I Was Called Incompetent ch.36

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Arigatou Gozaimasu!

This chapter is just…sad.
And feels.

Enjoy.

Translator: Raizu
Editor: Shirayuki

Episode 36 : Intermission

3 Years ago ―――

[Your magic is “telekinesis”. You can use it to move objects as you wish. Use it well from here onward.]

[Yes! Thank you very much!]

Telekinesis huh… if I had to be honest, I’d prefer teleport magic.
Since there weren’t many transference or teleport magic users, I could make a lot of money if I use them for delivery.
Perhaps Mom would’ve been happier that way.

But anyways, I’m glad that it’s magic that has uses outside battle.
It’s not that I’m scared to become an adventurer. I’m just too worried about my mom.
Besides, there should be other jobs out there where I can make use of my magic.
Mom…. I promise I’ll make you happy!

=====

[I’m homeー!]

[Welcome back Tia. How’s it going?]

[It’s telekinesis, Mom! It’s not teleportation magic, but certainly it can be used to get a job, right?]

[Ah, isn’t that pretty good! Telekinesis is convenient for several things so I believe there should be a job cut out for it. Work hard!]

[Un!]

[Good, good. Alright, please wait a moment. Let me warm the rice.]

Mom’s magic is heat magic.
It’s a type of Fire magic, but can only be used to warm things.
Mom always says that she’s ashamed to have such weak magic, but I love her magic.
‘cause it’s such warm and gentle magic!

I don’t have a Dad in this house anymore.
He died of illness when I was still very little.
Since then, I’ve been living with only Mom.
Mom had been working very hard to make my life comfortable.

So this time around, I’ll work to make Mom’s life comfortable.
But it’s no good until I can use my magic properly… So in about a year or so, I should be ready to use it to get a job.
Yoーsh! I’ll train super hard everyday!

[Okay, today’s menu is… Tia’s favorite beef stewー!]

[M-Mom! Do we still have enough money after this!?]

[Don’t worry about that! Because today is Tia’s birthday after all! Go on, let’s eat, shall we?]

[Mom… thank you! I’m digging in!]

Un, as expected…!

[Delicious! Mom makes the best beef stew ever!]

[Fufufu, I know right!]

On that note, perhaps because it was warmed by Mom’s gentle magic… the stew tasted full of love.
I finished the dish in no time at all.

[Thank you for the food! Yoーsh, look here, Mom! My first time ever to use my magic!]

[Oh, do your best, Tiaー!]

I roused my magic power and focused on the spoon I wanted to move.
Then I directed the magic out from my body towards the spoon.

[Move!]

However, the wooden spoon didn’t even move an inch.

[Eh…? this is strange…]

I tried and tried again afterward, but the spoon still didn’t move.
I know it’s my first time using it, but could it at least move a little…?

[But why…?]

[Now now, it’s your first time after all. I wasn’t good at it at the beginning either. Eventually, you’ll be able to use it well!]

[That’s right… I’ll do my best!]

[Do your best, Tia!]

I have to do my very best for my beloved Mom.
I’ll master this magic right away and then I’ll be able to buy delicious food for Mom to enjoy!

At that time, someone knocked on our door.
When Mom went to reply to it, I heard a familiar voice.

[Good evening. It’s Horus.]

[Ah, Horus-san.]

Horus-san was the best doctor in Nibelugh.
Magic can heal wounds, but not illnesses.
Horus-san was a well known doctor because he had cured many people’s illness through the use of medicine and surgery.

Moreover, he’s also an adept user of healing magic. He’s quite popular among the women because he does not leave any scar after a surgery. I heard his patients come from around the continent, not just from this city alone.
He’d known Mom for quite a while now, and had been visiting us often to talk about something with her.

[I’ll open the door nowー]

When Mom opened the door, there was Horus-san in his usual brown suit.
I heard that he’s already 50 years old, but he still looks young for his age.
He brought a gift in his hand, and handed it to me with a smile.

[Yep, a birthday present. A delicious cake!]

[Waa! Thank you, Horus-san!]

[Sorry to have you always do this, Horus-san…]

[It’s fine, it’s fine. So, I’d like to talk with you.]

[Ah, outside then… Tia, could you please wash the dishes?]

[Yeーs!]

I wonder what they’re talking about.
I want to eat the cake soon so I’ll have to finish washing the dishes quickly.
…or so I thought. But curiosity won me over.
Let’s ask them for a bit.

[…thought so…but… How about this?]

[Guu…yaa… ooh…]

[…Kah…well…this…then…]

[Enough… people… might see…]

[…meh… aren’t we… always…]

Uーn….I really don’t get what they’re talking about.
Whoopsie, I still have dishes to wash.

By the time I finished washing the dishes, Mom had returned. Horus-san was not with her.
Somehow , she seemed to be not feeling well… I wonder if Mom is okay…

[Mom…?]

[Ah!]

Surprised by my voice, Mom dropped a white bag in her hand.
After picking it back up, she returned to her usual self and smiled as she hugged me.

[I-is there anything wrong?]

[Happy birthday, Tia. Thank you… to be born as my daughter in this world.]

[Mom… I’m happy to be your daughter.]

[Tia…!]

I was happy.
To have such a great mother with me.
Yoーsh… This time I’ll make Mom happy with my magicー!

