Chapter 21: Chapter Twenty-One – My New Home

After stopping by Eurycelia’s home to gather her personal items, we traveled to a place she referred to as the ‘old aristocratic district’. Apparently the idea of living next to the former residence of the Exiled Witch was too much for the rich and powerful. So they packed their things and had new homes built on the far side of the city.

Now the old estates were either owned by wealthy merchants or outright destroyed for smaller housing. Even with the newer developments the area still had an air of affluence.

The district was surrounded by a stone wall, nearly triple my height. I wasn’t sure how viable it was when most of the population could use magic, but it certainly looked nice. Whatever kind of gate once guarded the place had been long removed, which meant the wall was now ornamental at best.

Otrea’s manor sat at the heart of the district. Surrounded by a chest-high obsidian wall the manor sat at the center of a large swath of land. I couldn’t help but gawk in amazement at the neatly tended lawn, and the vibrant flowerbeds.

“How long ago was Otrea exiled?”

“A little over two centuries ago I believe.”

“How is this place still… so pretty?”

“Magic.” Eurycelia replied, opening the iron-bar gate in the obsidian wall.

Magic… really can do everything huh?

“If she was only exiled two centuries ago, that means you lived here before right Kyra?”

“Yes, Master.” Kyra smiled. “I will be happy to see my former bedroom again. I left some things behind because I did not believe Master Otrea truly intended to abide by her exile. Also, I’m sure that Adelita will be happy to reclaim her favorite stuffed animal.”

Eurycelia was the first to step fully onto the manor’s grounds. On her shoulder sat the little blue spider Otrea had given us. The spider glowed brightly for a moment before dulling, whatever magic it needed to work completed without a sound.

“Well do you have enough time to give us a tour Kyra? You’re the only one who’s been here before.”

“Yes Master,” Kyra replied taking the lead. “Would you like a tour of the manor grounds first? Or would you prefer we stuck to the inside for now?”

“Let's stick to inside the manor. It’ll be nice to put our things away before we go too crazy.”

“Understood.” Kyra made her way to the manor door and held it open for Eurycelia and me to enter. “The manor has four levels above ground and two below. The first of the two basement floors houses an enchanted hot spring bath. The first floor has the library, dining hall, as well as a smaller sitting room for more intimate gatherings.”

“Wow."

“Everything else on the floor is facilities for your servants. Kitchens to prepare food for you, areas to tend to your laundry, etcetera.”

“Can you cook Eurycelia?” I asked raising my eyebrow at the councilwoman.

“How hard could it be,” Eurycelia huffed. “Put food over fire, remove it when it smells good.”

Not to self, don’t ask the councilwoman to cook.

“What about you Kyra?”

“I’m told that being unable to taste food during cooking is a critical handicap.” Kyra smiled wryly at me. “Master Otrea’s treasury should still be in the second basement level. Perhaps when you speak to her next you could ask to use some of it to hire attendants.”

“Would they even be willing to come here? Given the manor’s reputation I can’t imagine anyone would take the job.”

“Offer enough gold and people’s wariness will give way to greed,” Eurycelia noted.

“Should we continue the tour?” Kyra asked pointing to an extremely ornate staircase.

“Sure.”

“Wonderful. The second floor contains bedrooms for your lovers, and favored attendants. There are bathing facilities on either side of the floor, as well as three offices for attendants to do clerical work for you.”

“You know, I really have to ask. Is polygamy common? Or is Lady Otrea just weird?”

“Polygamy?” Eurycelia parroted tilting her head at me.

“Having more than one romantic partner.”

“Oh yeah, love as many people as you can.” Eurycelia giggled. “You’re rather attractive Lady Bernice I’m sure you’ll have several wives and husbands once you get yourself out there.”

“I really only want wives,” I blushed. “Do you have any of your own Eurycelia?”

“No,” Eurycelia frowned before slapping her cheeks to psyche herself up. “But I’m still young! I’ve got another seven centuries of life ahead of me, I’ll find someone who wants me. I just know it!”

“Of course you will, you’re a cutie.”

Turning bright red Eurycelia squeaked before turning away from me to hide her face.

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“Eurycelia should move into one of the three bedrooms at the left end of the hall.” Kyra said pointing.

