Chapter 62
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Ember (2)
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The mana Varkus wielded resembled the tiniest grains of sand swaying in a gentle breeze.
Infinitely small and light, the mana gathered toward him, drawn along like by the wind.
The mana that barely managed to reach the magic circle came to a complete halt, blocked by the ritual sigils running counter to its flow.
"Ah, why isn't it working? The magic circle isn't activating."
"What if you reverse the direction?"
I had no intention of casually advising the kingdom's court mage, but the words slipped out before I knew it.
I clapped a hand over my mouth in surprise, but fortunately, Varkus didn't seem to mind much.
"Direction? What direction?"
"Uh... the direction of the mana?"
He turned the question back on me, leaving me even more flustered.
Varkus let out an "oh" and stared down at the magic circle for a long moment before extending his hand and swiftly reversing the ritual sigils.
Ah, so he's changing the magic circle itself instead of the mana's flow...
I hadn't thought of that. I figured adjusting the mana's direction would be simpler.
Then again, this was a magic circle drawn in the dirt with his finger—something completely new to me.
Whenever I'd learned to draw them, even in the worst conditions, we were taught to use a sharp tool on a firm surface at minimum.
To prevent ambiguities in the incantations from causing issues.
Maybe the mages of the Lesion Kingdom learned differently...?
Even as the common knowledge of magic I'd built up kept getting overturned, I tried to rationalize it that way.
"Alright, got it!"
Once he'd fixed the magic circle, the spells of harmony and fusion finally manifested on his staff.
The eclonium inside reacted, firmly embedding itself within the staff.
Varkus examined the staff this way and that with a satisfied expression.
"Glad it worked out."
"You're a sharp one, aren't you? Figuring that out."
"Yeah, well... You knew it too, didn't you, Varkus?"
I gave him just enough face, and he lapped it up with a grin.
"Of course, of course. I was testing you, wondering what you'd do. You're the delegation's mage, right? You look young, so I was curious about your skills."
I was the one dying to know about his skills.
"Sir Jenard mentioned you fixed the barrier device here. I'd repaired it myself, but apparently it wasn't fully done."
"...You fixed it?"
I asked incredulously, doubting my own ears.
It had been broken so spectacularly I couldn't imagine how.
"Yeah. With those things, kicking them every two or three days keeps them in line and running smooth. You didn't know?"
He'd even kicked it.
I was so stunned I couldn't find words.
"How'd you fix it? Did the notes I left inside help?"
"I just... figured it out somehow..."
A headache brewing, I barely managed a reply.
Asking what those weird scribbles inside the barrier meant or how kicking it helped would be pointless.
He probably couldn't explain it in a way I'd understand anyway.
I swallowed my questions and forced a smile.
Whatever. As long as it got fixed.
Varkus grinned back.
"Still, you're pretty impressive. At your age, I couldn't even..."
"Varkus! Where'd that guy wander off to now?"
Sir Jenard's bellow echoed from outside. Varkus jolted upright.
"Whoa, the knight's calling. Probably griping about the barrier again. Better go before I get chewed out."
He haphazardly tied the staff to his belt and waved at me.
"Catch you later. Let's get along, fellow mages."
Not sure that's such a great idea.
He didn't wait for my answer before darting off.
The delegation left Veldaine and continued its journey toward the capital, Elgrays.
It wasn't particularly smooth sailing.
The duchess had objected to the original plan of following the central highway.
She pointed out it would take them through territories and cities controlled by Prince Raymond's closest allies.
She suggested a much longer detour instead, and the White Guard Knight had no choice but to accept.
Knight escorts surrounded the delegation, while the Silver Moon Knights and kingdom knights patrolled a wide perimeter at regular intervals.
I was often summoned by the Silver Guard Knight to scout the surroundings with the Silver Moon Knights.
Escaping the bustling procession was refreshing in itself.
We rarely encountered magical beasts.
A couple of boar-like vartans wandered nearby but were quickly dispatched, and someone spotted an absurdly huge bird soaring in the distant sky but soon forgot about it.
A magical beast or two might've livened things up.
The duchess's pickiness only grew worse with each passing day.
Two days after leaving Veldaine, on our first night camping...
Sir Jenard had ordered Varkus to set up a protective barrier around the campsite.
I was the delegation's mage, but ever since entering Lesion territory, he'd insisted I stand aside as a "guest."
That had been two hours ago.
The night sky sparkled with stars, and everyone had leisurely finished dinner.
Crash!
"Aaack!"
I'd been eyeing the back of Varkus's head as he struggled with the barrier spell when I whipped around toward the duchess's tent.
I wasn't the only one who'd heard.
Every gaze but Varkus's turned to the tent.
"It's a bug! Get rid of it right now!"
One of the duchess's maids emerged from the tent, stone-faced, holding a massive centipede.
The black-haired maid walked to a tree, dropped the centipede to the ground, and crushed it flat.
