Nova put her hand in her breast pocket and pulled out her wand. Then she leaped out into the middle of the road in time with the chime of the next bell. It was a split-second decision. Yuui jumped right behind Nova. She slipped her hand around Nova from the back and covered the girl’s eyes. Yuui squeezed her own eyelids shut tight and pointed her wand toward the sky. The white flash was so bright, it still dazzled her through her eyelids. Immediately, she lowered her wand and removed her hand from Nova’s eyes. For a brief moment, Nova looked like she wanted to say something, but then quickly took Yuui’s hand and plunged into the mist of snow they’d created a moment earlier. Yuui didn’t know if her plan had gone well, but she assumed that the enemy had been focusing on Nova the moment she leaped out from her hiding spot beside the building. If the light she’d produced met their eyes, they would be temporarily blinded. The enemy had blasted the snow into the air to conceal their own approach, but that was now working in Yuui and Nova’s favor. The snow would conceal their footprints once it fell back down. They made it back to their home building, nearly slipping and falling several times on the way. The pair burst into the entrance, out of breath, and the servants regarded them with furrowed brows as they passed through the hall. 5 Yuui and Nova informed only Seyoh about the attack. He told them he would go investigate where it happened, but it seemed to be a dead end. A few days later, he showed up, shoulders slumped, to reveal that he hadn’t turned up anything. Not a single clue. After this, he informed the other participants in the meetings and warned them to be cautious. The enemy’s motive was still unknown. Anyone would guess that the person who sent the threat, or the group that person belonged to, was responsible for the attack, but that was unlikely. Yuui thought it over several times, but all she found were questions. Who would stand to gain from eliminating her? She was the least important person in these debates. And the fact that they’d come after her in broad daylight made it difficult for her to believe they had any real intention of killing her. Though Yuui had been invited to speak with some of the other participants besides Mellay, there was no way she could accept them after this incident. In the end, she spent every day like she had before—holed up in her room, bored. During one of those days, she learned that Gustavus, another meeting participant, was close by. Seyoh visited her room to tell her. “What do you mean by that?” asked Yuui. “He’s at Estosha Chapel,” he replied. “What will you do? Are you going to meet him?” “What do you think, Seyoh?” “Would my opinion have an impact on your decision?” he asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise. “I will neither force you to go nor stop you from attending. I have tried to maintain the same stance ever since I invited you here.” “What about you, Nova? Do you think it is much of a risk?” “The Chapel is right across the street, and many people are, gathered there. I think, there is no danger of attack,” she replied flatly. “Would you like me to accompany you?” asked Seyoh. Yuui declined and went with Nova alone. The early-winter sunset was approaching. The sun dipped down, slowly changing the color of the sky. Unlike usual, however, an atmosphere of excitement was wafting through the street. Large groups of people seemed hard at work around where the Chapel was located. As they entered the grounds, Yuui and Nova came across a group of people wearing clerical vestments. There was a pile of what looked like construction materials on one section of the ground, which the workers were carrying around. Several of them were building something. They seemed to be engaged in some sort of construction work or preparation. One of the people who happened to be near Yuui and Nova noticed them and drew closer. He was a boy with freckled cheeks. When Yuui told him they’d come to see Gustavus, he ran into the Chapel. Not long after that, another person in clerical garb emerged from inside the building. He was a middle-aged man. His hair was thinning slightly, and he wore a warm smile on his face. “You must be Miss Minaha, correct?” He spread his arms out as he walked toward them. He sounded just like the Gustavus she’d heard in the meetings. “I didn’t expect we’d meet in a place like this, though.” “I was passing through and thought I would drop by to say hello,” said Yuui, bowing. “It’s cold out here. I wish I could invite you inside, but the Chapel is in the middle of preparations right now… My apologies.” “That is all right—here is fine. I don’t plan on taking too much of your time.” The three of them moved to a section of the Chapel grounds. Nova stood a slight distance away, scanning the area. “Now… I’m glad you’ve come. I’ve been hoping to have an opportunity to speak with you like this,” said Gustavus as he rubbed his hands together. “I have as well,” said Yuui. “Ah, you’ve met other participants besides