Gardenia’s Heart

If the places they had visited before were just small to medium-sized homes, Caligo was undoubtedly something entirely different.

No matter where Lily looked, the smallest building she could find was at least two stories high. All the structures were built from light-toned stone, making them pleasant to look at. The streets, however, were narrow, as if the need to construct more housing within the walls had inevitably made pedestrian spaces more compact.

This fact became even more evident with the mix of various aromas and musical notes dancing through the air, mingling within the crowd of people exploring the streets.

”It doesn’t even feel like we’re in the territory of the mist,” Lily said, almost tempted to use her tentacles to hold Abelia and Cleomel close so they wouldn’t get lost in the crowd.

”S-Since it’s late afternoon, most people are likely leaving their jobs,” Abelia, who was walking just behind her, managed to say with difficulty, her small body pressing between the throngs of people moving in all directions while her hand was firmly clasped in Cleomel’s.

”Careful, my lady.” Cleomel, with a simple hand movement, blocked a large man’s elbow from hitting Abelia’s face, then took out a small handkerchief from her waist to wipe the sweat from her lady’s face. ”Would you like to take a break? We can stop in a shop.”

”I-I’m fine, we’re almost there, after all.”

While still shielding the two girls from the crowd, Lily couldn’t help but laugh quietly at their interaction.

”Sometimes, you seem more like a maid than a knight,” Lily murmured under her breath, hiding her smile as she resumed leading the way, following Cleomel’s directions.

(What’s a maid, Lily?) The noise of the crowd made it hard to hear even her own thoughts, but the sweet voice of her wife was something she would always hear, no matter the noise level.

”Hm... It’s someone whose job is to care for another person and attend to their daily needs.”

As they walked, Nia would always ask about everything she didn’t know, and Lily happily answered whenever she knew the answer. Caligo had so many different and new things that it felt like a whole new world for both girls.

The stalls and displays were filled with so many products for sale that it was impossible to see the inside of the stores. Some items were familiar to Lily, but many were entirely unknown.

After a few more minutes, the girls managed to escape the main streets and finally arrived in a less crowded district.

”Don’t they use lamps here?”

Now able to walk more calmly, Lily studied the architecture of the district they were in. The streets had pillars with lights for nighttime illumination; however, instead of candles or torches, small blue stones emitted a cyan glow over the streets as evening approached.

”Although not as popularly known as stardust, Caligo also leads in mining certain minerals with high mana conductivity,” Cleomel pointed out. ”If processed and transformed into artifacts, they can be used in everyday life, like street lighting.”

The mention of so many new ways to use magic always left Lily intrigued. Although it didn’t entirely capture her interest, she knew her beloved would love to learn more about it. And, just as expected, her voice soon followed.

(The creation of magical artifacts seems to have countless uses! I’d like to research more about it if we have time later.)

Placing a hand over her heart and making a mental note of her beloved’s wish, Lily continued walking until she reached an alley next to a modest three-story building. It had a simple double wooden door and a staircase with a railing. The handcrafted sign indicated the building’s purpose.

“So, this is the inn you stayed at during this time, right?”

“Yes…” Abelia nodded, a distinct tone in her voice hinting that the memory of her daughter’s disappearance still weighed heavily on her mind.

Turning her gaze from the two women to scan the street, Lily softly whispered, “Any sign of a struggle, Nia?”

(Unfortunately, no. Residual mana from spells doesn’t last long. Even with mana-location, I wouldn’t be able to find her without knowing her mana signature, and tracking her by scent is impossible since I haven’t met her.)

Stroking one of Nia’s tentacles, which felt downcast over not being able to help much, Lily began scanning the quiet street, looking at each shop and house in turn.

After many long minutes, the last faint traces of sunlight through the dense fog had vanished, and the street was completely bathed in cyan light from the lampposts.

“Did you two question the inn’s staff?” Lily asked, turning to the pair, who were still watching her expectantly.

“Yes, Cleomel questioned everyone directly, but none of them knew anything.”

Abelia had mentioned they’d left two months ago if Lily considered that they had spent at least a month on the road, this meant they had stayed in Caligo for a month or more. If they had been here the whole time, there would have been numerous opportunities to kidnap any of them with high chances of success, be it during a bath or while they slept. Lily judged that the inn itself might not be the main suspect.

“Did you visit any place frequently?” Lily asked.

Abelia thought for a moment before responding, her mind trying to recall all the details of their stay in Caligo.

“We hardly ever went out. Since the inn offers meals and baths, we only left to visit our acquaintance, heading straight there without any detours.”

Nodding, Lily crossed her arms, resting her hand on her chin. “And what about the shops on this block? Did you enter any of them?”

