Work Text:
High Spirits were long-lived, making contracts with humans who were blessed with high amounts of Mana that were able to summon them and thus consider them worthy to be their masters. Wildianu was the same, the names of many in his mind but a few stand out for him. Queen Irene was one he holds dear, beauty incomparable and kindness that touches one heart.
Tragedy was upon her the moment her son was born, an early death as she brought to the world the kindest boy he’s ever met with the most loyal friend by his side. Bringing his promise for his former master he awaited the day he would become the master of his son but what brought him to the world was a truth that burnt to ashes. Meeting the eyes of the servant instead that we’re despondent of passion for anything except his goal to have the duke meet his end to make sure the name Felix Ark Ridill would be known to be a hero throughout history.
Currently resting upon the breast pocket of the supposedly “Felix”, sensing the boy rush to his room after the talk he had with his idol and the shaman. He closes the door in quick succession, seemingly gathering the information in his head and wrapping around what he just learned.
Will quickly jumps out and changes into his human form, wondering what his master Ike was going through. The boy locks the door and looks upon will with a face flushed with excitement, probably more than the spirit has ever seen these past few years.
“The silent witch, She’s in Serendia Academy! She’s been with us this whole time!” Will simply takes out a wry smile at the sight of his master’s joy evidently upon the way he rushed to clutch the papers he holds dearly of the Silent Witch’s work and a smile ever so wide it might hurt his face.
“She’s closer than I realized, has she been observing the student council? Has she hopefully never seen me blunder? This trip was all worth it” Will sees his master seemingly in a daydream of admiring the Silent Witch, his idol of mage craft for a long time, the person that has kept him going for these years. It was a wonderful sight to see after all the chaos of the encounter of the cursed dragon these past few days.
“With the things she mentioned master, she might be a student than staff, she seems to be privy to the happenings with the student council” At the sound of Will’s voice, Isaac snaps from his reverie and considers his information. “That will be harder to find if she was student, we’d have to go through the female student body and it would take a week at most Will” Serious sea green eyes flicker in sudden motivation of his new goal to search for the silent witch
“With the injury of the Silent Witch’s left hand master, it would narrow it down nonetheless, and maybe even suggesting to ask the student council for help would work”
His master perks up at those words “You’re right Will! With the graduation ceremony still months away, the council won’t be doing much work in the meantime, I suppose asking them to do a week-long search party would be good.”
“Then we should consider the information we have in hand” For a high contract spirit, Will wasn’t as good in offensive or movement spells and abilities, opting for illusions and distractions instead, stealth and collecting information from his surroundings and with his form being a lizard was easy.
Laying down with what they have, the Silent Witch herself is small in stature, meek and seemingly avoidant of people from what it seems. Isaac takes down all in note to have these instructions for the student council soon. Will, observing with what they have, his mind suddenly has the idea of who this person could be, matching the description and personality, though his master might deem it far from the truth, it was worth the suggestion.
“Master, don’t you think the Silent Witch is Monica Norton?”
Isaac freezes slightly at Will’s idea, but for the spirit it wasn’t unreasonable, he’s even seen the same green eyes both the treasurer and the silent witch possess, what few strands of hair that can be noticed being the same color with only the voice being different.
“What a funny thing to mention Will, Monica doesn’t study mage craft from the start” He chuckles at that thought but for Will, it seems to be in a tone of denial. But the more Will thinks about it, the two seemingly matched too well to be different.
“Wasn’t it mentioned in the practical magic club master, that people who were talented in the area of Mathematics were the most suitable for mage craft, quick thinking of formulae seems to
be the match between these two people.”
“Monica herself doesn’t seem to be too interested in magic, and besides she most likely isn’t allowed to by the family she was taken into, I do hope to talk to Count Kerbeck soon in hopefully alleviating Monica’s living quarters.”
Will can see the quick reasons his master seems to back at the idea of the two people he is very interested in to be the same person. It may be because of his blinded admiration for the silent witch, but Will thinks it would benefit his master more if they were the same person. To realize the person closest to him is his admired idol would be a better situation, no?
“Finally being able to see her up close someday…” His master trails off going through his papers that were recently approved by the Silent Witch, back into his long thoughts in mage craft and ideas he’s stored. Will finds it odd but with his master back with starry eyes and flushed cheeks learning about the Silent Witch being at the academy, he’ll live him with his whimsy for now.
With the minutes turned into hours in the Hyatt Manor, his master’s mood significantly on the great side for the night, he wanted to have one more chat with his idol about his paper before heading to retire and sleep. Resting at his pocket again, Will can feel the slightly quick pace of Ike’s heartbeat, excitement and anticipation perhaps? Only such happenings was when he had time to read about Magic and the moment he first laid eyes on chant less magic on that cliffside.
As Isaac approaches the room, Will hears his steps slowing down as voices can be heard getting closer. His master stops by the door of the Silent Witch’s room listening intently to what was being heard. The spirit slips out a little from the pocket and hears the sound of a familiar girl and the voice of the Black Dragon.
