Taste of Magic: Ambassador's Voice

"Why didn't he come this morning?" Melina muttered as she swept the floor of the bakery. Sienna was scuttling about on the ceiling, chasing the spiders out of their cozy corners and burning up the cobwebs that they had managed to weave during the night. Gilbert was sitting behind the counter, counting the earnings they made that day.

"He comes every morning," she grumbled, angrily sweeping the dust outside.

"Will you give it a rest, girl? I'm sure your boyfriend will come soon enough," Gilbert said, not stopping the counting.

"He is not my boyfriend and suggesting that is rude towards someone of such high stature. And what if something happened to him in the Monster Realm?"

"Didn't the party that went there yesterday already tell you that everything was alright? Leon was bragging about it the whole morning," Gilbert retorted.

"He did?" She looked at Gilbert in confusion.

The old baker finally lifted his head and looked at Melina. "Did you really not notice?"

"Admittedly, I've begun just to tune out what he's saying," she explained and tried to rack her brain. Thinking back, there certainly was a lot of chattering going on, but Melina had been so worried about Alistair that she hadn't noticed.

She had spent the whole morning in an odd sort of trance, letting guide her words and facial expressions. The skill had even ranked up, reaching Rank C. Melina felt a bit ashamed that she had reached such a high rank in such a short amount of time for a skill that was meant for lying.

"You…" Gilbert lifted his finger to object, then lowered it. "I honestly can't even fault you for that. But you should calm down regardless. I'm sure the noble brat will show up sooner or later."

Melina glared at him when he called Alistair a "noble brat" again, but the man had returned to counting the money. She was about to return to cleaning when she suddenly felt something in the air. It was hard to describe the feeling—it was like the slightest bit of mana was trickling towards her, trying to reach her.

Sienna reacted to it as well, stopping her pursuit of spiders and peering outside the window.

"You feel it too, Sienna?" Melina asked the wyrm, reaching her hand up towards her. The little monster jumped into her palm without hesitation and then channeled a bit of her mana into Melina.

"What's up with you two now?" Gilbert sighed.

A moment later a bright flash of light appeared before Melina and a scrunched-up piece of paper appeared from seemingly nowhere. But she was not surprised in the slightest, grabbing the paper without hesitation.

"Magic message?" Gilbert blinked in surprise.

"It's from Alistair," she nodded. Before the time rewind, they would communicate in this fashion all the time. It was a way of communication that could not be intercepted as the message would only materialize in front of the recipient. Melina hurriedly unfurled the paper and read it.

Heiliger is going to the bakery. Sorry, I couldn't stop her.

"Dammit!" Melina cursed, hurrying into the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" Gilbert asked, setting the money back inside the cash register and locking it.

"Bishop who has the skill is coming here! Master, we must flee," she said, throwing the mop into the cupboard and rushing back to the old man, ready to pull him along.

"Wait, wait. Flee? I'm not fleeing," he said stubbornly.

"Master, he'll realize that you're a System user from a single glance, just like you did when I arrived here. Whatever happens—she cannot see us," Melina urged him, gently pulling on his sleeve.

"Oh, calm down. Just go upstairs. I'll deal with this bishop," Gilbert said dismissively.

"But, Master—"

"Girl, go upstairs. Future memories or not, I've lived and experienced far more than you have. Do not think for a second that I don't know what I'm doing," he reprimanded her.

Melina was taken aback by his words but realized he was right. She had seen many things over the years, but that didn't mean she was omniscient.

"Don't you trust your old master?" He asked almost cheekily.

"I do!" She nodded. After all, if she hadn't, she wouldn't have told him about her past.

"Then trust me this time and head upstairs," Gilbert gently urged her. Melina looked at the man before her. Despite his frail body and age, there was incredible strength in his grey eyes. There weren't many people in whom she had seen such strength, so she decided to trust him and headed upstairs.

Barely a few minutes passed before she heard the bell of the bakery door chime. Her heartbeat increased and she sat down by the door of her room, hoping to listen in. But obviously, she couldn't hear as far as the shop. Sienna cocked her curiously, scratching at the bottom of the door to figure out what exactly Melina was doing.

Melina looked at the little wyrm for a moment and then remembered what Master Gilbert had told her about familiars. That it was possible to share senses with them.

"Sienna, do you think we could share senses too?" She whispered and mentally reached out to their bond. The wyrm seemed rather confused at first, sending mana her way instead. "No, not mana. Senses. Let me hear what you're hearing and see what you're seeing."

