by Terasu Senoo
“Simply wonderful. Anne seemed terribly pleased. Were the two of you having a match?”
“Yes, Claus here said he wanted to put his abilities to the test. Dear me, he really is something. He had me on the defensive the entire time.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Erika smiled, but in her heart, she retorted, How very modest. You must take care, Eduard; excess modesty simply turns to cynicism.
It wasn’t difficult for her to discern what had actually happened. In all likelihood, Eduard had nonchalantly and accurately dispelled and disintegrated every offensive spell Claus had thrown at him. No doubt, Claus came out feeling terribly humiliated from the ordeal.
“Grrr!”
The conversation between the siblings made Claus a mess of quivering scarlet. Erika already felt restless. No matter how she looked at it, Claus was at a clear disadvantage in this particular bout.
Generally speaking, the freedom and variety of spells a magician could use far exceeded that of an alchemist. However, this placed a larger burden on the body and mind. The spells constructed by a magician were generated from their own body and immediately put to use. An immature body or an unstable mind would obstruct the process. On the other hand, magic generated by strong emotions could be frighteningly powerful.
By contrast, an alchemist assembled spells from various materials, which were then concentrated and stored in a tool, such as a wand. The spell could later be called from the tool when necessary. Physical and mental health were both irrelevant; the problem was simply whether or not one had properly prepared for the situation.
A magician’s chant and an alchemist’s loaded wand apparently used very different types of mana—magical energy, that is—but the same spell would generally have the same range and effect. That being said, between an alchemist who was sufficiently charged and a magician who was physically immature, the result was clear from the get-go.
Incidentally, Erika was completely inept at magic. An unskilled alchemist was a rarity in the modern-day House Aurelia. This was not so easily rectified, as she could neither construct spells nor concentrate them into a wand. She did have mana, for what it was worth, but she didn’t have the constitution to use it.
At most, she could operate the tools produced by other alchemists. However, doing so didn’t require her to be an alchemist herself. This was something anyone could do as long as they had the proper equipment.
This really is harsh.
Erika grew glum as she carelessly spiraled into self-deprecation. Though her capacity for magic was slim, she could still make a golem by physically carving sigils into ceramic or the like, which just barely allowed her to call herself an alchemist. This was her sole salvation.
She would be fine while under the protection of her father and brother, but she worried what would become of her once she enrolled in the academy.
Indeed, thinking about the future put a damper on Erika’s spirits, but she was quick to change gears. If she didn’t handle this situation properly, she wouldn’t have a future to begin with.
“It’s almost time for the banquet. Shouldn’t the two of you be getting ready?”
“You heard her, Claus. We’ve run out of time, so we’ll have to call this match a draw,” said Eduard, still completely unfazed.
“I-I won’t lose next time,” grumbled Claus, his body still in a frenzy.
“Oh, that’s right. I received a summons from my friend a moment ago. I’ll have to return to Lindis right after the banquet.”
“What?!”
“I’m really sorry, Claus.”
This was the first Erika had heard of his urgent voyage as well.
The city of Lindis was right at the center of Ichthyes, and Eduard was a student at the Academy of Magic there. At this rate, Eduard would be running off with an unsettled score.
“That’s quite sudden. Shouldn’t you stay here at least for as long as House Hafan is with us?”
“It’s urgent business, you see. Oh, but please do get along with Claus in my stead, Erika.”
“Huh? Um, yes, of course.”
Eduard scurried off, leaving her stuck with the disagreeable boy. She stole an awkward glance at him, only to find he was blatantly glaring at her. Erika tried smiling, wondering what she should do, but this only intensified his scorn.
“That’s unfortunate. My brother is a very busy person.” She tried her best not to be intimidated by his attitude, making some curt small-talk.
“I see. So it wasn’t just that he didn’t want to deal with me.”
“Yes. He might seem elusive, but he does his best to be sincere with these things.”
“Uh-huh.” Claus dropped his gaze from Erika, apparently lost in thought.
After taking another peek at his handsome features, now shadowed by the evening sun, Erika was about to be back on her way when a voice called out behind her.
“Umm... I’m sorry for being so rude.”
Erika turned back to see Claus making a timid, awkward face.
“That’s alright, Claus.”
“It appears I was too weak to talk about catching weakness from anyone.”
He was acting like a kicked puppy. Just what had Eduard done to him to bring about this sudden change? Erika was at a loss for words.
“You’re his sister, so you must be a skilled alchemist in your own right.”
“No, I have absolutely no talent for alchemy.”
“What is with you Aurelians and your humility?”
Having spoken after Eduard, Erika realized how shameless she must have sounded.
“No, it’s true in my case. Unfortunately, the mana in my body to chant spells, or cast any magic at all, is wholly obstructed.”
“I-Is that so? My condolences.”
Erika lowered her gaze, a bitter smile on her face. It was a harsh condition to have in Aurelia, but it would probably be even worse in Hafan. Claus’ eyes had all of a sudden softened and become compassionate.
Absorbed in her self-reflection, Erika was now sincerely and miserably worried about her future.