“Monica! Snap out of it!”
“NEROOOO, I’M DOOMED I’M DOOMED!” incomprehensible sobbing comes out next when the black dragon tries to reassure the mage it’ll all be alright and something about feeling the sensation of paws.
But his Master’s heartbeat fastens, seemingly frozen on the spot and eyes wide upon what he heard. Probably shaken by the familiarity of the sound of the girl coming from the room.
Proving Wildianu’s theory that the Silent Witch was indeed Monica Norton herself, the treasurer of the student council of Serendia Academy.
The papers in his hand almost slip in Ike’s grasp until his shock was gone by his footsteps seemingly being heard and all he does is walks quickly back to his room, Will immediately going back inside the pocket to not fall off. He hasn’t remembered his master shook to the core like this, not until all the atrocities being done to him, the Duke turning his perspective all jaded and not batting an eye at people being hurt or killed. This little discovery seems to have him trying to catch his breath as he locks the door the moment he steps in and his back against it.
Wildianu assumes his human form trying to see what can be done in this situation as his master was distraught. “Master, isn’t this the best conclusion? That the silent witch was someone dear to you all this time?” Isaac simply covers his face with his hands and somewhat sighs
“I called her a little squirrel…”
“Come again Master?”
“..Saying all those things to her, being night delinquents, taking her to a brothel…” Will now sees what his master’s distraught was all along
Embarrassment and flustered with ears tinged red as his hands covered his crimson face. The supposedly 2nd Prince of Ridill was dying of the realization of all the things he’s done towards Monica Norton for the past six months that came crawling back to him in the form of embarrassment.
“...I’ll never be able to make it up to her…” Will slightly chuckles at the amusing sight of his master for the whole night being flustered to the core of his heart.
Though his Master didn’t have the time to process everything by the next day. One of the servants was suspected to be the person causing the chaos with the cursed dragon seemingly disappearing when the Silent Witch confronted him, it was then another case of a busy day confronting all the other nobles and reassuring them everything was fine. Everyone cheered that the Silent Witch and the 2nd Prince were heroes for this whole trip.
Though for the spirit noticing what is seen, Will could see two people trying to avoid each other till the trip ends, the “Prince” Felix making himself busy with business ventures and alliances being made and the silent mage herself usually in the corner hidden away or in her room, using the excuse of recovering her left hand from the incident.
What a predicament these two humans were, one was worrying of being found out and the other didn’t know how to face his idol. In a long standing line where not a confrontation happened till they all went back in their separate ways.
Isaac was bombarded with things to do left and right after the Cursed Dragon incident, visiting the Palace and helping a hand with preparing for the Annual New Year Ceremony alongside the 1st and 3rd prince. Never ending tasks to do and things to entertain, it was hectic to say the least as from what Will observes.
It was the night before the New Year’s ceremony, his master was looking upon some papers one last time and sighed, Will by his side served some tea in hopes to ease his worries and hopefully is able to catch some sleep later on.
“The sages are all going to be present tomorrow, this is quite the predicament” Ike sips on the tea at the side, relishing in the calming taste of chamomile for the evening.
“Wouldn’t confronting the silent mage be an inevitable outcome then? A moment to finally address that you’ve found her out?”
“Knowing her, I have a feeling she’ll find ways to avoid me for the whole event.” Isaac chuckles at that thought and a small smile reaches his tired face. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to face her myself either…” Putting down the tea cup, he slumps on the chair he’s sitting upon and looks at the ceiling.
“She’s never been fascinated by my looks or my sweet words, having all her attention to the numbers that appear before her instead. Wouldn’t she be more disappointed that the kind and caring prince does nightly escapades at night to who knows where?”
The spirit thinks of sometimes how complicated humans can be with their emotions and their handle of magecraft, but from what he sees between the two it seemingly just a matter of communication. There is the whole secret of his master being not a prince and body double but that's another thing they’ll have to think of how to handle with his master unable to think about talking to his idol again.
“Wouldn’t that be irrelevant Master? The nightly adventure you had with her, showering her gifts of a book she seems to love and necklace to remember by. Pointing out how she seems to enjoy seeing you smile truly, talking about her papers despite being nervous of being found out…” At the aforementioned nightly rendezvous, Isaac goes back to diving his head in his arms on the table, ears tinged in red again remembering all the things he said about his enjoyment of reading Monica’s papers and detailing everything.
“Please don’t make me remember it on how I’ve talked her ears out remembering every detail in her papers, I feel like I’d rather bury myself 6 feet underground at the thought of her thinking I’m a silly fan”
“If I might speak up Master-” Will picks up the tea to refill it with the teapot he gets from somewhere “-She sees Ike and not the prince, the boy who loves mage craft and looks at the start remembering his best friend and not the disciplined well-mannered kind royal” Ike’s head shift to look up at Will putting down the tea cup now newly filled with the sweet-smelling chamomile.
