Magic Maker - How to make magic in another world - - Chapter 92

Magic Maker – How to make magic in another world –

Chapter 92   Milhya’s true intention 1

I’m not sure about the exact size of the castle, but it gave me the impression of a maze.

Upon entering from the main entrance, there was a hall, and the structure allowed access to the second floor from there.

There were numerous doors on both sides and in front, with no signs or labels, making it nearly impossible to discern where each door led.

Recalling two weeks ago, I distinctly remember heading down the left corridor and being made to wait in a room along the way.

The audience chamber was not in the central depths of the castle but rather in a surprisingly distant location.

This might be to prevent immediate access in the event of an attack.

Perhaps for this reason, the path from the main gate of the royal capital to the castle was also intricate.

It twisted and turned, and although the castle was visible, reaching it was not as straightforward as going straight ahead.

“This way.”

Guided by the gatekeeper, we headed to the left.

It was likely leading to a waiting room.

There, I would probably have to wait for several tens of minutes before proceeding to the audience chamber.

However, it’s just a report, and the queen wouldn’t move to the audience chamber for my sake every time.

Two weeks ago, she might have seen me for instructions, to see my face, and during the ennoblement, to make my presence known to officials and nobles, among other reasons.

It’s not easy for someone like me, the son of an honorary noble, to be granted the title of a marquis.

I have no idea about the queen’s intentions or thoughts.

I can only vaguely sense it, at best.

She remains a distant figure for me, and I have no ambition to get closer to her. In fact, I think it’s better that way.

However, becoming a marquis might complicate things.

There must be some intention behind the ennoblement.

In the future, she might assign me some kind of mission.

Handling lazy syndrome and the demon race.

I still don’t know the details, except for what I asked Duke Balkh, so I can’t say much.

Anyway, it all starts with listening to what she has to say.

“Please, wait here.”

It was the waiting room I had been to before.

The gatekeeper who guided me bowed, closed the door, and left.

Left alone in the room, I sat in a chair, passing the time.

After about ten minutes, there was a knock on the door.

“We apologize for the wait. The queen is ready to see you. Please follow us.”

Several maids came to escort me.

Led by them, I left the waiting room.

We turned several corners in the hallway, moving from the main building to a separate wing.

It wasn’t in the direction of the audience chamber.

I wondered where we were going.

After ascending a spiral staircase and continuing down the hallway, we finally reached a few rooms.

It was quite far from the entrance.

A simple carpet stretched along the corridor.

Candelabras were evenly spaced, and chandeliers hung from the ceiling at regular intervals, though less ornate compared to the main building.

There wasn’t much splendor for a place where the queen would be.

Continuing down the corridor, we reached the end, and a thick door came into view.

It looked substantial, giving the impression that something important lay beyond.

Just as I thought we were going to enter there, the maids turned their bodies to the left.

Huh? Over there?

At that moment, the maids spoke towards the door with a melodic and appropriately modulated tone, reminiscent of a bell’s sound.

“We’ve brought him.”

“Enter.”

The maids stepped aside, indicating for me to enter.

It seemed that I was expected to open the door myself.

Were they not going to come in?

Before I could ponder that question, I placed my hand on the door handle.

A simple door, no different from an ordinary one you might find in town.

However, the voice coming from inside was undoubtedly the queen’s.

I opened the door.

The view unfolded before me.

It was a study.

Shelves filled with books covered one entire wall.

The distinctive scent of books reached my nostrils the moment I entered.

The room was about thirty tatami mats in size.

Within, there were only bookshelves, a desk, and inexplicably, a small bed toward the back.

Although there were several small windows near the ceiling, not much light reached the interior.

Perhaps it was to prevent excessive sun exposure.

Despite that, the room wasn’t dark. Even though it was early afternoon, candles on various candelabras throughout the room were lit.

The door closed slowly behind me.

It seemed the maids had closed it.

As I cautiously advanced, trying to sense the faint presence in the room, I found it cluttered and full of blind spots, making it difficult to see clearly.

