Chapter 49: The Thirteenth Day of the Jealousy Moon

The thirteenth day of the Jealousy Moon.

Beneath the azure sky, six mages stood in a solemn line before Lake Dia.

Each was cloaked in a black robe, their hoods pulled low enough to obscure their faces entirely.

One mage constantly swallowed, their throat parched, while another groaned, rubbing their stomach with their palm as if in pain.

Yet, only one among them struggled to conceal their excitement. Unlike the others, their heels bounced with an impatience born of long anticipation.

One might have mistaken them for a devoted lover, yearning for a distant beloved.

Notably, this mage had only ever encountered the soon-to-arrive person by chance, a single time, and had never exchanged a proper word with them.

“When will the Inquisitor arrive?”

The young mage, Jiwena Rerickton, murmured with an anxious tone.

Another mage shot Jiwena a sidelong glance.

“Jiwena, straighten your posture.”

At the reprimand, Jiwena immediately straightened their slumped shoulders.

Following the words of Illiyan, the most senior among the guardians of Lake Dia, the other four mages also corrected their stances.

“I truly cannot comprehend what makes the Inquisitor so appealing for them to act like this.”

Illiyan Salam shook their head, muttering.

Jiwena, eyes wide, turned to face Illiyan.

“Good heavens, Guardian Salam! Are you truly saying you don’t recognize the Inquisitor’s magnificence?”

At that astonished voice, Illiyan squeezed their eyes shut.

‘I shouldn’t have spoken in front of this Inquisitor-obsessed youth,’ they thought.

“Oh, dear. Shall I tell you a heartwarming tale about our magnificent Inquisitor, one that would even dazzle the heavens?”

They did not want to know.

The other four mages evidently felt the same, each letting out a deep sigh.

“It was five years ago! I was on the verge of completing my 4th-class magic, completely forsaking food and drink to focus solely on research and training! I was so weakened from not eating that anything I consumed, I’d immediately throw up. It was a truly difficult period, and I thought I might die, so I was on my way to seek help from my master! As I walked down the corridor after leaving the bell tower, I happened to encounter the Inquisitor, who was on their way to a meeting! But I, alas, failed to recognize the Inquisitor and simply collapsed right there on the spot, and then—”

“Ugh, this is infuriating.”

A heavy sigh escaped Illiyan’s lips.

They desperately wanted to gag the new, fanatical guardian.

Even if they were to silence that mouth with a spell of Mute, once the magic dissipated, Jiwena would merely ask, ‘Where was I?’, and continue their story. Thus, Illiyan simply let them ramble on.

“It was then that the Inquisitor helped me up and spoke these words: ‘Oh, young mage! What troubles have brought you to collapse? Oh, heavens! Why are your wrists so slender? Have you perhaps gone hungry?’ they asked.”

A lie.

A fabricated tale.

The Inquisitor would never speak in such a manner.

According to witnesses, upon seeing Jiwena collapse, the Inquisitor had merely exclaimed, ‘Crazy, what the—?’

“So I apologized, saying, ‘Oh, Inquisitor! Please forgive my insolence for obstructing your path!’ and explained, ‘I’m simply starving!’ To which the Inquisitor replied, ‘Oh, dear. We all work to live, so why have you gone without food?’ and then they inquired further—”

Jiwena had actually said, ‘I’m hungry, I’m dying,’ and the Inquisitor had retorted, ‘You fool, are you starving yourself?’

Illiyan was thoroughly annoyed.

This was, after all, the twenty-ninth time they had endured this fabricated falsehood.

If they heard that story just one more time, Illiyan might genuinely stitch that mouth shut, stitch by painstaking stitch.

‘If only they would just shut up.’

It was then.

A light began to shimmer across Lake Dia.

Seeing this, the mages simultaneously stiffened their expressions, their bodies, which had relaxed during Jiwena’s story, now snapping to attention.

Jiwena, too, immediately fell silent and adopted a serious expression.

