Chapter 4: Chapter 4: First Spell, First Incident

It's been a mere few days since I embarked on my daring adventure outside of the safety of home, and in this short span, I've made a profound discovery.

I've come to realize that I'm not in my familiar world anymore; I've been reincarnated into a realm of magic – a fantastical world, to say the least. The mere concept of 'magic' sends shivers down my spine with excitement. Ever since I first witnessed its awe-inspiring display a few days ago, my entire being has been consumed by an insatiable curiosity. My nights have been plagued by restless sleep, for I can't stop replaying those mesmerizing moments in my mind.

Like any person in their right mind, I'm itching to try it out myself, and who wouldn't be? It's magic, after all! Those who wouldn't at least consider experimenting with such an incredible force lack not only imagination and a sense of fantasy but also a sense of wonder and adventure.

Despite my burning curiosity to explore the magic in this new world, I haven't had a chance to try it out, mainly because Leila has been unusually clingy lately. It's almost as if she's been keeping an eye on me to prevent any escape attempts. And for the record, I managed to sneak out and back in without getting caught.

Leila has taken it upon herself to indulge in a rather peculiar hobby – dressing me up. She purchases frilly girls' clothes and insists on outfitting me in them whenever she has free time. Then, with an affectionate but bashful expression, she exclaims, "Ohh, my little Reo is so cute!!!" in a high-pitched voice.

However, today is different. Fortunately, Leila isn't home at the moment, probably out restocking or acquiring more frilly clothes to add to my collection. Meanwhile, Cliff is upstairs, blissfully napping. This is my golden opportunity. With no one around to impede my progress, I dash down the stairs as swiftly and stealthily as possible, careful not to disturb Cliff. But just as I reach the ground floor, I'm met with my first obstacle.

Shit!

Layla has locked the front door and taken the key with her. Even the window beside it is firmly locked, as if she had somehow anticipated my escape attempt. To make matters worse, the other windows in the living room are positioned too high for me to reach. Tsk.

Thankfully, I knew exactly where the key to the back door was hidden. With determination burning in my veins, I fetched the key and made my way back. The door, with its imposing wooden structure, seemed to taunt me as it loomed tall, the greatest adversary I had encountered thus far.

Though I shot a defiant glare at this newfound nemesis, I couldn't afford to linger. I swiftly dragged a chair from the living room, clambered on top of it, and inserted the key into the keyhole. With a few careful turns and twists clockwise, a satisfying clug echoed, and the door begrudgingly creaked open, granting me access to the backyard.

As I stepped outside, the warm rays of the spring sun washed over me, accompanied by a gentle breeze. I inhaled deeply, savoring the fresh air, and let out a triumphant sigh. At last, I had the opportunity to attempt magic, and a victorious smile curled upon my face.

I ventured further into the backyard, which provided ample space for my magical experiment. This way, I wouldn't risk breaking anything in case things didn't go as planned—though I hoped fervently that they would.

After thoroughly surveying the backyard and ensuring it was suitable for my endeavor, I nodded with determination and clenched my fingers into a tight fist. Time was of the essence; I had to accomplish this before Leila returned or Cliff woke up.

I strolled to the central part of the backyard, where the space was more expansive and accommodating for my endeavor.

A few days ago, I had witnessed the woman perform what appeared to be a simple water spell to irrigate the vast expanse of wheat fields. Judging by its utilitarian nature, it was evident that this spell was designed for everyday farm activities, devoid of any harmful intentions. That being the case, it seemed safe enough for me to give it a try.

I extended my right arm and shut both of my eyes tightly. As I concentrated, I visualized the scene of the woman from the wheat fields, her hands manipulating water. Though I hadn't been close enough to discern her exact incantations, I recalled instances from shows and novels where spells were cast without the need for a vocal incantation. It might sound like a rather tenuous justification, but in a world like this, it was the only recourse I had.

If the fantastical tales I had read were accurate about magic, all I should require was a vivid imagination and clear visualization. And so, with a deep breath, I commenced my attempt.

With unwavering focus, I summoned a mental image of a water sphere hovering just above my outstretched right arm. My concentration intensified as I delved deeper into this mental visualization, refining and sharpening the image until it seemed almost tangible.

As I continued to concentrate on this imaginary sphere of water, an unfamiliar sensation rippled through my arm, akin to the sensation of something fluid coursing through it. Alongside this sensation, the tips of my fingers tingled ever so slightly.

The tingling sensation gradually became more pronounced as something seemed to collect and concentrate at my fingertips. Simultaneously, my arm's surface began to warm, welcoming this mysterious energy that had manifested.

I cautiously opened my eyes, and there it was, a sphere of water hovering above my palm, no larger than an average ping pong ball. It had materialized seemingly out of thin air.

My heart raced with exhilaration and a profound sense of achievement. I was actually doing magic! The notion was almost surreal.

Despite my initial success, I couldn't help but compare my modest-sized water sphere to the larger one the woman from the wheat fields had created – hers was at least twice the size of a basketball. This sparked my curiosity about the limits of my newfound magical abilities.

As I contemplated this, a powerful surge coursed through my hand, and my fingertips transitioned from tingling to vibrating. The warmth against my skin intensified, accompanying the tingling vibrations. At that moment, the water sphere began to grow in size. Small droplets of water appeared around it, drawn into the sphere like moths to a flame, merging and becoming part of its expanding form.

Ah...!

A profound sense of accomplishment washed over me once more as I watched the sphere enlarge before my eyes.

However, I got too excited.

The sphere's absorption rate for the tiny droplets around it escalated visibly, causing it to swell at an alarming pace. It accumulated mass so rapidly that it began to take on the fragile appearance of an overstretched water balloon, as if it might burst at any moment.

The sphere's size quickly outgrew that of a soccer ball, and then it continued to expand, surpassing the dimensions of a basketball. It seemed like a miniature black hole, voraciously feeding off the ambient energy around it.

Simultaneously, the surging sensation in my hand intensified, matching the sphere's rapid growth. As the sphere increased in size, it also grew significantly heavier. Under its mounting weight, I found myself compelled to employ both of my arms to maintain and lift it.

The surge coursing through my hands continued to amplify, propelling the sphere past the size of my head and then expanding it to three or perhaps even five times the volume of my entire body.

"K-keuh-!" My hands began to quiver and waver uncontrollably under the indescribable weight, and panic slowly crept over me.

In a desperate attempt to withstand the escalating burden, my legs dug lightly into the ground. The growing size and weight of the sphere pressed down heavily upon my entire body. It was nothing short of astounding that my body had held up this long.

Time seemed to blur in that agonizing moment. Was it mere seconds, or had minutes passed? I couldn't tell. Regardless of the duration, the sphere showed no sign of stopping its expansion. As it grew larger, maintaining its spherical shape became increasingly challenging.

Just when my legs were on the brink of buckling beneath the relentless pressure, a cry pierced the air in the backyard. I instinctively turned my head toward the backdoor from which I had entered, and before me stood both Cliff and Leila, their faces etched with identical expressions of shock.

Simultaneously, my concentration wavered, and with a Pushy-uk sound, the accumulated mass of water cascaded down upon me with an overwhelming force that gouged out a sizable crater in the center of the backyard.

***

Hey, guys. I know I said already that'll be fixing stone goals from next week, but I'm trying to meet up a goal where I can get over fifty stones in under just twenty chapters, and only with you guy's help and support. It would really mean a lot to me, if you guys could help me with that. A lot more than you realize.