“So what’s going on?”
“Long time no see, Shisha.”
“…Kyle Byron? Why are you with this jerk?”
“We’re heading to the Dwarf Village.”
“What, just that?”
It doesn’t seem like it’s just a small thing, though.
After Shisha made all the other magicians, including the Master of the Sub-Magic Tower, step back, she leaned on her crutch on the rough ice and answered as if it were no big deal.
She chewed on an ice shard she created out of thin air and glared at Diogenes.
“I thought this stubborn jerk had finally invaded Glesia.”
“May I ask why you thought that?”
“There was a last will from the previous generation. If Diogenes ever returned to Glesia, it definitely wouldn’t be for a good reason, so we had to prepare thoroughly.”
“Ah, so that’s why you were hostile to me when we met at Arkhé.”
And now I understand why Glesia Magic Tower’s countermeasures were so detailed. If the previous Glesia Tower Master left a will to be wary of Diogenes, they must have been preparing for it all along.
Wait, more than that.
“Didn’t you say you were acquainted with the previous Glesia Tower Master?”
“Acquainted, yes.”
“…Did something happen between you and the previous Tower Master?”
“Nothing much. She just tried to kill me.”
“That’s not what being acquainted means!”
“She harbored murderous intent toward me, but I didn’t feel the same toward her. She tried many times, but in the end, she never harmed me. I was friendly toward her, but she was hostile toward me, so we weren’t friends, nor were we enemies. So, I can call her an acquaintance, can’t I?”
Hmm, there’s no point in discussing this further with Diogenes.
Having judged that, I looked at Shisha, who still had an unpleasant expression.
“I didn’t know about the relationship between the previous Tower Master and Diogenes. I apologize.”
“Why are you bowing your head? That jerk should be the one apologizing… Anyway, you’re going to the Dwarf Village?”
“Yes, I plan to go with Diogenes.”
“What about her?”
“Huh?”
“You didn’t think you could hide her from me, did you?”
Snap.
As soon as Shisha flicked her finger, a weak blizzard blew in, and soon snow piled up to form a human shape.
It was Sally, who had hidden her presence with Cleaning Magic.
Even though she was half-existing in reality, it seemed impossible to deceive the eyes of an Archmage, unlike the Sub-Tower Master or Glesia’s magicians.
“Young Master…”
“Only those with a pass and one companion can enter the Dwarf Village. Where’s the pass?”
“Here it is.”
“…It’s definitely Dwarf-made. I won’t ask how you got this. After all, Glesia Magic Tower’s role is just to create the passage.”
Unlike the Sub-Tower Master, Shisha didn’t even ask if I was a disguised royal.
She acted as if she genuinely didn’t care, as if her only job was to create the passage.
That’s why it was even more of a problem. Now that Sally had been discovered, I had to convince her.
But before that.
“Diogenes, you’ve helped me as my guard up to this point, but I have a difficult request…”
“No need to hesitate. But I can’t just send you and that maid alone. You’ll need my help in the Dwarf Village too.”
“Is that so…?”
“You’ll understand once you get there. For now, convincing Shisha Glesia is the priority.”
“Convincing me? Are you out of your mind? Do you want to start a war with Glesia Magic Tower right here?”
“If you just let me go, it’ll be over, won’t it?”
“If the Imperial family finds out, Glesia will immediately lose its status as a Magic Tower and become an enemy of the Empire. The Dwarves are more valuable to the Empire than Glesia Magic Tower. No matter how much of a monster you are, you’re not stronger than the entire Empire, are you?”
“Hmm.”
Diogenes’ persuasion (threat) fell flat.
While I was pondering what to say to Shisha with her decisive tone, she turned her head towards me—or more precisely, towards Sally behind me.
“………There’s only one way, if you’re serious.”
“Huh? Really?”
“You, the maid behind him. You’ve met me before, haven’t you?”
“W-What are you talking about……?”
“Compared to back then, your madness has lessened quite a bit. Now, I can talk to you again.”
*Thud. Thud.*
Shisha walked up to Sally, standing right in front of her, and looked down at her.
With eyes as cold as ice, she murmured.
“That thing you did to your heart—it’s my duty to either retrieve it or deal with it.”
