Chapter 4 (2/2)

Suddenly I remembered the tragedy of Klaus and Ann in 『Liber Monstrum』. In the first place, why would the very polite Ann want the necklace that Erica had?

—It might be because of the desire evoked by this necklace.

“Erica, I don’t know if it will replace me, but here.”

This was the key for Onii-sama’s wonderful Wunderkammer.

The stored items were also equivalent to a lifeline for our family.

“Onii-sama, why are you giving this important thing to me?”

“Because you seem very uneasy. I have to go to Leandez Magic Academy for my friend. Actually I’d like to be by your side……But I’m also needed there for something.”

“Onii-sama……”

“It’s alright, if there is nothing extraordinary, I should be able to come back tomorrow morning.”

After he said that, my older brother went to Leandez Magic Academy through the underground transfer gate.

I headed towards the guest room at Spring Palace.

It was to confirm the safety of Klaus and Ann.

I didn’t care that my long dress entangled with my legs, I was running in the palace corridor at night.

Events that had occurred today were floating in my mind one after the other.

Ann’s smile, with dyed cheeks among the blossoming flowers.

Klaus’ sparkling eyes when looking at the magic of my star necklace.

The necklace with ancient magic—faint but bewitching blue light.

I wanted to see Ann’s smile and Klaus’ scowl as soon as possible to give me a peace of mind.

☆

The guest rooms that were used as accommodation for the children of Duke Harvan, were plentifully decorated with the flowers of this spring garden.

There was a fragrant scent of flowers in the room.

However, I couldn’t find the figures of Klaus and Ann.

All the maids serving Duke of Harvan were falling asleep by magic.

I made sure that Ann was not confused among the sleeping maids, but she wasn’t there either.

–Perhaps this was the work of Klaus.

Although he was only a 10-years-old boy, Klaus’ magical abilities were exceptional.

These women weren’t just maids, but maids that had served the duke.

In other words, they had some knowledge of magic.

If so, they should have a mild magic resistance.

I believed that the maids were took out by using powerful sleeping magic so that he could sneak away.

I wondered what time was this magic used.

It was also worrying that the one who disappeared was not only Klaus, but Ann too.

A person like Klaus would have headed for Ruins of Visitor.

Ten to one, no doubt.

For Ann, if good luck was on my side, she might be with the Duke and Duchess of Harvan.

(For confirmation, I should hurry up and see the Duke of Harvan or my father, shouldn’t I?)

It wasn’t good if this situation became widespread and panic occurred.

I closed the door, crossed the corridor and headed to my father’s room.

I walked about fifteen minutes.

I should have reached my father’s room since a long time ago, but I reached the original room I set out from.

At this point, I understood that I was lost in a familiar place.

It was a magic that turned the palace into a labyrinth.

However, no matter how much an excellent mage Klaus was, he shouldn’t be able to use space distortion magic.

This was probably a Phantasmal Maze.

It was a magic that dazzles as though it was a labyrinth by messing out the sense of direction of a passing human being and put them under an illusion.

Because of this magic, Spring Palace seemed to have been divided into several compartments.

I couldn’t even go to the Duke of Harvan or my father, the Duke of Aurelia, and the adults would never reach their children’s room.

For a 10-years-old to be able to master this complex magic……

I couldn’t hide my surprise at Klaus’ talent.

(I mean, this kind of careful preparation is too much, Klaus–!)

Taking a deep breath, at this time I should calm down and think.

“Edward-onii-sama, it seems that I’m going to use it this soon.”

I looked at the key to the Wunderkammer that I received from my older brother earlier.

I put it into the keyhole of an appropriate room and turned it.

This key itself was a magic item that could turn any door in this palace into a door that was connected to my older brother’s Wunderkammer.

When I opened the door, the Wunderkammer of the alchemist Edward Aurelia appeared before me.

1 I really try my best to translate this. The original sentence was 取手の部分には夜光貝で孔雀の羽を模した細工が施してある Can somebody help me?

So if you don’t understand the work of a wand, the amount of magic inside a wand is depending on the maker. For example, a wand is charged 100 times with magic, that means the user can only use that wand for 100 times. And each wand could only be powered with one type of magic.

The difference with a staff of Harvan is that a staff is a medium for mages to channel their magic. So it used the magical power generated by the user, while a wand used the magical power that had been stored inside it.

That’s why, while mages are depending on the versatility and the magical power of the user, alchemists are depending on the type of wands they have prepared beforehand.