the magician who rose from failure volume 2

by Great blue

.

7. chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

"He would've become a hex fiend!"

Sue and Arcus gasped.

"Um, Brother," Lecia cut in. "What exactly is hex? And what is a hex

fiend?"

"Hex is something extra that's left whenever someone uses magic. You

sometimes see broken Artglyphs released at the end of a spell, right? Those

become hex."

"A hex fiend is like a creature made from a huge collection of hex," Sue

said. "I never knew hex could latch onto an actual living creature to be reborn

like that, but all you need to remember is that hex fiends are terrifying

monsters. They were powerful enough to destroy whole cities and even

whole kingdoms in the past."

Charlotte listened with a grim expression on her face. "They teach about

these creatures at the Institute, too, and in great detail. I had a lecture on them

recently."

Lecia frowned. "In that case, we cannot underestimate the danger to our

capital."

"Is that true, Gown?" Arcus asked. "Is it as bad as we're all thinking?"

"It's very bad! I wanna do something about it as quickly as we can! But it

would be best if we could choose the time and place of these battles. If we

fight in the middle of the day when everyone's outside, we will be putting

lots of people in danger!"

Gown was right, but it wouldn't be an easy problem to solve. As long as

the herb was involved, more scenes like this would ensue.

"What do we do then?" said Sue.

"I think we should follow the bad guys, then come out and attack them

when they're in a place with no people!"

"They may not be in the habit of gathering in those kinds of places

normally," Charlotte pointed out.

"Actually, bad guys like to hang around where no one will see them do

their bad stuff! We should follow them to their hideout and then attack when

the time is right!" Gown declared, curling his sleeves up into fists.

Sue scanned the area. "I'll go pass word of the situation up the chain of

command."

"Good idea."

Sue raced off to do just that, while Arcus and Gown explained the

situation to the guards.

After Sue came back from reporting the incident, Arcus felt like there

were more guards on patrol than before, but he wasn't quite sure. After all, no

matter Sue's status, one girl's word wasn't enough to make too big a move.

"We still don't really know what this group is trying to achieve," Arcus

said.

"No, but we couldn't ask that guy when he was going all crazy like that,"

said Gown.

Gown didn't seem that concerned about their objective. As an elf, it was

probably enough that they were digging up dead bodies, but Arcus felt that

the more information they had, the better. Were they dealing with petty

thieves or a large criminal organization run by a legitimate strategist?

For now, the square was mostly calm again.

"They're in here," Gown said, having led the group to a tavern in the

low-lying part of the capital.

It looked like any other watering hole in the city, albeit on the larger side.

They were open even now in the afternoon, and there were many people

dotted around inside, still chatting over the tail-ends of their lunch.

"Are we dealing with a bunch of drunks?" Arcus wondered aloud.

"Perhaps they are celebrating their success?" Charlotte suggested.

"Hmm..."

"Maybe they're just killing time," said Sue. "It'd be easy for them to hide

away in a popular place like this."

"Do you believe that they already have something planned, Lady Susia?"

"It's possible. What reason would they have to come to the capital

otherwise? They must be up to something. Plus..."

"What is it, My Lady?"

Sue's nose twitched. "I can smell it. Grave soil. It's like a mix of earth,

stagnant water, and vinegar."

"O-Oh..."

As usual, Sue wasn't making much sense, but if she could really smell

that, it meant that the group they were chasing were here for sure.

"But right now, I feel like we're the ones who look suspicious," Sue

continued.

"True. Why don't we wait outside for them to leave?" Arcus suggested.

Even if they were serving lunch right now, this was still a tavern in the

city's backstreets. It wasn't a place for young noble children. They were

bound to get looks from the staff and the customers.

"If we enter, we might be able to gather some information about their

objective," Charlotte said. "I believe we should consider that possibility,

too."

"That's also true."

The more he thought about it, the more desperate Arcus was to find out

what they were after. It would just make it so much easier to plan how to

counter them. After a quick discussion, the group decided to go along with

Charlotte's suggestion.

"Do you think it's all right for me to be here dressed as I am, Brother?"

"Er. Well, you do stand out quite a lot."

Moreso even than Sue's and Charlotte's, Lecia's outfit was laden with

frills.

"In that case, I shall soil the whole ensemble!" Lecia declared.

"No, I think that'd just make it stand out even more."

"O-Oh."

Sue took Lecia's arm. "You're so sweet when you're trying to do your

best!"

"L-Lady Susia..."

"Lady Susia, please do not touch Lecia so lightly. She is my friend."

"She's allowed more than one!"

Their decision made, the group decided to start moving.

"I'll stay here!" said Gown. "Otherwise people might recognize me!"

"All right. Just wait here, then."

"Sorry I can't help much! But please do your best!" Gown waved a

sleeve at the group as they made their way inside.

At this point, they could still pretend they were a group of children

wandering in by mistake.

"What now? We don't wanna make the staff suspicious," Arcus said.

"I have an idea," Sue said, pulling out some money from her breast

pocket. She approached one of the staff members who was waiting tables.

"We need a place to hide. We promise we won't be any trouble, so would we

be allowed to stay here for a bit?"

Her voice was as smooth as any secret agent's as she flashed the waiter

her family crest and passed him a gold coin. After pausing in surprise, the

waiter nodded.

It was only natural that he recognized that crest. It was common to see

the crests of any family ranked marquess or above on flags during public events, much like sponsorships at sporting events in the man's world. Among

the citizens of the capital, these crests were common knowledge.

"We should be good now," Sue informed the others with a grin.

All they needed to do now was to pinpoint the people they were after.

They scanned the tavern. Bright Sol Glasses hung from the ceiling, and

others were placed around the room as extra lighting. The counter was lined

with several different kinds of alcohol, with two or three bartenders serving

drinks. The sound of sizzling cooking could be heard, suggesting there was a

kitchen just out of view of the dining area.

Several customers were enjoying their drink, some rowdy, and some

slumped and dozing on the countertop. There were others who were here just

to eat, sitting at the tables. None of them looked like the troublemakers Gown

was after, although there may have been more further inside the tavern. The

group walked further into the establishment, keeping an eye on the tables. In

return, they received a few confused glances.

It was then that they spotted some people sitting at a table in the corner of

the room, wearing familiar clothing.

"Is that them?" Arcus whispered.

"That rampaging man was dressed in a similar fashion!" Charlotte agreed

under her breath.

They were wearing traveler's clothes, the likes of which were common in

the capital. Though they couldn't be sure it wasn't just coincidence, they

were the most likely candidates. Arcus and his friends took a nearby table

and began to listen as best they could among the din of the other patrons.

"Are...sure...afe?"

"...ctly safe. You don't need much...ake yourself...porarily intangible."

It sounded as though one of them was trying to convince the other of

something. They could well be talking about a transformative herb like the

one Gown spoke of.

"What about...?"

"Su...armful...ffects?"

"Pain in the..."

"N...idence...orget about it."

Now they appeared to be talking about the man afflicted by the hex. It

sounded like they abandoned him to his fate.

"...easure...aether."

"And...gician...uild..."

Arcus's eyes widened, and he almost fell out of his chair in surprise, the

legs clattering against the floor.

"Uh oh!" he breathed.

"Arcus! What are you doing?!" Sue gasped, horrified.

The group at the next table turned to look at the commotion. Would they

realize the children were listening to them? Arcus held his breath.

"What are a bunch of kids doing in a place like this? And they're nobles

to boot! Didn't know this kingdom was so lowbrow."

Out of nowhere, a voice called to them. Arcus turned and gaped at the

newcomer. He must have been one of the largest men Arcus had ever seen.

He took up two or three stools all by himself, and even sitting down he would

tower over the children if they stood. He must have been at least seven feet

standing up, if not eight. "Giant" didn't even begin to describe it. There was a

large cutlass on his back and a tricorn hat on his head. Arcus couldn't help

but wonder whether that was rum in his cup, too. Standing up smoothly from

his seat, the large man approached them.

"Why don't you come with me? I'll teach you about all the wonders of

the world!" The man reached out and picked Arcus up by the scruff of his

neck.

"L-Let go of him!" Sue cried.

As Arcus groaned and freed himself, the man bent over and peered at the

other children at the table.

"Calm down," he whispered, his voice too low for his table to hear. "You

want them to know you're here? You gotta keep quiet."

"Huh? R-Right..." Arcus quickly composed himself at the unexpected

words.

Lecia sprang up from her seat. "Brother! Brother, look! Look at all of

this! I've never seen such things before!"

Arcus recognized instantly that she was trying to stop them looking

suspicious.

"O-Of course," he joined in. "It's your first time in a tavern."

"Wow! I'd love to try some alcohol!"

"Me too," Charlotte chipped in.

"Now, now, you two. You're too young! You gotta make do with milk

for now, okay?" the man said.

"Oh..." Lecia lowered her gaze.

"What a pity..." Charlotte turned away in a huff.

Anybody watching would probably find it quite endearing. At the very

least, they weren't arousing too much suspicion anymore.

"Good thinking, Lecia!" Arcus whispered.

"It was nothing."

"Thank you too, Lady Charlotte."

"Not at all."

At that moment, Sue looked at Arcus. "Come with me a sec," she

whispered.

"What? Now? But—"

"Yes, now."

Eventually, Arcus agreed, and the two started preparing to leave, waiting

for a chance to tell the others.

"What is it?" he asked Sue. "You know we took a lot of trouble just to

get in here?"

"I know. But just trust me."

"Fine, but it's kinda hard to leave right now..."

"...I know." Still, Sue looked like she wanted to be anywhere but in this

tavern right now.

"So, why are you guys so interested in that group?" the large man asked.

"This and that."

"Hey, I got you kids out of trouble. You can tell me somethin', right?"

the man pressed.

Arcus frowned. Something didn't feel right about this guy.

"Look, we're grateful for that, but why did you even save us in the first

place?"

"Simple. You guys were fightin' together with Gown earlier, right?"

"You saw us?"

"Yup. I was impressed, see, because you put up a good fight for a bunch

of kids. I got a little curious, and felt like having a chat with you all."

"So you followed us here?"

"Yup!" A small smile formed on the man's lips.

If that was true, it meant they had come all the way here without realizing

there was a huge man tailing them. In the first place, it was strange that he

was curious enough to follow them at all, but that they hadn't noticed made

things all the stranger.

"So?" he said.

Arcus paused. "That group seems to be connected to the rampaging man from before."

"That's why you followed 'em? That takes some real guts. Now you guys

wanna play the hero and take 'em down?"

"More or less."

"Nah, there's gotta be more to it, or Gown wouldn't be with you. But

whatever, I'll take it. I know it's not really my business. How long are you

plannin' to stay here, anyway? I think they're here for the long haul,

y'know?"

"Well, we'll wait till they do something."

There was no other choice. This was definitely the group they were after.

"Hey, I know! You wanna help me out with something?" the man

suddenly said.

"What?"

"Huh?"

"You look like smart kids. To me, at least." The man pulled a sheet of

cloth and what looked like a chess piece from his bag. "You kids ever play

any battle chess?"

"A little," said Arcus.

"Now and again," Charlotte said.

"Okay, good."

What the man had didn't look like battle chess at all. The pieces mainly

looked like little ships, and there was a sheet instead of a board, mostly

marked with blue ink.

"Is this nautical themed?"

"You got it. You probably don't see many of this version around these

parts, but it's your standard battle chess, really. I'm facing an old friend of

mine now, but I'm not doing too hot. Been asking 'most everyone I meet for

advice for a while now." He let out a loud laugh.

"This isn't a game," Sue said. "You're in an actual battle with

somebody."

"Ah, you're a sharp one, missy."

Sue didn't respond.

"You mean something like this is supposed to help in an actual battle?"

Arcus said.

The "battle chess" the man pulled out was nothing like shogi, nor any

battle chess board Arcus had ever seen. It looked more like a strategic map

for war, and without any clear rules, Arcus doubted it could even be called a "game." It was hard to know how helpful the children could be, given the

man hadn't given them much subjective detail on the situation at all.

The man laughed. "Look, it's just a small scuffle between friends. Don't

sweat the small stuff."

"I'm sorry, but we don't really have time for this."

"You're keepin' an eye on that group over there, right? It's not like you

guys are short on numbers. One of you can help me with this, while the

others watch those guys. I'll keep an eye on them too."

"I'm not having anything to do with this," Sue announced bluntly.

It was a rare tone for her to take. Out of all of them, Arcus expected her

to take the most interest in this sort of thing. Perhaps she was in a bad mood.

