Chương 175: Chapter 170 - Magic Hangups

Two days had passed and Alric still hadn't forgotten about Calvern. Having someone eat your lunch was one thing. Any nerd knew this feeling in high school at least once. Watching them enjoy every bite though? That was something else entirely. Alric was still thinking about Calvern's expression as he walked toward Margaret's apartment. He had been more satisfied eating that sandwich than he had when sampling the brandy. Alric let out a sigh as he approached Margaret's door and knocked twice.

"Come in," Margaret called from inside. He opened the door and found the apartment busy. Margaret sat at the main table with several books arranged at the near end of the table. A large sheet of paper was in the space directly in front of her, covered by the outer lines of a magical circle and a smaller collection of marks near the centre. Nicolette and Victoria sat together at the far end of the table. Both had sheets of practice paper before them.

Nicolette held a writing quill between her fingers while Victoria leaned close enough to watch the line forming beneath it. A piece of charcoal rested near her paper. One of their maids stood near the window with folded cloth across her arms. The other was sorting several books on a low shelf, she glanced toward Alric when he entered.

"You were busy?" Margaret asked, she had been hunched over the drawing but was straightening up.

"I had to watch someone eat my sandwich," Alric said with a sigh, closing the door behind him and gesturing vaguely toward the outside with his hand. Nicolette looked up from her work. Victoria's eyes widened in wonder, "Did they steal it?" she asked, narrowing her eyes and watching Alric carefully.

"Kind of," Alric said, approaching the table and tilting his head as though deep in thought.

"He was a lord, maybe important, does that count as stealing?" he tapped his chin. Victoria looked toward her sister, her eyes widening. Nicolette furrowed her brows, her jaw shifted forward.

"Did he ask first?" Nicolette asked, putting her quill into a small upright holder Alric hadn't noticed.

"He made it seem like it was part of duties, it might have been," Alric said, he stood up straight, gazed at the ceiling, his finger continued tapping his chin. Victoria pressed her lips together.

"That is still asking," Nicolette said, rolling her eyes and looking at Alric as though this was obvious.

"Nuh-uh, it isn't," Victoria said, shaking her head quickly enough to have her bound hair move back and forth.

"You have to ask before. That's the rule." Alric pointed toward her.

"That is the rule, I didn't make it." He said with a wink. Victoria smiled, pleased to have settled an issue involving the conduct of the nobility, she pointed to Alric and returned the wink before turning back to Nicolette. Nicolette glanced toward Margaret. Margaret looked down at the magical circle tilted the page, but she hid a smile badly. Nicolette returned her attention to the practice sheet, though the corner of her mouth had lifted. Alric grinned before glancing around the apartment lounge properly.

It had changed since his last visit. Books now occupied the shelves, several rolls of paper stood inside a large clay pot near the window. A narrow board covered in practice lines leaned against the wall, and storeroom door now remained closed. Alric briefly glanced around for Battery before remembering he had gone to visit family, that was part of the reason he was here, the other was Margaret had asked politely.

"You said you needed help?" Alric asked, he looked down to the large page in front of her.

"I need you to read something," Margaret said, turning the sheet so the central marks faced him. Nicolette's quill stopped moving. Margaret noticed and looked toward both girls.

"You may watch," Margaret said, lifting one finger toward them.

"but no copying,""Yes, Cousin Margaret," Nicolette said, inclining her head while she moved her practice paper closer. Victoria nodded as well, though her eyes remained fixed on the larger sheet. Margaret gave her a look. Victoria ignored that and watched Alric. Alric leaned over the circle. It was simpler than the one he had seen before, it looked the same but parts were missing. Most of the central area remained empty. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

"This is part of the circle you read before," Margaret said, leaning one hand on the table next to the page, she used the back of a quill to point to the symbol in question.

"This one said Mana Slow?" Alric asked, leaning closer to it.

"Yes," Margaret said, lifting her chin slightly.

"Or at least, it did." Alric looked more carefully at the rune. Mana Halt. He continued staring for another moment in case anything changed.

"Mana Halt," Alric said after a pause, he tapped one finger beside the mark.

"Halt?" Margaret asked, she stood up straight again and rubbed at her temples.

"Mana Halt," Alric repeated, standing upright with her.

"That is what it says now." Victoria and Nicolette watched the exchange. Margaret glanced toward them, and both girls found the walls to be fascinating at the same time. Margaret looked back at the circle and released a quiet breath through her nose. She drew the sheet toward herself, dipped her quill and began thickening a line. She worked carefully along both edges until the path became broader than the surrounding marks. Then she set the stylus down and pushed the page back toward him.

"And now?" Margaret asked, folding her hands together as she watched his face. Alric studied the rune.

"Mana Halt," he said, frowning at it.

