Yuui patted her cheeks and nodded. “You’re right—Nova is the only option,” she said. “And since she’s a noble, she probably knows all the manners you need for these situations. So I want to ask you for your help. Do you have any issues with that?” Ix asked Nova. “No.” “Uh, a-are you certain?” Yuui asked her again before she could stop herself. “Yes. It is, part of the job.” “Oh, right…” “Yuui, please come, too,” requested Nova. “Huh?” “It would be faster, if we both ask questions.” “…All right.” When Yuui acquiesced, Ix raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Sure that’s okay?” he inquired. “What?” she replied. “Uh, nothing really.” “Nothing really what?” 3 That afternoon, a light rain began to fall. Several long sheets were passed over the courtyard and fastened to the railing on the second floor. Another rope was hung from above to pull them up in the middle. This would prevent water from pooling in the center by allowing it to run off the edge of the tarp. “…We can’t see what’s happening in the courtyard like this,” noticed Yuui. “Do you remember Lady Mali’s face?” “Pretty much,” replied Ix with a nod. “Even if I can’t figure out who she is, I can just look for an old woman who seems like she’s about to keel over. Can’t be too many of those.” “……” Yuui fell silent, looking as though she was at a loss. To her other side stood Nova, absentmindedly gazing down at the courtyard as well, or rather the sheets draped over it. She was still wearing her usual baggy attire. Ottou was also wearing his normal getup. He wouldn’t be making an appearance at the banquet. The four of them came to the Obryle mansion well before any of the other guests arrived. They entered through a back door that Ottou normally used to come and go, passing by bustling servants as they did. The servants had been told they were Elion’s private guests. Finally, the other attendees started to filter in. Voices, laughter, and other sounds that come with gatherings of people rang out on the second floor. The pattering of rain on the tarps above probably added to the atmosphere below. A performance of musical instruments began. First there was just one melody; then a second joined in, until eventually there were layers of serene music floating up into the air. Every once in a while, there came a spatter of clapping hands. Sometime after the banquet started, the voice of a man boomed. It seemed to be some sort of greeting. Applause showered his speech at multiple intervals. Up on the second floor, they could only hear bits and pieces, like “this year’s festival” or “thanks for all your assistance.” If they were going to bring Mali upstairs, they would have to wait for a time when the banquet had been going for quite a while and it wouldn’t cause a stir if she left early. They would likely be idling a while longer. Ix went back to the room he was given for a bit so he could change clothes. He didn’t even know how to put them on, but he managed to get into them with Ottou’s help. Elion’s clothes were a tad small for Ix, but they would have been tight even without that. The outfit constricted various parts of his body, so he found it hard to breathe. It featured lots of pointless frills and ornamentation and very few things you would normally need. Ix couldn’t fathom why people liked wearing this type of thing. Maybe when you were rich, you started to see torture as beauty or your sensibilities flipped. Considering what he’d seen so far, Ix believed the latter was more likely. Nova was also changing with Yuui’s help. Women’s clothing was even more complicated than menswear. Ix didn’t think he would be able to get himself into some of that, even with Ottou’s help. When Yuui returned, she looked at Ix, and her jaw dopped. “How should I put this…?” she said, looking uncertain. “I’m not sure I can say it suits you, but, well, it doesn’t look unnatural, either.” “Yeah? It’ll work, then. Nova, you all right, too?” asked Ix. “Yes.” The outfit that had been prepared for Nova was slightly too large for her. Her hands were half hidden by the sleeves, and her eyes were obscured by her bangs as usual. It didn’t seem to clash with her, though, perhaps because she was used to wearing finery. The rain steadily grew in intensity, though it still wasn’t very strong. The banquet was continuing without issue. “About time,” murmured Ottou when he looked downstairs. “How’s it look?” asked Ix. “Overall movement has decreased. Many attendees are chatting in groups or resting. A few of them will leave soon,” the boy answered in an even tone. “Mali?” “Probability