The White Wizard

Chapter 6

 

“Where are you going?” Arthur called when Genevieve hurried back toward her bakery.

Her plump physique froze midway. Slowly, she turned to face him, her disturbed expression still hanging on her face.

“Wh-what do you want from me again?” she stuttered.

Arthur smiled.

He hated to admit something about Genevieve. He really loved how insecure she looked. In fact, Arthur believed that if he had a mother like Genevieve, he would torment her until she looked this afraid every day.

“Are you walking away after not handing me the bread and jelly butter?” Arthur asked, ensuring his voice grew deeper and creepier.

Genevieve's breaths came in hitches.

“Are you insane, you creepy man? I already gave you the book you requested. You never cared about the bread earlier!” she yelled painfully.

“But I already paid for the bread with the few fish I brought earlier,” Arthur reminded her.

“Go away, you monster!!!” Genevieve screamed and attempted to sprint toward the door.

But Arthur had already predicted her movements. He pushed himself forward just as quickly before Genevieve could lock the door. He obstructed the door from closing with his foot while looking at Genevieve eerily.

Now, Arthur could tell the reason why Genevieve was scared now was not because of his earlier manifestations. She simply wanted him gone, but Arthur did not want to leave without the bread. He was thinking about Devic, who would be awfully hungry.

Still trying to force the door shut just to avoid Arthur, Genevieve's hand slipped from the wooden door as it trembled uncontrollably. She almost staggered onto the cold wooden floor.

Arthur walked in just as quickly to continue the torment a little more. He simply wanted her to understand the feeling of being threatened and pushed around.

“Stay away from me, you monster?!” Genevieve screamed before dropping onto the floor.

“What's going on here?” someone said outside the store before entering.

Devic, now dressed in an old black raiment, walked in carrying a huge lantern. He paused before glancing from Arthur to Genevieve, who was sitting on the floor. Then slowly, his attention shifted toward Arthur as anger began to rise.

“You bastard! Tell me you are not just—”

Before Devic could finish his words, Genevieve jumped on him and held him tightly.

Devic was so surprised that both his hands remained suspended in the air.

“Are you okay, Gene?” Devic asked.

“That boy is a monster!!! He is trying to kill me. He destroyed my bakery!” Genevieve cried aloud.

“Destroy?” Arthur glanced around the walls. “Where?”

“Of course, you cursed child!” Genevieve roared. “Look around! It's...”

Her words suddenly trailed off.

Devic looked around too, but he saw absolutely nothing.

Genevieve became confused. She had clearly seen the walls twisting and damaging right before her eyes. Yet now, everything looked perfectly normal, as though she had been suffering from some strange hallucination.

The truth was that Arthur had reversed the Metal Spell immediately after Genevieve handed him the book. Naturally, the situation now looked very strange not only to Genevieve but to Devic as well.

The silence lingered inside the room while Genevieve tried desperately to defend her sanity. She was very certain she had not imagined anything.

“You are a liar!!! You nearly gave me a heart attack!” Genevieve cried as she buried her face in Devic's chest.

Devic's eyes narrowed in anger.

“How dare you scare her during this hour of the night? Do you think we celebrate things like that here in Sysia?” he yelled.

Devic slowly lowered the lantern. His hands gently moved around Genevieve while he buried his nose in her fluffy hair.

“It's okay, Genevieve. Everything is fine now. You're alright,” Devic assured while rubbing her shoulder.

And right there, a funny realization struck Arthur deeply.

Now he could finally see why Genevieve was always their only customer whenever they delivered their catch. She was the only one who could negotiate prices that Devic would actually accept.

The two elders genuinely liked each other.

It was difficult to tell why Devic had no family of his own. But after observing life with all its ups and downs, Arthur suspected Devic's story likely belonged among the painful ones. Perhaps he had lost his family. Perhaps something else had happened.

But seeing Genevieve and Devic together this way, Arthur felt strangely relieved that he had helped bring them this close.

“You two... you two like each other very much,” Arthur blurted out.

Genevieve and Devic exchanged glances before Genevieve slowly pulled away. She rose to her feet and placed a hand on her waist.

“Get out of my store!” she sneered as though she had suddenly recovered all her authority.

“But the bread and jelly bu—”

“Get out, you bastard!” Devic rasped immediately.

“It's dinner—”

“Get lost!” Devic yelled with his eyes shut.

Arthur obeyed quickly.

He wondered if tormenting those two aged lovers would actually be fun to watch. Truthfully, however, what occupied his mind most was returning home and studying the first text.

And that first text excited Arthur far more than any book had while he was still living with Gad.

Truthfully, Arthur still felt terrible about the way his father had been murdered. He wanted to fight back. He wanted revenge. But remembering Gad's final words, Arthur believed it was wiser to follow the quieter path for now.

When Arthur sprinted home, he was about to read through the book when Devic suddenly barged in.

His eyes narrowed at the book, clearly wondering when Arthur had become a scholar.

“Which school do you attend?” Devic questioned, his white moustache quivering.

“I learned reading by myself,” Arthur replied.

Devic nodded.

“But that stuff is hard. I tried learning through books myself, but I was never getting anywhere. And the cost of schooling is very unfavorable. Still, let me tell you something. Books don't stay in my house. Take that thing out tomorrow or I will burn it if I find it.”

He walked toward the wooden box and pulled out a cruche of water.

“But why?” he suddenly added.

Arthur frowned.

“Why what?”

“Why would you scare a lady like that?!” Devic interrupted, roaring.

“I'm sorry. She refused to hand me the bread and jelly butter,” Arthur answered.

“Who cares about bread or jelly butter?!” Devic yelled.

“Wait, you're not hungry tonight?” Arthur questioned.

Devic hissed.

“Not really. But I think you actually did quite a good job tonight.”

Arthur blinked.

That answer was not what he expected.

Devic hummed to himself before walking into his small chamber.

After watching him leave, Arthur hurried outside again and buried the book in the soil beside the balcony.

After covering the book properly, Arthur suddenly heard the crackling sounds of birds nearby. He had never realized there was a farm directly behind their home all this while.

And after spotting the birds' dwelling place, he immediately thought of tomorrow's plan.

Before he could properly study the first book, he needed an excuse to remain at home. And Devic would most likely refuse to allow that.

When Arthur approached the nest, a duck stared directly at him.

Fortunately, Arthur found a twig nearby and carefully used it to steal one egg from beneath the bird.

The egg was still warm.

It would do the job perfectly.

When Arthur skulked back into their general room, he placed the egg beside him before lying down on the wooden bed.

The rainfall began almost immediately afterward, and thunder roared violently across the sky.

By morning, Devic walked into the room after waking up.

He stretched tiredly before his eyes landed on Arthur.

“Will you stand up, bastard? Do you think I take in losers and lazy fellows? Rise immediately!” he barked.

But Arthur remained lying still.

Devic walked closer.

Then he smacked Arthur across the cheek.

That very moment, Arthur vomited the crushed egg hidden inside his mouth.