HSDOE 64

Chapter 64

“An… an intruder, Your Majesty the Empress!”

Yvette pointed a trembling finger at the unexpected guest. Then, realizing that Lasilia was in the middle of changing clothes, she let out a scream and quickly shielded her with her body.

“And of all times—while you’re changing!”

The intruder raised both hands and turned their head aside.

“No need for alarm. I come without malice.”

It was hard to tell whether the person was male or female—their voice and appearance were both ambiguous.

“I heard the Empress of the Empire was seeking me, so rather than be dragged here by force, I came of my own accord. These things are best handled swiftly by both parties, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Uh, um… is that… right, Your Majesty?” Yvette looked to Lasilia for guidance, eyes pleading for direction.

Before she could answer, the intruder spoke again.

“And if I did come with ill intent, wouldn’t Your Majesty have sensed it by now? As the first Companion, surely you possess the gift. You would’ve felt my malice.”

“Ah… Is that true, Your Majesty?” Yvette asked, wide-eyed.

Lasilia gazed at the intruder, beginning to understand who this might be. They claimed to have come because she had called them. There was only one person who could say such a thing.

“You must be the shaman from Trinidad.”

“I am.”

“His Majesty said today was the day he would locate you. Have you been eavesdropping on the palace?”

“Ah, there is a shaman employed by the Empire, is there not? Not quite as talented as I am, but still capable in their own right.”

“So you reacted to Lord Horsed’s spell?”

“That’s one way to put it.”

“Then you must have a reason for coming directly to me instead of going through His Majesty.”

The Trinidadian shaman smiled slyly.

“Shamans who’ve immersed themselves in the craft as long as I have tend to be highly sensitive to other powers. And His Majesty the Emperor… his magical energy overflows. For me, it’s far more comfortable to be in the presence of the Empress.”

“In that case…”

Lasilia’s suspicion began to lift.

She could tell his words were true.

Most of all, she believed him when he said he carried no malice.

His explanation gave her a sense of when she was able to read others’ emotions.

‘When someone says something different from what they’re thinking… That’s when it happens.’

She recalled that when she saw Yvette’s thoughts, it was because Yvette had been thinking something she hadn’t said out loud.

“Shall we move somewhere else? Since you’ve come as a guest, I’ll treat you as one.”

At Lasilia’s suggestion, the shaman smiled and bowed.

“You are truly a Companion with whom conversation flows easily. I thank you for your hospitality. I shall gladly follow.”

Yvette escorted the shaman to the drawing room first.

After changing clothes, Lasilia joined him and they sat across from each other, sipping tea.

“Does the tea not suit your taste?”

“Oh no, not at all. I simply don’t drink anything but alcohol. But I will happily enjoy the sweets.”

True to his word, the shaman from Trinidad busily devoured the pastries.

Yvette assumed he must be hungry and said she’d bring out more.

“She has a kind soul. Discovering such a person must be part of the power you possess as a Companion.”

The shaman offered this remark.

“You’ve seen the Empress before, haven’t you?” Lasilia asked after taking a sip.

“Ah, of course. I cast a spell on that body, after all.”

“Yet you don’t find me strange, even though my tone and manner must be quite different.”

The shaman grinned.

Unlike the quiet, mysterious Deckan, this one was like an unpredictable wind.

“I recognized it at a glance.”

“Recognized what?”

“That the previous Empress was a fake. And that the one before me now is the real one.”

“…”

The shaman chewed on a cookie filled with raspberry jam and brushed away the crumbs from his mouth.

“Any proper shaman would know. The most intricate and magnificent spell since the continent’s creation is the one that produced the first Companion. That spell was likely strengthened by magic itself. No human could replicate it. So if the mark disappeared, it means the person couldn’t have been the real Companion.”

“You mean you completed the spell to restore the mark even though you knew the Empress was a fake?”

“Hm… let me put it this way. There is no shaman in the world who can tamper with the Companion’s spell, Your Majesty.”

“Then you’re saying you defrauded House Pielion.”

“What? Ah, now, that’s a bit harsh. This is how I make my living. Just because Trinidad might look like a lawless wasteland doesn’t mean we have no rules. In fact, it’s quite strict—those who don’t understand spells can’t even survive there.”

“Then how did you tamper with a spell you claim cannot be touched?”

“I didn’t touch it. But I did everything I could within the bounds of the commission.”

“How so?”