“Over here, this way.”

A light-toned voice reached me from the back.

As I moved in that direction, I eventually reached a desk.

There she was, the queen… or was she?

There was a reason I doubted it.

Firstly, her appearance was rather unkempt. She wore a thin shirt casually, almost resembling a pantsuit.

Her hair was disheveled.

And her expression, how should I put it, resembled that of a sloppy woman in her thirties who had partied too hard the night before, now suffering from a hangover and troubled by a headache.

There was no vitality. Thinking back to the queen I met two weeks ago, it felt like a completely different person.

Though she was beautiful, she lacked the dignified aura.

The issue extended to her actions.

Several books were casually piled on the desk, and there were many such piles.

The peculiarly balanced towers of books wobbled when she turned the pages roughly.

Resting her cheek on her hand, yawning lazily, rubbing her eyes, and then turning the pages again.

Who would believe that this was the queen, the ruler of the Kingdom of Lystia?

“Ah, you’re here. Come over here.”

Waving her hand playfully, not like a queen but more like an office worker, I bowed my head respectfully.

Due to the unexpectedly light atmosphere, I responded in a manner similar to when encountering an acquaintance from work on the street, creating a slightly awkward moment.

“Oh, thank you.”

“Yeah. Sit over there.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Following her instructions, I sat in the chair next to the desk.

I was nervous.

However, my mind was more occupied with countless questions than with the feelings of tension.

“Um, excuse me, Queen Milhya… right?”

“Hmm? What are you talking about? We met two weeks ago, didn’t we?”

“Yes, we did.”

It was just too different.

Physically, she undeniably looked like the queen.

However, her attitude and attire were too dissimilar.

Rather than believing she was the same person as the queen, it seemed more plausible that she was the queen’s twin.

“Oh, I see. That’s what it is. Well, this is how I usually am. Only a handful of people know about it. If you can’t believe it, should I tell you something only the queen would know? Like the fact that you’re the descendant of the fallen Rugure in the war a thousand years ago. Or perhaps stories about your foster father Gawain, who used to serve me?”

In this brief moment, she disclosed things that only a few people would know.

Well, there was no doubt she was the queen.

I was just surprised.

That’s just how she is.

I just needed to rewrite the data in my mind.

Alright, data rewritten.

“No, I believe you. I apologize for the misunderstanding.”

“Good. People usually react that way when they see me for the first time. Most people can’t adapt so quickly. You’re one of the fast adapters.”

Well, it’s difficult to accept that the queen is usually sloppy.

Everyone has some preconceptions, after all.

“This place is my study. Unlike the library, it’s where I’ve personally gathered books. I spend most of my time here. People rarely visit, and I can work undisturbed. It’s hard to have a decent conversation in the audience chamber.”

“So, that’s why you called me here.”

“Exactly. I’ve heard your report, and I know about the past two weeks. But before we get to the main topic, there’s something you need to do.”

The queen straightened herself and turned towards me. Surprisingly, she slightly lowered her head.

“I apologize. I caused inconvenience due to the mishandling on my part.”

I never expected the Queen of a country to bow her head.

A Queen is not a commoner.

If you’re a Queen, you cannot live as a regular person. A Queen is never on an equal footing with anyone, and bowing one’s head is a significant matter.

For the head of a country to apologize to an individual is almost unheard of. Verbal apologies might be possible, but bowing one’s head is unprecedented.

Yet, she was bowing her head.

I actually thought there might be some kind of punishment.

Regardless of who I am, if I disobey the queen’s orders, I won’t receive special treatment. The commoner and the queen are in different realms, living in completely different worlds.

Maybe it was because of this common understanding that I was thrown off, and I couldn’t help but ask.

“Um, does that mean I won’t be punished?”

The queen lifted her face and looked at me with a puzzled expression, as if my question had not been specified.

