A Brief Encounter
Mother.
It was a magical word that set every nerve in my body alight and illuminated the world before my eyes.
Was there any other three-letter combination capable of sending such a chill down a person’s spine?
Someone had placed a familiar hand on Eline’s shoulder and called her “mother.”
This was the visitation hall.
So the only appropriate response was obvious.
“Hello!!!”
“Oh my.”
I bowed deeply in greeting. Alfred had once told me that a proper greeting to one’s elders was enough to create an excellent first impression.
“My name is Lutes Liperto, second son of the Liperto family from the westernmost territory!!”
My rather loud introduction echoed down the corridor as I kept my head rigidly lowered. It might have been over-the-top, but I figured it was better than the alternative.
After a brief silence, a soft chuckle reached my ears.
“I am Clenoa Payless. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lutes.”
Eline’s mother, Clenoa, had a voice that carried weight yet flowed with an elegant resonance that made the listener feel it in their bones. It was unexpected. Given the image of the Payless family and Eline herself, I had assumed she would be incredibly strict or cold. Instead, she was gentle.
“Not at all!! The pleasure is mine!!!”
“Hehe, you really are well-mannered.”
Clenoa smiled warmly and rested her hands on both of Eline’s shoulders.
“I was just speaking with Eline about you today. Seeing you in person makes me so happy. Has our daughter been behaving herself?”
“Mother.”
“Not at all!! She’s been incredibly good to me!!”
My earnest reply must have pleased her, because Clenoa simply smiled with maternal affection and gently stroked Eline’s hair.
“Thank you for saying so. There are so many things I’d like to talk about… but it seems visitation time is already over. How disappointing.”
As if on cue, the academy staff rang the bell once more, the sound echoing from the end of the corridor to signal the end of visiting hours.
She gazed at me quietly, then brought her hands together neatly and offered a graceful bow.
“Please take good care of my daughter, Lutes.”
“Y-yes, ma’am!”
Every movement she made radiated noble grace. I could feel the weight of proper etiquette in every gesture, and all I could do was bow awkwardly in return.
“Eline, I’ll be going ahead. Since you’ve met Lutes, why don’t you two spend some time together?”
“No, let’s go together…”
“It’s all right, dear. Berna will be waiting once I step outside anyway, so there’s no need for you to come out. Understood?”
“…”
When Clenoa reached up to stroke Eline’s cheek, Eline closed her eyes and simply accepted the touch.
“Thank you for telling me everything today, Eline.”
Then she slowly turned her head and looked at me once more.
“I hope we can meet again soon, Lutes. I’ll try to arrange an opportunity.”
“Yes!! Please travel safely!”
Clenoa kept her mouth covered as she smiled, bowed one final time, and walked away.
Only after she had completely disappeared down the corridor did I feel something heavy inside me finally loosen. My heart began to beat again.
…
If a storm had passed through, this must be what it felt like.
Thank goodness…
I turned my head instinctively at the presence beside me and found Eline already standing right next to me. She really seemed to enjoy startling people.
“Eline, next time you come over, could you make a little noise?”
I had heard that nobles were taught to walk silently, but Eline’s footsteps were particularly undetectable.
“I always make noise.”
“…You do?”
Eline stepped back a short distance, then began walking toward me.
When she reached my side again, she looked at me with the same calm expression.
“Hear it?”
“…Yeah.”
I could hear her footsteps. Is that what a cat sounds like?
It was incredibly faint. You had to focus to notice it.
“Lutes.”
“Yeah…?”
“Your family came to visit too, right?”
Family… Alfred had been more than family. He was someone with whom I shared a far deeper bond.
“That’s right.”
“I should have gone to greet them.”
“It’s fine. I didn’t even mention it.”
After all, I had only found out last night, so there hadn’t been time to say anything.
I wondered what kind of reaction Alfred would have shown if I had introduced her.
“Hehe, young master, please don’t joke with me. Even at my age, I can still tell what’s what. How could someone like her possibly be with you…”
It would have been interesting to see. But…
I won’t get the chance now.
Alfred had left.
I had known that the moment of parting would come someday, but when it actually arrived, controlling my emotions wasn’t easy.
I had wanted to show him all the amazing magic I’d learned once I returned. Now I wouldn’t get to.
