TYND 53

TL: Motokare

With a curt farewell, Ken Bane ended the communication, and as soon as Harrié’s image vanished, his anger erupted. He shouted, he cursed, and hurled everything within reach off his desk. Chairs crashed and furniture toppled under his boots. 

That arrogant mage bastard! Someday, He’d drive a sword right through those sly looking eyes, crush his skull, and then rip him apart limb by limb and throw them to the devils! 

BANG!

Crash! 

SMASH!

The sounds of things collapsing and breaking filled the room for a long while. 

Huff… puff…  

In the wrecked office, Ken Bane irritably ran his fingers through his hair. 

I lost my temper again.

Lately, he found himself consumed by rage more often than not. The aide who’d been keeping quiet in a corner cautiously asked, 

“Your Highness, does this mean the plan’s cancelled?”

“No. We proceed as planned.”

What he told Harrié was obviously a lie. He’d no intention of giving up on the living magic stone. He planned to take the throne before the year was out and the living magic stone would be a significant asset in cementing his rule. 

“Cut all ties with Harrié Geelin. Erase PLEIN’s code from the communication device and do not accept any future communications from them.” 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Summon Dep.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The aide backed away, heading off to summon Depley Rose, the Royal Tower Master of Givarche. 

Left alone in his office, Ken Bane became absorbed in thought. 

He’d called it ‘Rothy’ instead of ‘living magic stone’. 

The man who’d always referred to it as ‘that thing’ or ‘living magic stone’ now used its name with familiarity. The same man who, until recently had been pressuring him to kidnap it quickly was now using its name and asking to stop the plan. Something must’ve happened during the expedition to Siren’s Sea. 

Did he form an attachment to it?

Without PLEIN’s involvement, it’s even better. 

It meant he wouldn’t have to share the hard-won living magic stone with them. As for Yolone Sirin’s research journal that PLEIN possessed, he could always get his hands on it through The Mandate or other methods. 

Ken Bane checked the calendar on his desk. 

Next week, Theon Detre Falsen would be heading to Aephys Academy with his young spouse. Academies, especially those in the empire, always had tight security. But outsiders weren’t barred entry during the festival season, which meant security would be weaker. Theon was scheduled to give a single lecture during the festival season. When Ken Bane first heard the news, he knew he absolutely couldn’t afford to let this opportunity slip away. 

A short while later, an elderly white-haired woman with glasses hobbled into the room, leaning heavily on her staff. Without even waiting for Ken Bane’s permission, she sat down. Ken Bane said nothing about the rude behaviour because Depley Rose was his mentor, and the wounds his mentor had sustained in the war had left her barely able to stand. 

“So you’re saying Harrié Geelin’s giving up on the living magic stone…”

“That’s right. Seems he’s grown attached to it.”

“Attached, you say…”

“Those fools who let sentiment cloud their judgement! It’s fortunate our royal family doesn’t have a mage organisation.”

During the twenty-year long Human-Demon War, Givarche’s royal mage organisation had been wiped out, leaving only the royal mage tower. The tower’s remaining members were loyal to Ken Bane, which made the succession battle somewhat easier. 

“Dep, we can’t let this chance slip by. Every failed attempt to kidnap it was all to lay the groundwork for this chance. They’ll have lowered their guard. This time, we must succeed.”

“Don’t worry… All preparations are complete…”

‘The Mandate’ were an assassin guild that’d been actively nurtured by the Givarchean royal family and its royal mage tower. All the guild’s assassins were bound by curse magic and trained to use black magic. The nature of black magic and the process of learning was excessively cruel and vicious that it earned itself the name of ‘Maton’s magic’. Since Araxys was a world with deep faith in Seará, everyone avoided magic named after the evil god. 

A hundred years ago, when the saint of Solten officially declared that those who used black magic were zealots of Maton, black magic almost became obsolete. But while the rest of the world burnt every book regarding black magic, Givarche had gathered them and created The Mandate. 

Depley Rose too, worshipped Seará and prayed every day without fail for her blessings. However, worshipping Seará and using Maton’s magic was an entirely separate matter. Depley believed by wielding Maton’s magic, Seará’s will could be better carried out. 

“As it happens, I’ve just the man for the academy… Young as he is, he recently became a Second-class assassin…”

“Second-class means he can use black magic reasonably well.”

“Yes… In ten days, that fellow will present the living magic stone to you… but…”

“’But’?”

“While as a mage, I support the creation and use of living magic stones… it’s something we must do even if history condemns us. But Your Highness… will you really have no regrets?”

“What regrets could I possibly have?”

“The sacrifice of so many children…”

“Ba-ha-ha-ha-ha!”

Ken Bane burst into laughter and a flicker of madness could be seen in his eyes. 

“Dep, I understand your concern. In the past, I was weak like that fool from PLEIN. But I’m different now. I’ll never have such regrets. Just make sure everything’s in place and ensure this plan succeeds.”

