CHAPTER 74…………………………..
The Masquerade Ball (1)
Roll, roll.
A lump wrapped in white bed sheets began to roll around on the bed.
The squirming shape resembled a giant caterpillar, but sadly, there was no one around to point that out. The lump rolled back and forth for quite some time.
However, given its modest size, there was a limit to how long that could continue. Before long, perhaps tired of it, the bundle of sheets stopped abruptly.
“No matter how I think about it, I’m still so mad!”
The sheets were flung back, revealing a head of long, tousled white hair. It was Temia, thoroughly indulging in her vacation. But the face poking out from under the covers was full of irritation — a look ill-suited to someone enjoying her time off.
Sigh… this doesn’t feel right. Maybe I should’ve gone with him after all?
She couldn’t shake off a sense of unease. The reason she was rolling around idly on the bed was none other than the words of the mage who had left her behind. The final thing Lowell had casually said before heading out lingered in her mind.
“I’ll be gone for a bit. We’re still on vacation anyway, so you don’t have any work to do. It’s fine, right?”
The first week of her vacation had been somewhat busy — mingling with the townspeople and all — but when she first received her break, Temia had been truly excited. After all, she was worn out from back-to-back missions, and this was her first proper rest since starting her new life.
She had finally laid down some of her emotional burdens and even spent some pleasant time debating how best to spend her days.
“What should I do with the time I’ve got left? I’ve left Lerry alone so often before — maybe this time the three of us could spend time together…”
After much observation, she had concluded that the current Lowell was far from the violent man he once appeared to be — perhaps because he was with her. Temia had even been planning to strengthen that conviction by staying close to him.
“Huh? W-wait, what’s going on all of a sudden? I’ll come with you!”
“No need. It’s just a personal matter.”
“But still! Maybe I could help somehow?”
“Hmm… no, but I appreciate the thought.”
But that man — the one who used to say he got anxious when she wasn’t around — suddenly left without even telling her what he was up to.
Temia recalled Lowell’s face — the way he had tilted his head, as if wondering what the problem was when she asked — and she smacked her pillow with a fist before realizing it.
“I mean, sure! It’s not like he has to tell me every little thing! But he could at least say what it’s about, or how long he’ll be gone, right?”
Lowell had truly vanished like the wind. No matter how persistently she asked, his response was the same.
“Where are you going, then? At least tell me that much!”
“Just need to stop by the capital for a bit.”
That one vague line was all the report she got. Given his personality, she doubted he’d go somewhere for work during his vacation — which only made her more curious!
“Are you really not going to tell me more?”
“It’s nothing worth mentioning, really. Not exactly something to brag about.”
Apparently, she was the only one feeling left out.
And that stung, somehow — made her feel a little sad, a little lonely.
“So we’re still not close enough for him to talk about personal things, huh…”
It was a problem too delicate to say aloud, so Temia swallowed the frustration in silence. But there wasn’t much else she could do — prying further when he clearly didn’t want to talk seemed pointless.
So, the only way she could vent was by rolling around in bed long past her usual waking time. Not that anyone was around to see the rebellion — the person it was aimed at was already gone — and she’d have to clean up the mess herself anyway.
“I’m… so bored…”
She slipped out from under the blankets, restless, and checked the clock — only an hour past her usual work start time.
“Maybe I should’ve just secretly followed him…”
With a resigned sigh, she decided to give up her petty sulking and get up.
Fine — if things had come to this, she’d just enjoy the ultimate unbothered vacation.
Dragging her feet, she headed toward the kitchen — which, oddly, felt emptier than usual.
“That’s strange. It doesn’t feel bigger, but it’s… spacious somehow.”
Of course, it was the same as always. It wasn’t like the kitchen had physically expanded just because one person was missing.
Assuming it was just her imagination, Temia began rummaging through the cupboards for something to eat.
“Now where did I put that salad dressing…?”
Her search got off to a rough start. She could’ve sworn she’d seen it just a few days ago, but no matter how hard she looked, it was gone. She peered at each bottle on the shelf — only to find the wrong ones every time.
