Little Mage [3]

"Hey, why do we have to wait for her?"

"It's inevitable, right? After all, the rest of the maids are busy. And it's only us who --looks like-- dawdling around."

"I hope Master Marth give me another task. That Diana, to think that she could put her ability in use ..., I also want to show the best of me to Master Marth."

'Who ...?'

When she awoke, despite her blurry vision, three girls spoke. The first one having a cheery sounding voice, the second was coarse and boyish, and the third one was soft and has a nice ring like a clear bell.

She blinked her eyes repeatedly and the first thing that invaded into her eyes was a dazzling white. Broad ceiling spread before her, the light source was from the window.

'This place ..., where?'

She felt a bit dizzy, and there was a sense of pain pulsating on her head. It was not a very good way to wake up. Leaving the comfy bed and pillow that definitely not on the same level as the one she used back on her master's cottage, she sat up.

Pale complexion as if blood were drained from her vessel. Golden hair with greenish tint tied in double side-braid. Thin oval face with tall nose and luscious lips, and pointed chin. Her eyes were the point of interest. Long thin eyebrow and almond shaped with double eyelids, but the most exceptional was her iris that shone in the color of crimson.

For a girl of her age, Rei was a bit ..., slender. Her secondary sexual traits hasn't fully developed yet, and her chest was akin to chopping board. But compared to the true epitome of flatness, Hilda, there was some small bulge on her.

"What are you saying, Sahara-san? Isn't it fun to work with me? What, don't tell me that you actually hate it?"

"Quiet down for a moment, Hilda! She is awake ..."

"..."

The three girls' attention returned back to the person that was sleeping soundly in the bed just a moment ago. Receiving their gaze(that was akin to a glare), Rei's feeble body shuddered instinctively.

'That's right ..., the traps installed on the valley were dismantled, I was running from the dillos horde, and then I almost got slashed by the big black dillos. But ..., what happened afterward?'

She pulled her body and put on defensive stance. Slightly in panic, assessing whether these three people were her enemies or not.

'..., they shouldn't be those dillos in disguise right?'

Some random thought popped out on her head.

"It's seem you are awake, Dear Guest. Are you feeling unwell somewhere?" said the southerner beauty with a long light blue hair and a calm smiling face. 

"Uhmm ..., that's, urhmm ...," with the sudden politeness, Rei was unable to speak up an answer.

A deafening silent, the atmosphere in the room turned strange. Though, one person never mind about this oddity.

"Shouldn't we call that blonde maid-san? What was her name again, Roselia?"

"Hilda, the name of Master's personal maid is Rosetta, please properly remember other people's name. It's rude if you're not."

"Right, she already said to call her when this girl wake up. Hilda, you go and call her!"

"What's with that imperative tone, Reoru? I'm just reminding, it's not like I want to do it myself. And if we're talking about who is it the one with the least workload, it should be you, right? My left hand already numb from all of the doodling, but what have you done this whole time?"

"But that's your job ..., I have my own."

"And ..., what ..., is ..., this ..., job? Slacking off?" Hilda glared Reoru with resentment, perhaps something major happened between them in this first week as a co-slave.

"Hilda, you will go." Sahara looked at her as if wanting to pierce Hilda with a glare.

"Fufu ...," on the side, the silver-haired dwarf girl let out a faint chuckle.

Sahara didn't like it when there was a negative emotion in another person mind. Even if she didn't activated her [Mindreading] ability, she could somehow tell whether a person have negative thought on their mind.

Hilda was one of the easiest person she could read.

Hilda was too naive and true to her desire. Though, Sahara thought that Hilda's hidden desire was too crooked and dirty. Sahara was having troubles with the other slave girls, no, it's only Hilda and Diana who was an odd individual.

Hilda was a dangerous elder sister who fantasizing about man x man relationship. And she sometimes draw it. She knew about this from when they were still with the slave trader caravan.

Her work that Sahara saw was the drawing of a muscular slave beastman penetrating the rear hole of the slave trader Osman. It was too mind-blowing drawing that out of the norm. Sahara couldn't sleep soundly for three days after she saw that drawing.

Even if it wasn't as extreme as Diana with mind that always desiring the same sex, Hilda was also the same oddity. Sahara could only lament her fate to be with them even after someone bought her from the slave trader.

This week, working together with Hilda, Reoru, and Diana(even if she left midway because she was given another task), Sahara was the one who responsible as a rein to control Hilda and her unreasonableness. 

On top of being naive, she was also childish and a person with too much energy to waste. And sometime she bickered for smallest thing possible with Reoru. Thus, whenever they started to go too far with their banter, she would stopped them. 

Though, for most of the time, she would take a side with Reoru.

This become a routine on its own.

"Grmmhh ...," Hilda continued the glare at the dwarf girl. But her glaring intensity was less than Sahara, thus she backed down, "Fine ..., sigh, this is unfair, why is that Sahara-san always take a side with her, did she bribe Sahara-san? ..., or maybe, blackmailed?"

