Chapter 10 #6
Maxi’s expectant hope sputtered out. Could such a thing really work? She narrowed her eyes at the mage. “W-Where would you s-suggest?”
“Well, I admit that there isn’t a significant difference between places, but the concentration of mana is greater in areas abundant with natural matter—plants, wind, soil, and water.”
Maxi looked out the rattling window. Beyond the glass and its mahogany frame, the winter sky loomed bleak and gray. The sight alone was enough to make her shiver.
“Y-You expect me t-to go outside i-in this c-cold?”
“You won’t freeze to death in just a few minutes. Think of it as a short stroll through the gardens. You’ve been cooped up in the castle far too long anyway.”
“Y-You are the l-last person wh-who should accuse m-me of that.”
Ruth was the only person who spent more time in the library than she did.
At least Maxi did her rounds of the castle once a day to oversee the servants, but the sorcerer never set foot outside the library.
Indeed, he hardly ever moved from the spot he was in now.
He probably took fewer than twenty steps a day.
Maxi stared at his scrawny limbs pointedly.
Ruth scowled and crossed his arms. “I couldn’t leave the library even if I wanted to.
I’m responsible for investigating the monster migrations and designing runes for a monster detection device Sir Riftan wants installed on the ramparts.
If only I could split myself in two, I could complete the work twice as fast! ”
“Y-You’re w-working on another m-magical device?”
“Indeed. Monsters took advantage of the heavy fog to sneak over our walls in the dead of night. To ensure that never happens again, these detection devices will be installed in locations where monsters frequently appear. It’s still in the planning stages, but I’m making good progress.
” Ruth rubbed the back of his neck and yawned loudly.
Maxi suddenly noticed the dark shadows under his eyes and could not help feeling a little guilty. In her haste to learn magic, she had failed to notice Ruth’s fatigue.
“W-Would you like help?” she asked. “I could assist you in o-organizing the e-equations.”
“That would be wonderful, but I must refuse,” Ruth said and sighed. “Sir Riftan glares daggers at me every time our paths cross, and that’s simply for teaching you magic without his permission. I shudder to think what he’d do if he discovered I was making you work as my assistant.”
Was it obvious to others in the castle that Riftan was opposed to her learning magic? The thought made Maxi anxious again and, feeling despondent, she cast her eyes down.
“It is kind of you to offer, my lady,” Ruth continued in a lighter tone. “But I’d rather you focus on your studies for the time being. That would be of greater help to me.”
“I-I understand.” Maxi closed her book and stood up.
Ludis had been quietly sewing a short distance away, but when she saw Maxi preparing to leave, she promptly gathered her things as well. When Maxi reached the door, she turned to look back at Ruth.
“Th-Then I shall leave you t-to your work.”
Ruth waved half-heartedly. “Thank you. Please enjoy the fresh air for both of us.”
“I-I’m only g-going to collect mana,” Maxi grumbled.
As she stepped out of the library, Ludis hastily followed and draped a cloak over her shoulders.
“Th-Thank you,” Maxi said.
“Would you like to stop by your room for a warmer cloak?”
“N-No, th-this will do. C-Could you bring this b-book to my room?”
“Allow me to carry it for you, my lady. I cannot leave you unattended.”
“Th-That won’t be n-necessary. I-I’m only going f-for a walk.”
“But…”
“A-And I find that I can c-concentrate better w-when I am a-alone.”
Seeing that Maxi had made up her mind, Ludis dutifully took the book and bowed.
Alone, Maxi made her way down the corridor, headed for the gardens.
The shutters had been opened for the first time in days, airing the castle and allowing the bright sunlight to flood in.
With the shutters open, it was colder than usual, so Maxi turned toward the kitchen, planning to warm herself by the fire before going outside.
She walked briskly, pulling the cloak closer to her body.
When she arrived at the kitchen, however, all desire to rest there evaporated. More servants bustled about than usual—preparing ingredients, lighting fires, and moving buckets of water here and there. Maxi hovered by the door, observing them.
“Fools!” shouted the cook. “Are you trying to burn the bread? Take the loaves out of the oven at once!”
“Sorry!”
Two young lads grabbed a wooden spatula and removed pumpkin-sized loaves of bread from the oven.
Their faces had gone red from the cook’s scolding.
While the youths were busy stacking the loaves onto a clean wooden board, eight maidservants stuffed crescent-shaped pies with minced onion, diced sausage, and spices.
