Chapter 60: At the Fairy Lake
Chapter 60: At the Fairy Lake
“Um, Ast… if you don’t mind, could we stop somewhere along the way back to the capital? Just somewhere I like.”
“Huh? What for?”
He blinked in surprise.
“Hehe, it feels like a shame to go straight back. Even if we can’t stay long, let’s take a little break somewhere.”
“In that case, I won’t say no. This spot looks perfect.”
Astein pointed instantly to a location on the map, right about halfway, marked with a small patch of blue.
“It looks a bit bigger than a pond… is it a lake?”
“Yes. It’s called the Fairy Lake. Long ago, even elves used to visit and play there. That’s why the air is especially fresh. I heard there used to be a brewery nearby too. These days, no one lives in the area, so it’s become even more tranquil.”
‘Elves, huh…’
Fay, who held a faint belief in the theory that Lucius was a High Elf, glanced sideways at him but stopped herself. She had already figured he was a being far removed from mere mortals, something transcendent.
Still, it had been fun imagining what he really was.
“Momo, let’s go. We’re not flying straight to the capital this time. We’ll take a break at that pretty blue lake down below. The innkeeper gave you jerky for snacks.”
Goooow…
Unlike her loud roars before their departure from the capital, Momo let out a soft, timid sound before taking off into the sky with them.
They landed near the Fairy Lake before noon, and Fay let out a gasp of wonder.
“My goodness, this place is beautiful!”
Astein, who had been rather serious the previous day, simply shrugged.
“Good pick, right?”
“Absolutely! Ast… whew. You really know how to appreciate the finer things. Without you, I would’ve gone my whole life without discovering a place like this.”
Mist still clung faintly to the surface of the Fairy Lake, and they could spot a few wild undines drifting about. Water plants and early-blooming flowers greeted them at the shore. The lake was an intense blue, its depths opaque, adding to the mystery that kept drawing their eyes back.
A beautiful place, good company.
If she could be selfish, she’d have played her flute and summoned a unicorn. Of course, everyone except Lucius would have been horrified, so she held back.
With the pleasant mood, even Raphael’s long-missing sense of humor began to return.
“When the water is too beautiful, you should be suspicious. You know, there’s that tale where a ghost pretends to be a fairy, then suddenly rises from the depths to grab someone’s ankle…”
“Raphael.”
“Shall we launch a boat?”
At Lucius’s suggestion, Fay widened her lovely green eyes. The look was so disarming that even Lucius, who had proposed it himself, nearly had a heart attack.
“You can summon a boat with magic?”
“Well, technically yes… but there’s a better creature for this.”
“Huh?”
“Momo’s an excellent swimmer.”
Piiiii!
Momo, now back in the form of a tiny bird, clutched her jerky in her wings and zipped up into a tree. As if Lucius couldn’t catch her if he wanted to. He merely gave the tree a sideways glance, then summoned a perfectly shaped rowboat by the shore. The oars were neatly tucked inside, drawing a fascinated question from Fay.
“So there is a spell for this?”
“Summoning magic is trickier than it looks. Inanimate objects are easier, but it still requires careful management of time and mana. You’ll need to research and practice a lot.”
Clearly, this was a very different process from summoning a lesser spirit like an undine.
“Come on. Let’s get in. This way.”
“Don’t worry. It’s magically stabilized, so it won’t tilt too much.”
They couldn’t sail all the way around the Fairy Lake, but they enjoyed the gentle waves and the birds peeking at the boat. After a leisurely ride, they disembarked and wandered the area with some reluctance.
It was nearly time to return.
Fay stepped softly on the spongy grass and quietly knelt down. A small cluster of yellow-flowered plants was growing there.
“What is it?”
“Lucius, I think I saw these in a herbalism book. Aren’t these Potyan?”
“…You’re right. They’re in season.”
“I have to harvest them. They don’t grow in the Forest of Origin.”
She had even packed a trowel in her travel bag. Carefully, she began to collect the herbs. Kassel approached and squatted beside her, his imposing presence suddenly palpable.
“This is an herb?”
“Yes. I’ll wash the root lightly in lake water and give it to you, Sir Kassel. Please keep it.”
“To me?”
Smiling brightly, Fay handed over a healthy batch of Potyan. The time for it would come soon. It would prove useful, more to him than anyone else.
“Potyan isn’t a common herb. It doesn’t help much with pain, wounds, or upset stomachs. But it does help purify the blood… well, I’ve told you the name, so look it up later. Anyway, it’s best harvested in season.”
“Can it be eaten raw?”
Fay handed a clean root to the curious Raphael.
“Well, technically yes, but… oh!”
“Ugh!”
Raphael stuffed the entire thing in his mouth and grimaced. The tangy, grassy flavor of the leaf and the pungent juice from the bitten root created an indescribably strange taste.
