The Time for Answers
When she received the answer, Aria had traveled to the Magic Tower along with Kassian and Rania using magic. The place they arrived at was the Tower Master's office.
Upon reaching the office, Rania looked around the interior with eyes full of quiet fascination.
Aria set down her staff and sank into the sofa with a soft thud.
A faint trace of fatigue lingered, but it wasn't severe enough to demand immediate rest. In any case, a short nap would restore her quickly enough. Aria waved a dismissive hand and gestured toward the sofas positioned nearby.
Rania and Kassian each took a seat on different sofas and regarded one another. It was an uncomfortable sight if one considered their father-daughter relationship, yet now was hardly the time to dwell on such matters.
Aria began, her gaze fixed on Rania. The woman nodded in understanding.
For Kassian to effectively keep the council in check, Rania needed to have no official ties to him. A high-ranking mage dispatched on long-term assignment from the Magic Tower to the academy seemed the perfect position.
Aria rested her chin on one hand as she spoke. The level of magic Rania had displayed both at the Dragon's Nest and during their journey to the Magic Tower was formidable enough to rival anyone contending for the position of Tower Master.
Of course, Rania's words carried the tone of someone keenly aware of the gap between herself and Aria.
Rania nodded.
Creating an identity for Rania under the name of the Magic Tower and its Master was hardly a challenging task.
In the days ahead, Rania would prove invaluable both in uncovering the identity of that corpse and in helping Kassian effectively restrain the council.
The information obtained from the Dragon's Nest required interpretation. That was why Aria planned to visit the Elven Haven while the interpretation was underway, gathering the necessary data and items in the process.
Knock, knock.
Just as the conversation between the three was drawing to a close, the sound of someone knocking on the office door reached them.
It was Claire, who had hurried over at Aria's summons.
Claire stepped into the office and briefly showed a surprised expression upon seeing Rania, but she quickly composed herself.
Aria glanced at Rania for a moment before continuing, as if something had just occurred to her.
Rania was the only one among them who had not yet seen the body. She nodded in agreement.
Having said that, Aria turned her head slightly to check the time. It was past ten at night.
…This is usually around the time he would be asleep.
Recalling the hour when Yohan typically slept, Aria turned back toward Claire.
Aria looked at Kassian.
Aria's words implicitly suggested the need to separate Serafina from Yohan for a short while in order to examine his state. Kassian nodded in understanding.
Kassian gestured generously for her to go ahead. Aria rose from her seat.
And that was how Serafina came to be briefly parted from Yohan's side.
Rustle. Aria gently brushed Yohan's hair aside.
In truth, the person who had first entered the bedroom wasn't Serafina, but Aria. Yohan had simply mistaken the faint weariness for something else.
[…….]
Of course, that misunderstanding was also due to Zeno choosing not to correct him. Had Zeno done so, Yohan would have noticed the oddity immediately.
Aria clicked her tongue in clear displeasure as she gazed at the sleeping Yohan.
At first, when he had taken her hand, she thought he had something to say. However—
The person Yohan had been trying to speak to was someone else entirely. During that moment, Aria had no choice but to freeze.
She couldn't understand why.
She had remained still for a long while, watching him, and only when Yohan lifted his head did her senses return.
I could have simply spoken normally.
In that instant, she had used a voice-altering spell. On top of that, she had even mimicked Serafina's manner of speech.
Aria murmured in a voice thick with confusion. In any case, she had already cast other spells to ensure her words wouldn't reach Yohan's ears. She unconsciously tilted her head.
Soon after, an expression of utter incomprehension crossed her face.
Indeed. Aria could not fathom the reason behind her own actions.
Whatever the reason might be, it wasn't important right now. There were other tasks at hand, so she needed to quickly examine Yohan's condition.
Aria placed her hand near Yohan's heart. It was the same gesture she used to check the state of his body.
She could sense that a very small amount of mana had been depleted. From the numbers, it appeared to have been consumed by the magic tool.
The day when his sight would return was not far off.
…Truly, it was not far at all.
Aria's voice carried a note of deep contemplation. The throat, ruined by poison. Once that was healed, all treatment would be complete.
Even after consistently using medicine and potions since arriving at the Magic Tower, there had been no sign of improvement in his throat. Of course, similar measures had been taken at the academy, so the result was only to be expected.
Aria gave a bitter smile. She had known they would have no effect. She had simply needed that final confirmation.
Even if it hadn't been for Yohan, she would have created one eventually.
Anyway.
Aria withdrew her hand from Yohan's body. The examination had been sufficient.
However.
Tap, tap. Aria lightly tapped Yohan's fingers.
She had identified the nature of the formula. Having pondered it intermittently even while at the Elven Haven, it was only natural that she would figure it out.
Aria looked at Yohan's face. The conclusion she reached was that something must have intervened.
It wasn't because she thought of him as a mere human. This was something even she could not do. It was a feat beyond even an elf like herself, who had lived for a very long time.
Without that, such a thing would have been impossible. Something had to have been involved.
…Tsk.
Aria clicked her tongue once more. She had no way of knowing when or from where that intervention had begun. Only Yohan himself would know the answer.
She couldn't understand it.
Aria let out a sigh and withdrew her hand.
With a mischievous expression, Aria straightened Yohan's hair and left the bedroom. There was a great deal of work to be done.
[Big trouble.]
Having heard every word from Aria, Zeno spoke in a grave voice.