Chapter 73: Weapon (1)
“Do you know me?”
The maid called Elza asked Vienna.
“Ah… that’s…”
For the first time in a while, Vienna found herself at a loss for words. She couldn’t find what to say.
As she wrestled with her thoughts, Elza spoke first.
“...Is something wrong?”
If there was a problem, there were plenty.
Starchis had entered the Nisty mansion, claiming it was for a formal meeting.
There was a clear connection between Elza and the Nisty family.When Vienna asked if he knew Elza, Starchis said the only Elza he knew was the maid standing right before her.
Then who on earth was the pink-haired woman wearing modest clothes who stood next to Starchis at that time?
Her fundamental assumptions were shaking. Could Starchis have lied…?
Before she could conclude her thoughts, Gwyn, the butler, who sensed something odd, intervened.
“...Is there a problem?”
His suspicion toward Vienna was evident. It was as if he instinctively knew she was trying to dig up something.
Vienna hurriedly thought up an excuse.
“...Ah, um… I heard Starchis mention that name once before.”
Gwyn cast her a doubtful glance. However, before the atmosphere grew tenser, Helen and Hian stepped in to diffuse it.
“Come now, it doesn’t matter. I promised to answer what you’re curious about, but I didn’t agree to ask why you’re curious. Let it go, Gwyn.”
“Vienna, you should return to your seat now.”
Hian stopped Gwyn, and Helen shielded Vienna.
Gwyn, complying with the master’s words, returned his focus to the documents.
And Vienna and Elza returned to their respective places.
Once seated, Vienna retreated back into her thoughts.
She reasoned to herself: Starchis wouldn’t have lied. If he didn’t lie, then it was likely he had been deceived.
The pink-haired woman who introduced herself as Elza was probably not the real Elza.
She must have been impersonating the maid.
Under a false name, she approached Starchis, seduced him, and used his kindness to manipulate him.
Clench.
Vienna discreetly gripped her clothes.
Thinking about how Starchis’s pure-hearted devotion might have been trampled pained her deeply.
A strange woman had approached the love-starved Starchis, deceived him, and shaken him.
Vienna, blinded by her feelings for Starchis, concluded as much.
But then, a question still lingered in her mind.
If that was the case, why had Starchis gone to the Nisty mansion?
The very place where the real maid, Elza, openly resided.
For the pink-haired woman who called herself Elza, it would have been the last place she’d want him to go—a place where her lies could be easily exposed.
Why had she invited Starchis to that house?
The weight of the unanswered question sat heavily on her chest.
There was clearly something else hidden. Without uncovering it, getting to the truth would be difficult.
One thing was certain, however: Starchis’s romantic entanglement was far from normal.
For now, she needed more time to organize her thoughts.
****
Starchis was on his way to Lily’s house.
His heart felt a bit unsettled.
The previous day had been peaceful; he had spent it fishing and enjoying a tranquil moment. But upon returning to his lodging, he had found a letter waiting for him.
The letter contained information about the rank of the sword monkey.
The monster had been officially classified as an A-rank threat.
This meant that Barefoot Party had officially become a party that had defeated an A-rank monster.
That part was good.
The rest of the letter, however, was from Marshall.
It stated that his brother’s party, Aide, had been dispatched on a mission to rescue another A-rank party.
Normally, he wouldn’t have worried, but this time, Luss was involved.
Thinking about Luss’ likely involvement left him with no doubt.
The sword monkey had received an A-rank evaluation. And once something was labeled A-rank, Luss was bound to follow Aide Party’s orders.
The innkeeper mentioned the letter had arrived in the morning.
By the time Starchis received it, it was late in the evening. He visited Aid’s base to see if they had returned.
...They hadn’t.
They were usually back early, but this time, they hadn’t returned by then.
Seira had tried to reassure Starchis, saying such delays sometimes happened. But Starchis could see the unease in her eyes.
