TYND 35

TL: Motokare

 Strange presences were detected in the forest where Rothy had gone to play. Theon, who’d been in the middle of trade discussion with the lords from other territories, rushed out without an explanation. When he arrived at where the aura was detected, he found two black-clad corpses with their heads blown off, and one black-clad man barely alive with all limbs severed. Beside them, Aeruhen sat on the ground, breathing heavily, while Rothy……

“Theon…”

He didn’t approach Theon but rather, stood a distance away, his head hung low as if he’d committed an unforgivable sin. Soon after, the guards sensing the aura had also arrived. Theon quickly ordered the situation contained, instructing only a skeleton crew to prevent the matter from spreading.

The North was currently in mid-festival, with numerous visiting nobles from other territories. This needed to be covered up quietly. When the other lords questioned what had happened, he made an excuse about rushing out to prevent festival magitools from collapsing. They didn’t seem to believe it, but what could they do? No one could question the archduke. 

That night, a small group of people gathered in the estate’s underground prison. Chungnip, Zey, and a few of Falsen’s trusted retainers stood before the cell of the single man Rothy had barely spared. Next to the unconscious man, lay two corpses that’d been preserved to prevent decay. 

“Lord Aeruhen’s deduction is correct. These men are members of Givarche’s assassination guild, ‘The Mandate’.” 

Chungnip, who’d interrogated the man using mind-reading magic, confirmed. 

“Your Grace, if it’s The Mandate, this means the Givarchean royal family’s involved. We must inform the imperial family at once that they dared to attack our heir.” 

“How dare they target the heir when His Grace has just returned to the North. They’re clearly underestimating us!” 

The retainers, unaware of Rothy’s true identity, fumed with outrage. Theon caught Zey’s eyes, who began to speak. 

“Their target wasn’t the young master, but Lord Rothy.” 

“What? The future archduchess?”

“Actually, Lord Rothy is…”

While Zey explained Rothy’s true identity to the retainers, Theon prodded the assassins’ corpses with his scabbard tip. The bodies, headless but intact below the neck, showed clean cuts, as if they were executed by a knight’s aura rather than from an explosion. 

“Chungnip, you said it was a type of explosion magic?”

“Yes, more specifically, localised explosion magic.”

“Can you use this magic too?”

“If you’re asking whether it’s possible, yes. But only if I’ve memorised the long incantation for the spell beforehand and have a staff or wand in hand.”

“……”

“Rothy’s ‘unique constitution’ meant he wouldn’t need a staff or wand. But even so, casting without an incantation’s impossible. A normal explosion magic spell takes up one page of grimoire, but localised explosion magic takes up three whole pages. Even reciting at top speed, the casting would take thirty minutes to complete.” 

The magical system everyone in Araxys knew required three steps: touching a magical aid like a staff or wand, reciting the long incantation (casting), and then invoke the activation word for the magic to execute. 

Rothy, however, had completely circumvented these three stages. 

According to Aeruhen’s testimony, the two men’s heads had exploded less than a minute after crossing swords. That should’ve been impossible. 

“Then you mean he memorised it beforehand?”

Memorisation, or ‘pre-casting’ meant learning the incantations in advance to reduce casting time. But maintaining pre-cast spells consumed mana continuously, which was why mages only pre-cast spells they absolutely needed. 

“Logically speaking, we’ve to assume that’s the case. Though it seems odd to specifically memorise localised explosion magic out of all spells… But nothing else makes sense.” 

“Why not? Yolone Sirin cast magic without incantation.” 

“He probably had a continuous supply of magic crystals from Rothy, so he likely had many spells memorised. Plus, we also have to take age into consideration. Spells become familiar with use, thus reducing casting time. It usually takes thirty to forty years to master one spell. Since Yolone Sirin was a genius… he probably mastered multiple spells to reduce their casting time.”

Rothy was only sixteen. Between ‘skipping incantations’ and ‘having memorised localised explosion magic’, neither of those made any sense, but if one removed all the impossibilities, the latter seemed to be the only conclusion. As both Theon and Chungnip—weighed down by the implications—fell into a heavy silence, the trusted retainers that were present finished listening to Zey’s explanation about Rothy. 

