KTBYM - Chapter 84

Instead of answering Tara's call, I looked at Eon. Our eyes met, as if he had been looking at me.

"Is that maid pitiful?"

It was not a rebuke, but simply a pure request for my opinion. He softened his voice and asked again.

"If you feel sorry for her, I could try to save her." 

"No, there is no need for that." 

Eon tilted his head slightly at the answer, which was given without a shred of hesitation.

"I'm not generous enough to look after someone like that." 

I approached Mary, who was lying down. The person I should be worried about was Mary, not that liar.

"Snap out of it, Mary." 

She threw herself at the knife, wearing only an ordinary maid's uniform and a single coat. Where on earth did she get such courage? What did I mean by throwing herself at me? My nose kept stinging.

"Miss?"

After a few groans, Mary finally opened her eyes.

“Are you okay?”

The very first thing she said was that she was worried about my safety... I don't know what on earth I should do with this foolishly kind maid.

"Mary, never do something so stupid again. You almost died."

Mary seemed relieved only after confirming that Eon was standing behind me. Tears welled up belatedly.

"That's such a relief. Sob, sob. Actually, I was just so scared..." 

Mary must have thought she was just stopping by a herbalist. She would never have imagined that she would be captured by an assailant and cut with a knife.

"I'm sorry, Mary. I shouldn't have brought you." 

"No. Sob. It's not your fault, Miss..."

Mary was crying so bitterly that she couldn't even continue speaking properly. I patted Mary's back and asked Eon.

"What reward would be fitting for a maid who sacrificed her life to protect her master?"

"The vacation and compensation must be nice." 

I nodded at Eon's answer, which came out as if he had been waiting for it. That was a satisfactory reward. Since it was something the Tower Master had said himself, there was no need to ask for permission.

"Mary, can you tell me where your house is?"

There was no longer a need for cumbersome magic circles for teleportation. Nor were travel destinations limited solely to teleportation points.

Just like Eon, I could safely traverse space wherever I wanted, as long as I issued a command to move to the desired location. It was a spell that could only be used by those whose magic had reached a certain level.

'Ah, so that's why you told me to give the order.'

I wonder why I only remembered such an important fact now. It was only natural that I didn't know about the Word Spirit until now, as I didn't even know that I was the reincarnation of an Archmage. However, if I had known this fact, I could have easily overcome the dangerous moments I have faced so far.

'I have never lied to you.'

The argument he had always made, but which I had never once believed, echoed in my mind.

'Eon really didn't lie.'

Until now, I considered it merely a coincidence that the senior maids stopped moving at my command. I thought that when Eon asked if it was an order, it was simply because he disapproved of my tone.

'That means...'

As expected, he knew from the very beginning that I was the reincarnation of the great sorceress Sally.

I glanced sideways at Eon. He had his usual indifferent expression, but his cheeks were slightly flushed. Because he kept pushing his hair back, it was all pointing backward.

'Ah...'

Finally, I could understand what those shimmering purple eyes meant. It was an undeniable turmoil. Just as I could not hastily mention that I had regained my memories, it was clear that Eon was also hesitating with the perfectly revived Sally standing before him.

'But why?'

His uncharacteristic behavior made me even more hesitant to speak.

***

Mary's house was a farmhouse on the outskirts of Baynan Province. The wind blowing from the sky, which was turning a reddish-brown, carried the scent of damp earth. It was a fragrance that signaled the awakening of the ground that had been frozen solid all winter.

'Is it spring now?'

The wind I clutched did not feel like the biting cold. Before I knew it, the long winter was coming to an end.

"I wonder if something is wrong?"

A farm day begins earlier and ends earlier than in the city. I thought it would be quiet now that the sun had set, but the surroundings were very lively. People were out in the yard, where flags made of colorful cut-out cloth were raised, and boisterous sounds could be heard from afar.

"Ah. Come to think of it, it is the day of the prayer ceremony."

Mary clapped her hands and spoke as if she had momentarily forgotten. She looked much more lively than before.

“A prayer ceremony?”

"It is a ritual performed by farming households to pray for a bountiful harvest before starting the year's farming. It is almost time to sow spring wheat." 

Mary spoke faster, perhaps thinking she had given a boring explanation.

