NOVEL NEXT 7
After the construction was completed, Laigeis began visiting Cloverland frequently, walking the streets and taking in orphans with nowhere else to go. People stopped calling him a wizard and instead began referring to him as a philanthropist or a teacher.
Even now, Laigeis’s standing hasn’t changed.
The children who came to Laigeis’s school first learned how to read and do arithmetic. Then they studied history. Since Laigeis wasn’t an expert in every field, he bought the children a great many books—so many that the library had to be expanded.
To the children at the school, Laigeis was an extraordinary person. Even just providing food and clothes would’ve been enough to earn their gratitude, but he gave them a place to live and let them study, too.
Most of the children admired and liked Laigeis.
Most of them.
***
When class ended and the children ran out, the teacher approached.
“You’ve remembered everything you need for daily life.”
Saying this, the teacher patted Satin on the shoulder, relieved. Satin gave a polite smile and nodded.
Over the past three days, Satin had attended the morning classes he originally hadn’t signed up for. He read sentences the teacher wrote on the board—phrases like “The bear climbs the tree”—and watched the kid next to him count on his fingers.
He’d been debating whether he should keep attending these classes, so he was relieved when the teacher brought it up first.
“Starting tomorrow, you don’t have to come to morning classes. Feel free to do what you want.”
“Do you know what Cain does during that time?”
“Cain?”
The teacher tilted his head in curiosity.
Cain hadn’t shown up for morning classes once in the past three days. Since he did attend afternoon sessions, it didn’t seem like he was just skipping without a reason.
“He’s probably in the library. Come to think of it, you and Cain share a room, don’t you? Have you gotten to know him a bit?”
“Not at all.”
Since the first day, Satin hadn’t spoken a single word to Cain. It wasn’t just because he was deliberately trying to keep his distance. Cain simply loathed him from the start, no questions asked. Satin wondered if he even knew about the amnesia. He didn’t seem to mingle with the other kids either.
“Is he usually that shy around new people?”
“He’s always been a bit withdrawn, yes.”
If the Dark Age storyline held true, Cain would one day fail to recognize a wicked dark mage and get caught trying to pickpocket him.
“Sixteen is just the age when kids start going off the rails.”
Even if the teacher had taken him in with the best of intentions, Cain had every reason to be wary. Still, after being fed, housed, and educated all this time, wasn’t it about time he let his guard down?
Unlike Satin, the teacher didn’t seem all that concerned about Cain’s attitude.
“But you know…”
“Yes?”
The teacher paused, as if choosing his words, then suddenly raised a hand. As he opened his mouth, a faint glow lit the tips of his fingers. Satin stared at the slowly rising light. The teacher murmured,
“You still see it, huh.”
“Oh. Yes. Is that… bad?”
“Hard to say. I’ve never met anyone with that ability before…”
Though he said that, Satin didn’t see anything wrong with it.
The original Satin had likely been the teacher’s student—or maybe even his assistant. Either way, this ability to see magic would’ve been helpful, not a hindrance. He was sure of it.
“May I ask what you’re worried about?”
“I’m not worried, really. It’s just that I…”
The teacher stroked his chin for a moment, then gave a warm smile.
“I’m curious if there’s a spell that grants such an ability.”
Satin nodded. So it was just pure academic curiosity.
There was no reason to loiter in the empty classroom after class had ended, so Satin left. After parting ways with the teacher heading toward the stairs, he made his way to the library. As he passed the kitchen and dining hall, Rogers happened to be coming out of the library and greeted him.
“Here to read?”
Just like Cain, Rogers was one of the kids who didn’t attend morning classes. Judging by how often he was in the library, he was probably a decent reader. He’d likely been told he didn’t need to show up.
Instead of answering Rogers’s question, Satin asked his own.
“Is anyone in there?”
“I saw Cain earlier. Don’t know if he’s still there, though.”
The library wasn’t particularly large, but the shelves were tall, making it hard to spot someone else inside even if they were present.
Satin replied with a simple “Got it,” and was about to head inside when Rogers grabbed his arm. Wondering what was up, Satin looked down to find Rogers glancing around before asking,
“You’re not helping the teacher with his research anymore?”
“Ah, well, not really.”
What good was an assistant with no memory? Satin nodded, and Rogers gave a quiet hum before turning his gaze away.
“Why?”
“There were a few kids who were kind of jealous, you know.”
“Jealous of what?”
“…Right, I forgot I have to explain everything since you don’t remember.”
Rogers scratched his head, glanced around again, then whispered,
“Everyone’s grateful to the teacher, sure, but that doesn’t stop them from being jealous of you.”
