When the princess of the Rain Clan—a gentle and graceful fairy—was attending to clan affairs with Vivian, she noticed Aesc leading Shiomi into the audience chamber. She promptly concluded her discussion, dismissed the attendants, and rose from her throne to receive them.
"You must be the Sage who saved Aesc. It is an honor to meet you today," the queen greeted Shiomi with elegance and courtesy.
Though she was the highest-ranking fairy in the kingdom, she treated Shiomi, an outsider and a human, with notable politeness. He sensed there was more beneath the surface.
"It wasn't truly a rescue. Aesc was the one who freed me from the ice coffin," Shiomi said, shaking his head as he stood at the foot of the throne. He spoke calmly and evenly. "It was only that, when the ice coffin shattered, it disrupted Aesc's Mana flow, breaking the otherwise perfect levitation Magecraft, which led to the accident."
On the way back, he had learned from Vivian what happened before he woke, and quickly pieced it together. Most likely, Morgan had set a condition on the ice coffin: only the "Morgan" of this era—Aesc—could release the seal by touching it.
But to leave such a trap for her past self was reckless. A single misstep could have meant Aesc drowning in the frozen Mirror Lake.
Too rash… far too dangerous… That had been his first thought. Yet on reflection, it revealed Morgan's deep trust in him. Without even explaining, she was certain he would save her past self.
"Even so, you saved Aesc's life," the queen said gravely. "As clan chief and as Aesc's mother, I must thank you."
"That's right. Sage, don't be so modest. We may not have a proper gift to offer, but we will ensure that all your needs are met while you remain in Orkney," Vivian added, following her mother's words.
Shiomi glanced at Aesc, saw the same sincerity in her eyes, and accepted with a nod.
The queen then returned to her throne, her expression firm as she addressed him.
"I have heard from Vivian and Aesc that you came here for her. Were you sent by the leader of another clan?"
Her tone had lost its gentleness, turning sharp and probing.
"No, I have no ties to any other clan. I came only to aid Aesc and to protect her," Shiomi replied without surprise, answering evenly. "Whatever mission she carries, it is my duty to support her."
...
Original Rune XIV—the Rune of Knowledge.
One of the primal runes discovered by the great god Odin, and one of the few not tied to combat, but instead to intelligence. By invoking it, one could obtain knowledge of gods and fairies alike.
In Proper Human History, the gods and fairies had long since retreated from the surface of the world to its hidden sides, leaving little need for Shiomi to ever use this rune.
Here, however, he had activated it on a whim. At once, he grasped the broad state of the Isle of Britain.
More precisely, he saw the distribution of its fairy clans. Six clans were spread across the land, and the Rain Clan was but one of them—dwelling on the northernmost isles of Orkney, where they had built the Land of Rain.
The reason for the queen's caution lay in Aesc herself.
She was not a native fairy of the island, but a "Fairy of Paradise" from Avalon. And the Fairies of Paradise carried with them a mission unlike any other.
At this point, the queen, who knew the truth, understood at once. She turned to Vivian.
"Go and rest now. What follows concerns only Aesc and the Sage."
"Eh… I understand."
Though puzzled, Vivian obeyed her mother and left the audience hall. As she went, she cast a worried look back at Aesc, clearly thinking her mother meant to scold her in private.
Once Vivian had departed, Shiomi traced runes into the air. They shone brightly, expanding outward to form a barrier encircling the throne.
"A soundproof… barrier?" Aesc instantly recognized its nature.
The queen looked surprised, then gave a calm smile. "Our country has no one who can teach Aesc Magecraft. Yet you, though human, are so well-versed in it. I see now that your earlier words were no lie."
"No magic teachers?" Shiomi was taken aback.
"Mhm… so all the Magecraft I know, I had to figure out on my own." Aesc nodded, a little shy.
Shiomi blinked, stunned. "That's incredible."
He could clearly sense Aesc's rare aptitude as a Magus. Even knowing the truth beforehand, seeing her like this made him admire her talent all over again—talent so extraordinary it even stirred a tinge of jealousy within him.
"By the way, Aesc, how old are you now?" Shiomi asked.
"Eh? Ah… I just turned fifteen not long ago." Aesc shyly adjusted her glasses, then looked at him curiously. "What about you, Sage?"
"Why don't you guess?" Shiomi didn't answer directly. "For all you know, I might already be an old man on the inside."
Aesc squinted at him. "You're not lying… could it really be true?!"
But outwardly he looked only three or four years older than her.
"It's a little embarrassing to say it here. I'll tell you in private," Shiomi promised.
To him, age was now little more than a number—his being had already undergone "fixing."
To Aesc, his reaction was fascinating. He seemed to carry countless secrets, yet it was clear he had no intention of hiding them from her.
"An age that can't be judged by appearances, mastery of Magecraft, and human identity…" The queen calmly pieced together the information she had. "So you truly are the Sage who came here for the mission of the Fairy of Paradise."
"I've already said—I came only for Aesc. It has nothing to do with identity or obligation. Whatever she intends to do, whatever path she chooses, I'll remain by her side, supporting her, becoming her strength." Shiomi's reply was steady, resolute.
This was something he had already decided.
"I see." The queen smiled faintly, her gaze soft as it fell on Aesc. "I have always worried this child would have to embark on her journey alone. If the Sage could stay by her side…"
"Mother…!" Aesc almost yelped.
Her sudden reaction puzzled the queen.
To the queen, the Sage was simply a steadfast companion of the Fairies of Paradise. She had no way of knowing what her words meant to Aesc—or why they flustered her so deeply.