Subtly avoiding an answer, I grabbed the flute and got into position.

What command should I give? It would be hard to be sure that their sitting or lying down was due to my command, so should I tell them to lie on their backs and look at the ceiling?

Yes, that would be good. I closed my eyes to focus as much as possible, my mind made up.

‘Remember, this flute is the medium that allows me to use my ability. So I can do it.’

When I controlled the plant monster Toothpouch, it felt like heading into bare ground, but not this time.

The sensation of successfully commanding Toothpouch was still vivid. The feeling of concretizing what I wanted and bringing it out.

For the tune to play, I chose a familiar children’s song that I could whistle without thinking. Among them, a lullaby that best suited the command “lie down”.

The breath I exhaled turns into a melody that the people of this country have never heard before.

As I played the flute, I pictured one scene in my head. It was a scene of all the elephant mice lying on their stomachs.

‘Erase all other thoughts and focus…’

It seems easier to focus on conveying my will through playing rather than speaking.

Around the fifth repetition of the lullaby, exclamations burst out around me.

“They lay down!”

“They seem to be sleeping.”

I slowly opened my eyes. I could see the elephant mice lying on their stomachs, snoring.

‘They’re really sleeping?’

I guess my command was a bit off. Hmm, it’s not easy.

Just as I was about to lose focus due to my troubled mind, the elephant mice tried to get up again. I hastily closed my eyes and continued playing.

But at some point, it felt like someone had put me in a huge ball and rolled it, making the world spin round and round.

I felt something damp trickle down my philtrum. I stopped playing and wiped under my nose.

It was a nosebleed.

“Shuria!”

Aspeiran embraced my shoulders as I was about to collapse sideways.

A handkerchief that appeared out of nowhere caught the nosebleed dripping down.

I mumbled with my nose blocked by the handkerchief.

“Uh, dizzy…”

“I specifically told you not to overdo it, yet you don’t listen at all. Do you get some kind of pleasure from ignoring what people around you say?”

“I’m dizzy…”

I whined, leaning against Aspeiran’s solid shoulders. Asp patted my arm.

“Of course you’re dizzy. Did you expect to be able to bounce around looking like this? The nosebleed has stopped. Let’s go lie down.”

Aspeiran picked me up. There was not even a slight shake as we moved out of the room, so even in my dazed state, I came up with a silly joke.

‘Our lord’s broad embrace, more comfortable than an Eos bed?!’

But I soon had to abandon the idle thought as my head rang like someone had hit it with a bell.

Aspeiran laid me down somewhere, my body limp with exhaustion.

I thought it was a sofa, but it felt like a bed. There was no bed in Romie’s lab until just now.

Lying down comfortably, I definitely felt my condition improve significantly. Aspeiran sat on the edge of the bed and asked me,

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay. Look, I can speak well now.”

Aspeiran sighed and brushed back my hair. Shifting my gaze, I saw Romie and Prom standing next to the bed as well.

Romie said,

“I had a hunch there would be some limitation to using the ability, and it seems I was right.”

“A limitation?”

“Using the ability greatly consumed your mental strength, Shuria. Just like when wizards cast spells.”

Mental strength gets depleted…

“So that’s why my nose bled?”

“When mental strength is greatly depleted, the body sends out a warning. Usually in the form of a nosebleed. But if you keep using it, you’ll collapse. If you force yourself to endure it, you may suffer permanent brain damage.”

“Oh…”

“The reason you fell seriously ill this time was probably because you used an unfamiliar ability repeatedly, not because the tension was released. It hit you belatedly. It’s fortunate there were no aftereffects.”

So I exchanged my ability for my health. I guess there really is no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

I looked up at the sky with a heavy heart. Various constellations were rotating in a circle on the night sky-colored ceiling of the lab.

Rolling my eyes to follow their shapes, I mumbled,

“I didn’t even play the flute for a few minutes and I’m already getting a warning.”

“It was exactly 1 minute and 34 seconds since the ability activated. I guess your mental strength is pathetic.”

I kicked my feet as hard as I could in Prom’s direction. Of course, I had no real intention of hitting him, so my toes touched nothing.

Romie said comfortingly,

“You just don’t have the knack for using the ability yet. The more you practice, the longer you’ll be able to use the ability.”

“Is that so…”

Then I have no choice but to practice to death. Even if it means my nose will bleed buckets…

As if reading my mind, Aspeiran glared at me fiercely.

“Don’t even think about practicing to your limit every time. Keep checking your condition and take appropriate breaks before continuing.”

“But I need to be able to properly handle the ability as soon as possible…”

“If your dream is for your brain to explode and die, then go ahead and try it.”

“I’m sorry. I won’t do that.”

Aspeiran clicked his tongue and roughly ruffled my hair. I pouted. Becoming strong really isn’t easy.

Seeing me crestfallen, Romie said,

“Don’t think about finishing it in a short period of time, just do it little by little consistently. And tell me if you need any help. From what I’ve seen, you have talent, Shuria. You’ve already grasped the knack for using the ability.”

“Romie…!”

Romie and I shared a moving embrace. Then Prom made a fuss, saying that as a crazy wizard, I shouldn’t be overly friendly with their group member.

