Volume 2 Chapter 41 Strip Chess I
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The area in the north of the main castle, where the female magicians live, was open and roomy.
A wide stone staircase led to Maribel’s house, and there were several houses ahead where the paths split on both sides of the stairs.
Christy called it the ‘North Building,’ but it was really Maribel’s living area. If you looked at the whole north area, it looked like a small town or street.
The white stairs and white buildings seemed to float in the darkness of the night.
There were flower beds here and there on the stairs, and tropical flowers and tall palm trees were planted.
There seemed to be a way for water to flow somewhere, as soft water sounds could be faintly heard while going up the stairs.
”My building is here”
Saying that, Christy turned off the stairs onto a side path when they were quite close to Maribel’s building.
The red color showing the hidden equipment was also very close now.
It seemed that the equipment was sleeping somewhere under the top of the stairs──under Maribel’s building.
(Was there a cliff behind the building, or was it pointing to something under the building?)
The ghosts that came back couldn’t talk, and there was no way to tell.
But if it’s sleeping underground, that’s a problem.
It might be too dangerous to go get it, so they might have to give up.
”Kian?”
”No, nothing”
”Hey, I was just wondering, you’ve been looking at Manon’s mansion for a while now, haven’t you? You asked me what’s there if you go up north from the courtyard.”
Holding her bag on her hip, the black-haired witch sent a suspicious look at Kian.
Kian had a faint smile on his face.
”I thought it was a big mansion. It reminded me of the old days.”
”A long time ago… Was that when you lived in Azrael?”
”Yes, Azrael’s towns are full of huge buildings carved into the rocky mountains. I don’t know what they’re like now though.”
”Did you live in that ‘huge building’?”
”I’ll leave that to your imagination”
”I’d like to know at least the identity of the person who’s letting me share my sofa for a night.”
”Do you dislike mysterious men?”
”I wonder”
Christy stared at Kian without blinking.
”I’m more worried about my safety than if I like or dislike you. Unfortunately, I seem to think differently than most girls.”
”I have never hurt a woman before, and I probably never will. If you don’t believe me, should I tie you up?”
”I’ll think about it.”
After saying that, Christy took out a bunch of keys from somewhere and turned her back.
She put her long index finger through a ring and started to spin it around.
As Kian followed her, the stone statues of winged monsters on each side of the path began to move smoothly as if they were alive and bared their teeth at him.
”…”
”Those gargoyles react to men who think naughty thoughts.”
While putting the key into the door of a white 2-story house, Christy said in a cold voice.
”Is that true?”
”Just kidding.”
The lady magician said casually, then opened the turquoise door and looked back at Kian.
”It’s fine, so come over quickly. And I think you know, but please wipe the mud off your shoes with this stick before entering. It will be a hassle if the inside gets dirty.”
* * *
Beyond the door was a large living room space.
There is no entrance or hallway, they just enter the living room.
There were large candlesticks in each corner of the room, and when Christy snapped her fingers, the candles lit up.
The large candle on the table in the center of the room also lit up.
The large candle had a sweet vanilla-like scent, probably due to the natural fragrances derived from plants.
It’s a smell that can be felt together with the flower-like scent coming from Christy’s body.
The flowery smell was perfume, and the sweet smell was this aroma.
It was a dark space lit only by candles, but there were many pots of herbs lined up by the windows and walls.
The interior of the living room is neat and tidy, with just the addition of a fireplace.
Compared to Aliona’s room in the monastery, this place had no homey feel, like looking at a house before it goes up for sale.
This was probably because she was hardly ever here.
It looked like they cleaned really well, so there wasn’t any dust flying around.
”What do you think of my room?”
”I grew up learning that it’s not polite to stare at a woman’s room.”
Mainly from Sarah.
Strangely, she was not very good at cleaning and often asked the helpers to do it for her.
Still, Sarah usually made a bigger mess, so Kian often saw her messy room.
Once, he had to clean up and ended up holding one of her underwear (by the way, after that, he got beaten up badly during sword practice).
”The workshop downstairs is messy. The bedroom and kitchen feel a bit more like home, but I definitely won’t let you in there.”
She said “Just sit wherever” and opened the door to the back room, disappearing inside.
As the door closed, the fireplace suddenly flared up, sending sparks flying.
That was dangerous.
While Kian sat and waited in the chair at the table, Christy came back soon after washing off her makeup.
Even without eyeliner or lipstick, she was still beautiful.
Actually, she looked even more charming without makeup.
”There’s a place behind the house where you can wash yourself, so if you want to get clean, use that. I’ll be taking a warm bath.”
”Thank you very much.”
”If you peek, I’ll kill you”
She said just that and opened the door behind Kian, which was separate from the bedroom.
It seems to be connected underground.
(I heard the sound of running water outside, so I guess there’s water running underground. For the bath, instead of pouring heated water into the bathtub (as is common), there must be a tap that pours in water from underground.)
’Then just use magic to make it boil and that is it’
(It’s not a big house, but it’s convenient and looks like a comfortable place to live.)
Probably, as the female magicians’ status rises, she will be able to afford a mansion and a full complement of servants.
Moreover, all maintenance and labor costs should be paid by the public treasury.
She is somewhat of an aristocrat.
Being a magician for the Margrave might be a good job if one does not want too much.
Especially for Christy, who seems to dislike power struggles, this might be the best place for her.
(Just as Maribel’s needs matched Christy’s, it seems Christy got what she wanted from Maribel too.)
It feels like the relationship between the two, which he only watched from a distance until now, is slowly becoming clear.
Christy, who just showed her face from the door, added.
”I won’t be back for about an hour.”
”Then I will use the water area during that time.”
”Use this to dry yourself.”
He received the white cloth she threw.
Christy said “See you” and closed the door.
After he heard the sound of the lock clicking, he could hear her footsteps going down the stairs.
Kian got up from the sofa.
’Are you going to peek?’
(I won’t do such a silly thing. If I’m going to do something, I would rush into the bathroom naked.)
’Since there is a barrier, the only way to break through it is to use a magic sword.’
(For now, I will stay a gentleman. Now then)
Kian stared at the back door that should lead to the house’s rear.
Meanwhile, he summons the two wraiths who made the mistake earlier.
Kian took off the Windsong Blade from its holder and pressed it against his tengu, then walked towards the back door.
”Fox. You’re the towel guy.”
’……’
The fox masked wraith holds a white cloth in her arms and remains still.
Tengu just stands there holding the magic sword.
(Oh no. They might have less brains than Crow.)
After all, they don’t do anything until he give them an order.
It just stands there.
(If I give them more things, will they become smarter?)
’It depends on what you give them. The best thing is to have someone with a brain take them in alive’
(Like Leanan Sídhe did to Sophia?)
’Uh huh’
”…I should have captured those Azraelian assassins instead of just killing them”
’If a few refugees disappear from the street market, no one will notice. How about choosing a young and healthy one to take?’
”I will think about it. But if we are going to take someone, it would be better to choose one with a stronger body. I wish these guys could use magic too.”
Kian had watched Aliona and Christy, along with the magician, and he was starting to feel how useful and strong magic really was.
If possible, Kian also wanted to learn magic besides the vampire magic he already knew.
When Kian opened the back door, he turned back to the wraiths.
”Come with me. While I am taking a bath, please take care of my things.”
* * *
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply