Chapter 95 - The Next Test

On the wooden board, pieces made up of wood had another battle. It seemed pretty intense in the early phase. However, the chance of victory, soon, leaned towards the red pieces.

“Checkmate,” Azriel shouted.

“…again.”

“What?”

“Let’s try again,” Rhema’s hand, which put chess pieces back to their original places, was serious.

It was her first time seeing his enthusiastic side. Only now, he felt like an alive person, not a person cut out from a picture. She kept smiling involuntarily. “Okay because It’s fun.”

It was on a terrace where relaxing sunshine was falling. Beyond the railing, she saw the blue lake and cypress forest. It was a quiet afternoon except for occasional chirping of birds. The wizard and the girl were completely engrossed in the small wooden board. Rhema Reshith could not win even once. Holding back her laughter, Azriel observed the white wizard who could not take his eyes off the wooden board on which he was completely defeated. He seemed to dislike losing inwardly. She was unaware of this side of him.

“Esthera, eat your supper! Delicious supper! Today is a trout dish garnished with Brownie’s special sauce! There is a dessert, too! An apricot pudding! Apricot is good! Everything will be good! Brownie has used his awesome skills! Skills like magic!”

Brownie showed up on the terrace and said noisily, scattering golden sparks. Azriel nodded at the spirit. “I’ll be right down, you go ahead.”

“Okay! Come quickly, Esthera! Before it gets cold! Brownie’s meal is best when it’s warm!” Brownie flew away quickly.

Azriel slightly lifted up the chess board which Rhema was still staring at. The grey eyes moved along the chessboard.

“It’s supper time, Rhema,” she said.

“…!” Only then, Rhema realized the lake that had dyed red in the sunset. He obviously seemed to be flustered. “The time’s already…”

“You seem to like chess very much, Rhema.”

“I didn’t know that I’d play such a game, unaware of the passage of time.”

“If you had fun, let’s play again later, Rhema.”

“Again, later?” he asked as if he heard extremely strange words.

Organizing her words, Azriel replied. “Yes, again, later. There’s plenty of time, right”

“There isn’t.”

“What?”

She could not hear him because his voice was too small. Instead of speaking again, Rhema stood up from his seat. He said, receiving the chess board she had cleared. “…Next time, why don’t we bet something and try?”

“Let’s save betting for later when you become good at it. Betting won’t work now. You didn’t win a single time earlier,” Azriel said.

“It’s alright. I will practice.”

Azriel thought that Rhema seemed to have lost his temper a little just a moment ago. She looked up at him who was walking next to her. His face was as peaceful as usual, but there was faint heat below it. He was enthusiastic. She became happy to see him that way. She beamed. “Okay, I’ll look forward to it!”

Since that day, Rhema used to be lost in thought, moving chess pieces, instead of opening a book. He even bought a chess-related book intentionally. Even so, his winning rate against Azriel as his opponent fell short of ten percent. Since they had no other opponent excluding each other, there was no way to find out whether Rhema was particularly bad at it or Azriel was good at it. Just like that, chess became his hobby.

***

Since those days, Azriel had seen Rhema’s lively appearance occasionally. He was standing like a picture and was extremely beautiful. It was a beauty that was not of a human. So, when she faced it, she became fearful little by little. Compared to that, lively Rhema, who had faint, lingering heat, felt like she could reach him somehow when she stretched her hand out.

‘This side of him looks much better.’

She burrowed her slightly flushed cheeks in her robe.

Rhema finished knotting her robe and took off his hand. “Then, hope you have a good time.”

“Are you not joining again, Rhema?” Azriel asked.

“No,” he answered lightly and turned around.

“Wait, Rhema!” Azriel hastily called him.

He stopped and looked back at her. She grasped the pocket attached to her waist belt. She could feel the hardness of the half circle.

“…Do you know about the Aurora Disc?”

“Yes, I do,” Rhema answered her candidly and tilted his head. He whispered in a subdued voice. “You found it, Azriel.”

“Yes. I found this in the basement of the ruins,” Azriel could feel something from his attitude. She swallowed with her dry mouth. “You knew that this was in that ruins, Rhema.”

“Yes.”

“The familiar spirit was not the only reason that you buried the ruins, was it?”

“You are right.”

“Did you not want this disc to be discovered? What is this?”

“Azriel,” Rhema’s eyes narrowed as if he was looking in the distance. “You said that you want to learn dragon eye magic.”

“Yes. You said that you won’t teach me before I realize the meaning of using dragon eye magic.”

He seemed to hesitate momentarily. Then, he closed and opened his eyes slowly and said calmly. “If you find out what is in that disc, I will teach you dragon eye magic.”

“…!” Azriel opened her mouth in surprise. “Are you sure, Rhema? If I interpret this, will I be able to learn about dragon eye magic accurately?”

“…Let me know if you find out. I’ll make that your next test,” Rhema only said that and turned around.

Looking at his back walking across the corridor, Azriel finally yelled out the question that rose inside her. “Rhema, you are a watchman, aren’t you? Is the duty you always talk about the duty as a watchman?”

Hearing her question, he stopped his steps, but he did not look back. His long stretched out silver hair shook a little. “Do you know what the watchman is?”

“I heard it from Marthi… the familiar spirit I contracted with at the ruins. He said that the wizards who protect people from the dragon after… sealing their hearts.”

“That’s not entirely wrong.”

“Is any of it wrong? What does it mean to pull out and seal your heart?”