I steadied my wavering heart. The last thing I could do for him as he left for his well-earned rest was to bless his departure.
I hope you find peace.
If anything, I was grateful that he had come all this way to tell me in person.
“Lutes.”
When I came back to my senses, Eline had naturally taken my hand.
Her hand was warm and soft.
“Shall we go?”
“…Yeah.”
She stepped forward half a pace and began leading me. I followed slowly behind her as we left the visitation hall.
“Northbound carriages to the left, westbound to the right!”
As we descended into the courtyard, families who had finished their visits were boarding carriages to leave.
“Hehe, thank you.”
An elderly man in a neat coat was helped aboard one of the academy’s public carriages. Clenoa bowed politely to him.
“Not at all. I wish you a comfortable journey.”
After one last courteous farewell, the carriages began departing one by one to the sound of small horns, kicking up clouds of dust.
Clenoa took a step back, turned, and gazed at the academy.
The buildings looked similar to when she had graduated, though they were cleaner and more organized now.
…
Berna, her maid, approached cautiously and reported.
“The carriage is ready.”
“I see. Sorry for making you wait.”
“Not at all, my lady.”
A wave of nostalgia and faint longing washed over her, but those days were now a distant past.
Like an old photograph left in the corner of one’s heart, she had to be content simply cherishing the memory. When Clenoa boarded, the carriage rocked gently before quickly settling into a smooth, level ride.
After Berna finished speaking with the driver outside and climbed in to sit across from her, the carriage glided forward.
“How was the young miss?”
“She’s doing well, as always.”
Clenoa kept her eyes fixed on the receding academy.
“My lady.”
“What is it?”
“You look brighter than usual.”
Brighter.
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
Clenoa did not deny it.
Her daughter had always spoken of the academy in a detached tone, discussing only the Magic Tower and magic itself. The girl who never showed emotion, who only ever spoke of facts.
Today, for the first time, she had spoken of something else.
“Mother, I’ve found someone I like.”
Someone she liked.
“Is that so?”
Just hearing those words had lifted her heart.
“And? How are things between you two? Have you grown closer?”
“Yes. We’re lovers now.”
When Eline had said that with a faint smile, Clenoa couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with emotion.
Moreover, she had even met the boy Eline spoke of.
A bright, good-natured young man.
She remembered how Eline had paused mid-conversation, spotted his back, and run straight to him.
…
She had always felt nothing but guilt.
Her daughter, who had been controlled and suppressed in every way by her husband, Roggerd.
She had been frustrated with herself for only being able to offer words of comfort, and because of that guilt, she had hoped Eline would find her own path at the academy.
Never had she imagined her daughter would say she was dating someone.
“Berna, what does the schedule look like after we return?”
“Nothing urgent, though there is a banquet at the imperial palace in three days.”
“…The imperial palace.”
Although her husband Roggerd had stepped down from his position as court mage, his influence remained. The Payless family still maintained close ties with the imperial family.
I hear the Second Prince has taken a particular interest in magic lately.
Among the emperor’s children, he was the one unusually drawn to magic. It was likely his initiative behind this banquet as well.
“We’ll need to prepare as soon as we get back.”
Berna nodded and began jotting something down. Clenoa smiled with satisfaction.
Eline.
She turned to look out the window again.
My beloved daughter.
I hope you find your own path there.
With the sound of hooves, the carriage crested a ridge, and the academy buildings vanished from sight.
It was past lunchtime when visitation ended.
“Eline.”
“Yes?”
“If you hadn’t run into me today, what were you going to do?”
“I was going to study in the dormitory.”
“Wouldn’t that have been better?”
At some point Eline had taken my hand again and was practically dragging me along.
West. Toward the training grounds.
“No. Since we’ve met, let’s go, Lutes.”
“Wait, this is different. Eline, I really struggled yesterday. I almost died.”
“Did you die?”
“Well, no.”
“Then come along.”
She gripped my hand tighter and pulled me forward.
Nooooo…!!
It wasn’t as if she was overpowering me with raw strength, but somehow I couldn’t break free from her grasp.
What could I do? When Eline decided to drag me somewhere, how was I supposed to resist?
I resigned myself to fate and let her pull me helplessly along.
Guess I’ll owe Ross again today…
“Hello!”
