Chapter Ninety-Six: Watch Me Recite It to You

Ron and the Earl of Crawley, along with the others, all twitched hard at the corners of their eyes. You are a magician?

Nonsense.

Just look at this room full of holy fire.

Look at the cracks everywhere in the walls and floor.

And you still say you are a magician?

I have never seen such a mighty paladin!

"Mr. Ron, let us see your new spell."

As he spoke, Louis seized the shadow demon, dragged it out from the fissure in the blue-stone floor, and hurled it onto the sealing circle.

Seeing that the shadow demon was still struggling weakly, trying to crawl away, Louis raised an eyebrow, twisted the misshapen staff back into shape, then rammed it down with vicious force. It pierced the shadow demon and drove deep into the blue-stone floor at the center of the sealing array.

"Read it," Louis said, putting an arm around Ron's shoulder and drawing him nearer. "There is magic in this world, Ron. I am telling you, I believe in magic. Come now, let us see it."

A breeze swept through the room, brushing the dust from Louis's priestly robe. He lifted his head and found everyone staring at him in a dazed silence. He frowned and listened to their thoughts.

Helen: Why did my sister stop talking? The crystal ball is still shining. Strange. Did you see that? Louis beat that thing flat. Why are you spacing out?

Stuart: Boss... how am I supposed to write this report...? I need to ask Paul to help me clean up this mess...

Kate: Your Lordship Louis... so it really was a mighty holy knight...

Crawley: I must have been blind... so Mr. Bellif had invited such a formidable warrior!

Bishop John: By the beard of Antony! He must be the son of the war god recorded in the Dawn Scripture! Rumor says that those blessed with great talent, once granted the Heavenly Armament, can gather the light of the sun itself and wield dragonlike strength!

Helen suddenly leaped up.

"We are priests from the Holy Idol Tree Seminary," Helen suddenly leaped up and said, hands on her hips. "My sister is Princess Ossicris! Louis is her sworn knight!"

Did I say it like that, sister? Helen repeated it, right?

The Earl of Crawley and the others stared blankly at Louis: the holy knight of the Idol Tree... that little girl Ossicris's knight?!

"Lo-Louis, Your Lordship," Mr. Green Silk asked cautiously, "c-could I learn some martial skill from you?"

Louis rubbed his face hard. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to explain things to everyone, but at that very moment a hand landed on his shoulder.

He turned and saw it was Ron.

"Your Lordship Louis, you were right. I believe there is magic in this world. I will read it aloud to you now." Ron pressed his lips together, his eyes red. Trembling, he opened the book and stood solemnly before the sealing array.

The other two magicians suddenly remembered their original purpose and instantly grew grave as well. They came to Ron's side and helped him hold up the heavy tome. Ron rubbed his reddened eyes and began reciting the first spell.

One incantation after another failed. It seemed that the spells they had written themselves were utterly useless. Yet the three magicians remained undiscouraged, discussing and revising the incantations as they tried again and again. They had become wholly absorbed.

Mr. Louis, who believed so deeply in everyone and in magic, how could they disappoint the man who wanted to witness magic for himself?

There must be magic in this world.

And yet, with each failed spell, the brightness in the eyes of the three slowly faded from excitement and hope into disappointment and sorrow.

Still, the three did not seem to lose heart. Just as they had when Louis first met them a dozen minutes earlier, they held their books, arguing and discussing magic in loud and fervent voices.

But by this point, everyone else had long since shifted their attention. The Earl of Crawley, who had invited the three here, even began to doubt the rumors concerning them. He felt relieved that Mr. Bellif had brought a true expert today, and regretted somewhat how poorly he had received his guests earlier.

Crawley was not the only one. Many came to the same conclusion. Indeed, the contrast was too stark: the demon had been driven into the ground by the knight, while the magicians could not cast a single spell.

If that knight had not been here today, what would have happened?

These three were nothing but frauds...

By now everyone had gathered around Louis. The Earl of Crawley and Bishop John were both holding his hands, thanking him repeatedly while excitedly speaking of all manner of things.

Bishop John asked whether the demon-slaying hero Louis would be interested in going to the Moon Court, hinting that he would persuade the Pope to confer upon him the title of Knight of the Sanctuary. John himself would also become the great archangel's guide...

The Earl of Crawley asked whether Louis intended to remain in English City and stay at the estate a while longer, hinting that once the king learned of this deed, he would surely grant Louis a noble title.

After a few exchanges, the two even began to dispute over him.

Even Kate, who had once admired the three great magicians so much, now looked at Louis with sparkling eyes, and secretly asked Helen about Mr. Louis.

No one was paying attention to the three magicians anymore.

"...I still believe magic exists in this world!" Bach said, chin lifted, to his two companions. "According to the theoretical school..."

A burst of coughing interrupted Bach's grand speech, and the butler signaled the three magicians to keep their voices down. The Earl of Crawley and the others also frowned slightly.

The earl and the rest no longer listened with such careful attention, no longer applauded, no longer asked curiously about magic.

They had begun to find the noise irritating.

And the way those three were blustering now made them look like three clowns...

They did not understand magic at all, and magic did not exist in this world.

All this time, His Majesty the king had been deceived by them. Tomorrow they must make this matter known to the king.

They had all forgotten that when they were at their most desperate and helpless, and when all the capable men were avoiding the matter, who it was that had stepped forward and risked life and limb to stand with them, even if their abilities were indeed limited.

"Sir Bach, I think what you just said was very true. Magic does exist in this world." Louis withdrew his hands from those of John and the Earl of Crawley, walked over, picked up the heavy book, and said, "While you were reciting spells and discussing them just now, I was listening carefully. These eighteen spells are all correct; it is only that the gentlemen here were far too noisy."

With that, Louis glanced at the Earl of Crawley and the others, then nodded slightly. "My apologies, Earl Crawley. You truly were rather noisy just now, and as everyone knows, when magicians are casting magic, there must be no noise."

The Earl of Crawley and the others stiffened slightly, their expressions turning unsightly, not knowing what to say.

"As I said earlier, Sir Bach, Sir Ron. I am a lover of magic. I believe all eighteen of these spells are correct, and your writing is exquisitely refined. You are true magicians."

As he spoke, Louis winked at Ron and began turning the pages.

At the very same moment, a voice rang in Ron's heart.

I told you, Ron, I am also a lover of magic. Watch me read it for you.

Ron was struck as though by lightning.