The orange-haired girl walked away while sighing and muttering by herself.

Looking at the three girls silly banter, there's no way these girls are harmful nemesis, what was Rei's honest thought. And looking at the blue-haired southerner's eyes, for some reason she could instinctively trust her. 

Her clear blue lapis-lazuli eyes were as if able to pry into her deepest thought. Thought it was indeed feels like that, it didn't give fearsome feeling.

"Uhmm ..., excuse me," she called them.

'Where's this place, and who are you ..., why I'm here?'

She wanted to ask just where was this place and why she was brought here. But before Rei voiced her question, the blue-haired girl already answered it.

"Here is Zwarteschwan family Winter Mansion, currently resided by the heir of Zwarteschwan household, Master Marth. Just an hour ago, the horse that Master Marth and his tutor used for outing brought you back here, unconscious."

"Then!" 

'What about the valley? And the dillos ...'

"What happened in the valley ... and what's with dillos? Are you referring to Sand-i-dillos, ahh no ..., if it's in this place, it should be Rock-a-dillos, then?"

Again, before she voiced her question, Sahara already responded. She activated her [Mindreading] ability since the start of the questioning. As a precaution if somehow the green hooded girl has hidden intention, for now it hasn't appeared. 

She strained all of her Magic Power and activated this ability until the dialogue come to an end.

"Yes, that's ..."

Rei halted her words and shifted her gaze down.

'..., right. I have no time to waste. I need to go and notify granny Neimi about this situation right now!'

"Maa ..., calm down, Dear Guest. I don't know what happened, but you are not in the state where you can run back to where you came from." Sahara calmly said after hearing her thought.

"Huh?" she was puzzled with her words, but then realized something was off with her body.

She was lightheaded and her body felt heavy. Even lifting one of her arm felt difficult for her right now.

'Huh ..., why am I so dizzy?'

"Master Marth's magic teacher, Nagi-sama said that you lost too much blood on your way here. And she also said, even if the [Vulnerary] has cured the wound, it couldn't restore the blood loss."

'Is that so ...?'

"Yes, so please keep resting until you feel better. Ah, if there's something uncomfortable with your body, please do tell, alright!"

'I see, I understand. I'll rest for now.' Rei nodded her head.

"Just what in the world ..." muttered the only person who noticed the strange flow of conversation with them.

All this time, Reoru stood beside Sahara who kept talking with the girl. It was as if they were having a normal conversation, but they actually weren't. Because Rei was always silent, and Sahara was talking like responding to her thought.

"Sahara, perchance ...,"

'Do you able to read person's mind?'

Reoru called the blue-haired girl, and thinking a question to testify her hypothesis. 

"Hmm ..., what is it?" Sahara tilted her head to her.

'Do you really not able read my mind?' Reoru asked again in her mind.

"Like I said, what is it ..., why are you glaring so intently like that, Reoru?"

'This is the last chance, Sahara-san ..., come on, admit it! Can you read my thoughts, or not?'

"..., heihh, if there's nothing then it's fine. Just, don't glare me with such intensity like that ..., it's troubling." Sahara said after sighing. 

"That's right, how come you're able to respond to my question while I never voiced it out? Miss ..., bluehair, are you a Mindreader? And since before I noticed the strange flow of magic power from you, is it magic? Or inherent ability?"

Rei finally realized something was off with their exchange and asked.

"Ahahaha ... saa, I don't know what is it that you probably talking about." Sahara let out a silly laughter, avoiding her probing.

"..."

A strange atmosphere flew out on this room. With the ever smiling Sahara and the doubtful Rei and Reoru. Sahara never admit it, but it was apparent that she used her ability just before. It was as if she never tried to conceal it from them. But the two of them also couldn't be sure about this.

"I'm Sahara by the way, Master Marth's slave. This is Reoru, and the orange-haired from before is Hilda." she suddenly introduced herself and the other girls.

"Is this the time for that? What's with the sudden introduction?!" retorted Rei with a shout.

She was still lightheaded and dizzy. However, just this time she couldn't help but wonder, what is it that running inside Sahara's head.

Sahara tilted her head on one side and pointed her pointed chin, "Hmm ..., but you see, you just called me with bluehair, right? And it's troubling for me to not know what is Dear Guest's name. Or, do you prefer if I keep calling you with 'Dear Guest'?"

"..., it's Rei. That's my name. Nice to meet you Miss Sahara, and Miss Reoru."

"Yes, certainly! Rei-sama." Sahara with surprisingly high-spirit nodded her head and bowed 135 degree.

At this time, the door opened and a figure clad in purple-robed entered. It was Kassandra Nagi with Hilda walked two steps behind her. She covered her head with the hood part of her robe. A hazy black mist also enshrouded her body and faze. 

Without telling it herself, those who are dealing with magic already know that she was a [Dark Mage] from her appearance.

