Chapter 6-3:
The Price
I FINISHED READING THE RECORD IN MY ROOM. The book was fairly thick, but less than half of its pages had writing. I flipped through the pages, but there were no other messages from him. The book refused all interference; it repelled even my tears that fell upon its pages, the drops sliding off onto the ground. However, just because I read the Record, that didn’t mean that my memories of Marius flooded back into me. I only had a vague recollection that a man like him might or might not have existed. But his existence had easily filled the hole in my heart.
I knew that someone other than my father had visited me while I was imprisoned. Was he why I could easily learn spells? Was this the book that had been missing? I had only the vaguest of memories of a friend. I wasn’t supposed to have recalled Marius, and yet, his gaze flashed across my mind. His eyes that showed genuine care for me were reminiscent of how my squires looked at me now.
I hadn’t been completely alone in my past life. I had one person who would always remain by my side.
Why wasn’t I satisfied with that? I thought. Why did I yearn for more?
I was a fool. I wanted to become queen, but there was nothing that I wished to do after I claimed the throne. Yet, I was so fixated on my engagement with the crown prince that I lost my dearest and only friend. I wasn’t worth it—I wasn’t worth Marius offering his very existence so that he could spare me. In fact, he was a mage who’d had a bright future.
I have to bring him back. I have to bring Marius back to this world.
Magic always required something in return. If that was the case, I just needed to offer something to the world in return for Marius. It was very easy to find a person to pay that price.
✦ ✦ ✦
A week had passed since I read the Record. My heart, which ached with the emotions swirling within me, finally managed to calm itself down. One might even say that I had steeled my resolve. To call Marius back into this world, I had to conduct the appropriate sorcery ritual, but it was going to be a difficult task. There were two types of mages: those who used magic for violence and those who used magic for research to help people’s lives. I was a textbook example of the former type and wasn’t used to ritual spells.
Fortunately, I was blessed with excellent squires of both types. Alice was expressionless and addicted to reading, but she was the embodiment of knowledge. She soaked up information, could recall minute details after simply reading through a book once, and possessed an incredible memory. Her wealth of expertise allowed her to use a wide variety of spells, and she was even nominated to join the ranks of the Seven Luminaries.
I called Alice to my room. The red-haired mage was as expressionless as usual.
“Alice, I want to bring back a person who sacrificed his existence to the world to conduct his spell,” I said.
“Certainly,” Alice replied.
I didn’t want to touch upon the fact that this was my second life, and I tried to be as vague as possible. However, Alice’s response was instant and carefree, as always. Does she truly understand my words? I wondered.
“Do you know what I’m saying?” I asked. “To bring back a person who’s gone, I require a person to offer themselves for this ritual.”
“I do, Lady Serena,” Alice replied. “You require a ritual to switch out the offerings, correct?”
I was really glad that she was that astute, but I wanted her to look a touch more shocked. I had to muster my resolve to even say these words.
“That person used a spell where not just anyone will do,” I explained. “The person must know and accept that they will be utilized for the ritual.”
“I suspect that this spell is meant to affect the world,” Alice replied. “A regular person won’t do, and they must have directivity—that is, the will to be used for the ritual.”
I was impressed by Alice. I’d only given an ambiguous description, but she was already able to think several steps ahead.
“I want to bring back this person who was lost,” I said. “Do you know the exact ritual we need to conduct?”
“I do,” Alice replied immediately.
Alice had learned magic when she was ten, far later than when I began my education, and yet her knowledge of the field was unfathomably deep.
Is this what it means to be a genius? Is she even more knowledgeable than Marius?
“What do I do?” I asked.
“The most difficult part is that a catalyst is required to tie us to the person who has been sacrificed,” Alice explained. “If there’s no way to link us to him, we cannot connect ourselves to the victim. Plus, if this person sacrificed his very existence, I assume that there are no traces of him left in this world.”
I see. That would be difficult…normally.
“I’ve got the catalyst,” I said.
I took out the Record—the one and only artifact in the world that Marius had created. I felt like this would be more than enough of a catalyst to connect us to him.
“Please don’t read what’s inside,” I requested. “It’s very, very important to me.”
Alice carefully took the Record and didn’t open the pages as she cast a spell to identify it. The charm was used to detect the authenticity and history of items.
“This is an artifact in the shape of a book,” she concluded. “By fixing the axis of time, it completely rejects all types of outside influences. It might be difficult for the general populace to understand, but this is a very amazing book in a magical sense. I can see how this could continue to exist even if the world were changed. If this book is the personal belonging of the person who was lost, it can be a catalyst.”
She wasn’t nominated to become a part of the Seven Luminaries for nothing. Alice quickly understood that this artifact was very impressive.
“Do I need anything else?” I asked.
“Magic comes with a price,” Alice replied. “We require a person to be sacrificed. Who shall you select for that role?”
I paused for a few moments. “I haven’t decided yet.”
If I gave my order, my squires would offer their lives with no hesitation. As proof, Alice showed no hesitation at the prospect of finding a sacrifice—one who would throw their life away for my sake.
“How long will it take to make preparations for this ritual?” I asked.
“Since we’ve got the catalyst, I believe a week shall suffice,” Alice replied.
“That’s sooner than I thought.” I looked at her with surprise—I had expected it to take at least twice as long.
“A week will be enough. While I make the preparations, I ask that you select your person, Lady Serena. I don’t mind if you ultimately choose me. Our lives exist solely for your sake, my lady.”
I couldn’t offer a response, so I remained quiet. Alice didn’t wait for my reply and left my room, demonstrating the utmost etiquette and respect.