It was midday, with sunlight filtering through the trees.
Deep in the forest of the Kingdom’s West District, a woman made her way forward.
Autumn was well underway, and a thick carpet of fallen leaves covered the ground.
Though the trees were not yet entirely bare, they were starting to look skeletal and thin.
Crunch. Stepping firmly onto the dried leaves, she moved with a certain purpose.
With her chestnut-brown hair and simple blouse and long skirt, she looked quite refined. Her lustrous hair was tied back in a single ponytail, giving her a clean, refreshing appearance.
"Well, I suppose this is the place."
She eventually arrived at a grand, Western-style mansion.
She knocked on the door three times.
The one who answered was Carla.
"Yes. May I ask who is calling?"
Carla responded with a dignified air. She wasn't necessarily being hostile, but since this was a first-time visitor, she maintained a level of professional caution.
"Please tell Senior Lydia that Lieselotte has arrived."
"……Understood."
Indeed.
The woman who had come to this place was Lieselotte Eden.
She was one of the current Seven Grand Sorcerers, known by the alias "Sorcerer of Fiction."
As for why she had come to see Lydia—it was for a specific reason.
Originally, Lieselotte did not involve herself with others. Since parting ways with Evan ten years ago, she had spent all her time masquerading as someone else.
However, after killing Evan with her own hands and meeting Ray, a change had occurred in her state of mind. She wanted to try talking to people as her true self.
That was the motivation that had brought Lieselotte all this way.
"I have confirmed with my master. Please, come inside."
"Excuse me."
As she stepped inside, her appearance shifted. Her hair became long and pure white, her eyes turned crimson, and her outfit transformed into her usual pitch-black long coat and boots.
The reason she had disguised her appearance until then was simply because she stood out too much in the city.
However, there was something strange resting on her head.
"Hello, Senior Lydia. It’s been a while."
"What…… is that?"
"Apparently, these are called 'cat ears.' Since they seem to be popular right now, I decided to purchase a pair. Meow meow. Am I cute?"
While wearing the cat ears, she curled her hands into paws and struck a pose. Seeing her go so far as to vocalize "Meow meow"… Lydia pressed a hand to her forehead.
Her expression was blank. Her voice was devoid of emotion.
She’s completely misunderstood something, Lydia thought to herself.
"……Doing that with a blank face and a monotone voice only makes it awkward to react to. You’re not ready for that yet."
"Is that so?"
She smoothly removed the cat ears and tucked them inside her coat.
She didn't seem particularly bothered by the rejection.
"……Lise. It’s been years since we’ve talked properly like this."
"Yes. There were other people around the last time we met."
"Well, take a seat."
"Pardon me."
Lydia wasn't exactly unwelcoming.
The two sat facing each other across a table. Almost immediately, Carla brought over some black tea.
"Your tea."
"Thank you."
Lieselotte gave a small smile and immediately took a sip.
"It’s delicious."
"I am honored."
Carla then took her place behind Lydia.
Lieselotte did not ask for privacy. She had judged that there was no problem even if Carla overheard the conversation.
"So, what's your business?"
"Is it not allowed for me to simply visit my senior for fun?"
"Have you ever come to visit me 'for fun' before?"
"No. I have not."
Lieselotte stated this with a straight face, making Lydia eye her with suspicion.
"Then I should assume you came here because you have actual business."
"Haha. I suppose you’re right, Senior."
"……"
Lydia shook her head as if to say, "Good grief."
The two had first met in the military. They were only one year apart in age.
Lydia was twenty-nine. Lieselotte was twenty-eight.
Both had skipped grades to enter Arnold Magic Academy, but their actual academic years were about three years apart.
Lydia, Abby, and Carol had all chosen to skip grades early on.
Lieselotte, on the other hand, had held off on skipping grades until the last possible moment. In her case, she had eventually enrolled through grade-skipping only after being persuaded by her parents and the academy's teachers.
During the one year their time at the academy overlapped, Lieselotte had no interaction with Lydia and the others. At the time, she wasn't particularly interested in people, and Lydia’s group, being fourth-years, hadn't been on campus much.
They had first truly met when Lydia’s trio became soldiers and Lieselotte became a researcher.
