The Seed Thief

‘I don’t need to use magic for a while.’

Of course, some inconveniences were unavoidable. Warming up food, for instance, or heating water for a bath. Fortunately, those were minor spells, requiring very little mana.

‘It’s not like I need to use strong magic anyway.’

Since Er had come into her life, most of her magic had been directed towards tending the garden. He had also insisted on handling anything potentially dangerous and going out to fetch anything they needed himself. Thanks to him, there was no need for flight magic.

Despite reassuring herself, Lulu’s anxiety wouldn’t subside.

“Come back soon…”

Lulu murmured, burying her face in her pillow. The bed, where they always slept together, felt wider than ever.

* * *

Contrary to her hopes, Lulu’s magic didn’t return the next day. Worse, she noticed it weakening even further every time she attempted to use it. Eventually, she gave up trying altogether.

The only thing that calmed her anxious heart was the dwindling number of circles on the paper. As the circles diminished, they were replaced by Ervandas’s face, drawn in various expressions. Though “various” was a bit of an exaggeration, as most of them were smiling faces.

“He’ll be back tomorrow.”

Looking at the last remaining circle, Lulu bit her thumbnail. Her nails were ragged and scarred from days of continuous biting, but it was the only way she could manage her fear.

Nothing much happened in the meantime. The forest remained as peaceful as ever. Her meals were cold but edible. The real problem was the icebox; the magic keeping it chilled throughout the summer vanished the moment she touched it.

It was clear now: her magic was waning, and every spell she had cast would dissipate upon contact with her as if her body were absorbing all the magic.

Lulu sighed as she caressed her belly.

‘Thank goodness it’s not a Homunculus.’

If she had conceived a homunculus with Er’s seed, then sent him away after it succeeded… She would have lost both Er and the child. The thought of her child disappearing at her touch sent shivers down her spine.

Ever since the forest witch’s passing, she had longed for a new family. And finally, she had found it, a child conceived with Er.

Though she hadn’t even seen the child’s face, Lulu felt a deep affection for the little one growing inside her.

Lulu clutched the paper with one circle remaining, unable to sleep. As soon as dawn broke, she filled in the last circle with Er’s face – the gentle smile he always wore when he looked at her.

Holding onto the paper, Lulu went outside and sat on the porch steps.

The stone golem and the bone crow, sulking from her previous order to keep their distance, cautiously approached and settled nearby.

“Er will be back today.”

Lulu couldn’t contain her excited voice as she gazed at the brightening sky. When would he come? Before lunchtime? No, he had traveled far, it would probably be later than that. But surely he was doing his best to return as quickly as possible.

Lulu suppressed the laughter bubbling up inside her. The wind, now chilled, seeped through her clothes. She pulled out the thick shawl Er had prepared and draped it over her shoulders.

The rustling wind, the whispering of dry leaves—for days, these sounds had only fueled her anxiety, but not today.

“One, two, three….”

Lulu resumed her daily count, her gaze fixed on the forest. Sitting all day would normally be tedious, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away. With every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig, she envisioned him emerging from the trees, a smile lighting up his face. But when she blinked, only the empty path remained.

Normally, the winter sun would have climbed lazily across the sky. Yet today, dark clouds had shrouded the heavens since dawn, lending a sharper bite to the air.

As the hours crawled by, Lulu felt hungry. Should she eat? Her stomach rumbled, but she felt no desire to eat.

‘Should I skip it?’

The discovery of her fading magic had left her shaken, she’d barely eaten since.

‘Er would scold me for sure.’

Ever since she got pregnant, he’d been meticulously monitoring her diet. If she ate even a little less than usual or left food on her plate, he’d look devastated and mumble about making something tastier next time.

He cared so much, and the thought of upsetting him made her eat more.

What would he say when he returned and saw how little she had eaten these past few days?

‘He’d blame himself.’

Knowing she hadn’t been taking care of herself would weigh heavily on him. Lulu couldn’t bear to see his usual cheer dimmed by worry for her.

Lulu took out the dried-up potatoes. Planning to put them in a pot and boil them as usual, she realized she couldn’t light the fire. After a moment’s thought, she headed to the storage room.

Thanks for Er’s thoughtfulness. He always ensured they had plenty on hand, knowing how much she loved building bonfires. Back in the kitchen, Lulu piled a few logs beneath the stovetop and cast the fire-starting spell.

Before, a roaring fire would have sprung to life instantly. Now, a feeble flame flickered hesitantly, barely enough to light a straw.

Fortunately, the dry grass she’d grabbed along with the logs caught fire, and after much effort, the flames finally licked at the wood. As she placed the pot on the makeshift stove, Lulu noticed the soot staining her hands and clothes.

