Chapter 36

1 The meeting ended in the dead of night. Outside, darkness painted over everything. The majority of the participants and their attendants left the room, leaving only three people behind: Yuui, Nova, and Seyoh. Yuui remained seated as she stared at Seyoh’s back. He was blowing out each and every lamp. Almost all of them were dark, leaving only the one directly in front of her. Once only one other lamp remained, Seyoh picked it up, flicked his bundle of long hair back over his shoulder, and walked up to Yuui. Amid the darkness, only he was visible, illuminated by the lamp in his hand. “How do you find being here?” asked Seyoh. “I can’t relax,” said Yuui honestly. “You have my sincerest apologies for that,” he said, bringing the light up close to his face. “However, I wasn’t able to find any other suitable location to house you. There are no other buildings that I have my eyes on at all times, where I can guarantee your safety.” “I did not intend it as a complaint. You are providing me with room and board, after all.” Yuui shook her head. “However, I don’t understand why it is necessary to conceal where I’m staying. It seems like a waste of time for me to pretend that I’m staying somewhere else by going out before each meeting.” “Oh…?” Seyoh’s eyebrows arched in surprise. “Yuui, I’ve arranged it that way based on advice from your own attendant.” “Hmm, is that true?” Yuui turned back. “Yes,” Nova replied with a nod. “Hmm… Would it not be safer to stay secured in one location?” “Currently, the greatest threat is an information leak, from the participants,” explained Nova. “This is the best way, to deceive them.” “I would have thought there was a greater danger in my identity becoming known when I left.” “My evaluation, is different. Very few people know you are here, Yuui. No, Minaha. People rarely notice, unexpected events. So long as nothing extreme happens, there shouldn’t be any issue.” “I think you’re being overly cautious…” Nova, however, didn’t seem keen on changing her mind. Instead, she just stared silently at Yuui, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with her. Yuui did have some idea as to why Nova had grown this concerned. It probably had to do with the incident they’d been caught up in last fall, where a banquet was attacked and its attendees were taken hostage. Yuui and Nova had been there, too. But the assailants hadn’t been targeting Yuui, and the two girls were able to resolve the issue. As far as Yuui was concerned, Nova was being too careful just because of one incident. There was a knock on the door, and a servant brought in steaming food on a pushcart. They arranged the meal on a table near the two girls. At some point, Seyoh quickly sat down nearby, lifted a dish, and said, “Leave us be for a while.” Nova started eating as soon as the servant left. She was still behind Yuui, however, so she could tell this only from the sounds of her chewing. A servant brought them food on a pushcart twice a day. Most of Yuui’s time was spent in the chamber beside this meeting hall. In fact, she essentially spent her entire day there. Save for when she would leave and return for nightly meetings, she barely interacted with anyone. The only people she had to talk with were Nova and, on rare occasions like this, Seyoh. At first, she’d been told it was a kind gesture from the lord of the town. It happened to be pouring rain on the day they were passing through, so they were lent a building that wasn’t being used at the time until the weather cleared. But after being kept there for an entire week with the same excuses, Yuui finally realized that there was more to it than that. They weren’t going to be able to leave Estosha until at least the end of winter. Since Yuui wasn’t in a position to be making complaints, her only choice was to accept the situation… And yet…, she thought, her brow furrowed. She couldn’t very well accept the situation she was in if she didn’t even understand it. As Seyoh gracefully handled the dishes in front of him, he noticed Yuui staring at him. He smiled and asked, “What is it?” “Are you still not going to tell me?” she asked. “Tell you what?” “The reason why I was brought here and made to participate in these meetings.” “You still need to ask about that?” Seyoh shrugged as if he didn’t know what to say. “That is surprising. I have only ever told you the truth, that I borrow your insight.” “Then you would not have given me such a warm welcome. Now that I think about it, I should have realized something was amiss when you told me the lord was doing this out of the kindness of his heart.” “I swear that is the truth. Were it not for his generosity, we wouldn’t be able to hold these meetings. We are solidifying the New Order’s Standards of Faith, after all. Doing that in the capital is out of the question, and if the Old Order holds sway, it would mean we’d be unable to have a discussion out of fear of the death sentence. It is only with the protection of a powerful regional lord that we can do this.” “When you swear that to be the truth, does that mean that everything else is a lie?” asked Yuui. “You are unrelenting,” asserted Seyoh with a stiff smile. “It’s just a manner of speaking, very common in conversations. Or are you that rigorous with your word usage? Perhaps you’ve become overly sensitive.” “Better than being oblivious.” “A good response.” Seyoh nodded in satisfaction. “It’s that clear-mindedness of yours that I wish to borrow. A mind that was able to garner top marks at the Academy.” “My scores were average.” “I need people with keen intelligence and people with different perspectives,” continued Seyoh slowly. “Yuui, you have a sharp wit and are not a follower of Marayism. Someone like that is difficult to find, at least in the kingdom.” “I wish you would give it a rest,” said Yuui. She sighed. Ever since she’d come to Estosha, she’d been showered with undeserved praise. Perhaps this was due to her age, or perhaps the fact that her true identity was hidden made her seem more significant than she really was. Whatever the reason, the comments were completely off the mark and left her feeling constantly uncomfortable. “I understand how you feel. But even if I was to speak from a place of objectivity, the truth is clear. The Standards of Faith, which we thought were complete, have already been rewritten based on your comments. That is a fact.” Seyoh brought his hands together. “The Old Order has failed to put out a unified interpretation of their doctrine, instead leaving it riddled with inconsistencies. Though they may not make their voices heard publicly, there are many members of the clergy who have questions, even among those who are highly educated. That is why the New Order must make clear standards of faith and present logical doctrine founded in pure theological