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Aquarina ended up snuggling with me a lot. She simply wasn't letting me go at all. Apparently, I've been asleep for a whole week and a half, which was quite shocking to me after I realized I never felt any hunger or something. Hmm… I guess it might be the doing of my mother's magic or something along those lines.

She seemed very mellow this time around. I suppose our bond had been strengthening lately. Plus, undergoing such a traumatic experience really made us realize how fragile life was sometimes… even our souls were in danger there. Without souls, we don't even get to have a second life or head to the afterlife. We just disappear.

After spending around an hour snuggling with her on bed, she ended up falling asleep. At that moment, I couldn't help but caress her long and silky silvery-white hair. Her glossy chocolate-colored skin was also quite precious as her youthfulness was in full bloom. She was a very pretty girl that would easily pass for a princess or something. I'm quite surprised I got to have her as a friend.

I still remember when she was a tiny little baby girl. Now she had grown a lot in these past three years. Then again, 4 years of age is nowhere near half her life, so there's still a lot for her to experience…

After she fell asleep by my side, I tried to finally move outside my bed. I felt like my entire body was a bit strange. It felt like it wasn't mine for a bit, perhaps because it got so destroyed back then before being fully recovered… my soul itself felt like it was wearing my body. Thus, as I stood up, it was hard to balance myself, which meant I instantly fell on the ground.

I guess even with my ability, completely losing my body and recovering it does leave some sequelae in my mind and body. I guess I have to get some therapy to move better, or simply practice a lot… I don't know, but it's quite hard to move.

Ugh.

I tried to walk a bit more, but it gradually became harder. My muscles ached horrendously while my bones trembled. Even moving my arms and shoulders hurt, but my hands seemed mostly fine.

Moving my neck was also fine. My feet were okay as well. The problem was mostly in my back. I guess it had been broken and regenerated quickly, though it was also filled with pain. I need to quickly get better to adventure more with Aquarina and grow stronger with her and my parents' help. I cannot possibly slack for even a single second more.

After all, I've already slept enough.

I began to utilize Naturia's help. Through her, the Metabolism Acceleration spell was cast on me, making my blood flow faster as my metabolism was enhanced. I used this spell bit by bit, spreading this golden yellow essence across my body.

It hurt to move, but I was managing.

With that, I finally stood up once more, looking at myself in the mirror. Well, I looked the same as ever. I can't believe some days ago I was torn apart into pieces… though, at closer inspection, I found the big scars around my body. They were on my shoulders, stomach, legs, chest, and so on.

The scars I got were big, ugly scars that wouldn't go away no matter what… being scarred like this as a kid was really quite something. Then again, I guess it doesn't matter for someone like me who already has the personality of a young adult. My mentality won't easily be affected by mere scars.

In my previous life I had even uglier ones, after all. I was even missing an eye and that scar was the ugliest one could ever have. It spread through half my face… I remember that my little sister used to call me beautiful, and my father called me a princess back then by how pretty I had been born… well, that went to hell when I got that ugly scar across my face.

Then again, my teacher didn't care what we were or how scarred we were, we were all trained and taught how to survive, fight, and kill… I suppose I'm getting rusty with the techniques my teacher taught me. I should really ask Aquarina's father sometime. He's an assassin-type fighter, just like I used to be.

Although I'm trying to get good at everything I possibly can, I cannot ignore my past life's specialty, which I could enhance to even greater levels in this new life with magic and talents.

I decided to push myself to my very limits, constantly conjuring Metabolism Acceleration over my body while doing pushups, sit ups, and doing all sorts of exercises. I began to grow hungry at some time, but I resisted the hunger.

However, at some point, a tremendous exhaustion hit me, I was exerting myself way too much, and I ended up falling asleep on the floor…

…

"Sylphy!"

"My daughter!"

Suddenly, I woke up from the voice of my parents. I found both of them with Aquarina as they woke me up in bed.

"Ah… Mama… Papa!"

I quickly jumped towards the two, hugging them with all my strength. I had been without them for over a week, so finding them again filled me with happiness. I had missed them so much, after all. I knew they were taking care of me, but I was asleep and I couldn't see nor hear them…

"I'm happy you're fine but why were you on the floor?" my father asked.

"Oh, my little princess…" my mother could not help but say, hugging me tightly and covering my face with kisses.

"I was working out! My body feels a bit itchy after all the recovery, but I gotta quickly get it back to tiptop shape," I told them.

"W-What? You're a little girl, give yourself some slack!" my father said in response, sighing.

"Yeah… You've gone through a lot. We don't want you to overexert yourself anymore… Leave everything to your parents, Sylphy," mother said soon after.

"O-Okay… but I still want to train hard and grow stronger…" I replied.

"We know. You're a very strong girl," my father said.

"But first, we have to talk… my daughter… what kind of powers do you have?" mother soon asked.

During this conversation, Aquarina remained silent behind them.

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