Chapter 4: Childhood Days(Last)

Flash back.
Earlier.
Villager A (crawling over): “…Did… you cook that?”
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“Yup! Want some? It’s just… um, probably not enough for all of you—”
Villager B (already charging): “OUT OF MY WAY.” Chaos ensued. The pot was emptied before she could even finish her sentence. Bowls clattered. Spoons scraped. The entire batch was gone in under a minute.
Villager A (slumped, blissfully sighing): “My mana... it’s coming back.” Villager C (wiping tears): “She made monster stew taste divine…”
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
…Why does this keep happening. (deadpan)
A rustle nearby caught her attention. She turned her head slightly and saw two familiar figures peeking from behind a tree.
Child Asta
Child Asta
“You really cooked the monster?!” (wide-eyed, amazed)
Child Yuno
Child Yuno
“You didn’t fight it… you said ‘sleep’—and it obeyed.” (calm but suspicious)
Kotoha tries to maintain a calm demeanor.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“Maybe it was just tired.” (panicking internally)
Child Asta
Child Asta
“Yeah, monsters get sleepy too, right?” (genuinely)
Child Yuno
Child Yuno
“…That doesn’t explain the glowing tattoo on your tongue.”
She paused—just for a second—then looked away.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“I… bit my tongue. Weird side effect.”
Child Yuno
Child Yuno
“You said something, and it collapsed. And now you’ve cooked it.” (sharply)
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“Some mysteries are better left stewed.” (turns her back pretending to be calm)
Asta looked between them, totally missing the tension.
Child Asta
Child Asta
“I don’t know what’s going on, but that stew was amazing!”
As the two boys walked off—with Asta bouncing and Yuno glancing back—Kotoha remained still, watching the empty pot and scattered bowls.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“…I was supposed to be a shadowy solo hunter… not a village chef.” (deadpan, muttering)
She let out a slow breath, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“…Mom sealed my divine power so I could live normally. Why does ‘normal’ now mean I’m the cook?”
CHURCH – COMMON SLEEPING AREA – NIGHT.
Moonlight filters softly through the windows over the rows of children’s beds. Most are asleep — even Asta and Yuno lie still, breathing quietly.
Kotoha lies in her corner bed, eyes half-open, a faint glow flickering in her pupils as her system screen appears invisibly in front of her.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: 🎉 New Feature Unlocked! [Dream Domain – Combat Simulation Training Space] Training Classes: • Beginner: 250 Shop Points per session • Intermediate: 1,500 Shop Points (Locked) • Advanced: 5,000 Shop Points (Locked) Learn combat while sleeping! You won’t wake until training is complete.
Kotoha glances at her balance.
SHOP POINTS: 292,000
She sighs softly.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“Three hundred points to punch ghosts in my sleep... manageable.” (deadpan, whisper thought)
She taps “Beginner.”
[SYSTEM] Instructor: Raikou – Fist of the Void Preparing Dream Domain… Sleep Mode Activated.
DREAM DOMAIN – VOID DOJO
Stars twinkle against endless black space. Kotoha stands barefoot on polished wood, dressed in a simple black gi. Floating stone pillars circle around her.
Raikou, a silver-haired man with a calm, steely gaze, folds his arms.
RAIKOU
RAIKOU
“Ready to waste your discount session? Let’s see what you can do.”
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“Save the insults. Just the punches, please.” (expressionless)
A wooden staff flies toward her head. She narrowly dodges.
CHURCH – DINING AREA – EARLY MORNING.
Children eagerly eat a glowing, mana-rich stew. Sister Lily looks amazed at the aroma and ingredients.
Lily Aquaria(Sister Lily)
Lily Aquaria(Sister Lily)
“This is incredible, Kotoha… Where did you find these ingredients? We don’t have money for such luxuries.”
Kotoha sips her tea silently, deadpan as always. A faint notification flashes.
[SYSTEM REPORT] Dream Domain Session Complete Close-Combat Level: 1 → 3 Skill Gained: [Counter Stance – Uncommon] Stats Increased: +6 (STR +3, AGI +3) Shop Points Remaining: 291,750
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“Spent 250 points on training, 1,100 on ingredients… That’s 1,350 gone today.”
Across the table, Asta watches her suspiciously.
Child Asta
Child Asta
“Whoa! This stew tastes like magic! I dunno how to explain it—it just makes you feel amazing!” (grinning as he eats)
Yuno quietly nods beside him, sensing the mana flow strengthening inside him. Kotoha stays quiet, ladling more stew with her usual deadpan face.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“He wouldn’t know it’s mana… but I guess that’s fine.”
CHURCH – STORAGE ROOM – EVENING.
The small, dim storage room is filled with sparse ingredients: dusty sacks of flour, a few wilted vegetables, and some spices. Sister Lily stands holding an empty basket, biting her lip in worry.
Lily Aquaria(Sister Lily)
Lily Aquaria(Sister Lily)
“The supplies are running low again… I’m afraid we won’t have enough for tomorrow’s meal.”
Kotoha quietly steps in, her small form barely making a sound. She stares at the ingredients, calculating in her head.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“Training’s cheaper… but the kids need food first…”(muttering, barely audible)
Lily Aquaria(Sister Lily)
Lily Aquaria(Sister Lily)
“What was that, Kotoha? You’re muttering again.” (tilting her head)
Kotoha blinks, caught off guard.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“Just thinking about stew.”
Sister Lily chuckles softly.
Lily Aquaria(Sister Lily)
Lily Aquaria(Sister Lily)
“Well, that’s very thoughtful of you. You’ve been helping a lot lately.”
Kotoha nods once and opens her system screen while Sister Lily walks away.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“250 points for training… 500 for ingredients... Can’t afford both today.” (thinking)
