Gracia

Gracia looks around, trying to find her way in the unfamiliar city. She had accepted a job as an assistant teacher at the Royal Magic Institute, and as such has been in Polaris, the Lodestar City, for a few months, largely spent inside to study. The city is expansive, a fine network of narrow streets connecting the large city together. She had received a somewhat worrying letter this morning. Since she arrived, she had been wondering which teacher, all famed mages, she would end up working under. This morning she received a letter informing her of this, but not only was the teacher seemingly new to the Magic Institute himself, she had never heard the name Libarius Mitis.

The letter was simple, seemingly sent by this new teacher himself, or rather, by an associate of his. She assumes, and hopes, they had given it to the Magic Institute, which then sent it to her address. The letter reads as follows:

“Dear Gracia Vis,

I hope this letter finds you well. As you may have heard, or as you may soon hear, you will be assisting Libarius Mitis in his teaching duties. He has asked to meet with you before classes begin for the year so that you might discuss the work to be done. He will be awaiting you at Ursi Plaza today, so we hope that you will come.

Libarius will be the man with black hair, wearing a long black coat, and leaning on a black cane. I believe that you will find him quickly, even if a crowd happens to form.”

Several hours have passed since Gracia received that letter, no small portion of that time spent getting turned around by the city. The whole time, Gracia has been slightly lost in thought, thinking of the mysterious Libarius Mitis.

“I wonder what he might be like. I mean, it really is strange, isn’t it? I’ve never heard of a no-name mage even working at the Magic Institute. And if he had a famous master, then wouldn’t we have met before? And surely ‘Mitis’ must be a coincidence. Salvo Mitis is famed for having come from a non-mage family, and he isn’t old enough to have a child with enough experience to teach at the Magic Institute, and I haven’t even heard a rumor that he even has a child! But if he isn’t related to a hero like that, then why would he get a job like this out of nowhere?! It’s so suspicious!”

Tending thoughts such as this, Gracia arrives in Ursi Plaza. As the letter had said, there is quite a crowd gathered. They seem to be clamoring over something near the central fountain. Gracia focuses on the rest of the plaza, searching for the man in black described in the letter. However, she cannot find him. She had thought it would be easy, the day is warm, and as such there wouldn’t be others wearing a jacket, but by that same virtue, he could have absentmindedly taken it off. She found several men with dark brown canes, which she thought should be close enough, but even then, they were elderly, with either gray, white, or no hair. After walking around the whole of the plaza, she decides it would be best to simply ask somebody. Before she can, however, she hears a firm voice issuing an order.

“Alright, that’s enough. I am very happy that we could meet, but I must ask that you disperse. We have business to attend here, and I wouldn’t want to cause trouble by forming a group of loiterers, so off with you all.”

At that, the crowd begins to leave the plaza. Interested, Gracia walks around the fountain to see who had drawn so many people to them. As she does, she sees them. One man, tall, sturdy, in full uniform even off-duty, and somebody at his side, wearing all black. She watches as the strange youth crushes a lit cigarette in his gloved hand. The uniformed man, the one the voice belonged to, begins to speak.

“Libarius! Why would you do that? I could hardly smoke on assignment! Let me have this!” Libarius looks up at Salvo and answers him plainly.

“What foolishness could be greater than this, to take such wretched smoke into your lungs, to allow it to billow about inside of you for the slightest pleasure.”

As Libarius moves, Gracia notices the pitch black cane in his right hand. Although she is bewildered by it, she supposes that the strange young man in front of her must be Libarius Mitis. And looking closer, and remembering the crowd, she recognizes the older man as Salvo Mitis, the war hero. She approaches the pair somewhat nervously.

“E-excuse me, are you—” Libarius turns to look at her with his dull, dark eyes, silencing her. Salvo looks at her, at the petite, well-mannered girl before them, light brown hair flowing down her back and soft pink eyes. He takes a step closer to her, pulling Libarius along, and puts out a hand.

“You must be Ms. Gracia Vis. I beg your pardon if we have met before, but I am Salvo Mitis, Major General of the Caelestis Magic Corps. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Gracia is somewhat starstruck as she responds.

“Ah, no, the… the honor is all mine, sir.”

“Come now, Libarius, introduce yourself.” Salvo pulls him out further, closer to Gracia. Now that he’s closer, Gracia realizes how gaunt and pale Libarius is, and that he is only the slightest bit taller than her.

“Indeed.” Libarius puts both hands atop his cane and presses it down into the ground in front of him. “I am Libarius C—” Libarius nearly falls over as Salvo slaps him on the back. Salvo leans in close and whispers to him.

“Libarius, from now on you are of my family. You are Libarius Mitis. And you are to call me ‘Father.’ Do you still remember our plan?” Libarius doesn’t respond to him.

“I am Libarius Mitis.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Gracia isn’t quite sure if it’s right to broach the topic. “If it’s alright to ask, is Libarius your son, Major General Mitis?”

“He is. Why do you ask? He takes after his mother, if that’s what you’re wondering.” Salvo laughs.

“No, that’s not it. I was wondering why I’ve never heard about him if he’s both your son and a skilled mage in his own right.”

“Ah, that. Well, as I’m sure you noticed, Libarius here isn’t in the greatest health. He was sickly even as a boy, then disaster struck twice. When he was a child…” Salvo becomes deeply melancholic as he continues on, “and this is among the greatest shames of my life, he was caught in an attack and lost the use of his left leg. He was mostly shut up inside after that, and I allowed his talent in magic to grow in that way, only for him to then be cursed to become unable to cast even the simplest spell on his own, and he truly refused to go out at that point.” Gracia feels ashamed of herself.

“I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“Ah, it’s no problem at all. The past is in the past. No point in hiding it. I only hope that this job might help him some. Ah, but look at the time. I’m sure it would be better for you two youngsters to talk among yourselves, and for this old man to take his leave. Oh, would you look at that, there’s a cafe right nearby, perhaps that would be a good place for you two to discuss the upcoming year. I’ll be off then.” Libarius, still unskilled with his cane, starts to hobble towards the cafe.

“Sure, sure.” Gracia starts to follow after him, but is stopped by Salvo’s voice.

“Miss Gracia, please watch over Libarius.” Gracia is somewhat startled by the earnest request.

“Yes sir.”

“Thank you”

As Libarius and Gracia enter the cafe, Salvo begins to walk home. He places a hand near his mouth, a soft glow emerging.

“Opera, can you watch over Libarius while he talks with Ms. Gracia?” The voice of a young woman responds.

“Yes sir, I’ll make sure he makes no mistakes.”

“Thank you, Opera.” The light disappears. “And now would be a great time for a smoke.” Salvo reaches into his pocket but can find neither his cigarettes nor his lighter. The light returns. “Cura, it seems that Libarius has stolen my cigarettes and my lighter. Can you buy some for me and set them near the door?” Another young woman responds.

“No sir, Young Master Libarius ordered us not to, I think.”

“You know Cura, shouldn’t my orders outrank his?”

“And I’m sure my sister would have bought them for you, but I happen to agree with the Young Master.”

“And you know Cura, Libarius being my son is only a cover.”

“Master Salvo, if you didn’t want me to treat the Young Master as your son, then you shouldn’t have worried over him as if he were in the first place.” Salvo smiles to himself.

“Then I suppose I’ll just have to quit smoking. Not like I was doing it much at all anyway.”