After the mess of my first independent magic training, I managed to not create such a mess in the next independent training.
Oh, and even after all this time, the mysterious egg-like object that Alt-nii got hasn't hatched at all. Alt-nii began to call it as [Eggie] and often spoke to it.
"Hurry up and be born, Eggie... Aren't you tired of being called the lame name of Eggie?" Alt-nii would often say.
...I honestly think that the name Eggie is okay... but be patient, Alt-nii!
Taking that aside, the most important thing that happened was... how I finally mastered the way to undo my ice magic!
"Lyra, usually you would still be able to feel the remnants of your mana in the ice you instructed to remain as you did it with the portion of your power, but..." Mom paused her explanation.
"Am I... lacking in my magic because of it?"
"No. I mean... The suspicion's been answered the other day, so let's not say it as a deduction. So, because your magical power is superb..."
"!!"
"You lost control of it. You didn't feel tired despite producing the ice, as it only took an insignificant, tiny portion of your power. So, before you noticed, you lost your connection to them."
"Yes... I couldn't feel them and command them as I wish..."
That is true.
"Such cases often happen with great power. Therefore, the recommended way to reestablish that mana connection is..."
"Is...?"
"By pouring a little mana to the ice. By doing so, your mana will reconnect with the ice that you produced, and now you'll be able to synchronize yourself with your own magic, thus, commanding it to cancel won't be that hard."
"!! I didn't think of doing that!!"
Magic was a wonder, truly.
"For now, you can try it by touching the ice with a part of your body—preferrably your index finger. But you can also let out a magic essence to touch the far ice and cancel it, once you're better at doing it. Ah, but, in the end, you should be able to reconnect your magic to the ice with ease, without having to pour in any magical power at all. That's the output we're hoping to gain in this lesson."
"I, I will try hard!"
At the end of Month 12, as Alt-nii got his school holiday, snow has piled up.
Perhaps I'm affected by my [Ice] affinity, but the winter doesn't feel as cold as it used to be, from what I can remember.
I guess I will still spend my winter holiday by sitting near the heater and playing around the house.
By the time Mom and Dad got their New Year holiday, we could spend time leisurely as a family at home. At our home, sweet home.
Winter seems just like the perfect time to laze around and take a rest from the world, especially on cold, snowy white winter like this.
New Year holiday is always closely linked to family time.
Even as Reinst, it was like the only time where all of my family members were home the most...
"Mother, can I have a break time for this holiday, or should I practice something?"
As Reinst, it was the question that I asked each time all of us got holidays.
"You can take a break, Reinst. For now, I need to tutor Domi. However, you might want to ask your father about your swordsmanship training."
"Thank you, Mother. Well then, I will go to Father first."
I took a glance at my little brother who had to spend his holiday to learn things—when he was just a small child.
The earlier you learn mannerism, the better it would stick to your mind, and it would be a subconcious thing to implement in your daily activities.
So Mother used to say—and Domi started to have his behavior monitored when he just turned 3, aside from teaching him to speak better without lisping and introducing alphabets to him.
I have forgotten, but did I undergo that training, too, when I was a small child?
"Father, what do you suggest I should improve in my swordmanship for this holiday?"
"Ah, Reinst. You already did well so far, just try practicing alone. I will summon you when I can train you first-hand. You can also try sparring with Clyde if you want."
"Alright, thank you, Father."
Father seemed busy with his work, so I left him without asking anything else.
I never really spent much time with Clyde except for sparring.
Perhaps I could ask him to spar with me.
--but often, I stopped in front of the door whenever I saw him who seemed to be enjoying his leisure time with Kania. That pair of mother and son—they always seemed so close to each other—they had things that I didn't have.
When I looked at them smiling at each other, I couldn't bring myself to interrupt their time and took Clyde away to spar with me.
Oh well, I guess that means I could read some stories and play by myself.
--Yup.
In the end, we spent most of our time doing our own activities—especially when it got too cold to practice swordsmanship.
Me and my mother with additional studies before Domi was born—or sometimes I was included in their sessions.
So, most of holidays, I could relax a bit and spend most of my time in front of Provice or my books. Clyde was with Kanisan, as usual.
And Father, reading the newspaper, in front of his Provide, sometimes thinking about work... and before Domi's birth, he would take equal turns to see both of my and Clyde's improvement.
After Domi's birth, needless to say that he spent more time with Domi and automatically, Mother. He needed to see how his heir was doing, after all. It was important for the head of the family to oversee the next head's development.
I guess... that was also good for Mother. She got the position she wanted, and she got Father, too.
A peaceful and solemn time during holiday where I can spend my time to relax all day was quite good, now when I recalled it.