This is the part where I should curse magic
But I never had magic back on Earth
Nor had the brainpower to understand it
I am a Sword Fanatic, not a Magic Nut
But I am willing to learn…
.
The sharp crack of footsteps against polished stone echoed through the winding corridors. My stomach churned as we followed Lady Fimi—or more accurately, trailed behind her—toward her private chambers. Ren's hand rested lightly on my shoulder, a silent reassurance, while Riku clung tightly to the edge of my tunic, his small fingers trembling against the coarse fabric.
I couldn't help but glance down at him. His wide eyes darted around nervously, his ears twitching at every sound. The stark difference between our usual quarters and these gilded halls wasn't lost on me. The air here felt lighter, imbued with subtle magic that prickled against my skin. Everything gleamed—the floors, the intricate carvings on the walls, and even the faint glow of enchanted lanterns casting warm light. It was a world apart from the harsh, cold barracks we'd left behind.
"Keep your head down," Ren whispered, his voice barely audible. "We're not here for sightseeing."
I nodded slightly but couldn't stop my gaze from wandering. What does she want with us? The question gnawed at my thoughts, each step closer to her chambers feeling like a step toward an unseen trap.
The feline attendant—Tomoe, as I'd learned—led the way with a stiffness that matched her frosty demeanor. Her tail flicked sharply, a clear sign of irritation. Every glance she threw our way was laced with disdain, as though she were escorting vermin instead of people. Yet, no matter how cold her glares, Lady Fimi's presence overshadowed everything. She walked ahead with a measured grace, her blindfolded gaze fixed forward, as if she could see the path more clearly than any of us.
We finally stopped before a set of double doors. Tomoe pushed them open with a flourish, revealing a room unlike any I'd seen before. The space was vast but not ostentatious, filled with shelves lined with ancient tomes, delicate artifacts, and subtle signs of enchantments humming with restrained power. A faint floral scent hung in the air, soothing yet commanding attention.
"Come in," Lady Fimi said, her voice calm yet unyielding. She stepped inside, her hand gliding lightly over the edge of a polished wooden desk as if to guide herself.
Tomoe's sharp voice cut through the moment, her feline features hardening as she gestured toward the open door. "Into Lady Fimi's chambers. Now." The weight of her words lingered, heavy with unspoken warning.
Ren nudged me forward, and I hesitated only a moment before stepping through the threshold. Riku clung closer to my side, his small frame trembling like a leaf in the wind. Tomoe closed the doors behind us with a soft thud, her sharp eyes flicking over us as if daring us to make a wrong move.
Lady Fimi turned to face us, her blindfolded gaze eerily precise as it settled on me. "Xuê," she said, my name rolling off her tongue with deliberate care. "Ren. And Riku." She nodded faintly at each of us in turn. "You must be wondering why I brought you here."
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "Yes, my lady," I said, my voice steady despite the knot tightening in my chest.
Her lips curved into a faint smile. "Good. Curiosity is the mark of a sharp mind." She gestured lightly toward a set of chairs arranged near the center of the room. "Sit."
Ren's eyes darted to me, a silent question. I gave a slight nod, and we moved cautiously to the chairs. Riku clambered up beside me, his small hands gripping the edge of his seat as though it might disappear beneath him.
Lady Fimi took a seat across from us, her posture regal yet relaxed. Tomoe remained standing behind her, arms crossed and tail swishing irritably.
Lady Fimi seemed to sense our unease. Her blindfolded gaze tilted slightly, as though reading the subtle ripples of mana surrounding us. "I can feel your hesitations," she said softly. "Let me tell you something about myself, about why I stand apart from the Master. Why I cannot condone the way he treats those under his control."
Her voice carried a weight, a raw honesty that made the room feel smaller, more intimate. "I was not always here, lording over this estate. I come from a place where magic was not a privilege of the powerful but a responsibility to the weak. My family..." she hesitated, her lips tightening briefly, "believed that magic should be a tool of guidance, of healing. My father was a healer, my mother a protector. They taught me that strength without compassion is nothing but tyranny."
She tilted her head slightly, her expression shadowed with a distant pain. "I wasn't born blind," she began, her voice soft but resolute. "Years ago, my family's caravan was attacked by bandits. They were after magic—rare artifacts, scrolls, anything they could sell or exploit. We fought back, but they were relentless."
Her fingers brushed the edge of the desk as if grounding herself. "In the chaos, I used a spell far beyond my abilities at the time—a desperate attempt to save what was left of my family. The spell worked, but it came at a cost. The surge of mana burned through me, taking my sight as its price."
Her voice faltered briefly before she continued. "I was found later by the Master's men and brought here. He saw potential in a blind mage, someone whose magic could serve his ambitions without question. But he miscalculated." Her lips curved into a faint, defiant smile. "Losing my sight didn't take away my will—or my conviction."
