Magpie Wizard Book 1: Epilogue (Patreon)

Art by RKS-Kogiro. 

Epilogue 

Nagoya, Japan

Sunday, May 22nd, 2050

For once, I was glad that Tachibana ran a dry tower. I was already sore enough without adding a hangover to the mix. We’d celebrated late into the night. By the time we had called it a night, I’d even started to forget my own umbrage at Tachibana’s grave insult. 

I ended up going to bed alone; Mariko and Rose had practically carried an exhausted Kiyo back to the girls’ dorm when we’d parted ways. Just as well, since I wasn’t much better off than Kiyo.

To my surprise, I didn’t wake up alone. Slim arms were wrapped around my pajama-clad torso. “Kiyo?” Sure enough, she’d broken into my room again and helped herself to my bed. “No wonder I was so warm,” I muttered. 

I went to steal some of my sheets back, but I hesitated when I saw the blissful smile on her sleeping face. I couldn’t bear to disturb her. Unfortunately, I had a pressing need, so I gently, oh so gently extricated myself from her embrace and tiptoed over to my bathroom. 

I came out again and sat down next to her. The foolish girl had no idea what she’d gotten herself into. I was the most dangerous thing in the tower, and she’d used me like a teddy bear. 

I sat there and watched her for a while. Her nightgown was as formless as the sweater she’d worn when I had first met her, and her bed head reminded me of her old, untamed mane. It was funny how despite her efforts, she was still a cute mess more than a month later. It fit. I hadn’t changed either. People don’t really change, you see. I’m proof of that. 

“Y’know, you’re allowed to do more than look. Boyfriend/girlfriend contract.” She didn’t move from her spot or open her eyes.

I started at that. “I thought you were still asleep.”

“Nah. I just let you pee. Seemed like the decent thing to do.”

“Fair enough.” I bent down and kissed her cheek. She hadn’t moved at all since I’d gotten up. “When did you get in here?”

“Midnight. I kept thinking about that fall.” She tucked herself in, moving a little more towards a fetal position. “I went out like a light as soon as you were there.”

I ran my fingers through her hair, playing with her bang. “Well, don’t make a habit of needing rescued. Mariko had a hard enough time with the one rib.”

She finally opened her eyes. “Alright, Magpie. I promise not to get paralyzed by a magic suit on the side of a mountain so you have to jump after me ever again.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m glad we resolved that. Now, my dear, I seem to recall the offer to do more than just look…” I let my hand trail down her throat, tracing her collarbone, letting it come to a rest on the first buttons of her pajamas.

“Finally!” She sat up straight and planted a passionate, hungry kiss on my lips. When she broke it off, she said, “For a lady’s man, you sure like to just talk…”

I interrupted her by tackling her to the bed. I held my position over her, letting her wonder at what my next move was. Anticipation is a powerful weapon. I lowered myself slowly, ever so slowly, until we were just… about… to…

My damned stomach growled loud enough that I’m sure they heard it in the next room.

“Well, that mood’s gone,” said Kiyo.

If the growl hadn’t been bad enough, those words stopped me in my tracks. For once, I felt embarrassed and broke off my approach. “Breakfast. Yes, breakfast. Capital idea. Plenty of time for fun once we’ve refueled.”

Kiyo shook her head. “I’d rather starve. Yesterday was rough, man. I don’t wanna leave this bed until, like, Tuesday.”

“You brought me breakfast in bed the other day. I’ll return the favor.” Honestly, I just wanted to leave the botched moment in my rearview mirror. I slipped on my uniform (while Kiyo watched, which did a lot to heal my pride) and darted out. 

I decided to splurge on the mall’s food court, rather than the questionable fare in the school cafeteria. I made my way to the elevator, which surprised me by stopping at the teachers’ quarters. Maggie Edwards, once again clad in her tight blouse and pencil skirt, stepped on. “Oh, Soren, what a happy coincidence. I’ve been meaning to talk to you about yesterday. That was quite the risk you took. You’re very daring.”

I waved her off. “You flatter me, ma’am. Like I said before, I owe it all to a better class of teacher.” 

“I’m not sure I believe that. Either way, I truly admire your bravery.”

“Please, I’d rather not be reminded of that leap I took. I got lucky I wasn’t hurt worse than I was.”

She shook her head. “Not that. I meant being so willing to break character. Soren Marlowe wasn’t the type of man to take risks.” 

My throat went dry as her delicate hand lashed out and hit the elevator’s stop button. Before I could reply, she’d spun around and I found myself facing down the business end of a glowing fabricata wand. The treacly, pleasant teacher was gone, replaced by the cold woman who’d ignored me on our first meeting. “Uh uh uh. Hands up. That’s a good boy. Now don’t move. This wand has Magic Bolt worked into it. I can decapitate you with a thought.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ms. Edwards.” I laughed nervously. “I was Soren Marlowe the last time I checked. This is an odd joke to make this early in the morning.”

“Don’t waste our time with lies. I’ve known you weren’t my Soren since the first day I met you.”

“You said you’d never met Soren before,” I said dumbly, tacitly admitting to my deception. 

“You’re not the only one who can play a part, you miscreant.” 

I gulped nervously, looking for a strategy. I was unarmed, naturally, and I’d never get a spell off before her wand could do its work. “I suppose the jig is up, then, but then, I don’t think you intend to turn me in.”

“Oh? Why not?” She had a very teacherly tone, as though she already knew the answer and simply wanted to make sure I’d learned the lesson. 