me, haven’t you? I mean, outside of the meetings, of course.” “I spoke with Mellay.” “Mellay… I see.” He grimaced momentarily. “Though, yes, that isn’t surprising. She is the most prominent participant in the debates. Speaking with her first would be the right way to do things.” Yuui was aware that Gustavus was the only person who directly opposed Mellay in the meetings. She couldn’t help but notice that he always spoke without hesitation toward her, despite their slight difference in age. Whenever Seyoh brought up an issue, Mellay and Gustavus would plead their cases, while the other participants expressed support for one side or the other. That was the normal flow of the debates. Mellay would often point out inconsistencies in Gustavus’s positions, which meant she would come out on top, but that didn’t change the fact that the pair comprised the core of the meetings. That was why Gustavus had been one of the participants Yuui was most eager to speak with, along with Mellay. “What is everyone doing right now?” she asked. “Hmm? Oh, preparing for the festival,” said Gustavus. “A festival around this time… That would be Heaven’s Worship, yes?” “Indeed. The current plan is to hold the festival on the same day as the next meeting. I would love for you to attend as well, Minaha.” “Ah… I will consider it.” “Oh, don’t be so strict. It’s not like other festivals—there’s no alcohol or food going around. It’s a small event that doesn’t need any fancy equipment or special rituals. All you need to do is go outside and gaze quietly up at the sky. That actually means the work we’re doing now isn’t strictly necessary. There are just a few odd jobs we need to take care of, since so many people will be coming to the Chapel.” “Gustavus, is this city your home?” “It is for now. I’m close with the priest of Estosha. He sometimes calls me over and makes me do things like this.” “But I thought the priest of Estosha was Old Order? And the New Order dislikes these sorts of festivals and events, and normally it should be the monks who come to assist, yes?” The monastery was an Old Order institution, which would be eliminated when the New Order took power. That was because one of their core beliefs was that the average citizen could accomplish in their daily lives what the monks were doing at the monastery. When Yuui spoke, Gustavus suddenly laughed. “That sounds like something Mellay or Seyoh would say. I see, so you’re that kind of person as well, Miss Minaha.” “That kind of person?” asked Yuui, her head tilted. “An academic type. A clerical person like me can’t think like that.” Yuui suddenly looked around and saw that the monks who were working were glancing their way. They seemed interested in her, this mysterious figure who’d suddenly appeared to engage in a lively discussion with Gustavus. It wasn’t surprising, considering her face and general form were concealed. They probably hadn’t realized she wasn’t even an adult, and they definitely hadn’t clued in to the fact she was an easterner. Gustavus held up an open hand toward them and smiled. “I have been a member of the clergy in cities for a very long time now. I only have what I know. Instead of staying in one area, I went to all sorts of different places whenever I was told to. I’ve met many priests and the people who listen to them. And what I’ve come to understand is that theory is not compatible with practice. The academic type may tout their theory, but the clerical type follows practice,” he said, explaining what he meant by clerical. “Of course, theory is still important, in both doctrine and theology. But it is convincing only to a handful of people, namely the clergy and theologians like us. This in no way means that the average person is a fool. Rather, it means that even if most people understand theory, they require a massive amount of knowledge to find it convincing. They don’t have the time to learn all that. Do you get what I’m saying?” “I think I do…,” said Yuui vaguely with a nod. “Let me give you an example. Something we’re often asked is, ‘Why doesn’t God fix the world’s misfortunes and absurdities? Why are honest and good people so mistreated while evil people are so prevalent?’ So then, Minaha, how would you answer these questions?” “I would say that humans are incapable of understanding God,” responded Yuui immediately. “That’s theory,” said Gustavus, his breath turning white. “Humans, whose knowledge is limited, couldn’t possibly understand the will of our omniscient Lord. The fact that we ask ‘why’ is in itself proof that we don’t understand God. And that answer would satisfy Mellay or Seyoh. It’s the correct answer from a purely theological standpoint.” “I see… Ordinary citizens certainly wouldn’t accept the response I just gave.” “It’s a given. The people want an explanation, not theory. They’ll assume that if they can’t understand God, they don’t have to follow the teachings. But that’s a problem for the priests who are meant to teach and guide them. And that’s why people try to come up with some sort of explanation. Such as, ‘Take joy in your poverty. The richer you are, the closer you are to corruption, and the more you will be tested.’ Theoretically, that’s incorrect. But we give that answer because it’s necessary in practice.” Gustavus’s stance in the meetings finally made sense to Yuui. What Seyoh and Mellay were after was a purely theological argument. They were focused entirely on the scriptures, so their field of view was rather narrow. That was precisely what allowed them to make clear assertions about their stances, which in turn allowed them to easily gather support from the other participants. Gustavus, on the other hand, was approaching the debate from a wider vantage point. This inevitably made his arguments vaguer and created contradictions. Even if his position matched the real-life application of Marayism, it was disadvantageous in a debate setting. “I can’t go saying this too loudly,” said Gustavus as he lowered his voice, “but I’m not that optimistic about the New Order’s current policy. Obviously, I agree that we need to pull together clear doctrine, but it will absolutely diverge and become distorted once the revolution comes. It’s easy for the New Order to say they’ll abolish the monasteries tomorrow once they gain power. But what about the monks who actually live there here and now? The fact is, even if you’ve got your perfect armchair-theory revolution, it won’t be that simple to actually execute it. I am well aware of that.” He brought his hand to his mouth and gave a wry grin as he said, “Listen to me now. That’s enough to make me sound like I’m the one who sent that threat letter.” “What do you think about that, Gustavus?” “Ah…” Some pickets were being put up on the Chapel grounds. Four or five men got in a group, counted to three together, and placed them into the earth. Yuui guessed it was probably a bonfire. Heaven’s Worship was held at night. It would be dangerous to have crowds of people gathering in the dark. The men smiled at one another. Their project had gone well. A few of them looked up at the sky. Yuui followed their gazes, but at some point, gray clouds had filled the sky, concealing even the sun. “I think the threat is meaningless, regardless of whether it is part of a real plot or if it is just a prank. From a theoretical standpoint, at least,” said Gustavus gravely. “But this is reality. In the real world, meaning is found only within the individual. We shouldn’t take the letter lightly. Since these meetings are being kept under wraps, there’s a high chance it came from someone on the inside. You suspect as much, don’t you?” “Ah, well, I…” Yuui fumbled for her words. “It’s fine. It’s just, this sort of situation makes me feel like speaking my mind. I’m sure Mellay is the same.” After that, they made some small talk. Though she hadn’t asked Gustavus about this in detail, Yuui was certain that he would oppose Mellay at the next meeting. Though having wandmakers become members of the clergy might not have been inconsistent with the scriptures, it was infeasible in practice. He wasn’t the sort of person to let that slip by. Gustavus walked Yuui out of the chapel grounds. Just as they were saying good-bye, she happened to remember something and asked, “Gustavus, have you heard of the Specter of Estosha?” “Hmm? Did Mellay tell you about that?” He explained the ghost stories to Yuui. His account was largely the same as what Mellay had told her, albeit more detailed. When Yuui asked Gustavus how he knew so much about the tales, he told her there was a book that recorded testimonies of the people who claimed to have heard the ghost’s sounds. “That is incredible… Where can I find this book?” asked Yuui out of sheer curiosity. “Seyoh has it right now,” said Gustavus with a nod. “It’s not particularly interesting from a narrative perspective, but it’s fine reading for staving off the winter boredom.” “Yet it seems somewhat strange that these ghost stories would spread across the entire town…,” she said, bringing a hand to her cheek. “Almost as if there are people who truly believe them.” “Ah, well…,” said Gustavus, a strange expression on his face for some reason. “What is it?” “No, it’s just, the ghost stories of this town aren’t completely ungrounded in reality. They’re just tricky for followers of Marayism to talk about. People avoid telling them aloud, so a lot of people have forgotten them…” He looked side to side, checking they were the only ones there. Then he whispered, “Dragon.” “Huh?” “Once, a dragon appeared near Estosha and created life with its magic. That is the specter. That’s the legend from way back when.” “About how long ago was that…?” “It’s just a tale.” Yuui wanted to ask for more details, but Gustavus said he’d see her at the next meeting and cut off the conversation. “You’d better go home soon. With these clouds, it looks like we might have a blizzard,” said Gustavus as he pointed to the sky. As Yuui stared at Gustavus and the clouds moving quickly across the firmament, she suddenly remembered people talking about how the sky was always clear on the night of Heaven’s Worship. 6 The clouds had looked menacing since the night before, but Ix and Shuno paid them no mind as they walked to the monastery. But the snow and wind grew stronger in the afternoon, turning into a violent blizzard before they knew it. Earlier in the day, they’d stepped out to check the weather, and it still seemed fine, but when next they went outside, everything was coated in white. Ix stared out the window as he swept up the wood fragments on the floor. He thought about how it was white both inside and out. Life here was pure white. Nothing of note ever happened. He woke up at the same time every day, did the same work, ate the same food. There was no color. Like a canvas painted with white. In reality, three weeks had passed since he and Shuno had begun making the staffs. Ix hadn’t even noticed it until he counted the days. Each had gone by so fast. The job was going well. In fact, it was going significantly faster than normal, probably on account of the environment. It had been a while since he’d carved wood, but it was as pleasant as ever. Both Ix and Shuno had already become a part of this small world. They came at the same time every day and continued their work in the same room. Even problems and their solutions were worked into their daily existence. “You two are practically one of us,” said Beter once. “What do you mean by that?” asked Shuno in response. “I just thought you seemed like monks. I can tell that both you and Ix are really devoted to your work. The only difference is that you don’t live in the monastery.” “You think so?” asked Shuno as they tilted their head. “I’ve never studied Marayism, though.” “That isn’t a joke. I’m mostly serious,” he said, dropping his voice low. “Ix, Shuno, I can make some introductions for you at a monastery if you’d like.” “Why are you bringing this up all of sudden?” asked Ix in surprise. “When someone isn’t suited to life in the monastery, they’re completely mismatched. I’ve seen so many cases when someone comes in and leaves a few days later, or even that very same day. But then there are people who grow accustomed to this life. Even if they have to leave for some reason, they always come back. I can kind of see that personality in you two… Sorry if I’m too much of a busybody.” The conversation ended there, but as Ix thought back to what Beter had said a number of times since, it struck him that his client Yuui had also said something similar to him. She’d told him craftsmen were like devout believers. Now Ix was starting to think she might have been right. His lifestyle aligned with the monks’. Or perhaps it was better to say they led his ideal lifestyle. But there was one critical difference. The monks worked to please God—that was everything for them. But what about him? For what purpose did he make wands? It was a question that had plagued Ix ever since that day. That day, that evening. Ever since Shuno had revealed they wanted to craft a wand you could fly with. They were already thinking through the theory needed to make it and would surely accomplish it someday. Or at least they had said as much, their expression full of excitement as they did. Ix had thought up a concept for that type of wand but immediately gave up on it. Considering this hadn’t made him feel like Shuno was a genius. Instead, it forced Ix to realize that he’d been arrogant for believing he was on Shuno’s level. They were a craftsperson in an entirely different league. So then, what should he do? Long ago, his teacher, Munzil, had said that Ix had a talent for making catalysts. He said that because he had lost magic, he could step outside of a wand. But Ix knew that he hadn’t gained any ability in exchange for his magic. He could never forge the ultimate wand, or a wand that soared through the sky. Was he just going to keep cranking out wands to make a living? His whole life? Without any goal? And that led to… White. If that was what his life was going to be, then maybe there would be some point in going into a monastery, reading the scriptures he was so unfamiliar with, and making catalysts for God. That was where Ix’s mind was going. As Ix stared outside and mindlessly went about his work, Beter came into the workroom. “We’ve readied your lodgings,” he said. “Thank you,” said Shuno as they turned around to face Beter, a broom in their hands just like Ix. “Sorry, we would’ve gone back to our hotel if the blizzard had let up just a bit.” “No, you wouldn’t have to go to that trouble…” While they did have the no-women rule in the monastery, that wouldn’t change the weather. That noon, the two apprentices had been informed they would be allowed to stay in the monastery for the night. “Oh, by the way, listen to this,” said Beter, his expression quickly changing to the innocent smile of a young boy. “I went to Estosha Chapel yesterday.” “Oh, that’s good,” said Shuno with a smile. “You’ve been saying for a while you wanted to go. Were you running errands?” “Yep, I went to help with preparations for Heaven’s Worship. It really