Chapter 8 (1/2)
If a craftsman wants to do good work, he must first sharpen his tools.
Though that specific saying is unknown to Auvalire, she expresses a similar sentiment through another.
The only path to success is a solid foundation.
Restoring the castle to a normal state of operations is the greatest problem before them; a necessity, regardless of Julian's future plans.
Manpower, capital, a means to produce income - all these were sorely lacking. After a basic review, Auvalire forms the same opinion as Julian's.
”The only purpose for this castle is warfare.”
The girl stares at the tattered map before her with mild resignation.
”It's as you say - this place has no qualifications for transportation or commerce.”
”Quite.”
Julian nods, simultaneously glancing at the empty teacup by Auvalire's side. Following her rebirth and reclamation of a new body, this former princess had gone to great lengths to take advantage of her newfound alimentary ability. Though she'd already gone through sixteen cups of tea, there was no sign of satiation. For the upper cla.s.s, tea-tasting is characterized as a leisurely pastime. The princess was certainly displaying her good upbringing in that regard; her actions are graceful and measured, her as long as one ignores her consumption of an entire pot within a half-hour.
Auvalire's body was woven out of magic, and thus did not follow the same digestive process as a human's; there was no cause for the concern that the n.o.blewoman would unexpectedly overstuff herself. Any food that enters her body is directly converted, becoming an identical part to the arcane fabric. However, that aside … shouldn't one exercise moderation in all things?
”We need manpower, and, in addition to that, considerable financial support as well.”
Auvalire raises her head, lightly reaching out. Elegantly, softly, she pours herself yet another cup of tea.
This is the seventeenth.
”If you have a private stash or treasury, I think the problem wouldn't be hard to solve.”
Julian takes the teapot from Auvalire's side.
The girl blinks, not responding to her partner's obvious jest. Truthfully, she knows very little about the young man before her. Though Julian had introduced himself as the scion of a n.o.ble house in decline - a claim corroborated by various pther events - Auvalire nevertheless holds the belief that the answer is not quite so simple. Holding the prior event as an example, even the palace wizards from Auvalire's memory did not have the ability to perform magic strong enough to actualize a soul, but Julian hadn't only exhibited ability, but ease also. Though Auvalire is not a wizard herself, any normal person can surmise how unimaginable a task it is to give form to a formless soul. Even the Church of the Holy Grace had never done such a thing - resurrection was the highest miracle in their texts, but Julian had accomplished something even greater.
As Julian has himself said, he is no wizard. Auvalire hadn't discovered a single magic-related thing in the entire castle - no diagrams, no robes, no spellbooks or homunculi or anything else she'd seen the palace wizards have.
She has intrinsic doubts about his knightly claim as well. Knights were supposed to be quite n.o.ble, and if the youth before her really was a knight, then he should have long entered the inner circles of the royal family, rather than being left to his own devices in the middle of nowhere. Moreover, from Julian's description, the major aristocrats were treating him as someone short-lived and disposable; none of these things accorded to the status of a knight.
However, he'd spoken with such plainness, with no pride or pomp … it is difficult for Auvalire to picture him as an ordinary youth, full of daydreams. A youth with knightly delusions spoke with pretense and admiration, but Julian's tone was soft, warm, faint enough to sound like a statement of mere fact.
Could he be ...
Auvalire shakes her head, dispelling her strange and incredible judgment. She voices a suggestion.
”My liege, why do you not give bodies to those wandering spirits? Given how faithful they are to your commands, I think doing that would solve at least a portion of our human resource issues.”
”Though they too possess great reservoirs of magic, it's not quite insufficient to create a body.”