Chapter 40 – Uninvited Guest

Seisil did not go home, but remained buried in books in a corner of the Mage Tower library.

In any case, even if he went home, there would be nothing there except dull servants who did not understand the fun of a joke, and nothing to do besides eat, wash, and sleep.

But at the Mage Tower, his workplace, there was more than enough to do even outside official schedules. He had to research a way to restore Lyle’s damaged eyes, and secretly uncover a way to drive Sadea away. Moreover, now he had to investigate everything related to Gin-that is, to Homunclepets-as well. Only then would he be able to respond to sudden crises.

This was not something anyone had ordered him to do, but work his own heart led him toward. He believed that wishing to restore light to his dear friend, and granting stability to a life born through alchemy, were things he must devote himself to until the day he died, so long as he was someone involved in both magic and alchemy.

It was deep in the night when Lyle came to visit Seisil, who was absorbed in reading. Hiding his gloom behind an artificial smile, Lyle pleaded earnestly with his close friend.

“Make Gin healthy. If you do, I’ll do anything. I can do anything.”

Seisil was somewhat surprised by those words.

Lyle was his friend, yes, but he was also the Emperor of the Empire. An Emperor must never show earnest desperation, no matter how close the person before him is. It could suggest weakness. And neither should he ever say to anyone that he would do anything. An Emperor is someone who can do anything, but the moment he says it aloud, he only ends up proving how desperate he is.

How close must he think of his mere magician friend, and how deeply must he trust him, to make such a request?

On top of that, Seisil was also at fault for having encouraged Lyle to create a Homunclepet in the first place. For a friend like that to trust him and ask this of him, rather than be angry, left Seisil with nothing but guilt.

Seisil wanted to answer Lyle’s feelings properly, but magic and alchemy always had exceptions, so he could not reply rashly.

“I will do my best. Homunclepets are difficult, but surely I can at least protect the one beloved son you treasure, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you. I have no one but you.”

But someone had been listening to this secret conversation. Since that person practically used the Mage Tower library as a lounge, it was none other than Azure.

Other magicians could try as they liked to conceal their magic, but Seisil would usually notice them anyway. Azure, however, could conceal her presence as much as she wished and move all through the Mage Tower. That was how she had come to overhear the present conversation.

‘A Homunclepet? His beloved son? Gin……?’

Azure was horrified.

Until now, Seisil had never told her the truth. She had known that the woman the Emperor was protecting was Ethea, and that she had an adorable son named Gin, but she had never once imagined that child was a Homunclepet. And from the way they were speaking now, it sounded as though Gin was Lyle’s son.

‘So that means a vessel of soul mixed with the blood of Lyle and that young-looking woman……’

A Homunclepet. A being born through an experiment combining magic and alchemy.

Azure’s heart raced at the discovery of a being that greatly stirred her interest amid the dull life of the Mage Tower.

‘Now that does pique my interest a little, doesn’t it?’

＊  ＊  ＊

“Ethea. It looks like you’ve been pushing yourself too hard these days. No matter how worried you are about the child, pay attention to your own health too. You have to be healthy in order to care for him.”

Ethea was being scolded by Solei, who had come to visit carrying freshly squeezed orange juice. And the scolding did not stop after one round.

“You look pale, and why have you gotten so thin? Have you even been sleeping properly these days?”

Even Ethea herself thought she looked a mess.

After the crisis of Gin’s unexplained pain had passed, Ethea had been frightened by the thought of what if it happened again. No one could guarantee it would not.

Considering that Gin was a rare existence, a Homunclepet, even illness was beyond prediction. If something like that happened again, she would have to summon Seisil at once. Because of that, she had not been sleeping properly recently.

And that was not all. As his mother, she had also become far more attentive than before to what Gin drank and what he ate. She was so anxious about him going out to play somewhere that she had told him to play at home whenever possible. Since the number of things she worried over had more than doubled, her body had withered before she even realized it.

“I really have been short on sleep lately. Still, I think I’ll only be able to feel even a little more at ease after watching his condition for a few more days.”

At that, Solei gently led Ethea to the bedroom.

“This won’t do. I’ll watch Gin, so you at least close your eyes for a few hours. You look too tired.”

“But lunch prep……”

“Just leave that to me too. Anyway, you haven’t even gone shopping lately, so there aren’t many ingredients, right? There’s stew at my house that I simmered this morning.”

“Stew sounds good.”

“Of course. When the wind starts getting chilly like this, nothing beats stew. I’ll leave some for you too.”

“Thank you, Solei.”

In the end, Ethea lay down on the bed. Solei pulled a blanket over her body.

The most dependable friend and neighbor in the world. Because Solei was there, Ethea felt less lonely. Trusting her friend, she tried to close her eyes. But suddenly, as if she had remembered something she had forgotten, Solei called out to Ethea.

“Oh, right, Etty.”

“Yes?”

“Could it be that you…… hwa…….”

Hwa?

“I mean, could it be that you’re actually hwaaang…….”

Hwaaang?

For some reason, Solei seemed unable to continue.

Then in the end, she gave up.

“No, it’s nothing. Get some sleep. Just sleep.”

Ethea’s spirits deflated at once. Lately, everyone seemed to start saying something to her and then stop halfway.

Lyle had done that before, and today Solei was doing it too.

And it was not only them. Earlier, little Lily had kept looking at Ethea and calling to her once in a while, and when Ethea asked why, had she not simply shaken her head with a bright little smile? For an expression made by a child, it looked oddly sly, and that stuck in Ethea’s mind. Of course, Lily was adorable even like that.