“Her heart? Sally, what is she talking about?”
“Y-Young Master……….”
“It has severe side effects. The madness you showed back at the Arkhé Magic Tower was part of those side effects. If it progresses further, who knows what could happen? That’s why I kept an eye on it.”
“…………….”
“Give it up. If you do, I’ll even let that stubborn brat in.”
Shisha’s offer, contradicting her earlier words.
Even if it’s Diogenes, letting him in could endanger the Magic Tower. What could be so important about Sally’s heart that made her change her mind?
Is it that significant, or does it hold personal meaning to Shisha?
Actually, there was something more important to ask.
“Sally.”
“………Young Master.”
“What did you do… to your heart?”
Something that even the Archmage is paying attention to—inside Sally’s heart.
Having spent over 10 years with Sally every single day, I couldn’t believe it.
We were practically family, and I thought we knew everything about each other.
Sally kept her head down.
“Sally, tell me. Please.”
“………I, I engraved it.”
“Engraved? What?”
“To, to gain magical talent………I, I made a vow… on my heart.”
“What?”
A vow?
As I struggled to keep up with the absurdity of the conversation, Diogenes stepped forward.
“She’s talking about the Gold Technique (禁術).”
“……The name alone sounds ominous.”
“It’s a type of contract. You engrave a specific vow onto your heart in exchange for talent. However, if you break the vow even slightly, you must pay with your life. And the talent you gain isn’t even that great.”
“Sally… used such a forbidden technique?”
“She managed to keep it hidden even from her master. Well, your will doesn’t matter. Now that we’re here, I’ll retrieve it no matter what.”
“…………….”
“Last question. Who performed the technique on you? Who was the lunatic who approached a mere maid and offered to do such a thing?”
“………….”
“Hey, not answering?”
“Wait, threatening Sally is……!!”
“……It, it was me.”
“What?”
As I stood in front of Shisha, who had an ice spear pointed at Sally, bickering back and forth, Sally, who had been silent with her head down, finally spoke.
With words I could hardly believe.
“I, I engraved it myself.”
“Hey, don’t mess with me. You expect me to believe that? Engraving a vow on your heart isn’t a metaphor—it’s literal. Someone has to open your heart and carve the words. You’re saying you did that yourself………?”
“Y-Yes. That’s, that’s what I did.”
“……Are you serious?”
Perhaps using some kind of magic, Shisha could tell if Sally was lying or not. Her eyes shook with shock.
But I couldn’t believe it either.
“Sally? What are you talking about?”
“Hey, using the power of medicine, I, I half-anesthetized myself and…”
I opened the wound. Oh, it didn’t take long, but… I was on the verge of death. Hehe.”
“Sally!!!!”
“…………….”
“You… is that really true?”
“……Yes.”
“What the…!!”
“Then where did you get that knowledge?”
“……I, I can’t tell you that.”
“Ha, this is insane.”
While Shisha let out a sigh, I hurriedly opened Sally’s chest.
Her maid uniform, which she always wore, came undone, revealing her undergarments.
“Scar.”
“………I’m, I’m sorry. Young Master.”
Even deeper, slightly hidden by her bra.
There was a rough scar that couldn’t be hidden.
It was a scar I had never known about until now, far larger and uglier than any I had.
“Two things are clear now. One, you’re a genius at this Gold Technique.”
“………….”
“You said you performed it yourself, right? That’s something even skilled people fail at and die from? If a mere maid, who was once powerless, succeeded on her first try, then your talent is undeniable. Though I question if this even counts as talent.”
“…………….”
“And the second thing is, no matter what, I have to retract your oath.”
“………….”
“Tell me the oath. I need to know it to erase it. I’m used to this, so there won’t be any serious side effects. You’ll just lose your magical talent.”
“……………….”
“Even if you keep your mouth shut, I have countless ways to force it open. Don’t provoke me unnecessarily.”
While I was speechless at the sight of Sally’s scar.
Diogenes remained calm, and Shisha responded as if she had done this many times before.
Her hand and the tip of the ice were aimed at Sally’s heart.
Only then did I snap out of it and pulled Sally into a protective embrace.
“Young Master……!!!”
