Anya decided to show them magic as a token of gratitude for receiving a gift from the children. Though it was still an insignificant, simple beginner’s magic, the Northernmost kids sent more enthusiastic cheers than anyone. Anya felt an overwhelming fear and sense of responsibility at the realization that these children were beings he must protect.
“The adults said so. They said only good and righteous people can use magic. That God divided His great authority and gave it to mages. That’s why all elves can use magic.”
Ronan chattered with pie crumbs stuck to the corners of his mouth. The kid’s eyes sparkled the brightest they’d ever been. The eyes that held the droplet-like fragments of light rising from Anya’s fingertips overflowed with more vitality than ever before.
“R-Ronan, you r-really know a lot.”
Anya had never associated with people younger than himself, so he didn’t know how to handle children. Nevertheless, he instinctively knew that children liked praise. As expected, Ronan’s shoulders rose high at Anya’s praise.
“Ronan is very interested in history.”
“But you don’t even know how to read.”
Someone said as if reproaching him. Ronan stood up from his seat and snorted as he argued back.
“I’ll learn! They said our village only has good times left ahead. When spring comes, merchants will come too, and then I’ll definitely buy a history book.”
Beyond the shoulder of Ronan, who was making an impassioned speech, Anya’s gaze pierced through the inn window. Through the glass window, Evernight was just now opening the inn door and entering. Anya hurriedly sent the kids out through the back door. Since they had already received a warning from Evernight, the kids also slipped out with quick movements without complaint.
“Goodbye, Sir Mage!”
“How many times do I have to tell you to say mistress, not Sir Mage!”
Even as they left, Joel and Ronan bickered.
* * *
The kids didn’t know restraint. After finishing miscellaneous work near the Wall in the morning, they always visited the ‘Rabbit & Goat’ inn as if stopping by a mill. Fortunately, whether because Evernight’s warning was frightening or because of a sense of duty to obey the lord’s orders, they didn’t cause trouble like occupying the inn’s tables or stay long.
“Sir Mage!”
“I said mistress!”
Anya, who had been training in swordsmanship in the inn’s back garden, turned at the familiar voice. The boy soon spun Haebing once in the air before putting it in its scabbard. Children were hanging on the fence crudely made of wooden planks. Northernmost also had a patrol, but they were a group voluntarily organized by the village’s young men. They didn’t train systematically like Tildyen’s knights. That’s why the boys were very interested in Anya’s training.
Because it looked extremely cool. It was enough to make the boys’ hearts race.
“H-hello.”
“Good afternoon.”
Perhaps having helped with the Wall work, grimy dirt was smeared on their faces that still hadn’t lost their baby fat.
Anya didn’t find the kids bothersome at all. Rather, they were very helpful in telling him details about Northernmost’s circumstances that he didn’t know.
“When Duke Evernight returned, he brought tremendous ancient treasures. He bought all the supplies to build the Wall with them, and the adults were happy that jobs were created. The Duke is generous, so unlike those before him, he pays wages.”
“They say once the Wall is completely finished, monsters won’t be able to cross over anymore.”
The Wall that had held out for several thousand years had many problems. Employing mages cost enormous expenses, and moreover, since most human mages (who weren’t elves) worked with high-ranking nobles, Tildyen, which had no lord, always suffered from mage problems. The Wall wasn’t a simple physical barrier. Magic tools were installed here and there to play the role of preventing the dead from crossing over with sacred magical energy.
The problem was that they didn’t know Anya was still royalty. He hesitated many times whether to tell them but ultimately kept his mouth shut. It was actually because he was afraid. Afraid that their favorable gaze would instantly turn hostile. Like with Rips Mohan.
“Phew. The snow seems ominous.”
When night came, the snow that had been calm for a while began to fall again. Evernight and the group, who arrived at the inn late at night, penetrating the curtain of snow, shook off the snow on their cloaks. As they entered the end of winter, firewood inevitably became scarce. The inn’s fireplace was fulfilling its duty, but it wasn’t enough for the warm energy to circulate throughout the entire space.
“Ugh… It’s damn cold.”
Riario shivered slightly.
