Chapter 49
A strange boy suddenly appeared and, in a manner so natural it left no room to question its oddity, asked for her name.
Still dazed, Maia answered without thinking.
“…Maia.”
Maia.
The syllables evoked the memory of a name that felt somehow dear and familiar.
Hyperion decided then and there to stay by Maia’s side.
At the time, he had no inkling that he would one day come to harbor romantic feelings for that small, fragile, young girl. It began only as a lighthearted intention—born of pity and the fact that she caught his attention—to linger nearby and keep her company.
Maia thought it strange that Hyperion had appeared out of nowhere.
Naturally so.
At most, he looked only a year or two older than she was. His baby fat hadn’t yet melted away, giving him a soft and innocent face—yet the indifferent expression he wore belonged to an entirely different sort of person.
“Lih.”
After pondering how to begin, Hyperion decided to simply throw out a name.
“…Lih?”
Maia repeated the name under her breath, and for a fleeting moment, it felt as though a pair of ears had perked up atop her head.
“Call me that. You don’t need anything else.”
Hyperion added that explanation.
There was a certain haughtiness and self-assurance about him, an unshakable pride that flowed around the boy like a quiet, noble current.
Because of it, Maia couldn’t bring herself to question the strange name.
“Did you… just move to the village?”
She hesitated, asking something else instead.
She had never seen him before. Could he be from one of the houses that had recently moved in?
If so, it would make sense that he had approached her.
“No.”
“…?”
The answer came like a knife’s edge.
No?
Maia’s face filled with bewilderment.
“Then why are you here…?”
“Didn’t I tell you?”
Hyperion cut her off.
“There’s nothing you need to know besides the name Lih.”
At a loss for words, Maia stared up at him in mute surprise. Despite his cold tone, his expression remained calm.
“That should be enough for you to know about me. Now it’s my turn to ask.”
“…?!”
When Lih suddenly leaned his head forward, Maia flinched and pulled her upper body back.
Hyperion narrowed his eyes and fixed them on her.
“Why were you crying here?”
“…Huh?”
She repeated the question slowly, not fully grasping it.
Hyperion kindly rephrased.
“You… you saw?”
Color rushed into Maia’s cheeks.
Hyperion gave a couple of curt nods.
“Uuugh…”
Maia covered her face with both hands, her tiny palms managing to hide her entire small face.
He had seen everything!
Her heart was in turmoil, swept up in a storm of confusion and shame.
She had thought no one ever came to this place…
“I thought it was strange—you were always here whenever I passed by for three days. That’s why I spoke to you.”
“You… you’ve been watching since three days ago?”
“Yeah.”
Maia’s pale face turned an uncontrollable shade of red.
It didn’t look like she was going to answer quickly. Hyperion decided as much.
“Young lady! Miss Maia!”
When neither of them spoke and silence stretched between them, a young woman’s voice echoed from beyond the forest.
“They must be looking for me… Um… Lih.”
Sensing the presence of someone lingering nearby, Hyperion released his chin from the hand that had been propping it up and turned toward the voice.
Maia twisted her fingers together, eyes lowered.
Then, with great difficulty—truly great difficulty—she spoke.
“I… I don’t know where you live, but… about yesterday and the day before, when you saw me…”
“I won’t tell.”
“…Huh?”
“I’m not going to go blabbing about it.”
So that’s what she was worried about.
Hyperion replied indifferently, straightening his legs and standing upright. The girl looked up at him, her mouth forming a small ‘O.’
“I’ll come back here tomorrow. That’s when you’ll tell me.”
“…Tell you what?”
“Why you were crying.”
Her lilac-colored eyes widened in blank astonishment.
“Miss Maia~!”
“If you don’t want your secret spot found out, you’d better get going.”
At his words, Maia hastily turned her head.
Leaving her behind, Hyperion started back toward the Mage Tower.
“…Huh?!”
When Maia turned again, the Saintpaulia flower field was empty.
Her startled exclamation echoed into the still, vacant clearing.
Was that… magic?
“Lua’r. That name alone belongs to one person, and it symbolizes supreme power. An immortal who has lived endlessly through the ages, who could be said to share life itself with the universe. The one and only master of the Mage Tower, and the eternal master of mana—Lua’r.”
Could he be… a magician?
“…Miss Maia. Please pay attention to the lesson.”
“S-sorry…”
The private tutor who taught her history furrowed her brow faintly in reproach.
Maia mumbled an apology, shrinking into herself, and fixed her gaze on the thickly opened book before her.
Ever since yesterday afternoon—when that boy, Lih, had appeared before her only to vanish moments later—he had been haunting her thoughts, to the point she could hardly sleep.
…He really was beautiful.
So perfect and breathtaking that he didn’t seem quite human—enough to make her wonder if he might be a spirit of the forest.
That idea, honestly, had some plausibility. After all, hadn’t he vanished without a trace the instant she turned her head?
…But then again, could he have been a ghost instead of a spirit?
The thought made her shiver, goosebumps prickling her skin.
W-what should I do? Should I go back into the forest today like he said?
Knock knock—
“Come in.”
At the tutor’s permission, the door opened to reveal a familiar boy.
“Jiovan? What are you doing here?”
“…”
It was Jiovan—a boy who often kept company with those who ostracized Maia. He was also the tutor’s son.
“I thought you’d be finished. Mother said we should have dinner out tonight, so I came to fetch Father…”
“Ah, Miss Maia. It’s later than I thought. Let’s end today’s lesson here.”
“Yes…”
Though there were still about twenty minutes left, her tutor had a habit of ending the lesson whenever it suited him—despite being paid in full.
But Maia barely registered the unfairness. The sight of Jiovan filled her with such suffocating dread that all she wished for was for them to leave the house as soon as possible.
“Ah, I just remembered—there’s something I need to discuss with the head maid. Jiovan, wait here for a moment.”
“Yes, Father.”
The tutor bustled out, leaving his son behind.
Maia quickly began gathering up her thick books, intending to follow.
“Hey.”
“…!”
Jiovan stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
Maia clutched her books, trembling, and stared at him.
“About the other day… I’m sorry.”
“…What?”
What on earth is he talking about?
Looking awkward, Jiovan suddenly took her hand and pressed something small into it.
“…?”
“It’s… a gift.”
In her palm lay two or three small candies.
Maia stared at him blankly as he scratched the back of his head, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Then she tilted her hand—letting the candies fall to the floor.
Plink, plink.
“…Huh? Why would you…? Ah, wait—!”
Ignoring the shoulder that brushed roughly against hers, she bolted from the room.
In her mind, a voice she could never forget played over and over again.
‘Jiovan, why are you being nice to her?’
‘Who?’
‘The daughter of the head of the trading company your father works for. You know, the one they say might be His Majesty the Emperor’s illegitimate child!’
It had been one evening, the twilight staining the earth in gold. After her lessons, when she stepped out into the garden, she’d seen unwelcome faces.
Jiovan and his friends—boys just past the age of ten—were there, the same sort who, like Lenia and the girls, kept their distance from Maia.
And yet, apparently Jiovan was “nice” to her?
From behind a column, Maia had secretly watched them.
Jiovan had always kept an in-between stance—never defending her, never openly attacking—sometimes tossing out a word or two, but nothing more.
At least he had never said anything directly hurtful to her.
Jiovan had worn an awkward look when he answered:
‘…Because she’s pretty.’
Maia’s expression had twisted.
