| <<<<— | Table of Contents | —>>>> |
Chapter 13 – Selena’s Eyes
“My name is Clare.”
“My name is Selena.”
The two of them introduced themselves as they walked away from the alleyway. If they returned to the main street where the soldiers were patrolling, there would be no problem if the men from earlier followed them. However, it seemed that they had realized that they were high-ranking wizards from the lightning bolt earlier, and there was no sign of them.
“Even so, the wizards of the capital are at a high level. I’ve never seen anyone wield as many magic spells as you do at the same time. Your way of controlling the puppets is also very impressive.”
“Um. Thank you very much. I’m still in training, so I hope you’ll understand that about puppeteers.”
As Clare expressed her gratitude for the impressions of the puppeteers, she understood what she was saying.
Clare had deployed a concealment barrier as soon as the men entered the alleyway. Despite this, Selena looked at Clare without hesitation.
She may not have much knowledge of magic or magic. That’s why she says things like “she’s wrapped in magic” as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Something out of the ordinary – revealing something that could be a trump card in a completely normal situation is not what a wizard or witch would do.
She activates her detection magic, but Selena isn’t using any detection magic.
And… there is a strange magical reaction in her eyes, and she isn’t hiding it.
Selena might have some kind of unique magic, or maybe even a special kind of magic eye. If that’s the case, it can be explained with the knowledge Clare has. But Clare can’t help but be concerned about Selena’s unawareness of her own power.
She doesn’t know who she is. She has the air and manner of an aristocrat or the daughter of a wealthy store, but she doesn’t give her surname. Is there a reason why she wants to hide it? But Clare doesn’t think she’s a bad person. That’s why she needed to talk a bit more.
“Since we’ve gotten to know each other, if you have time after this, how about we get together for something… a meal or a drink? I’ll treat you as a thank you.”
“That’s… sorry, I haven’t done anything special.”
“No… I’d rather get to know you Selena. I’m sorry I can’t take my hat off and show my face. And I guess there’s a rule that you can’t show your face in crowded places…”
“Yeah. That’s what you said earlier.”
Selena looked convinced as the girl doll shrunk, then thought for a moment and replied, “Well, I’ll take you up on your offer.”
“Do you know any good restaurants, Selena? I’ve just arrived in the capital.”
“Actually, I do too.”
“I see. Well then… let’s go to a nice restaurant along the main street.”
“Then I’ll leave the choice of restaurant up to you, Clare.”
“Oh. That’s a big responsibility.”
“Hehe.”
As they talked like this, the two walked down the main street.
“What do you think of that restaurant?”
“It’s bright and has a nice atmosphere.”
The place they decided to eat was an inn with a terrace on the main street. There were a few customers there, even though it wasn’t lunchtime.
It was their first time meeting, so Selena would probably feel more comfortable eating in an open place, but Clare herself also liked the look and atmosphere of the restaurant.
They had no prior knowledge of what famous restaurants were, so they asked the waiter for a recommendation and both ordered what the waiter recommended. Clare then put up a soundproofing barrier around them.
“Oh. That’s the magic you used earlier, isn’t it?”
“It stops any sound from leaking out. I thought I might have disappeared earlier to see who was chasing me…”
“Yeah. That’s why things didn’t go well with those people. Oh… does that mean I was the one who helped them?”
Selena was processing what had just happened, and her expression became awkward.
“If you help and are helped, it’s a mutual thing. I’m happy to have met someone like that, after all.”
“That may be true… but…”
“So, the reason I used magic just now is that I wanted to ask you something a little strange. This may seem sudden, but what do you think of my hair color?”
“You have beautiful hair. Light blonde… It’s a color that can’t be described as platinum or silver blonde, and there’s some kind of magical light around it, so it sparkles and is beautiful.”
“I see… so that’s how it looks to you, Selena.”
Clare says, and Selena tilts her head confused.
“This is a magic that changes the color of my hair.”
The girl doll picks up a lock of Clare’s hair.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It should actually look brown. Because… if your hair is a rare color, you might be kidnapped or targeted by other people in the same business. So… if you don’t tell anyone about your real hair color, that would be appreciated.”
Clare smiled to show that she wasn’t particularly upset, and put her index finger in front of the girl doll’s mouth. Selena looked surprised, then serious.
“I understand. I’ll keep it a secret from the others. I’m… not good at magic. And I apologize for making you feel uncomfortable.”
“Thank you. But I wasn’t planning on telling you this just because I was worried about that. I felt that you were a trustworthy person when you came to help me, and that’s why I wanted to keep our relationship going… as I said before, that’s what I really think.”
“I see.”
Selena reacted with a bashful look.
“And… there’s another reason. This may be a bit pushy, but I thought it would be best to keep the fact that you can see so many things a secret as much as possible, Selena.”
“You mean…?”
“The reason is the same as when I changed my hair color. Such a supernatural ability can be targeted by people, and it can be a lifeline or trump card in times of emergency… I thought you didn’t know much about magic, seeing as you revealed it so easily.”
“That’s… certainly true. I’m embarrassed to be so naive.”
“Well… I’m also a bit ignorant of common sense when it comes to how much magic is known and perceived in the world, so… it’s only what I know.”
The girl doll waved her hands sideways, and Selena laughed a little before responding.
“Actually, I was thinking of learning magic in the Margrave Tolland territory. There was a situation where I had no one to teach me even though I seemed to have magical power, so I didn’t have a chance to learn magic… and besides, I have a job here.”
“A job?”
“Yes. I became an adventurer and learned what I could by observing how magic was used by those around me, while training in the Great Sea of Trees. I was relatively confident in my skills, so…”
Selena lowered her gaze to the slender sword on her waist.
She hadn’t seen his sword skills, but even Clare saw that the skill and movement of the sword when he stepped in and threw the man earlier were impressive.
She stepped in and threw the sword after the man had started to move, so she must have completely seen through his movements. Maybe Selena’s good eyesight is not just about being able to see magical power, but also her dynamic vision.
It is certainly not impossible to build a living foundation while learning magic from those around you. Although there are good and bad adventurers, there are definitely some capable ones among them, so in that sense it can be said that it is a place where opportunities are rolling around.
However… that is something that worries Clare, who knows Selena a little bit about her personality.
Selena seems to have been raised well. Perhaps she is the daughter of a noble family or a wealthy store. I don’t know where she comes from, but I don’t think she would normally choose to learn magic on the spot while exploring and hunting in the Great Sea of Trees among adventurers. There must be some reason that makes her have to do so.
As for magic, Clare should be able to teach it. The village we stopped at on the way is one of the bases that were close to the Great Sea of Trees, but if she makes it her base, it is not impossible to continue to be involved.
(But if I do that, I need to talk to Rona… I’m an apprentice and I lack common sense, so I should consult her about things I don’t understand.)
Is it knowledge or skill that can be taught to others? Assuming that she is flexible in that respect, should she tell Selena? As a matter of courtesy, it would be best for Clare to make that decision on her own. Even if she can’t teach or advise her on magic, there must be something she can do, like to teach her how to navigate the Great Sea of Trees. After pondering that, Clare says.
“I see… Do you have time after this?”
“I’ve already registered with the Adventurer’s Guild, so I’m not in a hurry.”
“Well then — that’s right. We’ll continue our conversation after we’ve had our meal.”
Seeing the waiter bring the ordered items, Clare says. Selena saw the doll smile as she said those words.
| <<<<— | Table of Contents | —>>>> |