Chapter 21

A week had passed since the fire at the textile factory.

The building that caught fire was actually a spinning mill.

Loretta informed Mika of this a few days after the fire, but to Mika, it was just trivial information.

In fact, things were quite difficult even after that.

Even after Amelia fainted, Loretta took a while to notice Mika, and it took some time for her to calm down.

Since the building was still burning, if left unchecked, there was a high possibility that the fire would spread to the neighboring buildings.

Therefore, Mika had to attempt to extinguish the fire in front of everyone.

Combustion, a chemical reaction, requires three elements: "fuel," "oxygen," and "heat," which everyone learns in school.

In other words, extinguishing a fire means removing one of these elements.

The methods are as follows:

- Removing the fuel

- Depriving of oxygen (smothering)

- Cooling to remove heat

These are known as the three elements of fire suppression.

The best scenario is to achieve all three, but even one is enough to extinguish the fire.

However, even if the fire is temporarily extinguished, it can reignite if the suppression is not sustained until the fire is completely out, so caution is necessary.

Fire is truly a terrifying thing.

Facing the burning building, Mika considered the methods of extinguishing the fire.

Thanks to the ability to gather magic from the air, Mika no longer had to worry about magic power.

The reason it's "almost" is that it's impossible to measure the amount of magic in the air.

Is it like an oil field, an almost inexhaustible source, or just a large tank?

It's not clear yet.

Should he spread a large amount of water like a fire truck?

Or create a large amount of carbon dioxide to smother the oxygen?

Removing the fuel is impossible because the building itself is the fuel.

Mika considered various options.

Spreading a large amount of water could cause the building to collapse due to the impact and weight.

Given that it could collapse at any moment, it might be safer to let it collapse, but doing so while the fire is still burning is dangerous.

So, water is out of the question.

Filling the building with carbon dioxide to smother the oxygen seemed like a good idea, but there were too many people around. If Mika couldn't control it and a large amount of carbon dioxide leaked, it could cause human casualties.

Even though he suddenly gained a large amount of magic power, he wasn't yet accustomed to handling it. This is a problem of skill, not magic power, so this option is also out.

(Alright, let's cool it down.)

Considering all this, Mika decided to use cold air to remove the heat.

This method is probably very inefficient, but it minimizes the impact on the building and the surrounding area, making it the best option.

Using "Ice Breath" to freeze the entire building would be disastrous, given its size.

Even if Mika moved to the optimal location at each moment, the forceful application of cold air could still cause the building to collapse.

So, Mika decided to use "Wind Blade" and "Ice Spear."

First, he divided the building into about ten sections.

Then, he infused each section, including the interior, with magic, similar to how he made holes in walls.

Instead of creating "Wind Blade," he created ice.

It wouldn't be enough to do it once per section, but after a few repetitions, he moved to the next section.

This way, he roughly froze the entire building.

Even if some heat remained in the wood, the surrounding ice would melt and extinguish the fire.

It would take time and effort, but this seemed to be the most reliable and safe method.

The only problem was whether he could extend his magic over such a wide area.

During "Wind Blade" practice, he could barely extend it a few meters.

Now, the issue of magic power was almost resolved, leaving only the problem of control.

However, it turned out to be easier than expected.

Thanks to the abundant magic power, he could extend it over a visible range without much difficulty.

First, he cooled the sections roughly, and then dealt with the difficult parts individually.

In this way, Mika successfully extinguished the fire at the factory.

Was there a better method? Well, the goal was achieved, so it's fine.

Despite this, things were still difficult after Mika returned home.

First, Amelia was bedridden for two days.

Even while sleeping, she often had nightmares and woke up searching for Mika.

Knowing that it was his fault, Mika tried to stay close to Amelia as much as possible.

He held her hand to make her feel more secure and stayed by her side when she woke up to prevent her from feeling anxious.

Thanks to his efforts, Amelia gradually recovered and is now doing household chores normally, though she hasn't returned to work yet.

Loretta had mostly regained her composure by the time she returned home.

However, like Amelia, Loretta also became anxious when Mika wasn't around and started to stay close to him.

As a result, the three members of the Noisheim family were almost always together.

Despite this, Loretta, who has a strong sense of responsibility, understood that if she didn't do the household chores while Amelia was bedridden, the household would fall apart.

So, she reluctantly left Mika to do the chores.

After finishing, she quickly returned to Mika's side.

