I Became Close to the Villain - Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – We Are Friends, Right? (5)

TL: Zimmings

Idris looked at Lesha.

“Hmm……yes. Certainly you have magic. Anyone with an unusual constitution could see magic.”

Lesha stared at me.

Then she gazed at Idris and Liliel.

As we stayed still in bewilderment, Lesha slipped something into my pocket.

It was a small note. She didn’t have time to write anything, so I didn’t know how she did it.

I slipped my hand to my pocket and read it secretly.

[What I said was a lie. Only mages can see mana. If so, that kid is a mage.]

Lesha was conscious of Liliel, an ordinary person, and refrained herself from talking too much.

I was thankful to her. Liliel is an ordinary person, it would be bad if she knew too much.

It was better to hide that Idris is a mage. At least it would stop the two from fighting again.

“By the way, things get serious when you hold the mana. Mana will build up faster and more quickly. Then it will strain your body, and you will die if you exceed the limit.”

Lesha told me,

“What? Oh my God!”

“Vianne.”

Liliel and Idris clasped my hand in amazement.

No way, is my life going to be short again?

“Is there any solution?”

Idris asked Lesha as she looked straight at him.

“She has to pull out her mana.”

I was the only one dumbfounded by the remark.

“She needed someone who can pull out the mana. That means she needed to find a mage.”

This… Do I need Idris’ help? Then he needed to be awakened as a mage so that I wouldn’t die.

“……Lesha, just in case, please don’t say anything to my parents. They would be worried.”

I exchanged glances with Lesha.

“No need to worry. Instead, I’ll search for another solution. Come back again later.”

If she had to schedule the next meeting, she must have meant to come back without Liliel.

Lesha stared at me with a face full of expectations, it was as if she said, ‘You understand me, right?’ and directed those words to me.

I smiled inwardly.

“Yes, I understand. Thank you for the useful information.”

“No, this old person hasn’t done much.”

Lesha waved her hand and told us goodbye.

We also bowed politely and left the store.

***

“There are three children. I think one of them had mana on their body. It was clearly there.”

When the children left, someone with a low-pitched voice said so.

A strange light was visible in the air at the dark alley. Geometric patterns laid on the top of the unknown characters. It was a magic circle.

The mage in a black cloak heard a voice coming from beyond the magic circle.

“Those who have magic in their bodies…it really exists?”

It was a cold voice, as if he had no emotion.

“I came across them once too. I think it’s the first time in this generation.”

“Hazel Wingel.”

“Yes, master.”

“Bring that kid.”

The voice beyond the magic circle simply commanded. As if he was asking them to bring desserts after the meal.

The mage with the black cloak was surprised.

“But master, it’s beyond my power. The knights have already noticed that we are aiming at this town. I don’t think it’s going to be easy.”

“Is it them again?”

There was an irritation in his voice.

The mage in black cloak gulped and sweat formed on his palm.

“Three people had already died.”

“Their leader is really strong this time. We’ll have to deal with it somehow……”

He went back to the main point.

“The one who has mana…I’ll visit her myself.”

“……alright.”

“In order to succeed, you should first do something about that knight’s leader. You and all the mage under the command withdraw first.”

“Yes, master.”

The mage with the black cloak disappeared quickly.

***

The sun was setting steadily when we arrived at my garden.

Liliel went straight back to her house, hoping that her servants didn’t notice anything.

“Ahh, it was fun today. I’m going home now. You should go home too. You must be tired.”

I waved my hands, and went inside my home.

But I was held back by Idris.

“Vianne.”

He called me in a voice full of unease.

“Huh? What’s wrong, Idris?”

I looked back at him with a smile. Idris hesitated a bit and asked,

“Your mana. What are you going to do?”

“Lesha promised to get me a solution right?”

“What do you think her solution is?”

‘Well, to awaken you as a mage.’

I couldn’t say it to him blatantly.

“It’ll be alright.”

“Vianne, you need to be careful.”

“We need to trust Lesha and hear what she has to say.”

“It’s not that.”

Idris looked frustrated.

“I’m really worried for you.”

“What?”

“I’m anxious.”

I didn’t know it would come out of his mouth. I was surprised.

“Oh…..I see.”

