Meifa turned on her heel to face him, her voice raining down on him like icy hail. “Are you Arcus Raytheft?”
“I am.” He kept his response short and made the appropriate bow. He refrained from raising his head too much, not wanting to look her in the eye.
It was strange that she knew his full name when he had never introduced himself. Where had she learned it, and why? His head was a bottomless well of questions. They were joined by a vague memory of Noah mentioning something about Meifa after Arcus and his friends eliminated the hex fiend.
The Iron Rose turned her attention back to Louise. “You two were speaking quite amicably.”
“Arcus and my son are good friends. How do you know his name, anyway?”
“Is it that strange? I heard he gave the lion a lot of grief in Nadar. I was curious to see what he was like.”
“I guess he did get an Order. That news would’ve spread to anyone in the north who was listening close enough. Wait, I seem to remember one of your messengers asking all sorts of questions about him. Had that anything to do with you?”
“I might have given an order to keep an ear to the ground. Anyway, this isn’t the first time Arcus and I have met.”
“It’s not?”
“I recognize him from my inspection of the Magician’s Guild.”
“You ran into a random young boy and just so happened to remember his face, did you?”
“Yes.” Meifa gave a triumphant chuckle. “I’m rather proud of my powers of recall.”
She was trying to either clear the air with a joke, dispel her air of intimidation, or both. Unable to look at her face, Arcus had no way of knowing.
“Arcus Raytheft. How would you like to join me?” she said out of nowhere.
He almost leaped out of his skin. The offer wasn’t just sudden; it lacked coherence. What was a consul doing trying to poach a noble child from another nation?
The only way it made sense was if she knew what he had achieved.
Louise jumped in at once. “What are you playing at?”
“There’s nothing more to it than what it sounds like. I would very much like for Arcus Raytheft to join my nation.” Her toes turned back in his direction.
“Before I respond to Your Excellency’s request, might I be allowed to ask a question?”
“Certainly.”
“Thank you. I was wondering why you would consider me, a mere child, a suitable candidate for such an offer.”
“I am a politician. I seek to fill my ranks with talented people. Does that make sense?”
“I do not understand why you think me worthy of your consideration.”
“I heard you slaughtered the Empire’s arcane troops in the recent battle. The spell was a flurry of black pebbles, yes?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
News of his feat had spread thanks to the awards ceremony. However, the specific spell he had cast was not as widely known. Meifa must have had eyes and ears in unexpected places. She was cunning. And she wasn’t done.
“Not only that, you’re capable of the type of magic one only hears about in fairy tales. Obviously I want you.”
Her words were like a vice around his heart. They were all too familiar.
“Your Excellency?”
“I saw it.”
His Ohr Ein Sof. She had been around to speak with Noah and Cazzy then, so it was quite possible that she had been around to witness it. Magic one only hears about in fairy tales, indeed.
Louise, however, had no reason to know what they were talking about. “What’s this all about?”
“When I was in the capital, a near-fiend appeared.”
“Huh? Why did I never hear about this?”
“Because it was eradicated almost immediately. By Arcus Raytheft.”
Louise stared at him in disbelief, and he nodded quietly. “You’re unbelievable...”
“It might only have been a near-fiend, but to have cast a spell that downed it in one hit...” Meifa continued. “Your abilities are undeniable. You’re almost too talented.”
“I could never have defeated it without Gown’s assistance,” Arcus said.
“Your modesty is quite unnecessary. There are countless magicians out there who are overflowing with aether, but lack the ability to use it.”
“I doubt I could repeat what I did that day.”
“That may be true. Nevertheless, you possess a real talent for spellcraft.”
He didn’t know what to say to that. He could see why aether would matter less to her if it was balanced out by spellmaking. And, thanks to the aethometer’s accurate measurements, one magician’s spells could easily be taught to another. If his spells could be used by magicians possessing much more aether than himself, his lack of it shouldn’t matter.
“Aren’t you getting tired of staring at the floor? Raise your head,” Meifa said.
“I couldn’t, Your Excellency.”
“This is a celebration. You do not need to show such reverence.”
