Chapter 7.1, Year 957 of Chronicle of Truth, The First Month of Azure Water Season

Translator: Lizz

 

He saw shadows moving swiftly between the trees. As he took a step towards them, he heard the sound of something cutting through the air, as if to warn him. The arrow that flew past must not have been aimed well, as it missed its target and only pierced the ground.

 

His opponent was getting desperate.

 

“Zechs!”

 

Without answering the call of his name, he started running. No more arrows came flying.

 

He mechanically chanted a spell in his mouth. It had become a habit to chant spells when using magic, as it would seem strange not to, but in reality, he didn’t need spells.

 

For Zechs, complex vocabulary held no meaning. Unable to visually recognize characters, it was difficult for him to imagine something from words. So, he always just recalled it. He connected deeply within himself, to something akin to his soul, and guided himself to assemble the form of the magic that should be. To perfectly replicate that – the sensation of manipulating magic as his Master had taught him.

 

Zechs didn’t need chains of words. What he needed was merely the aura of his Master, the sensation of connecting to his Master’s guiding vein, his Master’s image.

 

He gathered the surrounding magic into himself as easily as pulling a thread, and threw it as lightly as tossing a stone. Several bolts of lightning shot forward. Screams rose, and he saw shadows of people falling, struck by the light. As Zechs moved towards them, someone attacked from the shade of the trees. He easily dodged the blade thrust with full force at him and delivered a sharp hand strike to the wrist holding the sword. Not missing the moment when the attacker groaned and dropped the sword, he pinned them down with their hands behind their back.

 

At that moment, the noise behind him finally grew louder. It seemed the other mages had arrived. They quickly and skillfully tied up the fallen attackers, confirming with astonishment that Zechs had already defeated all the bandits.

 

Zex returned to the Mage Guild in Daza and received his reward for the job. He had thought the task of subjugating the bandit group that had been appearing in the vicinity would take longer, especially since he had heard that there were mages among them. However, when he actually faced them, they were surprisingly quick and easy to deal with.

 

“Good job.”

 

He raised his hand in response to the mages who had been on the same mission and were calling out to him, and headed outside.

 

“Hey, Zechs. We’re all going to grab a meal now, want to join us?”

 

As Zechs aimed for the door with single-minded determination, one of his mage companions spotted him and pushed through the other mages to come to him. It was Jesse, a skilled mage in his seventh year at the Guild, despite his young age. He had been looking after Zechs since he joined the Guild at the age of sixteen a year ago.

 

Five years had passed since he became an apprentice under Leon. During that time, the boy, who had once looked very frail and not at all his age, had grown considerably taller and more robust. In his younger days, his eyes, with their intense gaze, were his most noticeable feature, but over time, his features, which were handsome to begin with, became more apparent. His sharp gaze remained though, and often leading people to describe him as being like a finely honed knife. Whether this was a compliment or an insult was unclear, but it was a common remark. This expression likely also stemmed from his personality.

 

Zechs had a curt and unapproachable personality, and his magical abilities surpassed those of the senior mages in Daza. Because of this, he initially faced blatant harassment every time he came here. Jesse was the only one who stood by Zechs and treated him without discrimination.

 

“No, I’m heading home.”

 

“Home? To Lille? If you leave now, you’ll get there in the middle of the night.”

 

Zechs shrugged.

 

“Why don’t you stay the night? There’s always an empty bed or two. Or better yet, why don’t you move here for good? It’s a hassle to commute every time there’s a mission.”

 

“This way is more comfortable for me. Invite me for a meal next time.”

 

Although Jesse had predicted Zechs’ curt response, he still frowned, not satisfied.

 

Normally, mages who joined the Guild left their Master’s place and took up residence at the Guild headquarters. It was more convenient, and also  strengthened the camaraderie among the members. Occasionally, there were those who commuted from their homes in the town where the Guild was located, but there had never been an example of someone like Zechs, who travelled from a distant place that took nearly half a day by horse.

 

“Oh, Zechs. …Are you going out with Jesse and the others?”

 

A voice called from upstairs, and when he looked up, there was Aldo, the Guild Master. With his stout build and friendly face, he had more of the air of a shrewd merchant than a mage, but he was the man who led the Daza Guild. His skills as a mage were considerable, and in addition to his merchant-like appearance, he was also good at negotiations. Thanks to him, the mages of Daza were able to get along with the residents without friction.

 

“No, I’m heading home now.”

 

“I see… The night roads can be dangerous. Be careful.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“…By the way, how old are you now?”

 

“Seventeen. I’ll be eighteen soon, though.”

 

“Hmm… I see. Has your Master Varden mentioned anything to you?”

 

“What?”