What should I say?

I will keep him worried if I don’t tell him the truth.

I can’t do this. I’m going to give him some peace of mind.

“But I’m really fine.”

“You……”

“You’re worried about me, so I’m fine. You’ll help me if there’s a problem anyway right?

“That’s true.”

Idris sighed, not saying anything again.

“You can do something for me. I mean, you can do a lot of things, Lesha called me separately and told me about it. I thought maybe you could help me solve my problem. How is that possible… I don’t know yet.”

“……Really?”

“Don’t worry, Idris.”

Idris seemed very surprised that he could take on such a role.

I suggested to him,

“Two days later at 2 pm. Let’s just go to Lesha without Liliel. Let’s go and listen to the solution Lesha tells us.”

“……alright. But why are we not bringing Liliel?”

“Lesha told me to do that. There must be a reason.”

“Then, alright.”

Idris was convinced.

I sighed in relief.

Ah, it’s hard to make up a lie amongst other lies.

***

Two days later at 2 pm.

Me and Idris went to Lesha’s store. Lesha was already waiting for us when we arrived and gave us drinks.

“Lesha! We’re here.”

I greeted her like a granddaughter who visited her grandmother’s house. Lesha smiled and led us to a place to sit.

“Yes, did you do what I told you to do?”

“Yep!”

“Good job.”

Lesha gazed at me while I was gulping down the drinks she gave us.

Idris, on the other hand, only looked at Lesha without even touching the drink.

‘Oh my, how cautious, he must be nervous.’

I was also nervous, but he seemed to be more nervous than I am.

“How did you come to that conclusion?”

Idris could not wait and asked.

“You were born a mage, hence I could feel your mana.”

“…What do you mean? Are you joking?”

“Do you think I’m joking?”

Idris’ eyes shook.

“Because I’m a mage, are you saying that I can help Vianne?”

“You understand it very well.”

“But I’m not a mage.”

“You haven’t realized it yet, you’re a mage. Didn’t I say that already?”

“I thought you said we could see it all if we had an unusual constitution.”

“That was a lie, so that Liliel won’t notice anything. In reality, only mages can see those.”

Idris’ expression, which was filled with distrust, gradually changed.

“…Well then are you a mage too?”

And he asked her something I forgot to ask.

‘Oh my. The last time we met, Lesha confirmed that I had a mana. Then it means she’s a mage too!’

Lesha laughed.

“You’re smart, yes, I’m a mage too.”

“My parents didn’t say that.”

I said that and she replied,

“They didn’t know. Because I didn’t tell them.”

“Why… have you been hiding… Wait, so the note you gave me last time was also made with magic?”

“How could a note be made so quickly and secretly without magic?”

Yeah, I thought it was weird, so Lesha had this secret.

“Lesha is a mage, so you’re helping young mages, aren’t you?”

“Okay. I’ll tell you more later, so do as I tell you first.”

Lesha clapped her hands to change the subject. And she also promised to prove that Idris is a mage. It was to help Idris being fully awakened as a mage.

She said that until now, it was possible to be awakened after a simple process.

Idris followed the way Lesha taught him.

By the time I finished drinking, Idris was staring into the air with twinkling eyes.

“Is this all mana?”

I can’t see a thing in my eyes, but Idris said there was mana floating in the air.

“Yes. It’s true. What are you going to do now? Now that you know you’re a mage, will you help Vianne? I’m also a mage, but I’m too old to help Vianne. You’re the only one left.”

Lesha asked Idris, as he answered without hesitation.

“Yes.”

“It’s not something to say so simply. The mages have to hide for the rest of their life as soon as they are awakened. We don’t know when and where we’ll be caught and persecuted.”

“I’ve been living here all my life, so I know that.”

“You mean it doesn’t matter?”

“That’s how I lived every day anyway.”

It was so sad to see him speak so calmly about it.

“I’ll help you, Vianne.”

He told me that and I felt really grateful to him.

I didn’t expect him to say yes so easily.

“……Thank you.”

In the end, I had to awaken the mage who was destined to kill me earlier.

Still, I didn’t feel a sense of crisis.

‘Well, we’ve gotten a little closer since then, Idris. I don’t think he’s gonna kill me.’