Chapter 77: The Court Mage
Gray moved slowly through the dark water, his bell still aching from the Razorwing Ray’s slashes. Small schools of glowing fish parted around him as he passed, their silver bodies scattering like stars disturbed by a current.
’We need to move faster,’ he said.
"I know," Cindy replied, her voice thin with exhaustion. "I’ll watch for danger while you swim."
They continued in silence for a while, weaving between coral spires and black volcanic ridges. Then Gray’s thoughts turned to something that had been nagging at him since the Sun Eater.
’Cindy,’ he said slowly. ’Why did you accept the request to hunt the Sun Eater?’
Cindy was quiet for a moment. Then she replied, her voice swelling with pride.
"Because they had high expectations of me. I was a magical prodigy, you know."
Gray’s tentacles twitched with skepticism.
’Don’t lie.’
"I’m not lying!" Cindy huffed. "Believe it or not, I reached the Fifth Circle of magic at the age of nineteen. Do you know how rare that is?"
’Fifth Circle...’ Gray repeated. ’What does that mean in terms of power?’
Cindy’s voice brightened, eager to explain.
"In human society, mages are ranked by Circles. The First Circle is basic—apprentice-level spells. The Second and Third are common among trained mages. The Fourth Circle is where you’re considered truly accomplished. The Fifth Circle is... exceptional. By the time I was nineteen, I was already being compared to mages twice my age."
Gray’s mind churned, running the numbers through the system he understood.
’So if I follow the level system... Fifth Circle would be around... Level 50? Maybe 60?’
Then, Gray spoke again.
’So you were the real deal, huh.’
"I was," Cindy said, her pride softening into something sadder. "That’s why Marquis Julius von Varenth O’lleht accepted me into his service. He saw potential in me and I... I wanted to prove myself."
’Marquis Julius von Varenth O’lleht? That’s a mouthful. Who is he?’ Gray asked.
"A powerful noble from the surface. He assigned me to hunt the Sun Eater after it attacked one of his trade ships." Cindy’s voice grew bitter. "He said it was a great honor. That only a mage of my caliber could handle such a mission."
’And you believed him.’
"I was nineteen, ambitious, and stupid." Cindy let out a bitter laugh. "I thought I could kill a mythical monster with a few spells and a magical artifact. I didn’t even last five minutes."
Gray was quiet for a long moment.
’What went wrong?’
"Everything," Cindy said. "The Sun Eater didn’t even notice my strongest spells. It swallowed our ship whole and didn’t even slow down. I spent weeks inside that stomach... watching everyone else die around me." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "By the time I was swallowed, I was already dead."
Gray felt the weight of those words settle over him. They were both quiet for a moment, the only sound the soft current moving through the coral.
’You’re not dead yet,’ he said.
"...I know, even though I’m just a soul in a locket now," Cindy added quietly, "I’m still alive. And that’s thanks to my friend. She’s the one who gave me this locket."
Gray’s tentacles twitched with interest.
’It was a gift from your friend? Did she know what it could do?’
"Of course she knew," Cindy said, her voice warm with memory. "That’s exactly why she gave it to me. She knew I was afraid of death. But isn’t that normal? We’re all afraid of death, even if we pretend otherwise." She paused. "Even though I believed in my own strength... there was still doubt in my heart. A small voice telling me this mission might be the end of me. So my friend gave me this locket. If I ever died... she’d at least have a chance of finding my soul."
’She sounds like a good friend.’
"She is," Cindy said without hesitation. "Though I was surprised when she handed it to me. At first, I thought... maybe she didn’t believe I would succeed, but she convinced me otherwise. She told me the locket was only a precaution, in case something went wrong. I understood that. So I accepted it." Her voice dropped. "And then the worst really did happen."
’Then your friend might be searching for you even now,’ Gray said.
"Maybe," Cindy admitted. "Or maybe she’s already moved on."
’That’s impossible,’ Gray replied. ’She gave you that locket hoping you’d survive. If anything, she’s probably out there right now, looking for any trace of you.’
Cindy didn’t answer right away. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet, almost fragile.
"I hope not."
’Why?’
"Because the Sun Eater is beyond anything we can handle," she said. "If she’s still searching for me... she might get herself killed too. I don’t want that."
’That’s true...’
Then, slowly, the realization clicked.
’So that’s why you want to reach the surface,’ Gray said. ’To tell your friend you’re alive.’
Cindy’s voice came soft but certain. "Yes. But right now, I can only hope she’s forgotten me and moved on with her life."
’That’s... painful to hear. You’re making me feel like the villain here.’
Cindy let out a soft laugh, light as bubbles rising through still water.
"Hehe... well, you did kidnap me and turn me into your slave. That’s very cruel of you, Gray."
Gray felt the sting of her words softened by her laugh, leaving behind an odd blend of guilt and reluctant amusement.
’You tried to possess me,’ he reminded her. ’I didn’t have a choice.’
Cindy hummed, completely at ease despite the topic.
"I know. So I’ll accept my punishment and help you become stronger." Her voice softened, the teasing fading into something more sincere. "It’s the least I can do."
--------×---------
Far above the abyssal depths, beyond the crushing dark and the silent cold, there was a world of light and air and stone.
In a noble estate near the sea, in a study lined with shelves of ancient tomes and glittering vials, a woman sat alone. Her black hair fell in loose waves over her shoulders. Her eyes, sharp and blood-red, moved slowly across the pages of a Fourth Circle spellbook. The only light came from a flickering lantern on the desk, casting long shadows across the scattered remains of emptied potion bottles and a cup of coffee gone cold hours ago.
A knock sounded at the door.
The woman didn’t look up.
"Enter," she said, her voice clipped and cold.
The door opened. A messenger stepped inside, bowing low before speaking.
"I bring a letter from Marquis Julius von Varenth O’lleht."
At the name, the woman’s eyes finally lifted from the page. Her expression sharpened with interest.
The messenger approached and placed the envelope on the desk. The seal was red wax, stamped with the Marquis’s crest. The woman picked it up and broke it without hesitation, unfolding the letter inside.
Written at the top, in formal script, was a single name:
Luna Charlotte.
The messenger spoke again, his voice carefully neutral.
"With the death of Cindy Maxwell officially confirmed, you are now formally recognized as the Marquis’s new court mage."
Luna Charlotte’s gaze swept over the letter, lingered on the Marquis’s seal, then returned to the opening line. She read it all the way through twice without blinking. A slow smile rose to her lips, cold and satisfied.
"Finally," she said, her voice soft as silk.