Tou no Madoushi - Chapter 54

 Episode 54 - Illywia's Melancholy

 

Every time the color of the light emitted from the magic stone changed, the party venue showed a different expression.

The stronger the red and orange, the more it looks like a volcanic crater; the stronger the green, the more it looks like the depths of a dense forest or an emerald sea; the stronger the blue, the more it looks like the deep sea or outer space.

Lynn, who had never seen any of these before, was simply intoxicated by the fantastic atmosphere of the venue.

However, Lynn was getting tired of this scene.

Yuwen had been quiet ever since she came to the table, just nodding off no matter what he said to her.

Finally, just a few minutes ago, she went to the restroom outside the hall, probably by herself.

Lynn was now all alone.

He looked at Illywia, but her greeting didn't seem to end there.

At the tea party that he was invited to, Lynn decided to summon up the courage to talk to the children here in order to connect with the high-ranking mages and nobles, as Illywia had told him to do.

For starters, he approaches a boy about his age who has been alone for a while now.

But he turned away and joined the rest of the group as Lynn approached with a smile on his face.

(I guess he's a little shy. Never mind, let's move on.)

Lynn tried to talk to a couple of girls, but when they saw what Lynn was wearing, they were startled and moved away.

 

 

As Lynn tried to talk to another girl, he passed a tall young man. He quickly tried to talk to him, but he just glared at him, ignored him, and walked away quickly.

 

For a while, Lynn went from table to table to talk to people, but in the end, no one took any notice of him.

Lynn was completely dejected and returned to his seat in the dimly lit room.

(Oh, no. I guess everyone wants to talk with other people of the same status.)

Lynn stared blankly at the glittering world from the darkness.

Everyone was enjoying the party in their own way. There was no one approaching Lynn.

However, Lynn was too tired to feel lonely or even uncomfortable anymore.

I didn't realize how mentally exhausting a tea party could be. It would have been better to work in a factory.

Lynn suddenly realized that there was a girl glancing at him.

It was a girl with gray hair, silver-rimmed glasses, and unusually sharp eyes.

Even though she was in a group of about five or six people sitting around a table, she didn't join in the group's conversation, but instead looked at Lynn in a reserved manner.

(Maybe she wants to talk to me?) Lynn thought.

Lynn thought so, but she didn't try to talk to him.

Maybe I'm mistaken.

She might just be wondering about Lynn like the other participants.

If I tried to talk to her, she might ignore me or stare at me again.

Lynn didn't have the energy to risk talking to her anymore.

After a while, she too turned away from Lynn and began to join the conversation at the table.

Lynn tried to forget about it, thinking that it was just his imagination after all.

But she, Seleka, often turned her attention to Lynn after that.

Seleka was curious about Lynn.

She had seen Lynn before.

(Was it my imagination? Maybe that's the same guy who was in the factory when Illywia launched the light bridge. I think I have the wrong person. But still, the resemblance is striking. But if that's the case, how did a commoner class kid end up here......)

Seleka couldn't resist the urge to question Lynn, but he seemed to be tired.

It might be annoying to talk to him.

She had just been nudged by Duke not to speak to him.

Seleka had to join the conversation around the table, feeling frustrated.

Having given up on the idea of interacting with the upper class, Lynn decided to pull himself together and enjoy the meal.

(Let's at least have a good meal and go home.)

Lynn decided to give it up. He asked the servants in the dark to bring him some good food.

The food served at the tea party was all delicious. No matter how much I ate, I never got tired of it.

Meanwhile, Yuwen came back to our table.

Oh, Yuwen, welcome back. This is delicious.......

When Lynn saw her return, he was surprised.

Her eyes were red.

He could tell it was from tears.

She seemed to have been crying in the bathroom.

Lynn felt uncomfortable.

(I wish I didn’t tag you along)

Lynn was used to this kind of treatment, but she wouldn't be able to stand it.

Lynn stared at the glittering party hall in disgust.

He felt like destroying the whole thing right now.

Maybe that would make them feel a little better!

"Master Lynn.”

A voice called out from the darkness beside me.

"Yes. What is it?”

“I'm sorry to interrupt your fun, but tonight's party is coming to an end. In order to avoid congestion, we would like you to go home in sequence. Let's start with Mr. Lynn and his companion. I will show you to the exit.”

“I understand.”

Lynn stood up as requested.

Yuwen followed quietly.

