Lucca was reviewing some documents from the hospital where he worked when his daughter Rebeca walked into the room.
“Hey, sweetheart. What can I do for you?”
“How did you know it was me, Dad?”
“I know it might sound strange, Rebeca, but each of you has a unique way of walking, of stepping—and I recognize which of my kids is coming just by the sound.”
“I’m not sure if that’s weird or adorable.”
“Haha. Anyway, what can I help you with? Because I know that face — you want something.”
“What face?”
“The one you’re making right now. I’ve known you for 19 years, sweetie. Don’t try to fool me.”
“Okay, fine. I was talking with Gala and João the other day about your fighting techniques, your magic, and the tricks you know, and a question came up. Actually, two questions. Can I ask?”
“Of course. What’s the second one?” Lucca replied with a smile.
“Very funny. That joke was only funny like nine years ago, Dad.”
“Still cracks me up. Now go ahead, spill it.”
“Alright. First question: how did someone like you—so kind, whose strongest magical affinity is with light—learn a dark spell like the fear magic you use?”
“Okay, got it. And what’s the second one? Though I think I already know…”
“And I’m the impatient one? The second is: can you teach it to me?”
Lucca burst out laughing, leaving his daughter puzzled.
“I don’t get the laugh.”
“Sorry, sweetie. It’s just that I knew exactly what you were going to ask, and I nailed it.”
“So? Can you teach me?”
“Can I answer your first question first?”
“Sure.”
“Well, sweetie, as contradictory as it may seem—considering my history as a hero in Noritvy and as a martial artist even before that—I consider myself a pacifist. Someone who always tries to solve problems without hurting anyone.”
“That’s not contradictory to me. You’ve always taught us that force should be the last resort—and always the worst one. Besides, it wouldn’t make sense for a doctor to enjoy hurting people.”
“Looks like you know me well, sweetie.”
“Now it’s my turn to say I’ve known you for 19 years, Dad. But please, go on.”
“Right. So, when I arrived in Noritvy, I wanted to find a way to resolve conflicts as peacefully as possible. That’s when the old wizard offered to teach me a spell called ‘Aura of Fear’ — the one I use. According to him, using that spell with the right words would save me a lot of headaches. And it did. I just had to show up ‘acting tough,’ as the old folks used to say, and release the aura—and most of the so-called brave ones would shrink away.”
“Makes sense, Dad. Though sometimes I think just ‘acting tough’ would be enough without any magic.”
“Okay, daughter, I think you’re underestimating my natural ability to assert myself—but let’s not argue about that. Now tell me, did I answer your first question the way you wanted?”
“Yes! And now for the most important part: are you going to teach me or not?”
“You must understand, sweetie, it’s not an easy spell to learn. It deals with someone else’s fears and can even affect the caster. You need a lot of self-control to measure the amount of fear you induce. After all, you just want the person to back down—not faint or have a panic attack from sheer terror…”
“Yes or no, Dad…”
“Alright, if it means that much to you—okay, I’ll try to teach you. But know that some of your cousins and siblings have failed at it.”
“But I’m not them! I’m going to succeed.”
“Sure, sure. Can I get back to my documents now?”
“I’ll think about it,” Rebeca joked.
The young woman kissed her father on the cheek and left the room, leaving him once again alone with his paperwork.
Translator’s Note: This text was translated with the help of AI, so please let us know if you find any grammatical errors.