“Not before Lady Alice disappeared,” Cleomel noted. “On the day she vanished, I entered all of them to question the staff, but none of the employees knew anything. And when it comes to strength, I doubt any of them could overpower Lady Alice in a confrontation.”

Uncrossing her arms after hearing this, Lily asked another question.

“All right. Just one more thing: does the Mage Academy accept students year-round?”

Abelia and Cleomel exchanged glances at this question before turning to answer.

“As far as I know, the registration period for the entrance exams is only at the start of summer, so it must have closed a few weeks ago.”

Nodding quietly in agreement, Lily concluded she had the information she needed.

“Go inside the inn and reserve a room. I’ll join you soon.”

Neither woman understood what Lily intended to do, but agreeing, they followed her instructions and left the alley.

After making sure they had both gone inside, Lily placed her hand over her heart and spoke softly.

“Nia, could you change my clothes to look like the ones I used to wear in the village?”

The metamorph found the request a bit strange, but as her beloved asked, with the blink of an eye, Lily’s black dress disappeared, along with her cloak lined with icy fox fur. In its place appeared a brown shirt and simple lined pants, both with a slightly worn touch.

(Does this look right?)

“Perfect~ Oh, and don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine, even if this seems strange, alright?”

Receiving another mental nod from Nia, Lily left the alley. Though she always felt uncomfortable talking to strangers, she knew this was her best chance.

Night had fallen, yet the shops remained open. Ensuring no one would pass by on the street at that moment, Lily approached a specific establishment with timid steps—a shop whose sign indicated it sold clothing. However, instead of entering, Lily positioned herself in front of the shop window, where all she could see in the glass was her own reflection, her face now wearing a sad expression.

Using her fist, Lily rubbed her eyes repeatedly until they were red and teary. Though it stung a little, she used the discomfort to sniffle a few times, then crouched down with her head resting on her knees.

Nia, observing Lily’s state, felt uneasy and nervous. If Lily hadn’t told her earlier that she would be fine, she would already be in a state of panic.

A few seconds passed, and finally, the sound of a door opening echoed, followed by a middle-aged man’s voice.

“Young lady, are you alright?”

Turning to the source of the voice, Lily’s eyes met those of an elderly man, likely around fifty. His face had no distinct features apart from a goatee and mustache, streaked with white. His slightly rounded belly was held in by a white dress shirt and a sleeveless vest with a bow tie.

“I-I’m fine... it’s nothing,” Lily muttered, glancing away as she wiped the small tears that had gathered on her face.

“A lovely young lady like you shouldn’t be alone at night, especially not in this state.” He extended a hand toward Lily, who sniffled a few times before accepting his help to stand. The man continued, with a small smile on his face. “I’m an old hand at advising young folks. Could you come in and tell me what happened?”

Following him into the clothing store, Lily’s gaze slid over the various dresses and casual wear arranged on the shelves. Reaching the wooden counter, the man pulled out a chair for Lily, and then sat down across from her.

“What’s your name, miss?” he asked after placing a glass of water in front of her.

“Gloria...”

With trembling fingers, Lily lifted the glass to her lips and took a small sip. After a few long seconds, her anxious breathing slowed, and noticing this, the man finally spoke again.

“Gloria, now tell me, what happened? What made someone as young as you cry like this?” His gaze was gentle, and his voice sounded soft as if he wanted to assure her that he was someone Lily could trust.

“I’m an aspiring mage,” Lily said slowly, ensuring her weak voice sounded as if a thousand needles were piercing her chest. “I came from a nameless village to Caligo, hoping to enroll in the entrance test for the Mage Academy… but I didn’t arrive in time and missed the registration period!”

Lily gripped the edges of her shirt, biting her lips lightly as though struggling to hold back another wave of tears, weighed down by guilt.

“Oh… poor thing. But it’s alright, you can try again next year, can’t you?” the elderly man offered, his rough voice kind.

“I-I can’t!” she replied, voice catching as though her emotions were too overwhelming to bear. “Everyone in the village was so kind; they helped pay for my spot on a merchant carriage. I can’t go back and tell them I failed! All their hopes and dreams are riding on me!”

“Gloria, don’t worry, young lady. If you’re not comfortable returning now, you can stay in Caligo until the next exam comes around.”

“B-But… I don’t know anyone in the city to ask for help, and my money is almost gone… I don’t know what to do anymore!”

The man noticed how her blue eyes trembled with despair and hopelessness. After a few seconds of thought, he leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper.

“Listen to me, Gloria. I don’t usually flaunt this, but I have quite a few Mage Academy professors as clients. If you’d like, I can talk to some of them… and maybe they can make an exception and let you take the test.”