The Forbidden Sage

The purple-haired maid looks disapprovingly at the scene. Of Libarius holding out cake towards Gracia, and the bright red Gracia unsure of what she is meant to do.

“Young Master Libarius, you mustn’t behave in such a manner.” Libarius looks confused

“Ms. Opera, where did I err?”

“Pull back your hand, Young Master. This sort of act… It should only be done by those who are… intimate with each other.” Opera seems embarrassed to even speak on the topic.

“Ms. Opera, how intimate must we become for such a thing to be deemed appropriate? And beside that, what is the wisdom in such a belief? Should not care for another outweigh such a nebulous thing as propriety?”

“Young Master, it is neither the time nor place to debate such a thing.” Gracia, meanwhile, is still red in the face, too shocked to do much of anything. She manages at last, however, to stammer something out.

“L-Libarius, I, umm, I’m really fine, so, umm, can you please stop.”

“Very well.” Libarius pulls back his fork. He places it on the plate, then takes out a small slip of paper and a pen. He begins to write something down. “This conversation has been fruitful. Perhaps, however, it is time to bring it to a close. Gracia, please allow us to return you home.” He returns the pen to his pocket, then places a number of coins, equal to the exact cost, on the table. He hands the slip of paper to Opera. “Ms. Opera, if you could cast this spell and take the remainder home.” Opera is startled by the sudden request and begins trying to read the tiny script Libarius had written in. Libarius stands up, grabs hold of his cane, and begins to walk. “Let us go then, Gracia.”

“Hold on, Young Master!”

“Quickly now, before she can follow after us.”

Gracia follows him. They leave the cafe and Opera, and begin to walk down the narrow streets of Polaris. As they walk, Libarius looks towards the roofs of the city. Suddenly, Libarius grabs Gracia’s hand. Again she is red. He holds her hand gently, but even then, in spite of his small, frail body, she can feel an incredible might behind it, a strength beyond a normal person. She hears the thud of wood against the paved stone road, Libarius’ cane hitting it hard. And suddenly they are in the air. And then they are atop a roof. Gracia can feel her heart beating in her chest. Her face still red, she quickly pulls her hand away from his.

“Th-that was too much, Libarius.” His expression remains indecipherable as he looks straight ahead.

“My apologies. I had it said to me quite often that I become quite frightening when you least expect it.”

“Ah, no, it isn’t that… it wasn’t scary…” Gracia can’t meet his gaze.

“Then what, pray tell, are you feeling? What else might it be but fear? Tell me, Gracia, why can you look me in the eye no longer?”

“I… I can’t tell you… but… can you… take a step back?”

“Very well.” Even as he moves away, Gracia can still feel the strong beat of her heart.

“S-so, why did you bring me up here?” Libarius answers her plainly, in his unwavering voice.

“I wanted, at the end of this, to have even a single fleeting moment alone with you.” Gracia can feel the heat in her cheeks. “Tell me, do you have a favorite magic?” Gracia, regardless of how red she thinks she looks, cannot help but look back at Libarius and his gentle, far-away expression. “I don’t have one. There was no need for me to fall in love with magic. It was a given. Such was the nature of my father. Was it different for you, Gracia?” Gracia cups her palms in front of her chest.

“It’s… a little embarassing. It isn’t a strong spell. And it’s so simple it barely needs an incantation even when you’re a beginner.” A small flower, made of quivering, flickering flame appears in her hands. “When I first saw it… I thought it was so, so beautiful.”

“That’s wonderful.” Libarius stretches out an arm and points a finger to the sky. “Hear me, Gracia: ‘were it not for this leg, were it not for this curse, were it only that my fortunes were even slightly better.’ I discarded such thoughts long ago. Those musings are irrelevant.”

Libarius snaps his fingers. A giant snaking flame shoots out from his fingertip. It moves through the air, shifting its color as it flies. In its wake it leaves behind a giant bouquet of flowers, floating in the air. Gracia is awestruck. Not only at the power of his spell, but on the smile of pure joy on Libarius’ face.

“Let us chase after the beautiful things, Gracia. Let us think not of the past. And let us not fear the future. I have no choice but to find success here and now. And as my partner, you have no choice but to join me on that path.”

Gracia can feel her heart pounding even harder now. Before she can respond, however, a maid appears on the roof in between the two of them. She looks nearly identical to Opera, save for her hair, which is instead tied in a large ponytail. She seems flustered.

“Ah, umm… Young Master… I really, really, really didn’t mean to interrupt—” Even more flustered, Gracia interjects.

“It’s fine! There wasn’t anything to interrupt! You weren’t interrupting anything!” Still unfazed, Libarius speaks calmly.

“Cura, I had already finished. Your timing could not be more perfect. I was just in need of a way to get down from here. Can you help me down, then we can escort Gracia.” Both of them are shocked out of their flustered states as they remember Libarius’ leg and curse.

“Of course, Young Master.” Gracia turns away, her face still red.

“I’ll get down first.” She hops off the roof quickly. Cura then takes Libarius by the hand and they float off the roof slowly. As they do, Libarius begins to speak.

“Cura, prepare yourself for danger, I feel something running through my entire body; something ominous is stirring on the horizon.” Incapable of understanding, Cura ignores his warning entirely. They land at a slight distance from Gracia and find Opera awaiting them, holding the two desserts in either hand. As they begin to approach Gracia, she suddenly turns her head to look at them.

“Hold on! Libarius, can you… stay at that distance?”

Although puzzled, Libarius obliges her. And so they walk her home, Gracia and the two maids in front and Libarius trailing behind them at a distance. He watches them calmly, sure in his heart that there is something astir.