“It’s good, but... isn’t it too much?”
Of course, she'll be by Ophelia's side until she safely gives birth, so she hopes she can be comfortable.
Candice, who thought she could stay for several months with just a bed, or even just a sofa, next to Ophelia, twisted her head in awkwardness.
In the past, when she went to Ophelia's house to play, she would sleep in the same bed. When she was a student, they even shared a dorm room.
Now that they're both well over thirty, and Ophelia has been married for over ten years, it's probably not like they used to be.
She felt bad because she seemed to be being too formal with her.
“Uh, no. Right now, you're Candice Eposher, the director of the Tamora National Academy and the chairwoman of the Tamora Republic Wizard Council. I should at least give you this much.”
Tamora was a republic without a King or noble class, and was a unique place where the council of wizards handled the affairs of the country, big and small. A place where stronger wizards gained more power.
Even there, the strongest Candice was young and served as the president of the wizard council.
“...”
Candice pouted with a sad expression. It felt really weird to hear those words from Ophelia, of all people.
Ophelia burst into laughter at the sight of her old friend's pout.
“Just kidding, just kidding. Actually, I have a favor to ask. Think of it as a bribe.”
“Please...? Other than using magic to take care of your health so that the child can be born safely?”
That was the original intention when she came all the way to the distant Peles Empire. But now, all of a sudden, Ophelia has a favor to ask of her.
Ophelia kept her mouth shut and looked around. Since she had even left a strong warning not to let anyone in, Candice's face looked even more bewildered.
“...Candice.”
As the room grew deadly quiet, Ophelia spoke in a heavy voice.
Candice swallowed hard, feeling unnecessarily nervous, not knowing what her friend, who was desperately clenching her fists, was going to say.
“Aila... is alive.”
"What?"
Candice's eyes widened in surprise at the news that Ophelia's first daughter, who had been lost ten years ago, was alive.
Most people thought she was dead because no witnesses came forward, no matter how hard they searched, but Ophelia and Roderick did not give up and continued to search.
There's a child like that alive.
“Did you find it? Where is she?”
“I don’t know where she is. She just told us that she would definitely come back.”
Tears welled up in Ophelia's eyes. Candice bit her lips, not knowing what to say in response to her precious friend's sad yet happy face.
“How can I help you?”
Candice asked with an uncharacteristically serious expression.
Because Candice must have asked for help with something related to Ayla.
“...That child has a magic tool. A magic box.”
The box that Ophelia gave to Winfred.
Even though the highest level of security magic was in place, if they could trace the magical tool, they might be able to find Aila's location.
“I want you to track it down.”
"...huh."
Ophelia had been waiting for Candice to arrive for several days, thinking that she might be able to handle the difficult task.
“Who made this magical tool? No way...?”
"...that's right."
At Ophelia's answer, Candice's mouth fell open. The expression on her face was closer to despair.
A magical tool created by the world's greatest wizard. No one could trace it.
Ophelia bowed her head, as it was such an impudent request to an old friend with whom she had only exchanged letters for years.
The words that she should pretend she didn't hear, if it was hard to hear, rose to the tip of her tongue, but they never came out. The hope that she might learn of Aila's whereabouts kept her from saying them.
“...I’ll try.”
After a moment that seemed like an eternity to Ophelia, Candice opened her mouth.
I'll try. I'll challenge myself.
“What’s the big deal? Why don’t you give it a try?”
When Ophelia, who had been looking down at the floor, raised her head, Candice was smiling like a mischievous child, showing all her teeth.
It was the same expression as the wax seal that sealed the letter he sent to Ophelia.
“Miss, have you packed everything?”
“Yeah, Laura.”
Aila answered, wearing a winter coat with lots of fur. As expected, it felt a little warm indoors with a fur-covered hat on.
“We’re about to leave. Hurry up and get on the carriage.”
It was still dark, but it was quite bright outside, covered in white snow.
There was only one reason for moving so early in the morning. It was to leave this place and move to another place.
Because of the snow, she couldn't go out at night for a while and couldn't gather information, but she bet the Imperial regular army or Weishaffen soldiers would show up nearby again, and they'd have to run away in a hurry.