Perhaps the Erika in Liber Monstrorum went astray due to her inferiority complex.
For a few moments, she contemplated the paths in life she could have tread.
“But, ah... I don’t mean to pry—this is just a simple question—but I sense traces of an unusual magic about you. If it isn’t your magic, then what might be the source?”
What could it be? thought Erika, glancing over her body and dress.
“Oh dear, I haven’t noticed it in the slightest.”
There were times where Erika would use an item to cast defensive magic on herself, but right now, she was inside the Aurelian Spring Palace. She had no need to use such magic on her home turf.
“Well, it bothers me. My apologies, but could I inspect you up close?”
“Hm? Yes, of course.”
Claus stood right in front of her and began staring, long and hard.
“I see. Found it.”
Was that really enough? Erika was rather impressed. As expected of the future omnipotent magician.
“It’s coming from your chest. You must be wearing an accessory with some sort of special magic.”
Oh, that thing! Erika finally recalled that she had hidden the star crystal necklace under her dress.
“I received it from my brother this morning. I didn’t know it contained magic.”
While she couldn’t show it to Anne, Erika determined Claus would act sensibly enough and slipped the necklace out over her clothes.
It was evening by now, and as the light grew dim, the stone filled with the glowing blue light one might see from a star.
“It’s beautiful. I see, so this is Aurelia’s famous star crystal...”
“He told me it was a charm to make friends,” Erika said doubtfully.
Maybe it wasn’t just a good-luck charm. Did he seriously cast a spell on it?
As a matter of fact, Claus was staring into the star crystal as if he were ench
anted.
“This isn’t your brother’s magic. Forget that—I’ve never sensed anything like this before. It’s not of Hafan, and it doesn’t seem to be of Aurelia either.”
“I heard he found it in the Seafarer’s Ruins. It might be something ancient.”
“The Seafarer’s Ruins, eh?”
“Yes, they’re quite famous in Aurelia.”
“Hmm, how intriguing.”
Oh crap, thought Erika. The mere fact that the keyword had slipped into the open air felt like a prelude to something awful.
“But why didn’t my brother notice the magic cast on this stone, I wonder?”
“It was so feeble, I thought I was just imagining it. The fact that it’s magic I’m unfamiliar with means it’s considerably rare.”
As a skilled magician, Claus perpetually had a spell called Glámr-Sight deployed. It allowed him to sense traces of magic as visual phenomena. His eyes, enchanted with the spell, were precisely what had allowed him to notice the necklace’s magic in the first place.
Alchemists of the west couldn’t react to situations beyond what they had prepared for, so Eduard’s inability to notice was no mystery.
Even so, Claus sure is confident in himself, Erika thought. He had yet to enroll in the Academy of Magic, yet he claimed to have knowledge of all its forms, Eastern and Western.
“Still, it’s pretty amazing that you know so much about it, Claus.”
“Naturally. That’s why I’ve been training every day.”
Claus’ eyes were sparkling. Erika wondered if true talent came from intense hard work and investment that had transformed into insatiable greed.
“I want to check out the ruins. Will you take me there?”
I have nothing but bad feelings about this.
A detestable chill ran down her spine. She inferred that she was about to raise her own death flag. In Liber Monstrorum, Anne was the one who entered the ruins and was consequently possessed by an evil spirit. If Claus went in her place, then perhaps it was Claus who would curse her to death.
“I can’t. It’s too dangerous.”
“But Eduard went there without issue, did he not? Are you saying I’m incapable?”
Whoa there. I rubbed his rivalry the wrong way.
Erika was immediately filled with regret. She couldn’t just tell him, “That’s right.” It would only hurt his pride and make the situation even worse.
4
Erika just barely managed to elude Claus’ interest in the ruins before making way for the banquet. As she had expected, the boy brought up the topic right at the height of their meal, but Duke Hafan issued him a terribly dignified reprimand. There was no way he could give a boy like Claus permission to enter such a dangerous place. Meanwhile, Erika herself feigned ignorance.
Despite Eduard’s nonchalant air, she detected some confusion on his part. Of course, Erika had made sure to properly put a gag order on Claus so that Eduard wouldn’t be scolded for his own exploits in the ruins.
When the banquet was over, Eduard headed to the cellar of the Spring Palace. He planned to use the transfer gate there to head to the Royal Academy of Magic in Lindis at the center of the continent. Despite its name, the academy wasn’t limited solely to magic; its studies encompassed medical practices and alchemy as well.
Transfer gates could be found beneath various important structures. They connected spaces with magic, allowing users to warp between them. Operating a gate required the use of a consumable item known as a one-time key, one of which Eduard had received from his father after dinner. One-time keys were managed by whichever ruling noble was in charge of the gate, and they could not be reproduced by anyone else.
Erika met Eduard in the hall once he had finished collecting his belongings. If she had learned anything from Claus, it was that the crystal Eduard had given her was imbued with some form of magic.
“Eduard, I do apologize for stopping you when you’re in such a hurry, but could I ask you about this necklace?”
“Hmm, what about the necklace, Erika?”
“Claus seemed to recognize the magic cast on it. Awfully rare magic, he said.”
