"No, she may be a mage, but even she probably won't realize it unless she examines you. Even I thought you were just drunkenly falling over earlier."
"Really?" Thoma chuckled. "Was I that clumsy?"
"… That's right, it was hilarious! Shit, the friend I haven't seen in forever is dying? Isn't this a bit crazy? Akareal going to be shocked for sure when she finds out! The Hero she had a crush on is sick…!"
Thoma burst out in laughter at Oskal's words. "Haha! You've misunderstood all this time."
"What about?"
"The one Akareal likes isn't me, but His Holiness, Salem."
"…Eh?" Oskal took a moment to process what Thoma had just told him. "Ehhhhh?! Salem? She likes that damn bastard?!"
"She… how do I say this… Rather than having affection for me, it's more like… camaraderie. Well, she did mistake that emotion for love in the past, but I'm sure she's over it now…"
"… You sure?"
"Yep." Thoma said confidently.
"… This is also shocking in its own right. Phew!" Oskal jabbed at Thoma's abdomen. "In any case, just you wait. I'll find a way to save you no matter what."
"… It's a waste of time."
"Don't you want to live?"
"… I used to be the Hero. I was prepared to die at any time once I was sent to subjugate the Demon Lord. Also…" Thoma looked at Oskal. Seeing his face, Oskal was left speechless. Thoma was smiling; it was the biggest smile he'd shown in a long time. "I can't die just yet."
Oskal stared at him silently. It seemed like he wanted to say more, but the two of them arrived at the abbey's entrance.
"We're at the abbey now. Go on and sleep. Have a good night." Thoma said his goodbyes and retreated to into the abbey.
Oskal, who watched him leave, furiously rubbed his head like a child having a tantrum. "Fuckkkkk-! Shit! Shit! Shit! You bastard! You were trembling just now! Prepared to die? Don't fucking joke around! There's no way someone laughing like that… is prepared to die! I'll definitely find a way to save you!" Oskal roared into the night and followed Thoma inside.
***
Akareal was in her room at the inn packing up her belongings. She continued to stuff various magical tools and materials into a large bag, until it looked ready to burst. Akareal looked over all of the things still strewn about and sighed.
"Why did I have to bring so much? Oskal… I should have asked that gorilla to help me carry everything."
Despite the ban on magic in the capital, magical tools were a hot commodity in the Holy Kingdom. She had only brought items that looked to be profitable, but they didn't sell as well as she had hoped, leaving her with more luggage than she'd planned for.
'But, I got to meet the Hero after so long, so it's fine!'
Akareal continued packing her bags with great effort. As she finally managed to leave the inn, dizzy with fatigue, someone approached her while she took a break to catch her breath.
"Akareal."
Hearing that voice, Akareal was at a loss for words. In her peripheral vision, she could see everyone around her quickly lowering their heads in fear. Even passing Holy Knights stopped to kneel down and and show respect to the owner of that voice. Akareal felt increasingly nervous as she slowly raised her head. In front of her was a man in his late 40s, beaming a magnanimous smile which accentuated the wrinkles on his aged face. He was a man whose most noticeable features were his head of thick, blonde hair and his vibrant, blue eyes. A miter sat atop his head and he wore a multitude of other vestments as well.
Akareal frowned as she finally spoke his name. "… Salem Gattschuranche."
"Ah, it's been so long, Lady Morgana of the Aylans Mage Association. Or would you prefer if I called you by the name you went by during our time as companions in the Hero's party, Akareal?"
Salem's smile widened.
***
Akareal, who had been invited to Salem's personal office within the palace, continued to fidget restlessly. She felt strangely uncomfortable despite sitting on a luxurious sofa; perhaps the reason was that it felt too comfortable, more so than Akareal was used to.
"Now then, let's at least drink some warm tea together."
Salem placed a pot of tea onto the table and sat across from Akareal, before pouring some of the tea into two teacups he'd also brought.
"Ah, thank you," she said, as he handed her a cup of tea.
After she received her tea, Akareal warily observed Salem.
'Ah, this is a problem. I wanted to avoid having to see this bastard at the very least…'
Unfortunately, she ended up meeting the person whom she least wanted to see. No, this seemed too convenient to have been a chance meeting. Could it be that he actively sought her out? Akareal held the teacup to her lips and fell into thought; her main concern was figuring out why the Pope wanted to meet her so badly.
'Could it be because we were comrades in the past? Is this nothing more than a greeting?'
While such thoughts raced through her mind, Salem narrowed his eyes and spoke mischievously.
"Oh, right! Have you met with the Hero yet?"
"Hm? Ah, of course."
'Is this even a serious question?' she wondered, taking another sip of tea as her mind wandered.
"So," Salem smirked, "do you still have a crush on the Hero?"
"Puu-cough! Cough!" Tea spewed out of Akareal's mouth.
Salem found this amusing, snickering with a hand over his mouth. "Haha! Still?"
"Ah, n-no." Akareal was quick to deny it. "It's already been 20 years. Isn't that too great a time to wait longingly for a love that won't be reciprocated? I've already had several partners since our adventuring days."
'The only problem was that they didn't suit me.'
"But, you haven't married yet?" Salem asked questioningly.
"That is… because I've been so preoccupied with my magic research…"
Salem nodded a few times in understanding, causing Akarel to smile awkwardly.
"Ah, magic research? That explains it then. Your magic research."
He looked at her from top to bottom.
"You've got a lot of luggage."
"I-it's because I have to sell magical tools to fund my magic research, so I brought a lot with me."
"That must be hard," he said.
Akareal laughed sparingly, not knowing how else to respond..
'Ah, it's always so fucking awkward with this guy! I want to get out of here quick! His constant smiling is so unnerving!'
Unable to reveal her inner thoughts, Akareal let out a sigh and spoke.
"T-then I'll be going."
"Where are you going?"
"To see the Hero."
Salem's smile grew stiff. "… I see." His fingers began tapping on the table. After a moment of hesitation he spoke with a pained voice.
"So… it appears that you do still desire the Hero."
"No, I said it's not true!" she denied, yet again. "Haha… it was so long ago…"
Akareal rose from her seat, but was stopped when Salem grabbed her hand.
"I want to ask you something." he said somberly.
"Eh? Ah… yes."
'Just ask then! Why do you have to grab my hand?!'
Akareal swallowed the words she wished she could say and accepted that she would have to listen to whatever idiotc thing Salem would ask next.
"Immortality Magic," he said.
Those two words sent a shiver down Akareal's spine. Nobody outside of a select few people should have known about that, least of all Salem.
"I've heard there was research being done related to that field."
"How…? Ah!?" Akareal cried out in pain.
Salem was practically crushing her wrist with an iron grip, refusing to let go.
— Ω —