Installation of the Door

  Eric seemed a little flustered.

  He had been running very quickly, but there were no sounds from his footsteps. It was kind of impressive.

  “My dear. It is not very proper to run like that.”


  “Ah, uh, yes. I’m sorry, I forgot.”


  Eric said to Refi. Then he looked at me.

  “You said that you would visit today, and so I’ve been waiting all morning! You are very late.”


  “Sorry. I was buying materials.”


  “I-I see. That would be necessary. I suppose I should have had them prepared myself.”


  If Eric supplied them, it would stay in the records.

  But this was a secret passage, and it should be kept a secret.

  And so I believed that as someone not from the palace, it would be better for me to buy them.

  Just as I was telling Eric this, Refi grabbed Eric’s sleeve.

  “By the way. What is this?”


  “It’s a secret passage.”


  “And why is it here.”


  Eric explained it to her.

  He told her why my mansion and the royal palace were connected.

  We both thought that it was highly likely that it was used by the previous, previous king and his lover.

  “I see. Yes.”


  “And now you understand.”


  “But dear, why did you keep such an interesting thing away from me?”


  “No…I… How can I say this…”


  Eric stammered.

  Apparently, His Majesty was no match for Queen Refi.

  I decided to ignore them and begin the task of installing the door.

  We would be using the great mithril shield from the smithy.

  “Luchila, could you hold the other side?”


  “Like this?”


  “Yes, yes. Thank you. Shia. Pass me that tool.”


  “Understood.”


  Things went very smoothly as we carved away at the wall and put the great shield in place.

  I had also bought hinges for the door. And they were also made of mithril.

  I just needed to make some holes in the rock with magic and then we could install the shield.

  “Just screw this part in and we are finished.”


  “…Ruck. You were always very good with your hands.”


  “Ahhh…”


  I suddenly realized that Refi and Eric had come closer and were watching me intently.

  I wish they wouldn’t erase their presence and approach me like that. It surprised me.

  “Locke. Thank you.”


  “It’s not finished yet.”


  “But didn’t you just say that you were finished?”


  “No, I need to cast some spells on it now.”


  And so I cast spells of Hardening and Permanence.

  “I also want to lock it with magic… Who should I allow to unlock it?”


  “Refi and I. Also my daughters, if possible. Should I call them now?”


  “That won’t be necessary. I just need to make it so that it allows anyone of your bloodlines.”


  “You can do such a thing?”


  “Can you?”


  Eric and Luchila said with surprise.

  Luchila was also a Sorcerer. And so he knew how difficult such magic would be.

  “Most people wouldn’t, but I can.”


  “That’s amazing, Locke!”


  “Yes!”


  “Cluck!”


  “Groof-grooff!”


  “Wonderful!”


  “I expect no less.”


  They all said at once.

  “Now your embarrassing me.”


  “No, I do mean it!”


  “We-well, I will need to prepare. It will take some time, so please wait.”


  And so I went to work.

  “It really is advanced magic. You need time to prepare…”


  “Indeed.”


  “Cluck!”


  “It is very impressive.”


  “Groof.”


  “I am constantly amazed.”


  They continued behind me.

  Just then, Eric said as if suddenly remembering something,

  “Ah, that’s right. Locke, make it so that you can also unlock the door.”


  “…Are you sure?”


  “I would feel better if you did.”


  “Yes, I agree. It would put my mind at ease if you could come in case of an emergency.”


  Refi added.

  “I’m glad that you trust me so much, but…”


  “Besides, we will need your help if the vampires attack again!”


  “I see. That’s true.”


  And so I decided that I would also give myself the right to open the door.

  With that finalized, I returned to the work at hand.

  It wasn’t too difficult to add lock magic.

  It wasn’t too difficult to add simple unlocking requirements either.

  However, it was quite difficult to make it so that only specific people could open it.

  Even more so if you wanted to specify bloodlines.

  And it wouldn’t do if it was only one way.

  I would have to make it lock and unlock from both sides.

  However, being challenged by a difficult problem like this made your spirits soar as a Sorcerer.

  And so I was filled with excitement as I went about constructing the magic.

  As a fellow Sorcerer, Luchila’s eyes followed me intently.

  “Eric. Put your hand on the center here.”


  “Like this?”


  “Yes.”


  For a second, the magic circle on the door glowed.

  “Now you, Refi. If you will.”


  “Like this?”


  “The circle flashed again.

  And then I put my own hand on it, and it flashed.

  There were several other things do after that, and then it was all finished.

  “There it is.”


  “Ahh, Locke. Thank you! Can I open it?”


  It was currently locked.

  “Of course. Do you see the royal crest towards the bottom of the door? Just place your palm on it.”


  “That’s a very low place to put it.”


  “It would be inconvenient if the princesses couldn’t reach it.”


  “I see. Thank you for your consideration.”


  Eric placed his palm on the door. It shined with dim light, then the door opened with a click.

  “Ohh.”


  “It will lock automatically, so you can close it like any other door. If you want to open it from the other side, just put your palm on the door around this area.”


  There was no crest, but the magic was located in the same general spot.

  “This is very useful! Thank you, Locke!”


  “Ruck. Thank you.”


  The couple said with gratitude.

  After that, Refi tilted her head and said,

  “By the way, it’s been bothering me for a while… But why are you calling Ruck by the name Locke?”


  Apparently, Eric had not explained that to her.