MMFHRK-Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Don’t Go Harboring Strange Expectations (Bonus Chapter)

“Still, let’s set politics aside for the moment.”

Luosenni said, covering her mouth as she laughed.

“In a little while, it’ll be time for the Witches’ Assembly to convene again—once it’s in session, we’ll have all the time in the world to discuss it, and we’ll hear plenty of lecturing besides: about peaceful coexistence, about unity and friendship… and about what position we ought to take, given the plans and ambitions of the human kings… anything I’ve missed, Airiya? Besides all these sermons that make one’s ears grow calluses, what else is there?”

“Then let’s not talk politics.”

“Right. Speaking of which…”

Luosenni’s tone shifted slightly.

“Airiya, how long has it been since you were elevated to Witch? More than two years, isn’t it?”

“It should be close to three by now. What of it?”

“Although there are plenty of untrue rumors about you within the Assembly, the vacancy on the High Witches’ Council is very much real. On the whole, the Assembly still hopes a young Witch of outstanding ability can join the Council’s seats… I recall you mentioned to me that you intend to compete for that seat, correct?”

Lilinai looked at Airiya.

She noticed a flash of sharpness pass through the Witch’s violet eyes.

But it vanished quickly, as though it had never existed at all.

“Correct.” Airiya’s tone was utterly mild—at least it sounded that way. “I have considered competing for a seat on the Council. But as you know, Luosenni, I’ve always been negligent in fulfilling the Assembly’s obligations…”

“But there really isn’t much you’ve actually been negligent about.” Luosenni said with a smile. “With me handling your dispatches and receiving your notices for you, plus your own ordinary research into and contributions to magic, your rating is quite high overall. Speaking of which… though it may be early days yet, have you considered taking on an apprentice?”

“No. The thought never even crossed my mind.”

“But the situation has changed somewhat lately. The Assembly has found that as the number of living Witches increases, new strength is growing ever scarcer. For the sake of magical wisdom’s continuation, the Assembly is calling on all Witches to fulfill their obligation and take on a magic apprentice within five years. Considering how enthusiastic those old fossils are about this matter, if you took on an apprentice and sent her to the Assembly for training, it would substantially raise your rating as a Council candidate, you know?”

“An apprentice, hmm…”

Airiya fell into thought.

The Witches’ Assembly nominally took no part in secular activities, and therefore did not employ public methods to recruit apprentices from outside.

But even though Witches could greatly slow their bodies’ aging, they were not immortal. For Witches, passing down the knowledge and wisdom of magic was likewise a task bestowed by the Assembly.

As for how Witches found and took in apprentices, it was either a matter of chance or a recommendation through personal connections—in short, they would first seek out an apprentice in a personal capacity and provide private instruction. Only after an apprentice had gained her Witch’s approval would they all be sent together to the independent academy established by the Assembly, to complete the coursework required for elevation to Witch and undergo their final cultivation.

Airiya and Luosenni were both students taken in by the Witch ‘Skylark,’ Moseditina An Fansitelaolun. Airiya had needed only half a year to complete her preliminary studies, and after going to the academy, needed only two years to finish the entire curriculum.

“Back when we studied under Moseditina together, I often envied your talent.” Luosenni propped up her face and smiled. “I think you’d definitely be good at guiding an apprentice too. Who knows, the apprentice you raised might turn out even more formidable than you.”

“Aren’t you overstating things?”

“These are my true feelings, not flattery. In any case, I strongly recommend you give it some thought… besides, taking in a satisfactory apprentice might not be as difficult as you imagine.”

“What do you mean?”

Airiya asked.

Luosenni’s gaze shifted slightly, looking meaningfully toward the purple-haired girl at the side.

Discovering that both Witches’ gazes had come to rest on her, Lilinai swallowed uneasily.

“Miss Lilinai,” Luosenni said, examining the girl with an appraising eye, “within her body… there’s a fair amount of natural magic power. With just a little careful looking, one can discover her talent—she really is very suitable raw material for cultivation… Airiya, how long have you had her? You mean you never noticed?”

