Cleansing Magic

Author: Ryusui
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2121hw/7/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

‘Rita-chan must have had a time like that too’
‘Master must have raised you thinking the same thing’

“Ah, yeah. Master used to do peek-a-boo at me a lot. He made a weird face, and I didn’t really get it.”
“Eh. Rita-chan, you remember when you were little?”
“Mm. I remember.”

I remember not just from after I was taken in, but up until I was abandoned too.
One reason I can live as a witch is this memory. For a mage, memory is a talent on the same level as handling mana—maybe even more important.

‘The memory is one thing, but Master’s story is what’s surprising lol’
‘Peek-a-boo lmao’
‘That person did stuff like that, huh lol’

He was pretty deredere, I guess. He apparently hadn’t even considered that I’d remember, though.
When I told him that story, his cheek twitched in a really funny way.

“Well then. I’ll go wash the dishes, so Rita-chan, you take it easy.”

With that, Mami stood up.

“Mm? If that’s it, I’ll do it.”
“Eh. Ah, no. That’s really…”
“It’ll be done right away.”

I’ll use cleansing magic, so it’s not a problem. I got treated to katsu curry, even got ice cream, and on top of that going home without doing anything would be wrong, I think.
I take my staff and use cleansing magic. The dishes on the table are wrapped in light for an instant, and become as clean as new.

“Wah… Amazing. Thank you.”
“Mm. Thank you too.”
“I’ll just go put them away, then.”

Mami takes the dishes and leaves the room. I’d like to help with that too, but I obviously don’t know where the dishes get put away.

‘Cleansing magic sounds convenient’
‘Nice. Just not having to do the dishes would help a lot’
‘By the way Chii-chan’s eyes are sparkling like crazy’

“Mm…?”

When I look at Chii-chan on my lap, she was staring at me. Kind of like she really wants something, or something.

“Chii-chan?”
“That just now! Chii wants to use it too!”
“Eeh…”

That magic just now was cleansing magic, right. Why this one. I mean, I learned convenient magic you can use in daily life first too, but that was on Master’s instructions.

“Is there some reason you want to learn this magic?”

If it were someone from my world, cleansing magic is something you can learn easily with a little study, so I might think it’s fine to teach.
But Chii-chan is a resident of this world. Japanese. Teaching magic in a world without magic seems like a bit of a problem.
So I was going to ask the reason and then say no, but…

“Onee-chan works really hard every day.”
“Yeah.”
“Chii wants to help even a little… But when Chii tries to help, she says go play…”
“………… I see…”

‘What a good kid’
‘A well-behaved little sister, hard to believe she’s a viewer’s sister’
‘Hey. I think deciding that the viewers here are all no-good people is a bit much. Can’t deny it though’
‘You can’t deny it lmao’

Maybe Mami wants Chii-chan to play freely. She’s still little.
But what about their parents. Chii-chan is still small, and I don’t think Mami is of working age in Japan. If they had parents, I don’t think they’d have to be that conscious of helping out.

“Hmm… Not something to ask while streaming, huh.”

They wouldn’t want people whose faces they don’t even know hearing this.

“That’s it for today’s stream.”

‘Eh’
‘Wait, just like that!?’
‘Rita-chan, wait!’

I don’t wait. When I cancel the streaming magic, the sphere of light vanishes at once.

“Chii-chan. Where are Dad and Mom?”
“Um, Daddy works on the big island! Mommy is always working!”

Yeah. Sorry. I didn’t get that. Maybe I shouldn’t have stopped the stream.

 

“Dad works off the island, toward Tokyo. Mom works from before noon until late at night, I guess.”

When I asked Mami after she came back, that was the answer I got.

“Mm…? Complicated circumstances?”
“Well… I wonder?”

The Nakayama family isn’t poor, but just Dad’s income is a little tight, apparently. So Mom works too, but the only work she could find was from midday to night.

“It’s a dual-income household, pretty common in Japan. Mom’s work hours are just a bit shifted. We can’t eat dinner together, but we’re together for breakfast and on days off.”
“Huh…”

But I think that means Mami is the one preparing dinner and so on. From Chii-chan’s point of view, maybe she looks busy. Wanting to make it easier for her, or something.
Well, yeah. In that case, maybe it’s fine to teach her. They’re the first Japanese people I’ve met. I want to give them a little special treatment.

“Chii-chan. I’ll teach you magic.”
“Eh.”
“Really!?”

Mami’s eyes go round in surprise, and Chii-chan’s face lights up happily. Mami’s expression turns uneasy, but I want her to relax. I don’t intend to teach dangerous magic.

“A warning: don’t use it outside the house. If you can absolutely keep that, I’ll teach you cleansing magic and other convenient magic.”
“I’ll keep it!”
“Mm. Then good.”

Mami looks like she wants to say something, but I’ve already decided. Ah, no, but I should at least get Mom’s permission.

“If Mom says no, then it’s no. Don’t get your hopes up.”
“Nnh… Okaaay…”

Chii-chan drooped, but she nodded obediently. A very good kid. I’ll pat her. Pat pat.

“Ehehe…”
“Cute. I want to take her home.”
“Stop.”

Mami warned me with a straight face. It was a joke, though.