“Frondier-nim.”
“Yes?”
“I have solved everything.”
I looked at the paper Selena handed me.
It was an exercise for Selena to match the interpretation of simple words written in an ancient language.
There were about 10 questions, and all of them were correct.
“Good job. They are all correct.”
“Thank you.”
Selena replied flatly. However, the tension in her eyes eased, and the corners of her mouth formed a very small arc.
“Selena, what do they say in Manggot?”
“They are very pleased. They say that the complete interpretation of the ancient language is just around the corner.”
Hmm. They must be thinking that.
If you dream too big, you have to think about whether it is really a dream or not.
“Right now, Manggot is trying to apply the basic knowledge of the ancient language that I gave them to the interpretation.”
“I see. They are working hard.”
“…Is that okay?”
“It is. They can’t solve it with that anyway.”
“Pardon?”
Selena looked at me in surprise.
“Don’t tell me, have I been learning fake things so far?”
“No. It is just that you cannot interpret the ancient language with what you have learned so far. One cannot discover the rules of the ancient language with only the basic knowledge you have so far. There is no connection between them.”
“It’s like learning the word ‘apple’ and trying to decipher ‘fire’. Since there’s no relation between the consonants and vowels, it’s impossible to decipher it.
“…But if I keep learning like this, won’t I learn it eventually?”
“Of course. I’ll tell you when that happens. But from now on, don’t tell anything to Mangott. Tell them that I won’t teach you.”
Right now, I am currently enchanted by Selena and teaching her ancient language is the scene I set up.
So there’s nothing strange about me refusing to teach her anymore because I’m worried that Manggot will learn everything.
“It won’t work forever.”
“There will be conditions. I’ll consider it if the conditions are reasonable.”
“…!”
Selena thought about what I said for a moment before her eyes widened.
She realized my true intentions.
I will hold the ancient language in my hands and shake Manggot. Even if they don’t shake.
And you realize now that I definitely need you in my plan, right?
“…I understand.”
But Selena said nothing more and looked down at the ancient language I had written.
She still hasn’t decided which side she’ll take.
“But ancient language is truly fascinating. It’s so secretive, and even when it’s written down, it’s meaningless.”
Selena changed the subject, and I went along with it.
“Yes. Ancient wizards didn’t want knowledge of magic to spread. That’s why they needed ‘records’ to organize their thoughts, but they didn’t want it to last forever. So they needed a language that would be impossible to decipher as time passed.”
“That’s a shame. It disappears even though it’s written down.”
Selena quietly looked at the paper. She can currently interpret it since my mana is infused in it, but in time, even that voice will disappear, and it will become impossible to interpret. Selena currently remembers what the words mean, but she’ll eventually forget them as time passes.
“…Erased records.”
“Yes?”
I muttered unconsciously. Selena looked at me curiously, but…
I didn’t have the time to answer because I had an idea.
Records and memories.
Kora, unable to remember the culprit’s face.
The criminal who knows Quinie’s weakness.
And the existence called ‘Kora’ that I am unaware of.
“……”
I kept my mouth shut.
To calm the chilling feeling.
* * *
Quinie pondered within the room of the mansion.
An important issue remained unresolved.
“How does the criminal know my weakness?”
Even if Kora regains her memory and finds the culprit, it would be useless without solving this mystery.
Especially if this information is being distributed through an easily accessible route.
“I must somehow meet the criminal and obtain that information.”
Quinie leaned back against the chair.
Would it come to torture once the criminal is caught? The thought alone made her feel uneasy.
“It would be nice if the criminal would just tell me.”
With a sigh, she looked out the window.
Outside the window, there was a man wearing a mask upside down.
“……Huh?”
The mask had a smiling face, and its eyes and mouth were simply like crescent moons attached to it. Wearing it upside down made it look bizarre.
No, what was bizarre wasn’t that,
“What are you?”
Why is something like that in front of my window…
“Hello, Quinie.”
Like a surprising friend, the man raised his hand.
“Who are you?”
“Don’t you know? Don’t you? Really?”
His tone was irritating.
Why was his voice so high for a man?
“It’s ridiculous to wear a mask and expect me to recognize who you are.”
“No, that can’t be, you should recognize me just by my voice. You should have. You should.”
Just by his voice?
Although it was a distinctively memorable voice, Quinie had never heard it before.
“It’s not that you’ve never heard it.”
As if reading Quinie’s inner thoughts,
The upside-down mask spoke.
“I’ve been erased from your memory, Quinie.”