Kays Translations

Volume 2 A Lesson in Magic

Chapter 42: part.4 [Sarah’s Thoughts] ◆ ◆

On the way back from the “hideaway”, Master Glidden was in high spirits gazing out of the carriage.

　He even laughed at the memory, which was unusual for him. Seeing him like that made me think, “I’m glad. I’m really glad.”

　I was her personal caretaker for the twelve years from the age of eleven to twenty-three when Liyol was locked up and kept making potions. I was four years older than Liyol, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for a child who was locked up and forced to making potions.

　When I started taking care of Liyol, I was forbidden to stay in her room for too long. So I deliberately took my time tidying up and cleaning very carefully. In the little time I had, I tried talking to her as much as I could. Liyol was hungry for conversation.

　After making potions to the limits of her physical and magical strength, Liyol would lie down in bed and read the magical documents that Master Glidden always brought. Even though that was all she had to read, she was abnormally engrossed in it. And when her magical strength recovered, she would secretly practice magic.

　Since I was also the one who was in charge of monitoring them, I watched the two of them from a little distance when master Glidden visited. Perhaps to show Master Glidden that Liyol was not a slave, whenever he came, he would let Liyol outside.

　Although I had heard they were lovers, it was obvious that their relationship was not a romantic one.

(This is entirely brother and sisterly.) I thought.

　In addition to the magic instruction manual, master Glidden gave Liyol some blank paper, pen, and ink. I didn’t report it to the master. I thought it would be fine if the master found the paper and pen and beat me up.

　The number of instruction books Liyol would receive and the number of sheets of paper she would continue to write on kept increasing. She hid them in her bed at first, anticipating that if he found them, he would say, “If you have that much power left, make a potion.”

　But as the amount increased, we were at a loss for a place to hide them. The two of us consulted with each other and decided to hide it in the ventilation opening near the ceiling.

　Both Liyol and I were small, so even if we stacked chairs on top of the desk and climbed on them, we could not release the clasp of the ventilation opening. So I sneaked it out of Liyol’s room in my clothes and hid the paper behind a chest of drawers in my room. What was written on it was too difficult for me to read.

　A week after Liyol was thrown out of the mansion with nothing but the clothes on her back, I quit my job, lying that I was going back to my parents’ house. Liyol was twenty-three years old, I was twenty-seven, and Master Glidden was thirty.

　No matter where I worked or what I did, I knew it was better than being here.

　Liyol had told me that she was going to visit Mr. Glidden, so I went to Master Glidden's mansion to see her. I left the mansion with a few changes of clothes and the note that Liyol had written hidden inside. No one noticed.

“Sarah!”

　When I visited his house, liyol hugged me while crying. I had been taking care of her for 12 years, but it was the first time I had seen her cry. The bandage around her neck looked painful. We were both crying in each other’s arms, speechless, when Master Glidden asked me in a worried tone,

"Are you sure it's alright for you to come here?"

"I quit that house.”

　When I said this, Liyol looked at Master Glidden. She had a pleading look in her eyes. Master Glidden understood the meaning of that look.

“Would you like to work for us? I’ll ask my father about it.”

“Thank you very much!　I will never forget what you have done for me!”

　When I bowed my head saying that, Liyol began to cry tears of joy this time. I cried, too. Liyol’s complexion was pale and thin, and it was obvious to everyone that she didn’t have much time left.

(I want to take care of her until the end.)

　During the twelve years of taking care of her, Liyol had become like a sister to me.

　Even after Liyol disappeared due to Master Glidden’s experiments, I was not dismissed and have lived as a servant to this day.

　Master Glidden has asked me to marry him many times.

　I had always refused because our status and position were too different, but now I was living side by side with him like a married couple. That was enough for me.

　Fifty-five years have passed since Lyol disappeared. I am the only one who knows how much Master Glidden regretted the failured experiment. The world was amused by the terrible rumors. The servants in this mansion quit one after another in fear of him. Now, some people commute to the mansion, but I am the only one who lives there.

　Master Glidden said, “I don’t care what the world says,” and didn’t pay any attention to the rumors.

　No matter how many malicious rumors the world spreads, I know that my Lord Glidden is a kind man.

‘Master, I am glad you met Mai. Liyol lived a happy life, didn’t she?”

 “Oh, yes. Now I have no more regrets.”

"Please don't say such things. I have so many things I want to eat at the Hideaway. Please take me to that restaurant again.”

　Mr. Glidden looked at me with a surprised face.

“This is the first time you've ever wanted something from me."

“Yes.”

“Very well. I’ll take you there every day.”

“Every day is too much. Would you take me once a week?”

“Yes, I will.  Let’s do that. I would like that too.”

　I think of Mai, who spoke with a smile.

"Mai-san's facial features looks just like Liyol’s. I was shocked when I first saw her face. She was much taller than Liyol, but it was like I was looking at her just  before she disappeared."

"Yeah, they looked a lot alike. Mai is a person of incredible ability, you know. Even with a massive infusion of Liyol’s magic power into her, she still had plenty of room left over. I'd love to teach her the magic she hasn't mastered yet."

　I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Why don’t you just tell Mai-san that? Just tell her that if she wants to learn magic, you can teach her. We don’t know when we’ll be called to heaven. We don’t have time to be shy. If you want to teach her, just say so honestly.”

“I know. Sarah, you are always right. I will.”

　I smile as I see Master Glidden suddenly come alive.

　Master Glidden is the best wizard in the country. He has dedicated his life to the study of magic, not becoming a castle wizard, and putting research first.

He continued to work hard, never forgetting Liyol’s wish as she said "I want you to become the best wizard in the country. That is my only joy."

“master, it’s wonderful that you have something you want to do.”

　Saying this, Master Glidden took my hand and patted it gently.

"Yes, it would be a lot of fun to teach her magic. But first I have to get Henry’s permission first. I don't want him to dislike me."

“I see you have taken a liking to Mr. Henry.”

“I love a good person."

　Master Glidden seems happy, which makes me happy too.

　Liyol was alive, had a child, and Mai was born. Liyol had found happiness somewhere far away.

　That is enough.

　Master Glidden’s long, long night had finally come to an end.

I had been holding it in ever since I saw Mai-san in "The Hideaway," but no more. I decided to cry without holding back. I covered my face and cried out loud like a child, and Master Glidden put his arm around my shoulders.

　

　The next morning, as I laid out Master Glidden’s breakfast, I made a bold request.

“If your feelings still haven’t changed, please take me as your wife. When I leave this world, I want to leave as your wife.”

　Master Glidden quietly returned the cup of tea he was holding back on the saucer and nodded repeatedly, his eyes moistening.

“I haven’t changed my mind about you. I see you are finally accepting me.”

“Yes. Knowing that Liyol is living happily, I changed my mind. I decided to be courageous and seize happiness with my own hands, just like her.”

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