had nothing to do with me; the abbot just happened to ask me to take care of it… But it was incredible,” said Beter, his eyes closed, overcome with emotion. “You’ve seen it before, right, Ix?” “I only really saw the bell tower from the outside,” he replied. “The facade is incredible, but the interior is marvelous. I’d been meaning to take a look ever since coming to Estosha.” That’s right. While Ix had thought nothing in their lives had changed here, there was one thing that had: their relationship with Beter. In the beginning, the pair had talked to him only when necessary or explained things about staffs when he asked. But at some point, their relationship developed to the point where they would just chat without pretext. They’d gotten into a routine of talking like this once they finished working. There weren’t many people as young as him in the monastery, which was probably why he’d taken a liking to them. “But yeah, I was in charge of stuff outside the Chapel but just happened to get a chance to go inside. I got a whole lifetime’s worth of looking at it,” he continued, seeming quite fulfilled. “But I didn’t find the underground room. Guess a story’s just a story.” “Story? Is there something in the Chapel?” asked Ix. “Oh, you don’t know?” Beter scrunched his eyebrows in surprise. “Huh… I guess that makes sense, actually. It’s not something you tell outsiders. Though it does sort of have something to do with wands.” “Well, now I’m interested,” said Shuno as they listened. They leaned their broom against the wall and took a seat. “Tell us, Beter. Is there an underground chamber there?” “Uh, well, I guess it should be fine to tell you two. It’s not that big a deal anyway,” he said with an uneasy grin. “One of the older monks told me this… Apparently, when the Estosha Chapel was being constructed, the lord of the city at the time summoned a particular wandmaker and told him, ‘I want you to make the ultimate wand to fortify the protection of the monastery.’ Relations with the neighboring country weren’t good at the time, and it seemed that they might be engulfed in war at any moment.” “Huh? That’s—” murmured Shuno. “Let Beter finish first,” urged Ix. “The craftsman refused initially, so they imprisoned him for a fabricated crime. They shut him into an underground room under where the monastery is—though it hadn’t been built at the time—and forced him to make the wand.” “Urgh, this isn’t a happy story.” Shuno grimaced. “So did the craftsman finish it? Or was he executed or something?” “That’s the interesting part,” said Beter, his fists clenched in excitement. “When they opened the door to the underground chamber again, all they saw was a single wand.” “All they saw… So then, the craftsman…?” Shuno cocked their head. “Obviously, there was a divine miracle. He hadn’t failed in his trials—he was allowed to slip away for crafting a wonderful wand.” Beter’s cheeks flushed as he continued. “When the lord saw God’s power, he started shaking and ordered the entrance to the room sealed. But that didn’t stop him from fearing for his life. Apparently, he died young.” Beter wrapped up the story, saying that was the gist of it. Ix and Shuno were silent for a moment. They glanced at each other and shrugged over who would be the first to speak. “So, Beter…,” said Shuno, “what you just told us, isn’t that the legend of Rednoff?” “Rednoff…?” asked Beter in confusion. “Uh, sorry, I can’t say for certain, but wasn’t he a famous wandmaker?” “You could say that…” Ix and Shuno looked at each other. While Rednoff was a person whose name didn’t need repeating to a wandmaker, it seemed he wasn’t a household name to people outside the field. In Beter’s defense, it wasn’t like Ix knew any of the names of the Marayist saints. Nevertheless… There were too many commonalities between the legend of Rednoff and this tale. The mention of “the ultimate wand” and the fact that this wandmaker went missing at the end were a perfect match. “But anyway, I never did find the underground room. A story’s just a story, right?” said Beter as he brought a hand to his head and finished the conversation. “Why is that story a secret?” asked Ix. “If a miracle did occur, you’d think trying to spread the word about it would be a good thing.” “Well… It’s because the Chapel is a symbol of the Estosha. It would get a bad reputation if people heard it was built on that sort of sacrifice. Which is why I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone about it.” Just then, someone called Beter’s name from down the hall. He responded, then bowed to Ix and Shuno. “That’s right, there’s actually a different ending to the story I just told,” said Beter, glancing up and placing his hand on the door. “What’s that ending?” asked Shuno. “In the alternate version, the craftsman isn’t saved in the end. He dies in that underground room. But afterward, he comes back to life as a spirit in order to exact his revenge. The lord seals the chamber so his ghost can’t get out.” “Huh. Is that story a secret, too?” “Not quite a secret… But it’s