Myths Reawakened

Lando Estate.

Wayne pulled over and entered the main house. In the study, he saw Auston in bandages. He didn’t even know where to begin to make a comment.

“The Minister has learned of today’s incident and ordered all higher-ups of the ministry to be grounded.” Auston fiddled with his antique silver coin. Since Megan had set up a soundproofing barrier, he didn’t have to worry about eavesdropping. He said openly, “The legendary mages are staying at the headquarters. Until the traitor is identified, they all need the Minister’s signature for entrance and exit.”

“The Minister must be disappointed.”

“More than that...” Auston shook his head and smiled. “Since I’m not a legendary mage, and you saved Moonlight’s High Reverend, I’m not grounded like they are. The task to root out the traitor also falls on me.”

Power and profit were falling into his lap. He reached a new career peak and even found Wayne to be less of an eyesore now.

His nose twitched. Then his expression turned disapproving. “You smell too strongly of perfume. I know what the High Reverend is planning, and I know what you are planning. However, some advantages will be unwise to take. Stay away from her and don’t lose yourself.”

Yes, I almost lost myself tonight.

Wayne nodded. “Don’t worry. I know. And I’ve always been good at staying away from women.”

“...”

“Auston?”

“About your compensation. After the traitor is rooted out, the Minister will award you a medal for your contribution to Windsor.”

“There’s nothing material?”

Wayne didn’t care for medals. Such decorations didn’t hold any intrinsic value. He wanted the four elements; the more the merrier. An antique silver coin would be best! If not, he would also take more Queen’s portraits.

“It’s an honor and a recognition from the Minister, and accumulated honor will become status, which will allow you to give yourself a salary.”

Auston was serious about training Wayne into the next best scum, for which he would even tarnish his own reputation. “For example, after I became the leader of the investigation team, I hold a higher status than all the legendary mages. It allows me to openly request benefits from them, as well as to decide what gets put in the report about you...”

“The Church of Moonlight bullied you, and the High Reverend humiliated you, yet you remain quiet for the nation. Your loyalty to Her Majesty and Windsor deserves respect and greater rewards.”

He extended three fingers, reminding Wayne of the thirty percent that would go to himself. He would never do anything for free.

Auston had greatly embellished the report since the more Wayne earned, the more he would profit. It was a lesson for Wayne. The thirty percent wasn’t so much the tuition as the price Wayne had to pay to get his reward; in the business world, it would be known as a necessary investment.

Having comprehended the teachings, Wayne posed the question he had come here to ask: “Which legendary mage is after me? Such a reckless move would only expose the discord within the Ministry of Magic and harm their own interests. What were they thinking?”

Wayne didn’t understand. He found the Ministry of Magic to be a den of idiots.

“Once reaching their level, legendary mages are no longer connected to national interests. It’s every person for themselves...” Auston slowly said. That was the downside of being free mages. They didn’t see a clear career path like the mages in churches. The latter knew what to do to earn promotion, and while they had internal conflicts, too, their conflicts would never spill outside their church.

“So you’re saying that the Ministry of Magic has had traitors before?”

“A few. The news was always covered up.”

Auston’s tone suggested a deeper story. It wasn’t so much that the news was covered up, but that the rivals were competing and turning on the ministry before their buddies could in order to maximize their profits.

The ambush against the Church of Moonlight was no exception. The script had been written a long time ago, only there had never been a good Londaner exposing the misdeed to the world. When betrayal was considered natural, the whistleblower revealing the betrayal would be the public enemy.

Wayne sighed. “It’s so difficult to be a good man. My life is a struggle.”

Auston hissed in discomfort and dismissed Wayne with a wave, telling him to take his nonsense elsewhere. He would like to have a good night’s sleep without nightmares.

“I’ll leave you to your rest, then.” Wayne left the study.

Since Wayne didn’t ask for bandages, Auston knew that he wasn’t going to play the pity card to Veronica. Thus, he didn’t remind him again about the smell of perfume still clinging to him.

Indeed, Wayne didn’t plan to ask for a beating in these late hours. That night, when he gave Veronica the dragon blood, she had been so moved that she overcame her shame and shouted sweet nothings to him. She said she would chase him to the end of the world, never letting go even after death... The emotional confessions made Wayne blush. He never knew how assertive she could be.

In comparison, Kristen had been too passive.

***

Wayne’s residence.

Hearing the footsteps in the corridor, Kristen opened the door and popped her head out, urgently waving at Wayne to come in and talk.

Wayne had been complaining about her being passive a moment ago, but now she was inviting him into her room. He thought he had gotten the wrong door.

But looking around, he was in his residence, and the woman waving at him wasn’t Filomina. He sensed trouble when he had already weathered many today. He wondered what this was about.

“Come on in, Wayne,” Kristen whispered.

“You don’t have to lower your voice,” Wayne said candidly. “Vera isn’t here tonight.”

Blushing, Kristen grabbed him and dragged him into her bedroom. Although Vera wasn’t around, the butler and maids were in the house. They would misunderstand if they saw him entering her room.

“What happened? Why are you in such a hurry?” Wayne lowered the briefcase, confused. “And Teacher, didn’t you ask for a day off? Why did you come over tonight?”

“That’s not important. You’re in big trouble,” Kristen said with a serious expression. “Tell me about your schedule today. Don’t leave anything out.”

“You’re being all mysterious...” Perplexed, Wayne told her the truth, “I played tour guide today and took your High Reverend around the museum. After dinner, I headed to the Lando Estate. I had a full day. The last stop is your bedroom.”

He didn’t lie, only omitting some of the plot points.

“You visited Veronica?” Kristen’s voice rose in pitch, almost breaking.

Wayne picked his ear. “What’s wrong with that?”

“No, you mustn’t.” Kristen grabbed his hand, hesitant to speak up. She didn’t dare to bring up the ‘truth’, so she simply said, “Veronica isn’t right for you. Vera’s a good choice. Believe me, you can’t get together with Veronica.”

“???”

Wayne was thoroughly lost. This wasn’t the Kristen he knew.

“Just—you can’t date!” Kristen was being considerate to her two friends. She hoped that Wayne would understand her unspoken words. “And the High Reverend has ulterior motives. Remember to keep your distance from her.”

“That’s true!” Wayne nodded seriously, pulling at his collar and fanning the scent of the perfume to her. “Smell that? It’s all her perfume. She sprayed it at me and even touched my hand during dinner.”

“And you didn’t resist?” Kristen huffed in displeasure. In her head, she judged the High Reverend for the childish tricks she pulled in her seduction attempt, which wasn’t even the least bit adult. That would never win Wayne over! Keep it up!

“I would’ve resisted, but I had to take it for the Ministry of Magic’s mission.”

Wayne sighed. Life wasn’t only poetry and distant dreams, but also the trifles in the moment[1]. He was so incompetent and slow that he could only sell out his body for his livelihood.

“Speaking of which, where did the High Reverend get her information?”

Wayne stalked up to Kristen and forced her to a corner, raising his arms to cage her. “Look at me and tell me. Who is the traitor among us?”

1. A play on the lyrics of Life is More Than Trifles, a song of the Chinese singer, Xu Wei. The original line is “Life isn’t only the trifles in the moment, but also poetry and distant dreams.” It’s meant to encourage people to look beyond the difficult present. ☜