Victor didn’t say anything as I looked down the cliff. If I fell, I would die.

My blood surges. My hands beaded with sweat, I calmed my heart by taking slow, deep breaths.

It might be tough without my magic skills, but I had to try.

“I’m so pissed off.”

Victor appeared to mutter something, but I was so preoccupied with myself that I couldn’t hear what he said, and Leon was keeping Victor company.

“With Master?”

“No, no. I’m annoyed with myself. …even though she’s younger than I am.”

“Do you like her?”

Victor chuckled at Leon’s words.

“I don’t want women who try to force their ideals on me without hesitation.”

“That’s what I’d like to tell you.”

I interrupted Victor and Leon’s conversation. I cast a spell on myself the moment they turned to look at me.

The magic of becoming an animal is something that I’ve mastered before after overcoming a previous slump. I became a pitch-black little bird. Their eyes widened at the sight of it.

“The color of its eyes is exactly the same…”

“This bird looks like it could be sold for a lot of money.”

Victor said in response to Leon’s comments. I ignored them and went down to where the Maddie was.

It was my first time being a bird, but it was easier to fly than I thought it would be. Fortunately, there was no strong wind blowing. As I flew, I thought a little of Liz.

With her magic power, she could have taken the Maddie easily. I could only take it by touching it steadily. Sometimes people called me a “genius,” but I had been on the verge of death, many times, to reach this point. Well, it was because of my magical power. Even so, I knew that I was no match for a true genius.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Victor’s words snapped me back to reality.

I should focus on what’s in front of me now.

…I took the Maddie without getting hit by the thorns.

I further cast a spell on my body to make myself smaller. I transformed into a small bird that would be killed in an instant in this world where the strong eat the weak.

I cautiously advanced towards the center of the poisonous plant. Only when I was getting close did I realize that Maddie had a sweet, brain-numbing smell. My head was a little dizzy.

Trying not to get lost, I make my way to the Maddie’s base, which I need to somehow control in order to detach it.

I was able to cast a spell on myself again and change from a little bird to a little squirrel. I let out a sigh of relief.

This was the first time I’d ever used so much magic all at once.

It was difficult to transition from one animal to another. Perhaps I succeeded because I put pressure on myself not to fail.

…I guess people developed better in the face of adversity.

As my consciousness started to fade a little, I bit down on the base of Maddie’s root. The force of my teeth was stronger than I had expected. …I could detach it right away with this.

It suddenly became a simple task… I was glad that Victor and Leon didn’t see me doing this. I wouldn’t want them to see me like this. …I like cats better than squirrels.

I chewed off Maddie’s stem frantically while thinking of such nonsense.

***

“What the heck did that brat change from a bird to?”

Victor and Leon were watching over Alicia on the cliff. For the moment, they were relieved that Alicia, now a little bird, had passed through the poisonous plants.

Leon tilted his head at Victor’s question.

“Is it a small animal?”

“…Even those old guys don’t use magic like this.”

“What do you mean?”

“Normally, if you cast a bunch of magic on someone at the same time, they’d pass out.”

Leon’s eyes widened and he turned his gaze back to where Maddie was. From there, he could not see Alicia, as she was exactly in a blind spot.

“…Then Master is?”

“She’s a monster.”

Victor’s low voice echoed quietly on the spot.

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