X: Valet

(15) I decided to stay and help (if earlier - 4/5 and 10/11)

And after that, the first thing I thought about was visiting Magic's chamber. I don't know, it seemed to me that only she would be able to tell me what to do next.

Magic was holding a knife in her hand, and right in front of her was a small wooden board. There were pieces on it... back then I had no idea what it was. Something translucent, orange-yellow, hard, but amenable to cutting.

"What are you doing?"

I frowned.

She lazily looked up at me, and then weakly shook her head – it was already a practiced movement, and it meant that I had to sit across from her.

It wasn't until I was at the table that I noticed a few flasks there – Magic was throwing diced cubes of this something in there.

"It's a congealed essence."

She explained, continuing to do her business.

My head was empty.

"...what?"

I wasn't sure if I was asking again or clarifying.

"In my case, berries."

Magic did everything very entertaining. And even the way she pressed on the knife blade was no exception.

"Why would you do that?"

"For potions, Valet. For what else."

No matter how much time passed, I was still a foolish kid.

"Do they have to be the same size?"

I pointed my finger at the almost perfectly smooth cubes that filled one of the bottles.

Magic followed my gaze.

"Does it look like I'm trying to make them the same size?"

Looking closer, I realized that they really weren't that much alike.

"It's just beautiful."

I shook my head.

Obviously, I had to wait for her to finish. And it was so boring that I just couldn't keep quiet.

"Why have you never asked me to do this? It looks simple enough."

Magic shrugged her shoulders.

"I really like the smell."

She immediately brought one of the pieces to my face – sea buckthorn.

"You look worried."

"Seth told me I could leave."

Magic took a deep breath. Her gaze was now back down at the table.

She didn't seem to show it with a single emotion, but I realized that something was wrong.

"He didn't just say that to me."

I didn't even ask.

Magic smiled.

"I usually talk to Letha."

"And any of them...?"

I suddenly got nervous – I was ready to jump up to see them one last time.

"Oh, calm down..."

She waved her hand.

"Hunter never gives up what he started. And Letha never leaves him."

"And I won't do that!"

Magic's gaze was now full of condescension.

"You three are amazing. Either foolish, or so greedy for money."