is low.” “Thanks, Ottou,” said Ix. Then he turned to Nova and said, “Let’s go.” “Yes.” They went downstairs and walked along the path that circled the courtyard. There were several lights set up throughout the courtyard, but they threw that path into shadow, allowing Ix and Nova to avoid notice. Servants passed them on hurried feet. They observed the party. Each and every person wore a resplendent outfit and was engaged in friendly chatter. As Ix had been told before, most of the attendees were moving around in pairs of one man and one woman. Because this was a pre-party for the harvest festival, there were mounds of succulent meat in one section of the courtyard. There were other steaming dishes as well, but it seemed like they had barely been touched. Evidently, conversation took priority for these people. After examining the attendees’ tight-fitting clothing, Ix suddenly cocked his head in confusion. “…Where do you put a wand in that kind of clothing?” he asked. “You, don’t,” replied Nova immediately. “Hmm? Why not?” “It is, incredibly rude to bring a weapon, to a social event. Most people would, come without a wand, or, leave it with the host when they arrive. Only the guards, can have one.” “And where are they?” “They should be, on the perimeter. They do not, come into the banquet.” “Is there any point in having security, then?” At that point, Nova looked at him wordlessly. Then she said, “…Ix, you have no mana, right?” “Hmm? Yeah, that’s right…” During their conversation, Ix and Nova had turned two corners around the square, putting them almost directly across from where they’d looked down from the balcony before. They walked down about a third of that side when Ix stopped. “I think that’s her,” he said quietly as he pointed. “Sitting there.” Nova nodded but didn’t speak. An elderly woman in purple sat in a chair on the periphery. She was short and had long white hair. Beside her stood a stout lady who spoke to the older one occasionally. She was probably an attendant, not a guest. Ix and Nova watched until the other people in the area dispersed somewhat, then stepped into the courtyard. They walked over casually. The elderly woman noticed them first. Ix didn’t remember her face very well, but he knew those eyes. Golden eyes that shone like a child’s. The attendant noticed the woman looking in their direction. She smiled gently and stepped between her and them as Ix and Nova approached. “Good evening. May I ask who—?” “Are you Mali Saneeld?” inquired Ix in a low voice, ignoring the attendant. The attendant’s brow furrowed in annoyance. She loudly cleared her throat and said, “Excuse me—” “Yes, I am,” replied Mali as she gently raised a hand. The attendant looked up to the sky in exasperation and stepped aside. “You the noble who did some work on the wand wall sixty years ago?” asked Ix. “I am.” “We want to ask you about it.” “Bryan gave me your message,” said Mali as she stood with the attendant’s help. “Shall we move elsewhere to talk? I presume you have a room prepared?” “I want to confirm one thing first,” said Ix. “What is that?” Ix stared directly at her, then said, “Are you the witch?” Her large eyes twinkled. Her expression was unreadable; then, slowly, she spoke. “No, I am not.” “But that means you’ve heard of the witch?” “You only said there was one thing you wanted to check.” 4 The attendant tried to follow Mali, but the elderly woman left her on the first floor and came up to the room alone. The guests around her didn’t question it when she said she was going to take a rest. They seemed to assume that Ix and Nova were some kind, plain young folks helping her. She was legitimately unsteady on her feet, though, so Ix lent her a hand as they climbed the stairs. Mali sat in a chair next to the window and fixed her eyes on them. Ix and Yuui sat across from her. Nova was in a corner, and Ottou stood by the window, staring out. Now that they could get a good look at her, Mali appeared to have aged significantly since they last saw her only a few months ago. Her movements were weak, and her body seemed shrunken into itself. Sometimes, she would place a hand on her chest and let out a painful-sounding cough. “I apologize for bringing you here all of a sudden,” said Yuui with a bow of her head. “I understand it is rude of us, but we would be grateful if you would answer some questions.” “I don’t particularly mind,” replied Mali. She took a slow sip from the water they gave her, then let out a heavy sigh. “Who are you, by the way?” “I’m an apprentice wandmaker. Layumatah, who studied under the same