The situation remained unchanged the following morning.
Seira, looking gaunt, hadn’t slept. Her nails were ruined from stress.
It was rare for something to take this long.
Now, Starchis found himself worrying not just about Luss, but also his brother.
“...Phew…”
In this state of mind, he headed to Lily’s house, hoping for the best.
Knock, knock, knock.
After knocking on Lily’s door, he calmed himself. Dwelling on confusion and chaos wouldn’t help.
There was no benefit in his current emotional state.
Crash, bang!
Suddenly, loud noises came from inside the lodging, as if someone was hurriedly moving around.
It was strange.
Then, slam! The door swung open violently.
Lily stepped outside and immediately slammed the door shut behind her.
“...Noona?”
Caught between Starchis and the door, Lily seemed to realize her position.
“Ah… um…”
She regained her composure and brushed her hair back.
Her initial flustered expression disappeared, replaced by her usual sultry demeanor.
“Is someone inside, Noona?”
Starchis asked.
Lily bit her lip before answering.
“Well… yes. My mentor is here.”
“Your mentor?”
Starchis had heard about Lily’s mentor a few times before.
From those brief mentions, he had formed an impression of the man.
Someone who had dedicated—and would continue to dedicate—his entire life to magic.
A person who would go to any lengths for magic.
Curious yet impatient, someone Lily must have found difficult to deal with.
“Why is your mentor here all of a sudden?”
“...Actually, I asked for help with your hand rehabilitation.”
Starchis felt a surge of gratitude for Lily’s efforts behind the scenes.
“...Did they come here because of me?”
“Yes, well, that’s right.”
“I should thank them.”
Starchis placed his hand on the door handle.
“Ah! Wait, Starchis!”
“Yes, Noona?”
“Um… you probably know this already, but even I can’t predict how my mentor will act.”
“...Okay.”
“So, Starchis… I’m sorry, but could you go back for today?”
After a brief pause, Starchis decided this might actually be for the best.
Until Luss and the Aide party members returned, he wouldn’t be able to calm down anyway.
It would be better to return to Aide’s base and wait for them with Seira.
“...Shall I?”
Lily looked genuinely apologetic.
“...I’m really sorry, truly…”
“But since they’re here because of me, shouldn’t I at least say hello?”
“No, you can’t! You really can’t! You have no idea what might happen!”
“...Is that so?”
“...Once again, I’m really sorry…”
She couldn’t bring herself to say more. Starchis wondered why she was apologizing so much.
“It’s okay. You haven’t seen your mentor in a while. Spend some time together. Actually, I’ve got something weighing on my mind too.”
“Wait, what? What’s wrong?”
Starchis didn’t want to burden Lily with any ominous news about Luss or his brother.
They would return.
Only he needed to bear this uneasy feeling.
“Later, Noona. It’s fine for now.”
Lily realized their plans had fallen through. The guilt washed over her again.
“...To make up for breaking our promise, I’ll grant you one wish.”
Lily offered.
To lighten the mood, Starchis smiled and accepted her offer.
“Haha, alright, Noona.”
He knew refusing would only make her feel worse, so he accepted it in words alone.
After exchanging brief goodbyes, Starchis returned to Aid’s base, and Lily went back into her lodging.
*****
Lily stepped back into her room.
Her mentor was seated, her piercing blue eyes glowing faintly with mana.
“...He’s not all that handsome,” she remarked.
Glare. Lily shot her a sharp look.
Her mentor withdrew her mana, returning her eyes to normal.
“But is he someone worth getting this flustered over, child?”
She gazed at her with the same crimson eyes as hers.
Lily ignored her words, sensing that responding would only provoke worse remarks.
Even so, she didn’t want to be disrespectful to her mentor, who had come to help her.
“Was there any need to send him away? He’d have to meet me sooner or later anyway.”
“I won’t let you meet him until I know what you’re planning to do.”
