Re:START/If {Book 1.0}
Chapter 4: The early stages of unconscious awakening (Part 01)

A giant star-studded black curtain had been stretched out in the sky. When the night had really come, the coastal city turned dark and silent quickly, there were only a few people walking outside carrying oil lanterns.

In houses inhabited by residents, chimneys billow, the sign of the people in it are cooking something for dinner after tired of activities all day.

At Orphanage located in the port area is also not much different. Smoke from the chimney is visible, indicating that someone is cooking in the kitchen.

Inside the Orphanage, every child living in the place sat in front of the dining table, waiting for the dinner their nuns were making to serve. Warmth, togetherness, and cheerfulness were clearly visible from their faces.

Although in the dining room is far from luxurious, even tables and chairs and cutlery made of wood, the children do not seem to complain or protest about it. It was natural and worthy of gratitude, it was a teaching embedded in their personalities from childhood.

Odo who was sitting in the Orphanage dining room with them felt like the wrong place. It shows the togetherness of the six children in front of him who look like family, envy and a little annoyed for a moment.

At the rectangular old wooden table, at a viewing distance that Odo could see, sat six children consisting of four girls and two boys. They all looked impatient and joked with each other while waiting for the cooking that was being made by Siska, the nun of the place in the kitchen.

To the right of Odo, Mira and Erial are seen held by Nesta. Mira and Erial are two tanned-haired twin girls, they are about six years old and look very attached to Nesta. Nesta is the oldest living daughter in the Orphanage, fourteen years old, brunettes long waist, and looks more mature than other children.

Across the table where the three daughters were sitting, Daniel and Firkaf were sitting next to each other. They were two boys living in the Orphanage. Daniel is a 13-year-old who looks cheerful and active, while Firkaf is one year older and looks more likely to be quiet and have a moody face.

Just across from where Odo was sitting, Nanra who also seemed to have the wrong seat there. Of all the children, the ten-year-old girl does look different, especially for her hair color is very striking for people from the Kingdom of Felixia who mostly have black, blonde, brown, brown hair color, or dark red.

Odo tries not to think of Nanra who looks isolated. He knows, the reason Nanra is isolated now does not mean He is hated by other Orphanage children, the girl is only in punishment for going to the forest secretly.

"Ah, it feels wrong place. Strange, what is this feeling ...? The atmosphere was like in class everyone was talking about a ball game and I was the only one who didn't watch."

Odo momentarily sighed, then looked around the space. Gray brick walls, simple furniture such as a drawered table in the corner of the room, a sunken ceiling tapered, and a floor made of limestone brick.

In that place there was only the lighting in the form of magic crystals sourced from the Magic Reactor of the city. Unlike Luke's residence which used several Magic Reactors to meet his needs, the city only had two Magic Reactors whose power was flowed through the Magic Circuit to the corners of the buildings in the coastal city. As a result, when night falls the city looks dark because of limited lighting.

Even in the room where Odo was, other than the lighting from the magic crystal hung on the ceiling was like a chandelier, he said, it is necessary to add a few small plates containing oil candles placed on the dining table as a light.

Actually without illumination was also not a problem, Odo could still improve his eyesight by magic and could quite clearly see in a dark place. But, for some reason He was a little troubled by the unusual situation for him.

Odo looked around. Seen from anywhere, the space is indeed very similar to the space in a church. While recalling Nanra's story at the harbor this afternoon, Odo did know that the Orphanage was a small place of worship in the corner of the city. But, he only believed after seeing it directly.

"Huh ...." Once again Odo sighed. Seeing people who had given food to them did not look happy, the five other children who had looked cheerful immediately calmed down while looking at Odo with anxiety.

"Little Witch Master, why do you look glum?" tanya Nesta, the oldest daughter in the Orphanage. He quickly lowered Mila and Erial from his lap, then stood up from his seat and walked over to Odo.

Odo looked confused by the way the girl called him. "Little Witch?" ask by showing a flat face expression.

"Of course you are, who else?" Nesta brought her face closer, then observed Odo's expression that looked extremely lazy and uncaring.