craftsman as me, asked me to look into something with you,” replied Ix. “The girl over there and I are lending a hand,” added Yuui. “Layumatah… She is one of Munzil’s apprentices, I believe. The message I received said you wanted to ask about the wand wall,” said Mali. Ix cut immediately to the chase and said, “There’s a chance the wand wall in the capital has been undone.” “Hmph. Not good, if it’s true.” Mali nodded, her expression unchanged. “That’s why Layumatah did a bit of digging of her own. She discovered that the emission method was used on the wand wall during some repairs sixty years ago. But the thing is, that was thirty years before the emission method went into widespread use. With a bit more detailed investigation, she found there was a young noble involved with the project, someone who wasn’t a wandmaker. Mali Saneeld was her name.” “I see. Well investigated. Does that mean you suspect me?” “To be honest, I’ve ruled you out when it comes to the wall. You’ve been in Leirest for the past few years as the head librarian. And though you retired recently because of your poor health, you wouldn’t have time to get all the way to the capital. I doubt you have anything to do with it. That should be enough to convince Layumatah.” “I would appreciate it if you could lay that out to her. As you can probably tell, I don’t have the strength to travel long distances to explain myself or be interrogated. And if you deem me a suspect, I would likely die during the investigation.” “Which is why that’s not what we want to ask about.” Ix shook his head. Mali took another drink of water. It had grown dark outside. All they could hear was the sound of the rain. The bright candles in the room cast wavering shadows over Mali’s face. “Apparently, my master had told Layumatah that a witch designed the capital’s wand wall.” Ix fixed his eyes on her. “I’m not going to beat around the bush. Are you the witch who implemented the emission method?” “I am not. I said as much earlier.” “But you know about the witch?” “I do.” “Have you met her?” “Yes.” “In Notswoll?” “……” That was the first time Mali’s expression visibly changed. Her eyes widened, and she fixed a sharp glare at them. “You don’t need to hide it. Or rather, we’d already gathered that much,” continued Ix. “The witch is a powerful magic user who lives in the forest by Notswoll. When did you meet her? Can’t imagine what reason a noble from Leirest would have for going to a backwater village.” “I imagine you’d want an answer for that,” said Mali. “Ottou,” called Ix, and the boy immediately turned to face him. Ix gestured toward Mali and asked, “What about her?” Ottou immediately said, “From the time she was a child until the time she was near adulthood, she lived in a village near Leirest. She came to the city proper afterward and has remained here ever since.” “…What is this?” asked Mali with a shake of her head. “Even the Obryle family shouldn’t be able to have gleaned that from their investigations.” “It wasn’t from an investigation. Ottou just analyzed your speech and mannerisms to draw a conclusion. He can do that kind of thing,” explained Ix casually. “So until she was an adult… That lines up with my calculation.” Yuui cocked her head, wondering what he meant. “The Notswoll witch eats people, right?” he explained. “Her most recent victim was a baby twenty years ago. Before that, a girl was devoured about eighty years back. And the work on the wand wall happened sixty years ago. That comes out to just about two decades. But say the girl who the witch should have gobbled up returned after twenty years to work on the wall with some special knowledge she’d obtained… From there it’s easy to connect the dots.” Ix looked at Mali as if to ask what she thought, and she clamped her mouth shut. In reality, Ix wasn’t certain of his conjecture. Most of it was inferences that had just occurred to him on the spot, including the calculation. If someone came back and demanded proof of what he said, he’d have to give up then and there. But Mali hung her head somewhat. She let out a heavy sigh. She shrank deeper into herself, and for a brief moment, Ix worried that she might just compress into nothingness. “You really have done your research,” she said in a voice that had to be squeezed out of her body. “So you admit it?” asked Ix. “Yes, it is as you say.” “What part?” “…May I have some more water?” “Ah, y-yes,” said Yuui. She quickly picked up Mali’s empty glass and rushed off to the water jug set out earlier. Seeing her do that, Ix realized that he was hungry. Now that he thought about