The house was a little too large for one person, yet just the right size for a family. That was Asti’s family home.
A two-story wooden house, with a small flowerbed out front where nothing was planted now.
Much about Asti himself remained a mystery. What I knew was that he was a top-ranked adventurer, unmatched in magical skill. He had ties to the intelligence bureau, was on familiar terms with the commander in Marseilles, and could even serve as an arbiter in formal negotiations.
A true all-purpose sage.
Few people possessed the investigative skill to use surveillance magic, alarm spells, and even record both images and sound. And beyond that, he wielded everything from offensive magic to teleportation.
Simply put, he knew too many spells.
Which meant he would never struggle for income.
Someone with his abilities was in constant demand, no matter the situation.
That was why his modest family home came as such a surprise.
“It’s just an ordinary house, isn’t it? I lived here with my mother, just the two of us, so it feels a bit spacious. But with all of her things still around, it was actually perfect.”
“I see.”
“Sometimes animals—or rather, spirits—would come to visit my mother, so it was livelier than it looks. Oh, Lady Sheila, I need to register you with the door lock. Would you come here?”
There was no keyhole on the front door. Instead, a faintly glowing red magic circle was engraved there. When I placed my hand on it as instructed, Asti murmured a short incantation. The circle shifted to blue, then faded, and returned to red again.
“You’re registered now. When it’s red, the door is locked. If you place your hand here, it will open in response to your voice.”
“Go ahead and try.”
I swallowed, then placed my hand on the circle.
“Open.”
There was a soft click, and the door swung inward.
“Amazing.”
Curious about how it worked, I leaned closer. The circle now glowed blue. It had been red when locked, so blue must mean unlocked.
I had only ever known ordinary keys, so this was all fascinating.
“Our house relies almost entirely on magic tools. Anything that isn’t one runs on magic circles. Once you’re used to it, everything’s quite simple.”
“I see.”
“Cleaning is done by infusing magic into the broom circle. Filling the bath, reheating meals—everything works the same way.”
The magic tool he showed me was a large box. Apparently, if you placed cold food inside and poured magic into it, it would warm it again.
If I had known about this while Leon was around, I wouldn’t have struggled so much reheating or remaking meals…
My thoughts stopped there.
“Lady Sheila?”
“Ah… sorry. Thank you for explaining.”
No matter what I looked at, my mind still tied it back to my life with Leon. I thought I had moved on, yet perhaps there was still some lingering attachment. The realization made me feel quietly sad.
Once the explanations were done, I couldn’t help wondering why no one had lived here.
I had expected Asti to be alone, but why hadn’t he rented the house out?
“This place means a lot to me, but it’s a bit… particular. Still, I’m glad it seems to suit you.”
“Particular?”
“You registered at the front door, didn’t you? If the house doesn’t welcome someone, they’re stopped at the entrance. It won’t turn blue. My mother set it up, apparently.”
I looked down at my palm without thinking. I had only placed my hand there, so how did it decide whether someone was welcome?
“Well, as long as there’s no malice, it’s fine. But if someone approaches with bad intentions or impure thoughts, they’re rejected.”
That was convenient.
I would be living here with my child. A door that turned away malice was reassuring.
After that, Asti guided me through the house. There were magic tools everywhere, all undeniably useful.
“But if you use all of these, the magic consumption must be enormous…”
Convenience always came at a cost.
It wasn’t that no one lived here. Most people simply couldn’t.
Asti’s mother must have been an extraordinary mage.
Almost everyone in this world was born with magic, but the amount varied. Some had great reserves, others very little.
Those with complex magic circuits often couldn’t circulate magic properly, leaving them with low capacity. If the circuits were blocked or broken, magic couldn’t be used at all.
Leon had little magic, which was why he became a knight. I had always supported him to make up for that…
“Well, that’s why there aren’t many people who can live here. For most, just daily life would drain their magic completely. They’d be bedridden or reliant on stimulants.”
After finishing the tour, Asti smiled wryly.
Even so, he and his mother must have lived here without difficulty. Once again, I was struck by how remarkable she must have been.
And yet, I liked how calm and quiet it was.
“It’s peaceful. I think I could raise a child here, slowly and comfortably.”
There were no neighboring houses. Just one solitary home, surrounded by open grassland and forest as far as the eye could see.
There was a small field out front, enough for self-sufficiency. Behind the house, the forest held many medicinal herbs. If I brewed recovery potions, I could earn a steady income.
The absence of a town nearby was a little concerning, but otherwise, it seemed livable.
“The forest behind the house is protected by spirits, so monsters rarely approach. It’s safe to gather herbs.”
“My mother had a contract with the forest lord. Even after she passed, the spirit seems to like it there.”
“I see.”
Looking toward the forest, the air seemed clear and pure. It would be perfect for morning walks.
“Asti… your mother…”
I had guessed the truth, but his expression when he looked away confirmed it.
“I’m sorry. That was too personal.”
“…No. She passed away a long time ago. Someday, I’d like to tell you about her. About why I do this sort of investigative work. It all started with her.”
He gazed out the window, his expression tinged with regret, frustration, and something unresolved.
He stepped into my life without hesitation, yet kept his own carefully guarded. It felt a little unfair—but our relationship was still shallow. We had only worked one quest together, even if everything that followed felt intense. It hadn’t even been a month.
“I understand. But if I’m going to live here, I’d like to properly pay my respects. When the time is right.”
“Then let’s go to the spirit forest later. My mother’s grave is near the forest lord’s dwelling. We can greet the spirit too. If you do, it should protect you while you gather herbs.”
“That would be wonderful.”
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m all right. It’s settled down.”
“Good. Please tell me if it becomes difficult.”
With the tour finished, he began preparing to visit the spirits.
Before that, I tried using one of the magic tools. I infused magic into the broom’s circle, and it began sweeping on its own.
Having always done such things myself, the sight felt fresh, and I found myself watching it move.
“Are you ready, Lady Sheila?”
“Yes.”
“You’re already using it. The broom will be pleased.”
“It really is incredible. So convenient. Ah, we’re going to see the spirits, right?”
“Yes. Let’s go. It’s already registered.”
“…Registered?”
Apparently, we would be using Asti’s teleportation magic again.
Teleportation really was far too convenient.