In fact, she seemed to change her manner the moment this man showed up.

"I only know about inland combat," Charlotte said. "Nothing about

fighting on the seas."

Lecia shook her head to indicate she was as clueless as everybody else. It

wasn't like they could let this man's favor go unreturned, though.

The man began to set the pieces on the cloth. Despite his large hands, his

movements were precise. Arcus studied the cloth when he was finished.

There was a stronghold surrounded by the ocean on three sides. The curved

border of a city projected out from the land, marked by high walls. Naval

fleets were gathered in the sea, as battalions approached from land. The

fortress was completely surrounded.

"Which side is yours?"

"I'm attacking, and my friend's defending."

His numbers were impressive, but it was clear that attacking the

stronghold would be no easy feat.

"This is more like running strategic simulations than playing a game,"

Arcus muttered.

"Quit it. It's more fun if you think of it like a game," said the man.

"Why don't you try cutting off his supplies?" Arcus suggested.

"I won't go into it, but just assume it's impossible."

"How about attacking from the land side?"

"That'd mean having to deal with these tough walls here, and we'd lose a

lot of men in the time it took to break through. That'd put us at a

disadvantage once we're actually in there."

"What about invading through this inlet here?"

"Might not surprise you to know the sea routes are sealed off. Take alook 'ere." He pointed to the inlet, which had a chain-like marking cutting off

the entrance.

With all these restrictions, capturing the castle would be tough. There

didn't seem to be any gaps in the defense at all.

Suddenly, Arcus realized the map seemed familiar; not from his life in

this world, but from his dream.

"Hey, is this Constantinople?"

"Consta-what-what?"

"Never mind."

The map looked just like Constantinople, a city famed for its highly

defensible position for nearly a thousand years since its construction.

Surrounded on three sides by the sea, and protected by several layers of walls

inland, it wasn't difficult to see why. Those walls were stronger than the

technology of the time should have permitted, so it was hard to overstate just

how impressive the city was.

Despite this, it fell to the Ottoman Empire's attack. Arcus tried to

remember what exactly happened then.

"If you take these ships over the land and into the inlet from here..."

During the Ottoman siege on Constantinople, the Ottomans moved their

ships by land over a hill. Taken by surprise, the defenders moved some of

their forces from the land-facing territory, leading to the city being taken

within three months.

Arcus moved the ships to the area with the shortest distance between the

land and the inlet.

"This'll give you a new place to attack from."

"Don't be silly, Arcus," Sue scoffed.

"I fail to see how you would move ships across land," Charlotte added.

"I-I'm sorry, but I agree with Lady Charlotte," Lecia said.

The girls stared at him in disbelief. He was perfectly aware of how crazy

the idea sounded.

"I'm not gonna dismiss it without thinkin' it through first," the man said.

"So, how d'you propose we get the ships to this side of the inlet? It's easy

when they're tiny pieces on a board, but not so easy when you're faced with

huge vessels."

Arcus took a moment to think back. "Place the ships onto oiled logs and

have livestock pull them along."

"Ah, just like transporting any other heavy cargo, then."

."It's not gonna work if the angle's too steep or the boats are too big. You

need enough hands to do it, too. I know it sounds crazy, but it's not

impossible with enough manpower. Worst case scenario, you'll have to build

a path yourself or something."

It wasn't unheard of for large swathes of men to move huge rocks carved

from the mountains, even in this world, and there were plenty of ancient

structures in the man's world with unclear construction processes—and they

didn't even have magic to help them. Moving a few wooden ships across land

was perfectly doable.

"What about the sandy soil? Won't the ships sink into it?"

"Not if you water it down first to create a capillary bridge. That should

make it solid enough to pass over."

"Uh..."

"You know how sand clumps up when it's wet? It's the same thing."

"It still sounds a bit far-fetched," Sue said.

"That's part of what makes it great. Wars are often won by catching the

opponent entirely off guard. If the opponent doesn't think an area needs

defending, there are hardly gonna be any troops there, which makes it the

best place to attack from. Identifying those spots which are easy to fight from

is also a part of war."

"You know, I know it makes sense, but..."

Arcus knew what Sue meant to say. Just because something made sense

didn't mean it would work. Nor, Arcus wanted to retort, did it mean it

wouldn't. Besides, assuming this was just a friendly match, why did it

matter?

All of a sudden, the man started to chuckle, and it wasn't long before he

was slapping his knees in delight. "Kid, you're exactly right! I never even

thought to attack from there!"

"Satisfied?"

"Completely! I think you've just given me a shot at victory!" The man

laughed.

"Hey, Captain! We finally found you!" a voice called from the tavern

entrance.

Arcus followed the voice to find a group of men gathered. It wasn't hard

to conclude they were the man's associates.

"Hey, guys!" the man cried happily. "You came at just the right moment!

We've found a route into that confounded inlet!"

"You mean it?!"

"Yup! Victory's in our grasp!"

He seemed almost too happy for someone in a friendly competition.

"Brother, look."

"What is... Oh."

Among the cheers, the group they were tailing stood up, possibly because

the man's laughter was irritating them. They moved to pay before heading for

the entrance.

"Let's go," Arcus said, and the three girls nodded back at him. He was

just about to stand up himself when the man grabbed him again. "Wh-What is

it now?"

"You kids don't have to hurry off, y'know? Lemme treat you to

something as thanks."

"No, we do need to hurry. You should know we don't have time to sit

around."

"All right. Off you go, then." The man released Arcus from his grip.

Gathering his men, he followed the children out. "You don't mind us coming

with you to say hi to your elf friend, right?"

Arcus doubted he would take no for an answer, and so the children and

the seafarers made their way back to Gown.

"C-Captain!" one of the men gasped, as they approached the elf.

"You guys've never seen him before, right? Meet Gown, the Grave

Sprite! Make sure you thank him for all he does!"

His men lowered their heads towards Gown.

"Barbaros! Hello!" the elf said happily.

"Hello there! You're always working so hard, huh? Oh, and call me

Captain, please!"

"Aye-aye Captain!" Gown raised his arms in a cheer.

If Gown's so happy to see him, I guess we can trust him.

"You guys go back for the day, yeah?" the captain said to his men.

"Huh?"

"I got business."

"We can attend that business with you, Captain!"

"No need, no need! You guys have some preparing to do anyway. Things

are about to get critical." The captain pulled a heavy pouch out of his bag and

passed it to one of his men, eliciting a cheer from them.

"When you say business..." Arcus began.

"Yup, I'm gonna help you lot. As thanks, y'see."

"You didn't even ask us."

"Hey, you gotta admit having a grown-up on your side'll be helpful."

"I know, but..." Arcus glanced at Gown.

"I don't mind if he helps us! The Captain's super reliable!"

"See? If the elf agrees, it's settled, right?"

"I guess I don't have a choice." Arcus sighed.

"Favors are to be returned! That's what it means to fare the sea! And it's

best to return favors while they're still fresh!" The man smiled. "The name's

Barbaros. I'm a seafarer. I won't be stickin' around for long, but I hope we'll

get on swimmingly!"

Arcus was inclined to trust Gown's judgment, but he still had his

reservations. The children introduced themselves to Barbaros. It was then that

Arcus realized Sue was strangely quiet. She was glaring quietly at Barbaros's

back.

"Sue?"

"It's nothing. I promise," Sue replied with a smile.

With that, the children and Barbaros followed Gown to chase after the

conspirators once again.

From what Arcus had heard at the tavern, there was a possibility that the

group Gown was after were industrial spies from another kingdom. The

words "aether" and "Guild" definitely cropped up in their conversation. The

word "measure" was the final nail in the coffin. They were likely putting

together a plan to infiltrate the Magician's Guild. Though they made no

mention of the aethometer itself, it sounded like they were aware that a

device like it existed.

It wasn't hard to work out how they caught wind of it. From their

fragmented conversation, it sounded like ingesting the herb gave you the

power to make yourself temporarily intangible. If that was true, it was

possible for them to infiltrate the Guild and gather information, even if they

didn't get to sneak into the production line itself. The best course of action,

he reasoned, would be to split away from the group and head for the Guild.

The children left the tavern and the backstreets behind, along with their

new companion, Barbaros. Gown was leading them after the perpetrators.

Arcus needed to let the others know of his intentions.

"Lecia," he whispered.

"What is it?"

"You know about the aethometer, right?"

"I do! You are its inventor, aren't you, Brother?"

"That's right."

Lecia's eyes lit up and she broke into a smile. The next moment,

however, she was frowning dubiously. "Why are you telling me this now?"

"Hey, is this to do with what those guys in the tavern were saying?" Sue

asked.

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you are talking about," said Charlotte.

"Around two years ago, I presented a certain magical tool to the

Magician's Guild. It appears the group we are chasing are after it, My Lady,"

Arcus explained.

"It's really something! The power of our army's magicians shot up

practically overnight!" Sue said.

"It's truly remarkable," Lecia agreed. "I have several myself."

"It sounds like quite the feat," Charlotte said.

"Anyway, the Guildmaster allowed me a workshop inside the Guild's

grounds. It sounded to me like the group in the tavern were planning to

infiltrate it."

"Are you saying they wish to steal your invention?" asked Charlotte.

"I believe so. The invention and the technology behind it."

Charlotte quickly put two and two together and frowned. "But if they are

using that herb for these plans..."

"They can come and go into the Guild as they like!" Sue gasped.

It wasn't just that. Should the herbs prove too much for their host, they

could end up causing untold damage. The Guild was a powder keg of aetheric

forces—the ideal condition for a hex fiend to spawn with the introduction of

a little chaos. Things were worse than Arcus anticipated. They were in urgent

need of a plan.

"What should we do, Brother?"

"I'll run ahead to the Guild and warn them to step up their security.

Hopefully that'll make these guys think twice about targeting it."

Even if the herb allowed them to pass through walls, with more guards

around, they'd have to be careful. They were likely aiming for a period of

time when defenses were low. Arcus's warning would shift the window of

opportunity and force them to reassess—maybe even regroup—buying the

children more time.

"They'll listen to you, won't they, Arcus?" Charlotte asked.

"It's policy for them to take me seriously since my invention got

approved; they've already trusted me with production and security around it.

I'd like it if we had some more people on our side, though."

"The Guild wouldn't be in a position to lend you anybody, would it?"

It was just as Charlotte said. Once Arcus gave his warning, the Guild's

top priority would be defending itself, and all of their magicians would be

dispatched to that end. Even the magicians on the aethometer project would

need to dedicate themselves to the defense effort, or be available to destroy

any critical documents if necessary. It was too risky to ask them to leave their

post. He could always ask for some lower-ranking workers or the capital's

guards to help, but getting through all the red tape to have them transferred to

him would take too long.

Arcus glanced at Sue, wondering if her status might give them some

advantage, but she shook her head. Arcus called Gown over to explain the

situation, after which the elf agreed he could split off from the group. He was

now more grateful than ever that he and Gown ran into Sue and the others.

With a strong fighting force accompanying him, Gown didn't need Arcus to

stick around. The girls were even more powerful than him.

Noticing the ripples of commotion, Barbaros spoke up. "What's goin'

on?"

"There's somewhere I've gotta go by myself," Arcus said.

"That's right!" Gown added helpfully. "So please can you stay with us to

chase the bad guys, Captain?"

"Hold up."

"You won't help?"

Barbaros paused. "I don't really got a choice, seeing as you were kind

enough to lemme join you. I'm just curious about what's come up all of a

sudden."

It was probable that Barbaros had joined up out of interest in Arcus and

his solution to his war scenario. Sue's dismissive attitude towards the captain

wasn't ameliorating his frustration at being forced to part ways.

"Whaddya gonna do after that, though? How are you gonna find us again

when you're done?"

"That's no problem!" Gown took the lantern from his hip and lit it.

The next moment, there was a second Gown standing next to him.

Everyone stared and gasped, aside from Barbaros. He was stroking the

stubble on his chin thoughtfully.

"This is how you manage to be everywhere at once, huh little guy?"

"That's right!"

"So, uh... did you cut your consciousness in half, or is it like a copy-type

deal?"

"I'm Gown! Both of us are a whole me!" The Gowns chimed in unison.

"I'm afraid I'm getting a headache," Charlotte murmured.

Arcus and the second Gown raced through the darkening capital, bound

for the Magician's Guild. The longer they took, the more likely it was for the

aethometer project to spring a leak. Given the effects of the herb, it was

unlikely the spies' objective was to steal the device itself, but with even the

slightest hole in the veil of secrecy around it, all of Arcus's efforts would

come to naught.