“Miss Monica is smarter than she seems, most likely she’s figured out that the 2nd prince isn’t what he seems to be. Nevertheless, she cherishes her friends, the people she is with and who has encouraged her throughout her life in Serendia Academy.” Will may not understand but he knows what he sees, and from many moments seeing the meek Treasurer become less clumsy, more open and braver each day, it isn’t hard to see how far she has come.
“Those people include you Master, especially her nightly delinquent Ike”
All he received was a much tired sigh as the blonde boy consumed the tea for the night, thanked the spirit and proceeded to go to bed.
What a stubborn boy.
The New year ceremony was busy, barely any time for his Master to be able to have time for himself. Will hasn’t seen his master move back and forth so much in a room for just a few hours but it was possible.
“Lady Everett" Though his Master found one moment, where he can be alone with the Silent Witch, insisting in taking her to the Jade Chamber herself after the trick the Abyss Shaman did with her left hand and caused worry to the people who saw. The acting prince quickly becomes persistent in taking her himself to rest as his chance to finally talk to her.
By the door of the Jade Chamber the Silent Witch looks down, refuses to look the 2nd Prince in the eyes, clutching her staff in anxiety. Felix takes a step forward and she instinctively steps back, worried she might fear him more he stops.
“Monica Norton” She flinches with a small sound like a shriek coming from her at the sound of her name, the spirit believes the girl is panicking now at the prince finding out who she is all this time.
“I hope you aren’t…disappointed at me”
“H-Huh?”
“It must’ve been silly hearing how much I was mentioning how I have read all your papers I can have, detailing them with much fervor that it must be annoying to hear knowing how you hate people.”
“N-No your Highness-”
“But I am relieved” The mage raises her head slightly, trying to peak at the face of the prince
“Knowing the Silent Witch and Monica Norton are the same people, it somehow puts me at ease. The person I’ve looked up to much is an amazing girl with a kind heart and quite the smartest person I’ve met” Will sees the mage’s head look up to fully see the Prince’s face, a blush across his cheeks and smile that was gentle.
“I dont- don’t really think I deserve to be your friend after…” Her lips quiver “...after lying to you all this time”
“I could understand your position, especially if it was orders from the King, I can’t have the heart to blame you.” Her fingers clutch the staff like a lifeline and surprisingly the Prince himself has his hands together, somewhat nervous himself.
Huh, that's not something he does, the spirit thinks.
“But I hope I still can be your friend, someone you can rely on…” A moment he steps closer the girl flinches but she doesn’t step back
“If not a friend then a ghost, a ghost that can spend the night with you” He says this with green eyes that looked expectantly, hoping that he can still stand next not only to his admired idol but also his friend.
The Spirit knows that it's a thin line at this moment, but it seems his master wasn’t aware how that line of friendship and admiration was tilting on the side of something else.
“Ike-”
“Your fellow night delinquent Ike” He takes out a soft smile as he hears him call Ike, his nickname, Isaac probably all giddy at the sound of it.
“I look forwaph-!” Quickly biting her tongue as she looks like she was gonna sob the moment she did that Isaac hides a chuckle behind his hand as his shoulders shake.
“I look forward to seeing more of- reading more of your papers, Ike” Isaac has never felt his heart be so full after those many years, looking at the meek girl in front of him say those words has him breathless for a second.
Will shakes his head at the scene before him, his master was already deep into it indeed, he crawls away across the wall at the sound of footsteps approaching. Looking at the servant nearing the pair to the jade chamber, remembering that person to be a servant of the Duke Clockford.
What a conundrum to interrupt them.
“Your Highness, here’s the papers for this week” Treasurer Norton puts it beside a stack of paper on the table of the Student Council President and Felix gives her a smile “Thank you Miss Norton, I see the club leaders didn’t give you a hassle today?”
“O-Oh! Lady Bridgette was there with-with me on all the times I had to go check” Monica rubs her left arm at the slight tinge of pain she felt but it was nothing to worry from what she thinks.
“Monica, do you have anything to do after this?”
“H-Huh? Well…I was going to head to get the next accounting forms-”
“For today that will be enough, I’ll have you come with me right now” The prince stands up from his chair which causes the girl to spiral in her thinking. Felix holds out his hand for her and she takes it, then she realizes she’s gonna be dragged somewhere by the prince and squeals in fear
“W-Wait your highness-!! Where will-”
“The Infirmary” He smiles but it caused more anxiety as she sees a glance of mischief behind it
“But your work-
“I am more concern of our greatest seven sages still hurting until now”
“BUT I’M OKAYYY-”
“It won’t be a while oh great silent witch”
“P-Please don’t call me that…” She whispers in a cry, the usual Monica noises you hear from the girl simply amusing the blonde prince.
Wildianu sees his Master Isaac drag away the Silent Witch to the infirmary despite all her pleas and cries, quite the opposite of being discreet and secretive of knowing the identity of the girl.
He’ll have to cover up for him again for his actions, another tiring day of pretending to be the prince as he crawls to the student council room.