Melina gently brushed her hand against Sienna's warm scales and closed her eyes, trying to convey her message through their bond. Sienna responded by opening up to the bond, letting the mana flow freely between them.

"Let me help you," Melina said and concentrated the mana around Sienna. She had once done something similar before—trying to hijack the senses of a beetle in the Monster Realm. Unfortunately, it hadn't worked out very well—the way beetles perceive the world was vastly different from how humans do it. But perhaps, the wyrm's perception wouldn't be so different from human's.

For a minute or so, they both concentrated on strengthening their bond. Sometimes Sienna would recoil when Melina poked at the wrong parts of her consciousness. Other times, Melina would pull back herself, feeling that she had gone into the part of wyrm's mind where she shouldn't. But after some time they finally had accomplished it.

[New skill obtained: Familiar Senses – Rank F]

[Familiar Senses – Rank F: Allows you to perceive the world through the senses of your familiar.]

Melina hummed, satisfied by the new skill. The connection was still very weak, and Melina couldn't perceive the world too well through Sienna's eyes. However, she could hear through her familiar well enough.

"Go and check what is going on in the shop. But stay out of sight!" Melina instructed and quietly opened a small crack in her bedroom door—just enough for the wyrm to squeeze through.

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After that Melina closed her eyes and concentrated on maintaining the connection between them. It wasn't easy and the further Sienna went, the harder it was. Wyrm sneaked through the ceiling, using her superior grip to move, unaffected by gravity.

Sienna had made her way into the kitchen when he feared that the connection would snap entirely, but the wyrm must have sensed it too, stopping right by the entrance to the shop and reinforcing the connection from her side. Melina then heard Gilbert's voice through Sienna. It sounded distant and unclear, as she was submerged underwater. But she was able to make it out.

"I'm not sure what you want. We are just a small bakery," Gilbert said in a low grumble.

"Wouldn't it be best if you dropped the facade? I am well aware of your accomplishments, Holy Knight Gilbert," replied a sickly familiar voice. Melina nearly severed the connection then and there, but managed to hold back her panic.

No matter where I go, this woman keeps haunting me like a ghost whom I sent to the grave.

She was the one who chased her until the end before the time rewind, she was in Tuvia when Melina left the orphanage and now she had even made her way to Sunglow. Like a grim reaper always following her, chasing her.

She doesn't remember the time before the rewind does she? No way, she shouldn't. But Alistair does remember and I don't know why. I always assumed that I remember the past because I was the one to turn back time. But Alistair was long dead before the ritual took place. Not to mention, that he doesn't remember everything, only bits and snippets.

But why does he have ? What is the factor that made him remember? And who else could remember?

Melina's heart shuddered as she imagined what would Heiliger do if she remembered the time before the rewind. The woman was the only one who could actually stand against Melina when she was at the prime of her power as [Archmage]. But what would happen if there was nobody to contest that power this time around.

No, Melina. No matter how powerful Heiliger is, she is devoted to the Church. All I need to do is stay out of her sight and everything will be alright. Now, what I need to worry about now is Master Gilbert. Did she call him a Holy Knight?

Gilbert let out a snort. "Me? A Holy Knight? Do I look like one to you?"

"You certainly do not look like one now, but looks can be deceiving. Not to mention, that time does not spare anyone. Is it not your trustworthy nightmare Knight tucked away in those stables behind the house?" Heiliger said.

She even knows about Knight. Then again she could easily glean that information from the status screen so it doesn't prove anything. On the other hand, I always knew that Master Gilbert wasn't just a regular System user who decided to follow his passion. Nightmare familiar, knowledge about architects. If he used to be a Holy Knight then it would make perfect sense.

Holy Knights were the strongest defenders of the Church. System users who had undergone rigorous training and had made an oath to protect the members of the Church. It was also customary for them to possess powerful monsters that supported them in battle, making them especially strong.

"That is in the past. You surely do not intend to bring this old man back to the battlefield," Gilbert said. Melina was surprised that he admitted so readily.

"Oh, no, of course not. I didn't even come here today to meet you, as fascinating as the accomplishments of your youth might be," Heiliger replied, and Melina's heartbeat increased. There was a notable pause, as neither of them spoke. She could already imagine the cold expression on the old baker's face. "I came here to meet your apprentice."

"My apprentice? What do you want from that little pipsqueak?" Gilbert snorted.

"Pipsqueek? Are you not fond of her?"

"She's a decent enough learner but has absolutely no strength in those flimsy arms. One has to wonder what they feed children in the orphanages these days. If I remember correctly, then it is Church's job to make sure that every child is fed and dressed," Gilbert shot back.