“Why’s that?”

“The beds are more comfortable. You’ll appreciate it when the two of you spend a night together.”

My cheeks grew hot as Kyra smiled devilishly at me. Poor Eurycelia nearly collapsed, a thin trail of blood present just below her nose.

She doesn’t look too opposed to the suggestion. 

Once she’d recovered Eurycelia placed her things in one of the indicated bedrooms and we made our way to the third floor.

“The third floor housed what was once Master Otrea’s bedroom, now yours. A private office is attached, as well as your own bathing facilities. Additionally, you’ll find a Sorcery lab on this floor. It should still have everything you need to set up any rituals you wish to perform. There should be materials for alchemy in the lab as well.”

My new bedroom looked like what I would’ve expected a presidential suite at a classy five-star hotel to be. The bed looked large enough that eight people could sleep on it. On both sides of the bed were ornate side tables with artistic magical lamps atop them.

The room also housed a massive vanity, a pair of dressers, and a writing desk with a small bookshelf. The attached bathroom looked very similar to the one Otrea had in the caverns. A massive steaming bath of clean water with an adjacent dressing room.

Even knowing that magic kept the manor in pristine condition my mind struggled to handle it all. The bath looked freshly drawn. The bedding was properly aired and there wasn’t a hint of dust anywhere.

“Is the magic keeping this place so clean, normal?”

“Otrea might be the only person capable of it, who was also willing to waste the necessary time to make it happen. Even the castle is cleaned though manual effort.”

“Really? There aren’t any spells to help with cleaning?”

“Of course there are, but they’re not perpetual. You have to be there physically and cast them in each room you wish to clean.”

“So when you say manual effort, you mean walking into a room and casting a spell?”

“Yeah?” Eurycelia cocked an eyebrow at me. “What did you think when I said manual effort?”

“You know… getting down on your hands and knees, cleaning things with a cloth, or a broom.”

“Ah, yeah nobody has time for that. Only an invalid or magically-limited individual would utilize such methods for cleaning. Simple cleaning spells are taught in school after all.”

I wish I had those spells when I was forced to stay late and deep clean the cafe.

“Can you teach me those spells?”

“Of course. I’ll make sure you at least have the basic education we provide children in our world, so you do not embarrass yourself.”

“Thanks. I had Harriette teaching me magic in the caverns, but she stuck to fire spells. So that’s all I know.”

“She’s a former noble.” Eurycelia shrugged. “She may not even know cleaning magic, nobles have servants for that after all. Her education was probably based more around divination and war magic. That’s the only thing Scaleborn nobles care for after all.”

“What about Ciriczar nobles?”

“Not too different, though the kingdom does have a sponsored education for children of all backgrounds. Though if they rely exclusively on private tutors I guess their knowledge might be limited.”

“Is necromancy part of the basic education?” I asked laying down on the bed. I’d been meaning to ask about it ever since I saw that I’d gained the skill. This was as good a time as any.

“It isn’t,” Eurycelia replied opening up my bag and fishing out a sweater. “You should change into sleepwear before you sleep Lady Bernice.”

“I wasn’t planning to sleep. Just wanted to get off my feet. Could one of your tell me more about necromancy?” I cast a glance to Kyra who was standing quietly in the corner of the room watching us.

“It is magic that manipulates the forces of life and death.” Eurycelia replied. “Closely related to healing magic, Necromancy can disease and harm the living. While utilizing the dead as puppets that move according to the caster’s will. A tier of ten in necromancy is required at minimum to even attempt the Ritual of Unlife, which creates permanent undead. Of course you need a Dragon Crystal for that, which is why even masters of the craft rarely have more than a couple undead attendants.”

“Dragon Crystals are rare gems which absorb spiritual energy from the world itself,” Kira said, continuing where Eurycelia left off. “The crystal is basically like a surrogate soul. Without it I would cease to exist. Just like you would’ve ceased to exist if your soul didn’t return to your body after the Ritual of Transference.”

“If you were to learn necromancy your magic could empower Kyra, make her stronger and faster than she already is.”

“Can you teach me?”

“It isn’t really my specialty. Though if you want to learn, I know someone who can teach you.”