Chapter 174

“Wah-hah! So this is all mine?!” Mary had brought Bartholomeus to a town called Gareth and was showing him around a workshop. Apparently, it had once belonged to an elderly metalsmith, but he’d died suddenly from illness, and his family wanted to get rid of the place. So Mary had bought it, complete with all the furniture and tools. While small, it boasted two furnaces, and the well-used tools had been properly maintained. Bartholomeus could fire up a furnace and get to work right away. Thinking back, he had always been employed at larger workshops. And when he’d worked as a jack-of-all-trades, he hadn’t had a workshop at all—his tool belt and waist pouches had been everything. I never dreamed I’d have a workshop of my own one day! he thought, basking in the joyous feeling. Mary smiled gently. “You may use this place as you wish. But in exchange…” “Yep, I got it. I’ll always move your orders to the top of my list, Lady Witch! Whatever you need—furniture, shoes, your staff—I’ll fix it up in a jiffy. Just say the word!” Suddenly, Bartholomeus grimaced. “Oh, uh… I’m not sure about repairing Starweaving Mira, though…” “Hee-hee. I understand.” Mary took out a small bag and placed it on the workbench. He glimpsed large silver coins inside. “Use this as your working capital for now, dear.” “Oh, wow… Th-thank you…” Bartholomeus bowed again and again, stealing glances at her all the while. She was a beautiful woman. She had the strange innocence of a dreaming girl combined with the willowy grace of a mature woman… But there was still more to her than that. She had been a Sage longer than any of the others and was apparently something like their manager. She was the foremost prophet in Ridill and gave counsel to the king. Yes, she was much more than just a beautiful woman. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m very grateful for everything you’ve done for me, it’s just… Why go through all the effort?” Despite his probing question, her expression remained calm and gentle. And yet, he thought he saw her pale blue eyes grow just a bit distant as she looked back at him. It was as if she was thinking of someone far away whom she held very dear. “There’s a person I would like to keep alive.” It’s gotta be a man, thought Bartholomeus, though it was just a hunch.