As she was about to shake the snow off the soles of her boots and get into the carriage, she heard a grumbling voice behind her.
When she turned her head, Byron appeared noisily, his eyes filled with discontent, as if he didn't like the fact that she was moving around during the time when he should be sleeping.
He was joking that he was cold even though he was wearing a thick outer garment made of high-quality fur. Today, he must have drunk a magic potion because his hair and eyes were brown.
“Miss. What are you doing instead of riding? It’s cold. Let’s go in quickly.”
As she was staring blankly at Byron, Cloud spoke quietly to her. Aila nodded in understanding and sat down in the carriage.
Certainly, the weather had become much warmer once she got inside the carriage. The winter wind that blew fiercely, as if it were cutting through her skin, seemed unable to penetrate inside the carriage.
Not long after she took her seat in the carriage, their procession set off.
Because it was snowy, the speed was very slow. This was because they had to use a magic tool that blew hot air from the front to melt the snow little by little.
Several days passed by, moving slowly and little by little like that.
As they had to take detours even for short distances because they were only trying to move to places with few people, the group was gradually getting tired from the long journey.
‘...Why did the carriage suddenly stop?’
The carriage, which had been moving slowly but steadily, suddenly stopped, and Aila, startled, looked outside through the small window in the carriage.
Not far from the carriage, men dressed in regular Peles Empire uniforms were standing guard.
“What should I do, Cloud?”
“Why is there a checkpoint in a place like this?”
Byron's bewildered subordinates were fidgeting and asking Cloud for his opinion.
Since they chose a road that usually has few people on it, they couldn't help but be flustered.
There was no way to go back the way they came, because the knights had already found their carriage.
If a procession that was coming well found a checkpoint and turned back, it was clear that they would be suspicious and chased. It was a situation where they could not quickly escape because of the snow.
“... There’s nothing we can do. We just have to face it head-on.”
He had a fake ID and had also taken a magic potion.
At Cloud's words, the carriage began to slowly move towards the checkpoint again.
“Where are you guys going with all this snow? Let me check your passes for a moment.”
Perhaps tired from the long security check on a road that few people travel on, the imperial soldier yawned and asked for their identification.
“It’s the top that leads to Slexter.”
“It’s a fur-specialized store, so now is the season. Would you like a set, sir?”
The most witty of Byron's men naturally made up a lie.
Slexter was a small town that was just down this road. Of course, they weren't headed there, but they had made a fake pass just in case they were stopped by a security checkpoint.
As expected from a fur-dealing company, everyone was wearing warm fur, so it was a believable statement. If it were normal, they would have just let it go.
“...That’s fine, I need to open up some carriages.”
They couldn't understand why they did this. If it were a normal checkpoint, they would just check the pass and let them go.
Even the one who had been whining at the suggestion that he would open the carriage couldn't help but feel slightly flustered.
“Why are you doing that?”
“You don’t need to know that. Is there any reason why I shouldn’t open it?”
When asked why he felt so uncomfortable standing guard on a cold day, he gave a cold reply.
He kept his mouth shut because it wasn't something he could tell anyone, but the truth is that the soldiers were looking for the attempted assassin of the Crown Prince. So they had no choice but to tighten the search and seizure.
“Hey, there’s the guy with the scar over his eye. How did he get that scar?”
Upon hearing that the culprit who attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince had a wound around his right eye, one of the soldiers who had been watching the men intently pointed to Cloud and asked.
“...When I work as a mercenary, I naturally get these kinds of big and small scars. They’re like medals.”
“It doesn’t seem like it’s been that long.”
“It’s an older wound than it looks.”
Although he spoke calmly and in a blunt voice, the soldiers' suspicions grew. His speech and gestures were too polite for a mercenary.
Doesn't he look like a noble knight?
“Open the carriage when we speak nicely.”
The soldiers drew their swords and spoke. As the commotion grew, soldiers in the temporary rest area near the checkpoint also began to join in.
“...Please open it.”
At this point, there was no choice but to open the carriage. The documents and items that should not be seen were covered with fur, and since Byron had also drunk the magic potion, there was no choice but to hope that it would pass without incident.