There was no time to waste. Just running would take too long, so the pair

had bolstered their strength with spells; the people they sped past gawked at

them. They darted between pedestrians like a gust of wind and ran side-by-

side with horses and the government officials astride them. Arcus felt a small

twang of smugness at the astonishment in everyone's gazes, but he didn't

have time to dwell on it.

It wasn't long until the Magician's Guild came into view. It was the

symbol of the kingdom's magical advancements and a place where magicians

carried out their research nonstop. Since there was always somebody hard at

work, the Sol Glasses were permanently set inside to keep the building bright

around the clock.

The black building was surrounded by a high, spiked wall, and the land

around it was kept completely bare to deter anyone from peering in over

those walls. Since the place was active twenty-four hours a day, there were a

great many guards who had a permanent station at the Guild. It was so well-

defended that even an entity as powerful as a foreign nation would be foolish

to try to infiltrate it.

In Arcus's case, he was recognized as the inventor of the aethometer, so

he was allowed through without question. He quickly explained the urgency

of the situation to the guard at the main gate, who then allowed him passage.

Leaving Gown waiting with the guard, Arcus hurried to the main building.

He informed the receptionist that there was an urgent situation

threatening the aethometer, and asked whether the Guildmaster Godwald or

his secretary, Balgeuse, were around. Fortunately, they were both currently at the Guild's testing grounds.

Arcus quickly thanked the receptionist before rushing off again, only to

run into a frightening, scar-covered face at the corner of the cloister. He

screamed, the first thought in his mind that this was either a mafia boss or a

demon from hell. It was a cheaper jump scare than any low-budget horror

movie, and yet Arcus still reeled, landing firmly on his rear.

That terrifying face belonged to Guildmaster Godwald Sylvester himself.

His crumpled face crumpled further as he looked down at Arcus. "Arcus?

You seem surprised to see me."

"Uh. O-Oh, well..."

Arcus wasn't about to admit that it was the Guildmaster's face which had

scared him most of all. He'd known Godwald long enough to understand that

even a child's admission of fright would set off his complex about his severe

appearance.

Though Arcus held his tongue, he needn't have bothered; Balgeuse was

there to ruin his efforts.

"I am sure anyone would have the same reaction seeing your face appear

from around a corner, sir. You've caused many a fright in your time."

"Yes, yes! There may even have been fatalities! You ought to be more

careful!" said Mercuria, who was also with Godwald.

"You don't have to comment every time, you two!" Godwald growled.

Mercuria pulled the rim of her pointy hat over her face while Balgeuse

chuckled to himself. That was quite a way to speak to one's superior, but

perhaps the old secretary and Noah were birds of a feather.

Aside from those two, the Guildmaster was trailing quite the entourage.

They didn't seem to be clerks or magicians from the Guild either, judging

from their dress. They conducted themselves elegantly, much like nobles or

high officials, yet their attire did not match the styles common in the

kingdom.

There was no doubt they were important, but they were not from Lainur.

The woman in the middle of the group exuded a particularly powerful air of

importance. She was a young woman with dark, wavy, blonde hair. Arcus

would place her in her twenties. She was dressed in an unfamiliar military

uniform, and her eyes held a glint of arrogance that was unique among the

group.

Arcus gave a simple bow before the Guildmaster cut in.

"Oh, excuse me for not speaking up earlier. This young master has done much for the Guild. Arcus, you do not need to worry about these guests."

"Yes, sir."

That wasn't a problem. He didn't want to bother with long-winded self-

introductions right now, given the circumstances.

"So what brings you to the Guild, Arcus?" Mercuria asked.

"Well, you see..." Arcus paused before turning to Balgeuse. "Mr.

Balgeuse. Please, could you invoke a Code C?"

"Code C? This must be quite the predicament indeed." Though his

expression remained calm, there was a small twitch in Balgeuse's eyebrow.

Godwald turned pale. "What exactly is going on?"

"Yes, yes! Code C means the destruction of all documents, doesn't it?"

Arcus gathered the three of them together and lowered his voice.

"There's a chance the information will be stolen."

"Stolen? Where did you hear that? We've certainly heard nothing of it!"

"From the Grave Sprite!"

"G-Gown? Why did he tell you that?"

"Well, it's a long story, but right now I'm helping him out with

something, and I overheard a group which had those sorts of intentions."

Godwald frowned. Arcus found himself trembling and wondering if the

Guildmaster was mad at him.

"I have much I would like to say, but I understand the urgency of the

situation. Balgeuse."

"At your service, sir."

"Cassim is in the capital. Summon him and have him take charge of the

defense."

"Very good, sir." Balgeuse bowed at the dark-blonde woman too before

leaving.

"What will you do, Arcus?"

"I'm going back to meet with Gown, and we're going to chase down the

perpetrators. I'm sorry, but would you mind taking care of the production

area?"

"I can't very well say no when our esteemed elf is involved. Don't put

yourself in too much danger now."

"Yes, sir. Sorry to be in such a rush." Arcus bowed, and then...

"O, fresh blood in the vessel. O, flesh and bone that make up man.

Continue down your well-traveled paths. Fill this body with unyielding

strength and quench my unending thirst. As my voice opens the door, may this flesh and blood awaken."

This was Arcus's spell to enhance his physical abilities temporarily:

Tenfold Performance. With that power coursing through his body once more,

Arcus raced away and leaped over the spiked walls around the Guild.

"I think it's about time we made those walls a little higher."

"A spell to increase one's physical abilities, hm?"

"It didn't sound to me like it would work on others. Craib was right when

he said the boy comes up with some unusual magic."

"Yes, yes! I'm sure even Frederick wouldn't mind losing sleep if he got

to hear about this!" Mercuria said. "Now, please allow me to help."

"Thank you. If you wouldn't mind, could you start devising some

defense plans? It shouldn't be too long until Cassim joins you."

"Yes, sir!"

The Guildmaster then turned to Meifa Darnénes, the dark-blonde woman.

"I do apologize for the delay in your tour."

"Has something happened, Vajra?"

"No, no, nothing major. Again, please allow me to apologize for the

interruption."

"Nothing major..." Meifa murmured, turning to look up at the wall across

from the cloister. "Still, it is in keeping with this kingdom's reputation that

such a young boy would be able to use magic like that."

"Arcus is a prodigy. Most children cannot compare."

"Is that right?"

"Yes, although we are blessed with many talented young spirits. He is

just one of them," Godwald said quickly.

"I see."

Though the Guildmaster put an end to the topic, Meifa still stared

thoughtfully at the wall Arcus leaped over.

When Arcus had left the Guild, the sun was close to disappearing from

the sky. Now it had sunk fully, leaving Sol Glasses to twinkle here and there

across the city. Unlike the man's world, there were no high-rises here, and so

a glance up at the sky revealed nothing but darkness, the stars blocked out by

the low-hanging Sol Glasses of houses. That same light created a band of

purple under the blackness of the night sky.

Arcus and Gown ran from the city center as if they were trying to escape

that light. They arrived at a quiet suburb on the capital's east side.

"Are we heading for the slums?" Arcus asked. Not far out from here, this

part of the city fell into disuse; even the capital's most desperate had

abandoned the ruins.

"Yes! That's where we chased the bad guys to!"

"It was nice of them to bring us somewhere empty."

"It must be an advantage for them too."

With designs as grand as theirs, they would need somewhere to gather

out of sight.

"Where are they now?"

"They left again after coming together here. They might be going back to

the same square as before, but I don't know."

"As long as they're not headed for the Guild yet."

Otherwise the staff might not have time to prepare...

"This way!"

Even though Arcus was running as fast as he could, Gown always

seemed to be a step ahead of him. His apparent speed and the terrain didn't

seem to matter. Gown was always in front, waving a long sleeve at him.

The pair skirted flowerbeds, sneaked through shadows, and scaled roofs.

Eventually, they crossed the boundary between habitable and uninhabitable;

tumbledown houses and free-standing walls sprawled out ahead. Some of the

tougher buildings kept their original structure, but their windows were

broken, their insides bared to the wind. Rubble piled up along the road like

makeshift curbs. It was a testament to the speed at which entropy took hold of

a city in the absence of human care. Only the panting of wild dogs and the

shine of their eyes in the omnipresent gloom suggested the presence of life.

Arcus followed Gown into a building, where the gigantic Barbaros had

propped himself against a wall.

Gown threw his sleeves high above his head. "We're back, Captain!"

"Oh hey. I thought you'd be longer."

"Where are the others?" said Arcus.

"They're out with the other Gown searching for those guys'

headquarters. Left me here 'cause they thought I stood out too much."

"What are they planning to do once they find them?"

"Decide if they should attack or not. Said they'd get back to me if they

wanna go ahead with it."

They were probably waiting for the right timing. If the whole crew was

there, Gown and the children could deal with all of them at once.

"I'm gonna go back now!" Gown announced, disappearing into flickers

of gentle flame.

Must be handy to be able to create a copy of yourself whenever you need

it, Arcus thought, finding a flat piece of rubble to sit down on.

"So, how come you're helpin' Gown out?" Barbaros asked.

"I thought I already told you. He asked me to. It's nothing more than

that."

"You'd help anyone who asks?"

"No. It depends what's in it for me and what I'm risking. This time, it's

'cause it was Gown who asked. You can't really turn down a request from an

elf, right?"

"Huh. Makes sense. You sure you weren't just excited to be asked for

help by someone so special?"

"That's...part of it, probably."

Though it wasn't the most sensitive question in the world, Arcus found

himself answering honestly. He liked being relied on, especially by those

who wouldn't usually ask for help. The thought that Gown chose Arcus

specifically filled his heart with warmth. What he didn't like was the way

Barbaros seemed to be able to read his mind on the matter.

The pirate burst into laughter. "Sorry, kid. Don't put too much thought

into it. I was just curious, y'see."

Arcus didn't respond.

"I was just thinkin', not everyone works totally on pure motives. You

don't gotta pretend you do, either."

"What about revenge as a motive?"

"Huh?"

"I'm just asking what you think...and I answered your question."

Arcus had discussed this topic with Sue before too. Arcus could never

figure out whether revenge was a noble pursuit or not, and perhaps that was

because, deep down, he thought it wasn't. At the same time, he knew that

asking everyone he met about it showed cowardice on his part.

Barbaros was quick on the uptake.

"I get it. Right now, you're meanin' to avenge yourself on someone.

Problem is, you can't figure the weight of it, so you asked me...a total

stranger."

"You're pretty perceptive, huh?"

"Gotta be if you wanna be a captain. We gotta read lots of things. The wind, humans... Y'know."

Spoken like a true seafarer...

"So...revenge. What do you think?"

"It's fine, ain't it? I mean, if it's blowin' steady, it'd be a waste not to

tack into it."

"Huh. I never thought about it like that."

"Humans need power to get most anything done. Not just physical

power, but power of spirit, and that don't come just by callin' for it."

Arcus knew already that you could have the means to an end, but not the

resolve.

"Every human breathin' prefers tellin' themselves they've a reason

behind what they do. They want to possess something, or they want to

achieve something... If they've whipped up cause for it, it's easier to build up

the will to follow through." Barbaros put a large hand on Arcus's shoulder.

"Arcus. I get that you might wanna fair, clean victory. But life ain't always

sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes, you won't be able to win unless you're

ready to get your hands dirty. 'Nfact, you'll be lucky to get through life with

one or two totally fair victories. The real question is, what are you gonna do

with all those dark, murky emotions inside you?"

"'What I'm gonna do?'"

"You're what, ten? That means you've got sixty, seventy years ahead of

you. You're gonna have hopes and dreams you haven't even thought of yet.

You're a kid, which means you've got endless potential. If there's a chance to

take something you want, go for it. Keep movin' forward. You gotta move, or

nothin'll change. Keep going and going till you can't anymore. Take what

you want. That'll be your victory. Once you've won, who's gonna care what

it took?"

"Hmm..."

"Tell you what, if us seafarers stopped moving we'd be stuck in the

middle of the sea!" Barbaros guffawed.

It was an oafish laugh, but somehow it calmed Arcus's heart.

"And you think that's a good way to live?"

"Sure! I mean, you're a kid, so who cares what's good or bad? Also, if

you're gonna restrict yourself to choices which have right answers, then

you're not gonna get very far, are ya?" Barbaros lowered his voice. "If you

can use somethin' to win, then use it. It doesn't matter what it is; it matters

what you're usin' it for. All most people see is your success, not what's behind it."