“I… me?”

Lilinai pointed at herself in disbelief.

As everyone knew, in this world, only a small portion of people had the fortune to possess the talent for learning magic.

Even more widely known was that Witches were extremely rare in number, and male spellcasters were rarer still than Witches.

For whatever reason, from ancient times to the present, the overwhelming majority of mages had been born among women. Only an exceedingly small number of men could catch even a glimpse of the threshold of the path of magic, and even then, they generally needed the aid of staves, treasured implements, or prayer in order to cast. Throughout all of history, only Witches, and Witches alone, could directly drive magic through their own power.

The problem was that although she looked like a girl on the outside, Lilinai had originally been a boy.

Had she not swallowed the secret medicine her family left behind in order to survive, her body would never have become like this.

Yet now they were saying she had magical talent?

“Don’t get any ideas about her, Luosenni.”

Airiya turned her head and said coldly.

“She’s nothing but a slave and a plaything. Don’t go instilling strange notions in her.”

“Eh—I’m only telling the truth, aren’t I? Airiya, you…”

“Be quiet.”

Airiya’s tone was resolute, and Luosenni could only draw in her shoulders.

“Fine, I’ll listen to you. In any case, that child is your slave, so how you dispose of her is entirely up to you…”

Seeing Airiya glare at her once again, Luosenni hurriedly shut her mouth.

The white-haired girl turned to look at Lilinai beside her and spoke in a frigid tone:

“Don’t go harboring any strange expectations, Miss Lilinai. Forget what was just said.”

“…Mm.”

Lilinai responded in a low voice.

It made sense, when she thought about it. Airiya hated her so much that being treated as a human being at all was already an act of mercy—how could she truly expect her to teach her magic?

“This pot of tea is nearly used up.” Airiya instructed. “Go replace it with a fresh pot for us. Also, make a trip to the study and bring back the thickest book I left on the desk—our guest Miss Luosenni has been looking forward to that book’s notes for a long time, so don’t keep her waiting.”

“Oh…”

Lilinai could tell that Airiya was merely finding an excuse to have her leave for a while.

She knew how to read the room, so she raised no objection and immediately withdrew.

Replace the tea… was it?

She pressed a hand to her pocket, feeling the weight of that packet of medicine, then took a deep breath and left the terrace.

“Ah, what were we talking about just now?”

Seeing that the atmosphere had grown a bit awkward, Luosenni hurriedly changed the subject.

“My affairs in the Kedasi Kingdom… that’s right, Airiya. Speaking of the Kedasi Kingdom, there’s actually another important matter behind my coming to see you this time—and it also concerns your elevation to the High Council.”

“Go on. What is it?”

“Kedasi Kingdom’s Queen Lienata has issued a public commission, recruiting people from all quarters in hopes of resolving a certain problem.”

“And what does this have to do with my elevation to the Council?” Airiya asked.

“This commission was sent to the Assembly in the royal family’s name. Because Kedasi is also a member of the Northern Kingdoms Alliance and has donated funds to the Assembly in the past, the Assembly wishes to contribute its share. And the High Witch responsible for this matter happens to be Moseditina—what I mean is, if you’re willing, we could…”

Luosenni made a gesture with her fingers, wearing a “you know what I mean” expression.

Airiya pondered for a moment.

“…Kedasi, is it? It isn’t far from Luolunbao, at least.”

“How about it? So long as you accept this commission, you can both restore your reputation in the northern kingdoms and raise your rating as a Council candidate within the Assembly—truly killing two birds with one stone. Are you interested?”

“I don’t have any other arrangements lately, as it happens. But I’d like to ask: what’s the timeframe for the commission, and what are its contents?”

“There’s no time limit. As for the contents—”

‘Flower Dream’ Luosenni took on a rather grim expression.

“The contents of the commission are a monster subjugation. And the target of the subjugation is a legendary monster, the ‘living natural disaster’—the Rainbow-Plumed Scale Serpent.”