“Kyle Byron, step aside. I know Master Olfin favors you, but this isn’t the Arkhé Magic Tower.”
“It doesn’t matter. But Lady Shisha, you won’t be able to threaten Sally either.”
“Why are you butting in too? Are master and servant both crazy?”
“Diogenes.”
“Speak.”
“Please guard us.”
“Of course.”
“Hey! You know how serious that Gold Technique is, right? You old geezer!”
“I know. But I’d appreciate it if you recognized that your attitude is overly threatening. And you lied too, didn’t you?”
“………Tch.”
“Erasing the oath won’t just make you lose your magical talent; you’ll also lose almost all your emotions. That’s why it’s called the Gold Technique.”
“Not almost. It won’t affect daily life.”
“Even so, you’ll become a different person.”
“Lady Shisha, you deceived me.”
“Ah…!! Hey, you brat, don’t you know how serious that Gold Technique is!? If the royal family finds out, someone like me handling it is the mildest option! I’m practically helping you in secret, and you’re making a fuss───”
“──O, oath. I’ll, I’ll tell you.”
“Sally!”
“D, don’t worry. Young Master.”
I desperately held Sally tighter to keep her from moving, but I couldn’t overpower her strength.
She easily slipped out of my embrace and approached Shisha.
“Good, it’s so much better when you cooperate. Just hurry up……….”
“B, but please delay erasing the oath, just a little.”
“……You’re pushing it again. Do you think I’d allow that?”
Shisha’s expression turned threatening again in an instant, but.
Sally, with a slight smile, moved even closer to Shisha and whispered something quietly into her ear.
That must have been the oath Sally had sworn.
And when Shisha heard that.
“What? No, wait. That… really?”
“W-why would I lie?”
“…What exactly do you want?”
“J-just wait until I return from the Dwarf Village.”
“Tch.”
For some reason, Shisha, who had been staring at me intently instead of Sally, erased the ice window with a reluctant expression.
“Only until then. In the meantime, sort things out on your own. And tell me where you got the information about the Gold Technique.”
“Th-thank you.”
“Thank you, my ass. No need to delay now.”
*Snap.*
Shisha flicked her finger again.
Sally smiled, Diogenes remained the same as before, and I, who still didn’t understand how things had come to this, looked around.
She summoned her magical power.
“I’ll create a passage. Everyone, watch your step.”
“What’s that—”
*Whoosh!!!*
As soon as Shisha finished speaking, the ice beneath our feet disappeared.
A massive hole formed in the ice that seemed unbreakable, frozen over the sea.
And below it wasn’t the sea, but an ice-made passage.
“Whoa!?”
“Y-young lady!?”
We fell as if sliding down an ice slide, endlessly descending.
I quickly grabbed Sally to protect her, but perhaps due to some magical measure, even though my back kept scraping against the ice, my clothes didn’t tear, and I didn’t get frostbite.
“…Sally, are you okay?”
“I… I…”
“It’s fine if you’re okay. We’ll talk later.”
“…Okay.”
I comforted Sally, and she quietly buried her face in my chest.
The scenery we saw as we descended was almost unbelievable.
The ice wasn’t opaque but semi-transparent, revealing the sea hidden beneath.
All sorts of swimming fish, colorful coral reefs, giant monsters, and a dreamy landscape illuminated by the ambiguous sunlight filtering through the ice.
How long had we been descending?
Under the beautiful scenery, where the ice passage led.
A dome-shaped structure that looked unnatural to anyone slowly came into view.
“This is 1km below sea level.”
“Lady Shisha? Are you coming too?”
“How else are you going to get back? The Glesia Magic Tower owner is supposed to come and go together. Anyway, see that?”
“Yes.”
“That’s the Dwarf Village you’ve been searching for…”
The dome under the sea was a romantic sight, but.
“…and the dwarves’ prison.”
As Shisha said.
The Dwarf Village looked suffocating.
Just the thought of spending a lifetime there was enough to take your breath away.
‘And that’s not all.’
The Dwarf Village’s festival, the oath Sally had engraved in her heart, Diogenes and Shisha’s company, and the reason the Third Prince had sent us to the Dwarf Village.
There was so much to think about and do.
This was just the beginning.