it, they had been waiting on the second floor this whole time and hadn’t eaten dinner. Yuui and Ottou had to be starving, too. It would be a good idea to grab some food the next time he went downstairs. There was so much left from the banquet, he couldn’t imagine anyone would have any objections. Mali accepted the water from Yuui with a “thank you” and took several sips. “…To be honest, I’ve wanted to reveal this to someone for ages,” she said. “You’re going to tell us?” asked Ix. “I was born into the Saneeld family here in Leirest,” she started quietly. “Before I was even old enough to have memories of the city, I was sent to Notswoll. To the public, I was just a commoner’s child, and that was how I would be raised. At the time, I didn’t understand why things had to be that way, but to keep things simple, it was so that I could escape a power struggle within the family. Not long after I was born, there were multiple attempts on my life, so my mother decided to send me away. A servant was sent away with me to act as my guardian. Naturally, the villagers realized there was something unusual about my circumstances. The children sensed it as well, and I was often excluded from their friend groups. Thinking back to it now, it was such a minor thing, but I suffered quite a bit as a girl. Of course, financially speaking, I was free of hardship.” Mali still gripped the empty glass with both hands. “That was when I met her. Ah, yes, the witch. It was this time of year. Notswoll was in the middle of celebrating the Feast of Meat. That was the first year I attended the festival. And why was that? For some reason, I thought I could enjoy the celebration as well that year. Just as it was drawing to a close, the witch appeared. I still remember it… There was a great storm, and it brought her with it. The villagers and children were terrified and fled. But, as I explained, I was alienated from the rest of Notswoll. I’d never heard about the witch before. I didn’t understand what everyone was afraid of. I didn’t know. I didn’t know the witch ate people. I thought it strange that everyone seemed frightened… I tried speaking with her, and I asked her to take me with her. The witch was kind, and she explained that she would consume me. At the time, I was okay with that.” She turned her distant gaze out the window. Nevertheless, her voice was smooth and confident as she told the story, belying her age and condition. “But you’re still alive,” said Ix. “Yes…I am. The witch took me to her home, but she didn’t devour me immediately. She didn’t explain why. She just said it would be ‘a waste to eat you now.’ I lived in that house in the forest with her like that for nearly the next two decades. A few years after I passed into adulthood, I left the forest. Or rather, I was chased out.” “Chased out?” asked Yuui. “I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I grew frightened. She told me that she would soon eat me. Yes, after spending twenty years there, I could endure it no longer. I was terrified. I didn’t want that to happen; I couldn’t help myself. So I waited for the right moment and snuck away from the woods. But there was a family I didn’t know living in my house in the village, and the servant who had come with me originally had apparently passed. What would you expect? Everyone thought I was dead, that I had been gobbled up.” Mali smiled bitterly. “With no other choice, I relied on my faint memories from when I was a young child and made my way to Leirest. Ah, how I remember that journey. Walking along muddy paths, not knowing if I’d chosen the correct street. But somehow, I made it. I visited the Saneeld mansion and told them I was a daughter of their clan. No one believed me at first, but I was able to prove it with the sole family crest I’d been made to keep with me. By then, the feud in house Saneeld had long since ended. My mother emerged victorious and selected another successor in my place, having thought me dead. I needed to prove my worth in order to earn a place in the family. That’s when I heard about the construction on the wand wall.” “Then the emission method—” “Came from the witch’s knowledge, as you already learned. I had many opportunities to see her magic over the twenty years I spent with her. I didn’t understand most of it, but I could do a few of her tricks. The emission method was one of the things I’d learned. It was my only lifeline. I told the others it was strictly confidential and implemented the technique on the wand wall during the repairs. The craftsmen didn’t seem to understand