A bright voice suddenly called out. When I turned, I saw a girl standing there carrying an armful of luggage.
Even though she was drenched in sweat with strands of hair plastered to her face, she beamed without hesitation.
“Lui?”
It was Lui. She had greeted us cheerfully, but then, perhaps thinking her voice had been too loud, she quickly covered her mouth with an apologetic expression.
“Ah, I’m sorry! Were you busy? I called out without thinking… Eline, um… hello?”
She waved cautiously, clearly wanting to greet us despite reading the room. Eline nodded in response.
“We weren’t busy. What brings you here?”
“Ah.”
Lui lifted her bundle of luggage.
“I was on my way back from training!”
Training, huh.
Probably preparing for the exams. They were coming up soon, after all.
I wonder how the Sacred Fire Festival preparations are going. It didn’t seem like the right time to ask, so I kept quiet.
“Are you two on your way to eat?”
“Yes! I’m meeting Ian. There’s a place called Ember Restaurant in the east. Do you know it?”
The name Ember Restaurant brought to mind the quiet restaurant at the eastern edge that Valrod had introduced me to.
The serene atmosphere and deep flavors had left quite an impression.
“Yes, I ate there once before. Their pasta was delicious.”
“Really? This is my first time going. I’m looking forward to it, hehe.”
“Lui.”
When Eline spoke softly, Lui, who had been smiling, flinched and looked at her.
“Ah, yes, Eline…? What is it?”
She looked exactly like a puppy shrinking back from something intimidating.
“When you cast magic, don’t put strain on your left shoulder.”
At the unexpected advice, Lui’s eyes widened.
“My left…?”
“Your left shoulder is shaking badly. Use both hands as much as possible. Keep the mana balanced.”
“Ah…”
Lui’s eyes grew even larger, as if she were receiving words from a sacred deity. Then she nodded vigorously.
“Yes, yes! Thank you, Eline! I’ll keep it in mind!”
Her smile was several times brighter than before. Eline simply squeezed my hand a little harder in response.
“We’ll be going ahead then.”
“Ah, yes! I shouldn’t keep you. Sorry!”
Lui bowed one last time, waved to Eline, and adjusted her luggage.
Only after she had disappeared behind the training grounds did Eline slowly turn her head.
“Lutes.”
“Yeah?”
“Are you and Lui close?”
Close…? Not really. More like acquaintances.
“No, we’re not close. We’ve only run into each other a couple of times.”
“I see.”
Eline nodded with her usual calm expression.
Crack.
She gripped my hand even tighter.
“…Eline?”
“Let’s go. Quickly.”
Perhaps because the conversation had wasted time, she quickened her pace. The mood seemed to have grown colder, too.
Must be my imagination?
Yeah. Just my imagination.
It was not my imagination.
Shhhk—
“Whoaah!”
Crunch!
A spear even sharper and clearer than yesterday’s tore into the training ground floor like it was shredding it apart.
“Don’t dodge, Lutes.”
Eline spoke calmly, but her voice had sunk even lower.
“Eline, wait a second!!”
I pleaded desperately.
Shhhk—
She answered by throwing another spear.
“Ow!”
Something was off.
Had I done something wrong to her mother?
No, that wasn’t it… Then why suddenly…
“Front.”
Bang—
I blocked the final fiercely flying spear with a barrier. The tremendous mana recoil made my muscles sting.
The vibration created by mana resonance shook me to the core. It was definitely not a pleasant feeling.
“Huuu…”
I collapsed into a sitting position and caught my breath. Eline casually brushed dust off her shoulder.
“Lutes, remember that sensation.”
Was she finally done?
“I remember it plenty. My memory is really—”
“Good.”
Eline took one step closer.
She spread both palms. A pale blue light flickered, and two spears formed at the same time.
Spears made of brilliantly shining mana.
Backlit by the light, her face fell into deeper shadow while her blue eyes glowed even brighter as they stared at me.
She was truly beautiful.
And truly terrifying.
“So now I’m going to throw two at once.”
“…”
Wait, two at the same time?
“Hold on, that’s—”
“Here I go.”
Don’t come over.
I’m sorry, I was wrong, why are you doing this?
Despite my desperate inner plea, the two spears were already slicing through the air, flying straight toward me.