“Huh?”
When he said he got rid of them, it sounded almost like he killed them, making me doubt my ears for a moment.
Seeing my reaction, Tommy said with a laugh, “Why are you surprised? A magician affiliated with the Magic Tower carelessly spoke in front of civilians. Naturally, they had to pay a corresponding price.”
“That price…don’t tell me…”
“I sent them back to the Magic Tower.”
“Ah.”
As soon as I heard his hesitation-free answer, the thought that of course, that’s what happened wandered through my mind. The Tommy I knew wasn’t someone who would kill someone as if they were trash.
It was just a needless misunderstanding after all.
I internally felt relieved and changed the subject.
“By the way, those magicians were talking about a barrier. Did something happen to the barrier?”
“…”
Tommy’s expression hardened suddenly as if he didn’t expect me to bring up this topic. The habitual smile that always lingered on his lips disappeared in an instant as well.
With an impassive face that bore neither trouble nor even surprise, he stared at me for a moment before finally speaking.
“It’s not possible.”
“What do you mean it’s not possible?”
“This is something the young lady shouldn’t know yet.”
“What are you talking about? Saying I shouldn’t know now.”
“Exactly as I said. You’ll naturally come to understand about the barrier later, so please act as if you’ve heard nothing for now.”
In Tommy’s clear silver eyes, which pleaded so, there was a dry light, but for some reason, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that he was holding back tears.
It was a look all too familiar to me.
Seeing Tommy look so desperate, I hesitated for a moment, then decided to back off.
Whenever he had that look in his eyes, no matter how stubborn I was, I always ended up being the weaker one. 11 years ago, and now as well.
“Tommy. If you’re going to ask for a favor, you should stop making that face first.”
“Huh?”
“I’m talking about that look in your eyes. The look as if you’re about to cry but are bravely holding it in. You’re not going to say you didn’t know you were making that look, are you?”
“That’s…”
When I teasingly scolded him, Tommy’s pupils shook violently.
Then, after brushing his face once with his hand, he dropped his gaze weakly, his body, not typically small for a wizard, was tensely hunched.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be so self-conscious because it’s a joke. Now that you’ve become a mage tower master, why do you still act as if you’re just a servant?”
I was taken aback, having not expected Tommy to be so observant, which made me flustered.
After soothing Tommy in a hurry, I said with a sense of relief, “Then, for now, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything as you said. I still don’t know the reason, but there’s no particular reason to refuse the request of my only friend.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“But you have to keep your promise to tell me later. Got it?”
“Ah, that’s…”
Tommy, who had been looking blankly at the little finger I held out, furrowed his brow for a few seconds and then relaxed.
Then he smiled as he always does, as if nothing had happened.
“Yes. I promise.”
He willingly mumbled, interlocking his little finger with mine briefly before asking,
“By the way, where were you heading?”
“The imperial library.”
“You were like that even 11 years ago, still a bookworm.”
“Now I feel empty without a book in my hands. I guess it’s become a habit.”
“That’s a good habit to have. I was actually on my way to the library. Would you like to join me?”
“Um…”
Being seen in a friendly atmosphere with a stranger could easily become the subject of gossip, especially if that stranger was not just any noble, but the esteemed master of the mage tower.
Seeing my hesitation, Tommy smiled as if he understood how I felt.
“I’ll walk three steps behind you.”
Thinking that walking three steps behind as a way to avoid gossip sounded ridiculous. Yet, it was such a Tommy-like suggestion that I couldn’t help but laugh.
At the same time, my hesitation came to an end.
“Alright. Sounds good.”
As I readily agreed, his face brightened noticeably.
I watched his expression change with fascination before slowly turning around and stepping forward.
And just like that, exactly three steps later, I began to hear his heavy footsteps behind me.
Step by step, the sound that followed me never once overlapped with my own, all the way to the royal library.
Strangely, almost obsessively.
***
Three more days have passed since then, and finally, the day I was supposed to go out with Ruth arrived.
It was only a two-day outing, but perhaps because it was our first time going out together, I felt unnecessarily nervous while getting ready.
Let’s not make any mistakes once we’re out and do well. Even if I can’t do well, at least let’s not cause Ruth any trouble.