it, either, but they were convinced when I demonstrated the potential results for them. That is the entirety of my experience.” The room was silent for a while. Mali had no reason to lie, and no one could improvise such a long, cohesive yarn. Setting aside the possibility of misremembered details, what she had just told was the truth. Which meant it was proof. The witch ate people. The rumor was true. And her knowledge was thirty years ahead of humanity’s, at the very least. At this point, you couldn’t just dismiss the tales as impossible or absurd. “The witch…is in Notswoll, yeah?” asked Ix, though the answer was obvious. “Yes, she is. I’m sure she still is,” responded Mali. Her tone was so natural that at first he didn’t notice the tears spilling from her eyes. “Which is why I am not the witch. I…I just ran. She spent twenty years with me and…I betrayed her. In the end I was just…weak and scared…” “Y-you didn’t betray her,” said Yuui. “She would have devoured you. Anyone would have been frightened. There’s no need to feel embarrassed about running. It is an entirely normal reaction. You shouldn’t blame yourself…” “But…I told her. The day we met, I told her. That I didn’t mind… I did, I know I did…” 5 They waited for Mali to regain her composure before Ix took her back downstairs. He was just tagging along to help her down the stairs, so Nova said it would be fine if she didn’t accompany them. He held her wrinkled hand as they descended step by step. It felt much stronger than he’d imagined it would be based on appearance alone. Mali’s attendant was waiting at the bottom of the staircase. Ix remembered he’d thought about getting some food for everyone. “What’s the matter?” asked Mali as she looked at him. “It’s just…I want to take some food from the banquet upstairs, but it’ll look suspicious if I do, since I’ll have to take enough for four people,” replied Ix. “You could ask the servants to take some up.” “Oh yeah…,” he said, realizing that this was how rich people thought. “You can ask her for help,” said Mali, pointing to the attendant who was looking up at them with relief on her face. “You sure?” “Thanks to all of you, I was able to remember my mistakes. This is nothing.” They never did get their dinner in the end. With Mali’s help, Ix asked the servants to bring up the grub. It was decided they would get food directly from the kitchen rather than what was laid out in the courtyard. He waited on the path for a while so he could escort them to the room, but they didn’t show. Then he started to worry they might actually be cooking fresh food. That’s when an argument broke out at one of the doors leading into the mansion. Ix moved closer and saw a servant standing in front of the entrance, wearing an anxious expression with his arms spread wide. In front of him was a group of people voicing complaints. Apparently, they couldn’t get out. Ix decided he was unlikely to draw attention to himself with this going on, so he quickly spoke to a nearby guest. “What’s going on?” he asked. “I’m not sure—I only just came over myself…,” replied the attendee. He shot a quick glance at Ix but then turned his eyes back immediately. “There was something about poison, and we’ve been asked not to leave.” “Poison?” A moment later, other servants came through the door into the courtyard. A few of them looked alarmed as they shooed away the bystanders. Most of the attendees seemed to have no idea what was going on and walked away in confusion. “My apologies, everyone. I am one of the kitchen staff,” said the servant at the door, this time raising his voice. “A mistake occurred during cooking, which has resulted in a poisonous gas in the kitchen. It is usually harmless, but breathing in large quantities may have health impacts. We are currently ventilating the gas, and I appreciate your patience as we do.” There were a few grumbles, but most of the guests seemed satisfied with the explanation. They returned to the courtyard with unconcerned expressions, looking at the ones still hanging on and frowning in disapproval. The people still complaining noticed those grimaces and backed off as well. One man, who might have been a member of the Obryle family, quickly approached the servant. With that, Ix decided he couldn’t expect a meal anytime soon. He decided to go back to the room for now and tried to go up the stairs, but another servant barred the way. This one was a woman. “I want to go upstairs,” said Ix. He could feel suspicious eyes gathering on him from the other attendees, who might have suspected he would cause a scene. “My