Episode 50
Reconnaissance (3)
Rushing into a carriage, the two siblings finally arrived in Paz, the village where Temia was currently staying. With a sense of urgency, they began moving purposefully through the bustling streets.
“Is it because of the festival? This place doesn’t feel much different from the capital…”
“Yeah, it’s bigger than I expected.”
The Kingdom’s Foundation Festival—renowned as the largest celebration in the realm—was in full swing here as well. The village was overflowing with people, making it hard to think of it as a countryside town. Countless stalls lined the streets, all set up for the occasion.
Even so, finding the stall from the Green Sandwich Workshop was surprisingly easy. Known locally for its unmatched quality and reasonable prices, it had become a must-visit destination for festival-goers.
Soon, a newsboy handed them a flyer listing the featured stalls and received a tip in return. He gladly offered a bit more insight about the workshop.
“They say they recently hired a new assistant. That’s probably why the crowd’s even bigger.”
“…The assistant? Not the magician himself?”
“Oh, that guy? The magician’s got a reputation for being kind of… well, difficult. But now, with the assistant handling the customers, people are relieved! No need to deal with his temper and still get quality magic items—it’s a win-win.”
“Huh… Still, this much of a crowd?”
“Well, like I said, the items are top-tier. If you don’t want to wait, how about this—I can stand in line for you for a small fee! I don’t have the money to buy anything myself, but someone like you could definitely get your hands on a fantastic magical tool.”
Of course, since they were there to check on Temia personally, the siblings declined the offer and moved on after leaving a tip.
When they reached the stall with hearts pounding in both worry and anticipation… they saw Temia.
Busy.
Incredibly, overwhelmingly busy.
With only one staff member—Temia herself—trying to handle an endless wave of customers, the chaos was understandable. The boy’s offer to stand in line now made perfect sense.
The area was so crowded, they couldn’t even hear each other over the noise. Fortunately, the customers were lining up properly, likely intimidated by the magician’s infamous glare. If not, the place would’ve looked like a war zone, with people tearing through the merchandise.
Seeing their precious youngest sibling being ordered around by a magician left a bitter taste in their mouths. But it wasn’t just Temia who was overwhelmed—the magician himself looked equally swamped. Even the tiny bird flying overhead was chirping frantically at the customers, as if trying to help.
Watching the exhausted staff of the workshop struggle, the siblings exchanged troubled glances.
“Well… doesn’t seem like anything’s wrong, right? They both just look completely overworked.”
“Exactly. If something was going on between them, she wouldn’t be getting bossed around like that.”
“If anything, it feels like she’s being worked too hard. Our baby sister… If she collapses again like before, what do we do? Should I just step in and help?”
“What? Do that, and she might run away on the spot. Could you handle it if she refused to speak to you for a whole year? She left home for a reason. Think about how much that must’ve taken.”
“I know, I know… but it breaks my heart. We raised her so carefully, and now she’s working herself to the bone. What if she grows attached to that cruel employer out of misplaced affection?”
Tears shimmered in Theresa’s eyes, her expression turning soft and sorrowful—like a mother looking at her child. From her brother’s perspective, it was almost absurd.
“Are you listening to yourself? Look at the way he’s treating her. No amount of charm would make up for that.”
“You don’t get it. Temia is full of empathy. She might get mad, but she can’t truly hate anyone. And she doesn’t have much experience dealing with people, so she tends to see the good in everything. Plus…”
“Plus what?”
“You saw him too, didn’t you? That magician’s handsome! As handsome as Theodore, even! And with that attitude? No matter how good-looking he is, bad boys are off-limits, Temiaaa!”
“S-Stop shouting! You’ll blow our cover!”
Normally calm and poised, Theresa completely lost her cool when it came to Temia. As a child, she had often faced jealousy and harsh words due to her aloof nature, and when those moments got too much, she’d always run to the villa where her sickly little sister stayed.
Temia would hold her hand quietly and listen to her vent. To Theresa, those memories were sacred, and the bond with her gentle sister even more so.
Even though Temia had been struggling with her own health, she’d always prioritized her older sister’s pain. That kind-hearted little girl—if anyone dared mistreat her, Theresa would never let it go.
Still lost in thoughts of an imagined future, Theresa’s voice had risen enough to turn heads. Before things got worse, Terius quickly covered her mouth to avoid drawing more attention.
“Haha… Sorry, everyone. My sister got a bit excited over the talking bird. It’s her first time seeing something like that. We’ll be on our way.”
He gave a polite bow as he dragged Theresa away, half-carrying her through the crowd.
But as they left, Terius couldn’t shake the feeling that the magician at the stall had been watching them—his eyes lingering just a bit too long.
Eventually, Theresa calmed down. By then, the long queue at the Green Sandwich stall had shrunk considerably. But just as things began to quiet down, the bluebird flying above suddenly shrieked out an announcement:
“Only three bottles of Courage Potion left! Morning Dew Glass Flowers—just two! Lucky Candy is down to ten! From now on, one per person only!”
The crowd erupted. Apparently, these were the top items everyone had been hoping to buy. Particularly the Lucky Candy, which was cheap and perfect for enjoying the festival. People began rushing forward, abandoning the line in panic.
In the chaos, a child got separated from their guardian, and Terius—ever the gentleman—stepped in to help.
By the time he returned with the child’s guardian, the stall had already closed. A sign that read “SOLD OUT” greeted them.
“Am I dreaming?” Theresa pinched her cheek. No, it was real. Everything had sold out in a flash, and both the magician and Temia had vanished.
“They were just here!”
She grabbed a passerby in desperation.
“Excuse me, just a moment—wasn’t there a workshop here? Green something? A magician with a bad temper and the cutest assistant ever?”
There was a bit of obvious favoritism in that question, but the man nodded, unfazed.
“Oh, that one? They packed up after selling out. It’s a popular place—you gotta be early or you miss everything. Looks like you’ll have to make a reservation and wait, missy.”
He added that he’d barely managed to snag the last item himself, then disappeared with a chuckle.
In the end, the siblings had traveled all the way here just to catch glimpses of Temia working, running around, and occasionally bickering with her employer.
Terius was starting to convince himself that seeing her face was enough, when he suddenly felt his sister’s sharp gaze.
“So, what now? How do you plan on finding her again in this crowd?!”
“Well, I did find that kid’s guardian. How hard can it be to find Temia?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Like the man said, we’ll need to book an appointment just to see her again. That’s going to take time! What do we tell everyone back home? We don’t even know if she’s actually okay!”
“Let’s figure that out somewhere quieter. If we stick around here, we’ll get caught.”
“…You’re right.”
The siblings slipped into a nearby alley, still bickering.
But they didn’t notice the person approaching quietly behind them—until a familiar voice broke the silence.
“So, this is what happens when I send someone to check on her? You just end up arguing all day?”
They both froze.
“Tenebris? Aren’t you supposed to be in a royal meeting? Why are you here?”
“I postponed it—because I knew something like this would happen. You two haven’t learned a thing. I asked you to make sure Temia’s doing well, and instead, you’ve just spent the entire day tailing her without finding out anything useful.”
“Well… you’re not wrong. But why did we even draw straws if all three of us were going to come?”
The hooded figure pulled back her cowl—Tenebris, the eldest sister. Ever the worrier when it came to her siblings, she simply couldn’t stay away.
But now, even after seeing Temia, they still had no idea where she lived or how she was truly doing. That fact made Tenebris sigh in frustration.
“So? You said you saw her at least. How did she look—from a distance?”
