Awaking to the sound of mechanical trotting, Theodore found himself on a bed within a small, almost claustrophobic room. Taking a moment to remember where he was, Theodore slowly sat up on his bed, his body swaying along with the constant shaking.

As the sun had barely just begun to rise, the room was poorly lit. Reaching for the small desk next to his bed, his hands laid upon a cylindrical object placed atop. Picking it up, he twisted the top of the cylinder, shifting the blinds to the side, releasing a bright light held within. The cylinder was a container of brightstones, a lamp provided to the passengers on the train.

Under the light of the lamp, Theodore reviewed the notes he had taken these, written in shakily scribbled words, each recounting the lectures Annaliese had given him these past three days. As he had maintained that he possessed only vague recollection of his past life, he needed to be careful in revealing information that he, a ten-year-old child who grew up in the countryside, should not have known. As for his skills with magic, he too had prepared an explanation of a sort.

The subject of Annaliese's lecture tended to be basic knowledge of magic with the occasional mix of history and myths. However, at the same time, Theodore, possessing the memories of the Demon Lord, could tell that she would sometimes leave a few holes here and there. This was likely to trap him. If he were able to fill those informational holes without being taught about them, it would show that he knew more than he let on. He had to be wary of these pitfalls as well.

(Blasted mages...)

Inadvertently, Theodore cursed venomously in his head, the memories of the Demon Lord's encounters with the mages of the Mage Tower suddenly surfaced without warning. Apparently, the previous Demon Lord held a bitter hatred against them for being a constant thorn in his side with their trickery.

By the time he had gone through the notes, the sun had arisen from the horizon. As he placed the notes down, a knock came upon the door to his tiny room.

"We'll be disembarking soon. If you want breakfast, now would be the best time."

It was Annaliese, and from the way she spoke, she knew that he was already awake.

Taking a minute to stretch his body, Theodore opened the door and left his room. Entering a hallway barely enough for two people to pass by one another, Theodore spotted Annaliese, waiting for him outside.

"Let's go," she said curtly as she led the way to the dining car.

***

As always, even though she sat down at the table, Annaliese ordered nothing. It was apparent that she had no intention of eating. She was merely there to keep an eye on Theodore. Due to her apparel, her presence was one that attracted a great amount of attention from those around her.

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"Isn't it a pain?" asked Theodore, it was a question that had haunted him for some time now. "Keeping a mask on your face all the time, I mean."

"It's not comfortable and it gets stuffy when it's hot," Annaliese answered straightforwardly. "Still, it can't be helped."

"What can't be helped?"

"Who knows? It's a secret."

"Of course it is."

Theodore wasn't sure what he was expecting when asking a masked person about themselves. Every part of her was covered by her mask and thick robes, even her hands were concealed by a pair of gloves. At this point, he'd sooner recognize a bundle of robes as Annaliese than whoever was behind that mask. As far as he knew, Annaliese might very well be a bundle of living clothes.

In the midst of their conversation, breakfast was served. The food served here had a sophisticated flavor, nothing at all like what he had eaten in Eastcliff. The people around as well were wearing clothes unlike those back home. Suits, hats, and ties, as well as fanciful dresses seemed to be the norm here. Riding on this train made Theodore realize how backwatered Eastcliff was. Compare to the people around them, Annaliese and he stuck out like sore thumbs.

"Something the matter?" Annaliese asked after noticing how Theodore was looking around absentmindedly.

"I'm just thinking of how much you're sticking out with that getup of yours."

"I'm a mage. It is only natural that I stick out."

"What do you mean?"

"It is the law for mages to wear some kind of uniform when out and about."

"Is the mask part of the uniform?"

"No, the mask is a different matter."

"Does that mean I have to wear your tacky robes once I enroll?"

"Yes. Yes, you do."

For a moment there, Annaliese sounded somewhat offended.

"Why such a law?" asked Theodore, though he had some inkling as to why.

"Because we mages are powerful. We can kill without leaving a trace if we so wished, blight others with diseases with but a touch even. As such, we are meant to stick out, not unlike the bright colors of venomous beasts."

At that moment, Theodore understood the meaning of the gazes they'd been getting. It wasn't simply because Annaliese was dressed strangely, but because she was a mage. The others were wary of her.

Soon, breakfast was served. Having heard the story from Annaliese, Theodore noted the tension within the waitress' movement as she placed the plates down on their table. That being said, she still did her job and left without making a fuss.

It used to be different, the dynamic of mages and the common people, that is. Those with the capacity for magic were revered and honored, for their powers were great and served as one of the pillars that held up the empire. Those who managed to become a mage certified by the Circle of Mages were held in high esteem and many were invited to serve as court magicians.

That was a little over ten years ago. These days, they were feared and even reviled. Ever since the late Demon Lord made the empire believe that the mages planned to overthrow their rule and establish a new order with the mages at the top of the hierarchy, the attitude of the populace towards the mages had changed.

It wasn't difficult to change the views of the public. Amongst those with powers, it was only natural that there were at least a few that would abuse it. For the mages, it was more than just a few. Though the empire had covered for them due to their usefulness, once the Demon Lord made them turn against the mages, such corruptions were revealed one by one to the public, damaging the reputation of the mages heavily.

(To think that the ploy from so many years ago had returned to haunt me.)

Of course, Theodore was prepared to an extent. And even with all the problems that came with it, it was still better than being taken by the Paladins of Eustia.

Sometime after finishing breakfast, Annaliese and Theodore at long last arrived at Nix, the capital of the Nixian Empire.

The journey that was neither long nor short was about to come to an end.

***

End of Chapter 19

***