"The same," Alric said, giving one small nod. Margaret frowned, she seemed to chew her bottom lip, she nodded, dipped the quill and bent over the page again. The strokes were more confident this time, widening the incoming path until it matched the line leaving the mark. When she finished, she inspected the change and pushed the page back toward Alric. Alric looked down. The meaning changed almost immediately.

"Divert," he said, lowering his hand from his face. Margaret closed her eyes. Her shoulders lowered as she released a long sigh. When she opened them again, she pointed toward the rune with one sharp finger.

"I want the mana to slow," Margaret said, tapping the page once.

"Not halt." Her finger moved between the two thickened lines.

"And not diverted," she said frowning down at the symbol Alric looked between the marks. I mean, I know it's not electricity but… widening a wire doesn't help if the material is wrong. Alric tilted his head and decided to annoy an expert.

"And, if you used different ink, one that conducted mana better?" he said, smiling. Margaret gave him an apprising look.

"I can… try that," she said, lifting her chin.

"Thank you." Nicolette's mouth moved slightly before she returned her attention to the practice sheet. Alric leaned closer to the circle again.

"I can't begin to understand it," Alric said, spreading his hands in a wide shrug.

"I can tell you what it says, but to put it in beer terms, it needs to flow downhill so, steeper, or something." Margaret bent over the page again, studying the lines carefully, she looked from one line to the other.

"You always seem to have a different perspective," Margaret said, smoothing the edge of the sheet, "is why I asked you to help."

"It's the context I am told, but ink that lets mana move faster may be what you need, it takes the easier path," he said, watching her reaction. When Margaret didn't give one, Alric continued studying the thickened paths while Margaret made a short note in the margin, then rose and crossed to the other desk. After searching through one of its drawers, she returned with a small inkpot covered in ornate carvings and placed it beside the circle.

She dipped her quill into the new ink and carefully traced over the line leading away from the rune. Once she reached the end, Margaret went back and widened the path. She dipped her quill into the ink and steadily drew a new line over the older line leading away, then she thickened it. Alric leaned closer, looking down at the symbol as it changed. Mana Slow.

"It now says mana slow," Alric remarked, straightening and folding his arms. For a long moment, Margaret studied the page saying nothing. Nicolette and Victoria watched waiting for something to happen. Margaret let out a deep breath from her nose before she spoke again, "This… changes a lot of things, I don't even know where to start," she frowned at the lines and her shoulders sagged.

"That I can tell you, start by studying the inks, which let mana move fastest, it's what I'd do," Alric said, shrugging. Margaret simply nodded. She let out a long sigh, turning to face Alric properly, she considered him with a sad look and her head tilted to the side, Alric knew that look, he'd seen it on Stromni enough times. I hope she doesn't think I'm a weird genius too.

"Lessa?" Alric asked, leaving one finger against the paper.

"She is very pretty," Victoria said, lifting her head while both hands remained around her stylus. Nicolette turned toward her.

"That doesn't matter, even if it is true," she said, drawing her shoulders back in an imitation of Margaret.

"It might be," Victoria said, waving a hand back and forth.

"People mention it every time." Margaret closed her eyes briefly. Alric pressed his lips together.

"How did the rest of her testing go?" Alric asked, resting one forearm against the table.

"She has… aptitude," Margaret said, smoothing both hands over the front of her robes.

"Plenty for training… more than I had when I started." Nicolette and Victoria exchanged a look.

"Will she study with us?" Victoria asked, sitting up straight while also tilting her head.

"I do not know," Margaret said, lifting one shoulder.

"She said she wanted time to think about it."

"Why?" Nicolette asked, she shifted her chair back slightly. Margaret glanced toward Alric.

"She's being sensible, magic is difficult." Alric said, giving one firm nod. Margaret raised a hand to Alric.

"I did not pressure her," she said, while shaking her head.

"I didn't say you did," Alric replied with a frown.

"She asked if she would stay a maid," Margaret said, smoothing one hand down her skirt.

"She wanted to know if she will keep her room and if the staff would be told." Those aren't questions about magic.

"I am surrounded by potential that doesn't seem to care for my calling," Margaret said, interrupting his thoughts. She rolled her eyes and let out a dramatic sigh, as she pushed herself to her feet, but she was smiling. Margaret crossed to the storage cupboard; she placed her hand against the door closing her eyes. Nicolette and Victoria, both watched her carefully. The door opened with a click, Maragret reached in and retrieved four bound scrolls. All of them rolled and having a wax seal along with a ribbon.

Alric looked from the papers to the two girls. Neither appeared surprised. Margaret rested one hand on the uppermost scroll.

"Our oaths," Margaret said with a small smile, her gaze drifted from Alric to the two girls.