“A living magic stone……”

“How could Lord Yolone do such a cruel thing……”

The elderly retainers, each deeply devoted to Seará, staggered against the wall. Without a word, they all began praying to Seará.

Discovering the existence of the living magic stone didn’t send them into a frenzy and sent assassins in order to exploit it, rather, they lamented the horrific acts that’d occurred and prayed for the sacrificed children. This was how ordinary people who worship Seará would react. The problem was that the world wasn’t filled with just ordinary people. 

“Your Grace, if Givarche knows about Rothy’s existence, other nations likely do too. We can assume the attacks will continue.”

“Only Givarche knows for now.”

“How can you be certain?”

“If Solten and Toran knew, they would’ve contacted me first. Droight would’ve sent battle machines since they’d try to kill Rothy instead of capturing him. But if we don’t take appropriate measures, every nation will know within half a year.”

“Indeed. Who do you think is the rat?”

Theon’s eyes darkened at the retainer’s question. 

PLEIN. 

Who else could it be? Harrié Geelin wasn’t the type to betray the empire and he wouldn’t have sold Rothy off. No, it was more likely he intended to argue that, given the severity of the situation, and the security risk of such attacks, the empire should study and experiment on Rothy before other nations snatched him away. Already, Emperor Dierm was deliberating how much to reveal about Rothy’s identity. 

I’ll need to press him for a quick decision. 

And also…… 

“Where’s Rothy?”

“With Lord Aeruhen. Shall I call for him?”

“Young Master’s practically bouncing with excitement to tell his friends about his heroic deed.”

“…Tell Rothy to wait in my bedroom.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Chungnip hurried up the stairs. 

The attack wasn’t the real issue now. The leak of Rothy’s existence and such attacks were expected. So, that wasn’t a problem. What hadn’t been expected was… Rothy’s lethality. He needed to have a conversation with the young mage immediately. 

In Theon’s bedroom, Rothy waited anxiously for him while huddling under the covers. 

Will he kick me out?

There’d been an attack from outsiders trying to steal the living magic stone. It’d likely continue in the future. Would Theon still keep him around? If those around him opposed it, Theon would’ve had no choice but to send him away. Rothy really didn’t want to go to PLEIN, but—

Aeruhen could’ve been hurt. 

He’d understand if Theon sent him away. He was too dangerous for Falsen, which’d just found peace with its lord’s return and festival celebrations. 

If I insist on staying while knowing I’m a threat… then I’m really a terrible person. 

Rothy chewed his lips anxiously, sinking deeper into nervous thoughts. Whether affected by Rothy’s anxiety or still unsettled from the attack, Chi-chi wasn’t doing well either. It circled restlessly in Rothy’s lap, sniffing nervously. 

“Chi-chi… calm down. He won’t send you away because you’re too cute…” 

Screee! 

Rothy caught the weasel in his lap and flipped it over to expose its white belly. 

“When Theon comes, show your belly like this… Then he won’t bear to send you away because you’re too cute…”

Scree.

“Yup, like that… Wag your tail, maybe? …You’re so cute, Chi-chi. If you do this in front of Theon, you can stay here. Even if we’re separated, you must live well… Eat lots of tasty things… but don’t eat too much. If someone makes you dance, dance nicely for them. Understand?”

By then, Theon was already outside of the bedroom door with Chungnip. The room was well soundproofed so Chungnip with his ordinary physical abilities couldn’t hear inside, but Theon and the two guard knights heard everything Rothy was saying. Unlike the deadly serious Rothy, the two guards’ faces twitched with suppressed laughter. But Theon didn’t find it amusing. 

Why… Why was he thinking about parting with the weasel? Why did he think he would be sent away?

He doesn’t trust me at all. 

Even though he promised he’d end his war. That deep, deep distrust proved how Rothy had lived until now. Instead of having the guards announce his arrival, Theon knocked on the bedroom door himself. A startled “eek!” came from inside, followed by Rothy’s composed voice saying, “Come in”. 

Theon opened the door and froze briefly at the sight. Rothy was kneeling in the centre of the room.