Chương 90: Chapter 80: A Language Older Than Kingdoms

After learning her third cantrip, the next logical step was to attempt a tier-one spell, and Lira already knew exactly which one she wanted to learn: Prince Aric's soundproofing spell. She had memorized the incantation the moment he cast it. Now that she finally understood the relationship between sound and waves, she was confident she possessed enough of the underlying concepts to imprint the spell. If everything went well, she might soon be able to create silent zones of her own. Sadly, magic would have to wait.

Her morning study time had come to an end. Lira carefully closed her notebook, returned it beside her father's ledger, and hid both inside the secret nook. After that, she quietly left her hidden alcove, concealing the entrance behind the tapestry and the false wall. After making certain everything looked exactly as it had before, she stepped out from behind the bookshelves. Only to nearly walk into Prince Lyth and Sir Henry.

"Oh, Lira," the prince said, looking pleasantly surprised.

"You were back there? I thought you were out."

"Yeah," Lira answered casually.

"I was sorting some books on the back shelves." The lie came easily. Still... she really needed to be more careful. The alcove itself remained well hidden, but that meant very little if people kept seeing her appear from behind the same shelves every morning. As she walked toward the front desk, she noticed Sir Henry quietly watching her. She couldn't tell whether that was simply the knight doing his job or whether something had caught his attention. Either way, she reminded herself not to underestimate him.

Lyth might only be a curious child, but Sir Henry was a professional bodyguard. His entire purpose was to notice things other people overlooked. If anyone inside the library eventually discovered her secret room or her use of magic, he would be among the most likely candidates. That day, Lira deliberately recommended something cheerful and entirely uncontroversial for the prince to read. After The Monster's Bride, perhaps she shouldn't push her luck much further, at least for a while.

After the lunch rush, Prince Aric also arrived, with Sir Deren accompanying him. Instead of asking for a book, the prince asked her to sit with him. Lira frowned but did as she was told.

"Caretaker, what do you know of Almara and the Old Magical Empire?"

"I have read quite a bit on the subject," she said.

"Though I doubt I know more than you do, Your Highness. Ever since you showed interest in the lost city, I have set aside every book on the Lost Age of Magic that I have come across for you."

"I'm afraid I have run out of books on the subject," she added.

"Unless there are more on the topmost floors of the tower, but I highly doubt it."

"Have you read all the books you gave us?" asked Deren. Lira shook her head.

"I have read a few of them, but not all. I've been busy with work." Technically, that wasn't a lie, since she truly hadn't read them, only magically absorbed them.

"You see, I have read everything you have given me, and I feel like I am missing something important," said the prince.

"I have noticed you teaching my brother Lyth a few times, and I thought you might have some insight or an extra perspective." Lira blinked. She hadn't expected that today. This prince was humble enough to ask a commoner for wisdom.

"You see," he continued, "most of our royal scholars today insist that Almara is a myth, and that the Old Age of Magic was a lie fabricated by the Abadi Kingdom four hundred years ago."

"That's ridiculous," Lira couldn't help but say. She quickly covered her mouth.

"I'm sorry."

"No, go on," said the prince.

"There is undeniable proof that a world-spanning empire existed," Lira explained.

"There are architectural similarities among many thousand-year-old ruins that are too consistent to have developed independently. At the very least, they must have shared the same inspiration. There are at least seven surviving ruins across three continents that look nearly identical. Scholars suspect they are defunct teleportation gates." Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. She took a deep breath.

"But the most damning evidence is language."

"Language?" the prince asked, glancing at Deren in confusion.

"What's the word for fire in Magari?" Lira asked. The prince thought for a moment.

"Pira," he answered.

"You actually know that?" Deren said, surprised.

"Of course I do," the prince replied.

"Magari is the second most spoken language in the world."

"That doesn't change the fact that Magari is also spoken on the other side of the world," Deren pointed out.

"Doesn't matter," the prince insisted.

"What about 'Pira' is so interesting?" he asked, turning back to Lira.

