Chapter 75. Action (2)
About an hour later, Belladonna finally arrived at Gaia Hotel. She let out a rough breath and looked up at the old, weathered sign.
It took much longer than I thought…!
Maybe it was because she had not been in Astanya for a long time, or maybe her memory was wrong. Either way, she had gotten lost many times on the way from the Holy See and wandered around for far too long.
Ah, I’m already tired. He’s not gone, right? Fabion should still be here…
Swallowing nervously, Belladonna walked up to the reception desk of Gaia Hotel.
“Welcome.”
An elderly man standing at the counter spoke without lifting his eyes from the ledger in front of him. He looked like the hotel owner.
Instead of replying, Belladonna handed him a piece of paper she had prepared in advance.
[I am looking for an elderly mage among the guests.]
Only after reading the note did the owner raise his head.
He quietly observed Belladonna, whose face was completely hidden under her robe, and then spoke.
“Are you a mage as well?”
…!
Belladonna nodded without thinking.
If I say no, he looks like he won’t even let me in!
At the word “mage,” the owner seemed interested and leaned closer to her.
“An elderly mage, you say… Many different mages stay at this hotel. And as you know, people like us cannot easily judge a mage’s age. Some of them can even change their outward appearance. Still, you are looking for an elderly mage?”
“……”
“Hmm… Then may I ask, can you use magic to change your appearance? You look quite young at first glance. Are you showing me your true appearance right now?”
“……”
“Ah, seeing you so deeply covered by a robe reminds me of my days in Suriat. Back when I was twenty-eight, I once got lost and met a mage in a forest…”
…This is bad.
Belladonna quietly clenched her fist as she listened.
She had heard the owner of Gaia Hotel was friendly toward mages—but this man was more than friendly. He was a complete magic enthusiast.
And incredibly talkative.
Soon, the owner began rambling about the mage he met in Suriat and the magic that mage liked to use.
“So one time, I grabbed his staff and—”
There was no sign his story would ever end.
If this continues, he’ll never stop…!
Unable to endure it any longer, Belladonna reached out and slammed her fist down on the note that read, “I am looking for an elderly mage among the guests.”
Startled by her sudden action, the owner finally closed his mouth.
“Ah, my apologies. I got carried away. Whenever magic comes up, I lose myself… Well, not an elderly mage exactly, but there is one mage who looks quite old. I’ll bring him down right away.”
As soon as the owner left, Belladonna let out a small sigh.
That was close. I almost wasted precious time.
A short while later, Fabion appeared behind the owner as they came down the creaking wooden stairs.
Belladonna, who had been waiting in a chair in the lobby, was so happy to see him that she almost jumped up and took off her robe.
Fabion walked toward her with a confused expression.
“You were looking for me…?”
Belladonna slightly turned her body away from the owner’s gaze and gently pulled back her robe to show her face.
The moment he recognized her, Fabion’s eyes—buried deep in wrinkles—slowly widened.
“Ah… no, but what brings you all the way here?”
Seeing how smoothly things were going, Belladonna smiled faintly and pointed outside.
It’s not good to talk here. Shall we go out?
Understanding her meaning, Fabion quickly stood up.
“Y-yes. Let’s step outside first.”
The owner at the reception looked disappointed, clearly having been listening in, but there was nothing to be done.
They went to a nearby restaurant and chose the most secluded corner.
Sitting in the deepest seat, Belladonna kept her robe on and took out the notebook she had hidden inside.
“This is…”
She pointed to a piece of paper attached to the notebook.
It was a note she had written before coming here.
[I found this in an old chapel that is no longer used. But it’s written in a language I can’t read.]
After reading the note, Fabion quickly reached out and opened the worn notebook. He flipped through the pages and scanned them carefully before speaking.
“These are written in an ancient language. It’s only natural that you cannot read it.”
Ancient language…? Did the former Saint know ancient languages?
“It seems she wrote this in a language no one uses anymore, likely out of fear of being discovered. Even for me, who has experience with many languages, this cannot be translated immediately. I will need to consult dictionaries and translate it piece by piece.”