“Blowing away Fritz, whom I appointed as the captain of the guard? Moreover, it seems you took a rather high-handed attitude towards the upper-class nobles of the Adon Empire, but there’s no need to worry. Normally, if you defy my orders, punishment is unavoidable. Unless there’s a very good reason. Also, disrespecting and neglecting a dignitary from another country, especially from an empire, could lead to capital punishment. However, that won’t happen, and there will be no punishment. I promise.”

Punishment, capital punishment.

Those words were thrown around, but the premise was that there was no need to worry.

“Is that because I’m someone who can treat the Laziness Syndrome?”

If I was being treated specially, my feelings would be complicated. I didn’t act that way because I had special privileges. If I had been acting arrogantly just because I had special treatment, I would be no different from the arrogant nobles. They take responsibility for their actions with conviction, not just because they have privileges. They harbor prejudices and just want to oppress others. They want to feel superior just because they’re in a higher position. I didn’t want to associate with such people, even if I unintentionally relied on someone else’s authority. It was a reality I didn’t want to accept. But.

“No, that’s irrelevant.”

The queen casually dismissed my words.

“I-Is it really irrelevant?”

“Not at all. First of all, I never said, ‘Prioritize the treatment of Adon’s nobles.’ I just gave permission for Laziness Syndrome treatment. I also included the words ‘according to Shion’s instructions.’ Fritz, on his own, assumed, ‘Because they are an imperial noble, they should be prioritized for treatment,’ and even lied, saying it was my order. He has a tendency to look down on commoners too much. Probably, those words came from his distorted thoughts. He distorted the queen’s orders, used them to exert power, and, in addition to suspension, faced demotion.”

“S-So that’s how it is. But I was the one who punched him…”

“While you are not completely blameless, there’s no problem in this case. The same goes for Adon’s nobles. Originally, concerning the treatment of people from other countries, we made a pledge not to initiate treatment unless there’s a special reason. The prioritization of treatment for non-Lystians has already been established as a policy in each country. That’s why Shion will be conducting a Laziness Syndrome treatment workshop. It’s to treat everyone equally. This also applies to the Adon Empire.”

“So, does that mean… the treatment for that noble was arranged by Queen Milhya?”

“Yes. However, not because it’s Adon, but because we have a certain number of permissions for the treatment of people from other countries unless there’s a special reason. We ensure that we don’t grant permission for sudden visits to maintain equality. That’s why I instructed to follow your guidance. However, Fritz misunderstood and obstructed the treatment for the noble. He probably didn’t expect a commoner to be prioritized over a noble. Due to the recent issues, technically, I could have revoked the permission for treating Adon’s nobles, but Shion’s leniency prevented that. He won’t cause any more trouble in this state.”

“Why not? Adon is a, um, powerful nation, right? Even if you had conditions for treatment, can you really offset the fact that you were disrespectful to Adon’s nobles?”

The words ‘keep your promise because it’s a promise!’ require certain conditions to be honored. Various factors, such as trust between parties, are important, but first and foremost, being ‘equal’ is crucial. People who genuinely keep promises, even with partners it’s okay to betray, are not that common. Breaking a promise indicates a lack of regard for the other person. If, for an unavoidable reason, a promise is broken, a person should sincerely apologize or find a way to seek forgiveness and act accordingly. This applies between nations as well.

“Well then, our country is a small nation, inferior not only to Adon but also to other countries. Until now, we couldn’t adopt such a firm stance. However, the situation has drastically changed.”

“What exactly happened?”

“What are you saying? It’s you.”

The queen tilted her chin, wearing an expression of disbelief.

“Me? Huh? What about me?”

“Why are you surprised? It’s only natural. Besides, you should be well aware of it when you set foot in this land. Without you, Laziness Syndrome cannot be treated. At least, not as effectively. Laziness Syndrome has spread worldwide, although it’s relatively stagnant. The treatment isn’t complete. In our country, people affected by Laziness Syndrome exist not only in the capital but also in Istria. Tens of thousands are bedridden, incapable of doing anything, causing significant economic damage. Moreover, the only means to counteract the demonic race is magic. Considering the possibility of a one-sided attack by the demonic race, your existence is unique. While you may not be used as a negotiation tool yet, you’re invaluable. Everyone understands this, and it’s the same for other nations. Only you can solve this. You should understand how important you are.”