=====

I trained my magic desperately afterward.
However, my magic still wouldn’t work even after a week.

Apparently, all my peers could use theirs fairly easily.
Whenever anyone asked me to show them my magic, I pretended to feel unwell and escape back home.
I was scared.
Since then, I decided to avoid meeting my friends until I can use my magic.

=====

Nothing changed after a month.
Mom kept telling me that [It’s going to be fine]. But I’m getting more and more dispirited by my continuous failure. 
I’m scared.

Moreover, Mom didn’t seem well lately.
She’s been coughing more often, rendering her unable to go to work.
So I’ve been taking the task of shopping lately, though I had to do so while avoiding being seen by my acquaintances. I began to live in hiding.

=====

It’s been a year since then.
Mom had become bedridden.
I managed to get a job that I could do at home for a living.
My magic still refused to work as usual.
To avoid this fact becoming known, I’ve been living a low profile.

But I guess, my actions merely caused the rumours to grow.
Or perhaps some people caught wind of it.
I used to lie by saying that my Mom was sick and I had to stay and take care of her. Although what I earned from working at home is less than what I could’ve earned if I could use my magic and find a job outside.
I needed a lot of money if I wanted to cure Mom’s illness. And magic should’ve allowed me just that.
It’s common sense after all.

Today I’m making paper flowers as well.
1 box can earn me 2 gold. My goal is 500 boxes a day.
I continued to make paper flowers absentmindedly all the time. But sometimes, my mind wandered unnecessarily, making me depressed.

Why do I have to make paper flowers all the time? 
Because I can’t use my magic.

Why do I have so little money? 
Because I can’t use my magic.

Why can’t I use my magic?
That’s…

[Mom, forgive me… turns out… I’m an incompetent…]

I finally admitted it.
I never did before.
Because I absolutely didn’t want to admit it…!
I didn’t want it… Cause Mom will hate me for it.
Incompetents are not even considered human… Mom will definitely hate me…!
What should I do… now that I’ve said it?
No… please don’t hate me, Mom…!
No… no… noooo!

[It’s alright… Tia… isn’t an incompetent…]

Mom strained desperately to say that.

[Mom… you don’t…. You don’t hate me?]

[Why should I…? Tia isn’t an incompetent… you know? Your magic is just still sleeping there… Your magic… it just overslept like you always do. Fufu.]

[M-Mom… Mommy!]

I couldn’t help but cry now.
Even Mom should’ve noticed…
I’m nothing but an incompetent… So why…?

[There there… Tia, everything will be alright… Look, your beauty will only be ruined if you keep crying…]

[Uaaaaaaa… I’m sorryyy… I’m sorry for being an incompetent… aaaaah… uguuuu…!]

[It’s alright… *cough*…Ha… ha… There there…] 

At that time, someone knocked on the door.
I managed to reply although with a quivering voice. What returned was a familiar voice.

[Good evening. It’s me, Horus.]

[Y-yes…]

Horus-san had been visiting us regularly for the past 1 year, treating my Mom for free.
If it’s not for him, I don’t know how to afford the medicine…

When I opened the door, Horus-san was standing there with a serious face.
He looked different than usual.

[Good evening, Tia. Can I speak with you for a bit?]

[Y-yes…]

It seemed that he wanted to talk outside so that Mom couldn’t hear it.
I went outside and closed the door behind me.
Horus then quietly started talking while giving me a mysterious look.

[Tia, let me be straightforward. Your mom… She won’t make it if this goes on.]

Ah…

[Your mom is suffering from a near incurable disease called Dausara Syndrome. It costs a lot of money to cure it. The medicines I’ve been giving her so far can only act as a suppressant. They’re not for radical treatment. I’ll need a lot of rare herbs to concoct the actual medicine.]

[Wh-what can I do the…! Anything… I’ll do anything…!] 

If Mom is gone… Mom…
Nonono…
Idon’twantitIdon’twantitIdon’twantit.

[I see. Then, be mine.]

[Eh…?]

Be… his…?
Wait, that’s a little…

[Ha… should I repeat it? I’ll cure your mom. In return, you’ll be my plaything. Do you understand?]

Eh, what…? What did he mean…?
W-what’s the meaning of “plaything”….?

[I know it all along… that you are an incompetent.]

[Ah…]

[I just happened to see it one day. I saw you through the window, trying to move things to no avail… a sign of an incompetent]

[S-stop…]

Don’t say that…
My heart hurts.
Stop… please stop…
Why this all of a sudden…?

[Thinking back, if you can use your magic properly, you would’ve used it to look for a better job a long time ago. It’s strange that you chose to work at home instead. I was totally stupid too for not noticing it sooner… So, what will you do? I will cure your mom, but you’ll have to be my plaything. Or else, your mom will die soon and I will break it to everyone in this city that you are an incompetent. What will you do now?]

I had no choice.
And I don’t care anymore.
As long Mom… as long as Mom can…

[I’ve heard a rumour before; about incompetents. It’s a shame to know how they’re treated when they have a more meaningful use. They’re better off to be used by the more talented people, in other words, me. In return, I will cure your mom. So… decide quickly.]

I see… Incompetents… are like that.
My only use… As long as it can help Mom… I…

[I… will… become your plaything…]