Chapter 40: Waiting for Spring(4)

“Here, take a look around.”

Karls beamed, revealing his pearly white teeth. Lucy’s house, which they had started building at the beginning of winter, was finally finished, just as spring was around the corner. It had been a collaborative effort, with the villagers pitching in and Lucy and Avalli using magic for the more challenging tasks.

“I’ve furnished it with the basics for now. Made everything myself.”
“You made all of this, Karls?”

Karls nodded at Lucy’s question.

“Well, I am a carpenter. Whipping up some basic furniture is no problem. And consider it a service, Mage. Thanks to you, I’ve made a small fortune.”
“Oh, thank you.”

Lucy bowed her head slightly and looked around the house.

Two rooms, a kitchen, and a living room. The size and layout were similar to Arsene’s house. Large enough for four people to live comfortably.

The furniture, which Karls had described as “basic,” was surprisingly well-made, and the bedding, sewn by the village women, was soft and comfortable, a stark contrast to the hard mattress she had used at the Magic Tower.

Lucy felt tears prick her eyes. She had been forced to stay in this village, but now, she had grown fond of both the small pioneer village and its inhabitants.

“This is your first house, isn’t it, Mage?”
“…Yes.”
“I built it sturdy, so you don’t have to worry. Oh, and the shed—I mean, the workshop—behind the house… let me know if you need any tools or furniture for it.”
“…Alright.”
“I’ll charge you properly for those, though.”

Karls, sensing her tears, said gently and then left the house. Having worked tirelessly through the cold winter, he deserved some rest and relaxation with a mug of beer.

As soon as Karls left, Avalli entered.

“Teacher! I’m back!”

Not wanting her student to see her cry, Lucy quickly wiped her tears and composed herself.

“What’s up?”
“Nothing. Everything’s fine, Avalli.”

Lucy replied cheerfully, turning to face Avalli, who noticed her slightly red eyes but smiled brightly, pretending not to.

“So, this is our house now, Teacher. Yours and mine.”
“It seems so. I’ll be counting on you for the housework, Avalli.”
“Huh? We’ll do it together, of course.”
“That’s the student’s job.”
“No fair, Teacher! You haven’t taught me much lately!”
“…I was joking. So you really don’t see me as your teacher?”

Lucy slumped her shoulders dramatically, feigning disappointment.

“That’s not what I meant…”

Avalli’s flustered attempts to explain were endearing.

‘She’s so innocent sometimes.’

Lucy chuckled, watching her student fall for the prank. She had initially seen Avalli as a monster, but now, they were closer than anyone else.

Perhaps that’s what the teacher-student relationship was all about. A bond deeper than family, thicker than blood.

Just like Lucy and her own teacher.

“I was just teasing.”
“…Don’t do that.”

Avalli puffed out her cheeks, feigning annoyance, as Lucy chuckled. Lucy suddenly noticed something.

“Come here for a moment, Avalli.”

Avalli nodded and approached Lucy, who finally realized what felt off.

“Have you… grown taller?”
“Huh, really?”

It was true.

When they first met in late autumn, Lucy, the older one, had been a head taller than Avalli. But now, their eyes were almost level.

“You’ll be taller than me soon.”
“That’s because Teacher is so short.”
“…I’m not going to let that slide.”
“You’re not sulking about your height, are you, Teacher?”
“I’m not! I don’t care about height!”

They continued chatting in their new house until the sun began to set.

“It’s almost dinner time. Let’s head back. They’re having a small party to celebrate the completion of the house.”
“A party! I love parties!”
“You always seem to be craving excitement, Avalli.”
“I’m addicted to dopamine.”
“Dopa…?”

Avalli used another one of her strange words. Lucy assumed it was another influence from the ‘green-eyed being’ and didn’t pry.

“Oh, let’s check one more thing before we go.”
“Check what?”
“I haven’t seen the workshop yet.”

They had built the workshop a short distance from the house, just in case.

A mage’s workshop was always a potential hazard, prone to explosions and accidental summoning of monsters.

‘…Looking back, it’s a miracle the Magic Tower is still standing.’

Even the talented Gish had once caused a golem to go berserk, destroying his entire lab. The fact that the Tower hadn’t collapsed despite such incidents occurring almost monthly was a miracle in itself.

Well, at least that wouldn’t happen here. Avalli’s research was rather old-fashioned and mundane. But that made it safe.

“Wow, it’s huge.”

Avalli opened the door to the workshop and gasped. It was about half the size of a tennis court, the ground packed firmly, but with no flooring. It was essentially a large hut with a few windows and a single hearth in the corner, otherwise empty.

“Avalli, I have something to tell you.”

Lucy said, standing at the entrance and taking out her dimensional pocket.

“I think one of these magic stones will be enough.”
“Huh? But I brought them all for you, Teacher.”
“I appreciate the thought, but… my research doesn’t require that many. I’m only trying to create a replica, not the real thing.”

Seven jet-black magic stones floated around Lucy, responding to her mana even before she cast Levitation.

“This is more than enough. I probably wouldn’t have even seen one of these in my lifetime if it weren’t for you.”

It wasn’t just because of the ‘contract’ they had made during her panicked escape. While the vague terms of that contract prevented her from being selfish… she was being sincere.

“So, I’ll give the rest back to you.”
“…I don’t really have a use for them.”
“Well, you could sell them. …Though that would have to wait.”

She didn’t want a repeat of the last auction fiasco. That had resulted in a mercenary group trying to kill her. If six magic stones suddenly appeared on the market, it might attract the attention of the Knights, not just mercenaries.

“Or you could have some equipment made. With them.”
“Equipment?”

“A staff, or… a magical tool… anything you can think of. I know a trustworthy magic stone artisan. I’ll introduce you when spring arrives. He lives outside the city, so it’s less risky.”
“Are they really trustworthy?”

Lucy chuckled wryly at Avalli’s question. Last time, when she had mentioned using a ‘trustworthy merchant’, Elif, Avalli had revealed the painful truth.

“Halflings are discreet. And as long as they’re paid well, they’re incredibly loyal.”
“Halflings!”

Avalli’s eyes sparkled at the mention of a new race.

“…Halflings are fairly common on the continent. The Holy Kingdom officially declared them as not enemies of humanity. …You should learn more about the world before spring arrives, Avalli.”
“Since I don’t need to learn any more magic?”
“Avalli!”
“Heehee, I’m kidding.”

Lucy scratched her cheek, watching Avalli’s playful grin.

“Let’s head back now. Envel must be worried.”
“Okay!”

They closed the workshop door and walked back towards the village.

“By the way, Teacher, what kind of research do you do?”
“…Have I never told you?”
“No.”
“It’s… nothing to brag about. It’s rather old-fashioned and mundane, the kind of research that other mages scoff at.”

Lucy chuckled wryly, then continued in a more serious tone,

“But I believe I’ll succeed someday.”
“What kind of research is it?”

A computational device that reads the flow of magical energy from the stars and predicts the future. The only way to find a trace of her missing teacher.

“The Astrolabe.”

That miraculous device was Lucy’s goal.