apologies, sir, please wait here,” she replied. “Why? If it’s safe here, the second floor should be all right, too.” “I have simply been given orders to that effect. I am sorry, but please wait in the courtyard.” “Right…” There wasn’t much he could do if she insisted. He was about to go back to a corner and stand there but struck up a casual conversation with the servant instead. “You all take care of many sorts of jobs, don’t you?” he asked. “Sir?” The woman blinked in confusion. “Oh, yes… We do. Currently I’m acting as a waiter, but normally I’m a cleaner.” “What about gardening?” “Hmm?” “You were in the garden this morning, weren’t you? You were wearing coveralls. Were you cleaning it? I assume that’s usually a specialized job…” The woman looked at him with her head cocked for a few seconds, then drew something long and thin from her inside pocket. Ix wondered what it could possibly be but quickly realized it was an object he was very familiar with. It was a smooth, worked stick—a wand. Just as he was wondering if it was okay for the servants to carry wands while the guests couldn’t, the tip of the instrument glowed. He closed his eyes against the blinding light. When he opened them, he was lying on the ground on his stomach, his cheek pressed against the courtyard’s stone pavement. Maybe he’d collapsed in surprise from the brightness? He must have hit his head as well; his vision was hazy, and his body felt numb and wouldn’t move properly. Ix managed to plant his hands on the ground and slowly push himself up. After shaking his head many times, he squeezed his eyes shut. Now things were finally clear. …What the hell am I doing? Surely everyone should have been staring at him, since he’d fallen over, but for some reason, not a single person in view was looking his way. In fact, everyone was sitting on the ground in neat rows. It was an unusual sight. They were dirtying the fancy clothes they’d all made a point of wearing. Though, if their sensibilities were backward, then maybe they thought it was okay to soil expensive clothing. Perhaps this, too, was something you did at banquets for the rich. Just then, something struck him in the back, and he fell forward. Turning around, Ix saw another servant standing there, gazing down at him. He had a wand in his right hand. He told Ix to stand. Ix stood, realizing the man had pushed him. The fancy clothing Ix had borrowed had gotten dirty. He tried to wipe it off, but it was no use. That wasn’t good. “Walk,” ordered the man as he pressed the wand to Ix’s back. “What’s go—?” “Walk.” The man pushed on Ix’s back, and he stumbled. He had a coughing fit. A few of the people sitting in rows glanced at him. It seemed the man was ordering Ix to join the collection of people. He did as instructed and walked to the end of one of the rows, then sat down. There were three rows in total, and everyone was facing sideways. Mali and her attendant were also there, diagonally in front of him. It wasn’t just the guests in the row, either—there were servants lined up as well. A quick look around told Ix that they were surrounded by several other servants. “A-are you all right?” came a quiet whisper. Ix turned around and saw the guest who’d told him about the poison. He seemed tense. “All right?” asked Ix in confusion. “Well, you… A spell hit you and knocked you back. You laid there convulsing for such a long time that I started to think you wouldn’t make it…” “……” “Ah, don’t force yourself to speak if you’re still unwell.” The man opened his hand. “But good job…or maybe that’s not the right thing to say. Well spotted, actually. Oh right, my name is Marlan. Uh, are you a member of the Obryle family?” “…I’m Ix.” “Mr. Ix, you must have eagle eyes, ha-ha…ha.” The crowd suddenly started buzzing. One of the servants surrounding the courtyard stepped forward and glared down at them. He was fairly old with a bald head. “Everyone, I apologize for scaring you, but we are enacting God’s will. I believe that those of you who, like us, have taken their purification will approve of our beliefs soon enough,” he said as he spread his arms. 6 After Ix and Mali left the room, only the three of them remained. Yuui stayed put in the same chair as before, while Ottou and Nova kept standing in their respective locations. Yuui started to feel uncomfortable and decided it might be better to get up. “Well, we’ve accomplished what we came here for,” she remarked, glancing at Nova. “The investigations into the mystery of the wand wall and Mali have concluded. That should be plenty to report back to Layumatah with.” “Yes.” “What