There was no surprise in the queen’s words. Because I already understood. Originally, I knew about this to some extent. So why am I so surprised? Probably because I didn’t truly feel it. You can only imagine with words or text. So even though I felt like I understood, there was no real realization. However, being directly told by the Queen of Lystia made me understand. My worth.

“As for the demonic race… to be frank, few people from other countries believe in it. It’s an event within Istria, and even within Lystia, the existence of the demonic race remains in the realm of rumors. Your powers and magic, for that matter, fall into the same category. Only a very small portion of people have actually seen it. There are just rumors that you somehow saved the city. For now, the intention is to maintain that situation.”

With my brain still in shock, I forced it to work.

“Why is that? Wouldn’t spreading rumors about the existence of the demonic race and my magical abilities make people in other countries believe and be more vigilant during the next Scarlet Night? People from other countries don’t know about Scarlet Nights, Rugure, or the demonic race, right?”

“Most of them don’t, that’s correct. A very small fraction of people might possibly know about the events from a thousand years ago. I learned from the books left by the king from a thousand years ago, but it’s not guaranteed that other countries have similar history books. However, that’s only history. The fact that Shion, who is a Rugure, exists, or that the demonic race might reappear, those things they wouldn’t know. Naturally, this applies to the next Scarlet Night as well. During the last Scarlet Night, many people with magical power fell victim to the lazy syndrome, and they were unconscious. Only a handful of people, like Shion and your ally Rose, were able to perceive the existence of entities that could only be seen in the presence of the scarlet night and magical power akin to a Wraith during the Scarlet Night. People won’t believe the words of such a small number of individuals, especially since they haven’t directly seen the existence of the demonic race. Except for the appearance of Einzwerf, there have been no reports of demonic races appearing outside of Istria. That means even if people with magical power notice the Scarlet Night, their understanding would be limited to ‘the sky is red.’ Alternatively, it’s possible that the demonic race appeared and was defeated in some other country, but they’re deliberately hiding it. In that case, the question would arise as to who defeated the demonic race. Currently, the only person capable of using magic is Shion, who is a Rugure. While there might be others with magical power, they likely wouldn’t be on Shion’s level, considering the nature of magical composition. There might be people with magical power, but it’s doubtful that they can use magic. There aren’t many individuals like Shion who can elevate a small question into a technological advancement. In other words, people who are aware of the two Scarlet Nights and the existence of Wraiths are almost nonexistent in other countries. Even if there were a few who were aware, they wouldn’t have the freedom to alert the nation or take action, as these phenomena are invisible to others.”

I pondered over the thoughts while listening to the Queen’s words, not readily accepting everything. I still didn’t know if she was an ally, an enemy, or something in between.

“Wouldn’t it be better to convey this information, then?”

“Do you remember the earlier discussion? I mentioned that I couldn’t take a strong stance against other countries in the past. It wasn’t about trying to establish a dominant position over other nations. Lystia is a small country. If invaded by another nation, we’d be in deep trouble. There hasn’t been a large-scale war for a thousand years. However, the number of magical beasts has decreased, and currently, we can handle them by dispatching a certain number of extermination squads. As a result, the threat from magical beasts has diminished. If that’s the case, can you guess what comes next?”

“…Conflicts among humans over territory?”

