Chapter 10
“THE WORD ‘ASTRA’ RELATES to the stars, doesn’t it? In that case, the method of learning it may also connect to the stars.”
“Hrmm, the stars… Stars…”
Cleos and Mira were discussing a potential method for learning Astra’s Ten Rings. Taking into account the methods for learning the Bound Arcana and Mark of the Rosary, they came up with two possible ways, but neither seemed convincing. Thus, they began considering a third. Their ideas about that one came from the simple vocabulary of the skill’s name.
“Ten rings… Ten realms… It could have a religious… Huh?!” While he ruminated on the words, Cleos suddenly gasped and stopped speaking.
Had Cleo had an idea? “Hm? What’s the matter? Did you think of something?!” Mira asked expectantly.
His response was stilted and rushed. “Well, er, how do I put this…? Something’s come up. I need to leave right away.” He seemed flustered.
Had something actually come up? Worried, Mira asked more about it, but Cleos flatly replied that it was a personal problem and not something she needed to worry about.
“I’m sorry, Lady Mira. Let’s discuss this another time when we can talk at length. In the meantime, I’ll ask Suleiman about it. He’s sure to know something. Now, goodbye!”
Cleos rattled off a bunch of promises, then ran off at once. Apparently, the problem was quite urgent. What had him in such a panic? Mira was disappointed—they’d just gotten into the meat of their summoning discussion—but just then, she happened to remember something.
“Oh—sorry, Mariana. I totally forgot in the midst of our conversation!”
Yes, she’d forgotten Mariana. After Cleos’s interruption, they’d begun debating summoning, and that had lasted until now. In other words, they’d totally neglected Mariana.
When it came to magic, Mira got carried away easily. Before she knew it, Transcendent Evocation had dominated the conversation. She apologized over and over, feeling like a husband caught having an affair.
“No, Miss Mira, don’t worry about me. I’m happy just to hear your voice. You both seemed to be having so much fun that it made me happy too. Please, do whatever you need to. But…I’d be very happy if you showed just a little concern for me here and there, like you have today.” Mariana said she’d forgive Mira however long she was made to wait. Those feelings were heartfelt, her unabashed truth.
She thinks so much of me! Mira was captivated; Mariana’s words made her sound like the ideal wife. Now, Mira was certain their love was mutual. “I won’t just show a little. You’re my greatest love, Mariana!” she declared proudly.
Mariana’s shy but happy voice came from the receiver: “I feel the same.”
After that, the pair talked for a whole hour, more intimate than ever—not just about Mira’s adventures but about simple things like what they liked and matters that were more personal.
***
During a natural pause in their conversation, Mira decided it was time to end the chat. “Well, the time’s flown. Sorry for bothering you when your morning is so busy.”
Thinking back, when Mira first called, Cleos had mentioned that Mariana was cleaning the tower. In other words, that work was still undone.
That was a mere trifle to Mariana. “Not at all. Call me anytime. Nothing is more important to me than you, Miss Mira,” she said politely and firmly, meaning every word.
“Don’t push yourself too hard,” Mira replied with a giddy smile. “Be careful of your health.”
“Yes, of course. Take good care of yourself too.”
After some kind words to each other, it was finally time to hang up.
“Right… Well…goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
At that, Mira gently lowered the receiver. Hanging up was just too hard. Mariana seemed to feel the same, as the call showed no sign of actually cutting off. Mira bit the bullet; despite her reluctance, she put the receiver down first. A click indicated that she’d ended the call.
The sudden silence was heavy. Suffering a renewed feeling of distance between herself and Mariana, Mira put the lid back on the communicator and gazed at it for a while.
On Earth, it had been normal to use a device like this to talk to distant friends. But now that Mira really thought about it, it was kind of incredible. Their conversations had been simple and casual, but just hearing each other’s voices let them feel each other’s emotions from afar.
Words are like magic, Mira realized, struggling to crawl out of the closet.
At that moment, perhaps unsurprisingly, a fascinated voice echoed in her mind. “Mira… Mira! You talked to Mariana for an awfully long time. And what was that about her being your ‘greatest love’? I don’t think you’d say that to just any old aide, Mira. Is the ‘wife’ thing true?!”
That over-an-hour-long conversation had revealed the real depth of Mira and Mariana’s relationship, and Martel hadn’t failed to sniff that out. She stuck her nose into the matter quickly, like a nosy relative.
“Sorry, Mira. I keep telling her not to pry into private matters,” Sym apologized.