discourse. That will lead us to more followers. And those tenets will act as sturdy support when we begin our massive revolution. No matter how powerful the king is, it is the common clergy, along with the people they teach, who form the backbone of Marayism. That is why we need someone who is deeply suspicious of us like you.” The New Order’s need of Yuui aside, that was essentially the background to what was happening. Marayism was the kingdom’s state religion, but there were many different interpretations of its scriptures and doctrine, which had led to a number of internal disputes throughout history. The current denomination in power was the Old Order, though naturally, they didn’t refer to themselves as that. But now there was a new force vying for that power: the New Order. The sect’s current plan was to infiltrate the kingdom, grow their follower base, and stage a peaceful revolution. The meeting from earlier was just another component of that plan, a religious debate intended to bring together the New Order’s arguments and solidify a unified doctrine. Reforming the leading faction of an entire country without the use of force required a plan of immense proportions. Theologians and clergy members were invited from all over the country to participate in these meetings, which had been held continuously over the past five years with an ever-changing selection of attendees. Currently, they planned to complete the Standards of Faith during the winter and submit them to the assembly the following spring. So why had Yuui been invited to join at this final stage? No, not invited—deceived and forced to take part. Yuui Laika shouldn’t have been here. She had originally planned to leave in the fall and spend a year in her home country of Lukutta, a small eastern nation that the kingdom had conquered. She had been yearning to be in an environment where she could let her guard down even a little. Here in the kingdom, this was simply impossible, since she couldn’t even walk around with her hood down. Though she no longer had family or friends in Lukutta, at least the people there shared her skin color. Yet, here she was, trapped in an out-of-the-way town in the far reaches of the kingdom. It was those circumstances that kept Yuui baffled as to why she’d been invited to these meetings. She’d only been brought to this country in the first place because she was Lukuttan royalty. What she did know about Marayist theology and doctrine she’d only just learned in the two years she spent at the Academy. Seyoh had provided her with a plausible explanation as to why she was participating, but she doubted that was the deciding factor. The long-haired theologian had to be hiding something. “Hmm, I must say, you hold far too low an opinion of yourself,” said Seyoh as he wiped his mouth, having finished eating. “What I value about you, Yuui, is that you view things from an incredibly objective lens.” “That has nothing to do with my abilities.” Yuui shook her head. “Any nonbeliever would be able to examine Marayism objectively.” “That’s not true at all.” Seyoh smiled. “You see, people will inevitably subscribe to different religions in areas where Marayism isn’t practiced. I daresay they even have different gods. Your homeland, Lukutta, is the same, isn’t it?” “Yes, it is.” “With that in mind, you would think people with different beliefs would attempt to denounce Marayism. Just as we denounce the religions of other areas. I’d assumed you would be particularly inclined to think like that.” “What is that supposed to mean?” asked Yuui sharply. “Oh no, I don’t mean anything by it.” Seyoh shrugged. “Anyhow, denial, just like agreement, is the furthest viewpoint from objectivity one could have. But you don’t do that.” “Then allow me to denounce Marayism here and now. Your god does not exist,” Yuui enunciated clearly. “…How is that? Has that stripped me of value?” “…Now then.” Seyoh slowly stood, rubbed his hands together, and moved directly in front of her. “May I ask you a question?” he inquired, his hands clasped before his chest. “Why do you believe God doesn’t exist?” “There is no evidence your god exists,” she replied immediately. “God created this world, life, and gave birth to humanity. The fact that we exist is proof of God’s existence.” “You could make the exact same argument to prove the god of my land is real,” countered Yuui quickly. “How can the same evidence lead to two different conclusions? It can’t, which means it doesn’t support either alternative.” “Precisely.” Seyoh nodded. “I believe they provide that argument at the Academy, don’t they? Although it might not be the most, um, logical.” “That is not a counterargument.” “It’s not, because I have no need for a counterargument.” He shrugged. “Because your original argument that there is no proof is a false counterargument in and of itself.” “What do you mean?” “You are the one who must provide evidence, Yuui. Do you understand?” “That’s…” Yuui’s eyes opened wide. She immediately understood what he meant, but the argument came from an unexpected direction. “But…that is not an academic stance. You can’t demand I first give proof your god does not exist…” “Is there any need to give proof of the sun?” Seyoh pointed to the ceiling. “The moon? How about the stars? I don’t think I have to go so far as to say it’s clear that they exist. But if someone insisted that the sun did not in fact exist, you would demand they provide proof, wouldn’t you, Yuui? That is what I mean when I say your argument is false.” He spread his arms slightly and looked at Yuui. “To us, God’s existence is obvious. We have no need to provide proof.” “Your logic is circular,” pointed out Yuui in a calm tone. “Saying ‘God exists because God exists’ does not change anything.” “Unfortunately, the same applies to you. You are simply insisting that God doesn’t exist because God doesn’t exist. Am I wrong?” Seyoh smiled. Yuui looked down, her mouth shut. She needed just a bit of time to think. Feeling someone approach, she looked up to see Seyoh had come closer to her. “Yuui, you have acknowledged that our arguments are perfectly parallel. This silence of yours was a few seconds for you to accept that, yes?” “I suppose you could call it accepting, yes,” she agreed with a grimace. “Because they each carry the same level of validity, there is no point in further discussion.” “And that is what makes you special.” Seyoh moved another step closer and placed his hands on the armrests of her chair as he gazed into her face. His face, covered in shadow, moved along with his words. “Most people are incapable of that. Even if they understand it, they cannot accept it. It is more common for people to think, I’m still right. Even I, as I say these things, believe I am right, that God does exist. Emotions come before reason. Yet, you are