Episode 30
Flight(2)
“Why does this man only have a perfect memory for things like that?!”
Temia inwardly screamed, blaming her past self and mentally clutching at her head.
But whether he knew what she was thinking or not, the man simply continued on, smiling brightly as if nothing was wrong.
“I figured I should listen more carefully to my new employee. If you’re working right next to someone, it’s easier to understand them. And once we get closer, I’ll have a better idea of how to accommodate you.”
“You’re saying you have to keep me beside you to figure that out?!”
“Everything is easier to grasp when it’s up close. Even if not that, it’ll help me understand how you think. Until now, we haven’t had many chances to interact, so I wanted to make the time myself.”
“Now, of all times? Don’t you think it’s a little late for that?”
“They say the best time to start is when you think it’s already too late. Or… is there a reason you’re suddenly taking back what you said before?”
It wasn’t like they had just met yesterday—they’d already spent several months working together.
And now he says he’s just starting to listen to what she has to say?
“Wait a second… does that mean he wasn’t even taking me seriously this whole time? This man!”
She remembered how, back when he paid for the sick child’s medicine on her behalf, he’d said she was the first person he’d met who helped without hypocrisy, and had shown genuine curiosity toward her.
Didn’t that mean he respected her because she defied his expectations?
But from the way he was talking now, it didn’t seem that way at all.
To him, she was just someone doing unexpected and amusing things—an entertaining presence to observe from the side. In short, a clown. That was all she was to him.
“I really want to punch him. Just once…”
His lack of empathy was beyond belief. She always thought she lacked social skills from growing up isolated in a villa, but how could this man, who lived among others, be even worse?
Regardless, the man’s face continued to radiate shamelessness.
And then, with a cheerful tone, he twisted the situation even more.
“Wow! That means it’ll just be the two of us in the workshop for a while.”
“W-Wait, what do you mean…?”
“Just you and me, right? There aren’t any other employees, and I’m not hiring more either.”
That was true. She couldn’t deny it.
But something about the way he said it gave her a weird feeling—was it just her imagination?
As Temia darted her eyes around awkwardly, Lowell kept going.
“And I figured I’d take this time to observe you a bit more closely.”
“…Why me? That’s totally random.”
“I’m just curious about you. No one talks to me the way you do. Honestly, you’re entertaining. If I had to describe you… you’re mysterious. And that makes me want to know more.”
His light smile seemed genuinely satisfied—and for some reason, Temia found herself unable to look away. Why was he smiling like that? Did she have something on her face?
It wasn’t like the fake smile he gave to customers or the mischievous grin he wore when teasing her.
This one was… different.
He stepped closer, closing the distance between them in an instant. Before Temia could react, he reached out and tucked a stray strand of her messy hair behind her ear, leaning down to meet her eyes.
“And this look… it’s the first time I’ve seen it. Not bad, but you might regret it later when you’re hiding under your blanket. So fix your hair and come back down in an hour.”
With that, he walked past her and headed up the stairs.
“W-What was that just now?!”
Temia blinked, stunned.
What just happened? Was that even the same magician?
Where his fingers had brushed her, goosebumps rose on her skin. Temia shuddered and bolted up to her room with a horrified look.
The moment she looked in the mirror, she immediately understood what he meant.
“…I-I looked like this the whole time?!”
Staring back at her was her own reflection—hair so tangled and wild it looked like even Lerry would reject her as baggage.
Of all people, why did he have to see her like this?!
Panicked, Temia rushed into the bathroom, furiously swinging her fists through the air in frustration.
—
Meanwhile, far from the workshop, Lerry was enjoying the fresh air outside the village for the first time in a while.
Of course, he liked nibbling on scraps of paper at Lowell’s desk or rubbing his beak affectionately against Temia’s cheek while perched on her shoulder. But spreading his wings and soaring freely was a privilege only birds could enjoy.
He chirped happily and flapped his wings with all his might.
Lerry rarely left the village.
He was summoned primarily to assist with research, so Lowell didn’t usually assign him tasks outside that scope.
In fact, when Lowell’s human assistants inevitably ran off in frustration, it was always Lerry who had to fill in the gaps. Flitting from corner to corner of the workshop with his tiny wings was no easy job.
But that didn’t mean Lowell cut him any slack. Still, Lerry always carried out his duties without complaint—and was rewarded with trust in return.
> “Lerry, I need you to run an errand. I’d go myself, but it’s not ideal.”
“Yes, Master! What should I do and where should I go?”
> “Honestly, I’m not even sure if this is necessary. But I’ve got a hunch something’s up. Go check out the Trea household—see what they’re up to. You know what to do, right?”
> “Of course! I’ll look for suspicious traces or communications with outsiders, right?”
> “Exactly. I don’t think it’ll be too difficult. If you spot anything weird, let me know. I’ll cast a spell on you just in case.”
And so, when his master assigned him a task outside for once, Lerry felt a surprising sense of freedom.
As he flapped his wings, the little bird recalled the recent incidents—starting from the time the documents had gone missing at the academy. That was when his master’s mood had clearly darkened.
He had never been a cheerful person, but this time, it was the worst Lerry had ever seen.
It reminded him of how Lowell had looked back when Lerry was first created. After reviewing the past three years of memories, Lerry concluded that something was definitely still unresolved.
Though his master had recovered quickly this time, the root problem remained.
Letting out a sigh—a rare act for a bird—Lerry remembered how Lowell had looked when he secretly summoned him for this errand.
Whenever the topic of Count Trea came up, his master’s expression would harden.
Though he was part of that very family, Lowell showed not a single trace of affection toward them.
It was a sad truth. But Lerry simply did as he was told.
Lowell didn’t like being comforted and didn’t want to be pitied.
So Lerry, fearing that any wrong word might sound like sympathy, just silently circled around him without a word.
Now flying far beyond the village, Lerry turned his head to take in the world below.
Babbling brooks, wildflower-covered fields, cheerful children pointing and calling him the “lucky bluebird,” graceful women, and kindly gentlemen—all passed below him in vibrant scenes.
Before long, he arrived at the capital, Faren.
Compared to the quiet village that housed the Green Sandwich Workshop, the capital was bustling beyond belief. The large roads were packed with carriages.
Students in academy uniforms rushed about. Servants were busy preparing for parties. Street vendors shouted their wares. Newsboys ran through the crowds handing out papers.
It was a completely different world.
Being cautious not to fly too low, Lerry zipped through the chaos.
Eventually, his wings began to ache. Finally, he landed on a window ledge of a certain mansion—its heavy medicinal smell stung his nose.Inside, a servant boy was daydreaming out the window under the warm sunlight.
Lerry’s appearance in his line of sight was pure coincidence. But unaware of the miracle he’d just caused, Lerry began to chant the spell Lowell had taught him.
> “I hope Headmaster Gacy goes bald.”
With that nonsensical incantation, Lerry’s form instantly turned transparent—and the thorny hedges behind him became visible through his body.
If Headmaster Gacy had heard his name used for such a spell, he’d have been furious.
But fortunately, the only witness was the servant boy, who stared blankly, unsure if he was hallucinating.
He pinched his cheek—only to feel the pain confirming it was real.
Now completely invisible, Lerry infiltrated the Trea household unnoticed.
Unfortunately, the spell only lasted about three hours, after which he would return to normal, so he had to hurry. But that should be enough to observe the situation.
After all, he wasn’t just anyone—he was the summoned familiar of the infamous, hot-tempered Archmage Roseth.
And so, Lerry quietly slipped into the mansion of Count Trea—without a sound, without anyone knowing.
