Dawn's Farewell (7)
Is there really a mage in Schlessi? Captain Bibian said there wasn't one in the border guard, and Clemence's list didn't have any either. Still, Schlessi isn't some backwater village—it's a proper border city. You'd think there'd be at least one.
In the Empire, they station a mage in every directly governed territory to keep tight communication with the capital. That's probably the case here too. I should ask Clemence one more time.
I have no idea what Dawn's Farewell is, but if I show it to a mage, they might have some idea. It's a relic of a high mage, and it keeps vibrating. In emergencies, it shoots a beam that pierced right through a griffin. That's no ordinary item.
Hmm, but there's something else strange. Thinking back to when it vibrated, there's a pattern. It was every time I thought it would be great to have a mage in the guild.
Coincidence? When I wasn't around and Leana was alone in the guild, judging by the timing, it lines up with when she was probably looking at Clemence's list and wondering if there were any mages.
Does it read minds and react? If so, is Orlean's soul really inside? Or something entirely new?
Orlean was a gentleman, well-educated. If not for that mad frenzy, he would've been a really good guy. That's why I can't even guess what he might've done with it.
It'd be trouble if it shoots that beam inside the guild.
"That won't happen."
"No one knows. Mana's unstable, after all."
"Not true. It's a matter of formulas and application, not mana itself."
"I'm no mage, so I wouldn't know about th—huh?"
Who am I talking to right now?
I turned around and screamed in shock. Perched on the wooden box where my clothes and Dawn's Farewell had been sat a small figure. Silver hair gleaming in the fading afternoon sun, and a familiar blue robe. Deep sea-blue eyes stared straight at me.
"What the fuck?! Orlean?!"
Damn it! Nightrend is right next to him...
"Is that my name?"
Orlean—no, whatever this was—tilted his head slightly, as if pondering deeply.
What the hell? He doesn't know his own name?
I calmed my excitement and examined him carefully again. Orlean looked feminine, but his build wasn't. He was tall with broad shoulders. But this one looked smaller than me.
Looking closer, the face was a bit different too. Silver hair, sea-blue eyes, and that calm, serious expression were spot-on like a mold. But... the lines were softer, more delicate.
So not Orlean, but something else?
The figure glanced at the floor for a moment, then spoke.
"I'm not Orlean."
"Then who are you?"
"I..."
"Guild master! What's going on?"
The back door burst open as Leana and Celestine came rushing out.
"Eek! Mad mage!"
Celestine shrieked at the sight, holy power flaring up.
"Wait! It's not Orlean!"
"He looks exactly the same!"
"No, hold on. Let's talk first."
Meanwhile, the figure muttered again, "I'm not Orlean."
Leana glanced sideways at him and whispered to Celestine.
"That's the mage?"
"Yeah. Looks just like him. Though he seems a bit smaller..."
"You said he was a man."
"He is, but he looks like a woman. Or... younger and prettier now? What?"
While Celestine and Leana whispered, I cleared my throat and asked him.
"Not Orlean?"
"I'm not Orlean."
"Then what? Dawn's Farewell?"
"What's Dawn's Farewell?"
He dropped his gaze, lips sealed, as if pondering my question.
We three held our breath, waiting.
Finally, he looked up.
"I don't know."
Leana and I exchanged glances. She smiled at him.
"Come inside for now. Whoever you are, how about some tea? Or a light meal?"
He stared at Leana for a bit, then slowly stood from the box.
Much shorter than Orlean. Similar, but not him. Narrow shoulders, small stature. Voice completely different. Something like Orlean.
Reincarnation? Mana essence given form?
Leana and Celestine led him inside. I climbed out of the tub, dried off quickly.
I need to figure out what he is and why he appeared. And if he knows magic, convince him to stay somehow.
This could be a golden chance to get a free mage, whatever he is.
As I grabbed my clothes from the box, Dawn's Farewell was gone.
Inside, he sat primly at the round table, sipping tea. Leana sat beside him, serving bread from the basket. Celestine sat across, eyeing him fearfully.
Probably because she'd seen Orlean's insane power in Elodi Village.
I sat in the next chair, but he ignored me, tearing bread with small, delicate hands.
"I've got more questions than I can count."
He just chewed silently. Shy? Or just not talkative?
"You don't know about Orlean? The mage who looks just like you."
"I'm not Orlean."
"I've heard that three, four times now. If not him, then what?"
"I don't know."
Going in circles.
"Anything you remember?"
"Scarred back."
"Huh?"
"First thing I saw when I opened my eyes."
My back. So he is Dawn's Farewell. No memory before appearing on the box. And the gem's vanished without a trace.
"Then you're definitely Dawn's Farewell."
"What's that?"
I explained what Dawn's Farewell was and how I got it. His eyes as he listened looked just like Orlean's.
But after, no big reaction—just tore more bread and chewed.
"Remember today? You shot a beam that killed the griffin."
"Don't know."
Couldn't see or hear as a gem, huh. With how quiet he is, getting info will be tough.
"Anything else?"
He slowly shook his head.
Hmm. Really not much of a talker.
Putting it together, he's Dawn's Farewell. No memories, doesn't know Orlean.
Orlean without past-life memories? Or something he made on purpose? No way to know.
"Know any magic?"
"A little."
A coin pouch appeared before my eyes.
"Money!"
"Money?"
Leana tilted her head at my shout.
"There's money here."
"Huh?"
She looked at me like I was crazy. Then it hit me.
Illusion?
"Money!"
Now Leana's eyes widened, yelling.
Nothing in front of her.
"Eek! No! Guild master! Stay away!"
Celestine jumped up in horror.
"Don't put that in your mouth—you'll puke!"
What did she see?
"What kind of magic is this?"
He answered quietly, eyes on his bread.
"Illusion projecting each person's desires."
If true, that's advanced high magic. Most mages' attack spells are flashy basics. Peering into minds like this? Real magic.
"Other spells too?"
No answer—just more bread.
I wanted to grab his collar and shake answers out, but no.
"Too big! Somewhere else..."
Celestine, mid-freakout, suddenly stared blankly into space.
"Huh? But just now..."
She looked around dumbly, met Leana's eyes, and gasped.
"Eek?! Guild master! Sorry! Not that! It's just... so weird?!"
Now she turned to me, tearing up.
"Guild master clearly... did this and that...? What? Am I stupid...?"
Not becoming stupid—you always were.
"No, not that... Definitely just now... Hooeeeng!!"
Celestine wailed and thundered upstairs, shaking the floor.
Sheesh. Meanwhile, the illusion caster impassively munched his bread.