"The table, chairs, bed—all rotten wood! That's why bugs are crawling out!"
Another outburst erupted from the duchess's tent.
She should be grateful for wooden furniture in the largest tent—expecting more was asking too much.
"I'll handle it."
Clemence's voice came from behind me.
She and the White Guard Knight had been inside the tent but stepped out at the commotion.
As the grim-faced White Guard Knight moved to head in, Clemence blocked him.
"You keep clashing with her, Grandfather. Let me talk to her this time."
"...Alright. It'd be so much easier if Ozric were here."
"Nothing we can do. Father said he can't leave the capital as the duke."
Clemence offered a small smile at his worried sigh, then headed straight for her mother's tent without hesitation.
Weaving through the murmuring crowd.
"Sorry, excuse me. Pardon... Don't mind this."
Once Clemence entered the tent with the duchess's maid, the noise stopped.
The gathered onlookers dispersed naturally.
"That girl's no ordinary lady."
Varkus, fiddling with his barrier spell, had looked up to watch the scene.
"Clemence? She's tougher than she looks."
"The duchess's daughter, right? She takes after her."
"...I know her well, and she doesn't resemble her that much."
Blood is thicker than water—maybe a little.
But admitting it didn't sit right.
"You wouldn't get it. You don't know yet. Women, see, they can turn scary anytime."
"...If you don't finish that barrier soon, Sir Jenard will be even scarier."
Varkus groaned and turned back to his work.
Even so, it'd probably take him another hour.
I let out a quiet sigh and subtly began manipulating the mana.
Varkus didn't notice the sudden progress boost.
That was the extent of it.
A mage short on skill, a bit annoying with his nonstop chatter.
"You'll get it when you meet her."
Ah, this is a truly great person, that kind of feeling. I knew it at first sight."
"Right..."
"I'm telling you! Lady Kaella has red bangs and golden hair in back, and every time the wind ripples through it, this rich, floral scent wafts out.
And, uh, she doesn't smile at me much, but when she talks with Prince Raymond, that smile... Anyone would fall for it."
"I see..."
I replied indifferently.
This was the third time hearing it—hard to muster enthusiasm.
Varkus wouldn't shut up about "Chief Court Mage Kaella Ermis."
He'd shown magic talent young but, as an orphan, never had proper training.
At seventeen, he met Kaella Ermis by chance in the market. She spotted his gift, got him into the royal academy.
She didn't stop there—personally visited to teach him in her spare time.
Thanks to her, he graduated ahead of his peers and became a court mage on her recommendation.
I couldn't care less about his backstory.
"Look at this. Proof Lady Kaella trusts me completely."
Varkus pulled a palm-sized pentagonal box from his robe pocket.
Engraved with a red floral pattern, it looked like a jewelry case but hummed faintly with mana.
My eyes were drawn to the unfamiliar magic tool.
"What's that?"
"She gave it to me for this mission.
Red Flower Box—super rare magic tool. Lets the Chief Court Mage in the capital contact me directly."
A communication magic tool!
My interest spiked instantly.
"So she has an identical one? With eclonium inside? What kind of communication?"
I fired off questions.
Long-distance communication via magic had been researched forever but never practicalized.
Too costly, unstable.
Even experiments were tricky.
Mana reservoirs and natural flows worldwide swept spells away before they reached their target.
Flustered by the barrage, Varkus stammered but spilled what he knew.
"Y-yeah, Lady Kaella has one too. It's filled with a special liquid. She shapes it into letters and freezes it, and the liquid in mine freezes the same way."
"Whoa, never heard of that."
Liquid letters? Fascinating method. Not even in books.
I admitted it honestly.
More intriguing than any of his other tales.
"What's the principle? What liquid does that?"
"D-don't know exactly. Truth is, haven't gotten a single message since receiving it..."
"Can I take a quick look? I'll give it right back."
I reached out innocently, but Varkus recoiled like I'd burned him, yanking the box away.
"No way! Lady Kaella said it's incredibly precious. Never let it leave your person. I'd sooner lose everything else."
"Ah... I see."
What a letdown. Maybe check Althur's library later.
Varkus quickly tucked the Red Flower Box away and drew his staff.
"Check this out. Lady Kaella made this staff specially for me. Boosts spellcasting."
Ah, that easily detachable one.
Mages lacking mana draw or control used eclonium staves. Nothing special.
So it held little appeal. Sadly.
"You lost the original eclonium, though."
I glanced at the staff and replied offhand.
"Yeah..."
His cheerful mood deflated instantly.
"That's what worries me. What'll Lady Kaella say if she finds out.
She entrusts me with an important task, and I can't even handle it right—lose the eclonium to some brute..."
His voice sank low, head drooping into his horse's mane.
"Hey, Varkus. Have you met Prince Raymond in person?"
I hurriedly changed the subject.
"Of course. You forgot? I'm a court mage."
He perked up and chuckled.
Easy to handle...