Master And Apprentice (2)

“—Kardia.”

Called by the name he had only just been given, Kardia snapped back to reality.

He seemed to have been spacing out while gnawing a potato.

“Y-yes.”

Noi stared at him with a look that said she had something to say.

Cold sweat trickled down Kardia’s forehead.

(Did I do something…? She looks angry. Maybe she called me over and over and I didn’t notice. What do I do? She went to the trouble of giving me a name…)

A fear rose in him that she might take the name back—or stop calling him by it. Noi kept her gaze fixed on him, a crease forming between her brows.

“Kardia.”

“Y-yes.”

“You—”

Kardia tightened his grip on the potato. His palms turned clammy with sweat.

(What do I do? What is it? What is she going to say?)

Only bad possibilities flooded his mind.

“The truth is—”

Kardia squeezed his eyes shut.

If he closed his heart and just kept his head down, he wouldn’t mind—even if the god he prayed to every day didn’t help him.

No matter what anyone said or did, he had been fine—until now.

(Now, just one word from Master scares me this much.)

Noi had called him human. Noi had held him. Noi had thought hard, in all seriousness, about a name for him to call her by. The thought of being rejected by her—even a little—was terrifying beyond endurance.

“—Is it not enough?”

Not understanding the words, Kardia cracked his eyes open.

“The potatoes—your plate hasn’t gone down at all! You’re nibbling to make it last because it feels precious, aren’t you? Don’t hold back; say it properly! Would three more do?”

(Potatoes?)

Potatoes. He looked at his plate. Widely eaten in the Esria Kingdom, they were the size of an adult’s fist; fluffy when roasted, sticky-smooth when boiled. Packed tight with flesh, they could fill even a grown man on three.

And Kardia had five piled on his plate since morning.

On Noi’s plate—heaped higher than his—none remained.

A different kind of cold sweat began to slide down his forehead.

“M-Master…”

“Modesty is a virtue, but it makes your master lonely. Really now. Good thing your teacher is so thoughtful.”

“Master, um, I really, really… truly…”

Noi stood and began to skewer more potatoes. He was used to her rough method by now, but having any more added would be a problem.

“What is it?”

But when she turned back, she was smiling so brightly—so happily—

“Th-thank you… very much…”

Kardia could say nothing else and bowed his head.

To clear space for seconds, he mustered his courage and bit into the potato.

Broadleaf trees in a riot of colors dyed the mountain slopes.

In the clear blue sky, brilliantly hued Aiolographs circled and cried in high voices.

On the dry fallen leaves, a tall mage and a small mage stood facing each other.

“Right here—”

Noi’s finger touched Kardia’s chest.

She withdrew it and began twirling her index finger back and forth before his chest.

“Twist the lump of mana. As I said before, only focus on touching the mana. First learn how to handle it.”

Imitating her motion, Kardia twirled his finger. Twirl, draw, and from within his body, twist the mana finer and stronger.

He had never paid attention to any “lump of mana” until she taught him, but if she said it was there, it felt like it was—strangely enough.

Still, most people knew there was a heart in their chest, yet could neither stop it nor speed it up at will. Handling mana felt like it belonged to that kind of thing.

Deep in the mountains—their house stood quietly in a remote place. It was small, but large enough for an adult and a child to live together.

But whenever they practiced magic, they always went out into the yard.

“Good! As expected, Kardia! My apprentice is excellent.”

A week had passed since he began training as her apprentice.

As a magic teacher, Noi was superb. She taught in ways even a complete novice like Kardia could understand, and she celebrated even the smallest progress as if sweets were raining from the sky.

Flustered and shy though he was, Kardia focused with all his might so as not to break concentration. He did not want to let his attention slip and disappoint her.

“Spool the thread, spool the thread, round and round—”

To help him focus, Noi sang a primer song—apparently the first song mages learned to weave a magic circle.

Spool the thread, spool the thread, round and round—

From turning we spin the thread of old.

Stretch it and draw it, ker-rattle-ra—

Now let us begin a journey of magic.

Trulala, lala…

Thread that flows, thread that flows, soft and smooth—

It dances through the sky, a glittering thread.

Shining in colors, twinkle-la—

Through heaven’s ring, a doorway of magic.

Trulala, lala…

Weave the thread, weave the thread, stitch by stitch—

From this side to the far beyond.

As we desire, flutter-la—

With magic’s thread, our wishes be done.

Trulala, lala…

When she hummed, the mountain birds rejoiced, the leaves danced, and the air itself seemed to glow.

She was a beautiful person.

Kardia was certain: not only the kingdom’s greatest mage, she had to be its greatest beauty.

Limbs as supple as a horse’s. Skin smooth as a soft-boiled egg. Large eyes of peppermint brighter than any candy. Hair the color of soft clouds that shone like the inside of a seashell under the sun.

She sometimes looked thoughtful, even a little lonely, yet once she spoke, her brightness could make even the sun laugh as it shone on Kardia.

Watching her stuff her cheeks with food was all the more adorable. Even the god to whom Kardia had prayed day and night could not bite into a potato so cutely.

“—Alright, that’s enough.”

Kardia, who had been twisting while staring only at her hands, let go of the mana thread at her call to stop. Air rushed into his chest, and all the strength bled from his body.

“Whoa—are you alright?”

Noi hurried to catch him as his feet tangled and he staggered hard.

“Lean on me. This happens when you’re not used to handling mana. Don’t worry.”

He must have been concentrating hard; he had not noticed how limp his body had become. Kardia nodded against her chest.

As his nose brushed her clothes, he caught the same scent as when she dragged him into the blankets each night and held him tight. Gentle as flowers, sweet as milk, and somehow like warm sunshine.

(…How long will I be allowed to stay here?)

He had lived with his parents only a few years. He had been at the church only a short while. Naturally, the child Kardia imagined that this, too, would one day cease to be his place.

By mere happenstance, Noi had taken him in, and by sheer momentum, made him her apprentice—yet she was so dutifully teaching him magic.

(If possible…)

To wish to stay even a little longer—was that too brazen, for someone who had become the Demon King?