Tab 1
Chapter 1 — Return to the Past (6)
After so ti, the door to the reception room opened.
"Mr. Ken, please co in."
It was Mr. William who opened the door. He gave a slight bow as he invited the man inside.
"William, there's no need for such formality."
A man stepped into the room. Lijedahl and I rose to our feet. That was when I got my first good look at Mr. Ken: Blond hair, blue eyes, dressed in an old-fashioned white suit from the early 20th century. He looked to be in his thirties, clean-cut, refined in bearing, every gesture asured and gentlemanly. On his face rested a warm and approachable smile.
I straightened my clothes and looked at the man.
"No need to stand, both of you. Please, sit down. There's no need to be so formal," he said, his smile utterly natural, without a hint of pretense.
But who could really know? People's hearts are unpredictable. My wariness did not ease.
"Very well. But allow to introduce myself first—I am Lijedahl."
With a bright smile, she extended her hand. I didn't even have ti to marvel at how quickly her mood had shifted before I, too, extended mine.
"I'm Will, assistant to Miss Lijedahl."
"You are both so courteous. My na is Ken, though you may also call by my magical alias: Igell."
He shook hands with us, still smiling.
We then sat down.
Mr. William quietly brought in three cups of black tea, placed them before us without a word, and then left the room, closing the door behind him.
"Well then, let's get straight to the point, Miss Lijedahl. You claim to wield ti magic? Is that true?"
"Haha, sir, you're certainly direct."
She lifted her cup, took a sip, and answered with confidence.
"That's right. I can use ti magic—and not only use it, but master it."
Crossing her legs, she leaned back with a smile of self-assurance.
I noticed Mr. Ken lean forward slightly, though his smile didn't falter.
"Master it... Miss Lijedahl, are you serious?"
"Yes. Would you like to demonstrate?"
"I would be honored."
She removed her gloves, exposing her delicate hands, then pressed a hand against her wrist.
"Watch closely."
At her words, her hand began to change.
In an instant, wounds appeared, blood flowed, then vanished—each lasting only a few milliseconds. Before my very eyes, her hand shrank, reverting until it beca the tiny hand of an infant.
Monts later, the sequence reversed. Her hand rapidly rewound through ti, shifting back and forth until finally returning to its original form.
Calmly, she slipped her gloves back on, crossed her legs once more, and rested her chin on her hand, tilting her head slightly as she looked at Mr. Ken.
"Do you believe now?"
Mr. Ken's face was etched with astonishnt. In his eyes burned the fire of curiosity, though he quickly reined it in with reason.
"I believe you."
Then his gaze shifted to .
"However, Mr. Will, you don't seem surprised."
Clever. Using my lack of reaction to her magic as an opening to test .
"That's right. I don't understand magic."
"Oh?"
He looked to Lijedahl.
"Then why? Why would you serve as her assistant?"
"You can ask Miss Lijedahl that. I'm not entirely sure why she chose ."
Ken turned to her. She leisurely took another sip of tea before replying.
"No special reason. It's simply that he doesn't interfere with my magical research by spouting unwanted opinions."
She said it so lightly, so naturally, that even I almost believed it.
"Hahaha, what a truly unique outlook."
She smiled politely.
"Thank you for the complint."
Mr. Ken took a sip of tea, set his cup down, and then continued.
"I also heard from William that you are proficient in air magic."
I could feel the intensity in his gaze. The subject of air magic clearly gripped him deeply.
The mont he spoke, my teacup floated into the air.
It hovered steadily, the surface of the tea perfectly still, as if suspended in place.
With a small gesture from Lijedahl, the cup gently lowered back onto the table.
"My goodness... the stability of that magic..."
He couldn't help his astonishnt. Lijedahl, however, remained as calm as ever.
"Will that do?"
"More than enough, Miss Lijedahl."
He composed himself again, then addressed us.
"Though I'd love to ask much more, let us return to business. How much do you want in exchange for teaching the knowledge of air and ti magic?"
"No."
Lijedahl cut him off imdiately.
"What we need is not money. What we need is for you to provide and assist us with certain matters."
"And what would those be?"
"First, secure a residence for us—a place to live far from the city. As for what assistance we'll require... We'll tell you when the ti cos."
"... That sounds fair. Though I suspect it won't be as simple as you make it sound."
He chuckled, and Lijedahl returned his smile.
"So then... your answer?"
"Why not?"
They shook hands. The deal was struck.
"However!"
Ken added, "I must add one condition of my own."
"And what would that be?"
"You must record your ti magic—in written form or in a magic circle—so that it remains."
"Of course."
…
I hadn't spoken a word the entire ti, simply watching everything unfold.
