Chapter 85

The girl slipped through the moonlight undetected. It took her longer than anticipated in the castle city, but three hours later, she finally finished making the rounds of all the crucial points and teleported back to the mansion. Valt was waiting for her in her room when she returned. He set about making tea. “How did it go?” “There was an odd spell set up in town, so I removed it. It seemed to be a timer that would set all the buildings in the vicinity on fire when triggered. That sort of thing would only inconvenience us.” “Oh? Sounds like the work of a fairly talented mage, if it escaped Tuldarr’s notice.” “It’s no laughing matter. Whoever it was went right ahead and linked their spell to mine,” Miralys huffed. Valt gave her a smile. “I’m glad you undid it in time. We certainly don’t want them noticing us now. Thank you, Miralys.” His praise caused her to turn bright red, but she ignored the color in her cheeks and pasted on a prim face as she went on. “Aside from that, my check confirmed that everything is nearly complete. It’s grown enough.” “Good. Thank you for your hard work,” Valt replied, grinning with pleasure. However, a shadow passed over his accomplice’s face. “Is it really going to be okay? Will it work?” “It’s a bit late to be asking questions like that. Of course it’s going to be fine. We’ve put in so much time and planned very carefully,” he assured her. “And…you’re not going to disappear, right?” Miralys pressed, voicing the one fear she’d carried the entire time. Valt didn’t answer. Still smiling, he offered Miralys a steaming cup of tea, but she didn’t accept it; she kept staring straight at him. “Answer me, Valt. I can’t act until you do.” “If you…hadn’t met me, you could have been so much happier,” he remarked. Miralys scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you making fun of me?” “I’m not. I really think that, Miralys. I know it. But no matter how many times I go through this, I end up meeting you. I’ll want to find you. It’s very annoying.” “This will be the last time. Right?” “Yes… It will,” Valt said, his grin shadowed by the moonlight streaming in from outside. Despite feeling no more reassured than before, Miralys accepted the tea at last. She took a sip and found it a little bitter. Valt closed his eyes. “Our preparations are made. But there’s one last thing I have to check first.” Teacup in hand, he turned to face away from Miralys and gazed up at the azure moon. It glowed exquisitely with eternal loneliness. “I need her to surpass the outsiders. If she can’t, then no one will. That’s why we’re having her build up all these experiences.” “Does she really possess that much power? Maybe she’ll lose,” Miralys said, a little sourly. Grinning, Valt proclaimed happily, “I know her very well. Much better than that king of Farsas does. Despite the overwriting of the past, she’s still the strongest witch—and the secret weapon this world has been waiting for.” Fate did not remain stagnant. It turned continually, swinging violently on its axis. This man was doing all he could to get it to budge just a little one way as he stood amid a battle that he’d already fought time and time again.