Encia tilted her head as she looked at the envoy from the Romania Empire who had come seeking her.
‘What could the Romania Empire possibly want?’
Given the relationship between the Romania Empire and Procyon, it was unlikely that they would directly request anything from a foreign mage in Procyon.
After all, the Romania Empire employed its own fair share of mages. It was rare for them to ask Encia for help.
So then….
“Is this about needing weather magic?”
“Yes. Our emperor, Julius, is turning 100 years old, and we are preparing a grand celebration. We’d like to request your assistance with the weather that day.”
At those words, Encia nodded.
It made sense. If not for something like this, the Romania Empire wouldn’t have sought her out.
To many, the land of Romania was blessed—rich soil where any crop flourished.
With such fertile lands, there would be little need for Encia’s magic.
“We will offer you fitting compensation for your efforts. Even if the day turns out to be clear without intervention.”
Encia paused to think. Was accepting this proposal the right decision?
Without Tia, who always provided sound advice, Encia had to rely on her own judgment now.
She needed to decide for herself.
“If there are travel expenses or necessary Dwarven items, we’ll provide support. What do you say?”
The offer sounded sweet. All she had to do was show up.
But after traveling with Tia, Encia understood humans weren’t entirely trustworthy—they prioritized their own gain and often tried to deceive others.
She’d seen enough examples of that. Not everyone deserved trust.
Thus, she had to make her own judgment based on what she saw and thought.
Deciding for herself felt daunting, like navigating a perilous path shrouded in thick fog, but there was no avoiding it—not without Tia’s guidance anymore.
So…
“Alright. I’ll go.”
Encia took a step forward.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
“Do you know what kind of magical power mages use when casting spells?”
“The magic stored in one’s heart, right?”
“Exactly. While the structure and form vary by school or tower, one thing remains constant: using the magical power stored near the heart.”
The sleepy girl sketched something on clean paper with a pencil—a rather detailed and slightly unsettling drawing of a heart.
Not exactly typical for such a young girl, but…
“Why draw something so creepy?”
“We can’t exactly study from real ones, can we?”
Casually dismissing the oddity, the sleepy-eyed girl began adding more details to the heart diagram—rings encircling it, layer upon layer.
“This is the most common method of storing magical power. Circles. Heard of Circle Mages?”
“Yeah, they store magic in ring forms, right?”
“Right. The number of rings encircling the heart determines their rank. They’re considered representative mages.”
The bespectacled girl nodded. In stories and tales, mages were often depicted as Circle Mages.
“Since they clearly define each rank, it’s straightforward. There are other methods, like creating crystals or extending magic like threads, but this is the most famous and representative.”
The sleepy girl’s explanation earned another nod from the bespectacled girl.
“But this book mentions controlling external magic through one’s own…”
“I said it before. By using personal magic as a seed, one can control external magic. But in exchange, you can perform rituals akin to ceremonies.”
“Oh, right.”
“Managing internal magic isn’t easy, let alone external magic—it’s even harder.”
The bespectacled girl agreed. During knight training, she had sensed and moved magic through physical exercises without consciously focusing on it. She hadn’t realized how difficult manipulating magic externally could be.
“Knights and mages differ greatly, which is why there aren’t many magiknights. That’s part of the reason.”
“Hmm.”
“Anyway, to control external magic, one must use their own magic as a seed. Tremendous willpower is required—training from childhood is practically essential.”
“Hmm… Is that why this book got buried?”
“Exactly. There are two paths: one allows limitless ascent but with miraculous odds; the other offers lower heights but realistic progress. Most choose the latter.”
The bespectacled girl nodded. Practical goals over lofty dreams usually made more sense.
“Anyway, your path involves using your own magic, not external forces. Though the latter has greater power and less consumption, only a few can manage it.”
The bespectacled girl agreed again.
“First, gather your internal magic into a form. Once you’ve shaped it roughly, pull in external magic through breathing and integrate it into your own.”
“Breathing?”
“It’s similar to knights’ breathing techniques, which originally came from mages.”
The bespectacled girl nodded familiarly, crossed her legs, and closed her eyes.
“Start by forming a circle near your heart until the cells adapt to storing magic.”
“Yeah… Sounds weird, but I guess it’s just gaining storage capability.”
“Exactly. No other changes occur. Now focus.”
And so, the bespectacled girl closed her eyes, focused, and began gathering her magic.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The journey to the capital of the Romania Empire, Sirius, was neither smooth nor perilous.
An uneventful trip. Any monsters encountered were handled by the accompanying Romanian knights, and the entourage efficiently prepared for any overnight stays.
Encia simply enjoyed the leisurely journey.
However, during the trip, what caught Encia’s attention was…the massive flow of power beneath the earth.
Unnoticeable near Procyon, it grew stronger as they approached Sirius.
A power resembling magic, yet gentle—embracing the very ground itself.
As a mage, curiosity was irresistible, but since the journey was the priority, Encia only explored briefly during nightly rests.
Fortunately, the closer they got to Sirius, the stronger this power became.
Finally, after quite the long journey, Encia arrived at Sirius and could only marvel:
“So big…”
Gazing upward at Sirius’s towering walls, she was awestruck.
“The pride of Sirius: its triple-layered walls.”
“Triple?”
“Yes. Legend says when the former emperor reclaimed his throne, the earth itself rose to aid him.”
“The former emperor…? Sword Emperor?”
“Yes, Emperor Lucius, known as the Sword Emperor.”
Encia nodded. The tale of the Dragon Priestess, her younger sister, and their master reclaiming the lost throne was legendary indeed.
“Though he vanished, leaving word he’d return when needed…we believe if this land requires his strength, he will. All the commoners of Romania do.”
“Amazing…”
“Yes. He is a legend.”
The envoy smiled and headed toward the gates of Sirius.
Thus, Encia entered Sirius.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Time passed, and Emperor Julius’s birthday arrived.
Preparations went smoothly, with just a few clouds dotting the sky.
Encia cleared away the clouds, revealing a bright blue sky. The centennial celebration commenced in the central square of Sirius.
Of course, as a non-Romanian, Encia observed the festivities from a distance.
It was a grand affair.
Emperor Julius, looking far younger than his 100 years, rode in a magnificent carriage, departing from the castle and making a round through Sirius’s main streets.
Countless commoners gathered along the parade route, praising their emperor’s name.
To Encia, a resident of Procyon, it was quite the spectacle—but only mildly interesting. She didn’t feel compelled to watch it all.
So, she moved on.
Her destination? The source of the great power flowing beneath Sirius.
Somewhere within the palace complex, she would find its origin.
Fortunately, Encia had special permission to wander most of Sirius Castle, so she proceeded without hesitation toward the garden behind the palace.