“Sir Mage. Should I have them prepare bath water later?”
“No, it’s fine. I’m so cold I don’t even want to take off my clothes.”
Riario answered while rubbing between his brows. Karen smiled cheerfully and wiped the moisture on his glasses with his hand. They were excellent human resources, but it wasn’t easy for just the two of them to install dozens of magic tools.
“Have you arrived?”
As soon as the group and several infantrymen sat down, the innkeeper brought warm food. Unlike the first day, the amount of meat in the stew was small, but no one complained. The infantrymen gulped down the thick stew hastily. Everyone looked exhausted and weary.
“The Snow Storm seems like it will come soon.”
Evernight said. This year’s Snow Storm was earlier compared to last year. That snow storm came down from the top of the Beriela Mountain Range, growing in size, and if unlucky, it was accompanied by a huge avalanche.
“Then should we install the defensive magic circle first?”
After the Wall war ended, Riario first researched a magic circle that could protect Tildyen Territory from the Snow Storm. His magic attribute was ‘death,’ specialized in attack, but he wasn’t in a position to be picky. He developed a defensive magic circle by searching through all kinds of magic books (even decoding Elvish) that Evernight invested enormous costs to obtain.
This capable Tildyen mage even had to endure Sabelli Nox’s sarcastic inspections from time to time. In Sabelli’s laboratory located in the basement of Tildyen Rock, things that were just creepy and unpleasant to look at lurked, and he shuddered every time he went down those damp and humid stairs, but Riario endured steadfastly. Of course, there were a few crises where he almost threw it all away, but he had his own affection for this Tildyen. He had come too far to go back south again.
If this defensive formation was perfectly established, mages wouldn’t need to periodically stop by Northernmost. Coming from the warm south, he had very insufficient immunity to withstand Northernmost’s cold.
“That would be better. We’ll be staying here for the time being, so we can prepare even if monsters enter.”
Though it was food that fell far short compared to Tildyen Rock, Evernight shoved it into his mouth without any complaints. Rather than savoring the taste (of course, it was food with nothing to savor), it was closer to the act of just stuffing it in his mouth. The man had become a duke ruling the vast Northern Territory, but he couldn’t hide the traces of his lowly status carved into his bones. No, actually, he didn’t even seem to have the intention to hide it.
“Y-you’re back.”
Anya came down from the second-floor stairs with timid steps. He, who had been secretly training in swordsmanship in the back garden, quickly ran up to the bedroom when horse hoofbeats rang out beyond the fence. It was a quicker and more agile movement than ever. Only after shaking off the snow stuck to his clothes and organizing his breathing with huffs did Anya greet them, pretending to be nonchalant, like someone who had been resting in the room.
The boy, who had learned from books that seeing off one’s husband was a mistress’s virtue, felt like he would die of awkwardness, but he always had dinner with them. Because there were many onlookers here. Anya didn’t want to lose the trust of the people here that he had obtained with difficulty, like with Rips Mohan.
“Did you go out?”
As soon as he sat down, Anya’s face turned pale at Riario’s question.
A hand suddenly popped out from the seat beside him and grabbed the dusty snow on Anya’s head that he hadn’t completely shaken off. Anya flinched and rolled his eyes to look up. Evernight’s blue eyes were looking down at him. The snow instantly melted away in the man’s palm.
“I thought you were a quiet weakling, but I guess I brought back a troublemaker.”
At his quiet muttering, Anya’s face instantly burst into flames. Karen, sitting in the front seat, let out a laugh with a “Kup,” then quickly buried his face in his stew bowl. Riario was already in an exhausted state and didn’t seem to pay attention here.
The meal time passed quietly. Occasionally, cold wind made a whistling sound as it passed through the pitch-black window, and each time, the entire wooden building creaked.
“Fortunately, it seems the food here suits the mistress’s taste.”
Anya’s bowl was cleanly emptied. Anya wasn’t originally a picky eater, but the mana training and sword training done alone for several hours made him sufficiently hungry. Actually, he wanted to eat one more bowl, but he couldn’t make the poor Northernmost’s winter storage even more impoverished.
