Chapter 6 - Adrianna

Ashley made the bed as soon as she got up. Not that it was much of a bed—just a worn cloth spread over a pile of straw.

The other children began waking one by one. Exchanging brief nods, they busied themselves with their chores. One tucked firewood beneath the pot, while another added rock-hard bread to the equally hard, frozen stew.

It was a precise division of labor. With one exception.

SNORE.

A woman lay sleeping in their midst, even snoring.

"Gwen must have been tired."

"She's hopeless at housework, and now she's working as a maid. Of course she's tired."

The child giggled at Ashley's reply.

It wasn't a joke. Gwen was warmhearted enough to go hungry herself to feed the neighborhood orphans, but she had no head for work.

She broke brooms when she swept and dishes when she washed them. How she was still employed as a maid remained a mystery.

"They put her in charge of the man from the Empire. She said she'll really get fired if she messes up this time."

"... They have given her plenty of chances. But what man from the Empire?"

"You know. The man Lady Adrianna's supposed to marry."

"Marry? Oh, the kept man."

"Shh! You mustn't say that!"

Ashley covered the child's mouth at the filthy expression.

In the North, hostility toward the Empire rivaled, or even surpassed, the hatred of Demons. Against that backdrop, the news that their hero Adrianna would marry an Imperial Mage had been a considerable shock. It meant marrying a monster who combined the Empire and the Demons in one.

So people called him a kept man. It was an insult to Adrianna as well, but even kings were cursed behind their backs.

"Okay! I get it!"

The child grumbled and pouted. With a quiet sigh, Ashley went over to Gwen.

'How on earth do you have to sleep to end up like this?'

She clicked her tongue at Gwen's bunched-up skirt and completely exposed belly.

"Gwen. Wake up. You have to go to work. You have to keep us fed."

"Nnngh... just a little..."

"Gwen."

Only after a great deal of shaking did Gwen open her eyes. They were still utterly lifeless.

Ashley clicked her tongue softly and snapped her fingers.

The children gathered around and sat Gwen upright. One cleaned out her mouth with a piece of wood that tasted cool and refreshing, while another tidied her hair. There was even a child to pry her eyelids open.

It was a perfect division of labor.

Gwen was presentable without having lifted a finger.

"I hear you're looking after someone from the Empire."

"Mmph."

"You can finish chewing first."

Gwen nodded, her mouth stuffed with bread.

"Mm-hm. He's my responsibility."

There was something gloomy about her expression as she answered.

"Is something wrong?"

Gwen glanced around. Ashley waved the children away.

"... The thing is, I think he wants me."

Gwen spoke with extreme caution, her face full of worry.

Ashley studied her. She certainly had a pretty face.

But all that sorrow and melancholy completely obscured it. Her gloomy air was so oppressive that simply looking at her made it hard to breathe.

Besides, wasn't this man supposed to marry Adrianna?

There was no way he would choose Gwen over that Adrianna.

She was clearly mistaken. Gwen did have bizarre delusions from time to time.

"He's to be Lady Adrianna's husband... Ah... why must I face such trials...?"

When Gwen got like this, she never listened to anyone. Arguing would be pointless.

"If you really can't handle it, tell him about us."

"About you?"

"Tell him you have loads of orphans to look after. Once he knows you're a woman with baggage, he'll lose interest in no time."

Gwen's enormous eyes blinked. "Ah, that was a mistake," Ashley muttered.

"You're not baaaggage! You're all my precious children!"

"Okay. Don't cry. We get it."

Ashley and the children had to spend a long time trapped in the sobbing Gwen's embrace.

Under the children's reproachful stares, Ashley murmured an apology.

"You must never do anything bad! And I'll find a way to earn the money, so don't worry and do whatever you want! But absolutely no magic! No magic!"

Only after repeating her warning against magic another ten times or so did Gwen release them.

Normally, it was five times. She had doubled it.

* * *

'There.'

Galahad grinned broadly at the crystal formed in his hand.

He had never worked with mana this concentrated before, so it had taken longer than expected.

He put a cigarette between his lips and snapped his fingers. A flame at least twice the usual size flared to life.

He hadn't fully grasped it yet, but its potential was clear.

It now cost twice as much mana, but in return he could produce twice the firepower.

That might sound obvious, but magic wasn't so simple that doubling the mana doubled the firepower. If it were, Mages would already rule the age.

With mana twice as concentrated—

CRASH!

'Gwen.'

He turned to find Gwen hiding a plate behind her back.

"... Your meal is ready."

As always, the entire meal was piled onto a single plate. He was certain she'd come in carrying three.

'Undercooked again.'

Galahad snapped his fingers, conjuring a small flame. It moved as though alive, pattering over the meat. An appetizing aroma filled the room.

After watching blankly, Gwen squeezed her eyes shut. Her eyelids trembled. She looked just like a priest confronted with a devil.

'Are her enormous mana reserves due to the North's high mana concentration?'

But the size of her reserves wasn't the issue. What a Mage needed was sensitivity to mana. Having mana didn't necessarily mean being able to sense it.

Everyone possessed mana, but few possessed mana sensitivity as well. Only those who could sense mana could embark on the path of a Mage.