Of course, she'll be by Ophelia's side until she safely gives birth, so she hopes she can be comfortable.
Candice, who thought she could stay for several months with just a bed, or even just a sofa, next to Ophelia, twisted her head in awkwardness.
In the past, when she went to Ophelia's house to play, she would sleep in the same bed. When she was a student, they even shared a dorm room.
Now that they're both well over thirty, and Ophelia has been married for over ten years, it's probably not like they used to be.
She felt bad because she seemed to be being too formal with her.
“Uh, no. Right now, you're Candice Eposher, the director of the Tamora National Academy and the chairwoman of the Tamora Republic Wizard Council. I should at least give you this much.”
Tamora was a republic without a King or noble class, and was a unique place where the council of wizards handled the affairs of the country, big and small. A place where stronger wizards gained more power.
Even there, the strongest Candice was young and served as the president of the wizard council.
“...”
Candice pouted with a sad expression. It felt really weird to hear those words from Ophelia, of all people.
Ophelia burst into laughter at the sight of her old friend's pout.
“Just kidding, just kidding. Actually, I have a favor to ask. Think of it as a bribe.”
“Please...? Other than using magic to take care of your health so that the child can be born safely?”
That was the original intention when she came all the way to the distant Peles Empire. But now, all of a sudden, Ophelia has a favor to ask of her.
Ophelia kept her mouth shut and looked around. Since she had even left a strong warning not to let anyone in, Candice's face looked even more bewildered.
“...Candice.”
As the room grew deadly quiet, Ophelia spoke in a heavy voice.
Candice swallowed hard, feeling unnecessarily nervous, not knowing what her friend, who was desperately clenching her fists, was going to say.
“Aila... is alive.”
"What?"
Candice's eyes widened in surprise at the news that Ophelia's first daughter, who had been lost ten years ago, was alive.
Most people thought she was dead because no witnesses came forward, no matter how hard they searched, but Ophelia and Roderick did not give up and continued to search.
There's a child like that alive.
“Did you find it? Where is she?”
“I don’t know where she is. She just told us that she would definitely come back.”
Tears welled up in Ophelia's eyes. Candice bit her lips, not knowing what to say in response to her precious friend's sad yet happy face.
“How can I help you?”
Candice asked with an uncharacteristically serious expression.
Because Candice must have asked for help with something related to Ayla.
“...That child has a magic tool. A magic box.”
The box that Ophelia gave to Winfred.
Even though the highest level of security magic was in place, if they could trace the magical tool, they might be able to find Aila's location.
“I want you to track it down.”
"...huh."
Ophelia had been waiting for Candice to arrive for several days, thinking that she might be able to handle the difficult task.
“Who made this magical tool? No way...?”
"...that's right."
At Ophelia's answer, Candice's mouth fell open. The expression on her face was closer to despair.
A magical tool created by the world's greatest wizard. No one could trace it.
Ophelia bowed her head, as it was such an impudent request to an old friend with whom she had only exchanged letters for years.
The words that she should pretend she didn't hear, if it was hard to hear, rose to the tip of her tongue, but they never came out. The hope that she might learn of Aila's whereabouts kept her from saying them.
“...I’ll try.”
After a moment that seemed like an eternity to Ophelia, Candice opened her mouth.
I'll try. I'll challenge myself.
“What’s the big deal? Why don’t you give it a try?”
When Ophelia, who had been looking down at the floor, raised her head, Candice was smiling like a mischievous child, showing all her teeth.
It was the same expression as the wax seal that sealed the letter he sent to Ophelia.
***
“Miss, have you packed everything?”
“Yeah, Laura.”
Aila answered, wearing a winter coat with lots of fur. As expected, it felt a little warm indoors with a fur-covered hat on.
“We’re about to leave. Hurry up and get on the carriage.”
It was still dark, but it was quite bright outside, covered in white snow.
There was only one reason for moving so early in the morning. It was to leave this place and move to another place.
Because of the snow, she couldn't go out at night for a while and couldn't gather information, but she bet the Imperial regular army or Weishaffen soldiers would show up nearby again, and they'd have to run away in a hurry.