"It’s not a festival that the entire country of Baynan participates in, like a birthday or National Day, so it’s understandable that you wouldn’t know. Ah. That’s my house over there."

I looked where Mary had pointed. What caught my eye was not the size of the house or how well the garden was maintained.

A burly man who appeared to be Mary's father was talking with Mrs. Rowe while carrying a boy who looked about three or four years old on his shoulders. Spring flowers bloomed on the faces of the couple as they looked at each other.

As if thrilled by his sudden growth, the child was giggling and playing with his sister, who was visible below him. He was tightly clutching a paper doll that looked like it had been made for a festival. The ribbon in her hair fluttered whenever the girl circled around her younger sibling.

It was truly a scene worthy of a video titled 'A Harmonious Family.' My past self, my present self, and even the me from when I was an Archmage. It was something I had never once possessed.

Contrary to what the maid said when she left the magic tower in the past, it seemed that Mary had been living with people who cared for her.

His character of cherishing people must have been nurtured in that harmonious family. The fact that she treated me lightly when I first arrived at the Count's mansion was likely possible because she had lived surrounded by family love.

"Miss, is something wrong?" 

Mary stopped walking toward home and tilted her head, perhaps because I had been lost in thought.

"No. Go ahead." 

The little child holding my hand tightly seemed not much different from me. Like someone watching the most fascinating and moving play in the world, the child could not take his eyes off the scene before him.

'Come to think of it, I wanted something like that, too.'

I wanted to become a good guardian for little Eon and study magic together in a cozy atmosphere. That wish, however, ultimately could not be fulfilled because of me.

“Mom! Dad!”

Mary waved her hand toward the picturesque scenery. Her family was somewhat surprised by her unexpected appearance, but soon smiled and welcomed her. Mary ran energetically and soon became part of the picture.

Eon, the little one, and I watched them from a distance. No one dared to move rashly.

"Oh my, Mary, what's going on? You didn't come out with a prayer ceremony, did you?"

Mary's younger siblings hopped and cheered. They seemed unable to contain their excitement, as they were already thrilled because it was the festival day, and now that their eldest sister had appeared.

"How could that be? It has never happened before. Something hasn't happened, has it?"

At her father's question, Mary looked at me. Naturally, her parents' gaze also turned toward me.

"She is the young lady I serve." 

"Hello. I am Brady, Mary's father. Um... my child is indebted to you greatly."

Mary's father took off his hat and bowed his head. It was a polite greeting, but he could not hide his nervousness.

"This is Camille, her mother. Um, in case something happens to our Mary..."

I felt uneasy, thinking that my appearance might have shattered their peace. I pulled the corners of my mouth upward and forced a smile that looked as gentle as possible.

"That can't be true. Mary did such a great job that she was given a reward vacation today."

"I-Is that really true?"

Brady checked again, as if he couldn't believe it, whether a reward vacation was a rare occurrence for a maid.

" I'm always indebted to Mary. I came along because I wanted to thank her family as well, but it seems I surprised you."

“Oh my.”

This time, an exclamation bordering on a scream burst from Camille's mouth. When our eyes met, she covered her mouth and bowed her head, as if she felt she had committed a grave offense.

"Oh my, young lady, to think you have come to greet us."

I did my best to explain the situation, but perhaps it was an overly modern approach. Mary's parents did not seem to view the situation positively at all, with Mary appearing alongside the nobleman shr serve.

"That is..." 

Eon stepped forward, gently pulling me back as I hesitated.

"I needed to find out how the farmer's prayer ceremony is conducted, you see. Isn't half of this area the manor of the Magic Tower? This child is capable and good at work, so I thought I could get some help from her."

Although the tone sounded somewhat arrogant, the couple's expressions finally brightened.

"Ah, yes, of course. In that case, it is only natural that we serve you, my lord."

"Oh dear, to think she has earned your trust, my lord. It seems my daughter is doing her part well."

Camille even had the composure to pat Mary on the shoulder, so Eon's words had an effect one way or another. Only after seeing them did I realize that this was the extent of the kindness a noble should show to a subordinate in this world.

An arrogant yet polite attitude, gentle yet distant. That was the image of a noble that commoners expected. An overly friendly or courteous attitude would only make the other person uneasy.

'Someone who knows that so well.'

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