Dawn's Farewell (8)
Anyway, she doesn't even know who she is and can't remember a thing. How the hell am I supposed to handle this?
"There's one other thing I remember," the mage said quietly.
"What is it?"
"A being who treated me kindly."
What kind of memory is that? Definitely not me. Could it be Orlean? But no amount of thinking on my part would reveal the answer. She had to open up herself, but she kept acting like this.
I glanced at Leana over the mage's head. She met my eyes and spoke up.
"Then you don't have a proper place to stay right now, do you?"
The mage remained silent.
"There's something you need right away."
With that, Leana fell quiet and stared at the mage. After a moment, the mage finally spoke softly.
"What is it?"
"A place to stay until we figure out what you are and decide what to do next."
"A house."
"Yeah, a house. People need a home, food, and clothes. So..."
Leana looked at me. It was my turn now, like passing the baton. I picked up the conversation.
"So, I'd like you to stay here for a while. For now, it seems like you're Dawn's Farewell, which I inherited as a relic from the mage Orlean. That means I end up being responsible for you, right?"
"Hmm."
The mage slowly turned her head, surveying the guild interior. Her gaze stopped on the two demon heads mounted above the fireplace.
"Why are those demons' heads hanging there? What did they do wrong?"
"One stole grapes, the other stole a cow."
The mage looked puzzled at my answer.
"Living things have to eat other living things to survive."
"Not just any way you like. You earn money yourself or do equivalent work and pay the fair price. This isn't the wild—it's civilized society."
"Do I have to work too?"
"No. Not right now. Not until you've sorted out all the circumstances. Once everything's clear, you can decide then."
She didn't flat-out say no. My new goal was to plant this mage firmly in the guild and make use of her as a member.
As she tore into the bread and sipped her tea, the mage seemed lost in quiet thought. The more I looked, the more she resembled Orlean. Or maybe not Orlean himself, but like his daughter. Her features were softer than his, almost feminine, though I hadn't checked under the hood.
After a long while, the mage spoke.
"Okay."
At her response, Leana smiled with her eyes and glanced at me over the mage's head. I winked back at her where the mage couldn't see. Leana, you're the best.
"But calling you 'you' all the time feels weird. How about we pick a name?"
The mage shook her head at Leana's suggestion.
"No need."
"But we need it. Hmm, what would be good?"
Leana tapped her chin with her finger, then her face lit up.
"How about Ornette? It means 'the radiant light of dawn.'"
Ornette. Not bad. She came from the sapphire called Dawn's Farewell, and the name echoed Orlean's too.
The mage seemed to like it, nodding without protest.
After that, Leana took Ornette around, showing her every corner of the guild. Ornette quietly followed, asking questions when something piqued her curiosity. Her questions were sometimes vague and cloudy, other times blunt and direct. Similar to Orlean, yet subtly different. What the hell was she, really? I was dying to know.
"By the way, are you a girl or a boy?"
"That's not an important question."
Ornette shut it down firmly.
"Fine. Like you said, it doesn't matter much. As long as you can use magic well."
Speaking of which, how long had Celestine been upstairs? What was taking her so long?
Meanwhile, Celestine was sprawled face-down on the bed, pounding the pillow furiously.
Earlier, she'd freaked out at the sudden crazy sight, only to realize it was a magical illusion. Overwhelmed by shame, she'd fled. But why the hell did that illusion appear in the first place?!
What she'd seen was none other than the accountant's naked body. A muscular frame covered in scars, with something even more ferocious standing rigid between his legs, approaching her.
Logically, it made no sense! The guy had been sitting at the table just moments ago—there's no way he'd suddenly strip!
But she'd been so dumbstruck that for a split second, she'd thought it was real...
Haa...
"Uwaaaah!!"
Celestine slammed her fist into the pillow again, but soon ran out of steam and rolled over, staring straight at the ceiling.
I can't face the guild master or the accountant now... I even yelled for them to do it somewhere else...
With her arm over her forehead, she kept sighing, but her face suddenly stiffened. That illusion from earlier flashed in her mind again.
When she'd seen him stripped down to his underwear for holy healing, it hadn't stirred anything. But the illusion of the accountant approaching her nude with impure intent? That gave her a strange feeling.
"Ahh, s-sip..."