“Why would they be jealous?”
“Because you get to go into the teacher’s lab.”
“Oh.”
In most fantasy novels, wizards were held in high regard—respected, elite, and not just anyone could become one. You had to be born with the right potential. Satin figured it was the same here. Even in Dark Age, there hadn’t been many mages.
“The teacher calls all of us his students, but we all know he doesn’t mean it literally.”
“You mean, not in the sense of being a mage’s disciple?”
“Yeah. I’ve been here over a year, and I’ve never even set foot in the teacher’s lab.”
There was a slight tinge of disappointment in Rogers’s voice, which made Satin a little curious.
“When did I get here?”
“Not sure exactly. But it hasn’t been two years yet. The teacher’s only been in Cloverland for about two years.”
“Cloverland?”
Cloverland was the city where the protagonist was at the beginning of Dark Age. Of course Satin knew it, but Rogers must’ve thought he was unfamiliar and started to explain.
“Oh, it’s the nearest city from here.”
“Got it.”
“All the kids here are from Cloverland.”
“Even me?”
“Yup.”
Satin nodded, feigning ignorance. Rogers went on.
“Some kids think maybe they’ve still got a shot at becoming the teacher’s next real apprentice.”
What would happen then? If someone else—Rogers or another kid—became the teacher’s apprentice instead of Satin, would that person end up being the one Cain and his future companions had to defeat later on?
It was an interesting thought, but not one he could afford to test. Ever heard of the butterfly effect? Satin had no intention of watching his sister’s masterpiece spiral off in an unpredictable direction.
“You think so too?”
Surprised by Satin’s question, Rogers blinked, then chuckled.
“Nah. If I had any talent, the teacher would’ve said something by now. He hasn’t, so I must not.”
“You can’t say that for sure. Maybe if I disappear, he’ll say something then.”
“What do you mean by disappear?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. If I die or—well, I mean, if someone kills me.”
“Whoa, no, I didn’t mean it that way…”
Rogers trailed off awkwardly, making a face like he’d just swallowed something bitter. An uncomfortable silence fell between them.
Before long, Rogers muttered that he’d be going now and turned to leave. Satin gave him a wave and stepped into the library.
Was that too much?
Rogers’s expression lingered in Satin’s mind for a moment, but his attention was soon drawn elsewhere.
By sheer coincidence, Cain was standing not far from the entrance, seemingly browsing the shelves for a book.
Satin considered saying something, then decided against it. He took a few steps toward a shelf farther away, but then Cain abruptly spoke from behind him.
“Is it true? That you don’t remember anything?”
He must’ve overheard Satin and Rogers talking outside.
Satin had no reason to hide it from Cain specifically. He turned around slowly, wearing a sheepish smile.
“It kind of ended up that way. If I did something to offend you, I hope you’ll forgive me.”
Only after the words left his mouth did Satin regret them. Maybe he should’ve responded with a bit more edge. Then again, Cain was still a kid. Maybe a bit of kindness wouldn’t hurt.
Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—Cain didn’t take Satin’s gentle words as gentle at all. He scowled and muttered under his breath,
“…You’re out of your damn mind.”
Stunned by the sudden insult, Satin blinked in disbelief. Cain followed it up with another one.
“Judging by that dazed face, you’re completely gone.”
“Why are you talking to me like that?”
“What, did you think I’d be worried about you or something?”
“Well, no…”
Satin stayed calm and thought it through.
If Cain had disliked him before, there was no reason he’d like the version of him with amnesia. The other kids probably didn’t hate the original Satin, which was why they accepted him as he was now without issue.
“You didn’t really think that crazy old man actually made you his apprentice, did you?”
Even with the mockery in Cain’s tone, Satin didn’t feel offended—just curious.
“Why do you think he didn’t?”
“There’s no such thing as someone who’s kind without a reason.”
“That’s not true. Some people are kind for no reason at all.”
“Oh yeah? Says the guy who doesn’t even remember anything.”
Cain’s retort hit a dead end. Satin scratched his cheek, not knowing what else to say.
He couldn’t bring it up here, but he had once known someone—his sister—who had truly been that kind of person. She’d lived better than anyone, and died as a good person.
She wasn’t a machine. She had a heart. And even so, she’d always chosen to be good. She knew how to tell right from wrong, who to care about and who to walk away from.
There are people who are cruel without reason. And there are people who are kind without one. Anyone can face injustice. Anyone can receive kindness they never expected.
“You say that now. But one day…”
“One day?”
“One day, when you’re swallowed in darkness—when you’re completely alone—someone might find you and save you. For no reason at all.”