Five cauldrons simmered inside the fireplaces along the kitchen walls, and the place rang with the chatter of the servants as they grilled meat, mashed turnips, and boiled potatoes and eggs.
The kitchen was always busy near mealtimes, but this was excessive. Curious, Maxi approached the cook.
“D-Did his lordship r-request something that I-I’m unaware of?”
“My lady!” The cook bowed hastily. “Please forgive me for not noticing your presence.”
Maxi waved her hand dismissively. “It’s all right. I-It just seems th-the kitchen is b-busier than usual.”
“Yes. His lordship has informed us that he will be holding cavalry training today, so he has asked us to prepare extra food.”
“C-Cavalry training?”
“When the knights have mock battles on horseback at the training grounds,” the cook said.
“It’s quite a spectacular sight.” Realizing he had forgotten about the oil pot, he gave a cry and rushed to remove the crisply fried pies.
After sprinkling cinnamon powder and pouring syrup over them, he gave Maxi an apologetic look.
“My apologies, my lady. The pies burn quickly.”
“No, it’s m-my fault for disturbing you. Please c-carry on.”
“Did you need something, my lady?”
“N-No, I was just p-passing through.”
Not wanting to disrupt their work, Maxi left the kitchen through the back door. Outside, laborers cut firewood and loaded bundles onto a cart in the open courtyard. When they saw Maxi, they removed their hats in greeting. Maxi nodded to the men before heading down the path to the gardens.
Within a short distance, everything grew calm.
Maxi threw her head back and took a deep breath.
Pale winter sunlight shivered through barren tree branches like charred bones.
The wind was biting, but it was a rare sunny day.
After several weeks inside the stale, dimly lit library where it smelled of burning wood, Maxi found the crisp winter air invigorating.
I was reluctant to come out, but now I’m glad I did.
Maxi was so busy poring over her books that she had even neglected her riding practice with Rem.
As she slowly made her way to the back garden, she noticed how strangely quiet it was.
This was the time of day when the squires could usually be heard drilling their marching cadence, but Maxi did not hear a sound.
They must also be at cavalry training, which meant that she would be able to train in peace.
Would she make progress this time? Maxi could not help but worry as she settled down in a sunny spot and pulled the magic stone from her pocket. The surface looked almost transparent under the bright sun. Turning the stone over in her hand a few times, Maxi gripped it tightly and closed her eyes.
She focused on the stone in her hand, waiting for the surface of the stone to heat up. Just as she feared, nothing happened. After making several more unsuccessful attempts, she looked up at the sky and sighed.
Perhaps I don’t have the talent after all….
Maybe Ruth was mistaken about her potential to become a mage.
Frustrated, Maxi kicked at the dirt. The long hours she had spent reading those incomprehensible books had come to naught.
She despaired of her ineptitude—it was foolish to have dreamed she could ever become a mage—and raised her hand to hurl the stone to the ground.
At the last moment, she stopped herself, instead crouching down, crestfallen.
In the distance, she could hear the sounds of the blacksmiths hammering their anvils and the lumberjacks chopping firewood. Maxi buried her face in her knees, feeling utterly useless. She was the only stagnant being in the entire castle.
“What are you doing here all alone?” a voice asked sharply.
Startled, Maxi turned to find Riftan standing a few steps behind her. He was still armored and had likely just finished training. She wondered how he had crept up on her in full armor.
“Do you feel unwell?” Riftan asked, approaching her.
“N-No. I-I was just r-r…r-resting.” Flustered, Maxi hastily got up.
Riftan frowned. “When I went to the great hall, a servant told me that you had gone outside without an attendant. Where is Ludis?”
“I-I wanted to g-get some air.” The half-truth slipped from her mouth easily. She was almost certain that Riftan would be angry if she told him she was practicing magic.
“You may be inside the castle walls,” Riftan said, his face hard and his voice stern. “But that doesn’t mean you’re safe. What if something were to happen in this secluded place—”
He stopped as Maxi shrank away from him, then continued in a gentler tone. But his voice still held an edge of concern.
“There are hundreds of people in this castle, and some of them could have ill intentions. The lady of the castle shouldn’t be unattended.”
“I-I’m sorry…” Maxi had no argument; he was right.
Riftan’s expression softened at her apology. He swept her wind blown hair back from her face and took her arm. “I’m worried about you, that’s all.”