“……Yes, Your Highness.”

With a troubled expression, Depley Rose gave a bow and left.  

Outside the office, Ken Bane’s aide gave Depley a worried look. The unspoken question, ‘How did it go?’ hung between them. Depley shook her head. 

“He has changed. He’s not the same prince who once volunteered to join the war because he couldn’t bear to see any more sacrifices.”

“Yes. He’s been like that since—… What’ll you do now?”

“What’s there to do? We simply follow orders……”

Depley moved away with feeble steps. The aide watched her retreating figure with a heavy heart while from inside the office, the sound of mad laughter could be heard for a long time. 

“Wooooooow.”

Screeeee

“Woooooow!”

Screeeeeeeee

A boy and a weasel’s faces mirrored each other, eyes wide and mouths open in admiration. Nearby, Theon was watching Rothy with a warm smile that reached his eyes. Currently, they were at the highest point of the Aephys Academy observatory, looking down at the sprawling view below. Under the bright midsummer sun that was bursting with life and colour, the landscape screamed with a vibrancy more vivid than anywhere else Rothy had seen.

Buildings of fascinating shapes, some straight, some spiralling, stretched out in every direction. Some structures hovered in the air without support, while others stood completely upside down. The streets, though bustling, were clean and orderly, with self-moving brooms occasionally wandering around, cleaning up the rubbish, much to the fascination of the tourists watching them go by.

In the eastern part of the academy, a wide lake stretched across the grounds. Duck-shaped boats floated serenely, gliding along without anyone rowing now. Every now and then, something resembling a small whale swam by, spurting water like a fountain. It wasn’t a real creature—just another tourist attraction crafted by the academy’s students. 

Chungnip breathed in the clear air and exhaled. 

“Ahh, this is what you’d expect from an institution in a grand city like Aephys. It makes the academy I attended feel like a countryside study hall.”

“That’s because the North practically raised this academy! Lord Rothy, see that building at eleven o’clock? That’s where we took our swordsmanship classes. When we go inside later, I’ll show you around.”

“So Theon studied there too?”

“Yes. We were studying together until the war broke out and he’d to withdraw. If he’d stayed, His Grace would’ve probably graduated early at seventeen. Even then, he was already an Aura Controller, so one of the professors was his match.”

As Zey excitedly explained, Chungnip asked,

“Well, of course His Grace would’ve dominated, but wasn’t there an Aura Master as well?”

“Because of her injuries, Dame Gaian rarely sparred.”

“Ah……”

Chungnip had heard the story before. Twenty years ago, when Gaian West was defending the empire’s southern border, she was cursed by an assassin from The Mandate, but no one knew the exact details of the curse.  

“While we’re on the subject, don’t even mention Givarche in front of Dame Gaian. She’s usually a kind and gentle woman, but the moment you mention ‘Givarche’, she becomes an absolute atrocious tyrant.” 

“What kind of curse was that? Do you know, Zey?”

“Xeon and I know. We were there when it happened.”

“I’m really curious. Can’t you at least give me a hint?”

“Trust me, it’s better if you don’t know.”

“Thinking about that bloody horrible day again… May Seará watch over Dame Gaian…”

Zey and Xeon traced the sign of the cross across their chests and whispered prayers to Seará. But their solemn gestures only served to fuel Chungnip’s curiosity even more. 

“Oh no, a curse? That must’ve been terrifying……”

Meanwhile, Rothy’s eyes widened with concern. Theon immediately scooped him up with one arm, cradling him against his chest. 

“It’s not as terrible as these fools are making it out to be. Don’t worry.”

“Really? Then what was it…?”

“She went bald.”

“How… is that a curse? Zey’s bald too…”

“That’s different for me. I shaved mine on purpose. Dame Gaian had no choice… Anyway, it’s a really terrible curse.”

Rothy still didn’t understand, but seeing how serious Zey was, nodded along. 

“Look, Rothy. That’s the walking path.”

Theon pointed a finger to the green trail beside the swordsmanship hall. He went on, pointing out each place—the well-maintained walkways that were a contrast to the dormitory that was always a mess, the sparring hall that’d still been under construction at the time, the dusty library, and the dreary mage hall. Sounds of amazement escaped Rothy each time Theon’s finger moved. 

“Wow~”

“Uwaaah~”

“Wooooow~”

Being in Theon’s arms raised his line of sight higher, and his cheeks flushed at the newly changed view.

“How long did you study here, Theon?”

“A little over half a year.”

“That’s about the same time I’ve been at Falsen.”

“I suppose so.”

“Even though it was only half a year, you still remember everything after fifteen years. These are Theon’s precious memories.”

Rothy smiled, dimples forming on his flushed cheeks. Being so close made them appear even more endearing. A faint smile broke on Theon’s face as he let out a quiet “Yeah.” 

It was strange. The moment Rothy called it his precious memories, that brief half year genuinely became one.