probably just a tale that some monk made up a long time ago. It’s mostly used to scare new monks. You know, like what happened in the cafeteria before.” “Ah…” It wasn’t an urban legend so much as a story shared in this sole location. Even if it caused an uproar, it would be out of more amusement than fear. The monks were surprisingly mundane in some respects. Beter said his good-byes and left the room. Once Ix and Shuno finished cleaning, Coaku got up from where he’d been sitting in front of the fire. “That was an interesting story,” he said before leaving. The two of them were shocked; they’d completely forgotten the old man was there. Ix hadn’t seen Riess since the day of the ghost uproar in the cafeteria. Perhaps she had things to do in the city, or maybe she just found the monastery boring. Neither Coaku nor Shuno seemed to mind, and Ix decided it would be odd to go out of his way to ask about her, so he still didn’t know why she wasn’t here. “Maybe we should go back to our rooms, too,” suggested Shuno with a huge yawn. “And we won’t be able to talk tonight. The rooms are too small, and the monks will probably get angry at us if we do.” “Yeah, seems that way,” said Ix. “But we should be able to get plenty of shut-eye. There won’t be any drunks around, unlike at the hotel… What’ll we do if there’s someone who snores really loudly, though?” said Shuno while flashing a grin. Ix didn’t say anything, only shrugged. He was already used to these kinds of crude conversations. Though he did agree that they would be able to sleep soundly in the monastery. But that night, something happened. It was deep in the middle of the night. Ix was asleep. Initially, he’d been very cold in the frigid air, despite cocooning himself in his blankets. Eventually, however, his body heat began to warm the bed, and he even got used to the sound of the blizzard. He slipped quickly into sleep when he closed his eyes. Suddenly, Ix felt someone shake him. He half opened his eyes. “I-I-Ix… W-wake up…,” came a voice. Something hot tapped his nose, and he reflexively leaned back. He cast his eyes toward the entrance and saw that the door was open. That’s right, he remembered. He wasn’t in his usual hotel lodgings. The monastery bedrooms didn’t have locks. “All right, I’m awake; let go of me for a sec,” mumbled Ix quickly. He brought a hand to his nose and found a drop of water on it. “A-ah, sorry,” Shuno said, immediately drawing back. The two apprentices sat on the bed side by side, Ix with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. They only had a single candle for light, but for as dark as it was, Ix’s eyes had adjusted, so he could see well. Shuno had calmed down and was no longer weeping. “No, I wasn’t crying,” they denied, crossing their arms. “Come on, Ix—I know you’ve just woken up, but there’s no way I’d be crying.” “What happened, then?” “Oh man, so the thing is, it was…” Shuno cleared their throat in an overexaggerated fashion and continued. “I saw a gh-gh-ghost. I thought I should let you know.” “……” “What? Why are you staring at me like that?” “…You had a bad dream.” “It wasn’t a nightmare! There really was someone there!” “Then it was just a person, not a ghost.” “What? Uh, well… No, no. Come on! Just listen to me before you say anything.” Ix nodded reluctantly and Shuno began their story. They’d woken up just a few minutes ago. They were thirsty, so they went down to the cafeteria to get a drink. With nothing but a candlestick in hand to rely on in the pitch black, they made their way into the cafeteria. That was when they heard a sound in the kitchen. It wasn’t the sort of noise a mouse or the wind made—it was clearly the sound of footsteps. Wondering if someone else was up, Shuno went into the kitchen to take a look and found… “No one was there. There aren’t many things you can hide behind in the kitchen, so I know they weren’t out of sight. But I still heard the noise. It was even closer.” Shuno wrapped their arms around their body. “So that means…” “The kitchen? That’s the same place as the commotion from before?” “Yeah! Exactly! You remember, right?” Shuno pointed at Ix. “But it was just a noise. It’s not something to cry over.” “I tooold you, I wasn’t crying. Are you actually listening to me?” Shuno got up a bit to readjust their seat on the bed. “So then, I tried calling out, ‘Is anyone there?’ And what do you think happened then?” “No clue.” “It stopped! The sound went away! I didn’t just mishear something; there really was something in the kitchen.” “Still…” Ix looked doubtful. If what Shuno said was true, it wasn’t a ghost they should suspect but a robber. Except he was hesitant to inform the abbot about it, considering it was only just some noise in the night. The fact that Shuno hadn’t seen anyone just made the story all the weirder. As Ix thought this over, they glanced at him and said, “Anyway. It doesn’t matter if it’s scary or not, you at least get how it’s strange, yeah? That’s why you should come with me back to the kitchen.” “…Why do you have to go back there?” asked Ix with a frown. “To see what’s going on!” said Shuno, spreading their arms and looking slightly irritated. “I was so shocked, I dropped my candle and left it behind when I came running back!” 7 There was no one else walking around the monastery at night. It was even quieter than at noon. This was in total contrast with the blizzard raging outside. Ix held his candle out as he and Shuno walked down the hall. They couldn’t even be certain where they were placing their feet in this kind of darkness. They arrived at the cafeteria with no real issue, other than the danger of descending the stairs. “I don’t…hear anything,” whispered Shuno from behind Ix. Ever since they’d entered the cafeteria, Shuno had been practically glued to Ix’s back, so he was having difficulty walking. “It doesn’t matter if there’s some noise, so long as it doesn’t directly hurt us,” said Ix with a snort. “I-is that the problem?” Ix entered the kitchen as Shuno directed. They really couldn’t hear anything. Ix bent over to bring his candle closer to the ground and quickly found the candleholder Shuno had dropped. The flame must have gone out when it fell to the floor. He saw where the candle itself had rolled a short distance from that. “Here it is. Can you get off me now?” Ix said as he passed the candleholder over to Shuno. “O-oh, th-thanks…,” they said awkwardly. Just as Ix bent down to pick up the candle, he stopped moving his hand. “Hmm…?” “Wh-what?! Don’t scare me like that!” cried Shuno, their voice wavering. “It’s nothing…,” said Ix as he illuminated the ground beneath the candle. “There’s an underground room here. It’s probably just a cellar for food storage, though.” A section of the floor was differently colored than the rest. There was a narrow crack around this section in the shape of a square. It had to be a door. “Huh, you’re right,” said Shuno as they peered over. “…An underground chamber? Is it big enough for someone to crawl into…?” “I doubt it’s very large. Maybe it’s just a little storage space or something,” mused Ix as he picked up the candle. “R-right… Oh, light my candle, will you?” Ix did as he was asked and lit Shuno’s candle. Though they now had the light of two candles, the room didn’t seem that much brighter. The kitchen was as dark as ever. Since they’d gotten what they came for, Ix thought they should head back straightaway, but Shuno wasn’t budging for some reason. Instead, they were staring at the kitchen floor. “What’s wrong? Can I go on back without you?” asked Ix. “H-hey, Ix. Hold on a second. Can we look under here?” Shuno pointed at the floor Ix had seen earlier. “I mean, I know there’s probably nothing down there. But I just want to double-check to make sure there really isn’t anything…” “All right. Let’s check really quick,” said Ix with a sigh. The two of them lifted the conspicuous section of flooring. Though it had appeared to be a thick slab of stone, it was actually light enough that they could lift it instantly. They slid it to the side to reveal a square hole. The two fell into silence as they stared inside. “…I-it’s surprisingly deep,” noticed Shuno. “Yeah.” Pitch darkness blotted out the depths of the hole. Attached to the edge of the entrance was a wooden ladder, and they could tell it descended deep into the chamber. That meant the room was large enough for a person to enter. The two stared at each other for a few seconds. “O-okay, how about this?” said Shuno, holding up a finger. “I go first and check it out. If there aren’t any issues, I’ll call you down.” “You sure you’re okay with that?” “O-of course. Who do you think I am? In times like this, the more experienced person should go first, right?” “That’s not what I meant.” “Huh?” “What do we do if there is a problem down there?” “Oh… R-right, uh…” Shuno grimaced slightly. “O-okay, if you don’t hear my voice…first put the cover back on, then go and get help. How ’bout that?” “Right… Okay. Don’t slip.” “S-stop. I mean, not that it’s actually bothering me! All right, here I go. It’s not like this is going to turn out to be a big deal or anything, ha-ha-ha…” Shuno placed a foot on the ladder with an empty laugh. They descended dexterously, the candleholder still in hand. Ix watched them from above. “Urgh, it’s so cold down here, Ix…,” came Shuno’s quiet voice. “If it’s too much, just come back.” “Huh, what did you say? Speak up.” “……” “Oh, here’s the ground. Heeey, I made it to the bottom!” Shuno’s voice echoed up from the hole, but Ix could see only a faint orange glow from the candle amid the darkness. He could make out neither Shuno’s face nor anything around them. It didn’t seem as deep as they’d thought, though. You could probably jump down the entrance and land without injuring yourself. “Whoa, it’s bigger than I expected. But it does seem like it’s used for storage. I’m going to check it out a bit,” said Shuno. The light disappeared from Ix’s view for a moment. Shuno must have moved farther into the room. They came back quickly and called up, “No problems!” Ix descended the ladder just as Shuno had. In