[355] The Magic Association (1)
Shirone left Reina's mansion and flagged down a carriage bound for the Magic Association.
Rian's sudden withdrawal from school to begin his knight training had moved the schedule up more than expected. He could have stayed at Reina's another day, but he chose to go to the Association.
The spark Rian left behind had lit a fire in everyone. Tess immediately said she'd go straight into training and went home, and Shirone wanted to soak in the atmosphere of the Association—the cradle of magic.
At the Association building, Shirone went to the reception desk to find Plu. The attendant sent a message over the internal line, and Plu came down five minutes later.
She scowled the moment she saw him. Luckily, Gangnan was out on business, so there was no one to watch.
"Why are you back so soon? You were the one acting all busy before," she said.
"My work finished early. May I stay here?"
Plu's look was anything but kind. He hadn't even shown the slightest fluster and now bluntly asked to be put up.
This was the grandly named Magic Association, not a boarding house for lost kids.
But she'd been ordered by Gangnan, so Plu couldn't refuse outright. Since there were plenty of eyes around, she led Shirone to her assigned area on the third floor.
"The Chief Secretary asked me to take care of you, but you'll do as I say from now on. If you disobey me or wander around recklessly, I'll have you expelled. Understood?"
"Ah, yes."
Plu's prickly attitude left Shirone baffled. He'd done nothing to offend her; she'd never given him a pleasant look even when they first met.
"Here—you'll stay here."
She handed over the room she used when working overtime. It was small; bunk beds were fixed against both walls.
Shirone unpacked his things sheepishly. He barely had time to settle before Plu called him out again.
"Follow me. I'll show you around a bit."
Plu walked the corridor with her staff held behind her back, knees straight, chin tilted up as if fifteen degrees toward the sky.
"I'll introduce myself first. I'm Lavide Plu. Twenty-two. Graduated top of my class from the Royal School of Magic and currently a certified Rank-8 mage. I should be Rank-6 in two years. My current post is manager of the third floor of the Magic Association's Security Department."
"Ah, I see. I—"
Just as Shirone moved to introduce himself, Plu stopped and turned to him coldly.
"I know. Arian Shirone. Enrolled at Alpheas School of Magic. You can use the Archangel ability Ataraxia, your major is Light Magic, and the Unlocker's innate trait is Mass Bestowal."
Shirone was dumbstruck. Someone who hadn't even known his face the day before now knew him inside and out. What puzzled him most was how prickly she was toward him.
"There's a student at your school named Dante, right? He transferred recently."
"Yes. Do you know Dante?"
"Why would I know Dante?"
"Oh—just that Dante also studied at the Royal School of Magic…"
Plu's sharp gaze made Shirone shrink back. He didn't know what to say to satisfy her.
"When I was a senior, Dante was a very junior underclassman. I know you beat Dante. But if you think that's enough to strut around with your chest out, you'd better stop. If I were three years younger, first place in the kingdom would have been mine, not yours."
I've never strutted like that… Shirone swallowed the words lodged in his throat. Whatever he said, he suspected it wouldn't go down well.
Plu toured the third floor, pointing out departments as she went. Even the guards with gray in their hair bowed courteously when she passed. Each time she merely nodded shortly, confident and composed.
She was showing Shirone the face of a successful mage. "Tour" was a pretext; in reality she was using her position to test and shape him.
A sweaty, disheveled man carrying documents came down the corridor from the far end. Plu's composed expression tightened for a moment.
"Good morning, Sakiri. Good morning," she called.
Shirone studied the man called Sakiri carefully.
So that's Sakiri. After the Arcane incident, when Alpheas and Kanis's group were summoned to the Association, Sakiri had been the investigator assigned to them.
He looked like a tired, uncle-like man, but his gaze was sharper than anyone Shirone had met.
"Who's that with you? I don't recognize him."
"Oh, he's on a tour. Part of an extracurricular activity," Plu lied.
The Magic Association was the kingdom's core magic institution and drew many student tour requests. Sakiri merely nodded and moved on.
Plu exhaled softly and studied Shirone. The haughty air she'd worn a moment ago had been overturned, leaving an awkward chill between them.
"That man is Sakiri, a certified Rank-5 mage from the Inspection Department. He's very famous. If any criminal gets caught by him, they won't get to live afterwards."
"Oh, yes. I've heard his name."
"You have? Hm."
For the first time Plu allowed a satisfied smile. Working with someone even students knew seemed to soothe the embarrassment she'd felt earlier.
So now she had some idea how to handle him.
Just then a man stepped out of the elevator farther down the corridor and brightened when he saw Plu. He glanced at Shirone with curiosity.
"Plu, is that Shirone?"
Plu lit up. "Ah—Captain Gando. Hello!"
His name was Klein Gando. He was one of Gaold's Royal Guard, like Plu.