capable of easily throwing aside your own opinions and looking from a higher perspective. You treat the assertion that God exists and the assertion that God doesn’t exist as equal. Was there something that triggered such a holistic perspective in you?” “Nothing comes to mind…” Yuui cocked her head. She couldn’t remember any obvious event that would have triggered it; she’d just come to learn how little value her own thoughts had in the time she spent in the kingdom. Biases occur when you tried to force two things together, things that couldn’t understand each other. It was better to treat them as things that stayed beside each other. “At any rate, it is that ability of yours to view even yourself objectively that led me to invite you. I believe that you will look at the situation from a higher perspective and see that you are not my prisoner,” said Seyoh with satisfaction before picking up the lamp and walking to the door. Just before passing through, he turned back and said, “If you like, you should accept Mellay’s invitation. There are a variety of opinions among us believers. I’m sure you will learn something.” The door closed with a heavy thud. The flame in the single remaining lamp flickered before Yuui. She sat in complete stillness for a while until Nova urged her to leave. Then every lamp in the room was at last snuffed out. Her room had a single window, but all she could see out of it tonight was falling snow hiding the sky. Yuui was lost in thought the entire time until she fell asleep. First the thoughts were about God, but when she tired of that, she thought of ways one would prove the existence of the sun, moon, and stars. Lastly, she wondered when Nova slept, since she was keeping guard outside Yuui’s room. 2 The meetings weren’t held every day. Outside of those meetings, Yuui spent all her time in the room given to her, with nothing but books on Marayism. She had Nova to talk to, but she would disappear at times as well. Yuui didn’t know what she was doing. When she was gone, the room was as silent as a grave. But it was loud that morning. A whole week had passed since the last meeting. Normally, breakfast would be delivered to Yuui around this time, but no knocks came at the door. She got out of bed and thought vaguely to herself about how it should be anytime now. Outside the light was growing. The entire town sparkled from the light reflected off the snow piles that had grown over the night. Yuui liked the sight. There wasn’t any snow in Lukutta. She hadn’t gone outside much during her first winter in the kingdom, so she struggled to learn how to walk across the snowdrifts. Peering out the window, Yuui listened to all the different noises that drifted to her. There was the sound of a door opening and closing, someone walking quickly, a voice meant to be heard by others. The sounds continued through the morning. This was the first time anything like this had happened since Yuui had come here. She didn’t know how many people were in this building, but she guessed based on its outside appearance that it was used for more than just the meetings. Considering it was managed by the lord, she imagined it could be a public meeting place or some sort of government building. Its historical air was the perfect decoration to show authority. Outsiders who viewed her might assume she was of a significant position, considering she lived in this room, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It wasn’t the normal servant who brought food in the end. It was Nova. “The servants seem busy, so I did it,” she said as she closed the door and placed a bowl on the table. “Good morning.” “Has something happened?” asked Yuui. “Yes.” Nova nodded. “What happened?” “First,” said Nova as she pointed toward Yuui. It was rare for her not to respond immediately. “What?” “Your soup, it’s getting cold.” “Oh, I suppose that is true.” Yuui nodded and took the bowl. Nova stared at Yuui, or at least that’s what it looked like. Her bangs were in the way, meaning Yuui didn’t know where Nova was looking. But… Yuui stopped eating for a moment. What did Nova think about her job? Though she was currently acting as Yuui’s attendant, her real assignment was to surveil Yuui while serving as her guard. Those two duties essentially amounted to the same thing, but it seemed absurd to be put in danger protecting the very person you were monitoring. Yuui wondered if her friend, who never showed her own will or emotions, might not be frustrated. “An anonymous letter was delivered,” said Nova abruptly, just as Yuui was finishing her breakfast. Yuui realized this was a continuation of their earlier conversation, but she needed time to swallow the last piece of bread she was chewing before she could respond. “An anonymous letter…I see.” In other words, Nova was explaining that the delivery had been the source of the racket this morning. Now that Yuui understood the situation, she considered what she should ask next. “Who was it addressed to?” “Seyoh, along with the lord of Estosha.” Nova’s lips were the only part of her that moved as she replied. “It seems it was placed outside the entrance, this morning.” “What did it say?” “That they would blow it up.” “Blow what up?” Yuui cocked her head. “This building.” Nova pointed toward her feet. “It also said it would end, the heretical meetings.” “That’s not an ‘anonymous letter,’ that’s a threat.” “Whoever sent it, claimed they were in the criminal group planning the attack. But that the closer the deadline came, the guiltier they felt, so they sent that warning.” “So it’s a warning letter,” said Yuui as a filler comment before taking a sip of tea. “Am I right to guess you would like to leave this place immediately, then, Nova?” “Yes.” “Perhaps…” Yuui placed a finger on her chin. “You have already suggested this to Seyoh, and he refused to allow it?” “Yes. He said it would be dangerous, to make unnecessary moves. He also said, the enemy could be trying to force us out of here, or that it was simply a prank.” “There is some logic to his argument. A single letter is very weak evidence. We don’t even know if these people are our enemies at this point. If we are to believe what the letter says, they may actually be our allies.” “At the very least, the enemy knows about the meetings,” said Nova, refusing to call them allies. “They know what is being discussed, where they are being held, and who participates. And this is all, despite the fact the existence of the meetings has been, concealed. This is not just a prank.” “No matter how hard they try to hide these debates, they’ve been going on for five years. The details might be hard to come by, but I bet there are many people who have an inkling about what’s going on. Perhaps the Old Order is feeling threatened by the Standards of Faith nearing completion and sent a