"Might makes right, huh? You're kinda evil, aren't you?"

"'Course. Young kid like you doesn't need to worry about holdin' back.

You gotta dream big. There's tons of people out there livin' just how they

want. And why wouldn't they? What's wrong with that sorta life? Kids like

you gotta live that way more than anyone. If you do somethin' wrong, it's up

to the adults to scold ya for it."

Dream big?

Arcus could see his point. The weight of an extra lifetime tended to foster

reservations within him. Barbaros must have picked up on that, or he

wouldn't be telling him all of this. It was a wholly satisfying answer, and

Arcus's heart felt a little lighter.

"By the by, Arcus, d'you know Craib Abend?"

Arcus gaped at him. "How did you know?"

"Hey, you're a Raytheft, right? That'd make it pretty likely."

Arcus was surprised, but he knew he shouldn't be. Craib wasn't just a

famous state magician, but a well-traveled one.

"He's my paternal uncle."

"Which makes you his nephew, huh?"

"Do you know him, Captain?"

"We've met a ton. Spoken too."

"Huh."

I guess this is a small world too.

Arcus smiled, feeling like he found a friend in an unexpected place. "My

uncle is teaching me magic."

"Oh? Ain't you lucky, havin' a state magician teach you personally?"

"Yeah, but I wasn't so lucky before he agreed to teach me..."

"Huh? Oh, I get it. That's why you were talkin' about revenge and such."

As before, Barbaros was right on the money with his predictions.

"So how did you meet my uncle?"

"He ended up on my ship once, back in his rovin' days. I asked him if he

wanted to join my crew."

"What did he... Well, I guess I already know the answer."

"Yup. He told me flat out, 'no.' Said he wanted to get back to his own

country and make a name for himself there. 'Course, he ended up as a state

magician. I regret not insisting he stay, y'know."

"You think he's too good to be a state magician or something?"

"Of course I do. Takes a real man to be my first mate, and he was just the

sort I needed."

"My uncle as a seafarer..."

Arcus tried to imagine it. With Craib's brawny body and his tanned skin,

it seemed almost too perfect a role for him.

"Hey, thinkin' about it now, I think he talked about revenge and stuff too.

Guess you two are kinda alike, huh?"

Arcus stayed quiet.

"See what I was sayin' now? You didn't realize, 'cause he's a successful

guy."

Arcus never put much thought into his uncle's past, but he did know

there was a lot of suffering and hard work involved. He didn't realize how

little he'd thought of it until Barbaros pointed it out. The seafarer was getting

him to think a lot today. A question arose in Arcus's mind.

"How old are you, Captain?"

"Huh? I dunno, but I think around fifty or so."

"No way! I thought you were in your late thirties or something!"

"Hey, I'll take the compliment." Barbaros flashed Arcus a friendly grin.

Now that Arcus looked, he noticed the wrinkles on his face, as well as

the whiter hairs among his dark gray ones. It was just that he seemed too full

of vitality to be as old as he claimed. Arcus's surprise was interrupted by the

sound of approaching footsteps. It was Lecia, her silver hair and red eyes

glowing in the dim light, here to give an update.

"Brother, you're here!"

"Hey. How're things looking?"

"Gown said we should attack as soon as we are able."

"Looks like I got here just in time." Arcus paused. "Lecia?"

"What is it?" Lecia blinked at him.

Arcus cleared his throat. "I mean, I probably should've asked you this

earlier, but... Listen. We're going to be fighting for real. Are you okay with

that?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean what I said. Are you prepared to kill someone? Are you prepared

to be killed?"

Lecia didn't respond.

"Once we meet with Gown, we'll be attacking right away, and they're

gonna try and fight back. They'll probably be trying to kill us. As long as they are, we can't show them any mercy of our own. They should be lucky if

any one of them remains alive."

They were dealing with spies here. Anyone interfering with their efforts

could not be allowed to live, and by extension, Arcus and the others were

obliged to extend them the same courtesy.

"We need to kill every last one of them, and you've gotta be on board

with that. If you're not, then you should wait here."

When Arcus had gone to rescue his sister from the marquess, he hadn't

had time to question himself like this. He wanted to offer Lecia that chance.

If she came along with them unprepared for what was waiting, then she might

freeze up and lose her will to fight—assuming Joshua had yet to teach her to

overcome such fears.

"I shall be fine. If I am to inherit the Raytheft house, this is a rite of

passage I must take eventually," Lecia said, returning Arcus's gaze evenly.

Arcus couldn't tell whether the look in her eyes was determination, nor

whether there was real strength behind it—neither of his lives had prepared

him to answer that question—but if Lecia could declare something like that

so openly, her words must have had a solid foundation.

"Okay. D'you mind keeping an eye on Lecia, Captain?"

"It'd be way more impressive if you promised to take care of her

yourself, y'know."

"I'm not so naive to think I can do anything. I'm just a kid, remember?"

"Sure, you're a kid, but it's not very kid-like to admit it! Welp, okay

then. Don't worry about a thing, little lady. I'll keep an eye on you."

"Thank you."

They set off to meet up with Gown and the others.

Arcus and Barbaros followed Lecia into a building so run down, it didn't

even have a roof. Sue peered out from around a dilapidated pillar. Charlotte

was crouched down behind the remains of a collapsed wall. Gown was

poking his head out from a glassless window. Men lay sprawled out on the

ground nearby, all dressed similarly to the group Gown was after.

Charlotte and Sue spotted Arcus and beckoned him over.

"What's with these guys?" Arcus asked under his breath, motioning to

the men on the floor.

"They were guarding the area," Charlotte replied.

"There weren't that many of them, so we didn't have to kill them! We just knocked them out!" Gown giggled.

"The main group is gathered over there." Sue pointed.

Arcus looked over to see several men a small distance away from the

building. They appeared to be talking in the low light of some Sol Glasses.

Are they forming a plan to sneak into the Guild?

"A new guy joined them just now. He said the Guild raised their guard,"

Gown explained.

"Looks like our plan worked." Arcus let out a sigh of relief.

"If we are going to attack, perhaps we ought to start with a strong

opening volley of spells," Lecia suggested.

"Sounds good. What do you think, Gown?"

"Sounds like a plan!"

Sue shook her head, despite Gown's agreement. "I don't think it's a good

idea to try and kill all of them. If we leave some alive, we can get more

information."

"Huh. That's a good point, too."

"Let's attack with that in mind, then."

Their first step decided, Lecia and Sue launched their spells at the group

of spies. The fiery magic hit the group square in their center. For a moment, it

looked like the closest men would be engulfed by the flames, but then the fire

seemed to be swept away by the wind and vanished.

"They totally blocked it!"

"Does that mean they were expecting an attack?"

Though a few of the men were panicking, a handful of them carried on as

though nothing happened. Those men ignored the shouting and turned their

gazes towards the ruined building. Arcus wagered these were the magicians

who had set up their wards.

"Over there!"

The entire group turned Arcus's way at that call. One of the magicians

stepped forward self-importantly and sneered. "Still trying to get in our way,

Gown? Wait... you brought a load of kids with you? I hope you're not

expecting us to be their playmates. We're busy."

"What did you say?!"

The spy was clearly mocking Gown's childish nature—an old standard

among those unimpressed by his reputation.

"You know what to do," said the magician.

Immediately, one of his men reached into a basket and released a cat.

When Gown had spoken about this group and their cats, Arcus imagined

he was talking about regular house cats. This creature was twice if not three

times the size of a domestic feline—a wildcat. If this was the kind of animal

Gown feared, Arcus no longer found the phobia strange. It was only just

smaller than a panther or cheetah. It looked agile, and with those strong jaws,

it would only need to clamp them around a human's neck to dispatch them

immediately. Its fierce, golden eyes glinted in the darkness.

Arcus blinked, and Gown was now peering out from behind him.

"Th-That's so unfair!"

"Who cares about fairness, as long as we win?" said the spy.

"Win?! Do you even understand the horrible things you're doing?!"

"We understand, and we don't care."

"Dummies! I've got Arcus and his friends with me this time! They're

gonna beat you up real good! They're the strongest ever!" Gown shouted.

"What can they do? They're just kids, you moron!"

"Go ahead and think they're useless! They'll show you!"

"That's right! We may be young, but we can fight!" Lecia said.

"Correct! So you should prepare yourselves for the worst!" Charlotte

added.

Gown's words were clearly filling Arcus's companions with courage.

Obviously unaffected by the young girls' threats, the magician turned his

gaze to Barbaros. "You with the pipsqueak pixie, too?"

"Turned out that way, yeah. Guess you could call me these kids'

bodyguard," Barbaros said, pulling the giant cutlass from the sheath slung

across his back. From where Arcus stood, it looked like a head-lopping blade

fit for an ogre.

Sue stepped forward and declared, "I'm not gonna stand back and let you

treat this capital as your playground!"

The magician snorted and raised his right arm. Knives flitted from under

the sleeves of the other spies.

"Fancy yourselves assassins, huh?" said Barbaros. "You guys are an

interestin' bunch."

"Silence."

The spies moved all at once, running out and flitting this way and that

unpredictably.

"Start with that girl, there! She'll be sorry she ever stood up to us!"

The spies closed in on Sue.

"Sue, get ba—"

Before Arcus could finish his warning, she released her intense aether.

The extent of that power was far beyond the imagination of the average

person. Even three state magicians together would fail to match it. It was so

overwhelming that it drew lightning from the sky. The spies faltered and

stumbled in the face of it.

"Do not underestimate me." Her voice was icy.

She pulled her straight sword from its sheath and began to spin it in her

hand. She leapt forward in a flash, ripping the nearest spy apart with the

blade. Moonlight bounced from every angle of her sword every time she

moved, the decorative cord around the pommel whipping this way and that.

Sue's body twirled and pranced around in front of the spies more elegantly

than any dancer's.

The spies' arms flew free of their bodies; their hidden blades followed

suit before decapitating their owners in their swift descent. A straight sword

like hers shouldn't have been suitable for ripping through flesh, and it wasn't

even long enough to strike its opponent directly, and yet she'd pulled off an

otherwise impossible feat. It reminded Arcus of a certain sword technique

from the man's training known as yokogumo.

Sue leapt forward, pressing her onslaught against the oncoming spies.

Using a pair of shoulders as a stepping stone, she somersaulted into the air,

slashing another spy to ribbons, then spinning around him before he could

find his footing and delivering a swift kick to his back. The spy flew through

the air as though he were no lighter than a rubber ball and froze.

"A flurry of five departing spirits, lively as possessed puppets even after

death. Your master is that heavenly silk, so dance to its delusions. Dance,

dance, dance into the throes of insanity. Dance 'til your essence vanishes

from my palm."

"Deathbound Marionette."

Artglyphs sparked into life and flew towards the collapsed spy. They

coiled around his body as Sue twisted her arm out in front of her, her gaze

cold. The corpse started to move clumsily under the command of her hand. It

straightened up and hung in midair, posed as if it were held aloft by invisible

strings. Its elbows were suspended to line up with its shoulders, and its legs

hung limp underneath. Its thighs pointed outwards, its toes brushed the

ground, and its head lolled to one side.

Sue moved her hand, causing the corpse's joints to jerk a few times

before it danced swiftly towards the spy whose shoulders she'd vaulted. More

than a dance, it was a frenzy. The puppet, no more than a blood-filled sack of

flesh now, closed in on its target at an impossible speed.

"Guargh! Dammit!"

The corpse slammed into him; he struggled to rid himself of its weight.

Sue used the opportunity to deliver a lunging slash.

"AAAAAAAAARGH!"

There was more than enough power in the attack for its purpose. It sliced

through both bodies as though they were paper, even ripping through the

ruins behind them. With a crash, dust and dirt from the rubble billowed out

from the ruins. Sue cleared the air with a swipe of her blade, then returned to

spinning the weapon in her hand, anticipating her next attacker.

"Wh-What was that?"

"No way..."

Two of the spies gawked at her in awe.

Barbaros stroked his beard. "See what's gonna happen if you throw more

men at us?"

"Ngh! Go for the other girl!" The other spies turned to Lecia.

Lecia had a sweet and docile appearance. Next to the energetic Sue and

Charlotte, who was clearly a skilled fencer, she stood out like a sore thumb,

especially against the backdrop of the slums. To them it must have looked

like she was hiding behind Barbaros, making her an easy target—a woeful

misreading.