“Once you find out, I could just do something else,” she replied, teasingly.
Glare. Lily glared at her again.
Her mentor chuckled at her sharp gaze.
“It was a joke, a joke.”
“...You’re impossible to predict, Mentor. That’s what makes it so hard.”
“Hm? When have I ever made things difficult for you?”
“...Do you really not know?”
“...”
She paused, as if deep in thought, then fell silent. The only thing she could offer was a weak excuse.
“...It’s all for the advancement of magic.”
“You should draw the line somewhere, Mentor.”
“Stop lecturing me.”
“Help me stop, then.”
“You’re just as relentless when it comes to achieving your goals, aren’t you?”
“What do you mean—”
“—Then why did you want to learn hypnotic magic?”
Lily froze for a moment, then abruptly turned her head away.
Her face flushed red. She was too embarrassed to face the question head-on.
“So quick to forget what happened just days ago. Why? Are you embarrassed to answer while looking me in the eye?”
“...”
“...How pitiful.”
She couldn’t refute her mentor’s words.
“Born with such beauty, yet you resort to hypnotism because you can’t win over a single man. What a waste of your looks, child.”
“...”
“Still, I’m not condemning you.”
“What?”
“I’ll do anything to achieve my goals. You’ve probably inherited that trait from me.”
Her mentor’s words disrupted the tense atmosphere that had settled between them.
Rather than admonish her, she began to affirm her actions.
With her affirmation, Lily once again felt her desire for that magic stir.
She knew she shouldn’t, but she couldn’t stop the memories of Starchis smiling and chatting with Elza from surfacing.
Seeing him so happy with another woman—not her—gnawed at her.
They were close enough to meet families for formal arrangements.
Time was running out, and she might lose him for good.
As the hours passed, Lily’s thoughts began to shift.
At first, she wanted to have Starchis all to herself.
Now, she thought, she would be content with just receiving his love.
Even if she wasn’t the first, even if she was the second—so long as he loved her, it would be enough.
But deep down, Lily knew that wasn’t possible.
Starchis was a man of pure devotion.
If he truly became Elza’s, he might never glance at her again.
Thud.
That thought hit her like a blow, making her heart pound painfully.
She couldn’t bear the idea of him never sparing her a glance, never showing her even a hint of attention.
With her limited understanding, hypnotism seemed like the quickest and surest solution.
...She didn’t want to do much.
All she wanted was to see Starchis look at her, to hear him say he liked her.
Just one word, one fleeting moment—that’s all she needed.
“...Then why did you tell me to give up?”
Hearing Lily’s sudden desire for the magic resurface, her mentor burst into laughter.
“Ahahaha! Hahahah!”
Lily endured the mocking laughter that seemed to target her.
She thought to herself: if she could endure this and have Starchis whisper even one word of love to her—whether sincere or not—she could endure anything.
“Honestly, I don’t know whether to say you’re living up to the name ‘Lily’ or not. Hah!”
Her mentor chuckled as she finally calmed down.
“Do you know why I didn’t teach you? It’s because hypnosis magic places a significant burden on the caster.”
She snapped her fingers, and Lily’s body froze in place.
“This, right now, is just raw power immobilizing you.”
She snapped her fingers again.
This time, it wasn’t a frozen sensation—it felt as though her body simply wouldn’t move.
Similar, yet distinctly different.
Countless blue fireflies danced around her mentor, lighting up the space.
“...And this is a simple hypnotic suggestion that’s preventing you from moving.”
Wuuum.
Lily felt the shift in the flow around her, sensing the tremendous amount of mana being used.
“Phew… Even this basic hypnotism consumes this much mana. A perfect hypnotism would require much, much more. Lily, what exactly were you planning to do with hypnosis magic on that boy?”
“...”
Too ashamed, Lily couldn’t answer.
“Well, fine. In any case, this isn’t the kind of magic you think it is. Achieving what you want with it is impossible with the mana you possess. Particularly implanting suggestions—that’s almost out of the question.”
