Necromancer's Descent

47 - Magic

Nao / Rosalin's Point of View

Asten's company was more comfortable than I expected, and instead of heading back to Theodore, I ended up talking with Asten while the stew was cooking. After the part of the cultists was done, the topic changed to cooking, while recipes he liked to make, what spices were easy to find during travel, when certain vegetables were cheapest, how to pickle them, and how they use artifacts as stoves in the castle, instead of bonfires.

Not only that, apparently he sews too.

His house wife points are extremely high. Asten being in their team might be more about being able to eat good food than his own battle prowess. At least you could think so. I didn't actually see him fight at the farm.

Still, even after talking until the food was done, he hadn't mentioned Mia even once. On the other hand, Claudius was mentioned often. Not in a romantic way, but it was very plain to see that Asten is probably very very loyal to Claudius. Which makes sense, given the circumstances they met in.

That said, he still prepared a special plate for both Mia and Claudius, that had more meat in it, and apparently slightly adjusted to their individual tastes.

To be honest, I was doubting whether Asten was even part of Mia's harem... at least until Asten served them their plates.

He served Claudius first, presenting it like at an expensive restaurant... and as he did, that black smoke started seeping from Mia... even if she smiled at them. Asten then gave Mia her plate, but instead of presenting it, like he did for Claudius, all he said was basically 'I hope you enjoy it' and then returned to Claudius, where he'd then eat his own portion. The black smoke still seeping from Mia, as she began to eat.

I've seen that black smoke quite a few times now, and I'm pretty sure, based on the skill I got just before I saw it the first time, that it basically identifies that someone has a grudge. Furthermore, I think the smoke comes out when they're thinking about the grudge specifically. Making this scene of Mia smiling, saying it tastes great and looking so happy, while black smoke seeps out of her, feel creepy.

"Rosalin?"

I almost jolt, as Wallis calls me, and sits down next to me. 

The bags under his eyes seem even darker, than when I met him in the church. Wallis looks somewhat excited though.

"Yes, Lord Wallis?" I respond, and can't help glancing to Mia and the rest, wondering why he's sitting down to eat here, instead of with Mia.

"I heard that you lost your memory, and that you've been sort of re-learning magic, so I wanted to hear how it's been going, and what you think of magic, seeing it with fresh eyes."

These things really spread quickly, don't they? You'd think I'm the favorite topic recently.

Still, I don't mind this kind of talk, I think.

"I feel like I'm slowly beginning to understand magic better. At least better than I did at first. And while there's a lot of things I don't understand yet about magic, and the different kinds of magic, I think that it's... deceivingly simple... I suppose?"

Wallis tilts his head at me, like I've said something silly.

"How so?"

"Even if there's a lot of patterns for skills and spells, they're there. There's kind of an established 'ideal' way, and once you learn how, then you do it the 'ideal' way without thinking and without making mistakes. And the patterns themselves aren't just whatever you think you want, it's what you actually want, but with some limits... I think."