beige paper, I gathered my magic power in the palm of my hand and swept lightly to reveal the page’s content.

The spells are written in my mother’s handwriting, the magic circle, and, perhaps she was bored, there was also a small doodle of a tiger in the corner. A round, crooked, ugly tiger. There is information that can be inferred from this.

My mom was bad at drawing.

“Hehe.”

Somehow I felt better, so I fell on the floor and buried my face in the book.

A mom who could only be heard in the stories of aristocrats or fairy tales from temples, or relatives. Traces of her, which have never been seen before, remained in this book. A mom, who wasn’t ferocious, wretched, ugly, or sneaky like others say she was.

I suddenly lifted my head and looked back down at the book.

‘If I can use Time Leap, wouldn’t it be possible for me to perform other spells as well?’

I remember there were quite a few useful ones. I was a little tempted, so I turned the book.

‘If you get close to a witch’s belongings, your soul will be corrupted. You will be abandoned by the Holy God.’

Then, like a conditional reflex, my uncle’s voice rang in my ear. Just thinking about the voice made my heart fasten, so I pressed my trembling hand to the floor. The cool stone floor calmed me down. When I found my mother’s belongings, I remembered my uncle’s words and left them without even looking at them properly.

‘⋯⋯ If now was the past, I wouldn’t have even dared to do this.’

Throughout my childhood, I did my best to follow my uncle’s words. I laughed when I was told to laugh, reflected on myself when told to, smiled when told to, took a picture for the public when told to, and signed documents without knowing the contents when I was told to sign. I lived by doing only what I was told to do and not doing what I wanted to do.

But the result.

‘It’s a pity, Evenna.’

The death of many people and the judgment of my future.

I shut my mouth tight.

‘Anyway, if it’s the judgment of my future, doesn’t it mean that I can do anything I want?’

My eyes fluttered as I looked down at the book.