Chapter 240: Sara’s problem
Lys and Selene walked the mostly empty midday street toward Sara’s house. The rolled mana-contract paper felt heavier in Lys’s hand with every step he took, as if it was telling him not to take it to her house. He kept glancing down at it, thumb brushing over the official seal.
For some reason he couldn’t yet pinpoint, something about handing this over right now didn’t sit right with him. Sara had pushed herself hard yesterday. She was still recovering. So, the last thing she needed was things that might make her upset.
And he at least knew this by now: she wasn’t exactly happy about her power being shown or rewarded by the guild officially, as it would also mean it would remind the public that she was the one who used that powerful magic back there to save the day.
Selene noticed Lys staring at the paper again. "You’ve been quiet since we left the guild. What’s wrong?"
Lys shrugged, trying to tuck the paper into his pocket, even though it wouldn’t fit inside there, being rolled and all. "Nothing. Just…this timing feels off. I know she earned this reward, but I don’t know if she wants to deal with this yet."
“Hmm..” Selene didn’t say anything else after hearing this.
She didn’t push the topic, not having any answer herself.
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Finally, they reached Sara’s gate and let themselves in. The place felt quiet; the usual small sounds of workers were missing here. The little people there didn’t stop them as they headed straight for the room where Sara was staying now.
Reaching the door, Lys knocked softly.
From inside, Bertha opened it with a creak sound, then stepped aside without a word. Her face looked tired but relieved to see them. She didn’t need explanations anymore. Just seeing her face was enough to let them know that Sara was still in bed.
Lys and Selene stepped inside. Sara sat up slightly against the pillows, a thin wool blanket pulled across her lap. She looked pale, shadows under her eyes, but the moment she saw them, her face changed. A real smile broke through, easy and warm, the kind she saved for people she actually trusted.
Bertha started to slip out of the room like always. But this time, Lys stopped her with a quick gesture. "Uhh… Bertha, you don’t have to leave every time I walk in. It makes me feel awkward. Please stay."
Both Sara and Selene smiled at that. Bertha looked over at Sara, waiting for her. Sara gave a small nod. "Stay."
Getting permission from her mistress, Bertha settled back down on the stool beside the bed, hands folding in her lap.
Sara leaned back a little more, voice light despite how worn she looked. "So, what do I owe this visit, Mister Lys? Protector of the village and all."
Lys felt a bit shy at Sara's teasing, despite this grim situation. He rubbed the back of his neck and pulled out the rolled paper. "Got something from the guild for you."
The smile on Sara’s face disappeared the second she saw it. Not a flinch or a wince, just this sudden, controlled stillness. Like everything behind her eyes shut down tight. Her fingers stayed on the blanket, but they didn’t reach for the paper Lys was holding.
Lys regretted it immediately, showing it to her now. He wondered to himself, maybe he should have waited until she recovered. Seeing her deflated face, the paper suddenly felt too heavy in his hand. He wondered if he should have held onto it longer.
Before he could figure out how to fix the moment, Selene stepped forward. Her voice came out direct and practical. "Well, if you’re worried about people finding out that you were a Tier 4 mage yesterday, you shouldn’t be. Tier 4 mages are rare, yeah; they also stand out a lot. Even I know, being a Tier 2 priestess myself, that they must attract attention they don’t always want. People try to use them instead of respecting them most of the time. But let’s be real, who’s going to pressure you here? Even a month ago, nobles in the capital didn’t even know Buena village existed. Even with the new guild branch, it’s not like that changes overnight."
She glanced at Lys. "Right?"
Lys had no real idea what they were talking about, even though Selene had once explained mage ranks to him before. He nodded anyway. "Yeah. Don't worry too much about it. We’ve got your back."
Sara’s face softened a fraction. The offer touched her. But she shook her head slowly. "It’s not that, Selene."
Selene frowned. "Then what is it? What could be worse than unwanted attention?"
Sara stayed quiet for a long moment. She looked down at her hands, then at the blanket across her lap. The room felt heavier for her just thinking about it. Bertha sat perfectly still on the stool, eyes on Sara like she already knew parts of this, how heavy it was on Sara. Lys waited, the paper still in his hand, unsure of what to do with it now.
Then finally, Sara took a slow breath. Her voice came out quieter than before. "I’m not afraid of people finding out about me in general. What I’m worried about is a specific woman finding out that I finally used my power."
Lys leaned in a little. "Huh, what are you talking about? Why would someone finding out if you used your own power or not be a problem for you? Who is it?"
Sara met his eyes and said the name finally. "It is Ines. The Viscountess of this land."
Hearing the name, Selene made a small sound, a quiet gasp that cut through the room. “Huh…Madam Ines?” Her face went tight, eyes widening just enough to tell Lys this name meant something bad. Really bad.
Lys stood there, still holding the paper, waiting for more. The warmth that had been in the room when they first walked in had curdled fast. Sara’s shoulders stayed straight, but the exhaustion in her face ran deeper now, as if just recalling that woman’s name took everything out of her.