"Orphanages often impose the motto "He who does not work, does not eat". Perhaps your apprentice wasn't very keen on following the directions of the owner," Heiliger suggested sweetly.

It was more like—he who doesn't work themselves to death doesn't eat. The tasks they give to children there are grueling. All the washing, cleaning, sewing and even cooking was done by children. Not to mention that they still have to complete their lessons successfully. There was hardly any time left for anything.

Technically the amount of food provided would have been normal if they didn't work the children so hard. It never felt like I had enough.

"She's been working hard since the first day of her arrival. The bakery has only improved due to her efforts," Gilber noted, and Melina felt happy to hear those words from him.

"Then the lesson in the orphanage must have sunk in very well," Heiliger retorted without pause. "Could I meet her?"

"No," Gilbert said without hesitation.

"No? Please, do explain why not."

"I don't see why I should let some stranger meet with my apprentice. She's a very timid girl—easily spooked. Working with customers is difficult enough for her without you coming to interrogate her."

"I didn't want to interrogate her. Merely chat."

"And what could a bishop from the Church could chat about with a baker's apprentice? In my opinion, you two should have nothing in common. Unless you want to purchase our pastries."

"Oh, but I've heard such interesting things about her around town," Heiliger said, clear determination in her voice. It felt like she would not leave until she met with Melina.

"What things?" Gilbert asked suspiciously.

"That she saved this town from a monster that nobody else could beat, made that monster into her pet, and can make healing pastries."

There was a moment of silence during which it felt like Melina's heart would burst open. She was ready to call Sienna back and flee into the forest.

Then she heard Gilbert laugh or at least what she thought sounded like him laughing—she's never witnessed it before. "Do you even hear yourself, Miss Bishop? A girl barely out of orphanage calming a beast that the Guild couldn't defeat? Making pastries that heal? Such a thing is impossible."

"It sounds impossible, but you can never know. Perhaps, there is a way to do it. After all, there must be some truth in those rumors."

"You mean the rumors spread by elves and the drow?"

There was an audible clicking noise as Heiliger let her calm exterior slip for a moment. "I still can't believe you allow such vermin in your town."

"I'm not the one who let them in."

"Very well. I see you are not in the mood to cooperate today. I shall come back some other time."

Melina heard the bell chime again as Heiliger left the bakery. She exhaled in relief and the connection between her and Sienna broke. It was disorienting at first, as if she had been shoved back into her body. Her own senses seemed too crisp and sharp until she finally got her bearings.

With Heiliger gone, Melina hurried downstairs to talk to Gilbert. The old baker hobbled out of the shop, looking rather tired from the conversation.

"Master, is everything alright? You don't look too well," she hurried to his side, ready to offer her hand to help him. But he shooed her away and sat down by the kitchen table.

"I'm fine. That woman was just incredibly annoying. Pass me a glass of water."

Melina hurriedly filled a glass with water and offered it to the old baker. He drank it slowly but downed the whole glass, and growled in displeasure afterwards. "I forgot how unpleasant it is to have someone poke around your status screen."

"Master…" She began slowly, unsure of how to best breach the topic. After a few moments of thought, Melina decided to go straight for it. There was no point beating around the bush when it came to Gilbert. "I heard the conversation you had."

"What? How?" He looked shocked for a moment, then sighed. "I honestly shouldn't be surprised. You seem to be able to do whatever is convenient at any given moment."

"I shared my senses with Sienna and had her come here," she explained, pointing at the wyrm who was still hanging out by the entrance ceiling. It appeared that the sense-sharing had tired Sienna a bit.

"Oh… Yes, that's actually not that surprising. I could do it rather early on with Knight as well."

"Was it alright to blame elves and drow?"

"Don't worry about them. The Church wouldn't even consider talking with them and even if they do, I'm sure they'll be able to twist out of the situation. Spreading rumors is not a crime after all."

Melina nodded, then said cautiously. "I also heard that you were a Holy Knight before."

Gilbert sighed. "I suppose you would have found that out sooner or later."

The old baker got up from the chair. "Come. It'll be easier to show you."

He hobbled upstairs and Melina followed. She expected him to lead her to his bedroom to retrieve an old diary or some trinket from his glory days. Instead, he stopped in front of the large double doors on the second floor. Even to this day, she had never seen what was inside it.

Gilbert retrieved a key from the inner pocket of his shirt and placed it into the door. He turned the key but didn't open it right away, instead turning to face Melina. "Whatever you see in this room, must remain hidden. Understood?"

Melina nodded, and Gilbert opened the door.