The spies dropped into low stances and rushed her. Already prepared,

Lecia lifted her left arm into the air and began an incantation.

"A greedy man longs to possess as much as he can without discretion. He

is hungry even for the specks of dust on the ground. Take all that is tucked

under the sleeve of this unprejudiced left arm and vanquish the enemy before

me!"

"Scrapped Impact!"

She couldn't have picked a more suitable spell for a battlefield so choked

with debris. Arcus had taught her the spell himself and advised her to use it in

places like this.

Artglyphs carried rubble and trash to her arm, making her look like a

masked hero mid-transformation. Passing flotsam slammed into spies and

narrowly missed others. Once her gigantic sleeve of debris was complete,

Lecia brandished it like a whip.

"Wh—Even this kid's a magician?!"

"G-Get out of the way! Run!"

"Fly!" Lecia commanded.

The garbage did just that, blowing outwards over a wide range. It

smashed into one spy after another, sending them sprawling to the ground.

Lecia wasted no time following up.

"May that grand body be engulfed in flame and become a warrior. Take

up your shield in your left hand, and your sword in your right. May the

burning crimson of the sky gird your body. Strangle the four devils, and

destroy the three obstacles. Eight consciousnesses as one. Stick fast to your

reason, and become the origin. O, fire king of the trailing dust, keep careful

watch over our backs."

"The Flaming King's Path."

This was a traditional spell of the Raytheft house. Arcus was amazed

Lecia already knew how to use it, considering she had only mastered

Flamrune a short while ago.

Red Artglyphs gathered behind Lecia before whooshing into a pillar of

flame all at once, as if fed by a vast bellows. They took on the shape of a

human body, complete with a fiery headpiece and armor. The figure held a

sword in its right hand and a shield in its left, its light dyeing the night air

crimson. Its arms came forward to surround Lecia, as if to cradle her. Then it

began to mimic the movements of her body.

It was an impressive spell. The size of the fire king meant that a single

sweep of its sword had an incredible range, and with it standing behind Lecia,

the enemy couldn't flank her. It was a perfect balance of offense and defense.

Overwhelmed by the figure of flame, the spies froze in place; Lecia took

the opportunity to attack them mercilessly.

"I know I told her we couldn't hold back, but this is kinda ridiculous."

Lecia's attack was ruthless; even after devastating the enemy with Scrapped Impact, she was making full use of her aether to stamp out

whatever was left. Maybe Arcus hadn't needed to ask if she was ready.

A single blow from that fiery sword turned the spies' bodies to charcoal

in an instant. Those who escaped a direct hit were swept off their feet from

the pressure. Some of the spies attacked with crossbows, but their bolts

burned away the moment they came within reach of the king's shield. There

was no way they could even land a hit. Lecia attacked them relentlessly, even

when they gave up trying to get close. It was a nightmarish scene, and it

lasted until Lecia finally pressed her offensive. At that moment, the fire king

behind her vanished.

Arcus would have thought that Lecia couldn't keep it up anymore, if he

didn't know how much aether she had. The only other thing he could think of

was that her concentration lapsed.

"Now! Get her!"

The spies who had fled the flames a moment ago changed their course.

They dived towards Lecia, the blades on their arms glinting in the moonlight.

"Lecia!" Arcus cried.

Just then, a large shadow reared up behind her.

"I gotcha."

It was Barbaros. He stepped in front of Lecia to defend her, his cutlass

wheeling through the air. The spies' bodies were torn apart, riven torsos and

gleaming blades cast skyward.

Given Barbaros's titanic stature, if he wanted to, he could have cut

through the ruin walls just as Sue had, if not deeper.

"Th-Thank you!" Lecia said.

"No worries. Just focus on the enemies ahead!"

"Captain!"

"You told me to keep an eye on her, right? So you go back to focusin' on

the fight."

I'm glad I picked him to look after my sister, thought Arcus. He's really

showing himself to be a reliable ally!

Charlotte had her own share of the fight. It was her duty, as the daughter

of a martial family and successor to the national fencing style. Barbaros

aside, she was the oldest one here. She said she would help, and so to stand

back and let the others fight alone was unthinkable. She needed to protect

them.

What spurred her on more than anything else was the will to change. She

didn't want to be the same helpless girl who allowed herself and her friend to

be captured by the marquess anymore. She could fight back now. She would

use everything she learned during her training for this skirmish. She was

going to fight fearlessly, like Arcus had against Gaston's right-hand

mercenary.

The blades the spies wielded were nothing to take lightly, but Charlotte

had hours upon hours of serious daily combat practice with far deadlier

sparring partners behind her. In fact, these spies were so unskilled that they

only had their weapons to rely on. The holes in their defenses stood out

plainly to her. Dodging a sweeping blade, Charlotte thrust out her rapier.

"Gah!"

Charlotte could feel the presence of another spy circling around to flank

her.

"Gwah!"

She turned and dispatched him with her gleaming blade.

Okay...

Charlotte glanced over at her inspiration, who was just as embroiled in

the melee. Just like before, he was having no trouble holding his own against

full-grown adults. He parried and dodged, striking only when they showed an

opening. He was more skilled than anybody she had seen in the training hall.

From what Charlotte heard from Lecia and from his letters, when he

wasn't studying magic, he was sparring with Craib or Noah. She could

believe that he would struggle more against an opponent his own age than an

adult.

It was how he used space that impressed her most. He observed his

opponent closely, never taking an unnecessary step, and always keeping a

fixed distance between them. Everything was stacked in his opponent's favor.

They were taller, their arms longer, and their weapons bigger. Somehow, he

bent their advantages to his own ends.

With his cryptic footwork, the opponent misread the distance between

them. They swung their swords uselessly. Then he would slip in close and

deal a deadly blow, sometimes striking their chest, sometimes their neck.

When that was impossible, he would go for the tendons in their arms and

knock them off balance.

The way he used his off hand was also peculiar. Charlotte saw that

gesture before at the marquess' estate. He would chant an incantation, make that gesture, and point a finger at the enemy, who would begin to bleed as if

some unseen stiletto found its mark in them.

"Retre—" The spy's call was cut off by a dry crack.

Charlotte looked up. There was a small hole in the man's forehead. The

sight filled her with confidence. At this rate, they would win.

She had forgotten that the spies themselves weren't the only danger they

faced.

"Ugh! I didn't think I'd ever struggle against a cat!"

The wild cat was another matter entirely. Its agile movements were

impossible to follow as it bounded around in front of its enemy. It was always

just out of reach of his sword, and it dodged his spells with ease. Arcus was

clearly trying to work out a solution, Gown peering out from behind him.

"You can do it, Arcus! Now! Get him there! Quick!"

"Aaaaaah! Shuddup! And stop clinging to me!"

"But what if the cat gets me?"

"You're in the way!" Arcus cried.

Two spies stepped towards the quarreling pair. One was the apparent

leader, the magician who had made fun of Gown earlier. The other was a man

wielding a sword. As the swordsman stepped forward, Susia cast a spell to

launch a blade of wind at him. He dodged it, bending like a willow branch.

Barbaros bolted forward with his cutlass, but the man parried him skillfully.

"Huh. That's some fightin' sense you got there."

"That's not the end of it either," said the swordsman as flames erupted

from his blade.

They licked at the metal like fire crawling from the window of a burning

house. There were seals engraved in the sword. The flames grew long,

twisting from the surface of the blade before flying towards Barbaros.

"Captain!" The moment Arcus shouted, Barbaros's body was already

engulfed in fire.

"Yowch!" Barbaros waved it away with his hands as if it were nothing

more than a cloud of dust.

"Tch." The swordsman lamented his attack's impotence.

It had, at least, discouraged Barbaros from getting too close, though this

was as much because of the swordsman's talent as the flames. The spies were

bringing out their best now: Sue and Lecia were locked in combat with the

magician, Gown was following Arcus around, and Arcus was still

preoccupied with the wild cat.

Charlotte failed to defend her friends before, but now things were

different—and she worked hard to make them so.

"Now!"

Charlotte used her gift of foresight to sense the cat's movements. It

screeched as she skewered it in a full-bore fleche. She felt a prick of guilt at

hurting an animal, but she didn't have time to worry about that now.

"Thank you, Lady Charlotte!"

"I shall go forth and attack. Arcus, please back me up!"

Arcus didn't hesitate to open his mouth.

"Grant me the power of wind's magic and wind's sword in accordance

with my heart. Ill-fortuned wheel. Disturbed convoy. Neverending drive.

Unexpected road. Amplify Gown's voice, parch the air, and freeze the wind.

Set the streets alive with screams. The sword is at its sharpest, now shred it

into shards."

"Auster's Sword."

"Hey, I'm in your spell!" Gown cheered from behind Arcus.

Artglyphs appeared in the air and began to wrap themselves around the

blade of Charlotte's rapier before spinning rapidly. Before she knew it, it

transformed into a whirlwind.

"Wh-What is happening?"

"Strike with it, Lady Charlotte!" Arcus said.

"O-Of course! Thank you!"

The wind coiled around the rapier as though it were the eye of the storm.

Charlotte was amazed that it didn't seem to be harming her at all. She turned

to the spies' swordsman, ready to face him head on. It wasn't long before her

foresight kicked into action.

She would miss, too taken aback by the strength of Arcus's magic.

Misjudging the distance between her and her opponent, she wouldn't get in

close enough. The flames from the man's sealed arms would engulf her and

rip her body apart. Every image her foresight showed ended in her failure. In

other words, if she avoided those outcomes, she would win.

Those problems were easy to solve.

She would account for the magic's strength and move so that it wouldn't

go after the wrong target. She would consider the length added to her rapier

when measuring the distance between her and the swordsman. She would use

the winds enveloping her sword to sweep away the flames from his.

All that remained was making sure her strike connected. Her opponent didn't know just how powerful Arcus's spell was; he would count on the

strength of his flames to overcome it.

Charlotte thrust her rapier forward to keep him back, and he matched her

thrust with his own. The blades met in midair, marking the start of their

battle. The flames and his sword were swept out of position by the rapid

whirlwind. Charlotte and her opponent staggered backwards.

Taking up their arms, they faced each other again.

"You little brat!"

The swordsman's second strike came from below.

Now!

Normally she would have trouble meeting an attack like that head-on, but

right now she was so focused that she managed to parry him with a

downward-sweeping prise de fer.

"Gaaaaaaaaah!"

The wind weakened his sword's momentum, catching the flames up in its

rotation and dissipating every last ember. The man was unable to keep hold

of his weapon in the face of the whirlwind.

"Gah!"

The wind forced his arm and the sword in it away. Charlotte didn't miss

her chance.

"Burning Thrust!"

This was a technique from the nation's school of fencing. The attacker

spun their body before transferring their momentum to the tip of the rapier,

causing the opponent paralyzing burns as though from real flames.

The spy wouldn't be able to hold his sword properly for a while,

especially not with the force of the wind against him. Still in her fighting

stance, Charlotte dropped into a low stance, until her torso was mere inches

away from the ground. The man was above her now, and slightly to her left.

Charlotte delivered the upward blow, her sword wrapped in fiery wind.

The man screamed in agony as the burning blade twisted in his flesh.

Charlotte flung his body away, and he passed out.

Arcus watched as Charlotte took down the swordsman.

"Impossible. That's not the sort of magic you can cast with an incantation

that short and with that little aether!" the magician exclaimed.

The swordsman's weapon wasn't just any blade either. Not only was it

sharp, but the seals engraved in it were of the utmost quality, making the flames it put out even fiercer. There was something that the magician didn't

realize, however.

"That's right," Arcus said. "That spell was likely less powerful than the

magic in those seal arms."

"Then why—"

"Because we've got Gown on our side."

"Gown?"

"That's right. Gown's with us, and he wants us to win this fight."

"What, so any incantations which mention him are going to be more

powerful?"

"That makes perfect sense, right? If we're calling on the power of a

supernatural being, then the closer he is, the more powerful the spell."

The magician fell silent, only able to grind his teeth in frustration. Arcus

took that as a sign that he understood the logic behind it loud and clear. If

anything, it showed that he had a deep understanding of magic.

This magician was now the only opponent left, and yet he showed no

signs of retreat. Did he realize there was no way for him to escape now?

Somehow, Arcus doubted he was a noble enough character to face his death

head-on like this.

"I've played your silly games for long enough." The magician pulled a

small vial out of his breast pocket.

