Outside, the sun was beginning to dip.
After leaving the workshop, Uff resumed her duties. She sorted through various documents and moved on to managing supplies. She walked around the facility, restocking what was missing and cleaning up any dust that had accumulated. It was nothing more than menial labor, but she had no complaints about her current job. She received a sufficient salary and got to hear precious stories from the mages.
Today, she had spoken with four First-Class Mages.
They each held different views on the title of First-Class Mage. Genau sought a cold-hearted strength that wouldn’t hesitate to cast others aside. Sense sought the kind of trust where one could leave their back to another. Falsch didn’t have any particular obsession with it, and Lernen seemed to still be searching for the answer.
It wasn’t that any of them were “right,” but rather that each person had their own convictions. Just learning that made her efforts to talk to them worthwhile. Her curiosity was satisfied, and she felt refreshed. Thanks to that, her work had progressed smoothly.
All that remained was to deliver the letter to Serie.
“Do you have a moment?”
Just as sunset was approaching, Uff was called out to while walking down the hallway. Turning around, she saw Sense standing there.
She was supposed to have gone to punish some bandits a few hours ago… but for some reason, Sense was cradling a bouquet of flowers in her arms.
“Sense-sama? What happened with your work? And that bouquet…”
“The work is finished,”
Sense said, showing no signs of fatigue whatsoever. As expected of a First-Class Mage.
“More importantly, did you deliver the letter to Serie-sama?”
“About that… according to Lernen, she won’t be back until sunset. She should be returning soon, so I will make sure to hand it to her then.”
“I see. I’m sorry for the trouble. On top of that, I have one request.”
Sense looked down listlessly at the bouquet.
“This bouquet was given to me by the client, separate from the reward. However, I know nothing of how to arrange or appreciate flowers. It would be a help if you could handle them for me.”
First-Class Mages are often treated like heroes. It wasn’t unusual for people to return to the branch with gifts like this.
However.
“Handle them, you say…?”
“I wonder if they could be tucked away in the greenhouse.”
Uff tucked the letter into her shirt and accepted the bouquet.
It wasn’t impossible to plant them in the soil, but since they were cut flowers, it would be better to display them. If only there was a suitable vase somewhere—
“Ah.”
She remembered there was an expensive-looking vase in Serie’s office. She was fairly certain it was empty.
“Understood. I will display them.”
“That helps.”
Sense offered her thanks and left the area.
Once she arranged the flowers and delivered the letter, she would call it a day. With that decided, Uff walked down the corridor clutching the bouquet.
She arrived at the office and went inside. Serie hadn’t returned yet. Uff took the vase, went to get some water, and came back to the office. Then, she began to insert the flowers.
It looked quite nice. A splash of color had been added to the tidy desk. She was technically decorating without permission, but surely she wouldn’t get angry over this. Just a little more to adjust the overall balance, and then she’d be—
Click. The sound of the door opening rang out.
Uff turned around.
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Long ears characteristic of an elf, with silk-like golden hair. The Great Mage from the age of myth, a living grimoire, the pinnacle of all mages… A legendary mage called by many titles, and the founder of the Continental Magic Association.
Serie was there.
“What are you doing?”
Serie asked, making no effort to hide her displeasure.
Uff, who lacked the aptitude for magic, could not feel her immense mana. However, she was overwhelmed by the extraordinary aura she radiated and reflexively took a step back.
In that moment, her elbow clipped the vase she had just finished arranging. The vase fell to the floor and shattered with a loud crash. Water, flowers, and ceramic shards defiled the spotless floor.
Uff felt the blood drain from her face.
Her social standing was already precarious enough. If she incurred Serie’s wrath, she might be fired.
“I-I’m so sorry! I’ll clean it up right away!”
Come to think of it, this was the second time today she had dropped something. Why did she have to be so clumsy at such a critical moment? Falling into self-loathing, Uff scrambled to pick up the shards.
“Hey, don’t touch that.”
Serie flicked her finger. Then, as if rewinding time, the scattered shards gathered together to form the shape of the vase, and it returned to the top of the desk with the flowers still inside.
“Honestly… this is why humans who can’t use magic are so…”
Serie spat out a curse, then moved to her desk and sat cross-legged on her chair with a thud. Resting her chin on her hand, she began to look through a lazily piled stack of documents. Occasionally, she would write something with a quill, tear up a piece of paper entirely, or let out a sigh.
It seemed she had begun her work.
Uff stood there dazed, but then remembered her job and pulled the sealed letter for Serie from her shirt.
“U-Um. This is for you…”
“Yeah.”
Without even making eye contact, Serie took the letter, scanned the front of it briefly, and then placed it on top of her documents as if discarding it. Perhaps it wasn’t that important of a letter. She felt foolish for having carried it around so carefully.
“Well… excuse me, then…”
She said in a voice like a mosquito’s buzz and turned on her heel.
She felt ashamed of herself for having been in such high spirits while arranging the flowers. Having worked as a receptionist for a while, she was used to being treated poorly by others. But being loathed by a great mage like Serie was quite painful.
Well, it was only natural. Even though it was back to normal, she had broken the vase. And besides—she wasn’t even a mage, just a lowly receptionist.
As Uff opened the door to leave the office, feeling deeply regretful,
“Be careful next time, Uff.”
a voice called out to her.
She spun around instinctively. Serie was still continuing her paperwork.
Since it would be strange to stay there, Uff left the office and closed the door.
—She knew my name?
At this Northern Branch alone, there are many registered mages and ordinary staff members. And yet, Serie knew the name of a mere receptionist like Uff.
She had exchanged formal words with her a few times in the past when announcing visitors. But she had never once introduced herself, thinking her name wouldn’t matter to someone like her.
Did she have some kind of magic to know names?
Or did she keep track of the names of everyone working at the Northern Branch?
She didn’t know the truth, nor did she have the courage to find out.
However, Uff’s heart was racing with excitement.
The reason didn’t matter.
The fact that the Great Mage had called her by name—made her happier than she could have ever imagined.
Uff walked quickly down the corridor, savoring the feeling of pure bliss.
＊
And the following day.
Today as well, Uff stood at the reception desk from the morning. Soon, the gates of the Northern Branch would open, and the examinees would come flooding in. And shortly after, the First-Class Mage Selection Exam would begin.
Genau, the proctor for the first stage, stood next to the reception desk with a solemn expression. From his profile, Uff could sense neither expectation nor tension. On the other hand, while Uff didn’t let it show on her face, she was hoping that some candidates would pass.
And, if it were possible—
She wanted to try talking to the newly born First-Class Mages.
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