He reckoned she was trying to be considerate, but looking at her was the last thing he wanted to do. His body wouldn’t allow it, even though he knew, rationally, that there was nothing to be afraid of. He couldn’t understand it.
One of Meifa’s entourage lost patience at his disobedience. “Her Excellency has asked you to raise your head. You won’t do it?”
Arcus couldn’t respond, and he still couldn’t look up.
“Are you deaf?!”
He didn’t know what he was supposed to do. He felt like he had been driven into a corner. Luckily, Louise was there to lend a hand.
“He’s just a kid. Of course he’s going to be nervous meeting someone of such renown. It doesn’t seem all that mature to yell at him. Or what, are you looking to cause a ruckus or something?”
“Certainly not...” Meifa’s subordinate withdrew mousily.
This was a party to celebrate Lainur’s new magic technology. It would be different if Arcus had been outright rude to the consul, but otherwise the blame for any trouble was sure to fall squarely on the shoulders of Meifa and her group. As such, she was quick to put an end to the matter.
“I apologize for my subordinate’s rudeness. He was not out to cause trouble.”
“I’d hope not,” Louise said. “You can’t treat Lainur’s palace like you do your own.”
“I’ll be careful. I’m just surprised that the boy who fought both the Empire and a hex fiend so bravely would be so timid. Are you feeling all right?” Meifa turned back to Arcus. Rather than disappointed, she sounded curious.
He opened his mouth, wanting to tell her that he wasn’t sure why his body felt so stiff either. Instead, he murmured the words that had popped into his head.
“Monster of Barloo. Darné hua Neut.”
Neither Louise, nor her attendant, nor Meifa’s entourage seemed to hear him.
The Iron Rose herself, however, regarded him with wide eyes. “You know that name?”
“I do.”
“I see. No wonder you do not wish to look at me.”
“Your Excellency does have a connection to that name, then?”
“I do. But no one without a connection to the Twin Phantoms should know of it. So who are you? What are you?”
“I wish I knew.”
Meifa hummed thoughtfully. “No matter. Such things may be left to the past. If you do not know, then neither can I. Though you may be curious, it will likely behoove you to remain ignorant. If you are meant to know the truth, it will be revealed to you eventually.”
“Mm...”
“Now, about my offer...”
Arcus didn’t need to think twice. “I am incredibly honored that you should grant me this opportunity; however, I am afraid I must decline.”
“Even if I were to offer you a rank befitting your abilities? A barony, for example?”
“Even then. I already have a master I must serve.”
“I see. You and the prince are rather close, aren’t you?” With that, Meifa dropped the subject.
Still, it made very little sense for her to offer a barony to a child, not least one she had only just met. Even if he was a powerful magician, it seemed rather an inappropriate place for it.
Her chuckle roused him from his reverie. “At least I’ve achieved something this evening.”
“What would that be?” Louise asked.
“You know, I’m very sensitive to the stares of others. A lot of important people have been observing us.”
Louise gritted her teeth. She hadn’t picked up on that fact, likely because she was too focused on talking to Meifa. The people around them had probably all heard the Iron Rose soliciting Arcus. At some point, the majority of attention had turned away from the Lazraels and onto them.
“What are you scheming?” Louise hissed.
“Not a thing. All I wanted was to have Arcus Raytheft join me. Of course people would be interested, even if they can’t hear the specifics of our conversation. It doesn’t surprise me that the state magicians look the most wary of all.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I doubt there’s any need for me to spell it out. I don’t want to risk the relationship between our territories.” Meifa dropped her gaze to Arcus again. “You don’t come by talent like this every day. I’ll be sure to have an even more enticing proposal for you next time.”
“I wouldn’t bother, personally.” A new face appeared in the midst of the tension—one whom Arcus hadn’t expected, and who was impossibly large.
“The King of Granciel...”
“Barbaros zan Grandon...”
His sheer size was mind-boggling. The bottle of soma wine in his hand looked like a phial compared to him. It was a wonder that none of them had noticed his approach. He joined in the conversation as though he had been there all along.
“Don’t be tryin’ to get the jump on me, Darnénes. Arcus is gonna be joinin’ my crew, you see!”
“What? But I never—” Arcus looked up only to find Barbaros grinning at him mischievously.