Dawn's Farewell (9)
As soon as we got back to the guild, Leana was humming a tune while cooking. Ornette stood beside her, silently watching.
"You okay? Did you go to the hospital?"
"Ahh, the holy healing made it all better right awayyy!"
Celestine babbled some nonsense in response to Leana's question.
"Really? Holy power sure is amazing."
Leana said that and went back to her cooking, but Ornette, standing next to her, was different. She stared at Celestine with unreadable eyes.
Feeling the pressure of that gaze, Celestine averted her eyes to me and fidgeted.
"C-Can I go wash up now…?"
"Go ahead. But hey."
I stopped Celestine just as she was about to dash out the back door.
"Were you really sick?"
"I don't know how to lie like that!"
"Yeah, yeah. Hurry up and wash."
As Celestine passed by the kitchen, Ornette suddenly blurted out,
"That fat girl is lying."
Celestine, who had been about to open the back door, froze stiff.
"What're you talking about all of a sudden? Lying?"
Leana asked, but Ornette said nothing. She just stared silently at Celestine. Celestine, meeting those deep sea-blue eyes, started sweating bullets. Sweat poured out so fast her back visibly darkened. And along with it, her usually invisible halo flickered unnaturally.
It was out of nowhere, calling her a liar with no explanation—who wouldn't panic? Especially when the accuser was a mage who looked just like Orlean, the one Celestine feared. After showing off illusion magic earlier, too. I pushed Celestine, who had turned to stone.
"Hurry up and wash."
"Hweeeeng…."
Celestine sniffled and fled out the back door like she was escaping.
As the back door closed, Ornette turned back to the counter as if nothing had happened. Leana met my eyes and shrugged, utterly baffled. I had no idea what that was about either. What did she mean, lying? Did she have some ability to detect truth from lies? I asked, but she said she didn't know herself. What the hell did she know?
The next morning.
"Where's Ornette?"
We were gathered around the first-floor round table for an early breakfast, but Ornette was missing.
"She's still sleeping."
Leana answered as she scooped food onto my plate.
"I went in to wake her, but she showed no signs of getting up."
"Did she stay up late last night?"
"She brushed her teeth with me after dinner and went straight to her room. She's slept at least eight hours."
"Guess she's just a heavy sleeper then."
"No quests right now anyway. Let her sleep."
"Yeah. If she wakes up after we leave, fix her some food."
"Don't worry."
Celestine, who had been chewing with her mouth full and glancing between me and Leana, cautiously spoke up.
"Um… is she gonna stay at the guild for a while?"
"For the time being. And if things go well, she'll stay on."
"Eek?! Why?!"
"She's a mage. Getting one in your guild is a huge deal. It's like a gift from the heavens."
"Is that so…?"
"Is it because she called you a liar yesterday? Or the 'fat girl' thing?"
Celestine flinched and leaned back against her chair, trying to put distance between us.
"N-No? Not at all? It's just… she looks so much like that mage from before…."
"You're good at lying. That's not the reason you're uncomfortable around me."
Celestine spotted Ornette coming down the stairs and froze stiff again. Ornette glided over without looking at anyone and sat in her chair. Celestine, sweating from her forehead and nose, pulled her chair as close to me as possible. A pleasant fragrance wafted over.
"Tasty."
Ornette said flatly as she sipped the mushroom-and-vegetable soup.
"Glad you like it."
Leana smiled and served her some food. Ornette didn't say a word until the meal ended. She was so quiet, anyone would mistake her for mute. Orlean never talked nonsense, but he wasn't this extreme. That guy was great at small talk for smooth relations. Celestine kept her head down, peeking at Ornette while devouring her food.
Two questions popped up. She exercised with me every dawn to lose weight—would she actually? I'd told her not to starve while working out, but I never said to stuff herself like that. And what was with the lying thing making her react so badly? Of course, I didn't ask. She'd throw a fit for sure.
After breakfast, Celestine and I grabbed our cloaks and gear and left the guild. Leana cleared the table, and Ornette slinked back upstairs. I asked if she was going back to sleep—no answer.
As we stepped into the alley, Clemence came walking from the other end.
"Oh? Leonar! Celestine!"
She spotted us, flashed her dimples, and waved.
"I was just heading to the guild."
"Here for a quest?"
"No, sorry—not a quest. The mage agreed to meet, so I came to relay the message."
"Nice. When should we go? A week?"
"This afternoon okay?"
"Afternoon? That fast? A mage?"
"He was really interested in that high mage relic."
Hmm, things were going smoothly.
"The mayor opposed it, though…."
Clemence added hesitantly.
Around the appointed time to meet the mage, I dragged Ornette to city hall. I'd gone back to the guild at lunchtime and forcibly woken her—she was still sleeping. She slept a ton; this could be a problem.
Ornette scanned the city hall lobby with indifferent eyes.
"This the mage's house?"
"No, city hall. You know what that is, right?"
"I know. I understand basic societal structures, so no need to treat me like a blank slate."
"Got it. Sorry."
Clemence came to greet us in the lobby and led the way.
"Hello, Leonar. Uh, who's this?"
She panicked under Ornette's calm sea-blue gaze.
"We were only supposed to meet you…."
"Yeah. She's the high mage relic I mentioned."
"Ah, the relic…?"
Clemence blinked in confusion, then snapped her fingers in realization.
"His daughter?"
"Uh? Yeah, something like that."
"Understood. This way."
Clemence led us up the stairs.
"You both really need to watch your words today."
As we walked the second-floor hall, she warned us repeatedly.
"He's our city's only mage. Even the mayor's wary of him."
"Mages are all like that. Arrogant pricks who ate attitude stew."
"Shh!"
Clemence freaked, pressing a finger to her lips. Ornette remained expressionless, uninterested. The innermost room on the second floor was his. The ornate door engravings and expensive-looking statues flanking it gave away his personality. Ornette stared blankly, no emotion shown.
"Everyone ready?"
Clemence knocked nervously.
"Mage…! The guests you agreed to meet are here…!"
The door slid open silently. Clemence gave an awkward smile and backed away.
"Talk amongst yourselves."
Then bolted.
"Let's go."
I lightly touched Ornette's shoulder and stepped through.
"Stinks horribly."
Ornette pinched her nose with her robe sleeve the moment we entered. Not a stench—incense? Something like that. The room was dim. Sunlight through dark red curtains twisted into eerie hues, and the thick incense fogged the air like mist. City hall mage's room? Walk in blind, you'd think it was a brothel.
"What's that over there."
Ornette pointed through the haze. Squinting, I made out a human shape in the dim incense glow. Too dark for the face, but definitely a woman. Lounging sideways on a long sofa in bizarre lingerie.
I couldn't help but chuckle. This was the city mage? My taxes, you fucking bitch.
Too absurd to stand there, the mage slowly extended a hand. Then crooked a finger.
"Closer."
Huh? What was that voice? Something off? Fuck, what—
"Why seal the door with magic?"
Quiet Ornette suddenly spoke.
"What're you talking about?"
"She locked the door with magic."
That clicked everything. I strode across the room. Even as I reached the sofa, she lounged with a sultry smile. Up close, I spat curses and reached out.
Voice sounded familiar for a reason.
"Isisde, you fucking bitch!"
The one who stiffed me on my quest fee!!
