I'm a court magician. Recently, I’ve been worrying about the princess staring at me. - Chapter 2
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- I'm a court magician. Recently, I’ve been worrying about the princess staring at me.
- Chapter 2 - A walk under the cold sky.
It was the night after my secret audience with Her Royal Highness.
The sky through the window was clear, with countless stars twinkling on a black backdrop.
“…”
I was staring at the night sky while lying on a sofa inside my office. I had a tea snack on my desk and a blanket covering my torso. I don’t think I can call this an office anymore.
I often stayed in this room—it was more comfortable than home—so these supplies were a necessity.
What? Work, you say? Tomorrow’s share was already done. At the moment, I had nothing to do.
“What should I do…”
I was completely free.
Why don’t I find something to do that isn’t related to work? I had already read every textbook in the office, and if I tried to help a colleague, I’d end up on the receiving end of Milena-san’s fist… Huh. I shouldn’t overwork.
Well, telling myself that wouldn’t get rid of my free time. I wasn’t sleepy, and I wasn’t hungry. If that was the case…
“…I think I’ll go for a walk.”
The physical activity would hopefully tire me out, and it would kill most of my spare time.
I donned the robe that hung on the wall, put my rapier around my waist, and left the office.
There I encountered Milena-san, who had just finished her work.
“Oh, a walk?”
“Yes, I don’t have anything to do right now.”
“You could get a head start on tomorrow’s work…”
“Already finished it.”
“…I have no words.”
Milena-san cracked her neck and left the room, suppressing a yawn. She was probably on her way to the lounge.
Moments later, I found myself walking down a hallway in the royal palace. The light of the full moon shone through the window, illuminating the dark passageway brighter than the candlelight did.
I pulled my collar close and exhaled, and the air turned white for a moment before dissipating.
Spring had just begun, but the air was still cold at this time of year… rather, it was just always cold. My hands were sensitive to this kind of weather. Why didn’t I bring any gloves with me…
“I’m glad I brought tea.”
I removed my flask from my pocket—one with a heat-retaining charm—and brought it to my mouth. Apologies for drinking while walking, but you’ll have to forgive me. It was just too cold.
I could feel the warmth spread in my abdomen after passing through my throat. It was an extremely pleasant sensation.
I didn’t have a destination in mind, but there were only a limited number of places to go in this palace. A library full of books. A dining hall. Neither was open right now, but I had no business in either place to begin with. So there was really only one option.
“I’m going to the garden.”
This was the only place where I could enjoy a walk. The faint scent of osmanthus permeated through the air, and a variety of other flowers were in full bloom under the moonlight. The fountain’s surface clearly reflected the moon. The gentle trickling of water and pleasant floral scent relaxed me.
This was where I would often go when I had too much time on my hands. I came here during lunch; for small breaks; on a night walk. In a way, I was very fond of this place. It was a comfortable environment, and the rest of the royal palace just wasn’t as pleasant an area to walk at night.
I was the type to prefer a countryside surrounded by nature, with relatively few people, over a bustling city. I didn’t like places with crowds.
I sat on the bench and gazed at the water streaming from the fountain. The surface was white from the moonlight.
Here, I could almost forget the flow of time. It was the perfect place to idle about. The only problem was the cold. I couldn’t stay without a hot drink.
It’s possible to use magic to keep your internal temperature warm, but if you keep doing it, you could run out of mana to use in an emergency. I usually tried not to rely too much on magic. My old master taught me this principle.
Fortunately, my robe helped me endure the cold.
Lost in thought while listening to the gentle trickling of water, I felt a drowsiness creep up on me. This was what I wanted, right? I felt like I was going to fall asleep on the spot…
“Hold on, I… if I sleep here… I’ll die.”
Contrary to my words, my eyelids gradually fluttered shut. My vision turned dark, and the sound of water became distant. Alone under the cold sky, while sitting on a bench in the gardens at night… maybe it wouldn’t be too bad. I’ll just sleep here. The temperature would probably be the same in the morning as it was now.
With this thought in my heart, I quickly drifted off into sleep.
***
“…nn……yes…”
How long have I been asleep? I woke up to the sound of a faint voice next to me. A beautiful voice, transparent as bell chimes, that sounded quite familiar.
When I opened my eyes, my vision was hazy. Immediately I shuddered, as if remembering the cold that my body had forgotten. This is what happens when you sleep outside on a chilly night… Be careful.
“…Princess?”
“—Huh!?”
Illuminated by the moon, the beautiful princess let out a surprised yelp.
Her face was next to my own.