Beneath the Surface

Redfrin tipped her coffee back and drank, snickering under her breath. Demian leaned toward her and whispered, his voice gone a shade darker.

"But if we do it like this, will Lisleia really come out?"

"What do you think? We're provoking her this openly, and she won't show? This one's coming to see that bastard Blow."

"Hmm..."

"We wreck two of the Six Great Mages like that, and we finally make a name for ourselves!!"

"They were saying the job after this one might be in the Imperial Capital, weren't they? Blowing up a garden, was it?"

"Blowing it up!! That sounds so fun!!"

Redfrin pressed her palms together, a crooked little smile tucked into her mouth. Mariel's blunt voice came flying at her.

"Hey. You think this is the time to be grinning? You haven't even finished a single operation properly."

"What are you on about? Don't tell me—Julbert?"

"Yeah."

"Don't even say that prissy bastard's name. The idiot just had to swallow it nicely, and he wouldn't."

"Swallow it?"

"You know the guy in my article. Blow."

"Yeah."

"I was going to tie him up with Yulia and run a little war of public opinion. Then next year we could've monitored Caipol Magic School all nice and natural."

"We're still doing the opinion war, aren't we?"

Demian asked it with his eyes half-lidded. Redfrin nodded at him.

"If we've got hands left over, might as well, while we're at it?"

"That, and the vessel doesn't need rushing either. Our target this time is Lisleia. Nothing else."

At Narcissus's words, Redfrin answered in a curt tone, as if she couldn't believe he was bothering to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠say something so obvious.

"I know, you moron. That's why I said if we've got hands left. Haller's got spare hands too, which is why he's laying them on Hervena, isn't it?"

"And if this job goes wrong, the source is that man Julbert. Understood?"

"Obviously. What, should I say we got it from our kid inside the Magic Bureau?"

Displeasure plain on her face, Mariel propped her chin on one hand and muttered, listless.

"Still, that man called Blow. He was watching him with quite a bit of interest, but the contents of the report were so outrageous."

"He was my type, too. What a shame, honestly."

"Yeah, why didn't you try sweet-talking him a little? Would've been nice if he'd come all the way over to our side."

"Shit. Like I knew it'd turn out like this."

And yet Redfrin's face had gone strangely flushed. Narcissus and Demian both recoiled at the sight, while Narcissus—serving as their temporary leader—spoke so that all of them could hear, his voice clear.

"All right. Let's split up and get to work. Mariel and I will start laying the trap from here, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Demian, I need you on the crowd and the back alleys."

The moment he finished, Redfrin snapped her fingers. Light broke over Demian, who was of the Ain, and his body shifted into that of a blonde beauty. Mariel let out a sound of admiration and ran a hand over the new form.

"It really is new every single time I look. Brand new."

"Well, our Demian likes that look the best."

"This form listens the best. That's why."

At Demian's dry little recital, Redfrin and Mariel snickered together. Then Redfrin hurled the coffee cup she'd been drinking onto the floor and jabbed a finger at the door.

"Out. Now. I have to burn it."

The three vanished into the dark almost before the words were done. Redfrin cast flame magic, watched the building burn for a while, then took to the air on flight magic and left the place behind.

With even the communication to Mnevoir finished through Haghia, Blow lay in a guest room of Skadi's mansion, letting his head rest for a moment.

"This estate is huge."

"Yeah! Dad designed it himself!"

"What happens to the place once you graduate? Seems a waste if you're only using it for a little while."

"Who knows! If I stay in Caipol I'll keep using it, and if not, he'll probably just get rid of it!"

"...Why?"

"I don't know, that's what he said. There are too many secret rooms, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠showing it off would be awkward."

"Fair. Your background is a little delicate."

"Blow, want me to show you the secret rooms? There are tons of weird ones."

"Nah, better not. I'm still scared of Duke Bjorn."

In truth he had turned her down because his head was a tangle and he wanted a moment to rest. Blow looked again at the article of Redfrin's that he had brought with him. It was written by pulling out only the most provocative bits, and he thought that if he had come across it as a third party, he would have hated it too—even if the subject had been himself. People fear what they don't know.

This time, I might be able to tell who I can trust, and who I can't.

While he was drinking the water set beside him, a knock came at the door. Skadi stepped in wearing an awkward smile and took a seat at his side.

"How's the room, Blow? All right? Want me to move you?"

"No. It's big, it's nice. What more do I need."

"You're the first person to use this guest room."

"Oh, yeah? Last time, before the Black Bridge Gathering, didn't I send Jane over this way?"

