Chapter Five: Official Move-In

“There’s nothing much to say about the past, and I have no intention of returning to Earth. But you—surviving tetanus for so long—are you a powerful magician?” Magiona’s casual treatment of past enmity didn’t anger Ruby; rather, it piqued her curiosity.

“Yes, you could say I’m a rather unremarkable eighth-rank mage.” Magiona’s current expression all but had “surprised” written across her face. Go on, be surprised—if the Pope saw her looking like such a little girl, he’d probably dislocate his jaw in shock.

“Apprentice Mage, Novice Mage, Mage, Archmage, Magister, Grand Magister, Saint of Magic, God of Magic—so, a God of Magic then.” Ruby counted out the ranks on her fingers, stopping at eight, her face and heart utterly unperturbed.

“At least show a little surprise for a God of Magic, will you?” Magiona complained in frustration. Even emperors bowed when they saw her, yet this clueless fellow didn’t spare her a shred of emotion.

“You can’t even read the most basic circuit diagrams. The God of Light is useless to me; what I need is an assistant.”

“I can learn, you know.”

“Never mind. Once you’re well, you can leave. Science is dull. Go practice your magic.”

“I’m so tired. Is there somewhere to bathe here?” Magiona yawned. The medicine and her own exhaustion made her drowsy, but she insisted on bathing before sleep.

“To the left... I’ll show you. Just don’t dismantle my bathroom too.” Ruby pointed up at the showerhead. “Look, this is called a shower. Turn this switch, and water comes down, see?”

“I’m not an idiot. I’d figure it out even without your help.” Magiona’s words contradicted her shining eyes as she gazed at the showerhead—so many wonderful things here! Not having to control her own magic for a bath was a luxury indeed.

“So if I hadn’t shown you, how would you have managed?”

“I can bathe by myself, just watch. Fire Magic: ‘Scalding Canopy.’ Water Magic: ‘Misty Drizzle.’” Magiona raised her hand—rings of red magic condensed above her head, then a ring of blue floated above the red, releasing a fine rain. As the droplets passed through the ‘Scalding Canopy,’ they were heated, forming manmade hot water.

“What a hassle! Bathing is supposed to be leisurely, not an exercise in magical multitasking. Controlling magic while bathing is pure torture!” Ruby watched the compound spell overhead with distaste, only now truly appreciating the marvels of science.

“That’s why nobles have servants cast magic for their baths. I prefer doing it myself. And you—how long are you planning to stand there? Wind Magic: ‘Warm Spring Breeze!’” As Magiona was about to undress, noticing Ruby still lingering, she instantly forgot he’d saved her life and cast a spell to blow him out of the room.

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“Ruby, where’s the bedroom?”

After her bath, Magiona emerged enveloped in warmth, her hair steam-dried with fire magic, and already changed into clean clothes from her spatial ring—offering Ruby no glimpse of anything untoward.

“You want a room? I never considered having guests—sleep on the sofa.”

“You—are you really telling me, the greatest mage on the Holy Continent, the God of Magic herself, to sleep on the sofa?” Magiona was utterly bewildered. Even if she’d demanded to sleep in the emperor’s palace with his consorts as company, he wouldn’t have refused. And yet, this powerless human expected her to sleep on a sofa! Well, to be fair, she’d only just learned the word sofa from Ruby; otherwise, she’d have thought the soft, fluffy thing was a bed.

As an invalid, she knew she shouldn’t make so many demands of her savior. But this was the main hall—sleeping on the sofa meant Ruby could see her sleeping posture. Absolutely not. No amount of willfulness could justify that.

“I’m doing it for your sake. Would you want to sleep in a bed a man has used?”

“No problem. Where’s your room?”

“This way.” Ruby didn’t object. He was long used to the whims of young women. A scientist, after all, could sleep anywhere when tired. He led Magiona to his own room—small, with just a bed, a lamp, and some objects Magiona didn’t recognize.

“Purification Magic: ‘Remove Impurities.’” As Magiona’s magic spread through the room, every trace of Ruby’s life vanished—fallen hairs, lingering scents on the blanket; even fingerprints on his glass disappeared under a magnifying glass. It was as pristine as a brand-new room.

“See? Isn’t magic more convenient than science?” Magiona looked at Ruby’s astonished face, brimming with pride at her victory.

“Nonsense. I don’t buy it. I believe in science. Cleaning up myself is easy enough!” Ruby retorted immediately. Though the spell was indeed convenient—no laundry, no dusting—he would never betray his faith.

“Stubborn fool.” Watching Ruby flee, Magiona chuckled, lay down on the bed, and stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, recalling the day’s events.

“Phantom Magic: ‘Memoirs.’”

“Little Magiona, afraid to sleep alone again? I may be your teacher, but I can’t always sleep beside you. There’s so much in this world you haven’t experienced—friends, lovers, enemies, those who hunt you, those you hunt, debt collectors. Speaking of lovers, Magiona, remember this: if you ever meet a good man, hold onto him tightly. Plant Magic: ‘Vine Bind’ is easy, right? And don’t forget, a man’s wealth should be firmly in your grasp. Do you still remember how to use Theft Magic: ‘Spatial Exchange’...?”

Under Magiona’s magic, the translucent image of Eula appeared in the room—a phantom born from memory. Whenever she couldn’t sleep, she conjured this scene: Eula, smiling gently, binding the aged Pope like a bundle with vines, all while teaching Magiona the black arts of looting others’ spatial rings.

“Teacher...”

With Eula’s voice drifting through her mind, Magiona slowly drifted into sleep, a single tear falling silently onto her pillow.

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PS: Thus begins the daily, joyful life at the intersection of science and magic—more or less.