fake letter to break down the meetings. That seems the most likely explanation.” “I can see that, but…” Nova looked down for a moment, then faced Yuui again. “But if they were trying to prevent the meetings, it would have been more effective to send an anonymous tip to the central authorities than sending a letter here. Besides, I don’t see any point in preventing the debates, at this point. The Standards of Faith are almost finalized.” “Which would mean…” Yuui stood. “Where is Seyoh?” “I’ll take you.” Nova opened the door in a single fluid motion. Yuui left the room, her coat on and hood already pulled down over her face. They walked through the frigid halls of the building, no different in temperature from the air outside. Servants passed them a few times, but they always turned away when they did, acting as if they weren’t looking at Yuui and Nova. They’d been trained well. None of the people they encountered were in any rush, as most of them were inspecting the walls or floor. Someone was even leaning out the window to chat with a person outside. Yuui and Nova climbed the stairs, which crisscrossed twice as they continued to the top level. Seyoh’s room was at the back of the floor. It was the first time Yuui had been up here. The door to his room was cracked half-open. Through the gap, Yuui could make out a maid whispering something to Seyoh, whose back was turned. Nova walked ahead of Yuui and knocked on the entrance. “Ah, it’s not often you come to visit me,” he said, turning toward them and smiling. The maid bowed and passed Yuui and Nova as she left the room, remembering to shut the door as she left. “It seems you’ve already heard…,” said Seyoh as he gestured to a chair in front of him. Yuui sat there. Nova remained standing in front of the door. It was a small chamber. Facing the entrance were Seyoh’s desk and chair. There was also a chair for visitors, the one Yuui was using now, which was turned toward the desk. The walls were almost entirely covered by shelves lined with neat stacks of yellowed papers. The only sections free of shelving were the fireplace and the window, each casting different-colored light into the room. “I am not underestimating the danger in any way,” remarked Seyoh gravely as he pulled out his chair. “However, I would like you to understand that regardless of the letter, this is the safest location I am aware of within the city. We are taking the utmost precautions with security, and the building itself is incredibly sturdy. That’s how it has persisted after so many—” “Actually, I haven’t come to complain about your handling of the situation,” interjected Yuui with a slight smile. “I believe your decision is the logical one. If we panic and move locations, our security will almost certainly be compromised. It would be far more dangerous if we were attacked in that situation. Besides, the enemy would need the kind of firepower on par with a military-grade wand to blow up this building. It would be impossible for them to prepare something like that in secret.” “My thoughts exactly. Additionally, I just received a report stating that there are no signs of intruders in town. I believe there is no immediate threat. I’ve explained the situation to the servants and allowed any who wish to leave to do so. Nevertheless, I will continue to reside here. I can handle myself.” “Yes, and I hope that I may continue to impose upon your hospitality. It would be more difficult for you to spy on me if I was to relocate, after all.” “Oh, come now.” Seyoh gave a pained smiled. “You say such things every now and again, and your overly polite language only makes it sting all the more.” “I know no other way of speaking.” Yuui shrugged. She had only been learning Central Standard for two years. “One damages themselves by constantly speaking too low of themselves.” Seyoh nodded in acceptance. He clasped his hands together on top of the desk, then settled his gaze on Yuui. “Will you tell me the reason why you’re here, then?” “Before I do, there is one thing I would like to ask.” Yuui held up a finger. “What do you make of this situation, Seyoh?” “I am not in a position to be able to make judgments.” “I don’t mind if it’s simply your personal evaluation—” “I don’t have one. Putting my thoughts into words could influence the investigation. It is best in situations like this to distance ourselves from our preconceptions and consider every angle. If I had to give an opinion, it would be that.” “Then…have you considered that the culprit could be one of our own?” inquired Yuui. Seyoh was silent for several seconds. Yet his gaze never wavered, instead staying firmly on Yuui as she repeated herself. “There is a possibility the threat is coming from inside. The participants of the meetings know everything about them, from where they are located to what they hope to achieve. They would have no difficulty sending such a letter.” “Yes, of course I have,” said Seyoh, wording his answer deliberately. “Though I don’t like to consider it, I must not rule out the possibility. However, I do believe the probability of it being an inside job is low.” “Why is that?” “Because they wouldn’t have a reason to send the letter. What possible motive could they have for hindering the meetings? They came all the way to this city, heedless of their own safety, for the sole purpose of aiding the New Order.” “What if—” “Please don’t suggest one of them could be a mole for the Old Order,” said Seyoh as he held a hand up to stop Yuui. “All the current participants have made immeasurable contributions to our cause. Simply refusing to attend would have done far more damage to the meetings than sending a threat letter.” “I suppose…” “Which is why you shouldn’t worry—” “What concerns me isn’t anything important like that,” said Yuui as she got up. She slowly walked over to the window. It seemed like this room was almost directly on top of hers. The view was the same here, just from a higher vantage point. The road in front of the entrance to the building was an unbroken sheet of white, save for a series of small footprints. She looked farther ahead and found two children running across the snow. Yuui turned back to Seyoh, who had a questioning look on his face. “No, what worries me is our current topic of debate,” she said, turning her eyes back to the window. “I know you would like to keep the discussions purely theological, but regardless of how the debate unfolds, or even if it comes to a deadlock, the revolution will have a massive impact upon the world. Both financially and militarily.” “I am aware of that,” came Seyoh’s voice from behind her. “But—” “I do not believe the current participants in these debates desire wealth or power. But even if they don’t, surely the people around them do. Those kinds of obstacles will appear whenever members of the