“It’s not limited to territory, but that’s close enough. A thousand years ago, the power among various countries was evenly matched. Because of that, wars were constant, and conflicts kept arising. However, the era ended with the appearance of the demonic race, and nations joined forces. If a common enemy appears, it’s natural for people to cooperate. With Rugure’s assistance, the demonic race was sealed. The ‘weaker demonic creatures’ that weren’t sealed continued to exist and breed, engaging in conflicts with humans. Their numbers exceeded that of humans, and even after the sealing of the demonic race, humans cooperated to tirelessly exterminate these creatures. However, over a thousand years, the situations in various countries have changed. Lystia lost its national strength, and the Adon Empire gained power. Similarly, other countries underwent similar changes, developing distinctive characteristics as individual nations. With the extermination of magical beasts and the onset of a superficial peace, people resumed conflicts. The ones targeted first are the nearest, less fortified, and militarily weaker nations. A country located near the center of the continent—”

“Lystia, right?”

I’m not particularly knowledgeable about geography or history, but I know that much. Even though my mother tried to teach me, I’m just not that interested…

“Well then. Originally, Lystia was located in the central-western part of the continent, but due to the territorial expansion of the Adon Empire that occurred simultaneously with the demonic invasion, it contracted to the central part of the continent. It became a sort of Cold War situation. It was clear that, in a few years, Lystia would become a colony of the Adon Empire.”

I knew that Lystia was a small country. However, I didn’t know it had been cornered to such an extent.

“If the Adon Empire were so inclined, Lystia would have no means to resist. Becoming a colony of the empire would undoubtedly entail oppression and heavy taxes. I tried to prevent that by seeking alliances with other nations and making contact with influential nobles within the Adon Empire while gathering information, but there was no longer any viable option. However, fortunately or unfortunately, the onset of the lazy syndrome and the appearance of the demonic race occurred. And I learned that Shion was involved in the treatment and extermination of them. There was no time to lose. In other words, I—utilizing your existence—have been engaging in transactions with other nations. Hence, ‘yet’ your magical abilities and identity cannot be clearly known. We must avoid letting this information be widely known among many people and the upper echelons of other nations.”

“So, that’s why you’re telling me not to use magic?”

“Yes. If it becomes known that you can use magic and that lazy syndrome treatment can be reliably carried out, individuals from other countries might forcibly attempt to abduct you. Currently, it’s not known that you are the only one who can counter the demonic race. Also, regarding lazy syndrome treatment, it’s not known that it can be performed through magic. Although a mysterious treatment method that gradually heals by merely touching is becoming known, it’s not immediate. It will gradually permeate, and eventually, during the next scarlet night, it’s necessary to effectively make others understand your power when the existence of the demonic race becomes more clearly widespread worldwide. By doing so, it’s crucial to make known the ‘importance and necessity of you’ and that ‘Lystia has the right to it.’ At the current stage, talking about you being the only one who can use magic and counter the demonic race lacks credibility. That means people don’t know about your importance. At this point, the possibility of abduction is low, but I thought it prudent to assign guards. However, even within the country, things aren’t unified, and I could only assign someone like that… There’s a shortage of personnel in various aspects. We didn’t have enough manpower to assign many soldiers to the guards of the chosen ones who gathered from other countries. That’s why, due to the shortage, I entrusted the security of your move to Duke Balkh.”

I began to break down the Queen’s words little by little. Her words gradually entwined with my rationality.

I found myself in the midst of a disturbance that not only involved Lystia but other countries as well. I felt like I was being forcefully made to understand this situation. Even though I should have known.

Understanding, seeing, hearing, and experiencing are different things.

Am I not experiencing it right now?

Even so, the impact is profound.

No, I shouldn’t be thinking about this now. Let’s continue listening to the story.

“Now, I’ve talked about the situation in our country and with other nations, about Fritz and the Adon nobles, and the reasons for prohibiting the use of magic. Any other points of concern? I can’t talk for too long.”

In response to the Queen’s question, I pondered. Honestly, there were many things I wanted to ask. About my origins, about the woman who brought me here, but I didn’t know if it was the right time to ask those questions now. Opportunities to talk to the head of the country, Queen Milhya, are not likely to come often, and there isn’t much time for this conversation. After a few seconds of contemplation, I spoke.