II
“The thing is...” Felix said, then began to tell her about the mages of the Holy Land of Mekia. Lassara made the odd noise here and there to show she was listening; then, when he had finished, she sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.
“Well, I’d say you’re right in your estimation that they’re battle mages. Really, magecraft was brought into the world to improve human life, but these days, it’s become nothing but a tool for war. It’s disgusting, really.”
Lassara sounded fed up, but as Felix observed her in silence, he saw there was also a note of sadness in her eyes. Noticing him looking, Lassara coughed awkwardly.
“But putting that aside, this Mekia has at least three mages, you say? A bumper crop, that is. So far as I know, there aren’t that many mages in any other land.”
“Mages are in and of themselves very rare.” Even the empire had only Lassara herself. He had never heard of any existing in the Kingdom of Fernest, nor in the United City-States of Sutherland. Mekia might have been home to the Artemiana Cathedral, which engaged in the training of mages, but even then, it was an anomaly.
“From what you’ve said, it sounds like these mages are proficient in their craft despite their youth. It won’t do to underestimate Mekia just because it’s small.”
Felix nodded in strong agreement. “You’re right. And that is why I am here—to borrow your wisdom.”
“My wisdom? What wisdom might that be?” Lassara asked, eyes narrowed.
“It’s cruel to tease, Lady Lassara. I’m sure you know what I mean.”
“I haven’t the foggiest, youngster. I can’t imagine even a pack of powerful mages would give you any trouble.”
“Perhaps not I, but the soldiers...” Felix said. “I am working on a defense strategy, but it isn’t perfect. At worst, it will mean my taking on three mages at once.”
“If you’re so worried about your soldiers, why not just give up on war altogether? It’s simple logic, really.”
“I know, right? Why are humans always waging wars and killing themselves off for no reason? I don’t understand it at all. It doesn’t make any sense.”
Felix could only smile helplessly at the casual way Lassara and Silky discussed the matter. Fairies truly were in danger of dying out as a species, so he supposed for Silky it truly would be incomprehensible. But so far as it was the will of Emperor Ramza, there was nothing Felix could do about it.
“Isn’t there something you can do?” Felix asked, bowing low once more. Lassara drew herself up to her full height.
“Well, if the Great Mage Lassara were to take the field, we wouldn’t be talking about this. No matter how skilled these mages are, it wouldn’t give me any trouble to drive them off. But there’s one problem.” Here Lassara paused and smirked. There was a malicious edge to her smile that gave Felix a sense of foreboding.
“As you well know, youngster, I’ve retired from the world. On top of that, I have no obligation to the current emperor. As such, I reject your request,” she finished with a short laugh.
Lassara had, in the first place, cut all ties with worldly concerns because of her disgust with the way people abused magecraft for their own convenience. That was why she had shut herself up in the White Forest. It was a place that no one would ever be able to force her to return from. No one would risk their lives braving a forest infested with dangerous beasts. Felix had seen her response coming to a degree, but he still couldn’t help feeling disappointed. He was left without any idea of what to do.
While he stood there, Silky went and landed on Lassara’s head.
“You’re so mean, Lassara!” she said, laying into Lassara’s skull with her little feet. “I’ll help you instead, Felix.”
Before Felix could reply, however, Lassara swatted Silky away in irritation, then said grumpily, “Fine, go show the humans that the fairies of their made-up stories are real. They’ll be only too happy to hunt and catch you.”
“As if. Those dull old humans could never catch me!” Silky retorted, shooting away here and there all around the room before settling once more on Felix’s shoulder. She poked her tiny tongue out at Lassara.
“Catching things is what humans do. They’re not all like the youngster here. Go out and meet some, and you’ll catch my drift soon enough.” Lassara looked a little ashamed after this outburst. Felix beckoned to Silky and looked into her clear green eyes.
“What Lassara says is true,” he told her. “After one look at you, it’s a rare person who’d leave you be. There’d be no end of those who’d try to catch you and put you on display. So while I am glad of your sentiments, I cannot accept your help.”
“You’re worried about me, Felix?” Silky asked, intensity in her gaze. “Am I important to you?”
“I am worried about you, and you are very important to me,” Felix replied sincerely. “That is why I want you to stay here. Here, there is no chance of any humans other than me showing up.”
“I see...” Silky drew close to Felix’s cheek and gave him a tiny, halting kiss. Felix was taken aback, while Silky, her cheeks reddening, flew from the room with a happy smile.
Lassara broke the silence that followed. “When did you get so good with the ladies, eh?”
“I’m not trying to do anything like that...” Felix said, scratching his cheek to hide his embarrassment as Lassara’s gaze skewered him.
“Well, no matter. Is anything else worrying you? You might look all cool and collected, but there’s a lot that shows on your face.”
Lassara’s intuition was sharp as always. Felix felt a private wave of admiration. And so, he began to tell her of the greatest threat the empire currently faced...
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