When we finally stood, the conversation was over.
"Well then, I still have other matters to attend to. Please, feel free to move around the Morory Manor as you wish."
"Alright."
"Oh! And, Miss Lijedahl."
"What is it?"
"You are very clever and full of surprises."
"Thank you."
With that, he left the room, and once again, only the two of us remained.
"Well... I'll be going now."
I spoke to Lijedahl.
Seeing that she gave no response, I decided not to linger.
"Will..."
I turned back. The composure she'd shown earlier was gone, replaced instead by a sorrow I couldn't understand.
"I thought you were already fine now."
"..."
I didn't really understand her — I knew that. But I vaguely sensed that she wanted soone to understand her.
"So... what do you want to do?"
She slowly lifted her head. Her pale green eyes hooked onto mine.
"You... you don't want to avoid anymore?"
She had noticed my attempt to keep my distance.
"Uh... let's go. Let hear what's on your mind."
I pushed the door open, waiting for her response.
"Mhm."
We walked through the corridors of the manor. The halls were vast and quiet.
Through the classical windows along the passage, I saw that the snow outside had stopped. A few servants were sweeping it away not far off.
"Lijedahl, let's go for a walk outside."
"Alright."
So we went downstairs, heading for the main door.
As we ca down the staircase, soone crossed the hall toward us.
"Eh? Where are you two going?"
It was Jona.
She was holding a biscuit in her hand, with crumbs still clinging to her lips.
"Nothing, just taking a walk. Look — the snow has stopped."
"Really?"
Jona peeked out the window.
"Wow! It really has."
She turned, excited, and shouted back toward the hall.
"Anna! The snow stopped. Let's go have a snowball fight!"
The reply ca almost instantly from within.
"Don't even think about it! You haven't finished Teacher Ken's assignnt yet!"
"Aw, co on..."
Her enthusiasm vanished.
"Alright, alright, I'll do it right away..."
She turned to us with a sulky face.
"Guess you'll have to play without . I'll go first."
"Oh... okay."
She ran off, and we stepped outside.
The mont we opened the door, the cold air rushed in.
I shut the door behind us. Lijedahl walked at my side, and we moved on in silence.
The atmosphere felt awkward — just like that ti before, when her eyes had turned blood-red.
I had no idea what she was thinking. When I glanced at her, I noticed she was also looking at .
I quickly turned my gaze away, and she did the sa.
"Uh, Lijedahl, say sothing."
It felt like soone had to break the silence, so I did.
"... I don't know what to say."
"... Then why did we co out here?"
"Weren't you the one who asked to?"
I had no way to argue with that.
"Uh... then let ask you sothing."
"Fine..."
"Why do your emotions shift so much?"
I turned to look at her. She also turned to look at .
"What?"
"Isn't it true? Just earlier, you were so... quiet. But with Mr. Ken, you spoke with ease—confident and composed.”
Her cheeks flushed slightly, though her eye color hadn't changed.
"That's because... I was negotiating terms with him. Should I really show him the sa side I show to you?"
"... No, that's not what I ant. It's just that your emotional shifts are so extre. Most people couldn't pull that off."
"..."
She fell silent again.
But if I stayed silent too, nothing would be resolved.
"Lijedahl, I don't understand you. Honestly, we haven't known each other long, and I don't know what you're thinking."
She turned her face aside. I could tell it wasn't dismissal — she was trying to hide sothing.
"... Will, I don't understand you either."
"Yeah, I know."
I paused, then lightly tapped her arm.
She instinctively turned to look at .
"So we should try to understand each other — not hide in silence."
In her eyes, I caught faint traces of yellow and a hint of blue.
"'Silence is golden' only applies to strangers, not to friends. Lijedahl, even though we haven't known each other long, we've fled together, we've crossed ti together. Whether or not we were close before, we're already friends."
I leaned down a little, closer to her.
"So there's no need to hold back. Our bond is solid."
"Will..."
Her expression grew complicated — a mixture of relief and a faint touch of emotion. A subtle yellow tint colored her eyes.
At last, she smiled faintly. We both let out a short laugh.
"Haha... haha. Will, how can you say things like that? I always thought you were so serious."
"Really? Maybe it's because we're friends."
"You an we weren't before?"
"Before, I didn't know if you considered a friend."
"And now?"
"Now I know. Do I really need to say more?"
"Thank you... Oh, how many tis have I thanked you already?"
"I lost count. Maybe there'll be more in the future."
Her cheerfulness returned, and I was glad to see it.
Though I still knew so little about her, perhaps, in ti, I'd fill in those gaps.
December 17, 1920.
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