Chapter 82: A Farewell Feast and a Lingering Question

Hay approached Lorelai, extending a hand. Lorelai smiled sweetly, her fingers intertwining with his.

“Your face looks much better out here, Mr. Styles, away from those gloomy underground chambers.”

“You look well too, Lorelai. I’m relieved to see you’ve fully recovered.”

His words rang true; the warmth emanating from their clasped hands no longer held any trace of the feverish heat.

“It’s fortunate I recovered in time. Now we can share one last dinner together.”

“Speaking of dinner, did you mention you were going out to eat?”

Jiwena, who had been standing behind Lorelai, inquired. She seemed to have overheard their conversation from outside.

“Yes, that was the plan.”

“Why don’t we have a party in the yard instead?”

“A party?”

Hay looked at her, puzzled, as Jiwena gestured towards the outside with her chin.

Through the window, several guardians could be seen ascending, baskets tucked under their arms. Lorelai then spoke.

“Guardian Rerickton suggested that since it’s our last evening in Arcavilla, we should have a farewell gathering.”

“A farewell gathering?”

“And what’s a farewell gathering without drinks and meat?”

Jiwena playfully crinkled her nose. Just then, Dennis was spotted grunting as he hauled a heavy barrel of alcohol up the path.

It appeared incredibly cumbersome. Stan, observing this, grimaced.

“What a bothersome thing to do.”

Illiyan, removing the hood they had been wearing, gave a polite bow to Stan. They then surveyed the yard before asking,

“Should I light the fire in the yard?”

****

The assembled group was not large.

It comprised just twelve guardians, including Illiyan, Jiwena, and Dennis.

Everyone else was either on duty or had other engagements, making their attendance impossible.

Even twelve felt like a considerable number; any more would have undoubtedly made for utter chaos.

With practiced ease, they lit a bonfire in the yard and began grilling meat.

Stan, quite unexpectedly, found himself in charge of the barbecue.

“Bring the mushrooms! No, not the onions, you fools, the mushrooms! And why are you bringing garlic?!”

To one side, Dennis was expertly roasting a turkey. He had it suspended carefully on a spit, cooking it over an open flame.

He skillfully controlled the heat with magic. Renki stood beside him, diligently learning the art of perfectly roasted turkey.

“It was then! Mr. Styles split his spear into two, gripping a half in each hand, and declared, ‘Listen well, Stan Demonic! From this moment, I shall not evade your attacks! But tell me, can you truly evade mine?’ Mr. Styles’s eyes held such a profound resolve at that moment. I felt a pang of unease. Perhaps our Judge might actually lose to Mr. Styles! Yet, I still believed in our Judge. Because Judge Demonic…”

On another side, Jiwena was playing the role of a lively storyteller.

Amusingly, Jiwena recounted Hay and Stan’s duel as if she had witnessed it firsthand, despite never having seen it. Her narrative was wildly fabricated.

Everyone present was aware of this fact, yet they listened intently, clearly entertained.

Only Illiyan remained an exception.

‘They’ll rehash that story a hundred more times,’ Illiyan grumbled, crunching on a well-grilled onion.

“Mr. Styles, how’s your training progressing? Didn’t you say you were putting a lot of effort into summoning Kasa lately?”

Lorelai, who had been quietly eating meat beside him, inquired. Hay nodded, forming a ‘V’ with his fingers.

“I finally succeeded today.”

“Really? That’s wonderful!”

Lorelai rejoiced as if it were her own triumph.

“Can you summon her now, perhaps?”

“Kasa? Do you want to see her?”

“Of course! If she’s your spirit, Mr. Styles, she must surely be an adorable animal!”

Hay remembered a similar conversation from before. He readily nodded; there was no reason to refuse.

“Alright. I’ll show you. . . . Kasa.”

At Hay’s call, a small, fluffy ball suddenly popped out from the flames where Dennis was roasting the turkey.

Dennis shrieked in surprise, tumbling backward.

“Lord Dennis! Are you alright?”

Renki helped him up. Unperturbed, the small ball of fluff let out a series of yips, darted towards Hay, and then,

“Oh my goodness! What is this? How utterly adorable!”

—it nestled snugly into Lorelai’s arms.

Hay was dumbfounded.

‘I’m the summoner, so why…’

Hay’s Kasa was a red fox with orange-gold eyes and white chest fur. The baby fox, still covered in downy fluff, was lavishing affection on Lorelai rather than her summoner, Hay.

“Yip! Yip!”

“Oh, heavens! What am I to do with her? She’s too cute! Just look at this fluffy tail!”

Lorelai looked utterly thrilled, as if she could die from happiness.

Hay glared at Kasa with a disgruntled expression. Kasa, however, paid him no mind, rubbing her face against Lorelai.