“...I wasn’t planning to use suggestions.”
She knew that implanting suggestions to control Starchis’ actions would mean he was no longer truly himself.
She didn’t want to do something like that to someone she loved.
Her goals were far simpler. Just a fleeting moment.
“To put it simply, perfect hypnosis severs the subject’s consciousness and turns them into a puppet. It’s an incredibly inefficient form of magic.”
“...I only need it for a moment.”
“Didn’t you want to be loved?”
“...One word saying he loves me is enough.”
“And will that really satisfy you?”
“...I’ll find out.”
“Well, I’m still not teaching it to you.”
Suddenly, her mentor changed their tone, laughing.
“Mentor!”
Lily was frustrated by the abrupt shift after her mentor had acted as if they were about to teach her.
“Look at you. If I don’t teach you, you’re liable to devour me whole, aren’t you?”
“I really don’t know what to do anymore!”
Lily’s overwhelming emotions spilled out as tears.
This wasn’t what she wanted either.
She wanted him to love her sincerely, not through some pathetic means.
She wanted a love that blossomed from mutual feelings, not a forced connection.
When Lily suddenly began crying, her mentor was startled and tried to calm her.
“Stop, stop! Alright, listen. The truth is, this magic isn’t something you can even use. That’s why I didn’t teach it!”
“...Sniffle. What?”
“I told you before, didn’t I? Without enough mana, you can’t use this magic.”
“Can’t use it?”
Lily felt a surge of irritation at her mentor’s assertion.
She wasn’t the same person who had been standing still.
For years, she had delved into dungeons every five days, sharpening her skills with new spells.
Lily stepped forward and grabbed her mentor’s hand, placing it on her chest.
“Check for yourself.”
Her words left no room for misunderstanding.
“...Sigh…”
With a heavy sigh, her mentor began to examine Lily’s mana core as requested.
Lily watched their expression closely.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
The mentor’s previously pitying face began to shift.
From a frown to a serious expression.
From seriousness to surprise.
From surprise back to a frown.
Lily felt a slight thrill. She felt validated.
“...What in the world have you been doing with your life?”
“...Time has passed, Mentor. I haven’t been standing still.”
Lily had spent countless hours honing her magic, even perfecting techniques that immobilized monsters to beat them down without risk.
Though she had made mistakes along the way, her refined skills were not something just anyone could achieve.
She had worked tirelessly, all for the hope of hearing one word of praise from Starchis.
“...So, please, teach me, Mentor.”
Just thinking about him made her chest tighten.
“Ah, Starchis.”
If he had loved her, how much of her desperation could have been hidden?
How many ugly sides of herself could she have avoided showing?
She was beginning to hate herself.
This was all her fault.
If she had taken a single step of courage, everything might have been different.
She should have gambled, even at the risk of pushing him away.
But she hadn’t, and now she was paying the price.
“...Lily, I worry about you. As I said, this magic carries a heavy burden.”
“I don’t care about the burden.”
“Why not?”
“...Because without Starchis, I feel like I’ll lose my mind anyway.”
Her mentor looked at her and muttered to themselves.
“...Well, considering he’s inexperienced, hypnosis might work even better. Alright, then—”
“—What?”
Lily couldn’t believe her ears.
“What did you just say?”
As if the words had struck a nerve, Lily grabbed her mentor by the shoulders, mana unconsciously flowing from her body. The room began to rumble.
“C-Calm down, Lily. Why such an extreme reaction?”
“What did you just say?”
“...Didn’t you know? Hypnosis works better on virgins. Actually, since you’re also—”
“—No, no, that’s not it!”
Lily’s eyes widened as she cut her mentor off.
“You said Starchis is a virgin?”
Her mentor, sensing her disbelief, answered her question.
“...That boy from earlier? Yes, he’s a virgin.”
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