As she was about to shake the snow off the soles of her boots and get into the carriage, she heard a grumbling voice behind her.
When she turned her head, Byron appeared noisily, his eyes filled with discontent, as if he didn't like the fact that she was moving around during the time when he should be sleeping.
He was joking that he was cold even though he was wearing a thick outer garment made of high-quality fur. Today, he must have drunk a magic potion because his hair and eyes were brown.
“Miss. What are you doing instead of riding? It’s cold. Let’s go in quickly.”
As she was staring blankly at Byron, Cloud spoke quietly to her. Aila nodded in understanding and sat down in the carriage.
Certainly, the weather had become much warmer once she got inside the carriage. The winter wind that blew fiercely, as if it were cutting through her skin, seemed unable to penetrate inside the carriage.
Not long after she took her seat in the carriage, their procession set off.
Because it was snowy, the speed was very slow. This was because they had to use a magic tool that blew hot air from the front to melt the snow little by little.
Several days passed by, moving slowly and little by little like that.
As they had to take detours even for short distances because they were only trying to move to places with few people, the group was gradually getting tired from the long journey.
‘...Why did the carriage suddenly stop?’
The carriage, which had been moving slowly but steadily, suddenly stopped, and Aila, startled, looked outside through the small window in the carriage.
Not far from the carriage, men dressed in regular Peles Empire uniforms were standing guard.
“What should I do, Cloud?”
“Why is there a checkpoint in a place like this?”
Byron's bewildered subordinates were fidgeting and asking Cloud for his opinion.
Since they chose a road that usually has few people on it, they couldn't help but be flustered.
There was no way to go back the way they came, because the knights had already found their carriage.
If a procession that was coming well found a checkpoint and turned back, it was clear that they would be suspicious and chased. It was a situation where they could not quickly escape because of the snow.
“... There’s nothing we can do. We just have to face it head-on.”
He had a fake ID and had also taken a magic potion.
At Cloud's words, the carriage began to slowly move towards the checkpoint again.
“Where are you guys going with all this snow? Let me check your passes for a moment.”
Perhaps tired from the long security check on a road that few people travel on, the imperial soldier yawned and asked for their identification.
“It’s the top that leads to Slexter.”
“It’s a fur-specialized store, so now is the season. Would you like a set, sir?”
The most witty of Byron's men naturally made up a lie.
Slexter was a small town that was just down this road. Of course, they weren't headed there, but they had made a fake pass just in case they were stopped by a security checkpoint.
As expected from a fur-dealing company, everyone was wearing warm fur, so it was a believable statement. If it were normal, they would have just let it go.
“...That’s fine, I need to open up some carriages.”
They couldn't understand why they did this. If it were a normal checkpoint, they would just check the pass and let them go.
Even the one who had been whining at the suggestion that he would open the carriage couldn't help but feel slightly flustered.
“Why are you doing that?”
“You don’t need to know that. Is there any reason why I shouldn’t open it?”
When asked why he felt so uncomfortable standing guard on a cold day, he gave a cold reply.
He kept his mouth shut because it wasn't something he could tell anyone, but the truth is that the soldiers were looking for the attempted assassin of the Crown Prince. So they had no choice but to tighten the search and seizure.
“Hey, there’s the guy with the scar over his eye. How did he get that scar?”
Upon hearing that the culprit who attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince had a wound around his right eye, one of the soldiers who had been watching the men intently pointed to Cloud and asked.
“...When I work as a mercenary, I naturally get these kinds of big and small scars. They’re like medals.”
“It doesn’t seem like it’s been that long.”
“It’s an older wound than it looks.”
Although he spoke calmly and in a blunt voice, the soldiers' suspicions grew. His speech and gestures were too polite for a mercenary.
Doesn't he look like a noble knight?
“Open the carriage when we speak nicely.”
The soldiers drew their swords and spoke. As the commotion grew, soldiers in the temporary rest area near the checkpoint also began to join in.
“...Please open it.”
At this point, there was no choice but to open the carriage. The documents and items that should not be seen were covered with fur, and since Byron had also drunk the magic potion, there was no choice but to hope that it would pass without incident.
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