He held it up to the moonlight and grinned at the liquid inside; in a

moment of insight, Arcus gathered that it must have been the refined form of

the herb at the root of this mess. It was clearly the last trick he had up his

sleeve. If he drank that concoction, he would be invincible to physical attacks

—and since he was a magician, he didn't need a physical weapon to fight,

either.

"Brother!" said Lecia.

"Don't worry! There's still a way to fight him!"

Arcus not only had a plan, but the aether he needed to carry it out. There

were two unaccounted-for variables. The first was whether his spell would

affect the opponent. The second was whether it could slip past his spells.

"The second I drink this stuff, I'll kill every one of you! Think about it!

You won't have done anything to help anybody!"

"You shouldn't use that stuff!" Gown shouted.

The man roared with laughter at the elf's warning before tipping the

contents of the vial down his throat. The effects were instant. The magician's body became hazy, like the sudden rise of mist shortly after dawn. Sue flung

a small knife she had been concealing at the magician, but it passed right

through his body.

"It didn't even hurt him." Sue narrowed her eyes.

"Of course not!" The magician's guffaw echoed through the night.

"You're going to regret playing at heroes now, kids!"

The magician opened his mouth, and Arcus waited for the oncoming

incantation.

Instead, the man screamed, his body changing once again.

"That's why I told him not to use it!" Gown yelled, barely heard over the

man's cries of agony.

The magician's misty figure became solid once more, but the changes

didn't stop there. A gloomy luminescence began to emanate from his body,

and it wasn't long before bands of hex appeared around him.

"Aaaah! Aaaaaaaargh!"

His screams were beyond the point of pain now. He clutched at his head,

achieving nothing but pulling out his hair as he cried out in anguish. He was

clearly no longer in control of his own body.

"It's started!" Gown cried.

"This the same thing that happened to that guy this afternoon?" Barbaros

asked.

"That's right! It feeds on the hex and the aether from the magical beings

around it and becomes a hex fiend! Right now, it's only a near-fiend. How

powerful it becomes depends on a lot of stuff..."

"Really?"

"Yes, really! Really really!"

Arcus hadn't seen Gown get this upset in all their time together so far.

This wasn't exactly the same case the children witnessed earlier.

"He's become bigger! And very quickly, too!" Charlotte called.

"We have to stop him before he becomes a full hex fiend!" Gown cried.

"How do we stop something like that?" asked Lecia.

"If we destroy the body holding it together, it won't become a hex fiend.

I can deal with things after that. It's just..."

"What?"

"There isn't much I can help with now. I'm only allowed to interfere

when it comes to the promise! That means dealing with the herb, catching the

perpetrators, and punishing them! But when it becomes a hex fiend, there's nothing I can do!"

"Uh, what's stoppin' you? Or you just wanna leave us to deal with the

hard part?" Barbaros said.

"I know how it might look, but I can't break the promise," Gown replied

glumly.

Arcus knew of legends and fairy tales from the man's world where a

promise could bar supernatural beings from acting. Perhaps elves like Gown

were kept under similar rules, so that they couldn't use their extraordinary

powers however they liked. That was how it sounded from his earlier

explanation, anyway.

"Why not?" Lecia asked.

"Elves and phantoms used to play a major role in solving problems, but

that was a long time ago now. After that, we passed the world over to your

humans, and the most we can do is support you when there's trouble. We

can't break that rule."

In that case, it was obvious why the elf needed to ask for a human's help.

If something truly unforeseen were to happen, Gown wouldn't be able to deal

with it by himself, so he probably wanted to take a human with him just in

case.

The magician's body continued to grow as it soaked in ambient hex, even

as they spoke. He was already taller than a two-story building. Even out here,

it wouldn't be long before he attracted public attention and set off a panic.

"That thing is gonna destroy the entire capital at this rate," Sue remarked

coolly.

Arcus knew that tone, coming from a magician as powerful as Sue,

meant they had only moments to act; they were already markedly out of their

depth.

"This, uh, ain't lookin' good. I sure think we oughta do somethin', but

how're we gonna get close when he's that huge?" Barbaros scratched his

head worriedly, as though they were dealing with nothing more serious than a

petulant child.

"I am really not sure what we can do," Lecia agreed.

"If it were me, I'd say we should give up and run."

Arcus considered the captain's words. If only they had a state magician

or two on their side, bringing down an opponent like this would be no

problem, but it would take far too long to fetch one. It was always possible

that one would realize what was happening and come of their own accord, but there was no guarantee out here in the slums. The chance was too remote

to even consider. Their enemy was big, but not yet big enough to be spotted

from that far away.

Arcus exchanged an anxious glance with the others. Gown was still

looking up at the huge magician, the concern raw in his gaze.

Finally, Sue let out a determined sigh and stepped forward. "Okay. I'm

gonna—"

"Arcus." Not taking his eyes off the near-fiend, Gown beckoned to Arcus

with a sleeve.

"What's up?"

"Come here, quick!"

"Uh, but—"

"Quickly!" Gown's beckoning became more frantic.

Arcus did as he was told, as their companions looked to the elf with

hopeful gazes. Once he was there, Gown darted behind his back.

What's he doing? We don't have time for messing around!

Gown put his sleeves on Arcus's back. "Okay, let's go!"

"Huh?!" Arcus felt large streams of liquid flowing down his back.

"Gah?"

He bent over backwards at the uncomfortable sensation—but he already

knew what it was. Any magician would recognize it, and it was something

Arcus had been after for a long, long time.

It was aether. Almost enough aether to put him on equal footing with his

sister. Sensing the movement of such a huge reserve of aether, the other four

stared at Arcus wide-eyed.

"G-Gown! What did you do?" Arcus spun around to face the elf.

"I don't do this for just anyone! But this means you can beat that guy,

right?"

"Uh, I dunno about that. I mean, just 'cause I've got enough aether

doesn't mean I can put it to its best use..."

If aether was the only issue here, Sue and Lecia would already have been

able to act. They wouldn't be at the loss they were if the solution were so

simple. Arcus looked at Gown in confusion, but the elf didn't say a word, his

eyes merely softening in a cheeky smile.

"Have you got any spells that can get us outta this, Arcus?" asked Sue.

"Um, I guess I've got some that might work..."

"What are you waiting for then?"

"I've never used them before because I've never had enough aether."

The spells he spoke of were totally untested. He just put the incantations

together to amuse himself.

Barbaros gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder. "You don't really

have a choice but to give it a try, right?"

"It's not that simple. Not with this amount of aether in me. If I mess up,

there's no telling the extent of the damage I'll do."

"Sure, but if you do nothin', there's no doubt that monster's gonna kill

us, right? The elf can't do nothin' to help. There's only one option here."

Arcus didn't reply. Was Barbaros really okay with entrusting his fate to a

twelve-year-old boy?

"You can do it Arcus!" Gown cheered. "You've been studying real hard!

Your smarts will pull you through!"

"But Gown—"

"Give it a try, kid. You only get one shot at times like this. That's how

it's always been, and that's how it always will be, right?"

"He's right, Arcus," Sue said. "There are tons of examples in the

Chronicles of victories won by taking a gamble."

"The elf thinks you can do it too. C'mon, show these ladies you're a real

man!"

"I know I am unreliable, but I shall help you!" Lecia said.

Charlotte sighed. "May I say something?"

"Lady Charlotte?"

"If you do not think you can do it, Arcus, there is no shame in running

away."

"Sorry?"

Arcus looked back into Charlotte's gentle gaze. Was she offering him

that path out of kindness? Whichever it was, now he was offered a choice, he

was sure of his answer.

"I'm going to fight, My Lady," he said.

"In that case, you may rely on me to be by your side until the very end."

Arcus had the sense she already knew how he would respond. Arcus

looked at his companions in turn. They nodded at him. His acceptance of the

situation along with the new aether flowing through him lifted Arcus's spirits

a little.

"Be ready to back me up," he said.

Sue and Lecia nodded.

Charlotte glanced at the rapier in her hand. "What should I do with this

wind, Arcus?"

"Let's see... Please hit the magician with it at the right time."

It was a vague answer, but Arcus trusted that Charlotte's judgment would

lead her to do the right thing.

"Understood."

"Gown, I'm gonna head for the tallest building over there," said Arcus.

"Okay! I'll make a path for you!"

"Thanks. O, fresh blood in the vessel. O, flesh and bone that make up

man. Continue down your well-traveled paths. Fill this body with unyielding

strength and quench my unending thirst. As my voice opens the door, may

this flesh and blood awaken."

"Tenfold Performance."

Artglyphs swirled around Arcus's body before melting away into the air.

The next second, he felt power flowing through him. It was a similar feeling

to when he was in high spirits and unable to keep still.

Arcus thought that spells to increase one's physical abilities would be

commonplace, but so far he had yet to come across any texts referencing

anything like that.

The next second he was surrounded by mysterious floating balls of flame

from Gown's lantern. Those balls were soon encased in lanterns of their own,

each accompanied by a Gown.

"Huh?"

"Now there's somethin' you don't see every day!"

Arcus's companions stared up at the Gowns in astonishment. They were

all around. Some of them appeared close by. Some stood atop broken roofs.

Some in the corners of ruins. Some behind broken windows. They all began

to chant together.

"O, sand, stones, and earth of the grave. Band together by an unseen

hand and fly. The ground heaves violently as it births every existence. May

the earth take breath and roar. Let the crumbling spirits descend, urged on

by raging screams."

"Sailing Graveyard."

Countless brown Artglyphs filled the air. They gathered to form a large,

thick pillar with a pointed end like a spear, which pierced into the ground.

The earth rumbled, and another pillar broke up through the ground, spinning

out in the opposite direction of the Artglyphs from before. The pillar twisted, and its tip grew out towards the point Arcus was aiming for.

Though the tip hadn't yet reached Arcus's destination, he stepped onto

the pillar anyway.

"Arcus."

Arcus turned to find Barbaros beckoning to him. The pirate bent his legs

and put his fists together as though preparing to receive a volleyball.

"Get over here. I'll throw you up there."

"Okay!"

Barbaros caught Arcus's foot in his hand and then launched him into the

air.

"Gaaaaargh!" Barbaros yelled.

With the force behind Barbaros's powerful toss and his physical abilities

strengthened by magic, Arcus took a massive leap. He flew along the pillar of

earth up towards the sky. Eventually, he lost his height and caught the pillar

with his foot, running up along it. He followed those steps towards the

heavens, aiming for the best position to fire his spell from.

Bands of hex chased after him from all directions. With all the aether

flowing through him now, the hex must have been desperate to take it from

him. Arcus ducked to dodge those striking from above, and jumped to avoid

those swiping at his feet from below, but he never stopped moving forward,

where more hex waited to ambush him.

He tsked at the sight of the enemy's relentless defenses, when all at once

they were destroyed before his eyes by a stream of fire. The attack came from

behind. It must have been Lecia, backing him up with Flamrune. The fiery

spears flew through the air from below at regular intervals. Charlotte knocked

tendrils of hex out of the air with Auster's Sword.

Following the path Gown made for him, Arcus eventually reached his

destination. There was nothing there but piles of sooty rubble and the dark

silence of the night. Sol Glasses twinkled like stars in the distance. If they

didn't defeat the near-fiend now, those stars would extinguish.

The hex still pursued Arcus relentlessly. There were surprisingly few

places he could use as cover on top of this building.

"Tch."

What do I do now?

Anxiety, fear, and every sensible bone in his body threatened to

overwhelm him in a split second. Just then, an incantation reached his ears.

"Lifeless luster. Breakable film. Here shines a small light of hope. Though the armor is plated, it lacks durability."

He barely had time to register that it was a defensive spell before

Artglyphs spread out to form a hemisphere in front of him. They transformed

into a thin film of light, creating a rounded wall. They cut off the hex just

before it reached Arcus, deflecting the bands away.

"Arcus!" Just as he registered who the voice belonged to, it spoke again,

resonating from above him. "You can't let your guard down like that!"

He turned to look at the black-haired girl. "S-Sue? What are you doing

here?"

"I just felt like coming up here!" Sue winked and stuck out her tongue at

him.

"Don't you know it's dangerous?"

"This whole place is dangerous! Doesn't matter if I'm up here or down

there."

"I guess..."

Sue had clearly made up her mind. She moved around behind Arcus.

"Remember that you're not alone in this fight. I'm right here."

"Sue..."

"Let me handle the defense. You go all out with your attack!"

"Got it! I'm counting on you," Arcus said, the reassurance of her

presence warming his chest.

He felt powerful enough to do anything right now.

Is this how it feels to have so much aether?