contrast to when he’d been staring down at the cellar from above, the darkness of the hole made it seem like the ladder went on forever. Ix got the impression he was descending into the belly of a massive creature. The underground chamber was larger than expected but still only about the size of one of the monastery bedrooms. All it contained were two rows of shelves packed full of preserved foods. Not even a ghost could hide in a room like this. “I bet they store this food for when there are blizzards, like now,” mused Shuno. “Hmm, I’m surprised how clean it is. There’s not even any dust on the ground. It’s pretty interesting. With how cold it is… I wonder if it was built to be like this or if it’s just because it’s winter? Or maybe both?” “Let’s get back soon. We look like thieves,” said Ix, standing right by the ladder. “Hmm? Thieves?” Shuno turned back toward him to ask what he meant but stopped moving the moment they turned to him. “Ix, your…” Shuno pointed at him. Ix followed his finger and also froze for a moment. The flame of the candle he was holding was flickering slightly. If they hadn’t come at night and if they hadn’t been together, they never would have noticed it. If you came down here during the day, you wouldn’t have to go to the trouble of bringing a light with you. The sunlight from above would be enough to see. And if you went in at night, but alone, you wouldn’t thoroughly inspect the flame in your own hands. But right now, the fire on Ix’s candle was flickering, even though he wasn’t moving a muscle. Where was the draft coming from? Ix carefully searched the area with his candle and concluded that air was blowing in from below. He brought his face close to the ground and indeed felt a slightly chilly breeze brush his cheek. The floor of this room was composed of wooden planks. Ix decided to test the strength of the boards by pulling on one where the breeze was strongest. It came up easily. “Uhhh… So what does this mean?” murmured Shuno. “I think we’ve got a winner,” said Ix, though he was still half stunned at this turn of events. Below the planks was a space large enough for a person to stand and walk around in. Ix peeked in and could tell it extended quite a distance for the exact same length in all directions. There was no way it was a naturally occurring cave. It was a deliberately constructed passage. A tunnel that connected the monastery to some other location. Ix jumped down and felt an even stronger draft. It was quite a large space. “H-hey, Ix?” Shuno placed their hands on the floor and looked down at him. “What’s wrong?” “‘What’s wrong?’ …Don’t just plunge in without saying anything first! You scared me…,” muttered Shuno as they jumped down, too. “What now? Are we exploring?” “Huh?” “I mean, you’re gonna poke around a bit, aren’t you? We did find this place, after all. Wasn’t that why you came down?” “No, I didn’t really have that in mind. Do you want to check it out, Shuno?” “Uh, well, I, uh… Yeah, yeah I do.” Shuno puffed out their chest. “I always wanted to do this kind of thing. Adventuring and whatever. It’s exciting, isn’t it? I doubt the monks even know about this place.” “I doubt it. We might get in trouble if they catch us. Maybe even get kicked out.” “It’s fine, it’s fine. We’ll just check it out a bit, then come back. It’s the middle of the night, so we’ve got nothing to worry about if we come back partway.” “But…” “What is it, Ix? Are you scared?” “I’m not scared.” “That means you agree with me, then! Let’s go! Ah, let’s close the hole in the ceiling there and just put a mark for us to remember. Blow out your candle, too. If my candle looks like it’s burning low, then I’ll light yours, and we’ll switch to that.” Shuno ended with that, leaving no room for argument, and Ix just went along. Though to be honest, he was genuinely curious himself. That’s why he’d jumped down before Shuno. As you might expect, what they’d heard from Beter was in the back of Ix’s mind, the tale of a room below the Chapel and the disappearance of Rednoff. Surely Shuno was thinking the same. But there was one concern that Ix hadn’t communicated to the other apprentice: Why was this underground space clean? Obviously, the hardworking monks must have tidied the cellar every day, but did they really venture down to this incredibly inconvenient place? It was odd that there was no dust anywhere. It would be a different story, however, if someone had been coming and going through here recently. If someone lifted that floorboard, only a portion of the dust would fall into the hole. The rest would spread around the area. They must have cleaned it to avoid being discovered… That’s what Ix imagined anyway, but he shook his head and decided he was overthinking things. Shuno had walked on ahead but had stopped to wave at him. “Heeey, Ix. What’s up? You can hide behind me if you’re scared. I am your senior, after all.” Ix quickly caught up with them instead of answering. It wasn’t because he was afraid; if he got separated, he wouldn’t have any light.
Chapter 37
37 min read