"..."

"..."

The two maid retreated to the back silently. Hilda joined them and they stood side-by-side.

"You've awake, little girl." Nagi said in her old woman voice.

It was the effect of the enchant she put on the robe. A person, mostly mage, tend to respect those who were older no matter what level they have achieved in magic. 

It was an incomprehensible concept, but that's just how it works. The young adhered the old, and the old give pointed to the young.

Because this is how it was, some [Mage] disguised themselves as a old person. No, almost all of [Mage] on the continent have tried this trick one or twice on their life. Be it for fun or because it was needed to reach the goals they wanted to achieve.

"Y-yes, I am already awake, Revered [Dark Mage]. Thank you for your kindness for helping me." Rei bowed her head to the disguised as old woman, Nagi.

"Don't mind it, it's not me who brought you here, you know."

"I'm Rei, a [Mage] and disciple of Neimi the [Sage]."

"Oh, the [Hermit]." Nagi nodded her head, acknowledging her name. But then she shrieked in panic and shock, "Wait, Neimi you said? That [Hermit Sage] Neimi?"

"Y-yes, I'm sorry."

Nagi sudden shout, with her voice changed into that of an old woman, made Rei surprised and said sorry out of nowhere.

"..., this is quite the disciple of a big shoot we got here. Not that I'm trying to lure that mad woman out or anything though." muttered Nagi.

She shifted her head to Rei. For a while, Nagi just went silent and observed her. She then said, "Rei ..., is it? My name is Kassandra Nagi, the [Al-Mustraz wal Majusi] of the Baslan Tower. Pleased to meet you."

She bowed but not opened her hood to reveal her face. With just that introduction alone was enough to reveal her identity.

"Baslan Tower ...? Are you referring that same 'Baslan Tower', one of the 28 Domain of the Desert Mage?" Rei asked curiously.

"Ee ..., I'm the [Al-Mustraz wal Majusi], in other word, I'm Baslan Tower 87th Tower Master herself. Though, none of that title is matter anyway, as I'm just a teacher in this place." nodded Nagi in acknowledgement.

"Such exalted figure ..., what is Nagi-sama doing in such a place?"

"Ahh, that ..., you know, my old comrade asked me to do something. And because it was something like a life debt, I must comply with her request. Thus, I'm here." Nagi stopped her word, "Let's cease the unnecessary talk, Rei ..., did you, remember what happened before you fainted?"

Nagi has already scattered her familiar for reconnaisance, both inside this mansion and outside. When Lin Yue brought Marth out to the Flatter Mountain, she also sent one of those familiar to follow them. 

However, there was one spot where her reconnaisance familiar couldn't enter. And it was the valley hidden with the two cliffs, the same place where Marth and Rei entered.

After learning about Rei true identity, connected the dot and it was all clear for her. She thought that perhaps there was something the [Hermit Sage] wanted to hide in that valley. Thus, she placed that numerous barrier and magical traps.

She reached the same conclusion as Marth's did two hours ago, it's totally wrong though.

Shiyuu!!! Brarangg ...!!

Out of nowhere, there was a sound of a slashing wind continued by a sudden explosion. It was from two meters long air lance that send a windblast. The target was this room, not quite right, this attack was aimed at Nagi. 

It was really surprise attack, and it was very fast and precise one. Nagi would be injured greatly if not because she still have a protective talisman. The three slave girls also not spared from the windblast, though, they only received small injury. Probably the only person who still unhurt was Rei. 

"..., you finally show yourself huh, shady [Dark Mage]." said a person soaring outside the balcony.

"Granny Neimi!?" Rei in surprised and worried voice.

"That's dangerous you know! What was that, I almost dead, you know!?" shouted Nagi.

"What a bother, to think that I must go to that mildly-ventilated city hall just to find that no one seems to know about any of this. Oy, you fucker, spit it out, what's your aim? I'll deal with it if I see no harm in it, but if you dare lay a hand on my Rei-chan, I'll destroy this mansion and slaughter all of them."

Nagi locked gaze on the floating Neimi, still silent without speaking any word.

The door to the bedroom opened as if it was barged open.

"What's wrong!? What happen, Nagi-shi?!" it was Lin Yue who entered the room frantically.

She then noticed the floating Neimi on her green robe. Just like Nagi, her voice was hoarse and sounds like old woman. The skin on her hands was also wrinkled, perhaps. Unlike Nagi who disguised as one, she was the real granny.

Lin Yue put her hand on the sword hilt and narrowed her already narrow eyes on the floating Neimi. The room atmosphere become heavier with this silences.

Nagi broke the silent and heavy atmosphere by saying.

"Al-Sarezaa ...,"

"I see ..., Delas Kartagnja" nodded Neimi and continued with unknown language.

"..." 

Nagi went silent. She pointed at the table and chair on the balcony and walked to it. Neimi floated down and then took a seat across Nagi.