“If it were in the workshop downstairs, I’d know the exact spot…”
Frustrated, she pouted. Since Lowell had always been the one cooking, she was still unfamiliar with the kitchen’s layout.
“I should’ve asked him to label where everything is.”
Too late for that now.
Just then, she felt a light flutter and the familiar weight on her shoulder.
“Lady Temia! You woke up a bit late today. Good morning!”
“Ah, Lerry. Good morning. Did you rest well?”
“Of course! It’s not every day we get to relax like this. But, um, what are you doing right now?”
“Well… do you happen to remember where the salad dressing is?”
“Of course! It’s right over here.”
Lerry flew over and tapped a bottle with her beak — on the very shelf Temia had just searched.
“Huh? But it wasn’t there a second ago…”
Unconvinced but relieved, Temia finally got what she wanted.
While she prepared breakfast, Lerry circled nearby, chattering endlessly — a welcome sound after all that silence.
“Lady Temia, your cooking’s really improved! Compared to the first sandwich you made, this one looks so good!”
“The first one? Uh… it wasn’t that bad, was it? …Was it?”
“…”
When Lerry fell silent, Temia couldn’t think of a rebuttal. She quietly took a bite.
Even she had to admit — that first sandwich had been far from appetizing.
If not for Lowell’s help, she might never have escaped the “sandwich disaster.” A fitting end for someone working at the Green Sandwich Workshop, perhaps.
“Sorry, but I don’t eat bad food. And honestly, if anyone ate this, they’d probably get sick.”
Lowell had said that with a horrified face after seeing the wrecked kitchen and the shapeless, mushy thing she’d made. From that day on, he had banned her from cooking.
“The ban’s gone now, but back then he treated me like some kind of dangerous element.”
He used to rush in whenever she got near the kitchen, as if to stop a potential disaster. Because of that, she’d unconsciously learned to move quietly and avoid clattering dishes. The habit stuck with her.
“Thinking back, I never imagined we’d get along like this someday.”
What prevented a real fight that day was Lowell’s unexpectedly good cooking. His picky taste wasn’t a joke — his meals were simple but elegant, perfectly seasoned.
Temia had glared at first, ready to criticize, but ended up eating quietly instead.
“Time sure drags, huh…”
After eating slowly, boredom crept in once more.
With the cleanup done, she and Lerry settled at the workshop’s central table to kill time.
“Lerry, want to try wrapping this ribbon around you? The color suits you.”
“Sure! Tie it nicely!”
“Hehe, you look adorable. Hold still, I’ll draw you like this.”
“…Wait— that lump of mud you drew earlier… that’s supposed to be me?!”
They played around with packaging ribbons and doodled on spare parchment meant for order forms.
They were always close, so even such trivial moments were enjoyable.
Yet, there was still that faint, unshakable emptiness.
Temia felt restless — not just because Lowell was gone, but because she missed him. Enough that her day felt off without him around?
Trying to distract herself, she unfolded that day’s newspaper. She just wanted something to read — but what she found was entirely unexpected.
“Oh my… Lerry, look at this! Do you think this is true?”
“What is it? Hmm… ‘Illegal distribution of alchemy potion ingredients within the Academy — is this acceptable?’ Whoa, Lady Temia, isn’t this the same thing Master found before?”
“Yes, it really looks like it. Seems it’s not just the Terrium Academy — it’s happening elsewhere too.”
“Well, potion ingredients aren’t used only by mages! Fatigue recovery potions are the most popular items among students, after all. If any academy mage heard about it, they’d totally fall for it!”
“I heard there could be side effects though… doesn’t that make it dangerous?”
“If Master said that himself, then it’s probably serious. But back then, it didn’t seem like it would cause this much commotion.”
“Right? I thought he said he’d settled things with the Academy…”
The topic was serious enough that they soon got absorbed in discussion.
Better than boredom, yes — but hardly pleasant.
Eventually, both sighed and flopped down on the table.
And then—
Knock, knock.
A sound came from the workshop door.
The sound that signaled the end of boredom.