clergy interact with the public.” “And you believe that drove one of the participants to do this?” Yuui didn’t answer. She returned to the window and watched as the children disappeared into the shadow of a building. Voicing suspicions about other people was fairly difficult for her. Yuui had been taught from a young age that it was an incredibly dishonorable thing to do. But…with so much on the line… She turned back again and said, “I have decided to accept the invitations of Mellay and the others.” “…Are you trying to discover who the culprit is?” asked Seyoh with a sudden smile, after a moment of silence. “I do think there may be certain things I can learn from one-on-one conversations.” “Yes, I think that’s a good idea. I have been suggesting you do so for a while now anyway, and I feel they’ll be more comfortable opening up if it’s you they’re speaking with.” Yuui nodded in thanks and glanced beside the door. “Nova, is this all right with you?” “Yes,” she said, nodding as she always did. Seyoh bowed and told her he would make arrangements immediately. Meanwhile, Yuui and Nova walked back down the hall, passing a few servants on their way. Yuui saw snow fluttering about when she looked out the window again and wondered how much would fall this time around. She turned toward Nova, who was walking behind her at an angle, and said, “I’m sorry for making that decision without asking you.” “It’s all right.” “Will it inconvenience you?” “I will go along with your decision,” Nova said. But after they descended the staircase, she asked, “What’s so important about the current topic, though?” “The current debate?” “As far as I can gather from what I’ve heard while standing behind you, it’s a discussion on people and beasts.” “It is.” “But you said it would have, financial and military repercussions.” “Ah, that… That’s because of the topic that will inevitably come up when we debate the current one. That will be an issue, which is why the participants have requested experts on the subject.” “And what, is that topic?” “Uh, well…” Yuui gazed at the ceiling, wondering how best to explain it. She stumbled upon a good explanation just as they arrived in front of the door to her room. “Simply put, it is the question of whether wands should come under central control of the church.” 3 The duo didn’t manage to make a trip out that day, but they did end up going to meet Mellay the next morning. They would be meeting neither at the church nor Mellay’s home, as she wasn’t a resident of Estosha. The address they were given was that of a modest mansion in the city, squeezed between two tall buildings. Though “modest” may have been an understatement—it was still of significant size. Yuui would later learn that Mellay didn’t own the place and was simply borrowing it from an acquaintance for the winter. Though snow was piled on the roof and windows, it had been neatly swept to the side in front of the entrance. It seemed Mellay was expecting company. When they knocked, it took mere seconds for a servant to come to the door and lead them into the house without a single word. Their face was completely expressionless, though in a different way from Nova’s typical inscrutability, and their mouth was set in a firm line that never once opened. The servant seemed like they knew why the two girls were hiding their faces. Normally, someone would offer to take your coat when you entered a manor like this, but that didn’t happen this time. Yuui had been hesitant to enter with her jacket on, since she didn’t want it to drip on the floor, but the servant didn’t seem to mind. They simply opened the door ahead and walked farther into the building. “This is the person, who stands behind Mellay at the meetings,” murmured Nova as they followed along. “You can tell?” Yuui asked back. “From the way, that they walk.” The servant stopped momentarily, perhaps having overheard them, but immediately began walking again. Either that or they had determined the girls’ identities using the same method. After passing several chambers, the servant opened the door to one. Instead of entering, they stood to the side of the entrance, their hands clasped as they looked at Yuui and Nova. “Thank you,” said Yuui before she headed into the room. They were greeted by the sound of a crackling fire. It kept the room pleasantly warm, but not stuffy. The furniture gleamed in the light. It all looked brand-new, without a speck of dust in sight. When Yuui inhaled, she caught a pleasant scent wafting from somewhere. This room was so comfortable, you would almost think spring had just arrived. It was like a completely different world from the world outside. An old woman was standing in the center of the chamber. “Welcome. Thank you for visiting,” she said as she spread her arms. “Thank you for allowing us to visit on such short notice, Mellay,” said Yuui with a bow. Obviously, she had never seen the old woman’s face. All she knew was the sound of her voice in that dark room. Even so, the moment Yuui saw her, she instinctively recognized that this woman was Mellay. She had her same air of dignity. The door behind them closed quietly, and Nova stood beside it, like always. Yuui turned toward Mellay, who stared straight back and asked, “Is this your first time meeting someone like me?” “No, I’ve met one other,” replied Yuui as she adjusted her hood. “Oh really? And is this person doing well?” “Yes, though I haven’t spoken to them much lately.” “I am happy to hear that one of my kin is doing well,” said Mellay with a couple of blinks. “At any rate, you must be surprised.” “I know it’s rude to be, but…” “Rude? Not at all. It’s to be expected. Women in the clergy are rare enough, but on top of that, I am the only vukodrak to ever attain this high a rank in the church. Unfortunate though it may be.” Long silvery fur covered Mellay’s entire body. Fangs glinted in her jaw. She smiled gently at Yuui with her green eyes, but it wasn’t the sort of smile you’d expect from a sweet old lady. It was the sort of grin a powerful person makes when they know they have the advantage. She was a vukodrak, a member of a species whose lands had been invaded by the kingdom in the past before eventually being incorporated into its domain. “I’m afraid I can’t provide much in the way of refreshments, but I do have some tea and sweets. Please take a seat over there and make yourself at home,” said Mellay as she pointed farther into the room. “I’ll bring the tea; we can savor it together.” Several chairs, their backs tall and covered with soft leather, had been arranged around the fireplace. Mellay bowed slightly and left the room. Yuui scanned the area as she softly stepped closer to the fireplace. She sat in a chair that faced the fire at an angle. Then she looked to her side and nearly stopped breathing in shock. There was