Yet, the aura of joy and excitement emanating from their entire being could not be hidden.

Had they possessed a tail, it would undoubtedly have been wagging furiously.

“Guardians, the gate to the Mirror Labyrinth is opening.”

Another guardian spoke, their voice taut with anticipation.

At once, all six mages brought their hands together in front of them, ready to form hand signs in preparation for any eventuality.

Soon after, a magic circle of crimson mana began to materialize from the center of Lake Dia.

Witnessing this, Jiwena drew a sharp breath.

As the intricate and complex magic circle, spanning more than half the vast lake, reached completion, a powerful light erupted.

In the very center of the circle, a vertical portal shimmered into existence, and from it, someone stepped out.

The Inquisitor’s uniform, a blend of black and crimson.

Sanguine hair, and sharp, piercing eyes.

Stan, thoroughly annoyed, descended upon the surface of the lake.

Facing him, the guardians lowered their clasped hands and collectively bowed in deference.

“We greet the Inquisitor.”

As if their greeting had halted the activation of magic, the portal closed, and the magic circle on the lake vanished.

Still standing on the water’s surface, Stan walked towards the shore where the mages stood, his steps creating splashing sounds.

“Ugh, this is truly irritating. I was in the middle of working, and they just summoned me here, causing all this fuss.”

Stan spat the words out as he stepped onto dry land.

The guardians of Lake Dia respectfully bowed their heads before Stan.

Jiwena did the same.

Illiyan had expected Jiwena to immediately shout, ‘Inquisitor! You’re so cool!’ and wave their hands upon seeing him. Thankfully, it seemed Jiwena hadn’t forgotten their duty as a guardian, much to Illiyan’s relief.

“Guardian Salam.”

Stan’s sharp voice called to Illiyan.

“Yes, Inquisitor.”

“Do you know why the Elder Council summoned me?”

“I apologize, but I am also unaware. I only know that a request for cooperation came from Srahanila.”

“Srahanila? Why would those old folks need something?”

“Nothing has been revealed yet, so I have nothing to tell you. More importantly, Inquisitor, the meeting time is approaching. You should go quickly.”

“This is a royal pain. Open the gate.”

At Stan’s grumbling, Illiyan merely offered a faint smile and gestured with their chin to the other mages.

The mages then approached another magic circle drawn before the lake, each beginning to chant spells and form hand signs.

As the mages successively activated the five-layered magic circle, this time, it wasn’t a portal that appeared, but a true ‘gate’.

It was a golden gate, depicting dragons triumphing over demons in an ancient war.

Two mages stepped forward to the gate.

They then magically disengaged the intricate locking mechanism on the gate and swung it wide open.

Beyond it lay the vibrant cityscape.

Stan’s face, however, showed no such vibrancy.

He let out a deep sigh, ran a hand over his face, and strode purposefully into the city.

Illiyan and the mages bowed to his retreating back.

“We shall see you again upon your departure.”

“Yeah, see you when I clock out later.”

As the gate closed, the golden portal swiftly vanished in a shimmer of mana.

The five-layered magic circle also faded, becoming dormant.

The guardians each let out profound sighs, as if a great burden had been lifted.

“For once, he passed through without a single word of complaint.”

One of the mages remarked.

Illiyan nodded in agreement.

Every previous visit, he had been in a foul mood, invariably haranguing the guardians about their attire or demeanor. Today, they were fortunate.

It was then that Illiyan turned to Jiwena, who was trembling beside them.

They wondered if Jiwena was ill, but that wasn’t it at all.

“Wow, what am I going to do! Wasn’t he just so incredibly cool? Did you see? The way he walked away, his back was just so…”

Illiyan subtly formed a hand sign.

Jiwena’s mouth moved, but no sound emerged.

Now, they simply wanted silence until their shift ended.

****

The mages’ city, ‘Arcavilla’.

