Creak, Creak

Mary Harvey, the 〈Star-Seer Witch〉, was one of the Seven Sages, the pinnacle of this country's magical community, and also a member of House Bellsting, a marquess's house.

Monica stiffly moved her arms and legs as she completed the reception formalities, certain that any party held at her mansion had to be a formal affair.

Monica, one of the Seven Sages, always attended ceremonies at the castle in formal robes, but today's party was strictly a private affair.

Even though the host was also one of the Seven Sages, Monica thought attending in robes would make her stand out terribly, so she wore a pale-blue dress and a white bolero.

She had recently had it made at the dress shop run by Lana's family.

Lana had advised Monica to add more clothes for going out now that she had more opportunities to attend conferences and the like, so the dress she had commissioned featured a demure design with a high collar and little exposed skin.

According to Lana, there were separate styles of party dresses for daytime and evening wear.

──Day dresses should be modest and not too shiny. And it's better if the accessories aren't too flashy, either. At night, on the other hand, you can bare your shoulders, use glossy fabric, and wear sparkling accessories.

Come to think of it, the ball held after Serendia Academy's school festival had been full of dresses that showed a lot of skin and sparkled brightly.

Since today's party was being held during the day, most of the noblewomen in attendance wore relatively modest dresses.

Relieved that she'd taken Lana's advice, Monica quietly exhaled and consciously straightened her back.

(It's the dress Lana chose for me, so it can't possibly look strange. All that's left is for me to hold myself properly...)

She reminded herself to behave in a way befitting the lovely dress and proceeded into the venue.

Monica normally skipped parties like this, but there was a reason she'd made a rare appearance today.

Apparently, today's party would include a first meeting between Ray and his fiancée, who had never met him before.

To that end, Raul had insisted that Monica absolutely had to attend.

Raul had said that they might need Monica's abilities...

(What could they need my help with? ...Am I supposed to help with something using chantless magic?)

As she pondered this, Monica looked around the party venue.

Mary Harvey's mansion was a sumptuous, dazzling estate, but what stood out most were its windows, which made lavish use of enormous panes of glass.

The huge panes, crafted with the utmost in glassmaking technology, were more expensive than any crystal chandelier.

The great windows had been custom-made for her stargazing, offering a view of the star-filled sky at night and letting ample sunlight into the rooms during the day.

As Monica gazed up at the clear winter sky through the glass, a raspy voice sounded behind her.

"Huh? Is that Monica Everett over there?"

Monica turned, her eyes widening.

Standing behind Monica was an old man holding a kiseru pipe. He had no beard, and his white hair was cut short and neatly groomed.

This old man was the mentor who had looked after her more than anyone during her time at Minerva.

He was Professor Gideon Rutherford, the 〈Purple Smoke Mage〉 of Minerva.

"Rutherford-sensei! I-it's been a long time...!"

"Oh, it's been a while. You almost never showed your face at gatherings like this."

Rutherford paused and puffed on his pipe, as though thinking.

The purple smoke he exhaled drifted up in a ring and vanished.

"Come to think of it, I hear you've even started showing up at academic conferences now and then. Well, anyway, you've grown since the days you holed up in my lab."

Rutherford was a leading authority at Minerva.

Just being allowed into Rutherford's lab as a research student was enough to earn admiring looks.

After mastering chantless magic, Monica became a research student in Rutherford's lab and was exempted from several classes.

It was this old professor who had given Monica the freedom to shut herself away and research as she pleased—and who had recommended her as one of the Seven Sages.

It was no exaggeration to say that Monica was where she was thanks to Rutherford.

As Monica reminisced about those days, Rutherford looked at her dress and laughed teasingly.

"That little runt who always dressed so terribly has finally discovered the joys of dressing like a young lady, has she? Well, I don't know much about fashion, but it doesn't look half bad."

"Oh, thank you very much! ...Um, a friend chose it for me!"

Rutherford's sharp eyes widened at Monica's hastily added words.

Rutherford knew the Monica of her Minerva days, and knew all too well how precious the word "friend" was to her.

The stubborn, crotchety-looking Rutherford softened his expression slightly and looked at Monica as if she were his granddaughter.

"...That's good to hear."

"Yes!"

As Monica nodded with a smile, Rutherford took an indulgent puff on his pipe.

"Well, you're one of the Seven Sages now. Don't get too carried away, but learn to enjoy gatherings like this, too."

Mages were often nobles, so they had surprisingly many opportunities to be invited into high society.

Today's party was a perfect example. Half the attendees were friends and relations of the hostess, the 〈Star-Seer Witch〉, and the other half were affiliated with the Mages' Guild.