Yet Gwen had copied Galahad's magic on her very first attempt, crude and unstable though it was. Even Galahad couldn't have done that.

'This loser is an actual genius?'

Galahad narrowed his eyes at Gwen. She was hunched in on herself, nervously watching his reactions.

'I need to bring her into the fold.'

He didn't know how things would unfold, but he would clearly be in the North for quite some time.

Her timidity was a bit of a concern, but a genius was a genius. He had never seen talent like that even at the academy.

'Is this something only the North could produce?'

He couldn't begin to guess how far she might go. He absolutely had to secure her.

The problem was her severe aversion to magic. Every time Gwen saw it, she covered her eyes or sank to the floor. It was quite a spectacle.

"Gwen."

"Y-yes?!!"

He had merely called her name, but she jumped.

Had she been up to something? When Galahad narrowed his eyes, Gwen averted her gaze. Behind her, he could see broken crockery. Her usual handiwork.

"Would you like to learn magic? You have a dreadful lack of talent for being a maid, but you have an innate gift for magic."

"Magic?"

Gwen blinked for a moment, then turned so red her face looked ready to burst. It was as though she'd received a terrible insult.

"... They said magic is Demon filth. That Mages feed on the Demons' filth..."

Gwen shouted each word distinctly, her voice thick with tears. It was remarkable how clearly she enunciated when she sounded about to cry.

"It's true that Mages originated from Demons, but isn't 'filth' going a little far?"

"Th-that's not what I meant! I wasn't insulting you, Master Galahad! I'm saying that's what people say!"

"Still, calling it shit."

"No! I... I'm sorry! Please punish me!"

Gwen promptly slammed her forehead into the floor. It made quite a loud noise.

She was shit at her job, but her apologies were first-rate. She prostrated herself so flat she seemed glued to the floor.

'Her aversion runs deeper than I expected.'

Had a Mage killed her parents or something? This had become a nuisance. Galahad clicked his tongue softly.

He had no intention of forcing her. There was no need in the first place.

The pull of magic was stronger than anything else. It wasn't something one could turn away from.

A Mage could only become a Mage.

All Galahad needed to do was keep exposing her to magic.

As he settled on that conclusion and watched her, Gwen suddenly curled in on herself.

"And I can't, because I have about eight children to look after! They're all sweet, lovely children!"

"You look after orphans? How kind of you."

"... What?"

Gwen's eyes wavered violently.

'Can I tempt her with money?'

Looking into her enormous eyes, Galahad smiled.

Thanks to his severance pay, he had plenty of money.

"Then you must need a lot of money. Would it be all right if I paid you?"

"What? Then how much...? Ah! No! I'm not for sale!"

"I can pay you well."

"... How much are we talking?"

"What offers have you had?"

Gwen blinked, opening and closing her hands.

Making the other party name a price first really was best.

After a moment's deliberation, Gwen shook her head and spoke clearly.

"No, I can't. Absolutely no magic! I don't want to!"

"We'll see about that."

Gwen trembled beneath his openly covetous gaze.

* * *

Galahad opened his eyes at the faintest sign of another presence.

A woman shone in the dark room. Silken, swaying hair, skin without a single blemish, features so perfect they seemed drawn.

She gazed down at him in silence, more beautiful than anything even a master artisan could have fashioned with a lifetime's devotion.

Merely meeting her eyes made his heart lurch and his head spin. This was a kind of coercion, of domination.

If he hadn't instinctively circulated his mana, even Galahad would have been unable to regain his senses.

'Why is there a goddess in my room?'

His newly cleared mind raced.

There were two main possibilities.

The first was that a goddess had descended from the heavens. Unfortunately, Galahad was an atheist.

In that case...

"Adrianna?"

The woman's eyebrows rose slightly.

'The rumors about the continent's greatest beauty weren't lying.'

No, if anything, they fell short. Galahad discreetly tidied his hair.

"My father ordered me not to meet you, but I felt it only proper to speak with you face-to-face. I came this way to avoid being seen, but I apologize for the discourtesy of this visit."

In contrast to her appearance, her voice was firm. Not a single word was wasted.

One exchange was enough to give him a sense of her character.

'A righteous hero.'

Not a good match for Galahad.

'She's come to turn me down.'

The distinctly apologetic look on her face gave him a rough idea of the situation.

"It's rather humble, but would you care to sit?"

"Thank you."

He had continued his research after Gwen went home, leaving the dining table in considerable disorder. Clearing his throat softly, Galahad hastily tidied what was on it.

Adrianna herself didn't seem to mind.

'She's even more beautiful up close.'

Watching her sit there in silence inspired genuine admiration.

Beautiful was an inadequate word for her appearance. He immediately understood why a woman living on the frontier was called the most beautiful on the continent.

"I'm truly sorry you've been dragged into this situation."

Adrianna bowed deeply, bringing the luxuriant crown of her head into view. Even her hair was thick. She really did have everything.

"I have no intention of marrying."

She made the declaration with clear, unwavering eyes.

It was a shocking thing to hear from a fiancée he'd only just met, but Galahad wasn't particularly surprised.