So it will take time—but it can be translated.
Feeling a quiet sense of achievement, Belladonna nodded.
She still did not know what the notebook contained, but since Fabion knew how to read it, she believed it could be solved somehow.
Then the remaining two clues can be found like this as well, right?
“I’ve been visiting the Holy See often, but these past few days you’ve been especially busy. I couldn’t meet you at all. Even confession applications were already closed…”
That’s why I came to you!
Fabion smiled as if he had read her thoughts and nodded.
“You did well. Using your wisdom and courage to seek help like this—there is no need to worry.”
After that, they continued their conversation through writing. Belladonna explained where she found the notebook, how she discovered the three keys, and how she made her way here.
Fabion praised her cleverness and also shared his own thoughts about places within the Holy See where the Saint might have gone or where items could have been hidden.
I should have asked him sooner…
Listening to his detailed advice, Belladonna thought about the days she had wasted searching blindly.
She looked disappointed, and Fabion gently comforted her.
“It wasn’t a complete loss. At the very least, you now know for certain that there is no evidence in the places you already searched.”
Still…
Belladonna puffed out her lips slightly and leaned back in her chair.
Then, without thinking, she glanced at the clock on the wall—and suddenly stiffened.
“……!”
What? Already…?
The half day she had promised Rosy was nearly over.
I should go back now…!
Noticing her urgency, Fabion began gathering his things.
“Oh, it’s already this late. Then shall we head back? Please don’t worry. Everything will work out.”
That’s right. Let’s not worry.
Encouraged by his words, Belladonna smiled softly and stood up.
As they left the restaurant, Fabion turned to the left and spoke.
“I’ll go this way. There’s a library further ahead. I should be able to find ancient language dictionaries there.”
Belladonna nodded and pointed in the opposite direction.
I’m going this way.
The road back to the Holy See was opposite from his path.
“From now on, I’ll stop by the Holy See every day. From after lunch until your schedule ends in the evening, I’ll be walking around the garden. If you need me, you’ll always be able to find me.”
Thank goodness…
Belladonna smiled, feeling much more at ease.
If she could see Fabion often, exchanging information would be faster. That meant everything would move forward more quickly.
“It’s unfortunate that I can’t escort you back to the Holy See.”
No, it’s fine. You should focus on translating the ancient language!
“Then, please take care.”
Belladonna waved at Fabion as he bowed to her.
When he fully turned away, Belladonna turned in the opposite direction.
Alright. Shall I go now too?
It had taken her an hour to get here, but now that she knew the way, it should take less time to return.
Perhaps because she could finally see hope, her mood felt lighter.
She stepped forward, ignoring the heaviness in her legs.
“…Huh?”
At that moment, a very familiar—and dearly missed—back caught her eye.
Just now…
Startled, Belladonna quickly turned her head and looked around.
A massive figure staggered forward past her, and it felt painfully familiar.
A body far larger than others, a broad, thick upper frame, dark skin tanned by the sun, and a huge sword carried on his back…
No way… Escallion?
The moment his name surfaced in her mind, her heart began to pound violently.
As if possessed, Belladonna moved her legs and followed where the man had disappeared.
Where is he? He was definitely just here…
She hurried forward, eyes fixed ahead as if she had lost something precious.
Could it really be Escallion? If so, why was he in Astanya? He said he wouldn’t attend the birthday celebration… Did he change his mind?
Or… did he come to see me?
Countless thoughts raced through her mind as she pushed through the crowd.
Some filled her with hope. Others crushed her heart.
But more than anything, she just wanted to see his face.
He definitely passed this way…!
Just when she thought she had lost him, she spotted the back of his head again in the distance.
Because he was so much taller than everyone else, he was easy to recognize.
Belladonna quickly moved and chased after him.
With the Emperor’s birthday approaching, the streets of Astanya were crowded.
She forced her way through the people and finally caught up, grabbing the man’s arm with all her strength.
Escallion!
At the touch of her small hand, the man—who had been staring ahead—turned his head.