“Rare magic, is it...? Let me see.”
Eduard stared at the crystal, a faint wrinkle on his brow. He crouched down on the spot and swung open the leather briefcase in his hands.
“That bag was your Wunderkammer?”
The repository which housed all the items an alchemist had prepared was known as a Wunderkammer. It seemed the inner space of his briefcase had undergone some expansions, and Eduard had set up shop inside.
“Getting space-tampering magic was pretty expensive, you know,” Eduard muttered, looking out into the distance.
“Right...”
Just the wands and materials he had stored inside would be worth a considerable sum already.
How much money did you waste on that, Eduard?
Erika did her best to estimate. She couldn’t come to an exact number, but it was plausible that her brother would have to sell off one or two of the silver veins he’d inherited to pay it off.
“Now, let’s look into this.”
Out of the numerous wands in the bag, Eduard selected one made from a branch of sugar maple. There was an emerald embedded at its tip. The ornaments of its handle made use of nacre to imitate the sheen of a peacock, meaning the central wick was probably peacock feather.
The wand was just about as long as a conductor’s baton. Such a small tool could presumably hold around fifty casts, though a wand of the highest quality could hold over a hundred.
While wands could be terribly convenient, a single wand could only contain a single spell. If one wanted to be prepared for all sorts of situations, they would have to carry many different varieties of wands at a time. That was what made preparation so important to western alchemists.
Eduard vigorously waved the wand like he was raising an orchestra from the dead. A magic circle deployed around him, enveloping him in a pale green light, before condensing around his eyes. With that, he was temporarily placed under the effects of Glámr-Sight.
What this world considered an alchemist’s magic required quite a bit of grunt work.
“I see. This is interesting,” Eduard said after his eyes had been fixed on the star crystal for some time. With Glámr-Sight, he could see everything about the spell: its construction, range, effective time, creator, and practitioner.
“How does it look?”
“I found it in the Seafarer’s Ruins, so I assumed it would be from that time period... But it’s actually even older than that. At the very least, it’s from before Ignitia came from the south and took over the continent.”
The founders of Aurelia, the Seafaring Tribe, arrived roughly 650 years ago. 150 years prior to that, the founding king of Ignitia brought ruin to Casquetia. That made the magic at least 800 years old.
As legend had it, Casquetia was a country of vampyres. It had been a land of darkness where the vampyric royalty and nobility ruled over the humans like they were livestock. This meant there was a high possibility the magic cast on the stone had originally belonged to a Casquetian vampyre. How detestably sinister.
“So you’re saying it’s a vampyre’s magic?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
By now, vampyres were no more than a specter from eight centuries ago. They had all long since died out. However, Erika had heard that in the routes of Liber Monstrorum she had never conquered, vampyres still lurked in waiting.
“Luckily, it should be safe for us. Westerners such as ourselves aren’t really sensitive to this sort of magic. On the other hand, it will probably have a tangible influence on anyone from the east or the north.”
“What sort of magic is it?”
“It’s close to a charm spell, but more... Yes, it seems to be magic that brings out one’s desires. I believe I should hang onto the stone for a little longer.” Eduard tucked the necklace into his briefcase.
A magic that brings out des
ires?
Erika recalled the tragedy of Claus and Anne. Why had Anne, who was usually so very courteous, yearned so desperately for the necklace Erika wore? Could that have been a desire dragged out by the curse cast upon it?
As Erika fell into an anxious silence, Eduard kindly called her back to her senses.
“Erika, I don’t know how useful it will be, but please take this.”
What he handed her was the key to his repository. For an alchemist, his storage of items was just as valuable as his life. It was likely a spare key, but it was still extremely precious.
“This is the key to your storage, isn’t it? Eduard, why are you giving me something so important?”
“You look terribly anxious. I need to go to Lindis for a friend. Honestly, I would love to stay by your side, but this matter is a race against time.”
“Eduard, I...”
“It’s fine. Unless something drastic happens, I should be back early tomorrow morning.”
And with those words, Eduard was off to the transfer gate and on his way to Lindis. Erika made for the guest room to check up on Claus and Anne. Paying no heed to the long dress getting tangled in her legs, she ran earnestly through the darkened corridors of the palace.
The events of the day crossed her mind one after the other.
Anne blushing among the bright, blooming flowers.
Claus’ glimmering eyes as he investigated the star crystal necklace.
A faint yet suspicious blue light emanating from the necklace, which turned out to be enchanted with the magic of a vampyre.
Erika needed to see Anne’s smile and Claus’ frown right this second, or she would never be at ease.
☆
The room provided for Duke Hafan’s children had been decorated with an ample amount of flowers from the gardens, and their sweet scent permeated the air. By the time Erika reached the room, however, Claus and Anne were nowhere to be found.
The maids in service to Duke Hafan had all fallen into a magical slumber. Erika made doubly sure Anne wasn’t mixed in among the sleeping maids, but she was definitely gone.
This has to be Claus’ doing.
All the maids here were from House Hafan, which meant they all had a decent knowledge of magic and had learned how to resist it.