Upon entering ‘Akashandra,’ the district housing the Archon’s residence and various administrative departments that governed Arcavilla, someone immediately fell into step beside Stan, as if they had been waiting.

It was Grena Demonic, the Archon and supreme commander of Arcavilla—Stan’s mother.

The moment Stan saw his mother, his face contorted into a frown.

“Last month, some idiot entered the forbidden section, and you called back someone on leave. What is it this time?”

His voice was laced with irritation, yet his tone remained surprisingly polite.

Grena offered a subtle smile and answered Stan’s question.

“A request for cooperation came from Srahanila.”

“Why are those unlucky old folks reaching out to us?”

“A prisoner held in the dungeon has escaped.”

“What does that have to do with us?”

“It seems the culprit fled with an artifact.”

“Are there only one or two artifacts in Srahanila?”

“There’s talk that it might be the ‘Crimson Dewstone’.”

At those words, Stan’s eyes widened.

He doubted his own ears, wondering if he had heard correctly.

“The Crimson Dewstone? The one always worn around the Queen’s neck?”

“Is there another Crimson Dewstone in this world besides that one?”

“What madman would be so brazen as to steal the Fairy Queen’s necklace? Is that even possible? Isn’t this false information?”

Stan asked, utterly dumbfounded.

Grena shrugged.

“It’s not confirmed information, no. They only said a prisoner escaped and stole an artifact, not what specifically was taken. Hellex, who went as an ambassador to Srahanila, met the Queen and reportedly saw a fake Crimson Dewstone around her neck.”

“It was crafted so meticulously that they almost didn’t notice. The reason for trying to conceal the theft of the Crimson Dewstone is obvious.”

“It means either the Queen was outsmarted, or the security of her royal guards was breached. Would they want to reveal that? They are too noble, their pride soaring to the heavens, so of course they would want to hide it.”

“Whoever stole it won’t die peacefully if caught. Isn’t that an artifact of the Spirit King?”

“Indeed. It’s the Fire Spirit King’s ‘Tear of Sol’.”

Stan shook his head, clucking his tongue.

He felt a profound sympathy for whoever the madman was, destined to be executed if caught.

“You’re not planning to dispatch me to find it, are you?”

Stan asked, his brow furrowed.

Grena chuckled.

“Would I send you, someone who can’t even move because of Lorelai? The theft of the artifact is a grave matter for us too, which is why all Inquisitors and Interrogators have been summoned.”

“Those responsible for the investigation have already been appointed.”

“What? So I didn’t even need to come.”

“Still, it’s an official gathering, so you must maintain your presence.”

“Wait, if Interrogators were summoned, did Alexandra come too?”

“No, she couldn’t come, saying the situation wasn’t favorable. A report came in that traces of the ‘Black Calamity’ were found in Deltroin.”

“She seems busy, currently in pursuit. Oh, speaking of Lorelai, wasn’t the person currently treating her called ‘Elkinon’s Favored’?”

Stan nodded absently.

“And their name is Hay Styles?”

“That’s correct, but why do you ask?”

“Silver hair and violet eyes?”

Stan’s brow furrowed even deeper.

He had discussed Hay last month, but had never described his appearance.

“What? Mother, do you perhaps know him?”

“Not exactly. More importantly, have you heard rumors of the ‘Black Calamity’s’ minions appearing and disappearing across the continent? And that Interrogator Morgenstern caught one?”

“I haven’t heard. You know how it is. While on leave, unless I attend a meeting like this, I receive no reports related to work.”

“Ah, right. There was such a clause. Then you wouldn’t have known about this either, would you?”

“About what?”

“About four months ago, a Black Mage reportedly appeared in Senugel Mountain, in the Nudan Territory of the Cheapel Kingdom.”

Stan looked back at Grena, puzzled.

It was not at all strange for Grena to know, as all incidents involving Black Mages were reported to Arcavilla.

“That individual was a minion of the ‘Black Calamity,’ and ‘Elkinon’s Favored’ reportedly killed him.”