Er would flip if he saw her like this. She hurried to the bathroom and undressed. It was a simple task she normally wouldn’t think twice about, but her growing belly made movement difficult. Even bending over took considerable effort these days.

“Ugh, it’s cold.”

The magic here had dissipated as well, leaving only icy water flowing from the pipes. She tried to wash up, but her body trembled uncontrollably, and her stomach cramped in protest. Giving up, she soaked a towel and scrubbed away the soot as best she could.

Every simple task was a struggle now. But what if her magic disappeared entirely…?

“…..”

Anxiety tightened its grip on her heart. No, she couldn’t think like that.

‘It’s going to be okay.’

Even if her magic disappeared, Er would be by her side. She wasn’t alone anymore. She could rely on him, asking for his help.

Just as Lulu finished washing up, the smell of burning filled the air. Startled, she rushed back to the kitchen. Smoke billowed from the pot as the water had dried up while she was in the bathroom, leaving the potatoes charred.

Unlike the flames she usually controlled with magic, this fire had a mind of its own, quickly growing out of control.

Lulu quickly removed the pot and instinctively reached for her water magic, only to stop herself. Instead, she grabbed the nearby bucket and extinguished the flames.

The fire instantly subsided, releasing a cloud of acrid smoke.

‘Why is everything going wrong today?’

Dejectedly, she scraped the burnt potatoes stuck to the pot’s bottom and placed the charred pot in the water bucket.

After cleaning up the mess, Lulu grabbed a dried fruit from a sack and returned to the porch steps. At this rate, she was bound to cause more trouble before Er returned. Besides, she didn’t feel like moving anyway. It was better to just sit tight and wait.

‘Come home soon.’

She had so much to tell him. How boring it was without him, how much she missed him, how empty and lifeless the house and the forest felt.

Lulu nibbled on the dried fruit, mentally organizing everything she wanted to say. But deep down, she knew that all those words would probably dissolve into tears the moment she saw his face.

‘Maybe I should hide the burnt pot…’

A small smile touched her lips as she imagined his reaction. Just thinking about him calmed her racing heart. Would he notice how gaunt her face had become?

Chewing slowly, she kept her vigil.

Time passed. The overcast sky darkened, swallowing the last traces of daylight. The forest fell silent, even the chirping of crickets fading away, leaving only the mournful sigh of the wind.

‘He’s late.’

The winter sky deepened quickly into the night. With the heavy clouds overhead, the forest was swallowed by darkness even faster than usual. Lulu strained her ears, listening for any sign of him, but the forest offered only silence.

The bone crow, which rarely made a sound, fluttered around her, cawing insistently as if urging her to go inside.

“But Er isn’t back yet.”

He would be making his way back, surely weary from his journey. He would be disappointed if she wasn’t there to greet him.

Lulu tightened the shawl around her shoulders.

Er had never broken a promise. He had promised to be back by today. He would keep his word, no matter what. He had to.

By now, the forest was cloaked in complete darkness. Lulu worried he might have trouble finding his way home, so she conjured a few orbs of light and set them adrift above the roof. They were faint compared to what she could usually manage, but in the darkness, they shone like beacons.

Standing beneath the pool of light, Lulu continued to wait for him.

‘You promised you’d be home today.’

How could he say that and then not return before nightfall? When he got back, she would give him a good scolding. She would ask him why he was so late if he knew how worried she had been.

No. Er would be exhausted from his trip. Greeting him with anger wouldn’t do. She should be understanding, she decided. Yes, she would welcome him with a smile. She would run to him, hug him tightly, and ask him about his journey. So…

“….Hurry back.”

She whispered, breathing warmth into her chilled hands.

In the stillness of the forest, Lulu resumed her silent count. One, two, three. Over the past months, she had counted slowly, and the number always halted at 99. But this time, she counted swiftly, holding onto the belief that reaching 100 would bring him back.

She squeezed her eyes shut, her hands clasped tightly together.

“98, 99…”

As she neared the final count, doubt crept in. Should she start again, pretend it was just another miscount? Or should she break the pattern and utter the number that marked the end of her waiting?

How many times had she reset the count this month alone? In the monotonous days devoid of any significant changes, she wondered if counting the same numbers repeatedly meant that the same day was repeating. So, if she counted to 100 here and now, would this waiting come to an end? Conjured Er’s return?

Hope and fear battled within her. Go back to the beginning, or finally reach the end?

Lulu’s hesitant lips quivered. After agonizing for a while, she finally uttered the outcome.

“…100.”

As Lulu counted the final number, she opened her eyes. Er was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the first snowflake fell onto her hand.