will you do next, Nova?” “What, do you mean?” “Ix will likely head to Notswoll. My original target was the witch as well, so I plan to join him. But your work here is done. I was wondering if we would part ways here and you would return to the capital.” “I will, go, too,” said Nova immediately. “Oh, well then, I look forward to working with you a little longer.” “Yes,” she replied, then she paused in confusion. “You’re certain, Ix will go to Notswoll?” “Yes, he has his own reasons.” “I see.” “Gidens was heading back to the village tomorrow morning, correct? Shall we ask if we can accompany him?” Nova nodded slightly, and the conversation ended. The room returned to silence. Quite some time passed, but Ix didn’t return. For all they knew, he could have gotten dragged into something dangerous while he was taking Mali back. It was a brief window of time for something like that to happen, but with him, anything was possible. “Nova, I hate to ask, but,” said Yuui, “could you go downstairs and look for Ix?” “Yes.” Just as she was about to leave the room, they heard a huge explosion. It sounded like it had come from downstairs. Then the noise cut off, and they heard nothing further. “What was that?” asked Yuui. The walls and door of this chamber were quite thick, preventing sound from passing through. With the entrance closed as it was, they couldn’t make out anything going on downstairs. That meant the explosion they’d heard must have been incredibly loud. Nova took her hand away from the doorknob and pressed her ear to the door. “Magic,” said Ottou suddenly. “Huh?” Yuui looked back at the window. “But no one is allowed to bring a wand onto the premises.” “Prohibited and difficult to manage.” Ottou spoke at a steady pace. “The guests are searched using magic. Someone may have been able to get one or two wands inside. With that many, they would be arrested the moment security noticed.” “Hmm, perhaps there was some sort of accident…” “Someone’s coming,” stated Nova as she moved away from the door. “Is it Ix?” asked Yuui. “I don’t, know.” “Of course.” Yuui got up and moved to the middle of the room so that she was vaguely standing in front of Ottou. She gently gripped the wand hidden inside her pocket. Nova stood near the door, her posture the same as always. Shortly after, the door opened slowly from the other side. “Ah, guests…?” said the man as he peeked in. He looked like a servant. He came into the room, and the door naturally swung closed. “My apologies, but could everyone come down to the courtyard?” “Why?” asked Yuui. “We weren’t formally invited here. We wouldn’t want to impose on the other attendees.” “There’s been a small incident. The second floor may not be safe.” “An incident? What happened?” “There was a mistake made by the cooking staff… That is why we’re requesting everyone to move to safety, starting from the kitchen first.” “The kitchen?” Yuui tilted her head. “Yes.” “But then, what was that magic used in the courtyard a moment ago?” “Ah, there was a scuffle among some of the guests, but there’s no need to worry about that. It’s been taken care of.” “Is that so,” wondered Yuui as she steadied her breathing. “Ottou, what about this man?” “Incorrect,” came the boy’s voice. Yuui felt the flow of mana and immediately drew her wand to cast a spell. A blinding light filled the room, and a burning smell wafted up to her a moment afterward. Yuui and the man stood, each leveling a wand at the other. The floor between them was blackened and burned, though the damage was much closer to the assailant. He gave Yuui a sharp glare, as though questioning why she would have been armed. He squeezed tightly onto his wand. Opposing him, Yuui was so calm, it surprised even her. This was the first time she’d used magic in a real fight, but she felt no panic. That last clash of spells had made their difference in power clear. He was far too weak. Actually, it was his wand that was lacking. Or more accurately, Yuui’s wand was far too powerful. Claiming all that as her own strength would be arrogant. This was borrowed power, magic from a dragon. This was the wand that held a dragon’s heart. The instrument was overwhelmingly superior to his in both how long it took to cast a spell and in its mana transmission efficiency. Yuui had so much leeway that she’d been able to adjust the power of her spell so that it would only cancel her opponent’s incantation, rather than kill him outright. She hadn’t wanted to take him out with the first shot because she still wasn’t absolutely certain he was her enemy.
Chapter 23
30 min read