I shrugged. “Simple logic, really. If you were going to, you’d have done it the day we met. This meaning was pure chance.” 

“You really believe that?”

“I don’t see why I shouldn’t. You seemed truly surprised to meet me, and you wouldn’t try to arrest me by yourself. You clearly want to talk and seized the opportunity.” It also meant she didn’t know I was a devil. That was my one advantage. Whatever else she thought I was, it wasn’t nearly as dangerous as that.

She nodded. “Well, you were half right. I do want to talk. However, this wasn’t a coincidence. We have eyes, Mr. Marlowe. I knew as soon as you were in the public hallway. I was wondering how long you intended to sleep in, you lazy boy. You came home too late last night to do this meeting properly, and I’ve been waiting.”

I gulped at that. I really hoped they didn’t have cameras in the rooms. Then again, sneaking a girl in was a lesser crime than identity theft. “Alright, you’ve shown your hand. You want to talk? We can talk. Why haven’t you exposed me?”

“I’ll tell you what you need to know when you need to know it. We’re satisfied letting you know you’ve been made. I just thought I’d teach you some ground rules for your new existence. Rule one.” 

She holstered the wand. “You belong to me now, little Magpie. When I give an order, you will follow it. We’ll have a lot of work to do before we’re done.” I hated the mocking lilt she used for my nickname, but I let it slide. 

“Rule two. You will never raise a finger against me for any reason. If anything happens to me, documentation proving without a doubt that you aren’t Soren Marlowe will be emailed out to every staff member at the school and every law enforcement agency in the prefecture. And finally, rule three.” 

She slapped me hard enough that I staggered back. I reflexively made a fist, but a quickly drawn wand dissuaded me from returning the favor. “You will expect and accept any punishment I should choose to dish out at any time. You are not and will never be worthy of the name you’ve stolen. Before this is done, I will make you regret your choice of cover.”

“Trust me, Ms. Edwards, I already do.”

Her eyes burned with barely restrained rage. “Not enough. Never enough. Soren Marlowe was a good boy and I despise having someone like you sully his memory.” She angrily jabbed the button on the elevator and we resumed our trip. It was like a switch flipped, and the congenial Ms. Edwards returned, albeit still gripping her weapon. “Now, don’t let this ruin your day off. You did earn it. If you’d chickened out when I tried to put the fear of God into you and thrown the match, I’d have already turned you in. A coward won’t do my friends and I any good.”

“Might I ask who these friends are?”

“You don’t need to know that yet.”

“Then, might I ask what exactly you have in store for me?” I forced down my defiance. I was best off placating her until I could figure out her plans.

“That either. You’ll learn soon enough. For now, I’ll just let you twist in the wind.” The doors opened and she hurried out, her heels clacking on the hard floor as she went. I was too distraught to admire the sway of her hips as she disappeared from sight. Well, at least not much.

I trembled as my hand went to my stinging cheek. I’d been found out. Soren Marlowe had seemed like the perfect cover. Of all the damned luck! I thought back to Kiyo peacefully resting in my room, awaiting my return, and felt like I’d been banished all over again. She seemed as far away as Pandemonium. 

Who had I been kidding? She loved a Soren Marlowe who didn’t exist, and short of some extraordinary luck, she was going to find out. Not to mention Rose. She’d be devastated to learn her connection to home was a complete lie. The comfortable little life I’d built since arriving at the school was gone. The news just hadn’t gotten out yet. 

I was morose as I went about my errand. Being hungry wouldn’t do anything for my mood. I brought back a couple of trays of food from one of the convenience stores. I hesitated outside my door, not sure if I could face Kiyo. I eventually forced myself to open the door. 

Kiyo, despite her protestations, had gotten up and was sitting cross legged on my rolling chair. She was buried in her GoSato, eyes glazed over. To my shock, she looked up as I walked in. 

“Good job! I didn’t have to douse you this time,” I said with a laugh.

“I learned my lesson, you jerk.” Her smile belied her words. She put aside the GoSato. “What’s the matter?”

I supposed I couldn’t hide how shaken I was after my encounter with Maggie. “Well, I… I can’t really explain. I just feel out of sorts.”

Concern shone in her eyes. “Is there anything I can do?”

I furrowed my brow as I weighed my options. Was there anything she could do? Did I dare let her in on my secret? No. No, of course not. She would never understand, and I would be more doomed than I already was. 

However, who had ever really cared about me before? Nobody back home, certainly. All of a sudden, I felt unworthy in the face of that love. I didn’t deserve it, after all. It was a stupid thought, not becoming of a devil captain, but I felt it all the same. 

My resolve hardened. I wasn’t going to lose that feeling. It struck me just then how much she meant to me. I wanted to say the three little words she’d said to me so many times, but I couldn’t. They’re the Enemy’s trap for sensible men. They’d give her a power over me that I wasn’t ready to relinquish just yet.

There were ways to express myself without words, though. “There is one thing you can do.” I put the bag of takeout on my desk and I swept her off her feet in one smooth motion.

“Magpie, what the heck? I thought you were hungry!” Her face was bright red, but a grin split her face. 

“Life’s short. Eat dessert first.” Before she could respond, my lips were pressed against hers. 

Breakfast would go cold, but I can’t say I much cared right then. I knew what mattered to me, and I knew I wasn’t going to let Maggie Edwards snatch it from my grasp. 

END

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Well everyone, it's been a wild ride, but the first book of Magpie Wizard has been published in its entirety. Thanks for your patronage! Current plan is to resume on the 16th of February, and you'll have some more updates of other materials to keep you entertained in the meantime.