This was by no means a glare born of jealousy.

“Oh! It’s a doggy!”

A new guest arrived: Daisy. Lily and Geo followed closely behind her.

The fox, seeing Daisy running towards her, startled and leaped from Lorelai’s lap. This time, she plunged into the fire where Stan was grilling meat.

Ash billowed upwards, covering the meat.

“Hey! Styles!”

Stan bellowed.

Hay, unjustly blamed, wore an aggrieved expression.

Daisy, disappointed that Kasa had run away, looked downcast.

“Doggy. . . . I wanted to pet her too.”

“The doggy ran away because you chased her like that!”

“You idiots, that’s not a doggy, it’s a fox!”

Geo thumped Daisy on the shoulder as he spoke, prompting Lily to scold them. ‘A fox is a canid, so isn’t calling it a doggy acceptable?’

“Do you kids want some meat?”

“Oh? Can we really eat some?”

Hays’s offer made Lily ask again.

“There’s plenty of meat. The turkey is still roasting too. Go ask that ugly red-haired uncle over there.”

“Yay!”

Lily clenched her fists, then looked for the red-haired man. She turned back to Hay, asking,

“But who’s the ugly red-haired uncle?”

Hay silently pointed a finger at Stan.

****

The following day, in the Administrator’s office.

Hay stood alone, just as he had upon his first arrival, gazing at Arshamond’s portrait.

He had come to see the Administrator for settlement, but she was reportedly in a meeting in the grand conference hall. Thirty minutes had already passed since he began waiting.

Hay returned to his seat and sipped the tea the aide had prepared for him. A short while later, the Administrator, Grena, finally returned.

She seemed a little breathless, as if she had been running. Perhaps it was due to the stairs.

“My apologies. I’m late. The elders are quite verbose, you see. Oh, please don’t get up. Just stay seated.”

Grena smiled awkwardly, stopping Hay as he began to rise to greet her. She caught her breath and sat opposite him.

“It seems time truly flies, doesn’t it, Mr. Styles? The day of your departure is already upon us.”

“Indeed. I feel like I haven’t done much, yet a month has already passed.”

“Haven’t done much? You trained diligently, didn’t you?”

“Thanks to the Administrator granting my requests, my training proceeded very smoothly.”

Grena smiled gently, touching the teapot on the table.

“The tea has gone cold. Shall I have some fresh tea brought in?”

“No, thank you. This is fine.”

“Then I’ll settle the treatment costs for you right away. Today marks the 30th day, and Lorelai’s treatment concluded yesterday, so I’ll pay you for 29 days. As requested, I’ve prepared Cheapel coins.”

Grena opened her pouch, taking out four bundles of fifty gold coins, each the size of a fingernail. She then counted out 32 individual coins and stacked them.

“A total of 232 gold. Is that correct?”

Hay nodded. Grena placed the money back into the pouch and slid it across the table to him.

“Thanks to you, Lorelai’s treatment was successfully completed. Without the spring water, we wouldn’t have been able to finish her recovery so quickly.”

“Are you truly certain it was the spring water that healed Lorelai?”

“Of course. You witnessed it firsthand, didn’t you, the day we first gave Lorelai the spring water? The way the fever subsided.”

Hay considered this silently before nodding. Lorelai was cured, and Hay’s task was complete. There was no longer any need to dwell on the matter.

“I heard you visited the prison this morning. Did you have a good farewell with your friend?”

She was referring to Chen.

“Speaking of which, do you have any intention of releasing Chen?”

“Release him? I apologize, but that would be difficult. He was imprisoned for breaking Arcavilla’s laws, so he must serve his full sentence.”

Grena’s tone was quite firm. Hay had merely brought it up, so he readily nodded.

“What happens to Chen after he completes his sentence?”

“What do you mean, ‘what happens’?”

“He committed a crime. Will he be exiled?”

“Ah, you needn’t worry about that. Before his incarceration, he was already recognized as a wizard of Arcavilla. To be acknowledged as an apprentice to an Arcavilla wizard is akin to being recognized as a resident here.

If he wishes, he can remain here. If not, he may choose to leave. That decision rests with the wizard himself.”

“I see.”

Hay thought of Chen. The Chen he knew was a frightened child who had seen undead on Mount Senugel, a person lost in grief after losing his family.

“Our contract period was until today. You said you would grant all my requests.”

Hay broke the neither long nor short silence.

“Within the bounds of the law, I also said,” Grena replied softly.

“I’m not making an unreasonable demand. This is simply. . . a request.”

Hay looked directly at Grena. She nodded, indicating she was listening.

“People consumed by grief sometimes make misguided choices.”

