Chapter 11.3, Breathing Into Shape

 

“Aiti.”

 

Tinassha, who had been brought to an antechamber, was stunned when Oscar suddenly called her that. She finally replied several seconds later:

 

“Yes?”

 

She asked back. Oscar looked as bitter as never before.

 

“Is that your name?”

“…When I was a child. Did the visitor say so?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Tinassha shook her head; it was not functioning properly in the face of this unexpected event.

She had introduced herself with that name only once before. She had just become a witch then, and hadn’t yet lived in the tower.

 

Witches’ names were ominous things; few people spoke them by choice. The name she had used in Farsas seventy years ago had also been forgotten. And yet, now there was someone who knew her childhood name coming to see her. What did it mean?

 

Tinassha considered some possibilities; none of them were delightful.

 

“If you don’t want to meet him, I’ll reject him.”

 

Oscar worriedly patted her head. But she shook her head.

 

“No, I’ll meet him.”

And the witch laid her hand on the door leading to the audience hall.

 

Cagal let out a sigh of wonder when he saw Tinassha. He fell down on his knees and gave the most respectful greeting. Tinassha arrogantly looked down on him.

 

“It is an honor to meet you, Lady Aiti.”

 

“Please stop calling me by that name.”

“I beg your pardon. May I call you Lady Tinassha then?”

 

“As you wish.”

 

Cagal got up and spread his hands towards her as if in a play.

 

“When we founded our nation Kuskl, we have taken back the rights of magicians that had been suppressed by Tairi. With magicians as our citizens, magic is our foundation, and its utilization and development are our first priority. We have heard that Lady Tinassha is now the only one who can use the long-lost powerful magic of old. Would you please come to our country and lend us your power, so that we can advance even more?”

 

Oscar frowned at his speech, displeasure apparent on his face. He had talked about how Farsas was keeping a witch for themselves and yet, in the end, they just desired her power.

But Tinassha still maintained an expressionless face after hearing his appeal.

 

“From whom did you hear it from?”

 

“You’ll know if you come to us.”

 

“Is it the same person who told you my name?”

 

Cagal simply laughed in response.

“What do you know about me being here?”

 

“Our country also has brilliant magicians…”

 

“Really.”

 

The witch took a breath. A cruel smile, which mesmerized anyone who saw it, appeared on her face. Cagal faltered in the face of that overpowering smile.

 

Her small red lips parted. Her voice was beautiful, but cold as ice.

“I am here as this person’s guardian. Nothing more, nothing less. You meeting me was also possible because of his intervention. Why do I have to listen to a human who has not even climbed my tower, much less help him? Do you think witches have the compassion to do something for someone who has neither resolution or power?”

 

Cagal opened and shut his mouth in an attempt to give an excuse. His confident attitude, which had shown that he seemed to believe he was superior, had crumbled. Flustered like a rat being chased away, he tried to make an appeal.

 

But Tinassha didn’t give him the time to.

 

“Go away.”

 

She said nothing more, just turned around and went to stand beside Oscar, who had been listening at the back. He stroked her hair while giving Cagal a piercing look.

 

Cagal looked at them with eyes oozing mortification, and finally said.

“I see. I will return for now, but Kuskl will always be your homeland. I look forward to the day we meet again.”

 

The witch left the room without answering.

 

※　※　※　※

 

Cagal furiously clicked his tongue after leaving the audience hall.

 

He had been confident that he would be able to bring her back. He had mentioned that unknowable name for that reason. He had believed that once she heard that name, she would want to know who had told him.

 

The words his master had said to him before leaving came back to his mind.

 

『You don’t need to rush it. Do not give me away.』

Having said that, Master probably wouldn’t rebuke him if he came back without her. But he didn’t want to return obediently and uselessly like this.

 

―――― He should at least separate her from that conceited contractor…

 

He suddenly looked out of the window to the courtyard. He found a woman in military uniform napping under a tree, and a vile smile appeared on his face.

 

※　※　※　※

 

Oscar left the audience hall for his office, the witch a little ahead of him. Her expression was extremely bitter.

 

Each of the words Cagal had spit out coiled about him like unremovable stains. It felt like someone had soiled the table before the meal could be enjoyed.

 

As he was trying to swallow down that unstomachable irritation, a soft voice coming from somewhere reached his ears.

“Done?”

 

Together with those words, a witch appeared beside Tinassha. Tinassha returned her friend’s look and spat out.

 

“Done. Makes me feel sick.”

 

Lucresia shrugged. Oscar looked at her with wide eyes, a bit surprised.

 

“You’ve come?”

 

“A few days ago.”

 

She waved her hand without even just a shred of guilt. He gave her a smile that had only one corner of his mouth lifted.

“Thank you for killing me back then.”

 

“Eh? Wasn’t it fun? Would it have been better if I let you keep the memories?”

 

“Do you want to try experiencing some pain?”