"Right. A few scholars have noted that Magari doesn't have an F sound, so most borrowed words with that sound end up with a P instead." She smiled.

"Pira. Fira. Fire." The prince blinked.

"They got their word from us?" asked Deren.

"More likely, we both got it from the same original word," Lira said.

"Fila!" the prince exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"Could be," said Lira, pretending not to recognize the word.

"R and L sounds sometimes drift into one another." Lira suspected that her father had translated the language of magic using similar methods. Perhaps places like here had kept words like Fila because fire remained important in the cold, while desert cultures had preserved words like Maha because water, as a concept, mattered more to them. Still, it must have been an incredible undertaking considering the number of languages that would have needed to be compared.

Lira had been absorbing a book every hour ever since she learned the spell for it, including a book on language studies and translations, making her one of the most well-read people on the subject, and even still, she couldn't dream of doing what her father had done.

"But if the city exists, how come no one can locate it on any map?" Deren asked, still unconvinced.

"The expedition you gave us claimed the explorers found it in the Holtarry Mountains, here in our own backyard, while another account places it on the other side of the globe." The prince looked at Lira, waiting for her answer.

"My theory is that Almara is in the Kalil Desert."

"But that place is uninhabitable," the prince frowned.

"The heat there can boil water."

"Magic," Lira shrugged.

"What do you mean by magic?"

"I bet magical portals sporadically open in the coldest places in the world just to cool off the magical city. Including here in the Holtarry Mountains."

"This is insane. Why am I inclined to believe it?" Deren asked.

"Because it makes sense. No one could invade a city situated in the heart of the Kalil Desert. It's the best place for a capital."

"What about the portals?" asked Deren.

"Aren't they a weakness?"

"Not if they are random and only appear for a few minutes," Lira answered.

"How did you even come up with that idea?" the prince asked. Lira shrugged.

"After reading the expedition I gave you, I thought there was no way Almara could actually be in the Holtarry Mountains. So I started thinking about how the account could still be true. Then I remembered that the Age of Magic was full of magical portals." The prince rose from his chair.

"You are wasted here," he said sincerely.

"Someone with your mind belongs among the royal scholars. Or perhaps the Mage Guild. Their library is far more extensive."

"Not at all." Lira smiled.

"I'm perfectly happy here. I'd hate to be working somewhere full of stuffy old men who decide what I'm allowed to read while treating me like a child." That earned a genuine laugh from Sir Deren.

"May I ask how exactly someone like you became this smart?" the prince asked.

"You are far too educated for a maid."

"Reading, mostly," Lira replied.

"I've spent most of my life surrounded by books."

"You were part of Lord Musgrove's estate," said the prince.

"I'll personally send him a letter thanking him for sending you our way." Lira simply nodded politely, slightly surprised that the prince knew her cover story. However, she wasn't too worried about him reaching out to Lord Musgrove. The old baron had been dead for a couple of years, his estate quietly stolen by the steward who might have murdered him. He would never risk scrutiny by denying the existence of a helpful maid.

If he did, she could always expose him, and when no Lord Musgrove was found, they would believe her instead of him. After exchanging a few more polite words, Prince Aric and Sir Deren departed, both men giving her a strange look as they left. Lira watched them disappear through the front doors before letting out a slow breath. That conversation had been... unexpected. She had anticipated suspicion, especially after Prince Kavard's visit. Perhaps a round of questions regarding Hesta.

Instead, the prince had asked for her opinion, almost as if she were a respected scholar, or maybe even an equal. It was flattering, but also dangerous. The more useful she became to powerful people, the more visible she would become. Visibility attracted attention, and attention was the last thing she needed with all the secrets she was hiding. Still, she felt that impressing Prince Aric was a good idea. The man was currently the only thing standing between her and his brother.

She needed to remain useful to him, at least until the threat was dealt with. Her first objective was to survive, no matter what. Still... she couldn't help but think that she was walking in two opposite directions at the same time. Worst of all, she couldn't deny that discussing history with people who actually listened had been surprisingly enjoyable. She really hoped she hadn't made a mistake.