This commotion didn’t die down easily, so in the end, Aspeiran had to make sharp needles and threaten them a second time.

“Ah, I can’t do this anymore.”

I took my mouth off the flute and flopped down on the sofa.

It was a special sofa Aspeiran had prepared so I could rest whenever I was tired. The fluffy feeling was so terrifying that once you lay down, you never wanted to get up again.

As I lay on the sofa rolling around instead of playing, the elephant mice who had been dancing to my control squeaked in protest.

You guys are strange too, enjoying being controlled. I pretended not to hear and turned over.

It’s been five days since I started honing my ability.

It’s not like there haven’t been any results during that time. I’ve shortened the time it takes for the ability to activate to almost instant, which was quite long before.

But the duration of the ability has only increased by a mere 10 seconds. It’s frustrating.

“Let’s go calmly, slowly, and surely.”

I chanted as if brainwashing myself and picked up the snack container I had put under the sofa.

Romie had given it to me, saying there was nothing like sweets to boost mental strength. It definitely made the dizziness subside after eating it.

I shoved a handful of chocolate into my mouth and mumbled,

“I should carry my own snacks in my pocket, not just snacks for Toothpouch.”

I was wiping my chocolate-covered hands with a handkerchief when the door burst open and Romie walked in.

“Shuria, do you have time?”

“Yes! I was just resting. What is it?”

“I have something to show you. Come with me.”

It was clear that Romie, who was as busy as Aspeiran, calling for me meant something unusual. I hurriedly tidied up and followed Romie out.

The place Romie headed to was the temporary residence of Toothpouch right next to my practice room. I couldn’t help but feel nervous.

“Oh no, did something happen to our babies? They were fine until this morning!”

“It’s not like that. Rather, it’s good news for you, Shuria.”

Opening the door and entering, our adorable babies greeted us in a rush, unchanged and healthy. I hugged Toothpouch tightly and petted them profusely.

Next to me, Romie grumbled,

“Goodness, it’s only been a few days since I took care of them at the tower, but they won’t even glance at me.”

“The babies are very shy.”

Canis, who had looked after Toothpouch for as long as Aspeiran, was still being ignored. The only one the babies greeted besides me was Aspeiran.

Shrugging his shoulders as if giving up, Romie handed me something.

“Rejoice, Shuria. The mana control device is finally complete.”

“Really?”

I examined the three leashes Romie had given me. In the middle of the black leather straps, a faintly glowing purple gemstone was embedded.

Romie explained,

“It took longer because I maximized the performance so it could be used even when the moonlight wolf dogs became adults. I also added a function.”

“What function?”

“Can I see your hand for a moment? You’re right-handed, right Shuria?”

Romie lifted my left hand. With a click, a bracelet similar in appearance to Toothpouch’s leash was put on my wrist.

Romie tapped the gemstone embedded in the center.

“This bracelet is connected to the mana control devices of the moonlight wolf dogs. You can release or tighten the mana of the moonlight wolf dogs as you wish, Shuria.”

“Release the mana?”

I put the mana control devices on Toothpouch to prevent them from losing control of their strength and hurting someone, so is it okay to include this function?

Without even having to say it, Romie realized my question.

“It was an order from the Lord. From now on, the moonlight wolf dogs have to be trained for the Veltrum expedition. At that time, their mana needs to be released.”

…Ah.

That’s right. Our Toothpouch were being raised for the Veltrum expedition.

‘Then, after they’re fully grown, I might not be able to see Toothpouch often.’

I became a little depressed.

But I can’t throw a tantrum and say no. I smiled as if it was nothing and raised the mana control devices.

“Shall I put them on?”

“Please do. Make sure the babies can’t even touch them. They shudder so much if even their fingertips touch it.”

“But they’re good babies.”

I subtly took our babies’ side and put the mana control devices around Toothpouch’s necks.

Once all three had the mana control devices on, Romie handed me a square pair of sunglasses.

“These are magical tools that allow you to see the flow of mana with your eyes. Put these on and look at the moonlight wolf dogs.”

I did as he said. In the world that looked gray due to the sunglasses, Toothpouch tilted their heads and looked at me. So cute.

As I smiled broadly, Romie said,

“Now turn the mana stone on the bracelet to the right.”

Aha, so this gemstone was a mana stone. I tried turning the mana stone as instructed.

Then I saw billowing black fog rising around Toothpouch. The more I turned the mana stone, the thicker the visible fog became.

“You see the black fog-like thing around the moonlight wolf dogs, right? That’s the mana that monsters possess. Monsters, regardless of type, all have black-colored mana.”

“I see…”

“If you turn it to the left, you can bind the mana again. …Okay, it’s working properly.”

Romie folded his arms in satisfaction. I took off the sunglasses and handed them back.

“Then can I go back to the breeding grounds now?”

“Yes. You can take them now. I already reported to the Lord.”

“Yay!”

I’m excited! I was so eager for a sweet life with Toothpouch that I almost withered away.

Then shall we go for a walk with the babies after a long time? I’ll stop today’s ability practice here.

I bid farewell to Romie and left the tower with light steps, leading Toothpouch.

But my plan to return straight to the breeding grounds was soon thwarted.

Because standing outside the entrance of the tower was an extraordinarily handsome man who looked like he could blind you with a single glance.