"I'm not a witch, I'm a hunter. I said that at the introduction, right? I'm Odo, the hunter from the village around the hills."

That word made Nesta smile a little. From that expression, Odo knew that the girl had actually realized her true identity.

"Ah, was she told the nun? Well, he's the oldest of all the kids, so it's only natural that he knows" Odo thought.

"Hey, Odo! That time, when you took out the corpse of a deer and a partridge from the robe was also magic?" ask Daniel across the dining table.

"Yes, it's more or less like that" replied Odo.

"How is it? That magic isn't something that's easy to master, is it? Even the Nesta could only use fire magic to cook or light a fireplace" Daniel asked. He got up from his seat, and went to Odo.

Odo glanced at Nesta at a glance, the girl smiled back in a friendly manner. Although the appearance is simple with a tanned tangled dress, but the girl has a look that is arguably beautiful.

"Sister can also use elemental magic huh?" ask Odo to Nesta.

"Of course, even if it's just low-level fire magic and some wind magic."

That answer made Odo think a little. In terms of the development of magic in this world, the field is almost like a science in itself. In other words, Magic cannot be mastered by itself unless the person is indeed gifted from birth.

"Who did Nesta learn magic from?" ask Odo.

"From Siska's Mother. To become a nun, I learned some blessing magic and magic for daily activities. If it's Odo, who did you learn from?"

Seeing that Nesta was not using any more formal language, Odo smiled slightly. Raising his index finger and standing up, He said, "From a book and a great sorcerer."

Odo's proud words made the other children who listened to him look amazed, except Nanra who only wore a calm expression because she had seen Odo's ability directly.

After that, they talked about magic. Odo tells them the basics of magic, though only Nesta, Daniel, Nanra, and Firkaf listen. While Mila and Erial who were young were just listening with confused faces and really did not understand.

A few minutes later, Siska who was cooking in the kitchen called out in a subtle voice, "Nesta, help sister bring her food from the kitchen ...!"

"Yes ...!" answer Nesta. He got out of the room and went to the kitchen to help Siska.

When the girl left, Odo was still being questioned by Daniel. In fact, Firkaf who from earlier looks quiet, now he also asked Odo about magic.

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A few minutes passed, the dishes from deer meat and wild chicken served on their dining table. It consisted of a venison soup with simple salt and spice seasonings, as well as a grilled chicken seasoned by salt and butter alone. As a staple food, on the plate served also corn rice whose texture looks rough.

At a time when everyone including Siska was eating a fairly grand dinner menu for Orphanages, Odo sat down without even touching the food served to him. Seeing everyone eating with a spoon and even directly using his ravenous hands, Odo's appetite really did not increase.

"What's this? Isn't it just salt and butter? It's cooking?" think Odo. According to him, it was too simple to be a cuisine and the reality was that way.

After everyone finished eating, Siska cleaned all the cutlery made of wood assisted by Daniel and Firkaf to be brought back. While Nesta who holds two twin sisters and Nanra immediately sat on both sides of Odo, then again showered him with questions.

"Odo, can you teach me some magic?" ask Nesta.

"Sa-I want to too, Odo! Please teach us magic!" nanra.

"Magic?" Odo put on a face wondering what the two girls were asking for.

"Do you know what magic is?" ask Odo.

"Basic of magic ....?" Nesta looked confused, and so did Nanra.

Nesta stroked Mila and Erial in the lap, then replied, "If not wrong, magic is a method to manipulate the life force called Mana to give rise to natural phenomena. Like for example ...."

The girl stretched her palm forward and began chanting a spell.

"The basic fire of the four main elements, high temperature and having a burning nature, materialize!" From the palm of the hand that was stretched out, came out a small blaze that was no bigger than a bowl.

"If what Ma'am Siska taught, the basis of magic like this. A manipulation with a spell to bring about a miracle" Nesta said as she closed her palm and extinguished the fire magic.

"Yes, more or less that's also true. But, there is something even more basic for magic" said Odo. He got up from the wooden chair, then walked slightly away from the others.