He almost let out an envious sigh.

But this wasn't the time for envy. He had to prepare his spell. A spell

which would launch a pressurized bundle of particles. Call it a beam, call it a

laser, the idea at the root of it—abundant in fiction and the dreams of children

raised on anime and hero shows—hung faintly out of reach of the man's

world's technology. There was a strong possibility that this kind of power

would remain fiction forever.

This world was different.

Even if science couldn't recreate such an effect, this world had magic,

and Arcus had the overflowing aether lent to him by Gown. Arcus had

everything he needed. All that was left was to see whether he had enough

knowledge and creativity to pull it off.

His target was two hundred meters ahead. He was going to defeat it using

everything he'd learned up until now. He held out his hand towards his opponent. Could he do it? Would his attack reach? The raw power pulsing

through him was his answer.

He could do it. He just needed to say the words.

Let this work. Let me achieve the dream.

He felt someone's hand on his arm.

"Raised crown. Ever-shining light of sagacity. Abyss of understanding.

May the beautiful weight of reality crush the naivety of mercy. Victory is

dazzling glory. This kingdom is an unshakeable foundation. All knowledge

flows from the tree of paradise. Light of the heavens, desires of the adoring.

Let these beams of luminescence grant you unending light, endless

brightness, and eternal death."

"Ohr Ein Sof."

That dream which so many yearned for was within his grasp.

Having done what they could to support Arcus, Charlotte and the others

dodged the whips of hex as they followed Gown to safe ground. She watched

with Lecia from below as Arcus faced the monster born of cursed power. The

remaining spies lay unconscious around them. Barbaros, who had carried

them, was rolling his shoulder, checking for damage. Gown was looking up,

watching over Arcus's fight. Sue went to meet him up there.

Charlotte let out a sudden sigh.

"Somethin' troublin' you, Milady?"

"I feel helpless. If I were a magician, I might be able to do more...

However, it seems all I ever do is rely on the magic of others to save me."

"You're not helpless. You did a ton for Arcus!"

"I am not so certain. If that is true, then why is it that I can do nothing but

watch?"

"Sometimes that's how it is. But if you're thinkin' of him and rootin' for

him, then I'm sure he'll recognize that."

"That isn't enough. I swear that you shall see me fighting by his side on

the next occasion."

"Oho? You've got your work cut out for you, Milady."

"I am well aware."

"I feel the same way," Lecia said. "I feel as though, if I do not put in the

work, he shall leave me behind."

"You know his power better than anyone, huh?"

"Yes. Just take a look."

Charlotte and Barbaros followed Lecia's gaze back to Arcus and Sue on

top of the building. Vast reams of aether gathered where they stood,

distorting and drawing in the air around it. An incantation was uttered, and a

tiny spark set things rolling. Artglyphs prickling with lightning flashed into

existence intermittently, and the vibrations from the spell sent dust flying up

into the air.

Barbaros grimaced, sensing that they were about to witness something

big. "Just what kinda crazy spell is that kid tryin' to cast?"

The golden Artglyphs glimmered, light scattering from them like dust as

they converged into concentric circles. They surrounded Arcus and began to

spin, their golden light never fading. They were so bright that the rooftop

looked like it was bathed in the midday sun. Eventually Arcus reached out his

hands, and the circles aligned themselves in front of his palm.

A ball of light formed at their end. It grew gradually bigger, as if it was

sucking away the energy of every other light. It was like meteors had flocked

from the night sky to gather in front of his hands.

In the face of that power, the beast seemed to realize that danger was

imminent. It reached out a hand tangled in hex towards Arcus, but the weight

of its rapidly-growing body made it sluggish, like some behemoth struggling

to breach the surface of the ocean. Bands of hex unraveled from its arm in an

attempt to reach Arcus, but it was already too late.

The ball of light let out a blinding flash. The next second, a ray flew from

Arcus's hand towards the beast. It pierced through the approaching hex,

ripped through the creature's arm, and burned out from its back. The stream

of luminous stars cut through the clouds and disappeared into the darkness of

the night sky.

"I knew I picked the right boy to ask for help!"

"What is happening to the beast, Gown?"

Gown gave Lecia a reassuring nod. The near-fiend convulsed once. Then,

as if freed from the hex, it started to melt away, no longer recognizable as a

human shape.

"He did it..."

"To think a kid like him could destroy a brute that big! I can't help but

laugh!" Barbaros gave a hearty guffaw. For a long time, it seemed he was

unable to stop, as though overcome with a bout of madness.

The creature's arm and the bands of hex started to collapse towards

Arcus's perch.

"Gown! Arcus and Lady Susia are in trouble!" Charlotte cried.

"Don't worry! They'll be fine!"

As the building crumbled under the weight of the creature's body, the

two children were flung into the air. Arcus was holding Sue close to him.

Proving Gown's words true, the two of them floated gently in the air,

unbound by the pull of the ground. Sue looked astonished to find they

weren't falling. Arcus brought her down to where Charlotte and the others

were waiting, and at last they were on solid ground again.

With its host's body destroyed, the beast's unending growth was stopped.

A beautiful melody rang out through the night sky. It was Gown's song. His

voice was so pure and clear that it sounded like an instrument from the

heavens. Arcus doubted he could ever listen to any human sing again and

find it beautiful after hearing Gown's melody.

No matter how beautiful the elf's voice, there was a clear note of sadness

in his song, for it was a requiem. As Arcus and the others were enraptured,

the disastrous swathes of hex that filled the air began to scatter, sent away by

the power of Gown's voice.

The hex melted into the star-filled sky with the song's last notes.

"What's that?" Arcus gasped as the beast's body dissolved into white

dust.

That dust was finer than the sands of a beach.

"This is...salt," Barbaros said, scooping up some of the dust on his finger

and giving it a lick.

"Salt?"

"I wouldn't have licked that if I were you..." Arcus said.

"You gotta have courage to sail the seas!"

Salt...

There was a legend in the man's world about a human turning into a

pillar of salt—but that wasn't all.

"'The flute of destruction echoes and calls light down from the heavens.

In the wake of grace's light, all shall crumble into white dust before the

judgment.' That's a passage from The Birth of Heaven and Earth, and The

Prophecy of Shadows," Gown explained.

There must have been some part of it in his song.

Just then, Sue returned from her stupor, and her eyes lit up. "Wait, wait!

Did you see that spell Arcus used?! That big light thingy?! And then we flew!Why didn't you tell me you could do that stuff, Arcus?!"

She's like this even after we barely escaped with our lives, huh?

"It was magnificent. I shouldn't be surprised if state magicians would

struggle to perform such a feat, whether they had Gown's help or not!"

"I really couldn't have done it without Gown, My Lady."

"Perhaps, but you certainly deserve credit for coming up with the spell."

"Brother, I would love to know how you managed to fly! I must try it for

myself!" Lecia sprang up to Arcus, a fiery enthusiasm in her eyes that

matched Sue's.

"Don't we have more important things to worry about right now, guys?"

Arcus said. "You can ask me about it later."

"Oh, you're right," Lecia said, taking a sensible step back.

"No! Tell me now! Right now!" Sue demanded.

"Why are you always like this whenever there's magic involved?" Arcus

sighed, attempting to calm her down before things devolved into a full-blown

tantrum.

They needed to decide what to do with the spies. Some were already

white mountains of salt, while others simply lay dead. However, there were a

few still breathing. It was probably the ideal choice to tie them up now while

they were still unconscious.

Gown tottered up to the fallen spies. He held his long sleeves over each

of them before muttering something and moving on to the next.

When he finished seeing to all of them, he let out a satisfied sigh. "That

should do it!"

"What did you just do, Gown?" asked Lecia.

"I filled their minds up with fog so they'd forget all about the herb! Now

we can rest easy!" Gown replied, his eyes narrowing with relief. "I was

supposed to punish them too, but I think I can leave that to the humans."

"Yeah, that'd be better for us too."

Arcus wanted to leave himself the opportunity to dissect the spies' plan

so that he could better defend the aethometer in the future, and he was sure

the Guild would want a report on what happened. He didn't know what

Gown had in store for them, but at least this way he wouldn't need to worry

about losing the opportunity to interrogate them.

"Thanks!"

Gown pulled a rope out of thin air, which he let hang there for a while

before directing it to bind the survivors.

Barbaros sighed. "I guess it's over, huh? Y'know, I never thought I'd end

up banding with a bunch of Lainur kids to catch some ruffians."

"Thank you, Barbaros!" Gown said.

"No worries, bud. The bedlam I saw out here is gonna stick with me for

the rest of my life, so it was worth it. Plus, now you owe me a favor!"

"What?! No fair!"

"Yes fair! C'mon, don't paint me like I'm the bad guy here!"

"But you weren't doing it for me! You did it 'cause Arcus caught your

eye!"

"Top marks for your memory, but I'm still gonna call in a favor, okay?"

"Okay... I guess I'll remember that, too!"

"I suppose that means we are finished here," Charlotte said, stepping up

next to Arcus.

"Yes, My Lady."

"You must be exhausted, Brother!"

Arcus didn't respond.

"Brother?"

It wasn't long until the others realized Arcus was in a daze too. They

turned their curious gazes on him.

It was over. It was finished. Every time somebody voiced that thought,

the tiny speck of uneasiness in Arcus's chest continued to grow. If it was

really over, why did he feel like this? They defeated the group Gown was

chasing. They put a stop to their plans to steal information about the

aethometer. It sounded conclusive, so why didn't it feel conclusive?

Something was amiss—but what was it?

The resolution they'd arrived at was too cleanly won to call this "done

with." Admittedly, they'd had Gown on their side, and that could account for

how quickly they had tied things up. He had already known everything vital

by the time he asked for Arcus's help.

Speaking of the spies, presumably they had been through intensive

training, so why was it that they were so easily apprehended? By children,

nonetheless (supernatural aid notwithstanding). Sue and Charlotte were

powerful, of course, and Barbaros was a wild card. The battle wasn't easy, by

any means. It wasn't easy...but shouldn't it have cost them something?

"Hey, Sue. If these guys are stopped, who d'you think is gonna benefit

from it?"

"Huh? What kinda question is that?"

"It just kind of feels to me like...it was only natural that we were able to

stop them."

"Natural?" Sue fell silent as she considered his words. Sue was wise

beyond her years. Arcus knew that if she seriously thought about the

question, she would come up with a good answer.

"Are you not overthinking things, Brother?"

"I might be. It just doesn't feel right. Like it was all too easy..."

"That is simply because things went well," said Charlotte.

"That's what I mean, My Lady. I can't help but think that things went too

well."

"I am afraid I don't quite follow..."

Arcus began to explain, this time addressing everyone. "It's nothing

major. To put it simply, it's a question of balance. These are trained spies.

Meanwhile, we're a bunch of kids who know nothing about espionage. Even

with Gown and the Captain, don't you find it strange that we could find and

take our enemy down so easily?"

"That was all thanks to Gown, was it not?" Charlotte said.

"Yes, that's how we made it here. They knew that Gown was guiding us

too, or they wouldn't have prepared a cat. But they never ran away. Why not,

if they knew we were coming?"

Right up until the final magician became a near-fiend, the spies had had

several opportunities to retreat. If he were in their shoes, Arcus would have

bailed the moment Sue revealed the extent of her power, but not one of the

men made to escape. Spies were supposed to value information above all

else, so why didn't they run to keep it safe?

"That's an interestin' way of seein' things," Barbaros said. "You think

there's someone behind all this pullin' the strings, is it?"

"Yeah, in which case there's something more to all of this. Maybe they

changed their plans in reaction to Gown's or the captain's involvement, but

that change isn't immediately obvious. I think it's quite possible that they

allowed us to capture these men on purpose."

"That makes sense," said Barbaros, scratching at the beard on his chin.

"Hey, Gown. The tombs these guys were diggin' up were all in the north,

right?"

"Yeah, that's right. In the area we call Alnorsace. That's around where

you put the border."

Sue was checking something with some of the spies. Suddenly realizing something, her expression grew dark. "The Iron Rose of the north is staying

at His Majesty's castle right now."

"The Iron Rose?"

"Never heard of her? Darnénes. She leads the Eldyne Stronghold up

north."

"Uh..." Even after Barbaros's brief explanation, Arcus didn't have a clue.

"Meifa Darnénes," said Sue. "She governs the stronghold city of Eldyne

and serves on the Northern Confederation's consulate. She's here on a

diplomatic visit."

"Dark blonde, military uniform?"