 

Zechs frowned, not understanding the intent behind the probing look. He wondered if there was some negotiation going on between his Master, who rarely showed up at the Guild – particularly after Zechs joined, and the Guild Master. However, it was hard to imagine any common interests between his laid-back, indifferent master and the hardworking Guild Master.

 

“No, well, if there’s nothing, then it’s fine. Yeah, take care.”

 

With that, the Guild Master disappeared into his office on the second floor without revealing any details. His attitude was suggestive, but Zechs didn’t feel like questioning him now. He had ridden his horse from Lille to here in the morning, completed a job, and was exhausted.

 

“See you.”

 

He greeted Jesse, who responded with a wry smile.

 

“You’re a loyal guy.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Usually, for a mage, the Guild Master is considered our Master. It’s rare to find someone who feels such a sense of obligation to the person who first taught them magic.”

 

Jesse probably thought he understood why Zechs never wanted to leave Lille. But he was wrong.

 

Without answering, Zechs went outside and headed to the stables. He brought out his beloved horse, which he had acquired when he joined the Guild last year.

 

To Zechs, the town was filled with incomprehensible things. Nowadays, he could read most of the signs. The letters on the signs were large, written in short words, and accompanied by pictures. But when it came to notices on shop doors, it was no use. If he took the time to read them carefully, he might manage, but he would likely be caught as a suspicious person before that.

 

To him, letters were enemies, and the idea of living surrounded by them was a joke.

 

As if fleeing, Zechs left the town and mounted his horse, quickly leaving the bustling town of Daza behind in the early evening.

 

Guiding the old horse along the moonlit path, he slowly made his way to the village. In the countryside, far from the bustling town, no one would be awake at this hour. The village was shrouded in darkness, as if no living soul existed.

 

Passing through the village, he headed towards a small hut on the outskirts, almost within the forest. The moonlight was blocked by the trees, enveloping the area in near-complete darkness. Yet, as if by intuition, his beloved horse knew the way home without hesitation. …No, there was a guide. A faint light leaked from the window of the hut, which seemed to be buried in the forest. Noticing this, Zechs frowned.

 

Tying his beloved horse to the makeshift, leaning stable he had built himself, he gave it water and feed to show his appreciation. Dusting off the dirt from his coat, he headed towards the door. Quietly, he pushed it open.

 

As expected, beyond the door, his Master lay slumped over the table, fast asleep. A lit lamp was hung on the wall. Sighing, Zechs took out today’s earnings and the items he had been asked to purchase from his bag, and put them in their designated places.

 

In the midst of this, he noticed Leon, still asleep and unaware of his presence, suddenly lost his balance and sway.

 

“Tch… Hey!”

 

He rushed to help, but before he could reach him, Leon seemed to regain consciousness and steadied himself. He raised his still sleepy eyes and noticed the person in front of him.

 

“…Huh, why are you here?”

 

“Of course because I came back! Just now! I’m back!”

 

Being shouted at in frustration, Leon propped his elbow on the table and rested his head on his palm.

 

“Welcome back. …I thought you were staying out tonight.”

 

“If I weren’t here, you’d be sleeping sitting. Or have you become so senile at thirty that you can’t tell the difference between a table and a bed?”

 

He said sarcastically, but there was no response. Suspicious, he peered into Leon’s face and saw that he had started to snore softly again.

 

“Hey, you!”

 

“…Huh? No, I’m awake, I’m awake. Yeah.”

 

He was still half-asleep. His voice was unclear, and his eyes weren’t even open.

 

“If you’re going to sleep, go to bed. If you sleep like this, you’ll complain about back pain again in the morning.”

 

“Mm… No, I was going to go. I thought about it. I thought about it, but… I was just too sleepy. It was too much trouble to stand up, so I thought I’d take a nap first…”

 

This wouldn’t do. Zechs realized this and, without giving his Master a chance to protest, lifted him. Although Zechs had grown significantly taller and sturdier over the past few years, he still couldn’t completely lift a grown man, so he ended up half-dragging him.

 

Somehow, he managed to reach the bedroom he used to use, and almost collapsed as he threw the now completely unconscious man onto the bed.

 

“Honestly, such a handful…”

 

Muttering a complaint, Zechs returned to the first room. Currently, he was using the bench by the fireplace as a makeshift bed.

 

On his way to the bench, he noticed a book left open on the table where Leon had slumped over. The pages were still open, indicating that Leon had been reading when he was overcome by an irresistible drowsiness. Leaving the book open would damage it. Zechs, who considered books to be objects of fear, cautiously lifted the cover. The pages he glimpsed looked like the traces of some unknown creature writhing.

 

After closing the book and extinguishing the lamp, Zechs lay down on the bench, covered himself with a blanket, and quickly drifted into the world of dreams.