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Chapter: 22
“Look carefully at what lies at the end of that path.”
Sparkling.
Small and adorable, lighting up the darkness.
Light? No… is it a star?
Lynette was suddenly reminded of her childhood.
She couldn’t clearly remember when, but it was undeniably a scene etched into her memory. The situation back then was much like this one.
A young boy had tightly held her hand and whispered to her.
‘It’s okay, Lini. Trust me. We can do this.’
‘…….’
‘We can.’
‘…….’
What had she said back then?
There had been something she said to the boy who held her hand so firmly…
The moment the memory surfaced, light burst forth.
Lynette’s grip tightened. Or rather—was it Derbel’s hand, the one holding hers, that tightened?
That wasn’t what mattered.
It exploded again.
Lynette squeezed her closed eyes shut. Bracing herself for the smoke that would spread, she inhaled sharply and held her breath.
But—
“Lynette.”
Instead of smoke, a pleasant, low voice reached her ears.
“Open your eyes.”
“…Now?”
“Yes.”
There was a hint of laughter in his voice.
Lynette slowly opened her eyes.
Her vision, accustomed to darkness, quickly brightened.
The first thing she saw was Derbel’s face.
Just as playful as before, but this time his eyes were filled with surprise.
“Did it fail?”
She asked cautiously. Instead of answering, Derbel lowered his gaze.
“…What is this?”
Blinking her sunset-colored eyes, Lynette looked at what was in front of her.
Between the hands she and Derbel were holding together, something wrapped in a small flame was swaying gently in the air.
“It looks like a spirit.”
“A spirit?”
Lynette looked at Derbel.
“So… it worked?”
“Of course.”
“My goodness.”
She let out an awed breath as she stared at the flame.
The little flame swayed as if dancing.
It was so small that it was hard to believe it was a spirit, but since it floated and moved through the air, his words seemed true.
“But…”
Lynette whispered, still gazing at it with wonder.
“Doesn’t it… look like a pig?”
It kind of looks like Françoise.
With a serious expression, she whispered to Derbel.
“Do fire spirits usually look like pigs?”
Pfft.
Derbel burst out laughing. Then, realizing himself, he cleared his throat and continued.
“Because of basilisks, there are many lizard-shaped ones… but Lynette, even to my eyes, this one looks like a pig.”
He nodded and added, “A fire pig, indeed.”
The pig-like flame wobbled and danced between the two of them for a while.
Then, as if recognizing the one who summoned it, it scattered light around Lynette and climbed up along her body.
Reaching the top of her head, the flame blinked a couple of times, as if greeting her.
The next moment—
Pop.
The flame burst in midair. Like the finale of fireworks, trails of light rained down.
“Ah…”
Lynette gazed at the scene with dazzled eyes.
It was beautiful.
Each falling fragment vanished like a star as it drifted downward.
And when everything had finally disappeared—
Derbel spoke.
“Either way, it seems you succeeded.”
He was right.
Since it had been summoned without exploding, it counted as a success, didn’t it?
“Yes! I succeeded, Derbel!”
The realization finally hit her, and Lynette beamed before throwing her arms around him without thinking.
His body flinched slightly, but she didn’t notice.
Her heart swelled with the thrill of having accomplished something.
“Being with you really seems to stabilize my holy power. It’s true.”
Her eyes sparkled as she grabbed Derbel’s hand again and shook it.
“Thank you, Derbel. It’s thanks to you.”
“……”
Derbel narrowed his eyes, as if unused to seeing her smile so brightly.
But soon, as if nothing had happened, he smoothed his expression and casually nodded.
“If it’s for my fiancée, I should help as much as I can. That way, things are easier for me as well.”
Honestly—how did he manage to make the same words sound so irritating?
Even expressing gratitude happily, he had a talent for saying things in such an infuriating way.
Lynette’s bright expression dimmed slightly.
“You know you always have to add something annoying, right?”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
She clicked her tongue inwardly.
She’d momentarily forgotten that he wasn’t the type to be affected by comments like that.
Still, today she could be generous about Derbel’s spitefulness. It was a day she’d demonstrated her abilities.
“Well then, what should we do now, Soreas?”
Letting go of Derbel’s hand, Lynette turned toward the mage.
At that moment—
Derbel flinched involuntarily at how easily the pale hand slipped from his grasp.
Perhaps because the warmth vanished so suddenly. Cold air seemed to fill his palm.
“……”
He clenched and unclenched his hand once.
It was a strange sensation. As if he had let go of a sword he’d been holding as though it were part of his own body.
What is this?
Before he could think further about the cause, a bright voice rang out.
“I want to try again. This time, I want to summon a proper spirit—or maybe an animal.”
Derbel’s gaze shifted to Lynette.
When he looked up, he saw her staring at the mage with sparkling eyes, waiting for an answer.
His brow creased.
“…Shall I kill him?”
The words slipped out before he realized it.
“That won’t do, Duke. Soreas is one of the key assets of our Aster Order.”
It was Evan.
Derbel turned toward his aide.
“He’s the only mage comparable to the current tower master. No matter how jealous you are, you mustn’t act rashly, my lord.”
“Jealous?”
Derbel let out a cold chuckle.
“To think I’d hear such nonsense in my lifetime. You must be bored—having time to say pointless things.”
“I’m not bored at all. I’m suddenly forced to prepare for an expedition because of someone’s order.”
“An expedition? We’re going as an envoy.”
“Then why are you having weapons prepared?”
Instead of answering, Derbel merely curled one corner of his lips upward. It was a smile full of schemes.
“Is everyone gathered?”
“Yes. They’re just waiting for you.”
At Evan’s reply, Derbel turned around.
Lynette’s face shone brightly as she listened to Soreas’s explanation.
Had she always been able to make that expression?
He couldn’t take his eyes off her—but it irritated him.
Still, the thought didn’t last long.
“If someone can’t fulfill their role, it’s better to get rid of them.”
“Huh?”
Without responding, Derbel turned and walked away—
as though unaware of whatever might be happening behind him.
* * *
“That’s wonderful—you finally succeeded.”
That night.
Emma set a teacup in front of Lynette as she spoke.
“They said I’m still clumsy, but with training, I’ll be able to summon higher-level spirits.”
“That’s truly great news.”
The corners of Emma’s eyes glistened faintly.
She had endured a great deal alongside her mistress, who had been unable to properly use her power since the time in the Holy Kingdom.
“Now you’ll be able to speak proudly to your mother.”
“Then… are you going to stop searching for the Star of Fortune?”
“……”
Lynette pressed her lips together.
She thought of the fragment of the Star of Fortune she had discovered.
A holy relic she couldn’t show to her mother.
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I have to find it. I’ve found a clue.”
“A clue?”
“Yeah.”
Lynette smiled softly but didn’t elaborate.
Emma didn’t ask further.
Though her mistress looked gentle and fragile, Emma knew that when it truly mattered, she was more careful and resolute than anyone.
“I’ll find it soon.”
Lynette whispered, as if making a vow to herself.
So that she could stand proudly before her mother—along with her power.
Seeing the determination in the princess’s eyes, Emma lowered her head with a gentle smile.
“Then what about your practice now?”
Emma asked casually. At that, Lynette’s eyes sparkled.
“Well, you see…”
Her voice dropped, as if sharing a secret.
“He’s going to help me personally now.”