“So it’s okay for Wasranvel to hear and not me?” Martel complained. Unlike her, the spirit of stealth got to listen in right next to Mira. Martel insisted that was unfair, although she was obviously being unreasonable.
Wasranvel himself heard this complaint, and he was clearly flustered when Martel dragged him into the argument. He didn’t protest, however; he maintained the silence he was known for.
“There she goes again,” the Spirit King said ruefully. “But, uh…can we assume your relationship goes a little deeper?”
Martel had been freed from thousands of years of solitude, and now her thirst for love stories was insatiable. It was even influencing the Spirit King. His voice sounded fascinated as it echoed in Mira’s mind.
“Well, I suppose. You didn’t mishear.” Mira’s relationship with, and love for, Mariana… There wasn’t much reason to hide those anymore, and Mira admitted them outright.
“Wonderful! That’s just beautiful, Mira!”
“Indeed. It feels nice, doesn’t it?”
Martel and the Spirit King chatted further about Mira and Mariana’s relationship. They didn’t seem concerned over whether it was straight; the Spirit King simply said that the love between two individuals was a precious thing. Few spirits had experienced it, Martel added.
“He was so happy when he found love back then.” Martel was recalling Rieslein, the progenitor spirit of space-time and one of very few spirits who’d found love. His romance had ended in tragedy, but back then, he’d been bursting with hope. “I’m supporting you with all my heart, Mira!” Martel declared warmly and firmly.
Maybe she genuinely wanted to see two lovers happy—to see love that didn’t end in tragedy—rather than just to gossip about romance.
“And a girl and girl together. Oh, how exciting! I’m getting all fired up!”
Actually, no. She was just an unashamed gossip.
***
Before departing for Haxthausen, Mira went to the shopping district of Grandrings, ostensibly to stock up on necessities.
I have around 200,000 ducats left… Well, that should be enough.
The war funds she’d gotten from Solomon were running low, but she wouldn’t run out as long as she didn’t splurge too much. She could sell the magic stones she’d gathered, if necessary.
Having decided that, Mira headed off to a plaza full of open stalls. These stalls were a common sight wherever people gathered. They gave off a variety of scents, stimulating the appetites of passersby. The wares enticed even those who weren’t hungry. It was almost lunchtime, so people gradually filled the plaza.
Mira was used to these sights, having been to many such places, so she dashed through the area gracefully. Perusing the stalls that caught her eye, she bought dish after dish.
“That looks delicious too. Something else to buy. Oh ho—yakiniku bento? How could I not?”
Mira purchased a wide variety of foods, from food-stall staples to more elaborate meals, and deposited them all in her Item Box. During dinner last night, she’d realized something. It was extremely simple, and perhaps she should’ve realized it long ago: Prepared food was easy and delicious.
The Ancient Underground City was a popular dungeon among beginners and veterans alike. Mira had prepared for her conquest of it as any adventurer would. As she did, she’d been influenced by those around her.
Adventurers camped and cooked—or so the common person thought. Perhaps because she’d always admired the idea, Mira had gotten into the mood to do just those things. As a result, she’d bought tons of ingredients. Unlike the average User’s Bangle, former players’ Item Boxes had an incredible ability to maintain the freshness of anything deposited into them.
Mira had used that ability to the fullest by buying fresh ingredients. There was nothing wrong with that; she ended up having a better food situation than other adventurers, possessing an abundance of vegetables that others would’ve had trouble getting their hands on. That said, she didn’t have the skill to draw out the ingredients’ potential to the fullest, which halved their value. Her lack of skill increased the time and effort of cooking as well.
Prepared food was the answer to which experience had led her. If she couldn’t make delicious food, she’d just buy it. Her Item Box maintaining freshness meant that newly made food stayed that way. And hopefully, this wouldn’t put her experience cooking in the dungeon to waste… Hopefully.
“Mmm. I think that ought to be enough,” Mira muttered in satisfaction after counting the meals she’d stuffed into her Item Box.
By the time she left, she’d converted half her remaining funds into food. In the end, she’d bought a hundred meals during her little shopping spree. Including snacks, those purchases would keep her fed and happy for a long time.
After she departed, the sheer amount of money she’d rapidly squandered led to a discussion among the stalls of the silver-haired beauty who’d shown up and bought far too much food to eat on her own.
Later, they heard rumors from the Adventurers’ Guild Union that the Spirit Queen was no buxom babe, but a small girl. That description fit the silver-haired customer perfectly. In turn, the legendary Spirit Queen was soon known as a glutton.
However, it would be a long time before Mira knew about that.
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