Volume 2: The Temucha Region—Aunt in Flames

Chapter 28: I’ll See the Job Through Properly

Filiestra was actually famous at Magias.

Mercedes had become a celebrity overnight through media exposure, but apparently Filiestra was the next most popular student.

“Filiestra’s probably been confessed to about five hundred million times since she enrolled,” Amae had claimed.

Setting that testimony aside, I often saw Filiestra drawing other people’s eyes.

Mercedes and Filiestra were both unattainable flowers atop high peaks, but their personalities could hardly have been more different.

Mercedes inspired awe in those who watched her. Filiestra, by contrast, was gentle, delicate, somehow translucent—a person whose nature resembled warm sunshine.

Perhaps things had been different in the past, but nowadays, few people apparently looked strangely at someone simply for coming from Temucha. Or perhaps such prejudice simply ceased to matter in Filiestra’s presence.

She had a charm that satisfied people merely by allowing them to observe her from afar. She made others feel secure, yet was not someone they could approach easily. Filiestra possessed that mysterious quality.

Only recently had I realized she was the sort of person who lived on the other side of a picture frame, never intersecting with an ordinary life.

Having someone like that inside my home—though technically I was only lodging there—felt strange and unsettling.

“I’m Coffey Dreadroll, head of Drake Road, a general contracting guild. It’s nice to meet you, Filiestra.”

“Y-Yes. It’s nice to meet you too.”

Filiestra was ordinarily composed, so seeing her shaken reminded me that my aunt truly was a great mage.

From the moment I met her, Aunt Coffey Dreadroll had carried an air that said she was no ordinary person. Once the lid came off, I discovered she was one of the Grand Mages, holders of the highest magical qualification.

Despite her youth, she possessed extensive achievements and ranked among the kingdom’s finest, having resolved numerous difficult incidents. Her recent defeat of the Lake Dragon that terrorized the kingdom remained fresh in public memory.

We occasionally fought as part of my training, but I had yet to inflict even a scratch on her.

That was the extent of the difference between us.

“I’ve heard about you from Bren, Filiestra. Thank you for always being so good to him.”

“No, it’s nothing…”

“You’re the girl who skipped years at Temucha Medical University and earned a doctorate, aren’t you? That’s remarkable. No one in my own class went that far.”

“…I’m honored to hear you say so, Lady Dreadroll.”

“You’re Bren’s friend, so don’t be so formal.”

“Coffey is fine,” my aunt added with a cheerful smile.

Filiestra returned it.

“Now, um, about the commission…”

“Oh, right. I can handle most things, so ask for whatever you need.”

My aunt’s work truly had no specific limits.

Detective work, guarding, research assistance, pharmaceutical production, inspection and maintenance of every variety of magical facility—even construction.

She was an all-purpose contractor because she could do practically anything.

“What I’d like to ask of Lady Dread—of Coffey—is help finding someone.”

“A detective job. Certainly. Whom do you want to find?”

“My parents.”

The discussion leaped forward from its friendly atmosphere, and I suddenly felt uncomfortable.

“Should I leave?”

My suggestion made my aunt frown.

“Why?”

“She’s my classmate, and this concerns her family…”

Her parents’ whereabouts were unknown.

That alone made this a subject someone close to her shouldn’t casually hear.

“…That’s fair. Wait in the back. I’ll call you when we settle things.”

“No. This relates to the work, so I don’t mind Walker hearing it.”

I stopped halfway out of the sofa and sat again at Filiestra’s request. Still, was it truly appropriate for someone in my position to hear about her private life?

“If Filiestra says so, continue.”

“Yes.”

Filiestra nodded, quietly steadied her breathing, and continued.

“My parents died in an accident shortly after I was born. I was taken in and raised at a small orphanage in the Temucha region.”

My aunt’s expression changed.

She had said she wanted to find them, but they were deceased?

Maybe I really should leave.

“The orphanage director was strict, but she treated me very well. She was also the one who taught me Temucha magic. Although grants and exemptions helped, she spent her own money to send me all the way through medical university.”

“That’s… impressive.”

More than impressive—did institutions that invested that much in a child’s education even exist? No, Filiestra had said it was the director’s private money. Her own effort must have been extraordinary too.

“She grew old and passed away last year.”

“I see… That must have been painful.”

It was painful even to hear.

In some respects, her life had been harsher than mine.

“After the funeral, I was organizing her belongings when I found a concerning sentence in one of her old diaries…”

Filiestra took an aged notebook from her coat and handed it to my aunt.

