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Secret Forbidden Spell – Part 04

Their journey via carriage went smoothly, with two transfers, and at noon on the third day, they arrived at the village where the Frontier Sage resided.

The village resembled Paula’s hometown of Cotton-elka, small and quaint. In front of the square stood the village chief’s stone house, flanked by the village’s only shop and church. The villagers were likely working in the fields during the day, as the only sounds were the laughter of children running around.

To avoid wasting time interacting with the villagers, Hikaru activated Group Cloaking and swiftly made their way through the village. It was a bit awkward holding Lavia’s hand on the right and Paula’s on the left, but the Skill was very much worth it.

A child from the village cast a curious glance in their direction as they passed the corner, but that was all. To the child, it might have seemed like there was a slight distortion in the air.

Leaving the village behind, they entered a road that led deep into the mountains. There was a lumberjack’s hut along the way, but it was deserted, so they continued on their path. A refreshing breeze blew, and the sunlight penetrating the trees cast dancing shadows on the ground. Despite being summer, the forest provided a cool atmosphere.

There was only one road, so there was no chance of getting lost. After an hour of walking, a small house made of solid stone came into view. Though the roof bore signs of repair, it appeared habitable. Faint white smoke was rising from the chimney, carrying the aroma of medicinal herbs.

“Hello,” Hikaru called upon opening the door, but before receiving a response, some sort of haze drifted out, blurring his vision momentarily.

The door opened to a wide entryway, with a slight elevation that led inside. To the left was the living space, and to the right stretched the entryway floor, where the smoke or haze seemed to be coming from.

“And who might you be?”

A hunched old woman emerged from within the white smoke. She wiped her hands on her apron, which was stained a dark purple.

“Hmm? What’s with the strange masks?”

Hikaru and the girls were currently disguised as Silver Face, Star Face, and Flower Face.

“I hope you don’t mind our appearance.”

Silver Face, typically rough in speech, adopted a polite tone, aware of the need for cooperation from the Sage. Living in such a remote area, she could be a difficult person to deal with.

The old woman wore a frayed headscarf, and her wrinkled face featured a distinctive drooping nose. While she seemed like an ordinary old woman from a farmhouse, the brooch on her chest said otherwise. Adorned with a muted yellow gemstone, it emitted a powerful surge of mana, clearly visible through Hikaru’s Mana Detection.

“You must be the Frontier Sage,” Hikaru said. “We came here to ask you some questions.”

The old woman appeared surprised. “You immediately realized that I’m the Sorcerer. Most visitors mistake me for a servant and act arrogantly.”

“The stains on your apron are from boiling purple spirit bamboo. Its extract is effective for dissolving magic catalysts. And that brooch is a magic item.”

“You recognized not only the purple spirit bamboo, but the brooch as well. You’ve done your homework.”

“My knowledge is a bit specialized, though. I’m Silver Face, and these are my companions, Star Face and Flower Face. If you don’t mind, could you explain how that brooch works?”

“This thing?” The old woman grinned. “It contains a spell that, when activated, can level the entire surrounding area.”

“…I see. May I know your name?”

The old woman clicked her tongue. “Not even the least bit scared. I bet you already know this magic item’s utility.”

“I have no idea.”

He did, in fact, have an idea, but knowing it didn’t really mean anything, so he kept quiet.

“Well, never mind. I doubt it works on you, anyway.”

A mist rose around her, and her appearance began to change. Her skin became vibrant, the wrinkles disappeared, and her posture straightened.

“Oh.”

“Wh-What?!”

Lavia and Paula were shocked, but Hikaru wasn’t particularly taken aback. He had assumed that the brooch allowed her to change her appearance.

“My name is Brinkra. The Frontier Sage you mentioned is my master.”

Her hair, a deep shade of purple, was gathered into a single bundle behind her. She had a sharp gaze, but the softness to her cheeks gave her a cheery impression. Her appearance suggested she was in her late teens, but it could simply be her height, just slightly shorter than the petite Lavia.

“Why change your appearance?”

“People who come seeking my master’s potions tend to look down on me when I’m in my original form. I’ve gotten used to speaking in a granny tone, so I just stuck with it.”

“So the Sage was your master.”

“Yeah… Master Brajita passed away a long time ago. I’ve taken over the workshop.”

Then, Hikaru noticed something. Brinkra, Brajita, Brunkvan. Their names were similar.

“Do you happen to know a Sorcerer named Brunkvan?”

Brinkra scowled. “What has that scoundrel done?!”

Her attitude clearly indicated that she and Brunkvan were more than just acquaintances.