“The client asked me to restore the mark. So I completed a spell that would make the mark real. The client agreed to that wording.”

“…”

To make the mark real.

It sounded similar to restoring the mark, but it was different.

If Cartahena was a fake and the mark was vanishing, then a shaman who couldn’t tamper with the spell of the Companion would have had no means to restore it.

But if the goal was to make the mark real again—

Then one could bring the true bearer of the mark into that body.

“So that’s how… I ended up here.”

Lasilia murmured.

Crunch.

The shaman nodded as he bit into another cookie.

“That’s likely it. The spell I cast was completed, after all. As you know, when a spell fails, there are always signs. Either the caster suffers backlash, or something goes wrong with the recipient.”

“I have one question.”

Lasilia set her teacup down with a clink and looked the shaman straight in the eyes.

He quickly licked the jam from the corner of his mouth and sat up properly.

“Ask away.”

“Why was I born with the fate of a Companion? Can you tell me that?”

“You wish to know? But now that you know you’re the Companion, isn’t that enough?”

“I still want to know. I heard Companions are born among the five families tied to the spell. But I had no ties to the Empire at all. So I’m left with doubts. Why me, of all people?”

“I understand. You think differently than a shaman would.”

“So? What’s the answer?”

“I don’t know either, Your Majesty. I have no ties to the Empire myself.”

“Ah…”

Lasilia let out a quiet sigh, and the shaman hastily added,

“But I can cast a spell to help you find the answer. I know the spell of revelation.”

“The spell of revelation?”

“Yes. It will guide you to the answer you seek. But—”

He smiled slyly.

Strangely, that light grin didn’t seem frivolous. Rather, it hinted that he carried many secrets.

“There’s a price. You’re welcome to pay generously.”

“What do you want?”

“First, please ask His Majesty the Emperor to stop searching for me. It’s hard to take commissions when someone’s constantly on your trail.”

“That can be arranged. The reason for seeking you has been resolved. And next?”

“Money.”

He made a circle with his thumb and index finger.

“A shaman’s work is all about the coin. I live a life of constant debt, even though I run myself ragged. The more you give, the better.”

Crunch.

Even before he finished speaking, the shaman stuffed more cookies into his mouth.

Lasilia watched him. He grinned and explained that these kinds of luxury treats were rare for him, so he had to enjoy them while he could.

‘So he really is broke.’

Lasilia nodded.

“As Empress, I don’t have much of my own. What I can offer is…”

“How about that hairpin?”

The shaman pointed to the ornament in her hair.

It was one of the many jewel-encrusted accessories the Emperor had sent her recently—too many to remember. Using one for this purpose didn’t seem unreasonable.

“If that’ll suffice…”

She pulled the pin from her hair and handed it to him.

The shaman’s eyes sparkled as he received it reverently with both hands.

“More than enough. I am deeply honored, Your Majesty.”

After finishing the last of the cookies, he stood and knelt at her feet, holding out his hand.

“It works better this way.”

Lasilia placed her hand on his palm, and the spell began.

Just like when she’d once restored the consciousness of those who had lost it, she felt a mysterious force moving.

“…It’s done.”

The shaman finished the spell and, before letting go, kissed the back of her hand.

“Was that part of the spell too?” Lasilia asked.

He shook his head.

“No. That was my personal tribute to the Companion. You may not be her now, but the first Companion was the greatest shaman to ever live.”

Still smiling, he admired the jeweled hairpin before slipping it into his sleeve.

“Ah, since you were generous with your payment, I’ll give you a bonus.”

“Let’s hope it’s something worthwhile.”

“Oh, it is. It came to mind while I was casting the revelation spell, so I believe it’s something you’ve been seeking.”

He scanned the area, then pointed a finger—tattooed with intricate patterns—at a table.

“That book there. It holds an answer you’ve been looking for.”

It was the book Yvette had brought earlier, a record of the Companion’s history.

“Thank you for telling me.”

“Not at all. Ah, one more thing. I don’t know why my mouth won’t stay shut today…”

He chuckled, then grew serious.

With his expression changed, his words took on the weight of earnest advice.

“Don’t overlook anything. Trust your heart more than your ears. The answer can appear at any time, in any form. What matters is whether you recognize it as the answer. When your heart stirs, that’s your sign. Don’t forget—the answer can come in many forms.”

After those final words, the shaman bowed deeply.

And then, as if being swallowed by his own shadow, he vanished.