A Day in Lancea

Having promised a tour, Annaliese took Theodore to have a brief look at the other districts, pointing out the more prominent facilities and locations. Of course, as for the more important things tucked away from plain sight, Annaliese did not mention any of them.

Even so, having been to the physical location, Theodore had obtained something that he could use as a reference to the map formed in his mind using the mother slime's memories.

Finally, Annaliese took Theodore to the central district. This part of the city was the liveliest, with shops of various sorts and streets decorated with fountains and trees and shrubberies, a steep contrast to the functional and brutalist factories and facilities in the other districts.

"It feels less depressing here," said Theodore.

"Everyone needs a place to rest and relax, even mages. The central district serves as a space for recreation as well as a gathering place for goods produced from the other districts. Not to mention, this is the place people would see when they visit Lancea, and these days only important people come here."

"It's livelier than the workshop, that's for sure."

"Worry not, in three years, you should be able to come here on your own."

"Three years?"

"Indeed. In three years, there will be another entrance exam. A proper one. The plan was to sneak you in and pretend that you're a regular apprentice. After that, you can come and go without raising suspicion."

This was the first time Theodore had heard of this. Was it true? Or was Annaliese pulling his leg? It did not matter. Theodore had no intention of staying around for that long.

"Three years is too long," Theodore complained.

"On the contrary, three years is nothing for a mage."

"It's long for me!"

Annalise laughed. Apparently, there's something funny about this. Perhaps she just enjoyed teasing Theodore.

"Listen, Theodore," Annaliese spoke again once her laughter died out, this time with a more tender tone. "I've spoken to the Archmage about this, but would you like to become my apprentice instead?"

Theodore was surprised by the suggestion. It seemed rather sudden to bring up at this moment.

"You can just do that?"

"It'll be a hassle, convincing the other elders to leave you under my care, but I'm sure arrangements could be made. What do you say? Would you like to study under me?"

Had it been a couple of months back, Theodore would have said yes without hesitation. Between Kalman and Annaliese, Theodore found Annaliese to be the better choice. However, things were different back then. The situation had changed and Theodore had a different goal in mind now.

That was right, he had to go back. He had to make sure everything back home was alright.

So why then, why did he not ask Annaliese when he saw her? Was it because Theodore had left it all in the back of his mind so that it would not distract him? No, not exactly. Theodore was simply afraid. Afraid that Annaliese might have an actual answer. Theodore was afraid to find out.

"I'll think about it," said Theodore, burying the question that he should have been dying to ask.

Annaliese nodded and they continued down the street.

***

Before the Mage Tower, down the main streets, there was a huge plaza, surrounded by shops and stalls of all kinds in a circular fashion.

In the middle of this plaza, there was a statue depicting a pointy-hatted witch with a staff in hand. The tip of the staff was adorned with six eye-like shapes connected by a ring. The mages called it the six-eyed scepter, with the first pair of eyes looking into the future, the second looking into the present, and the third looking into the past, it was a symbol of omniscient.

While standing by the entrance of one of the shops in the plaza, a bakery to be exact, Theodore gazed upon the statue. For a city of mages to have a statue of a witch was an odd sight. Most likely, the statue was there before the mages moved in and for one reason or another, the mages decided to keep the statue intact.

This was also the first time Theodore had seen the statue. It was because when Annaliese had brought him to the tower, she had avoided taking the main streets in order to not attract attention.

While Theodore was staring at the statue in contemplation, a presence approached him. Due to him wearing the mask Annaliese had put on him, Theodore was getting a good deal of attention, but no one had approached him thus far. In fact, most of those who were staring at him had a look of fear in their eyes. It would appear that Annaliese had quite a fearsome reputation in the city.

Turning around, Theodore found a rather plain-looking girl staring at him. Although, plain she might be, Theodore found something charming in her light brown, amberish eyes. Aside from that, there was also something familiar about her.

Staring the girl down, Theodore said nothing. He did not wish to reveal anything that would give his identity away, not even his voice, if he did not have to.

Without a word, the girl got closer, causing Theodore to raise his guard. Then, all of the sudden, she began to sniff him.

"What in the world are you doing!?"

Another voice cried out from behind the girl, a familiar voice, one that made cold sweat roll down Theodore's back.

Casting his eyes towards the source of the voice, Theodore found a young woman with golden locks, her collar worn high to hide the mole on the side of her neck. It was Lady Felicie.

Looking at the strange girl again, Theodore realized that the girl was the very same person he witnessed the murder of in that storehouse, the one killed and eaten by the Corpse Eater named Silica.

"This guy smells weird," said the girl Theodore presumed to be the transformed Silica.

"You're being plenty weird yourself. What did I tell you about doing that in public?"

"But-"

The girl tried to retort, but a fierce glare from Felicie silenced her immediately.

With a jut of her chin, Felicie gestured for the girl to follow before walking away. In a hurry, the girl ran after the lady. However, just as they turn the corner and disappear from Theodore's sight, he spotted Felicie casting a suspicious gaze his way. It seemed that Felicie had not simply let the girl's comment about Theodore smelling weird slide.

By this point, Theodore had already begun eating a good deal of odor-altering food, there should be no reason that the Corpse Eater could easily recognize him. And even if it did, Theodore was wearing a mask, not too different from the circumstance when they last crossed paths, so there was nothing to fear whatsoever.

Moments later, Annaliese exited the shop. In her hand was a neatly packaged box. From the scent, Theodore could more or less guess what it was.

"Is that cake?" he asked.

"It'd be a bit of a shame to end our tour just like that, no? So I ordered a little something in advance for you to bring back. I bet you don't get to eat one of these too often back home."

Annaliese wasn't wrong. Back in Eastcliff, something like a cake was a luxury that was saved for special occasions, the children's tenth birthday specifically. Theodore had one a while ago, and two years before that, there was Lina's. He remembered when Edwin had his and while he was too young to remember Lucas's, he must have been there as well. The only one whose tenth birthday he likely won't be at would be Fio's.

Thinking about what he'll be missing out on, Theodore felt his chest tighten a little.

(Please... Please be okay...)

As the two go back onto the carriage, Theodore spoke up.

"Annaliese, there's something I want to ask," said Theodore. "I haven't been getting any replies to the letter I sent back home. I was wondering if you have heard anything about Eastcliff."

***

End of Chapter 106

***