 

Lucresia looked cheerful, but Tinassha’s expression was stiffened. Magical sparks literally flashed up between them. Oscar grimaced and shook his head.

 

“If you’re gonna destroy the castle, please stop.”

 

He had never heard about witches fighting with each other. If it happened, a building collapsing would be the least of it.

 

Hearing her contractor’s words, Tinassha stuck her tongue out and withdrew her power.

 

After hearing the whole thing, Lucresia tapped one red-painted nail on her temple.

“Kuskl huh. I also haven’t heard of it.”

 

“It seemed to be just a territory at first. Then one day, magicians suddenly gathered there, and it declared independence.”

 

“That’s suspicious.”

 

“…Ah, that reminds me. Lately, there are strange magic ripples coming from the North from time to time, aren’t there?”

 

Lucresia raised her index finger and looked at Tinassha, who was walking next to her. Tinassha silently shook her head.

 

“I don’t know if it’s because I live further north from here, but I do feel them once in a while. They’re quite faint though. They’re tremors, similar to the ripples of a magic lake.”

 

“Magic lake…”

 

Tinassha bit her lips and pondered about this. Oscar, who was behind them, noticed that for a moment, the look Lucresia gave her was one full of pity.

Tinassha was lost in thoughts. Just when both of them were about to speak, Art appeared at the turn of the corridor, Meldina right behind him.

 

Art saw Tinassha walking with an unknown beauty, and when he noticed Oscar behind them, he tried to salute. But something no one expected happened just right then.

 

Meldina silently drew her sword and came for Tinassha.

 

“Wha-?!”

 

Art froze momentarily due to the surprise of it. Oscar couldn’t reach them, and the point of the sword arrived before Lucresia could set up a barrier.

 

Just when everyone thought it had been too late, Tinassha easily but quickly pulled out the dagger at Lucresia’s waist and parried the sword before their eyes. The sword fell to the ground and the dagger glided directly towards the throat of a defenseless Meldina.

 

Meldina didn’t do anything; it was Art who had reflexively drawn his sword and intercepted the blow. He warded off Tinassha’s dagger while pushing Meldina aside and shielded her with his body; just as he was about to turn his sword to the witch, he suddenly stopped.

 

―――― Akasshia was pointed at his throat.

“What do you want to do?”

 

The voice that was full of wrath hit Art hard. His body stiffened at his unexpected mistake. Just as he fell to his knees, his childhood friend raised her voice from behind him as if she had gone mad.

 

“You seductress who tempts humans’ hearts! You should leave this country!!”

 

“Meldina!”

 

The men’s rebukes overlapped. It was obvious who she was alluding to.

 

Tinassha looked hard at Meldina, her dark eyes hidden behind her long eyelashes.

 

There was no smile on the witch’s face now; it was as empty and fake as a doll’s face.

 

She turned towards Meldina, her lips slightly parted.

 

“…I’m always, always told the same thing… But I’ve never deliberately tempted anyone’s hearts. Wasn’t it all their own doings?”

 

Unlike her unreadable expression, emotions were naked in her voice. But they were so complicatedly mingled with each other that those who heard it couldn’t understand if what she was holding was sadness, anger, or something else entirely.

 

Tinassha bit her lips lightly.

 

She wringed out in a small voice:

 

“…Humans’ hearts… I don’t want such things.”

 

Her trembling voice spoke a definite refusal.

 

But Oscar was sure that for a moment, he had seen hurt shining in her darkness concentration of eyes.

 

He withdrew Akasshia and wrapped her up in his arms. He patted her thin back lightly.

 

She didn’t say anything else.

 

Lucresia was concerned about her friend, but after seeing Oscar embracing Tinassha, she turned towards Art and Meldina. She glared at them with a disgusted expression.

 

“That woman is being manipulated.”

 

“Eh?”

 

“Her mind is being tampered with. Quite skillfully too.”

 

Lucresia casually waved her hand, and Meldina collapsed. Art caught her just before she hit the floor.

 

“Can it be cured?”

 

Oscar asked, his back still turned towards them. But the witch’s reply was sullen.

 

“Why should I?”

 

“Please.”

 

After some hesitation, she clicked her tongue and said sarcastically.

 

“It’ll be very expensive.”

 

“Please.”

 

At Tinassha’s voice, Lucresia sighed a sigh full of surprise.

 

After Art and Lucresia had left for the treatment, there were only the witch and her contractor left in the hallway.

 

Oscar held her cheeks with both of his hands and lifted her face. She smiled in just a blink of an eye.

 

A cheerful, happy smile.

 

But Oscar knew it wasn’t real. It was a mask of a smiling face, put on by her who was not human to pretend to be human.

 

Despite that, he didn’t feel pity for his witch. It was definitely not an emotion that was fit for her.

 

“When was the last time you cried?”

 

Oscar asked. He saw himself reflected in her dark eyes.

 

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“I don’t remember.”

 

She replied, still smiling.