"You do know her?"

"I saw her when I went to the Guild earlier. The Guildmaster was

showing her around, so I thought she had to be super important."

It never crossed Arcus's mind that she might have been from the north.

"Lady Susia," Charlotte began. "Do you mean to suggest the Iron Rose is

behind all of this?"

"No, that's not it."

Arcus glanced at her, surprised.

"Think about it, Charlotte. If we got spies from the north causing trouble

down here and word got out, who d'you think would be blamed?"

"Why, I should think it would be Meifa Darnénes, My Lady."

"Right. But the Iron Rose isn't overly popular with the other leaders in

the north. Suppose this was all part of a plot to remove her from power?"

"That sounds plausible."

Gown tilted his head in thought. "I don't really know about this kinda

stuff, but if that's true, it shouldn't be your guys' problem, right?"

"I mean, if you put it that way, I guess you're right."

Even if the children were concerned with such matters, there wasn't

much they could do. Once they handed these guys over to the officials, they

could leave the rest up to the people in charge. They could theorize all they

wanted to, but at the end of the day, it was out of their hands.

"Hey, imagine it was our job to deal with this kinda problem. What

would you guys do with this lot?" Sue asked.

"Huh?" Arcus blinked.

"Well, first I would determine their motive, and then use their capture to

curry favor with the Iron Rose...I suppose," suggested Lecia.

"We could also have them tried in this kingdom," said Charlotte.

That made sense. While their capture could be used for political

advantage, if the kingdom wished to keep a favorable relationship with the

Northern Confederation, sweeping all of this under the rug would be a good

way to do it.

"What d'you think, Arcus?" Sue asked.

"I guess it depends what this consul is like. If she's clever, it might be

best to hand these guys over and expose their crimes to remove her from

power. If not, it would be a better idea to use their capture to create

obligation, or just pretend nothing happened."

"Huh..." Sue fell into a thoughtful silence.

"Hey, that makes sense." Barbaros smiled, obviously impressed with

Arcus's response.

As for Lecia and Charlotte, it seemed they didn't quite grasp what he

meant.

"Would you mind explaining further?"

"Yes, My Lady. Before a competent foreign leader even does anything to

directly harm another kingdom, they are already considered a powerful

political enemy. Things become much simpler if they are incompetent to start

with. Of course, between Lainur, the Northern Confederation, and the

Empire, there are several other factors to consider, such as geography and

military matters, so it isn't as simple as it sounds."

In the man's world too, there was a philosophy to criticize competent

foreign diplomats and praise the incompetent ones. Through that criticism,

the competent diplomat could be pulled from power, putting the criticizing

nation in an advantageous position, while praising the incompetent diplomats

would keep them in their post, allowing the same nation to keep themselves

in their favorable position. The same idea was at play in Arcus's response.

"That sounds rather underhanded, if you ask me," said Charlotte.

"Maybe, but it works. For countries, at least. For a ship, you need a

captain who knows what he's doin', or you'll find yourself at the bottom of

the sea!" Barbaros laughed, but Arcus wasn't sure if that was a true reflection

of his mood.

"What do you think, Sue?" he asked.

"From what you said, I think it'd be best not to make a big deal of it. It's

better to let the Northern Confederation remain a threat to discourage the

Empire from expediting its military efforts."

"So you're saying it would be bad for the Kingdom if the north was weakened?"

"That's right."

"Wait, why are we talking about this anyway?"

"Hey, you started it!" Sue smiled, but it vanished instantly. "Who's

there?!"

"Ha ha!"

Several mysterious figures appeared from the shadows. At first, Arcus

thought they must be guards watching over her from the shadows, but...

"You guys are here, too?"

"Yo, we've been twiddling our thumbs for ages!"

"You knew we were here, right Captain?"

"Aye." Barbaros grinned.

Sue frowned at her guards suspiciously. "Where's Lisa?"

"We're here because she said she had something else important to do,

My Lady."

"Oh? I think you know what to do."

"Yes, My Lady."

She must've meant for the guard to summon Lisa. The name was familiar

to Arcus.

"What did you just order him to do? It was kinda scary..."

"Don't worry about it." Sue turned to Gown. "You saw those people

running away just now, right?"

Arcus's eyes widened. Were there still others who were spying on them?

Gown didn't seem concerned. "Yeah, but don't worry! I'm already after

them! They don't have any cats, and I've got my pack!"

"I guess we're good, then."

"Yup! Thanks so much for your help today, everyone!"

Things were calming down, and it looked like it was time to leave.

"Arcus," Barbaros called.

"What's the matter, Captain?"

"Wanna come with me?"

"With you?"

Barbaros nodded. "That's right. I'd love to have someone like you on

board."

"You sure? I'm just a kid. What can I do?"

"Fulfill my dream, that's what!" A wistful look crossed his eyes. "We're

after somethin' big. You wanna come with us to get it?"

"What is this 'big thing'?"

"Everything. Everything in the world."

"Everything?" Inexplicable goosebumps sprang up along Arcus's skin.

All he knew was Barbaros's words were a hundred percent serious.

"It's not like we're lookin' to control absolutely everythin'. I'm not

interested in makin' some kinda perfect world or nothin'. I just wanna be top

dog. That's all." A grin appeared on his face. "Well, Arcus? You got

ambitions, right? All men gotta dream big. Why don't you share mine with

me?"

Arcus fell silent. There could be no shadier invitation, and yet the

captain's smile stirred him, and his large, outstretched hand shone brightly.

The man was completely serious about his offer. Arcus could see himself

taking that hand. It fascinated him. Perhaps it was divine intervention which

made the choice for him.

"You don't think I'd have something to say about this?"

It was Sue.

"You mean you do, little lady?"

"Of course I do! I've got the highest social position of everyone here!"

"That gives you a right to share your opinion, does it?"

"Yup! Arcus isn't going anywhere!"

Barbaros paused. Then, to Arcus's surprise, he took a step back and

laughed. "Okay, maybe I got a little ahead of myself. Forget what I said, kid."

He shook his hand flippantly, as though it was all a joke.

Sue then bowed her head politely, as though making sure the matter was

closed. "Thank you for your assistance in this matter, Captain Barbaros zan

Grandon."

"Knew who I was, huh?"

"I make a point of memorizing the faces of important figures from

foreign lands. Not that it takes much to remember a giant like you."

"True, true," Barbaros laughed. "I stand out pretty badly, right? Anyway,

who're you to need to remember people like me?"

Sue glared at him and didn't reply.

"Ah, guess I don't need to know, huh?" Barbaros cackled and turned to

leave, but not before making one final remark. "If you want somethin', you

gotta take it by any means possible. That means I'm comin' back for you

later, Arcus."

A man fled through the capital in the dead of night, running along roofs

and occasionally ducking down into alleyways to stay out of sight. He ran as

fast as he could, with no regard for the countrymen and co-conspirators he

left behind. He never considered them allies in the first place. They were

mere pawns to be discarded once their role was fulfilled—no, not even that.

They were to be used until they reached their breaking point, and then until

there wasn't a bone nor a hair left to expend.

The events of the night took the man by surprise. He had hoped to

infiltrate the Magician's Guild so that he might learn what trickery had

enabled Lainur's magicians' sudden leap forward, but the Guild was heavily

guarded by the time he arrived. When he took Death's Tonic to aid in his

mission, the Guild transformed into a labyrinth, and he never made it to his

destination.

Gown even found himself some allies and launched an attack. Those

allies were just children, but they possessed enough power to give the most

proficient magicians a run for their money, and the man's forces were wiped

out in the blink of an eye. The man never anticipated the tonic's

transformative effect on the last of his magicians.

These upsets aside, the bigger, more important pieces were falling into

place. The children just needed to hand the remaining spies to the authorities,

and Meifa would be blamed for the incident both domestically and

internationally. These "spies" were untrained dunces. Even the lightest forms

of torture would be enough for them to spill everything they knew—all of it

lies spoon-fed to them in their mission briefings. All the man needed to do

now was escape Lainur and report his success to his master. First, he would

return to the alternative hiding spot he prepared and wait for his opportunity.

That was his intention when he ran into three figures blocking his path.

An icy voice snaked out of the darkness.

"I am afraid this path is closed."

The intention was clear. The man would not be escaping anywhere

tonight. He heard footsteps, and soon the figures emerged from the shadows:

two men and one woman.

One of the men was young. His blue hair fell to the tips of his shoulders,

and he wore a monocle. He wore his butler-like uniform immaculately; it was

doubtful you would find a more picture-perfect servant anywhere. The only

thing separating him from that gentle image was a sharp glint in his eye.

The other man wore the same uniform but had an inherently unrefined look about him. His black hair was smoothed down with wax, and the teeth in

his eerie, permanent grin were crooked.

Then there was the woman. Her pale pink hair was tied back, and her

eyes were a light violet color, set behind a pair of silver-rimmed glasses. The

fur on her cloak was a symbol of status in Lainur. Her overall presentation

seemed one degree more particular than the blue-haired man's.

These were, of course, Noah, Cazzy, and Chief Officer Lisa Lauzei from

the Surveillance Office.

"So I have to deal with more than Gown and those brats, do I?" the man

muttered, a slight anxiety rising in his chest.

"But of course," said Noah. "Children must always be accompanied by

their parents or guardians."

Cazzy cackled. "Though our master'd probably yell at us if he heard ya

sayin' that, askin' why we don't treat him like a kid all the time, then!"

"First Gown asks him for a favor, and then he destroys a gigantic beast,"

said Lisa. "I cannot help but wonder how far that boy is going to go."

They spoke in three separate tones: civilized, amused, and bewildered.

The spy made to run away while they were speaking, but Cazzy immediately

noticed and shook a hand at him dismissively.

"I wouldn't bother if I was in your shoes. Ya don't stand a chance against

us three. Two of us are pretty good at fencin', y'know."

"Are you not including yourself in that assessment?" asked Noah.

"Nah, I ain't good at no fancy noble arts like that."

"As I recall, you preferred to fight with your bare hands," remarked Lisa.

Why are they standing around cracking jokes? I don't need to bother

fighting. I can just run, thought the man.

Just then, the man felt a jolt running through his shoulder. He gasped.

The next moment, a burning heat spread from the area of impact. It wasn't

until after he felt his body slam against a dilapidated wall that he realized

Lisa had struck him with her rapier.

"Burning Thrust!" Lisa shouted, still holding out her sword.

The man had already witnessed this technique, a jewel of Lainur's

fencing style. Stabbing her sword back into his shoulder, Lisa thrust forward,

using all her power to send him flying again.

"I-Impossible..." the spy coughed.

He'd seen this attack before, so why couldn't he counter it? It was

simple. Lisa's technique was much faster and much more precise than Charlotte's. It was too much of a difference to be accounted for merely by

age, and the spy started to tremble.

"Anyway..."

"Mm."

"I believe Your Excellency may reveal herself now," said Lisa.

At Lisa's words, a figure stepped out of the alleyway.

"And to think I was just here for sight-seeing..." The figure sighed, its

silhouette etched out by the moonlight.

It was a dark-blonde woman in a military uniform: Meifa Darnénes.

Lisa bowed immediately. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last, Your

Excellency. I am Lisa Lauzei, Countess of Lainur."

"I know. You chiefly work behind the scenes, if I am not mistaken. Are

those your subordinates?"

"Nope!"

"We are not."

"That would make you servants belonging to one of the other actors on

the scene, correct?"

Just then, more figures appeared behind her to reinforce her insinuation

that she had eyes on the incident. They must have been her guards.

One of them stepped forward to whisper in Meifa's ear. "Your

Excellency. They are Noah Ingvayne and Cazzy Guari. They are both fine

magicians who were top of their classes at the kingdom's Royal Institute of

Magic."

"Is that so?" Meifa paused. "That would make you the servants to that

silver-haired boy, yes? He must be talented himself to receive a request from

Gown. It would make sense that his servants are top class."

"I am afraid not. In fact, our master has been disinherited for lacking in

aether."

"Yeah... I dunno where all this talk of talent is comin' from."

Meifa wasn't able to take the servants' disparaging remarks at face value.

"It astounds me that you would speak ill of your master like that, and I can

only think that you have a powerful...motive to do so. I saw the boy use

magic not unlike that described in The Spiritual Age or The Birth of Heaven

and Earth. I understand why you would want to downplay his abilities."

Noah and Cazzy remained silent. Meifa gracefully swept her hair over

her shoulder. The deep arrogance of the gesture drowned out its inherent

elegance.