“It’s on the page marked with the slip. Please read it.”

Writing in faded ink was barely visible.

Magnolia Amastel.

June–September, Dragon King Calendar Year 2014.

That was probably the director she’d mentioned.

The dates were twelve years ago.

Filiestra would have been five or six.

My aunt carefully turned the pages.

June 6, 2014, Dragon King Calendar (Shaare)

Filiestra read a picture book by herself today.

She has only just learned her letters, yet she can use them almost perfectly. I was astonished.

June 25, 2014, Dragon King Calendar (Lilias)

Filiestra asked, “Why is my hair white?”

I doubted she would understand if I told her it was because she is Temuchan, so I said, “Smart people have white hair.”

She immediately realized it was a lie.

She is a clever child.

Next time, I must lie more skillfully.

July 2, 2014, Dragon King Calendar (Lilias)

Recently, Filiestra has wanted to know about her parents.

Her unusually early self-awareness is one matter, but I must answer with care.

July 3, 2014, Dragon King Calendar (El)

Someone requested a meeting with Filiestra.

—

…Which entry was concerning?

My aunt apparently didn’t understand either and looked dissatisfied.

“I remember everything from the age of three onward,” Filiestra said casually.

“But I was never told that anyone requested a meeting. The director behaved normally that day, even though she was the sort of person who immediately informed me of anything addressed to me.”

That day…?

Wait. She remembered it?

This diary was twelve years old, but to Filiestra it seemed as recent as two weeks ago. I only remembered especially striking events from when I was five… What kind of superhuman memory was that?

“That sentence bothered me, so I investigated who visited me that day. Fortunately, the clerk was meticulous, and the record remained.”

Filiestra placed a single form on the table. Its edges were frayed as well.

July 3, 2014, Dragon King Calendar (El)

Meeting Requested By: Oswald

Requested meeting with Filiestra Addison

Occupation: Unknown

Stated purpose: Verification of blood relationship, identity inquiry, and consultation concerning custody

Applicant referred to the birthmark on the subject’s left shoulder and is therefore presumed to have a relationship with her. Applicant stated that a woman claiming to be the subject’s biological mother had authorized him to act on her behalf.

Meeting Result: Denied at the director’s discretion

Verification of a blood relationship and inquiry into her identity.

This time, it was indeed written clearly.

It even said outright that her biological mother had sent him.

Since the meeting never occurred, he was probably an ordinary suspicious character.

“The director who raised you said both your parents were dead, correct?”

“Yes.”

Then perhaps this truly was a third party impersonating a relative.

“…But as the form says, I genuinely had a patterned birthmark on my body.”

Filiestra lowered her voice and rubbed her shoulder.

“It stood out, so the director removed it, and it no longer exists. But only three people, including me, knew about it.”

“…Is that why you believed the form was truthful?”

“Not exactly. But the further I investigated my background, the more unnatural details I discovered…”

The next object Filiestra produced was a thick file.

“My parents in the resident registry… Their records contained contradictions everywhere. Even when I sent detectives to their supposed hometown, no one had heard of them. I can’t even be certain they existed.”

The two names in the registry were Bailey Addison and Leslie Addison. Filiestra must have performed the work herself, because the file contained an enormous number of annotations and handwritten additions.

“I see…”

It began with the unsettling discovery that the director had concealed a request to meet Filiestra. The applicant possessed information—a birthmark on her shoulder—that an outside swindler couldn’t have known. Further investigation then shook the very foundation of the story that her parents died in an accident.

“So you believe your parents’ accidental deaths were a fabrication and the director concealed the truth for some reason?”

“I don’t believe she deceived me. But my investigation makes the very existence of the parents named in my documents appear doubtful…”

The materials contained many contradictory dates.

By integrating the various pieces of information, Filiestra had reached the conclusion that her supposedly deceased parents were fictional and her true parents were other people entirely.

“Honestly, I’ve almost abandoned hope that my parents are alive. I simply want to know how I was born.”

How she was born.

I shouldn’t complicate this matter by voicing my speculation that she might be an artificial human.

Besides, because the subject concerned my own secret, concealing it for self-protection was probably wiser.

“In other words, you want to investigate your roots in detail.”

“Yes. Specifically, I’d like you to accompany me to the Temucha region at some point and assist with an investigation on the ground.”

“I understand. But I’m sorry—the answer is that I can’t move immediately. Even at the earliest, I doubt I could take the job until next month. If that is acceptable, I’ll accept the commission.”