---

The title Frontier Sage was something the villagers had given, and it just naturally spread. Brajita was an eccentric man who loved research more than alcohol, women, or gambling. After making a fortune through his groundbreaking invention in large-scale construction, he built his house here, where he lived alone, so he could have peace and quiet.

However, he still needed to eat to survive, so he maintained minimal interactions with the villagers. As he did them favors and crafted magic items for them, the name Frontier Sage gradually spread.

Then, one day, a man came to Brajita’s house.

“Brunkvan became his apprentice about three years before me. By the time I arrived here, he was already acting like a senior disciple.”

Magical research could only be pursued by countries, nobles, or the very wealthy because of the expensive catalysts required for magic. However, success could bring immense wealth.

“I was so fascinated by sorcery that I basically ran away from home. I got here with no money. My master wasn’t sure what to do with me, but when I told him I had no intention of returning home, he gave me the name Brinkra. Do you think it’s unusual for a commoner like me to be interested in sorcery?”

Even if commoners were interested in magic items, there was no place for them to learn or study their mechanisms.

“Well, I suppose,” Hikaru replied. “Wait a minute. Your age doesn’t add up.”

From what she said, Brinkra became Brajita’s apprentice several decades ago. However, she looked to be the same age as Hikaru and the girls.

Brinkra laughed. “Do I look young?”

“Are you a Man Gnome?”

“How can you tell? Who are you?”

Hikaru hit the mark. The only Man Gnome Hikaru knew was Unken from Pond’s Adventurers’ Guild. They had three times the lifespan of humans, so their physical growth took about three times longer.

Hikaru checked Brinkra’s Soul Board.

【Soul Board】Brinkra
Age: 58 | Rank: 5 | 2

【Magical Power】
【Mana Capacity】1
【Elemental Affinity】
【Earth】2

【Dexterity】
【Dexterity】3
【Tool Mastery】
【Medical Tools】4

【Willpower】
【Mental Strength】2

【Instinct】
【Insight】
【Invention】2

Fifty-eight divided by three was around 19 years old. She looked younger than that, which could be attributed to her short stature characteristic of Man Gnomes.

The name on her Soul Board was Brinkra, suggesting that she had fully accepted that name. She had no intention of reverting to her original name.

“I see,” Hikaru mumbled.

“What is it you see exactly? You’re one strange fellow,” Brinkra said.

“Well, I am wearing this mask.”

Brinkra stared at him blankly, then laughed. “So you admit you’re strange? Funny guy. I’ll pour you some tea. You need something from me, right?” She pranced towards the back of the house.

---

An old tea set was placed on the living room table. The tea was more like an herbal drink, with a raw, natural flavor, but it had a refreshing aftertaste and was smooth on the palate.

Hikaru sat directly in front of Brinkra, while Lavia and Paula took seats in separate chairs.

“A long time ago, I was really fascinated by the light of a magic lamp. As to how young I was, I had just started speaking back then. I dismantled the lamp in our house and got an earful. From then on, my life was filled with an interest in sorcery.”

“And that’s how you ended up here.”

“Yeah. When I told my master my story, he took me in. He said, ‘Once you become my disciple, you become family.’ I adopted the name Brinkra, and the other guy took the name Brunkvan.”

“Huh? Was Brunkvan using a different name before that? For three years?”

“I think my master was just concerned about me, since I was so young. Well, I was already much older, but I still looked like a kid. Maybe he wanted to show me proof of his acceptance. But it would be weird if his older disciple kept the same name, so he changed it at that time.”

“I see… He sounds like a good master.”

“Yeah. He was the best—no, that’s giving him too much credit. He didn’t clean the house, got absorbed in research, didn’t eat, sleep, or take baths. He was a handful person all around. But he poured his affection into me. As I’ve grown older, I can’t help but think that he must have been lonely.”

Brinkra’s eyes softened momentarily.

“After my master passed away, I had a big fight with Brunkvan. He always saw sorcery as a means to establish himself. He started saying that his research should be shared with the world. In the end, he left this place with a bunch of magical catalysts because I wouldn’t agree with him.”

What a shitty guy, Hikaru thought.

“I heard that Brunkvan became a Court Sorcerer,” Hikaru said.

“I heard the same. So, what exactly did he do?”

“Well…”

Hikaru told Brinkra about the spell cast on Galeicrada G. Nightblaze. As he went on, Brinkra’s expression grew more and more grim.

“That idiot,” she muttered after hearing everything. “The spell you just mentioned is the forbidden kind. My master said we could study it, but strictly commanded never to use it on others.”

“Because it’s too powerful?”

“It’s more that it’s unethical. I must say, you have keen eyes. You actually noticed that it was sorcery.” Brinkra fixed Hikaru with a stare. “It’s a forbidden spell, but there’s a way to dispel it.”