Astein reached for one, then immediately hid his hand behind his back.
“Thank you for the thought, Lady Fay.”
“Ugh… Your Highness. It’s good for you. How could you let a retainer eat it alone?”
“Ahaha…”
Fay pulled out a notepad, jotted down the herb’s effects, and handed the bundle to Kassel. He read the note carefully and packed the items with care.
“Just need to keep it dried in the shade, right? I’ll take good care of it.”
“If it’s not processed, throw it out after three months. The efficacy drops and it’s useless after that.”
“Understood.”
They mounted Momo once more and returned to the capital in a flash.
Even after returning to their respective roles, the short outing remained vivid in their minds. So that, even in the storms to come, their bright, clear eyes would not close.
* * *
After their return—
Officially, their journey was explained as a patrol flight by a Drakan Rider near the capital. A show of strength, in a sense.
Kassel, while writing his report on the Chionel estate, took great care not to let his adjutant see it.
‘Lady Fay said I could tell His Highness everything. Is she planning to reveal what’s on her mind soon?’
[“Tricia?!”]
As her startled voice replayed in his memory, Kassel’s brow furrowed.
‘Since Fay and Dorothea are both from the same monastery, there’s a good chance she knows more than she lets on. And she does seem to trust me to some extent…’
If the theory he had in mind was correct…
‘But… the person who slipped out of the inn to talk to someone that night wasn’t me, it was Lucius. And during the Viscount Karris bone-switching incident, she clearly suspected something even before going to the cemetery. She went straight there without even checking the burned house.’
Lucius – a mage whose powers far surpassed Fay’s.
Fay and Lucius seemed to be quietly sharing a secret.
Am I… jealous that she shared that bond with someone else?
‘I’m not jealous of their relationship. I just… I’ve realized my own limits. She trusts Lucius more than she does me.’
Kassel considered the difference between himself and the mage.
‘And Lucius… he could reassure her with just a glance. Like he would give up everything for her.’
Kassel had always had a cold, detached heart. He had never offered a piece of it to any woman.
Could I throw everything away and run to her like that?
He stared blankly at his unfinished report. He didn’t nod, nor did he shake his head. It was a turning point to decide whether to keep living as Kassel Deuplione Klein, or as a knight with no regrets.
Several hours later, after submitting his report to the Crown Prince, Kassel placed his hand over the insignia of his knighthood.
“Your Highness. May I request two… no, three days of leave?”
“Hmm? Of course. You’ve come a long way. Take your time to rest. I’ll read your report slowly and speak with you afterward, if anything needs further discussion.”
The Crown Prince’s face was noble, his gentle smile exuding trust and warmth.
Kassel, strangely, felt like a traitor. He knew exactly how shocked the prince would be once he read the report, and yet he turned away without hesitation. But if he didn’t act now, he might regret it forever.
He remembered the unease he’d felt on the day he crossed the Rozia border toward the capital. That foreboding was now pushing him toward action.
“I thank you. I’ll see you again soon.”
Kassel exited the palace at a measured pace, then immediately mounted his horse and took off.
He knew. The moment he left, the Crown Prince would read the report and learn the shocking truth yet wouldn’t stop him.
That was the Crown Prince’s greatness, the shining dignity of the Arkan Empire.
— — —
Perhaps it was the breath of spring, but the weather was much like that day in late summer. That day when he rode to the Tower with Fay, his heart was full.
Now, as the wind brushed past him, the tightness in his chest slowly began to loosen. His destination was again the Mage Tower.
Today, however, it wasn’t Fay he would meet but Lucius, alone. The mage’s eyes, when not in Fay’s presence, were cold as the river Styx.
“…Hmph.”
Does he only suppress his true nature around her?
Kassel had been right. Silver-haired Lucius sat with arms crossed, radiating arrogance.
Despite Kassel being the capital’s top knight and heir to House Klein, the mage showed not a flicker of deference.
Kassel had sensed it during their trip to Chionel as well.
Lucius’s very presence was different. There was no doubt in his mind now. Lucius was no ordinary man. He had to be a Seventh Circle mage or beyond.
Kassel trusted his instincts.
“Lucius.”
“What do you want?”
At the sound of his name, Lucius shot him an openly disdainful look. But there was more than just contempt in that gaze. Lucius wasn’t merely sneering. He was looking down at Kassel as if he were pathetic.
Still, Kassel stood firm and declared.
“I may not know much else, but this I came to say in person: If you ever cause Lady Fay to shed tears of sorrow, I will never forgive you. I may not have much experience fighting mages, but I’m prepared to risk my life if I must. So consider this a warning.”
“Hah!”
Even at the sudden talk of a duel over Fay, Lucius didn’t so much as flinch. His expression didn’t change.
……
T/N: Why do I find Prince Astein quite… cute? Haha 😊
