Chapter 18

1 Ix was expelled from Layumatah’s shop like bile from a vomiting beast. He rarely ever had any contact with her, but the few interactions they did have always left him exhausted. That was partially the fault of her being the most senior apprentice of Munzil’s and he the most junior, but it mostly came down to the fact that he felt as though she were staring right through him whenever they spoke. Just as Munzil had limitations in certain areas, all his apprentices had their own as well, and they were often extreme. Ix, for instance, lacked magic, while Morna had no interpersonal skills. And Layumatah, the most senior, was blind. Ix didn’t know if she’d been born without sight or she’d lost it from a disease. He’d even heard whispers that once she became Munzil’s apprentice, she blinded herself after realizing her vision would just be a hindrance. He couldn’t tell which was the truth, but regardless, her other senses were exceedingly sharp. She was of course an excellent wandmaker, but she also excelled at evaluating people. Out of all Munzil’s apprentices, she was the only one capable of running a large-scale shop like this, and probably the only one who would even consider doing so. Now that I think about it… Ix frowned. Like her, had he gained some skill in place of having magic? Apparently, before Munzil died, he had said that Ix was the most talented of his apprentices, supposedly because he was the only one who could view wandmaking from the outside. But that was so abstract. It was true, however, that humans without magic were incredibly rare. Ix wasn’t aware of anyone like that besides himself. Still, he’d never considered the possibility that he might have gained something else in exchange. It wasn’t even clear how Ix was still alive. Perhaps he did have something special, some sort of talent… Dark, heavy clouds hung in the sky, typical of the kingdom around this time of year. Ix had agreed to meet this assistant that Layumatah had arranged at the Marayist cathedral. It wasn’t close to the shop, but he wasn’t worried about getting lost. All he had to do was head for the tallest building that wasn’t the castle. Marayism was a widely followed religion in the kingdom, as the king was also the head of the church. As Ix came closer to the cathedral, the streets became increasingly crowded with believers flocking there to worship. Many of them were dressed in traveling garb; perhaps they were pilgrims from distant lands. Though the cathedral was majestic from a distance, it was even more overwhelming up close. Its spires seemed to pierce the heavens, and the carvings on its walls barely looked like they were made of stone. Ix couldn’t imagine how long it would have taken to build. After hesitating, he slipped quietly inside and walked along the edge of the nave. The structure seemed even more absurd to him as he examined the interior decorations. Every single detail was extraordinary. From the religious scenes painted on the ceilings to the stained glass windows, all the ornamentations were the telltale products of zealous craftsmen. Apparently, the cathedral had been finished more than two hundred years ago. At the moment, a priest was standing at the pulpit, preaching about something in a sonorous voice. Followers gathered around him, listening. Ix also saw the occasional person off by themselves praying and small groups standing near the entrance chatting. Surprisingly, it seemed they were free to do as they wished. Ix went toward a pillar with engravings of a five-legged beast as he’d been instructed and found that someone was already standing there. As he approached, they turned to look at him. She was a young woman, or perhaps even a girl. Her bangs were so long that they hid her eyes, and her loose-fitting outfit was lengthy enough to sweep the ground. She was slightly petite, but not so much so that she stood out. Overall, she came across as rather plain and timid. “You the help Layumatah requested?” asked Ix. “Yes,” she replied in a quiet but high-pitched voice. “I’m Ix.” “I’m…Nova.” “You look pretty young.” “You…think so?” “…How old are you?” “Eighteen.” “You a student?” “Yes.” “At the Academy?” “Yes.” The conversation petered off there. She seemed to lack energy, which suited her appearance. That wasn’t something you should judge a person for, but Ix was completely befuddled as to why Layumatah would choose this girl. Perhaps she’d just picked out a student who had nothing else going on? On second thought, though, she would be easier to deal with than some chatterbox. He was going to be spending the next couple of weeks with her, after all. Suddenly, Nova turned toward the pulpit. The priest was still speaking in calm tones. His voice echoed up into the high ceiling; at this distance, his sermon’s message was impossible to make out. In a hushed voice, Nova said, “The sermon, just now.” “Huh?” “There are no, matching texts. The priest seems to be, mixing proverbs and, scripture. It is easy to understand, but needs further explanation, I think.” She had a peculiar way of speaking where she paused every few words, but it wasn’t too hard on the ears. “…Why did you say to meet in the cathedral?” asked Ix. “Many people come and go, so we wouldn’t be conspicuous here. There are few places to hide, except for behind the pillars, so we wouldn’t have to worry about people overhearing.” “You know what the job is?” “Yes.” Her bangs swayed as she nodded. “We are to investigate, a woman named Mali.” “I’m not sure if it’s my place to ask, but why’d you accept this assignment? I’m not the one deciding, but the story itself sounds pretty fishy, and the job doesn’t sound particularly interesting. You in it for the money?” “Money, and my own interests, are irrelevant. I am simply, accompanying.” “So you’re just tagging along, then?” Suddenly, Nova veered off topic. “There, now.” “Huh? What?” She pointed toward the entrance. Amid the crowds of worshippers stood a person wearing a gray coat. They slipped through and entered the cathedral. Their head was pulled down far so you couldn’t see their face. Just as Ix had done, the figure walked along the edge of the nave, almost blending into the shadows as they continued in Nova and Ix’s direction. Their steps were soundless; they seemed to be making a conscious effort not to stand out. Ix’s eyes locked on to the figure simply because he knew someone who dressed just like that. Well, wearing a gray coat wasn’t particularly unusual in itself. Regardless, one look at her was all he needed to figure out who she was. As she approached Ix and Nova, the person in the coat said quietly, “Oh, Nova, is that you?” “Yes,” the girl replied. “I was told someone else was coming, but I didn’t realize it would be you… Well, I look forward to working together.” “Me too.” “And”—she turned toward Ix—“long time no see, Ix.” “…How’s the wand?” he asked in response. “That is your first concern? How very you.” Now here was someone who was difficult to deal with. But also just who he needed. 2 Ix hadn’t seen Yuui Laika since he’d repaired her wand over the summer. He couldn’t discern her face, concealed by the hood as it was, but there was a moment of silence, so he suspected she was sighing. “Yes, the wand. There have been no issues. It performed wonderfully at the exam I had the other day,” confirmed Yuui. “That’s good,” he replied. “And how are you, Ix?” “Same as always.” “I’m happy to hear that.” Yuui shot a brief glance at Nova. She was looking at Yuui in confusion but seemed to generally avoid speaking unless she was spoken to. “You two friends?” asked Ix. “I suppose you could say that… Though the explanation would take too long, so let’s just say for now that we are classmates. Layumatah has asked me to help the two of you.” “There won’t be any problems with you both not going to class?” asked Ix.