William shook his head with a wry smile.
If it had been something else, like the bat-shaped badge Malora had stolen before, he would not have cared much.
But these rune sketches were meant for Marwyn’s research.
He had no intention of leaving the notebook behind because of a missing page.
As he pondered how to get the sheet back, he walked toward Malora.
Sensing his gaze, she looked up.
An unsettling light flickered in her eyes.
Holding the page between both hands, she slowly crossed her wrists and flipped it around so the rune-covered side faced William.
“The Magic Knight.” Malora let out a low, amused chuckle.
“Even a beast that lives among men will eventually remember its fangs and claws.” That sounds like it means something… William coughed lightly.
“This is homework assigned by Archmaester Marwyn.
I’m actually on my way to return it.” The second half was completely true, making the lie remarkably easy to tell.
“The moment a fragile balance is broken, raging power will tear everything apart!” Malora suddenly threw her arms wide like a hunting beast.
Her voice became shrill and sharp.
“What you’re doing is terrifying!” At least she didn’t tear the paper in half.
William glanced at the rune sheet waving in her hand and shrugged.
“I’m sorry, my lady, but I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.
As I said, it’s homework.” Malora broke into another fit of laughter.
“Marwyn would never create runes like these.
He’s just a watchdog.
He only needs to keep the sheep inside the pen.” The comment immediately caught William’s attention.
She seemed to know something about runes, and at the moment, runes were precisely the area where his knowledge was weakest.
The more opinions he gathered, the less dependent he would be on Marwyn’s interpretation alone.
The problem was that dealing with Malora was never simple.
After a moment’s thought, William opened his satchel.
He pulled out all the rune sketches and offered them to her.
“Don’t believe me?
Look.
I drew plenty more.” To his surprise, Malora reacted as if she had been startled.
She abruptly took half a step backward.
“You…” “What’s inside that bag?” Can she sense what’s inside the box?
That shouldn’t be possible.
Even I can’t feel anything through the container.
Without changing expression, William closed the satchel.
“Nothing special.
Books.
Notes.
That sort of thing.” Suddenly Malora lunged toward the rune pages.
William instinctively withdrew them and stepped back.
His eyes narrowed.
Missing her grab, Malora burst into delighted laughter, as though the failed attempt itself amused her.
After a moment’s hesitation, William handed over the papers anyway.
Marwyn had already examined them.
One more set of eyes could hardly hurt.
The laughter stopped.
Malora stared blankly at the sheets.
She did not move.
For so long that William began feeling awkward.
Then, without warning, she snatched them from his hand.
This time he did not retreat.
Taking the sketches, Malora walked to the stone railing.
The broad waist-high ledge made a convenient desk.
One by one, she spread the pages across its surface.
Then she began rearranging them, moving one, shifting another, adjusting their order.
William watched for a while before pulling out the original notebook for comparison.
The moment he checked, his eyes widened.
The sequence she created matched almost perfectly with the order in which the runes appeared throughout the notebook.
She really understands this!
Maybe I won’t need Marwyn after all.
The thought had barely crossed his mind when Malora suddenly spun around and lunged for the notebook itself.
Urgency blazed in her eyes.
Do I let her have it?
Or not?
The question flashed through William’s mind.
Did Marwyn recognize these runes?
William believed he did.
At least partially.
Yet the archmaester had chosen not to say so directly.
Instead, he seemed to be waiting for William to reveal something first.
William’s doubts about Marwyn ran deep.
If the Citadel truly possessed the influence to orchestrate the extinction of dragons, then why would it tolerate someone like Marwyn within its highest ranks?
Was Marwyn’s study of magic merely another form of surveillance?
A way to understand enemies rather than embrace them?
After all, a watchdog was still a dog.
Its loyalty belonged to the flock, not to other predators.
Then William thought of Qyburn.
Years ago, he had often encountered the former maester during visits to Marwyn’s chambers.
Qyburn had seemed gentle and grandfatherly.
A kind old scholar.
No scandals.
No visible warning signs.
Yet he had eventually fallen in disgrace.
If a man as intelligent and cautious as Qyburn could be exposed, then perhaps appearances meant very little.
Was Marwyn’s reputation as an outsider genuine?
Or was it simply another mask?
A lure for those who dabbled in forbidden knowledge?
Despite the bizarre attack inside the Black Stone, Malora and even Lord Leyton Hightower could potentially be allies where magic was concerned.
For now they avoided any public association with sorcery.
Yet once dragons returned to the world, neither of them would hesitate to embrace rumors of magical research within the Hightower.
Their position seemed obvious enough.
Only the mysterious entity behind Malora continued to trouble him.
A sudden thought flashed through his mind.
That presence tried to enter my consciousness.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean it wanted to harm me.
Maybe it was trying to communicate.
“Whoosh.” Malora seized the notebook.
Turning away, she hurried several steps before stopping.
Then she opened it and began reading with intense concentration.
Uneasy, William followed.
Not too closely.
Just close enough to prevent her from suddenly running off with the book.
As he approached, he noticed something strange.
Malora was staring at the notebook in complete silence.
And for the first time in his life, William sensed peace radiating from her.
Possessed again?
Alarm shot through him.
He focused on the magical currents surrounding her.
Nothing unusual.
No foreign fluctuation.
No overwhelming pressure.
No.
This is still Malora.
Then what is happening?
Multiple personalities?
Suddenly she snapped the notebook shut.
Rather than returning it, she clutched it tightly and stepped toward the arranged rune pages.
After studying them for a moment, she laughed.
“Just look at these runes.
Only a madman could create something like this.” Hearing the Mad Maid call someone else insane nearly made William laugh.
Does she know her own nickname?
Then Malora spun around.
Her gaze locked onto his.
“I’ve heard them call you the Magic Knight.
What a fitting title.” Her eyes were perfectly clear.
Not a trace of madness remained.
Something’s wrong.
Every hair on William’s body stood on end.
His muscles tightened.
He swallowed hard, then forced a smile.
“Don’t believe every rumor.
They call you the Mad Maid too, but you’re clearly not mad.” “The Mad Maid?” Malora seemed genuinely puzzled.
Then she laughed softly.
A delicate sound.
Almost musical.
Like silver bells.
Yet terror flooded William’s heart.
That’s not Malora.
That is definitely not Malora.
The laughter faded.
“Very well, Magic Knight.
Since you’ve found this notebook, then you’ve also found the rune disc, haven’t you?” So the symbols on that disc are runes too… William nodded slowly.
His focus sharpened.
Magic surged through his body.
If this thing, whatever it was, intended to attack his mind again, he would be ready.
Physical harm did not concern him.
Mental battles were another matter entirely.
“Good.
Return it to where it was found.
Then pour magic into it.
Harrenhal will enjoy a few more years of peace.” At the mention of Harrenhal, William felt as though thunder had exploded inside his skull.
His heart hammered wildly.
Who is she?
Malora sighed.
Or perhaps the thing speaking through her sighed.
Sadness flickered across her face.
Regret colored her voice.
“But that won’t be enough.
Not nearly enough.” Her eyes fixed on him.
“Don’t you want to bring Harrenhal lasting peace?” William nodded stiffly.
“Then…” She pointed toward the rune-covered pages.
The madness slowly returned to her eyes.
“Take what you desire with your own hands.
Anyone who stands in your way…” Her smile widened.
“Send them all to hell.” “Ha…” “HAHAHAHAHA!” The manic laughter echoed through the corridor, and as it did, William gradually relaxed.
The familiar Malora had returned.
At least for now.