Looking around, Monica saw former Seven Sages, Minerva professors, and Mages' Guild executives everywhere. McLaggan was there as well.

(Maybe I should go greet Professor McLaggan, too.)

As Monica considered this, a young man's voice came from behind her.

"Why, if it isn't Rutherford-sensei! You came, too!"

Approaching them with a friendly smile was a young man with straight black hair.

He looked a little over twenty. Monica had never met him before... but perhaps it was her imagination, or his features looked vaguely like someone she knew.

As Monica searched her memory for his identity, Rutherford exhaled purple smoke and muttered,

"Oh, Curtis Ashley. You made it, too."

"Yes, indeed! My family is distantly related to the ancestral house of the 〈Star-Seer Witch〉-dono, House Bellsting!"

Ashley. That was Cyril and Claudia's family name.

Monica finally realized it then. This young man bore a vague resemblance to Claudia.

It was no wonder Monica hadn't noticed right away, however. The cheerful smile on this young man's face and Claudia's perpetually gloomy expression gave them entirely different auras.

"...Are you from House Hione?"

When Monica timidly ventured into the conversation, the young man turned to her.

Then he bent slightly at the waist, as if speaking to a small child.

"Oh my, what a cutie. Are you Rutherford-sensei's granddaughter? My name is Curtis Ashley."

Apparently, this young man named Curtis had not realized that Monica was the 〈Silent Witch〉.

Since he was related to Cyril, Monica thought she ought to introduce herself properly. She straightened her back and opened her mouth, but Rutherford spoke first.

"Curtis Ashley is the nephew of the Marquess of Hione. Ah, yes—the 〈Star-Seer Witch〉 and your family are distant relatives, aren't they?"

"Yes, exactly! The distinguished House Bellsting, a family renowned for magic, and House Hione, a family of scholars, have deep ties..."

The Marquess of Hione was Cyril's adoptive father. In other words, this young man named Curtis was apparently Cyril and Claudia's cousin.

Even so, what surprised Monica was the fact that House Hione and House Bellsting—the 〈Star-Seer Witch〉's ancestral house—were distantly related.

Monica waited for Curtis to finish speaking, then asked about what had been quietly bothering her.

"Um, then... could it be that Cyril-sama is here at the party, too?"

"Oh? Do you know Cyril, young lady? Yes, he is. After all, he's currently in marriage talks with a young lady from House Bellsting."

"...What?"

Monica's thoughts came to a sudden halt.

──Cyril was in marriage talks with a young lady of House Bellsting—in other words, a relative of the 〈Star-Seer Witch〉.

There was nothing strange about it.

Given Cyril's age, it would hardly have been strange if he already had a fiancée. His younger sister Claudia had married right after graduating from the academy, after all.

And Cyril was the heir to the Marquess of Hione. Naturally, he would become engaged to a young lady from a distinguished family.

Even so, why was she taking it so hard?

Monica swayed unsteadily and took a step back.

Curtis had apparently lost interest in Monica and was chatting amiably with Rutherford.

Monica clasped her hands tightly against her chest and left.

＊　＊　＊

Monica left the party venue with her head hanging and shuffled along.

Even Monica herself didn't really know why she had left. She just felt that if she happened to run into Cyril at the party... she might not be able to smile properly.

(Um, I'd never even considered that Cyril-sama might be in talks to marry someone... So, yes, I must have just been surprised... That's surely all it is...)

Walking with her head lowered and not looking ahead, Monica took a few steps before bumping her head against a pillar in the hallway.

Mmph!? Monica let out a pathetic cry and crouched down where she stood.

Then, clutching her throbbing head, she sniffled.

The reason her eyes felt hot and tears threatened to spill was because she had hit her head. That had to be it.

"...It hurts..."

After she had crouched there sniffing for a while, Raul's voice came from behind her: "Hey, Monica!"

Monica hurriedly dabbed at the corners of her eyes with her sleeve. Lana had taught her that when this happened, she mustn't rub her eyes with her hands.

Discreetly wiping away her tears without smudging her makeup, Monica turned to face Raul with an awkward smile pasted on her face.

The oblivious Raul didn't seem to notice that Monica had been crying. He addressed her in his usual manner.

"Phew, found you, Monica! This is sudden, but there's some preparation to do for the 'Get Ray and His Fiancée Together Plan,' so come with me!"

"Y-yes! I'm coming right away!"

Ignoring the creaking ache in her chest, Monica headed with Raul toward the anteroom where Ray was waiting.

Monica had come today to play matchmaker for Ray and his fiancée.

Nothing else took priority.

There wasn't. There really wasn't.