Unknowingly, Celestine stretched her legs out straight and tensed her thighs. It was something she'd accidentally discovered when she first started exercising—a highly addictive act that built up to a weird sensation if you kept at it.
The guild master had said comforting yourself like that wasn't bad, but not to overdo it. Celestine usually held back, but this time instinct took over.
As she clenched and released her muscles, a ticklish feeling started building between her legs.
"Hngg..."
Then came a knock at the door, followed by the accountant's voice calling her.
"Celestine! What are you doing in there?!"
"Ah, Accountant...! Hieeek?!"
Caught in a situation where he might discover her, Celestine felt a far stronger jolt than usual.
"Hik...!"
Her hips bucked on their own!!
"Are you hurt somewhere?"
"N-no! I'm f-fine... Hngk! Fine...!"
As the accountant rattled the locked doorknob, Celestine mindlessly thrust her hips up several times.
"Celestine! Are you really okay?!"
"Haaang... Accountant... N-nothing's wrong...! Don't come in!!!!"
With her toes pointed rigid and legs flailing wildly, Celestine cried out.
Her pained groans made me smash the doorknob and burst into the room.
"Celestine!"
Celestine was lying on the bed, buried head to toe under the blanket. I rushed over, pulled it back from her head, and froze in shock.
Her face was flushed beet red, breath coming in ragged gasps. Her cheeks and forehead burned hot to the touch—she had a fever.
The moment my hand made contact, she shuddered violently. Spasms too? The sheets and blanket were soaked—this wasn't a mild illness.
"What's wrong, Celestine? Where does it hurt?"
"Y-yes... *cough cough*... *cough cough cough*..."
Celestine clenched her fist over her mouth, coughing hard.
"Looks like a cold. It might be contagious, so stay back..."
"A cold? Did you try holy healing?"
"It'll get better on its own. So don't come closer and just go... Please... I beg you..."
"Holy healing doesn't work? We need to get you to a hospital."
"No, please just leave me alone. Please, please... Kyaaah!!"
I scooped her up in my arms, and she let out a piercing shriek, shoving at me desperately. See? Her back and butt were drenched in cold sweat!
Holding her tight, I leaped down to the first floor.
"Leana! Taking Celestine to the hospital!"
"Aaaah! Nooooo!! I don't wanna go to the hospital! Let me goooo!!! I hate it!!"
The commotion settled once we entered the city streets. Celestine, who'd bathed her entire body in golden light, suddenly claimed she was all better and started walking normally.
"Are you really okay? What the hell? Weren't you just saying holy healing wasn't working?"
"Hehehehe..."
Celestine let out a goofy, goat-like laugh, scratching her head dumbly. Something was fishy.
"Uh, sh-should we head back now...?"
"No. While we're out, let's stop by city hall."
"City hall...? Why?"
"To check if there's a mage in the city. Gonna show her Ornette."
"Ornette? Is that the name of that kid from earlier?"
"Yeah. We gave it to her. Means 'the radiant light of dawn.'"
"Ugh, it's pretty and all... but it gives me chills 'cause it sounds like that crazy mage."
Celestine hugged her shoulders, shuddering.
At city hall, Clemence looked up from her mountain of paperwork and flashed her dimples at me.
"Welcome, Leonar! Celestine!"
"Hi. Came with a question."
"Sure, anything."
"Is there a mage in the city?"
"A mage?"
Clemence rolled her eyes.
"Why a mage all of a sudden?"
"Got something to ask. Magic-related."
"Ah, got it. Hmm. There is one. Right here at city hall."
So even the duchy stations mages in every city.
"Could I meet them? Not now, but schedule it ahead."
"Well..."
Clemence looked extremely troubled, eyes darting.
"Truth is, they just arrived a few days ago..."
"What does that have to do with me meeting them?"
As expected, troubled expression. I read the situation instantly.
"Don't bother them with trivial stuff until they've settled into their duties, right? Just your average mage, nothing special."
Clemence only smiled with her dimples, saying nothing.
"Still, I'd like to at least request it."
"Sigh..."
She smacked her lips, genuinely distressed.
"It's to appraise a high mage's relic. That should work."
"High mage?"
"Yeah. Killed a mage tied to Elodi Village with the border guards last time. Got this from him."
"Okay, I'll pass that along. But no guarantees."
After a pause, still rolling her eyes, Clemence promised half-heartedly.