My aunt was capable and consequently busy.

She handled many commissions from the state, rarely returned home, and constantly flew across the kingdom.

“…I see. Yes, I suppose that was inevitable.”

Despite her words, Filiestra couldn’t entirely hide the disappointment in her expression.

Was there some reason she needed to hurry?

“…Incidentally, is Walker also employed here?”

“Hm? Yes, he’s registered. Though not as a full guild member.”

“If Walker could accompany me to Temucha as the person assigned to the case, I would find that acceptable.”

“What?”

I was the one who made the stupid noise.

Even my aunt seemed taken aback.

“…But he’s only a part-time worker. And he has no experience. I don’t think he could obtain the result you want.”

She was right.

I knew nothing about finding missing people.

To put it bluntly, hiring me would waste her money.

“It would be enough to make progress in finding my parents and establish a path for further investigation. I thought the holiday would be a good opportunity to advance it. That is, if Walker is willing.”

“Hmm…”

My aunt folded her arms with a difficult expression. After remaining silent for a while, she looked at me.

“What do you say, Bren?”

“Well, I don’t mind…”

If that was what Filiestra wanted, it was fine. I owed her, so I wanted to do whatever I could. If she asked, I couldn’t refuse. I would do it.

Looking into my aunt’s eyes, I somehow understood that wasn’t what she meant.

“I’ll accept responsibility and see the job through properly.”

“Good.”

Aunt Coffey nodded in satisfaction.

“Understood. We’ll honor the client’s wishes. Bren, you’ll travel to Temucha with Filiestra next week as the person assigned to the case. I’ll delegate the identification and inquiry authority needed for the investigation. As for emergency measures… we’ll discuss those later. Don’t push yourself too far.”

“Wait. Is that really all right?”

“It’s his first job, so there’s nothing strange about me giving him instructions through magical communication. Still, I doubt a full-scale search can begin until next month.”

“That’s acceptable. Thank you.”

Filiestra rose and bowed deeply.

She truly seemed to be in a hurry.

“Bren, assist Filiestra on location and advance the investigation as far as you reasonably can. Understood?”

“Understood.”

The arrangement had come together all at once, but we would manage somehow.

This was a rare opportunity to repay both my aunt and Filiestra. I felt myself becoming naturally motivated.

◇

“See Filiestra to the gate.”

Even if my aunt hadn’t said so, bidding farewell to a departing visitor was basic social courtesy.

“That was nerve-racking…”

The moment the outside breeze touched her, Filiestra exhaled deeply.

Light sweat covered her forehead. She looked as though she’d just finished speaking with a major-league player.

“I can’t believe Lady Dreadroll is your aunt, Walker… You’re remarkably close in age…”

“Please don’t ask about that…”

“Yes. Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone what I learned today.”

My aunt’s birth was a dangerous subject.

How old Grandpa had been, what he’d done, and how it had resulted in my aunt’s birth—thinking about it was graphic enough to destroy my brain. It had already done so about three times.

“But she really is famous.”

“Since the Lake Dragon Incident, I think most people in the kingdom know her. Didn’t you, Walker?”

“I only met her three months ago. Newspapers reached the place I lived only occasionally…”

“I see…”

“Besides, she’s Grandpa’s illegitimate daughter.”

“Urk…”

Filiestra looked away awkwardly.

Before I learned my aunt was a Grand Mage, Coffey Dreadroll had already become my aunt. I didn’t particularly want others to know, but I was ultimately just ignorant of the world.

“…Still, to you, Coffey is family before she is a Grand Mage.”

“That’s right.”

“Your grandfather was the hero Lord Van as well, so…”

Filiestra’s gaze wandered before she timidly continued.

“Walker, you’re the eldest son of an elite family of mages.”

…Was I?

I wasn’t sure.

But from the outside, both my aunt and I belonged to Grandpa’s bloodline.

I supposed it might look that way.

“I’m envious.”

“What?”

“No. It’s nothing.”

Filiestra shook her head slightly and smiled.

“Well then, Walker, it’ll be a long journey, but I look forward to traveling with you next week.”

“Likewise.”

“I was happy you accepted the commission.”

Was she truly all right with me accompanying her?

I couldn’t shake that doubt regarding my abilities, but I still had time to prepare. If I used every remaining moment, I should at least be able to help.

“I’ll see you at the academy.”

We said goodbye, and her shadow dissolved into the noise of the residential district.

Filiestra’s pale golden hair, reflecting the sunset, looked somehow like something from a painting.