Known as Gando of Thunder, he was a combat mage skilled in lightning magic. He was captain of the Association's guards and a certified Rank-4 mage.
Tall, wearing tight leather pants and studded boots, he swept his violet hair back, leaving one strand loose. He might have been flashy in his youth, but his face was gentle, almost angelic.
Plu led Shirone forward to meet Gando.
"The Chief Secretary asked me to look after him. Hey, go on and greet him."
Gando extended his hand first.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Gando."
"Oh—yes, hello."
Shirone was about to bow, then hastily accepted the handshake when Gando reached out.
The awkward mix of bow and handshake made Gando laugh.
"You're a lot younger-looking than I expected. I thought you'd have a scarier look."
Is that the impression I give? Shirone, who had rarely left Tormia, didn't really know. But remembering articles he'd read, he could see how that image might form.
"Are you on regular patrol?"
"Yeah. Working from the top floor down. How's the third floor? Any trouble?"
"No, nothing unusual. Ha ha ha!"
Plu laughed into her hand with the pride of a third-floor manager.
"Right. It seems Gangnan was summoned by the Association Director. He'll probably be back tomorrow. Make yourself comfortable until then."
"Thank you."
Gando's gentle manner and consideration made Shirone want to mutter, "This woman's picking on me," but he held it down; it wasn't worth the trouble.
When Gando headed back to the elevator, Plu's bright welcome vanished and she turned back to Shirone in full scold mode.
"That man oversees the Association's security. In other words, he's my direct superior. He's called Gando of Thunder—you've heard the name, right?"
If he knew Sakiri, Plu assumed he'd certainly know Gando of Thunder too.
"Yes, I've heard of him," Shirone said, though he really hadn't. He'd probably only learned Sakiri's name because of the Alpheas incident. In situations like this, it was safer to say yes.
Plu was pleased with his compliant posture.
Satisfied that the trial was over, she moved on to what she'd been holding back.
"Do you know why the Association Director wants to see you? It's related to Heaven, isn't it?"
Shirone stiffened and closed his mouth. Even if Gangnan had trusted him, security had to be kept.
Plu's eyes sharpened. For once she refrained from treating him lightly. She sensed he wasn't an easy mark, and part of her resented the idea that her earlier airs might have been seen as affectation.
"In any case, assisting the Director is my role. You will definitely go to Heaven, so don't get cocky just because you were invited once."
He'd never been cocky and had no intention of being so. Still, her warning made clear where her suspicion came from.
"You must really admire the Director, then."
Plu's face flared with excitement.
"Of course I do! Sakiri and Gando are amazing, but honestly, they don't compare to Michea Gaold."
"Of course. He's a certified Rank-1 Grand Mage."
"Ho ho ho!"
Plu's haughty laugh stung.
"You really don't know anything, do you? Listen. There are four Rank-1 Grand Mages in the Tormia Kingdom right now. But the Association Director isn't chosen just because they're strong. You have to deal with high-ranking officials—you need political skill and finesse. So why was Gaold chosen as Director?"
Shirone thought it over, but having no sense of what a Rank-1 Grand Mage's power actually meant, he couldn't answer.
"Maybe he's just talented in many areas?"
Plu shook her head.
"No. It's the opposite. Not just strong—overwhelmingly strong. He's so powerful he's earned the reputation of a madman, but that very dominance lets him keep the Director's seat. Strength above all! To a combat mage like me, he's an idol and an ideal. How could I not revere him?"
The more she spoke, the more extraordinary Gaold seemed. The thought of why such a person would seek him out only deepened Shirone's curiosity.
Plu spun on her heel without hesitation.
"I have work to do, so stay in your room until dinner. The tour's over—don't wander off without my permission."
"Ah! Um…"
Shirone called after her in a rush, and Plu turned her waist to look back.
"Before you go…could I at least ride the elevator once?"
Plu gave him a teasing half-smile. Then her face snapped cold and she pursed her lips, answering in a clipped voice.
"No."
Shirone watched her walk away, bewildered.
"What did I do wrong?"
* * *
After a day that passed like prison—utterly dull—the next morning came. Shirone, in a fit of laziness, overslept. After all, he couldn't step out until Plu left for work.
Just as he dozed a little longer, a commotion outside roused him. Plu burst into the room and immediately shouted.
"Hey, rookie! Still asleep?"
Shirone woke, hair a mess, and sat up.
"Ah, good morning…"
"This is ridiculous! Do you think this is your bedroom at home? Get up now!"
Shirone was growing irritated.
"Um, if I get up, what do I have to do?"
"Of course you have something to do. You weren't planning to eat and sleep for free, were you? Today you shadow me and assist me. I'll give you ten minutes—hurry and wash up and come out!"
Shirone felt as if he'd been bombed awake. His groggy body slumped and he fell back onto the bed.
He couldn't even last ten seconds before curling up and then hauling himself out of bed.
"Ugh, this is too much."