She selects the basic ingredient pack from the shop and confirms it.
CHURCH – KITCHEN – NIGHT.
Kotoha stands on a stool, quietly chopping ingredients with expert precision. The warm smell of stew fills the small kitchen. Children peek in excitedly.
She stirs silently, her mind still on combat drills she’ll have to postpone.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“Train tomorrow... Stew first.” (muttering)
Time skip.
3 years later.
The sun filtered through the trees as Asta swung a wooden sword wildly, yelling something about becoming the Wizard King. Yuno stood nearby, arms crossed, unimpressed as usual.
Kotoha sat on a tree stump nearby, reading a thick old book she found in the church basement. She glanced up as Asta charged toward a wild boar that had wandered too close to the edge of the village.
Child Asta
Child Asta
"RAAAAH! Come at me, bacon beast!"
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
"This idiot's going to get himself hurt. That boar's too aggressive..." (thinking)
The boar growled and lunged at Asta with surprising speed.
Child Yuno
Child Yuno
"Asta, get back!"
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
"...Guess I have to step in." (stand slowly, calm)
She closes her book. Magic stirs in her throat like a low hum. She steps forward, silver hair glinting faintly in the dappled light.
The air vibrates-a ripple of cursed magic echoes like a bellwave. The boar collapses instantly, eyes rolling back as it falls into unconsciousness.
Silence.
Child Asta
Child Asta
"W-Whoa! What"
Child Asta
Child Asta
"WOOAAAH!! Kotoha! How did you do that?! You just said one word and BOOM! The boar's out cold!"
Child Yuno
Child Yuno
"That wasn't normal magic. What kind of spell was that?" (still calm, but eyes sharp)
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“I tried to keep it quiet… but I guess that’s over. Might as well stop pretending—time to reveal the cursed speech.” (thinking)
Kotoha brushes her hair back behind her ear, trying to play it cool-but there's a flicker of satisfaction in her smile.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
"It's... a kind of magic where I use my voice to control things. If I put magic into certain words, I can command living beings."
Child Asta
Child Asta
"THAT'S AMAZING!! Can you say stuff like 'Fly!' or 'Explode!' or 'Do my chores!'?" (eyes sparkling)
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
"I could... but it takes a lot of control. If I say the wrong word with too much power, I could hurt someone. Or worse." (laughing softly)
Child Yuno
Child Yuno
"So you have to choose your words carefully." (watching her closely)
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
"Exactly. That's why I don't use it often. It's dangerous if I'm careless." (nods)
The Orphanage, Night.
Kotoha sat cross-legged on the thin mattress she shared with Asta and Yuno, the dim candlelight flickering softly beside her. The other children were already asleep, their quiet breaths a comforting rhythm in the stillness of the church orphanage.
With a gentle tap of her fingers, a faint glow appeared before her — the familiar translucent frame of her Status Window.
Name: Kotoha Age: 8 Level: 15 EXP: 150,000 / 1,638,400 HP: 28,500 / 28,500 MP: 370,000 / 370,000 [Strength: 5,100 | Agility: 5,100 | Stamina: 5,100 | Flexibility: 5,100 | Magic: 5,150] Shop Points: 2,628,000
Kotoha’s eyes scanned the numbers. Each figure told the story of her relentless effort — the early mornings pushing her tiny body through endless exercises, the afternoons spent poring over magic tomes, and the countless meals she cooked, each bite fueling her spirit and magic alike.
Her lips curled into a rare, bright smile.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“So... all that hard work... really did add up,”
She whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with quiet pride.
She tapped on the “Skills” tab next.
Cursed Speech Lv. 12 Cooking Lv. 32 Close Combat Lv. 19 Basic Healing Magic Lv. 8 Fireball Lv. 8 Reading Lv. 10 Sprint Lv. 15 Strengthen Lv. 17 Reflexes Lv. 14 Mana Control Lv. 7
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“Not bad,”
Kotoha said to herself, blinking as her fingers brushed over the glowing screen. Cooking Lv. 32? She giggled softly, thinking about how much time she’d secretly enjoyed experimenting in the kitchen — a guilty pleasure the system apparently rewarded generously.
She tapped on the daily tasks next.
Push-ups, Reading, Running, Yoga, Cooking Rewards per task: +2 attributes, +100 EXP, +100 SP Completion Bonus: +100 EXP, +100 SP, +2 attributes
The numbers didn’t lie — the daily discipline was paying off, faster than she’d imagined.
Her smile deepened.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“I’m ready for whatever comes next”
She murmured, determination flickering in her sharp eyes.
With a soft flick of her fingers, the window closed, and the quiet night wrapped around her once more — but Kotoha’s heart was alight, fueled by the promise of growth and power that lay just ahead.
Next Morning.
Kotoha finishes plating a freshly cooked meal, the enticing aroma filling the small orphanage kitchen. She bites into the food and feels her mana bubble happily, already near max.
System Notification: Mana replenished by 5000 points. Mana is already full. Converting overflow to EXP and Shop Points... EXP gained: +1200 Shop Points gained: +100
Kotoha’s eyes widen, a rare grin spreading across her face.
Kotoha(mc)
Kotoha(mc)
“Wow, even when I don’t need mana, cooking still helps me level up.”
She muses, tapping her status window to see the EXP bar inch forward.
End.
To be continued.
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Comments

Kaworu Nagisa

Kaworu Nagisa

You have real talent. Don't stop now!

2025-05-29

2

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