Counselor Padoreigu got past the guards who were taking out the remaining things out of the laboratory which had had not melted to a blob. He handed over the keys to a janitor and marched for the High Table room from the passage layered by ashes. By the time had had made it to the stairs, his end of the cloak was painted grey from the ashes on floor.
He heard noise of people working go faint while walking on the stairs. It was just him and sound of his footsteps.
A while later, he entered inside the great hall where people had gathered around the table.
Werhnh’An’s chair was barren like before. He was glad on not seeing any sorcerer anywhere around. Short Cloaks were squires and Long Robers were squires with tricks to show as per Counselor Padoreigu.
Ser Akimitsu, Commander Eiga and Genzou were seated on the table while Shinji was standing despite of presence of unoccupied chairs.
Counselor Padoreigu also became part of the company.
“Pardon my delay.” Padoreigu said.
“No problem. We were just starting.” Commander Eiga said while Padoreigu grasped a chair back. He dragged the chair and sat opposite to Akimitsu’ direction.
Both of them were face to face on opposite sides of the table.
Shinji could feel the animosity between those two just by looking at Ser Akimitsu’s eyes movement.
“How close were we from the conclusion?” Padoreigu had the first word.
“We were at the end of argument.” Eiga said, squinting at Genzou holding his temple, “Emotions do get in way sometimes.”
“Metal Mage will not help anyone associated with Lord Wernh’An.” Genzou spoke all of a sudden.
Ser Akimitsu rolled his eyeballs at him.
“If we make the right offer then she will do it.” Padoreigu said.
“Can anyone here can risk himself and our mission by giving her his name?” Genzou hasted.
“She will not take a nobody’s name.”
“Her vague demands.” Ser Akimitsu removed hand from his chin.
“They are vague to us, Ser Akimitsu.” Padoreigu talked to him, “To her everything makes a clear sense.”
“Those who have offered her their names are either dead or something unpleasant has happened to them. Their helps always turn out to be curse in future.”
“Metal Mage has such nature because she always is given what she needs the least. Offer her something she can’t reject. Things will turn dire for a while but the end consequence will be a boon.”
“How did you assume this?”
“You thought as a Mage but I did it as a human.” Counselor Padoreigu caught Shinji listening to everything with attention.
“Shinji!” Padoreigu said, “Go and help the soldiers to clean the laboratory. And if you find warmth bile then collect them. I don’t reckon we have them in adequate numbers.”
“Aye.” Shinji nodded and hopped out of the room.
While going away he heard Padoreigu’s voice echo, “My offer can’t be discussed in the presence of a cut-throat….”
Shinji was unable to hear anything more from there. His voice had dissolved in air. Regret of missing out an opportunity to get hold of a crucial information grew inside him. The steps he was taking turned loud in frustration.
Shinji hadn’t got to learn about Valley of Life and now he had missed out everything about Metal Mage as well. He was all alone with his speculations.
Metal Mage wasn’t an unfamiliar name for him. He had been listening tales about her since his childhood. The stories which were fascinating to hear as a child shifted to horrifying as he grew up. Parents had stories of her turning bronze into gold, silver into diamond and merry talks like those. All while hiding about deaths of those who had been to Metal Mage’s doorsteps.
He had got to know about her dark side in dusk of his childhood. There was a reason why she had survived when everyone in Ouskerus wanted to kill Mages. Centuries had passed since but she still was there.
Worsening things was fumes from burnt flasks and evaporated potions penetrated his nose from distance. Shinji had to cover his mouth till he didn’t get used to of the smell. Shinji assumed things were still hot to touch after hearing people yell.
Don’t break potion bottles. He talked to himself when a heavy thing falling made noise.
Shinji saw Fujimoto, naked, fighting soldiers with a sword.
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