"The most basic thing about magic is imagination."

The boy's words made Nanra and Nesta look confused. Without explaining, Odo again said, "After that combination, manipulation, control, embodiment, and new mantra as a shaper."

"A-What does that mean ....?" nanra asked confusedly.

Odo turned to look at Nanra and Nesta, then said, "For example, the magic that Kak Nesta had done ...."

Odo extended his right hand forward with his palm open upward. Without casting a spell, a blaze appeared on his palm exactly the same as what Nesta had done.

"Based on magic, just by imagination alone should have been able to reach this level."

Seeing what Odo was doing, Nanra and Nesta were shocked. They really did not believe a magic that was a sacred thing could be used so easily like that.

"W-How can that be? You're using magic without spells?" asked Nesta with a face completely incredulous at what she saw.

"Of course you can. Basically, spells only serve as reinforcement of imagination or imagery in the use of magic. At this initial level it should be able to be activated without a spell. Just by creating an image of the Mana form, magic could already be used. This is what is called magic. While at the advanced level, can be done combination, control, or spells to strengthen magic. For example, in combination ...."

Odo raises the magic pressure to a minimum, then uses the basic magic of the wind element to separate the Hydrogen gas in the air and concentrate it on the flames in the palm of the hand. Suddenly the fire began to taper and turn blue.

The flame was so stable, it looked brighter, and the blue color looked so beautiful. Of course, in terms of temperature the blue flame is hotter than the red flame.

"This is what happens when the basic fire element magic is combined with wind magic" Odo explained.

"Eh, wind ...?" nanra asked confusedly.

"Yes, wind magic, or rather air. You two know the difference between air and wind?"

They both shook their heads in confusion. In their perception, those two things were not two things that were too different.

"Wind is air that moves, has mobility and vectors, while Air is a mixture of gases located in the corner of the place. In other words, the basis of wind is air."

Nanra and Nesta understood this explanation a little. Basically, every element must have a basis, as Odo explained earlier.

"Hem, I understand more or less. It turns out that the way magic works is like that. I guess that magic is just a kind of spell cast and clenched the magic structure" Nesta said.

"Yes, that's it. When compared, magic is like cooking. If each type of magic is described with food ingredients and spices, the more fitting the combination will be the more delicious cuisine made. If the combination does not fit, the food made will be unpleasant and even poisonous. It was the same with the use of magic, each combination would make a different form of magic. But if the combination is wrong, then the magic can hurt the user."

Odo closed the palm and extinguished the fire magic. As the atmosphere became a little quiet as Nanra and Nesta looked at him full of admiration, Odo felt another gaze from the direction of the kitchen. The gaze was from Siska, Daniel, and Firkaf. The three of them from earlier stood at the kitchen door with amazed gazes and also listened to Odo's explanation carefully.

"What are you guys doing ....?" asked Odo with a flat expression.

Siska stepped closer, the nun was a little embarrassed because in her twenties did not know the basis of such magic.

"No, it's just that the explanation was amazing ..., so it's not good to interrupt" Siska said.

"Did Sister Siska not gain that knowledge while studying to be a nun? Isn't there a lesson about that too other than religious education? To my knowledge, such a thing is quite normal ...."

Hearing such statements, Siska really began to understand that Odo's knowledge of magic was really broad and unusual for a child his age, even for a noble child.

"Yes ..., the magic you learn tends toward religious so ...."

"Ah ..., so yeah ...."

Odo noticed it when he heard those words. Magic that leads to religious, in other words in the teaching of magic is considered a blessing or miracle given the creator. Knowing this, Odo chose not to discuss it because it smelled of trust would be very sensitive to allude.

After that, the day grew even more late without them noticing as it discussed other things including magic. When all the Orphanage children had begun to sleep, Siska drove the two sisters back to the room, and the other children went into their respective rooms.

Since the rooms were limited, Odo slept in a cramped room with Daniel and Firkaf in one bed. For a child who always sleeps in a large and spacious bed alone, such a crammed sleep situation really blinds him to sleep difficulties.