a person there. Two, in fact. A pair of men were sat on a double-seated sofa right in front of the fire. Yuui hadn’t noticed them before because they’d been hidden from behind by the back of the sofa. One of the men had his eyes closed, his mouth hanging half open. He looked like he was asleep. He was resting his head on the other man’s shoulder. Though this man appeared to be awake, he must not have noticed Yuui, because he hadn’t budged an inch. The light of the fire reflected in his eyes. What surprised Yuui even more was that the two men looked exactly alike, in both face and build. Their slightly wavy blond hair and the construction of their features, what with their high-bridged noses, looked practically identical. Yuui couldn’t tell what their eye color was, but she suspected they were the same. The only difference between the two was their expressions. The easygoing look on the sleeping man’s face was the complete opposite of the severe look on his awake counterpart. As Yuui stared at them, the sleeping man mumbled in his sleep and twitched before his breathing started to sound like he had woken up. Yuui saw Nova move out of the corner of her eye. She must have noticed the men’s presence as well. She drew forward slowly, until she came around behind Yuui. “Mm…mm.” The man who had been sleeping half opened his eyes and stretched his arms out high toward the ceiling. He yawned as he turned his head side to side, where his eyes met Yuui’s. “H-hello…,” she somehow managed to stammer out first. “Oh, visitors!” remarked the man in a clear voice. It was hard to believe he’d been snoozing a moment before. A huge grin appeared on his face. “Don’t be so shy. We’re visitors, too, so we’re in the same boat! Hey, you don’t mind that I dozed off for a bit there, do you? I mean, when I came to this room, it was so nice and toasty, you’d think it was made just for napping! Hey, Hemsley! You were awake, so you should be saying hello first. Or did you already do it?” Yuui was taken aback by the flood of words coming from the man’s mouth. The other fellow, Hemsley, frowned and said, “Cram it.” “Now, now! All right, guess I’ll do the introductions. This guy’s Hemsley, and I’m Rolphie. Nice to meet you, person whose face I can’t see!” he continued. “Did that old lady call you here, too? She’s pushy, huh? I have no idea where she heard about it, but there was a servant standing outside our hotel the day after we were invited to the meeting. Man, this is the worst. I was planning on doing a whole lot of nothing this whole winter!” “U-uh-huh…,” responded Yuui vaguely. “So you will be attending…that meeting?” “Oh, so you’re going, too? Yep, we are. Not like I asked to go, but they’re paying, so I can’t complain, I guess. Not much to it besides showing up and talking, yeah?” Rolphie jabbed Hemsley with his elbow to elicit his agreement, but Hemsley just glared back at him. In an attempt to cut off Rolphie, who seemed on the verge of babbling even more, Yuui asked, “You wouldn’t happen to be the wandmakers who were invited to the meetings?” “Yep, that’s us,” he answered with a bob of his head. “Which means…you were apprentices of Munzil?” “Ha-ha-ha, I’d rather not hear that old fart’s name. Be careful, ’cause I’ll sock you the next time you mention him!” Rolphie smiled as he continued. “Uh…” “Oh, I’m sorry, my name is—” “Ah, it’s fine, it’s fine! To be honest, I don’t care about your name!” “O-oh…” “But you’ve got some guts mentioning that old fart in front of me! Speaking of, I’ve got a question for you. You,” he said, his eyes narrowing slightly, “have met other apprentices of his, haven’t you? Who were they?” Yuui was left speechless before his direct stare. How had he been able to intuit that much from this conversation? Not that it could even really be called a conversation; it was more a one-sided stream of words. But Yuui had seen enough of their mannerisms to be certain these two were Munzil’s apprentices. They gave off a very particular impression. You could say they had a peculiar air about them. “It was a while ago, but I met Ix,” said Yuui carefully. “Oooh, Ix the moron!” cried Rolphie loudly, then held his sides like he couldn’t stand how funny that was and said, “Did you hear that, Hemsley? Ha-ha-ha, Ix! The moron!” “Be quiet,” demanded Hemsley bluntly. “How’s that numbskull doing? Actually, don’t answer that. I couldn’t care less if he’s alive or dead!” “So why did Mellay have you over?” asked Yuui, forcing a change in topic. She’d already realized there was no point trying to have a real conversation with this guy. “Have you heard what will be discussed at the next meeting?” “What are you talking about?” Rolphie shrugged. “How the hell would I know what they’re going to talk about at the next debate or whatever? I don’t even know what these things are. I’m just going to answer whatever questions people ask me!” “That…is…” Yuui shuddered, impressed by how fast Mellay worked. She had already anticipated the issue that would be raised at the next meeting as well as the questions that would be asked of the wandmakers. That’s why she must have found them and posed the same questions to them beforehand. She would be at an overwhelming advantage next meeting if she already knew the answers. “What exactly did she ask you?” inquired Yuui. Rolphie jumped to his feet and exclaimed, “You’ve got some funny questions!” He stepped toward Yuui and held his right hand out to her. “Um, what is this?” she asked, confused. “My knowledge isn’t so cheap that I’ll just give it away for free.” He flashed a carefree smile. “I’ll tell you if you pay up. The going rate’s about…” There was no need for Yuui to check her coin purse. The price Rolphie put forward was so steep that she would never be able to afford it. Yuui shook her head, to which he shrugged with an “oh well.” “All righty then. My nap’s over, think it’s about time we head back.” Rolphie pivoted away from her, then pulled up the other man by the arm. “Righty-o, see you later, uh… You know, I don’t care about your name! Right, Hemsley?” “Don’t talk to me,” he snapped. With that, the duo made to leave the room. Just then, however, Yuui suddenly called out to stop them. “W-wait a moment.” “What?” Rolphie turned back only partway, showing his smooth features in profile. “We’re busy, yeah?” “Did you speak with Mellay about what will be discussed next meeting?” “Come off it. I don’t care about that.” “If you’re a wandmaker, your interest should be piqued,” said Yuui slowly. “We will be talking about wands, after all.” Rolphie cocked his head to the side and stared at her. His eyebrows came together in a questioning look. After staying like that for a moment, there came the sound of a chuckle from deep within his throat. He was guffawing. His laughter grew until it seemed loud enough to rattle the