The two of them made their way through the darkness, bypassing the hall to avoid the bustle of the invited guests.

The faint glow of the ring was all they could rely on.

"Mister Lynn?"

Lynn was stopped as he was coming out of the exit.

It was Duke's voice.

"You forgot something."

The Duke threw Rain towards Lynn.

Lynn took it in the palm of his hand.

Despite the rough handling, Rain was sleeping soundly.

It was as if some kind of magic had been cast on Rain.

"Well, take care on your way home."

"Thank you for the ring, Mr. Duke. I will return it."

"You don't have to return the ring, but in exchange, don't come in here again."

With that, Duke slammed the door behind him.

When Lynn walked out of the building, a carriage was waiting for them.

Looking at the building from outside, the place where the tea party had been held was still lit up.

The duke had said it was over, but there was no sign of the tea party ending.

After a few moments of staring at the lights, Lynn and Yuwen got into the carriage together.

Inside the carriage, Lynn glanced at Yuwen's face, but it was too dim to see her expression.

Lynn thought back over the day's events.

The glittering hall, the voices from the darkness, Illywia's smile, Yuwen's tears, and the tiny ring in his hand.

For Lynn, interacting with the upper class had become a bitter memory, like the first time he drank tea or grape wine.

Duke was walking around the party hall, frustrated.

He was scrambling to nail down anyone who tried to get close to Lynn.

They were stopping Duke to ask him who Lynn was and what his connection to Illywia was.

Duke had to tell them one by one.

Lynn is not coming here anymore. You can't take advantage of him, you can't have a special relationship with him.

There should be no mischievous rumors about his relationship with Illywia.

"What the hell are they thinking? I mean, come on. Illywia is Illywia. And that kid Lynn. He's a slave boy!　You should know what happens if you keep on with him."

Duke looks abjectly at the invited guests who have formed a long line to greet her.

Every single one of them is thrilled to be addressed by Illywia.

Despite the cold words that had been hurled at them earlier.

Duke could almost feel how they felt.

That's what this is all about.

Illywia had indeed called them "insignificant".

But not him...

"That's right. Everyone would think if she smiled at them they’re special. But that's because they don't know her horror. Soldiers will gladly go to their death just to be able to talk to her. The merchant will go to the unexplored region to buy goods. And the mage goes to the top of the tower. Fools! They don't even know they're being tampered with.”

Duke chuckled to himself.

“Look at me. I was taken in by her words and lost my freedom. This is what happens when you have ambitions that are not your size. Now go home. Everyone should go back to where they belong. You too, fairies, you shallow bunch of people attracted by magic power. Go back to where you belong!”

Duke waves his wand at the gathered fairies and chases them away.

The fairies, frightened by his swordsmanship and shouting, scattered and ran away.

"Yeah, they're all so depressing. At least you're free!　What's wrong with you? Now go back to where you belong, where you deserve to be!”

 

"Phew.. I'm tired."

After the tea party, Illywia went back to her room and lay down on her bed.

In the end, her day ended with greeting the guests.

“Sylph. Tell me about it. Tell me what happened at today's tea party. Especially about Lynn.”

It was her habit to listen to Sylph when she was alone in her room and let him summarize the events that had happened that day without her knowledge.
The spirit of the wind appeared and put her mouth to Illywia's ear and whispered.

He told Illywia everything that had happened at the tea party today.

Not only the outward appearances, but also the actions and intentions of the people who had been stirring in the dark, and what was going on behind the scenes.

"Yes. I knew it was the Duke who was doing all the work behind the scenes. He sent Lynn home first....... That's right. He really is a tactless man."

Illywia glanced pensively at the gifts and artifacts from the guests.

These were brought into her room beforehand, after the tea party was over.

Illywia compares the gifts with Karat in the corner of the room.

Should she open the lid of the gift to reveal its contents, or should she play with the Karat?

In the end, Illywia decided to call out to Karat.

"Come here. Karat."

Illywia calls out and Karat comes running up to her.

Illywia picks up Karat by the neck and brings her close to her face.

"It was a boring tea party. I've had enough of expensive gifts and rhetorical flourishes. I want to do something more fun."

Illywia speaks to Karat in Wyngarde.

Karat tilted his head.

He wondered why she didn't speak to him in a magical language that he could understand.

"Lynn. You can't really play with me if you're just hanging back like this, can you? Oh, I'm so bored."

 

Next time: Episode 55 "Yuwen's Decision"

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