Loretta also hasn't returned to work yet.

(If this continues, the Noisheim family will definitely fall apart.)

Sitting on Loretta's lap, Mika sighed.

Recently, Mika hasn't been able to sit in his own seat much.

Only during meals.

At other times, he was made to sit on either Amelia's or Loretta's lap.

Now, since Amelia was washing dishes, it was Loretta's turn.

(This might be a state of dependency... I'm not an expert in psychology, but it feels like we're heading towards destruction.)

Aware that he was partly to blame, Mika couldn't say much.

But if this continues, things will definitely go wrong.

While thinking about this, Amelia returned from washing dishes, looking quite gloomy.

"Mom, is something wrong?"

Loretta, noticing Amelia's state, called out to her.

Amelia was clearly shaken by Loretta's voice but only replied, "Yeah..."

Loretta let go of Mika's hand to take the dishes and quickly put them away.

When they sat down, Mika's seat was on Amelia's lap.

"......I have to talk to the mayor tomorrow......"

Amelia spoke heavily.

Though she didn't specify "about what," it was most likely about Mika.

It might not be just about Mika, but his name would certainly come up.

The child who suddenly used "magic" to save people in the village.

While it was used to save people, the sheer power was frightening.

It wouldn't be surprising if he was ostracized.

However, Mika still didn't fully understand the place of "magic" in this world.

Since the country is actively cultivating it, he probably won't be treated like a monster, but from the villagers' reactions during the fire suppression, it doesn't seem like they were entirely happy.

(Just looking at Amelia and Loretta's faces, it doesn't seem like tomorrow will be a bright day.)

Sitting on Amelia's lap, Mika thought.

The next morning, when Mika went to the mayor's house at the appointed time, he was taken to the meeting hall.

The mayor's talk was to be held there.

The mayor, who looked slightly displeased, walked in front, while Amelia and Loretta held Mika's hands.

Both were silent and had dark expressions.

From this alone, it was clear that the upcoming discussion would not be pleasant.

(Does being taken to the FBI feel like this?)

The image of a small alien being escorted by two men popped into Mika's head.

Though it was later confirmed to be a fake.

While Mika was thinking about such trivial matters, they quickly arrived at the meeting hall.

Inside, there were about ten people, including Kifrodo, Rady, Diego, Ninetyana, Horacio, Nanzaro, and Mekhitrode, as well as a few people Mika didn't know.

Mika's acquaintances were all gathered, but their faces were more serious than he had ever seen.

Three seats were left at one of the tables, and the mayor asked Mika to sit there.

Mika sat in the middle, with Amelia and Loretta on either side.

Amelia held Mika's hand under the table.

(Well, let's see what kind of talk this will be.)

Compared to the others, Mika didn't seem as serious, but that couldn't be helped.

Mika didn't understand why being able to use magic was such a big issue.

Since he didn't know what the problem was, he couldn't take it seriously.

"Alright, let's begin. I apologize for gathering everyone so early in the morning. It's been a week since the incident, and I'd like to conclude this today."

The mayor looked at the gathered people.

Perhaps the mayor had intended to hold such a meeting earlier, but it was delayed for some reason.

"There are a few things to confirm, but first, we need to establish this. ...Mika."

When the mayor called Mika, everyone turned to look at him.

Amelia's grip on Mika's hand tightened.

"...Can you use the 'Miracle of God'?"

The gathered people held their breath at the mayor's question, but Mika was taken aback.

(The 'Miracle of God'?)

Mika was momentarily confused by the unexpected question.

(Oh right, magic is called the 'Miracle of God' in this world. I completely forgot.)

Mika knew that Rady's "Healing" was considered a "Miracle of God."

However, he had never thought of his own magic as a "Miracle of God."

(Because it has nothing to do with God.)

Mika's first use of magic was accidental.

He didn't even intend to use it.

When he imagined a block of water, it just came out.

It seemed a bit far-fetched to call it a "Miracle of God."

While Mika was struggling to find an answer, the mayor interpreted his silence as an attempt to hide something.

"Everyone has seen you use the 'Miracle of God.' I saw it with my own eyes. Can you be honest with us?"

Being asked to be honest, but the question was poorly phrased.

Why limit it to the "Miracle of God"?

If Mika affirmed it and his magic turned out to be something else, it could lead to more trouble, which he definitely wanted to avoid.

Therefore, it might be better to clarify the misunderstanding.