building. “Ha-ha-ha-ha! What are you saying?!” He spread his arms and looked up at the ceiling. “I don’t have any interest in wands!” “Uh…” Yuui was taken aback, while Rolphie laughed even more. “I don’t give a flying flip about them! What I’m interested in is the massive profits that they bring! That’s it!” “Wh-what?” Yuui would never have expected that kind of statement to come from the mouths of the wandmakers she’d met so far. It left her flabbergasted. “Wh-what about you, Hemsley? You are a wandmaker as well, yes?” “I don’t care,” he spat back immediately. “Ha-ha-ha, this guy, he’s the exact opposite of me. He’s only interested in stuff that comes before the wand!” said Rolphie as he slipped an arm around Hemsley’s shoulder. “He only ever thinks about the wood and trees we use to make ’em! A bit of an oddball, isn’t he?” “I’m hot, get off me,” barked Hemsley coldly. “Anyway, that’s just how it is,” said Rolphie. “But…,” started Yuui, trying to stop them somehow. Rolphie, who had already stepped out of the room, looked back and sighed in exasperation. “You still going on? If you’re about to ask if we’re twins, we’re not.” “Oh, really?” As she was unexpectedly brought back to her first question about them, the door closed. Into the now-silent room stepped Mellay, a tray in her hands. “Oh, did they leave?” 4 For once, Nova didn’t taste the tea and sweets that were served to check for poison. She must have been cognizant of the fact that they weren’t served for her, and it would be rude of her to do so, considering they’d been invited. “I hear quite the letter has been delivered,” said Mellay before Yuui could bring it up. “What do you think of it?” she asked the old woman. “I haven’t the foggiest. Who are they? And what are they after…? Even if the accusations were true, no one would benefit from such a violent act.” “Sometimes people act illogically. Are you aware of what transpired in Leirest?” “I am. And it was members of the New Order—our order—who were responsible. How foolish. What on earth did they think that would change…?” Mellay stared off into the distance. “You may be right that it’s the same now. If these meetings or I went up in smoke, it would amount to a tiny portion of the New Order disappearing. In the grand scheme of things, the attack would have zero impact. But perhaps it would bring them…hope. Hope to people who feel trapped.” “Do you feel threatened at all?” “Of course I do. But at my age, danger becomes a part of everyday life. I’m more likely to meet my end by slipping in the snow tomorrow than being blown away with the building like the threat claimed.” “While that may be true, it is a peculiar way of thinking…” “What I mean is that the letter doesn’t particularly bother me. It’s probably best just to think of it as one of the ghost’s pranks.” “Ghost…?” murmured Yuui. “You mentioned that before. An old tale in town, yes?” “Oh, is that what you came to ask about?” Mellay’s eyes widened in surprise, and she chuckled. “I see… Indeed, if an old person like me was to tell a story while sitting in front of the fireplace on a day like today, then it should very well be a fantastical one.” “Is it a well-known tale?” “Unfortunately, I’m not too knowledgeable about it myself, but it is quite famous around these parts,” said Mellay. “Night after night in Estosha, you can hear voices, footsteps, groans, and screams. It does not matter if it’s in a mansion or in a small home; the sounds can happen anywhere. But there’s never anyone there. There’s nothing in the bushes, nothing in the attic… That’s what they say. It is supposedly the work of the ghost, slipping in unannounced. There aren’t too many mentions of the specter these days, but long ago, there were many people who claimed to have heard it.” “When did these stories start spreading?” “That I am not positive about… Though, thinking about the customs, I would guess it was around when Rednoff was here. It’s such a strange tale.” That would mean this legend had been told for hundreds of years. Quite an old yarn. And Rednoff…? For a moment, Yuui wondered if the story had anything to do with wands. Her interest was piqued, since it would have been created around the advent of man-made magic catalysts. Next, it was Mellay’s turn to change the subject. “I heard your conversation earlier while I was in the kitchen. They’re an amusing pair, aren’t they?” “Huh?” Yuui looked up. “Yes, I suppose you could say that…” “Please don’t misunderstand, I’m not trying to uncover your true identity,” said Mellay as she placed her teacup back on the table and looked at Yuui. “But I must be honest, Minaha, I’ve become even more curious about you after hearing that. You’ve realized that the next topic of debate will be how wandmakers are handled after the revolution, haven’t you?” “It is the obvious conclusion based on the current flow of the discussion.” Yuui nodded. “You went to the trouble of asking craftsmen here, after all.” “Most of the participants likely believe that is for a different and trivial point of discussion. Yet it is interesting, questioning a wandmaker in Estosha of all places.” “What do you mean?” “Oh, it’s not important.” Mellay shrugged. “So then, Minaha, how did you come to believe that wands would be an important point of discussion?” “Because it is an issue of classification,” said Yuui immediately. “Yes, exactly.” Mellay smiled. “This topic is particularly important to me. The scriptures only clarify a distinction between humans and magic beasts. But then what is it that separates us vukodrak from simple wolves? We must solidify a definition.” This was the topic they were currently debating. To Yuui, the fact that the scriptures mentioned only humans was explained simply by the fact that it had been authored by them. But to the others, it was a serious dilemma. The Old Order had their own general explanation for that. “I thought that was already explained, that anyone who is capable of understanding Marayism is a person, and everyone else is a magic beast?” asked Yuui with a tilt of her head as she stared at Mellay. “It’s too narrow and contradictory a definition.” The old woman shook her head. “If someone didn’t believe in Marayism originally but became a follower partway through their life, did they transform from a magic beast to a person? As the scriptures say, the whole world is the child of God. We must not spread mistaken interpretations of the scriptures.” She rubbed her hands together and looked directly at Yuui as she said, “Even without forcing an explanation onto it, there is still one very suggestive depiction in the scriptures. You’ve realized what that is, haven’t you, Minaha?” “The ‘five-legged beast.’” Mellay nodded. “Do you know the details?” “The two-legged beast knew God’s grace and thus created the third arm. In its jealousy of those people, the four-legged beast stole God’s arm and thus created its fifth leg. The beast was banished into eternal damnation…,” said Yuui, reciting the scripture from memory without hesitation. “Generally, the passage is a way of expressing how sinful it is to deceive God.” “You are very well-read on the matter,” said Mellay as she clasped her hands together in glee. “In other words, the real demarcation is ‘whether or not they can create the third arm.’ That is the standard that separates us from beasts. If you analyze the scriptures logically, you naturally come to that conclusion. And, of course, we must interpret the ‘third arm’ as spells and, at the same time, wands. With that, history also makes complete sense, don’t you think? The ancient forest sages lived in the woods of the kingdom, and Rednoff, the person who invented man-made wands, was a kingdom citizen. The kingdom was the first country in the world to gain the technology needed to make wands because of our faith.” “But that does raise another issue.” Yuui held up a finger. “With how important catalysts are… The Church cannot possibly leave the craftsmen who make them to run loose. Don’t you agree?” “‘Run loose’ isn’t the most positive way to put it,” said Mellay with a pained smile. “But yes, you are correct. We cannot allow a technique God gifted us to spread so easily to other nations. Ideally, the Church would absorb the Guild. And I’m sure you know what would be required to do that, Minaha. That was the only thing I confirmed with that pair beforehand.” Seeing Mellay’s smile as she spoke, Yuui realized that the old woman had received the answer she’d been hoping for. That was why her next words weren’t a question but a request for confirmation. “There was no flaw, yes?” “No, there was not. Making wandmakers members of the clergy would not cause any hindrance. That allows us to wrap up the scriptures without contradiction.” Yuui had predicted this was exactly how things would go. That was the only possible way of sorting things if the scriptures upheld wands as holy objects. At the very least, that was what Mellay was going to lead the meeting to conclude. Yet, Yuui still considered it strange. If you thought things through logically, you would arrive at the conclusion that wandmakers would have to become part of the Church. That’s how Yuui was also able to hit on the answer. She didn’t know how wandmaking would be adjusted to conform with the scriptures, but that wasn’t the issue. The issue was everything outside of Marayism. Wands were high-value items, and a massive market, encompassing everything from procuring their materials to selling the actual product, had developed around them. The majority of buyers were nobles or powerful merchants, people with influence. And when you considered the fact that wands were also used in the military, the question of wandmaking extended all the way out to the country’s security. Mellay had suggested that the Church would absorb the Guild, but things weren’t that simple. It would take a while for the Guild to be integrated into the Church. And even if that could be accomplished, it would have huge ramifications on the kingdom and its citizenry. But based on Mellay’s tone, those issues seemed to be none of her concern. It was almost as if she thought everything besides consistency with the scripture was irrelevant. Yuui had hoped to delve further into the topic with Mellay, but the old woman didn’t seem willing to show her hand any more than that. She smiled as if to say they would continue that discussion at the meeting, then steered the conversation to trivial gossip. Yuui and Nova left Mellay’s mansion before noon. She’d offered them lunch, but Yuui politely declined. “Is it, for Ix?” asked Nova suddenly as she walked behind Yuui on the way back. “Huh? Is what?” she asked, turning back. “Is he why, you’re so concerned about this?” continued Nova, her expression as blank as ever. “If being a member of the clergy is added as a requirement for being a craftsman, that would be quite hard on Ix. Is that why, you’re trying to prevent it?” “No… I think you are reading too much into this.” Yuui shrugged. “You should know, you’ve been with me for this long. I am a simpler person than that. My only real motive is to help people if I see them in need.” “Is that, so?” Nova nodded slightly, without indicating whether she’d accepted Yuui’s words or not. The noon bell rang. It sounded incredibly loud because they’d made it back far enough to be close to the Chapel. Yuui had long grown used to it since coming to Estosha. A high-pitched tone echoed across town as the bell chimed, a significant pause hanging between each note. Even the air seemed to tremble as if numb during this time. As the third note rang out, Nova suddenly came up from behind Yuui. She grabbed Yuui’s right hand and pulled her forward. “What is it?” asked Yuui. She could see Nova’s mouth moving, but she couldn’t make out what Nova was saying between the clangs of the bell. Giving up, Nova shut her mouth and pulled Yuui around a corner. The fifth note rang out, and since they had gotten closer to the Chapel, it sounded even louder. They immediately turned another corner onto a wide road. Nova stopped and pushed Yuui against the wall of a building. She brought her mouth to Yuui’s ear and began to speak, but the other girl still couldn’t hear anything. Nova shook her head. The bell rang again. Yuui touched the wand inside her pocket. Nova wasn’t the kind of person to do something without reason. She’d likely sensed danger. Someone following them or an assailant. With how urgently the girl was acting, the latter seemed very likely. Nova hadn’t struck back because she wasn’t sure how many enemies there were. Ahead of where Yuui was looking, the snow at the base of the corner they’d rounded a moment earlier burst into the air. It flew skyward in a wide area, turning to mist and revealing the ground below. Since the sound of the bells had smothered the noise of the spell, this looked as though it had played out without a single sound. Yuui moved on instinct, but Nova held her back. That’s when she realized their assailant had lost sight of them. But the attacker was casting such daring incantations. Yuui and Nova couldn’t just hide to deal with this kind of opponent. If they weren’t going to launch a counterattack, then their only option was to flee. Farther down in the direction they were facing stood the building where the meetings were held, which would be their best option from a defensive standpoint. But Yuui was concerned the enemy would tail them and discover where they were living. Nova shared the same uncertainty. Snow erupted into the air again, this time exposing the ground directly in front of them. Clods of white struck their faces. The enemy was closing in.