"Ah, Jane slept in my room then. I don't really bring guests home."

Her expression was so stiff that Blow found himself feeling sorry for no good reason.

"Let's drink once this is over, Skadi. You were going to have a glass today anyway."

"Of course not, in a situation like this."

"Still, I lived because of you. Skadi."

"I was already on my way, and... I wanted to actually be of real help to you."

She said it while dropping her eyes and twisting a lock of hair around her finger. Blow looked at her and spoke gently.

"Skadi."

"Yeah?"

"These days, whenever I say thank you, you do that. Like you're the one who did something wrong..."

"I want to fix it too, I just... it doesn't seem to be going very well..."

She waved her hands; it was a part of herself she had already been worrying over. Watching her, Blow patted the shoulders she had drawn in and spoke in a soft voice.

"I'm not trying to scold you. And when this is over, I will repay this kindness. I mean it."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Kindness—later, just buy me a meal or something..."

"That's enough?"

"...Yeah."

For some reason Skadi's face had gone bright red. Blow nodded at her and pushed himself up from the seat.

"I'll have to buy something expensive, then. Got it. I should head out soon."

"Huh? Why? It's not even five yet. Stay a little longer. The meeting's at seven."

"I need to talk to the kids. Melo must have been really scared."

"You're the one who must have been the most scared."

"They're kids I'm responsible for. And besides, with you looking after me like this, I actually feel at ease, you know?"

Hearing that, Skadi flinched and looked at him. She felt as if she had never once been any real help, and yet every so often he would point it out like this, and from her side of it she could hardly say how grateful that made her. And once Blow left, this room would...

She had been spinning out a furtive, sticky little daydream. She scattered it, fell in beside him, and smiled.

"I'll go too."

"You too, Skadi?"

"Yeah! There aren't even any guests, so I can't just sit in the guest room! I just want to go around with you!"

"That'd be better. The mood gets a lot brighter when you're there. Thanks, Skadi."

"...Yeah! Right, be grateful! Um-haha!"

Skadi laughed bigger than she needed to.

Even if it's only an act, I have to play bright. So I don't droop. That much, at least, I'm confident in.

"Blow! Once we get through this! Let's throw a party at my house."

"Oh? A ball, under Skadi's direction?"

"Yeah!! I went and saw the Black Bridge, and it was nothing special at all!!"

"Who are you inviting?"

"First, you, and..."

Somehow the next name wouldn't come. She cleared her throat and slid past the rest of the sentence.

"I'll just invite people, appropriately."

"If you invite them, the whole school will show up. You're that popular."

"That's true, but..."

"If it's a ball, let's see... you'll have to learn how to dance before then."

"I was already thinking of picking some up over the winter!"

"Oh, finally showing everyone properly? The terror of House Hetaya's youngest?"

...I just want to dance better with you. That's all.

But she couldn't bring herself to say it, so Skadi only laughed loud and nodded. Talking of this and that, the two of them arrived at the women servants' room of the original mansion. When they stepped inside, Jane had Melo gathered against her and was stroking her back.

"Young master!!"

"Melo, you doing all right?"

"Yes! Yes! Th-the maids have been so, so nice to me!"

She smiled brightly as she said it, but her hands were shaking. Blow's expression, loosened somewhat by the talk with Skadi, had no choice but to harden at the sight.

Redfrin. I don't know who's standing behind you, but you—I am going to kill you myself.

Having made up his mind, he forced the vicious feeling down and gathered Melo, who was looking up at him, into his arms.

Edfolk, Caipol.

As Blow had asked, Yulia sat in the hotel's reception room with several of the employees. Rowbedi, who already knew the situation from the trouble Jane had stirred up before, wore the stiff face of a man watching the expected finally arrive. In front of her sat the Traffic Light Trio. In truth the three had forced their way along when Yulia meant to leave them behind.

"Senior! We'll go too, we'll go too!"

"...There's no need. It's dangerous."

"No! We're employees of Hills too!"

They had the look of people ready to seize even the hem of her trousers, and Yulia had no choice but to bring them. She had always thought he treated the staff almost too well—and now that a crisis had broken, every one of them was moving as if the trouble were their own. She decided she had learned one more thing from Blow, and, with no other option, resolved to fly to Skadi's mansion once the meeting ended. She wanted to put him at ease. Look a little deeper, though, and it was Yulia herself who wanted to be eased. Over the communication his voice had sounded all right, but she couldn't stop worrying that the shock had been worse than he let on.

She was still turning those thoughts over when Marchen approached and whispered to her.

"My lady, it is seven o'clock."

