So-called Magic?

About a year had passed since I came to this world, and I could already understand its language.

Though by around three months in, I could pretty much understand all of it anyway.

"The Middle Ages, huh..."

My house was a two-story wooden building with five rooms, and we even had a maid at home. Looking at it that way, my family's status probably wasn't low... or rather, we were definitely among the wealthy.

Every day, I could also see the man named Paul practicing swordsmanship. There was a good chance he was what you'd call a knight...

If this was the Middle Ages, then what period of the Middle Ages was it supposed to be?

Looking at this wooden house, I guessed it was probably around the twelfth century... This kind of design fit that era well.

Mm, the twelfth century...

I thought about what I could do. Hmm... topple theology ahead of schedule and speed the age into the Renaissance? Or become a merchant and go on maritime adventures?

All of that was a bit unrealistic, so I stopped thinking and started crawling toward the second floor.

The study on the second floor had books from this era, even if I couldn't understand the writing.

That was strange. In my previous life, the only languages I knew were several from Asian countries, but as they said, even if you'd never eaten pork, surely you'd seen a pig run. I still recognized the common characters used in most European languages, but these books didn't have even the slightest feeling of familiarity.

The only words I could understand were ones I'd later verified in books after hearing them in my parents' daily conversations.

This made no sense... Or was it that written language in the early Middle Ages hadn't fully taken shape yet?

But when I looked at the packed bookshelves... no matter how I thought about it, they didn't look like writing from an undeveloped script.

I pulled a book out from the very bottom shelf.

"Hmm..."

I lay on the floor and studied the book carefully, but no matter what, it was still hard to understand.

Sure enough, this was something completely different from any language I had ever learned...

Forget it. I'd have the woman named Zenith teach me.

I closed the book, and just as I got up, I felt a burst of pain on my head.

Several books had fallen from the shelf.

Good thing the whole bookshelf hadn't collapsed... Otherwise, my life this time would have ended again.

"Ow, ow, ow..."

Was this what they meant by a one-year-old's body? Just being hit by one book caused such intense pain.

I rubbed the back of my head, and at the same time, I heard hurried footsteps coming from downstairs. They drew closer and closer until the door to this room was forcefully opened.

Zenith, the person who played the role of my mother in this world.

After she opened the door, she first let out a shriek, then immediately picked me up.

"Rudy, are you okay?"

I nodded, but this mother of mine didn't seem to notice.

Zenith carried me downstairs in a panic and set me down on the bed.

Seeing how nervous she was, it seemed something like that was probably quite dangerous for a one-year-old.

After all, it had hit my head. Maybe it could have smashed me stupid.

"Sit still like a good boy, okay?" she said gently, closing her eyes at the same time.

Then she placed her hand on my head.

"Just to be safe... Divine power is rich sustenance. Grant strength to those who have lost their vigor, that they may stand once more—[Healing]"

What did that mean? Some teaching of this world's gods? Like, if you chanted those words after getting hurt, you could receive divine protection?

That thought didn't last long.

Because I noticed a faint light radiating from Zenith's hand, and the pain vanished in an instant.

Huh?

"There, now there's no problem. Mommy may not look it, but I used to be a very famous adventurer."

Zenith said it to me proudly.

Meanwhile, I fell into confusion.

Adventurer... healing magic... and the one practicing swordsmanship outside was a genuine swordsman...?

What was that just now? What had she done?