The room was silent, the weight of her story pressing down on all of us. Tomoe's sharp ears flicked back, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Her voice trembled as she finally broke the silence. "Lady Fimi... you've always carried this burden alone." She bowed her head deeply, her tail curling tightly against her legs. "I will follow you to the ends of the world."
Her declaration seemed to spark a ripple among the attendants. Another stepped forward, their voice steadier but no less resolute. "And I as well, my lady. Your kindness has been our guiding light."
I tilted my head, trying to process her words. This was not the speech of someone born into cruelty, someone bred to see us as tools. "Why are you here then?" I asked quietly. "Why stay in a place like this?"
Her smile was faint, tinged with something bittersweet. "Because running changes nothing. I thought I could bring change from within. It's slow and often painful, but here, at least, I can make choices that ripple outward. Even if it's as small as granting moments of dignity to those who have none."
Her hand traced the edge of the desk, her movements deliberate. "I despise the Master's methods, his obsession with control and brutality. But I am not free to openly oppose him. Not yet. This is why I choose to act in the shadows, to give you this opportunity."
"You three," Lady Fimi began, her tone measured, "are not ordinary slaves. Each of you possesses qualities that set you apart. Qualities that make you... valuable."
Ren stiffened beside me. "Valuable, my lady?" he asked cautiously.
She inclined her head. "Xuê, your mana pool is unlike anything I have encountered. Vast, untrained, and exceedingly rare—demi-humans almost never possess a mana pool this extensive, let alone one that is usable. What's more, I was observing your bout with Overseer Brann. Your use of an unnamed House's sword style was astonishing, and you emerged untouched. Such skill is not something one finds easily."
Lady Fimi turned to Ren, her expression sharpening slightly. "Ren, your instincts and tactical mind are sharper than many seasoned warriors I've known. I have watched you for years, even when you first arrived at the estate. I remember how, during your first month here, you defused a brewing fight between two overseers by cleverly redirecting their anger toward a missing inventory report. That single act saved the slaves present from severe punishment." She paused, her voice lowering. "And just last year, when bandits struck the outer fields, you organized a retreat for the workers without attracting attention, ensuring everyone's safety.
And Riku..." Her gaze turned toward the boy, who shrank under her attention.
After Lady Fimi paused, her blindfolded gaze shifted slightly, settling on Riku. "You may not understand this yet," she began, her voice calm but edged with gravity, "but naming is not a trivial act. Many slaves on this estate have been named by the Master. It strengthened them, gave them resilience, but it never caused an evolution. That is why Riku's transformation is unprecedented."
Ren and I exchanged uncertain glances while Riku fidgeted nervously under her attention. The weight of her words pressed heavily against the air in the room.
"When you named Riku, something extraordinary happened," Fimi continued. "He didn't just grow stronger—he evolved. His body and mana underwent a profound change, marking him as a were-hare, a rare and unique evolution among hare demihumans. It's a lineage thought to be long extinct."
Her fingers brushed lightly against the polished wood of her desk as her tone deepened. "The Master prizes strength and rarity above all else. If others had seen this change before I did—if the overseers or the Master himself had taken note—I cannot imagine what might have become of Riku. His evolution would have marked him as a prize, something to be exploited, not protected."
I swallowed hard, a chill running through me at the thought of what she implied. The Master would have turned Riku into a tool, a weapon, or worse. The cruelty of it churned my stomach.
"But you were fortunate," she said softly, her blindfolded face tilting slightly as if directing her unseen gaze at me. "I saw the change before anyone else could, and for that, I can shield him."
Riku tugged at the edge of my tunic, his wide eyes shining with a mixture of awe and confusion. "Am I really... special?" he asked hesitantly, his small voice breaking the silence.
Lady Fimi's faint smile returned, carrying an uncharacteristic warmth. "Yes, Riku," she said gently. "You are special. But more than that, you are safe. And as long as you remain under my care, no one will harm you."
I blinked, her words sinking in like stones dropping into a still pond. "What does that mean?" I asked quietly.
"It means," she said, her tone softening slightly, "that you three have a greater role to play. This estate faces threats—both external and internal—that cannot be ignored. Bandits, rival territories, whispers of demonic presence. The Master's overseers lack the vision to see beyond their own brutality. That is why I have decided to take matters into my own hands."
Her next words struck like a thunderclap.
"From this day forward, you three will serve as my personal guard."
The room fell deathly silent. Ren's jaw dropped slightly, and Riku's eyes widened in confusion. Even Tomoe, for all her composure, couldn't hide the sharp intake of breath as her ears flattened briefly.