Chapter 12

Consultation with the Guildmasters (1)
As Guildmaster Zacks and Vice-Guildmaster Aslan entered the room and closed the door behind them, I felt the space suddenly fill with mana after Aslan murmured something under his breath.
Though I couldn't visually see anything change, the atmosphere was distinctly different.
Whatever he did, the two men remained calm, so it couldn't be anything bad...

"My my, what a perceptive child. You sensed something just now, didn't you? Can you describe what you felt?"

His intense gaze made me feel like he could read my thoughts whether I answered or not.

"Um... After Vice-Guildmaster Aslan whispered something, the room felt saturated with mana. But I don't know what effect it has."

"Impressive. Some beastfolk and elves have strong magic perception from childhood, but it's rare for a human child."

"Aye, might be her mother's influence. That's actually why I wanted to consult you both about Vio. First, take a look at this."

He placed my newly minted guild card on the table.
When Zacks flipped it over to see the attributes, he froze completely.
Aslan peeked over his shoulder and broke into a delighted smile.

"Ah, about that magic you sensed earlier, I cast a soundproof barrier using wind magic. Since wind is one of your affinities, you could learn to do this too with practice!"

So that explained the strange sensation - a soundproof barrier!
Essential for secret discussions.
I'd assumed such things only existed as magic items.

"Vice-Guildmaster Aslan, if those are sound barriers, do regular defensive barriers exist too? Like shields against attacks?"

"Hehe~ You may not be Alke's blood daughter, but you certainly have an adventurer's spirit! Yes, defensive barriers exist too. Each element creates different protections - earth makes the sturdiest walls, but my wind barriers can deflect physical attacks!"

While I imagined swirling vortex shields (definitely something to ask about later), Zacks finally rebooted from his stunned state.

"Hold on! Are you two seriously having a pleasant magic discussion right now?! We're looking at a five-year-old human child with every elemental affinity! Holy and dark together! At mastery levels no less!"

I turned to Dad.

"Is it... strange to have both? Mom had a holy affinity but not dark?"

"Nothin' strange about it, just... mighty uncommon. Dark affinity folks are mostly found in Menekes' royal bloodlines. And holy users? Well, they usually get scooped up by the churches the moment they're spotted. Your ma must've kept her abilities under wraps real good."

From my perspective, this was just standard isekai protagonist package deals.
But here, it seemed dangerously conspicuous. Selective affinity disclosure might be necessary.

Zacks, now fully composed, added: "Historically, only legendary 'heroes' possessed all elements - and those are just fairy tales. In reality, holy and dark users almost never appear together. They're said to repel each other."

Great. So according to light novel logic, as a commoner with these traits, I should avoid both royalty and churches entirely.

"Your mother was a holy-affinity adventurer?"

Aslan suddenly leaned across the table, his face uncomfortably close to mine.
Zacks made a disgusted face at his antics.

"I think so... She said she was an adventurer specialized in healing magic. We traveled selling medicines. In our last town, she grew herbs in a garden, so she might have used wood magic too. But she only taught me mana circulation exercises, never actual spells."

"Ah, funding travels through guild sales.”

"Come to think of it, your mother passed away, didn’t she?"

"Such excellent foundational training!"

Aslan clapped, completely missing the emotional context as Zacks' expression grew increasingly pained…

What do you think about this chapter?