It was only natural for her to refuse. Compared to the hero of the North, the youngest Swordmaster, and the future Grand Duchess, Galahad was distinctly lacking.

He had accomplished a great deal at the Intelligence Bureau, but no one outside it could know that. Such was the nature of the Bureau. In short, they weren't evenly matched.

"I understand. It's true that I fall short of you. However—"

"Fall short? How can one person fall short of another when it comes to a relationship?"

Adrianna fixed him with an intense stare. Seeing that beautiful face frown at him stirred an inexplicable sense of guilt.

He felt as if he were being scolded. What was he supposed to do? Galahad cleared his throat softly.

"I cannot marry."

The corners of Adrianna's mouth lifted faintly.

Where had he seen that smile before...? Galahad recalled the 'fledgling who planned to marry the Empire' he'd met before leaving the Intelligence Bureau.

"Is this a case of 'I'm married to the North,' or something of the sort?"

"... I cannot leave the front lines, so I have no time for marriage. I'm sorry."

Adrianna bowed again. Marveling at the fact that even the crown of someone's head could be beautiful, Galahad gathered his thoughts.

'Too busy to get married, then.'

The reason wasn't what he'd expected, but the conclusion was.

Galahad had no desire to marry, and neither did Adrianna. Both parties were of the same mind, but unfortunately, in this day and age, what the people involved thought didn't matter much.

"Does the Grand Duke feel the same way?"

Instead of answering, Adrianna lowered her head.

"Pressure from the Empire prevents us from breaking the engagement immediately. Once the issue is resolved, would you agree to end our engagement?"

'What a sweet request to break things off.'

Galahad smiled wryly.

"We would merely maintain the arrangement. You may take other women to bed in the meantime. Our relationship would be in name only."

Rejected before he'd even confessed his feelings. Galahad smiled bitterly.

"Wouldn't it be simpler to marry, even if only in name?"

For the first time, Adrianna's brows knitted at his question.

"Marriage is a momentous, once-in-a-lifetime commitment."

It was a rather fairy-tale sentiment to hear from the northern hero who tore Demons apart.

'I'm being scolded again.'

Galahad clicked his tongue softly.

"When peace comes someday, I will marry someone I love."

It was so unexpected he wondered if she was joking, but Adrianna's expression was earnest.

'It's her hope.'

Galahad knew there was no room to argue with words spoken with eyes like those.

"Couldn't you come to love me?"

Galahad scratched his cheek for no particular reason. It felt a little strange to say it, but he was rather handsome.

"Ah. You're not my type."

Adrianna's reply was firm.

Rejected twice now, Galahad chuckled.

"What is your type? I'm quite popular."

This time, Adrianna smiled, but there was something sorrowful about it.

She removed her silver gauntlet. Her long, pale hand was covered in calluses. Very lightly, she rested her long index finger on the back of Galahad's hand.

CRACKLE.

A searing pain shot through his entire body, as if he'd bitten into electricity. His dispersed mana gathered at Adrianna's fingertip in an instant.

Then it began to burn.

Pain worse than being burned alive overwhelmed him. Unable even to scream, Galahad let out a strangled croak.

Adrianna's finger had touched him for only an instant, but he was drenched in sweat.

"I burn mana."

Sorrow and anger mingled in her eyes as she spoke.

Galahad expelled a labored breath and pushed back his sweat-soaked bangs.

'She burns mana?'

For the first time, Galahad's eyes wavered. Even he, who prided himself on knowing a fair amount about magic, had never heard of such a concept.

'Does it work on Demons too? Because mana has its roots in Demons? But why couldn't she just explain it in words...?'

His mind was in turmoil. Countless thoughts flashed through it.

"I would like someone whose hands are warm."

Looking at Galahad's bowed head, Adrianna smiled bitterly.

"Wait."

His breathless voice stopped her.

Was this man going to be stubborn too? Occasionally, someone refused to give up even after experiencing the pain.

They insisted they could endure it. Even when she gave them a chance, the result was always the same.

Unable to bear the pain, they instead blamed Adrianna, calling her a filthy witch cursed by the gods.

Adrianna never denied it.

She believed it was true herself.

She had thought Galahad was a little different.

'Just stubborn pride in the end.'

With that inward murmur, she looked down, only to find something strange in Galahad's eyes.

The men who tried to stop Adrianna from leaving usually had eyes full of obstinacy and foolhardy bravado.

But Galahad was different.

He was smiling.

"How does it work? Is it transmitted only through your hands? If it burns mana, it must work on Demons too, yes? Through a sword as well—"

Faced with his ceaseless torrent of questions and the madness in his eyes, Adrianna unwittingly took a step back.

"No, I'll check for myself."

Galahad's hand closed around Adrianna's.

She froze. As if that weren't enough, the man even laced his fingers through hers.

"Hmm, the mana really is burrrrAAAAAAGH! So this is how it woooorks!"

Adrianna's eyes widened at the man who refused to release her hand even as he screamed.

By the time she finally came to her senses, he had already passed out.

With an unfamiliar warmth lingering in her hand, Adrianna fled the room.