Lydia had thought so even back then, but she had always felt that Lieselotte was "off" in some way.
She was fundamentally emotionless. Yet, she would suddenly behave as if she were a completely different person.
Furthermore, she often masked her appearance with magic, making it impossible to grasp her Essence.
The fact that she was here now in her true form was, in truth, quite surprising.
"Lise. Is it okay for you to be seen in that form?"
"Yes. I’ve had a change of heart."
"Is this about Evan Bernstein?"
"……Yes, I suppose."
She was hesitant.
However, having already made up her mind, Lieselotte continued.
"Until now, I recognized myself as just a sociopath who didn't have any emotions. But with Evan dead, I find myself wondering…… what is this hole that has opened in my chest? Perhaps this is the emotion called 'loneliness.'"
"That might be it."
"Hahaha. I’m a fool, aren't I? Noticing such a thing only now. But as I expected, no tears came. Even though I killed the person I loved with my own hands, I cannot cry. Rather than sadness, it is this feeling of loneliness that grows."
The expression she wore was one Lydia had never seen before.
Elusive, impossible to read.
Everyone who encountered the Sorcerer of Fiction said the same thing.
—That she was eerie, like a doll.
But now, she seemed human. That was how Lydia felt.
"……It seems you’ve grown, too."
"I hope that's the case."
"So, did you come here just to tell me that?"
"That's part of it, but the main issue is him."
"Him?"
Lydia furrowed her brows.
"Ray White. You seem to be raising him with great care."
"……I’m not giving Ray to you."
"Hahaha! Senior, you really are amusing……"
Lieselotte let out a genuine laugh as she saw Lydia’s gaze sharpen the moment Ray was mentioned.
That was genuine bloodlust. Not just an Ordinary, but surely even a veteran sorcerer would have trembled in fear, yet Lieselotte laughed it off.
"He’s participating, isn't he?"
"Are you talking about the Magics War?"
"Yes. What concerns me is whether it’s truly alright to put him on the public stage……"
"……That is,"
Lydia hesitated. She fell silent for a moment, choosing her words carefully.
But Lydia, who had told Ray to do as he pleased when he came to consult her, quickly found her answer.
"Ray is already capable of moving forward on his own."
"……"
"I’m leaving the discretion entirely to him. I give him advice, certainly. But in the end, it’s Ray himself who decides."
"……I’m envious."
Lieselotte’s face softened slightly.
"He is loved. And not just by you, Senior. By many people. Surely, he has something about him that naturally draws others in."
"……I won't deny that, but,"
"Is something wrong?"
Lydia’s face twisted slightly. Seeing that, Lieselotte sensed that it might be something serious.
"Aren't there just a few too many women around that guy?"
"……"
For a rare moment—perhaps for the first time in her life—Lieselotte was left dumbfounded. She never expected such a comment to come from the mouth of the strict, formidable Lydia.
"Hey. What’s with that look?"
"No. I just thought, you really are a doting parent."
"Hoh…… you’ve got quite a mouth on you."
Lydia cracked her knuckles, so Lieselotte quickly reconsidered her choice of words. She was capable of reading the room to a certain extent.
"I’m joking. But is that really a problem? Whether it’s men or women, isn't it a good thing for him to be surrounded by people?"
"No…… but……"
"But?"
"There are too many people targeting my Ray!"
Lieselotte looked appalled once again, but Lydia didn't notice and continued ranting as if to herself.
"Lately, I’ve been thinking Rebecca Bradley is suspicious, too."
"Haa……"
"Ray is certainly quite excellent, as expected of someone I raised."
"……I suppose so."
"His personality is a bit too serious, but even taking that into account, he’s a wonderful man."
"……Well, yes."
"What? Do you have a complaint about my Ray?"
"No. It is exactly as you say."
"What?! Are you targeting Ray too, by any chance?! I won't allow it……"
Lieselotte thought to herself.
—This is way too much trouble……
She knew Lydia loved Ray as a disciple. However, she hadn't expected it to be to this degree, and she was honestly taken aback.
"And then Ray……"
For the next several dozen minutes, Lieselotte continued to listen to stories about Ray, and in doing so, she learned yet another new emotion.