(No... that might be dangerous too.)

If it's not a "Miracle of God," then what is it?

Without knowing how the others would interpret it, Mika couldn't make a rash statement.

If there was no other option, he might have to make a bold claim, but the discussion had just begun.

For now, he wanted to gather as much information as possible without making a rash statement.

As Mika remained silent, the mayor became agitated.

"Mika! Why aren't you answering---"

"Wait a moment. Questioning a child like this won't get us anywhere. Let's start with a proper fact-checking process."

Kifrodo interrupted the mayor.

"Mayor, I understand your position, but please calm down. We won't treat him badly. The church will do its best to assist."

Kifrodo looked at Rady, who nodded solemnly.

(Huh? Is the mayor's position somehow involved in this? Because of my magic? Why?)

The situation was becoming confusing for Mika.

Though he didn't understand the reason, it seemed the mayor was also affected.

The mayor's displeasure that morning had a reason.

Kifrodo, with his usual grandfatherly demeanor, looked straight at Mika.

"Listen, Mika. The people here today are all here for your sake. It's a bit of a predicament, but we're here to find a solution."

Kifrodo looked at the gathered people, who all nodded firmly.

Amelia whispered, "Father..." and Loretta wiped away tears.

It seemed the situation was indeed serious.

As Mika tried to grasp the situation, Kifrodo began to ask questions to confirm the facts.

"First, Mika. You created a block of water before diving into the fire. Then, you spread a large amount of water inside to extinguish the fire. This was seen by the people trapped inside. ...Is that correct?"

Mika nodded honestly.

There was no point in trying to hide it since it was seen by so many people.

Denying it would only lose their trust.

Nanzaro and Mekhitrode looked at Mika with solemn expressions.

"Then, you also froze the burning building to stop the fire?"

Mika nodded again.

It was seen by almost everyone, so denying it would be futile.

Seeing Mika nod, Kifrodo smiled clearly.

"Thank you, Mika. Thanks to you, many lives were saved. Your actions were commendable, though a bit reckless."

Diego and Ninetyana nodded in agreement, and Rady made a gesture of a brief prayer.

(Come to think of it, this is the first time I've been thanked for this.)

Mika thought.

For the past week, Mika hadn't left the house. He couldn't leave Amelia, and even after that, the two of them wouldn't let him go.

Loretta handled all the visitors. Even after Amelia recovered, one of them always dealt with the visitors, and Mika didn't meet anyone.

As Mika thought about this, Kifrodo continued.

"But, there are a few questions here. When did you start being able to do this?"

It seemed this was the main part of the discussion.

Kifrodo still had his grandfatherly demeanor, but the atmosphere around him suddenly became tense.

Amelia's hand trembled.

(How should I answer this? ...The fact is about a month and a half ago, but is this answer good or bad? I still don't understand what the problem is.)

However, lying and losing the trust of the people who gathered "for Mika" would not be a good strategy.

Mika decided to be honest.

"About a month ago."

It was a half-hearted answer to allow for some flexibility if he needed to adjust the timeline later.

Hearing this, the gathered people started to murmur.

"A month? If that's the case---"

"How did you---"

"Well, but without proof---"

It seemed the timing was very important in the current issue.

Amelia and Loretta looked anxiously at Kifrodo.

Kifrodo was talking to Rady, and the others were also speaking.

Mika could hear fragments of words like "proof" and "evidence," but he couldn't think of a way to prove when he started using magic.

(I was practicing in secret. If I had consulted Rady about magic from the beginning, things might not have gotten this serious. It was a mistake.)

Mika had avoided Rady, thinking that using magic would be forbidden.

Now, he regretted not talking to Rady earlier.

"Everyone, please be quiet. First, I want to ask if anyone can prove that Mika has been able to use the 'Miracle of God' for a month. Even a testimony would be fine."

Everyone fell silent at Kifrodo's words.

It seemed that Kifrodo had already determined that Mika's magic was a "Miracle of God."

(I never said it was a 'Miracle of God.')

Mika struggled internally.

Even if his magic was something else, he could claim that he never said it was a "Miracle of God."

However, it was uncertain whether such logic would be accepted.

"Hmm... Then, we'll have to indirectly verify the situation. Mayor."

Kifrodo turned to the mayor.

"Do you still have the records of the magic power measurement from spring?"

"Yes, of course. If we don't have them here, they should be in Cotontesse