"Yes. I understand."

With Marchen's report, two magic circles were summoned at once. One led to Skadi's mansion, where Blow, Jane, and Hans would be; the other to Hills, where Haghia was. Yulia confirmed both, swallowed a sigh, and spoke.

"Thank you, all of you, for making the effort in an emergency. Two circles are open right now, so before you speak, say who you are, and then speak. Let's overlap as little as we can."

"Yes."

"First, Haghia. Has anything happened at Hills?"

"Nothing yet. A few of the students said they wanted to take some potions, so I gave them out and finished the records. There were fewer cancellations than I expected, too. But when I checked the potion stock, the Monday we come back looks like it will be a problem."

"It might be over before then, but it probably will be an issue, won't it?"

"I think production will have to start from tomorrow."

"Haghia, it's Blow. Liliane and Lil are over there—why not talk it over with the two of them?"

"Lady Liliane as well?"

"Yeah. She knows a fair amount about magic. She'll be a help."

"Then I'll proceed that way."

Radness had a hand raised, and the sight came into Yulia's eye. She beckoned her closer.

"It seems ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Radness has something to say."

"What? Why is she there..."

"Young master, this is Radness. I've heard about the situation. And that you've sorted out who stays and who gets clear."

"I asked the senior to tell you to think of it as a vacation..."

"We can't do that. Right?"

Behind her, Cosette and Alice were nodding hard. Radness, having confirmed it, went on.

"We thought about it too. What if we took charge of distributing the potions? If coming to Hills to pick them up is a burden..."

"You mean you'd carry them out and hand them over, one person at a time?"

"That was our thinking..."

"Don't. Have them collect them somewhere like the school plaza. We've been doing it that way anyway."

"Ah, yes, we'll do that!!"

"Yeah, do that. Jane and I will work out the details and let you know by Sunday. By the way, Radness, how's the first-years' reaction?"

"It's Friday, and there's a practical exam, so everyone's attention was stuck on that. It hasn't turned into much talk. Though a few do ask, when we happen to run into them."

"Say you don't know, as much as you can. You don't know much yourselves, anyway."

"Yes."

"I'll explain this business later, if there's a chance. Thank you, truly, for stepping up like it's your own."

"Yes!"

Alice's and Cosette's voices came faintly through the circle. Having cleared the great mountain that was the potion subscription, at least for the moment, he let out a long breath and turned the talk toward one of the things worrying him most.

"Senior. What about Hervena?"

"Linne went to the laboratory and the dormitory earlier, but there's still no word."

"What is that girl even doing."

"Exams ran through yesterday. If we think positively, she might be asleep."

That doesn't seem right.

Normally Hervena would already have come looking for him, raising hell and shouting that she would kill every last one of them. For her to be this quiet... Had Redfrin done something to Hervena? The worry took hold as he thought, and Blow had no choice but to ask Yulia.

"Senior, do you happen to know what became of Redfrin?"

"Ah. I should have told you this first. As of yesterday, Redfrin has been processed as a withdrawal."

"What?"

"It seems she submitted a withdrawal form last week. After you took measures, she had gone quiet, so I wasn't paying her any mind."

"......"

So she moved with this completely planned?

Blow recalled the eyes he had faced a few times before—something in them twisted out of true.

"She cleared her things out long ago, of course, and at the residence on the school records they said they didn't know her at all. I asked for cooperation, and so did the city security force, but the investigation won't be easy. As you know, she's impossible to pin down."

"You've had a hard time of it in a short while, Senior."

"Whose matter is it? Of course I had to."

A few more words passed on what could be decided for now, and then the communication circles vanished. After the call, Hervena still nagging at him, Blow looked toward Skadi, who was biting her nails at his side, and asked.

"Skadi, you didn't see Hervena during magic engineering?"

"With the third exam, and then the practical, most of the classes were canceled..."

"Right."

"Thinking about it, she's looked a little more tired lately. I should have told you sooner. Sooner..."

She spoke as if she herself had committed some crime, and Blow lifted a shoulder at her.

"It was sparring season and exams. You didn't do a single thing wrong. Just wait easy for word from Linne."

"She said that too, but..."

Skadi mumbled, sorry toward him. He nodded as if to say it was fine. Then a deep-blue magic circle formed once more before them.

"Young master, it's Yulia."

"Yes, Senior."

"Linne just arrived, and..."

Something in Yulia's voice felt wrong. Blow was swallowing against a dry throat when her voice reached them again.

And what is this supposed to be?

At those words, neither Blow nor Skadi could keep from narrowing their eyes.