Whether it be sorrow or rage, people make mistakes when emotional.

“I don’t know what Chen was searching for in the forbidden section, but he must have been desperate to do anything to get his lost family back. However, he broke the law, so he must pay the price.”

A wrong was a wrong. He had no intention of defending it; it wasn’t his place to do so.

“What I’m asking for is regarding what happens after he completes his sentence.”

This was simply an act of meddling, for his own peace of mind.

“If, when he is released, he is still lost, I hope you will show him the way so that he no longer drifts aimlessly.”

“Are you asking me to be that young wizard’s navigator?”

“He doesn’t need a navigator. He must steer his own course. However, to avoid getting lost further, he will need a compass. Right now, there is no one by his side to be his compass.”

No sun to tell him east from west, no North Star to guide him through the night. Not even the moonlight to illuminate the darkness.

“You are kind. To speak so earnestly for a child you barely know. Let’s say I agree to be his compass. What if he refuses help?”

There are some who need help yet refuse it. But that was beyond his control.

“Then he must bear the consequences himself.”

Whether he overcomes it alone, or collapses under the weight.

“Very well. Even though he came from outside, he is now also a son of Arcavilla, so I will do my best.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you for what? I’m simply glad Stan has found a friend like Mr. Styles.”

“We’re not friends.”

“Ah, not friends, but rather like sworn brothers, then.”

“That was just to tease Stan…”

Hay started to retort but then clamped his mouth shut. His expression froze, as if he had heard something terrible.

Grena chuckled softly at his reaction. Hay rose from his seat and offered Grena his hand for a handshake.

“I should be going now. I need to pack. Thank you for everything during my stay.”

“No, I should be thanking you. Thank you for fulfilling my request.”

Hay shrugged at Grena’s words.

“Nonsense. I’ve only gained from my time here. I even earned a considerable sum of money.”

And was it only money he gained? Now, venturing outside, he felt confident he wouldn’t lose to most wizards. He even felt a newfound assurance that if he were to encounter Philly in the labyrinth again, he could give her an enjoyable challenge. Though, of course, he absolutely wished never to cross paths with her again.

“Did you enjoy your stay in Arcavilla?”

“It was interesting. I was told there were many lunatics, but it wasn’t quite as much as I expected.”

“Lunatics?”

“Ah, my master used to say that, and it slipped out. If I offended you…”

Grena waved a hand as he began to apologize.

“Hmm, no. It’s not untrue. Perhaps you feel that way because the mad wizards from Hellheim’s time are no longer here. It was quite something back then. Hellheim was mad, but the Judges at the time were also quite…”

Grena gave an embarrassed laugh.

“It seems those individuals from back then are no longer present?”

“The two relatively moderate ones retired due to age and are now on the Council of Elders, but the other four live outside. Oh, you’re leaving this afternoon, aren’t you?”

“Yes. At 3 o’clock.”

“If you need any supplies, prepare them in advance at the market. As you know, the prices here are different from the outside world. Things that would cost ten times as much outside can be bought cheaply here.”

“That was my plan, actually. Thank you for the advice.”

Grena walked closer to the door and crooked her finger. The door swung open on its own.

“Then farewell, Mr. Styles. And stay healthy.”

“You too, Administrator Demonic. Stay healthy.”

Hay gave a slight nod in farewell and exited the room.

“Mr. Styles.”

Before the door closed, Grena called out, stopping him.

“Mr. Styles, have you also lost someone?”

“…I have. Enough times.”

“And have you ever made the wrong choice because of it?”

“Yes.”

Hay’s answer was lengthy.

“The problem is, I don’t believe those choices were wrong.”

****

The closed office door soon reopened.

Lorelai entered. Grena, who had been attending to her duties, rose from her seat to welcome Lorelai.

“Welcome, Lorelai. How are you feeling?”

“I feel wonderful. It’s all thanks to your consideration, Aunt. Thank you.”

“No need for thanks. Now, are you ready?”

“Yes.”

Lorelai nodded. Grena smiled gently and led her to the round table, where ‘The Book of Truth’ had already been laid out.

“I understand Stan has already explained this to you.”

“Aunt, I was told that if you ask me a question, my truth will be written here.”

“That’s right. Shall we begin immediately?”

“Whenever you’re ready.”

Lorelai replied with a smile, without hesitation.

Grena smiled softly, but her eyes held a noticeably sharp glint. She gently pushed The Book of Truth closer to Lorelai.

“Place your hand upon the book and close your eyes.”

Lorelai followed Grena’s instruction. Grena’s hand rested over Lorelai’s small one.

“Now, focus on my voice.”

And then, the questioning began.

“…Let us return to the moment you met the wizard, ‘Dylan.'”