Gardenia's Heart

Chapter 39: A Lie for a Liar

If the places they had visited before were just small to medium-sized homes, Caligo was undoubtedly something entirely different.

No matter where Lily looked, the smallest building she could find was at least two stories high. All the structures were built from light-toned stone, making them pleasant to look at. The streets, however, were narrow, as if the need to construct more housing within the walls had inevitably made pedestrian spaces more compact.

This fact became even more evident with the mix of various aromas and musical notes dancing through the air, mingling within the crowd of people exploring the streets.

"It doesn’t even feel like we’re in the territory of the mist," Lily said, almost tempted to use her tentacles to hold Abelia and Cleomel close so they wouldn’t get lost in the crowd.

"S-Since it’s late afternoon, most people are likely leaving their jobs," Abelia, who was walking just behind her, managed to say with difficulty, her small body pressing between the throngs of people moving in all directions while her hand was firmly clasped in Cleomel’s.

"Careful, my lady." Cleomel, with a simple hand movement, blocked a large man’s elbow from hitting Abelia’s face, then took out a small handkerchief from her waist to wipe the sweat from her lady's face. "Would you like to take a break? We can stop in a shop."

"I-I’m fine, we’re almost there, after all."

While still shielding the two girls from the crowd, Lily couldn’t help but laugh quietly at their interaction.

"Sometimes, you seem more like a maid than a knight," Lily murmured under her breath, hiding her smile as she resumed leading the way, following Cleomel’s directions.

(What’s a maid, Lily?) The noise of the crowd made it hard to hear even her own thoughts, but the sweet voice of her wife was something she would always hear, no matter the noise level.

"Hm... It’s someone whose job is to care for another person and attend to their daily needs."

As they walked, Nia would always ask about everything she didn’t know, and Lily happily answered whenever she knew the answer. Caligo had so many different and new things that it felt like a whole new world for both girls.

The stalls and displays were filled with so many products for sale that it was impossible to see the inside of the stores. Some items were familiar to Lily, but many were entirely unknown.

After a few more minutes, the girls managed to escape the main streets and finally arrived in a less crowded district.

"Don’t they use lamps here?"

Now able to walk more calmly, Lily studied the architecture of the district they were in. The streets had pillars with lights for nighttime illumination; however, instead of candles or torches, small blue stones emitted a cyan glow over the streets as evening approached.

"Although not as popularly known as stardust, Caligo also leads in mining certain minerals with high mana conductivity," Cleomel pointed out. "If processed and transformed into artifacts, they can be used in everyday life, like street lighting."

The mention of so many new ways to use magic always left Lily intrigued. Although it didn’t entirely capture her interest, she knew her beloved would love to learn more about it. And, just as expected, her voice soon followed.

(The creation of magical artifacts seems to have countless uses! I’d like to re

“I-I can’t!” she replied, voice catching as though her emotions were too overwhelming to bear. “Everyone in the village was so kind; they helped pay for my spot on a merchant carriage. I can’t go back and tell them I failed! All their hopes and dreams are riding on me!”

“Gloria, don’t worry, young lady. If you’re not comfortable returning now, you can stay in Caligo until the next exam comes around.”

“B-But… I don’t know anyone in the city to ask for help, and my money is almost gone… I don’t know what to do anymore!”

The man noticed how her blue eyes trembled with despair and hopelessness. After a few seconds of thought, he leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper.

“Listen to me, Gloria. I don’t usually flaunt this, but I have quite a few Mage Academy professors as clients. If you’d like, I can talk to some of them… and maybe they can make an exception and let you take the test.”