Standing in front of the full-length mirror and murmuring to myself in a low voice, I looked at the time and checked my reflection in the mirror one last time.
Although I felt a bit awkward dressed in plain clothes after a long time, I figured it would soon feel natural.
I took a deep breath to calm my trembling heart and then took the subspace bag I had prepared in advance and left the bedroom.
Inside the subspace bag, there were two masks for Ruth and me to wear, and a bottle of potion I brought just in case its effects were about to wear off soon.
And perhaps on the way back, it would contain items that could serve as evidence. As I hurried down to the first floor, I saw Ruth, who was also dressed in commoner’s clothes.
“……!”
Seeing his clothes, I barely managed to keep my jaw from dropping. Black trousers that showed ankles and a neat white shirt.
Ruth’s outfit was exactly the same as 11 years ago. Perhaps that’s why, unconsciously, I saw a boy in Ruth.
Without realizing, I felt the whisper of a small bird by my ear and the lazy sunlight infiltrating the cabin.
The past that had gradually been darkening was about to come to completion right before my eyes. It was when the boy with a gentle smiling eyes suddenly mentioned his sister’s name in a calm tone.
“Serbia.”
“Ah.”
It was then that I finally came out of my memories and was able to look up at Ruth, who had approached right in front of my nose.
Ruth, who was slowly moving his eyelids, looked down at me intently and tilted his head slightly.
“Do you feel ill by any chance?”
If so, there’s no need to push yourself. He added a sentence indifferently at the end of his question, his face showing not a hint of reluctance.
Watching him, I felt somewhat disappointed, thinking that I was the only one looking forward to this outing, but I tried not to show it and casually brushed it off.
“No, I was just lost in thought for a moment.”
“Ah.”
Ruth accepted my excuse without much doubt and stepped back about an arm’s length.
“Then, shall we slowly get going?”
“Yes.”
“Here, take my hand.”
“Yes… Yes?”
I glanced at the hand stretched out to me and stared at Ruth with wide eyes.
Then, he wiggled his eyebrows as if he didn’t understand why I was so surprised.
“Why are you so surprised? It’s not like we can take a carriage with the royal crest.”
“So…?”
“We’ll use magic.”
“You can handle teleportation magic?”
“Of course, I can’t use it as freely as the wizards from the Magic Tower, but it’s possible with coordinates and a magic circle.”
Teleportation magic, while not the highest, is among the higher-tier magics, and even among the wizards of the Magic Tower, only a few are adept at it.
The fact that he could handle such teleportation magic, even with the requirement of coordinates and a magic circle, was astonishing enough.
Unable to hide my admiration, Ruth’s lips softened gently.
He carefully took my hand and, using his free hand, drew a magic circle on the ground with mana while murmuring.
“It might feel a bit queasy, so close your eyes.”
“Yes.”
“If your legs go weak, lean on me.”
“Yes.”
“I won’t let you go again, so don’t waste your energy on unnecessary things.”
“……”
I awkwardly smiled and relaxed my grip.
Although I had cast teleportation magic myself through gemstones, I had never experienced someone else casting it. So, fearing that I might let go of Ruth during the spell, I had gripped his hand tightly.
As the pressure from my hand eased, Ruth lifted the corners of his mouth in what seemed like praise.
The moment that splendid curve entered my sight, the world was swallowed in the blink of an eye by a wind that suddenly arose.
It was a whiteout.
***
When the focus returned, we were in a dark alleyway.
I looked around at the unfamiliar alleyway scene and then turned to Ruth, who was standing next to me, and asked, “Where are we?”
“It’s the alley in front of the Laurent Hotel.”
“I see. But more importantly, why have your hair and eye colors changed…”
As I naturally looked at Ruth while he replied, my words trailed off, and I firmly closed my mouth.
Ruth’s hair, once platinum blonde, had somehow turned black, and his irises, which had been purple, had also turned pitch black.
Though his hair and eye colors had changed, his facial features remained the same, so there was no difficulty in recognizing that he was Ruth, but I couldn’t quite shake off the strange feeling.
Seeing my reaction, Ruth touched his chin and muttered softly, “Is it not good?”
“No, it’s not that…”
How should I explain this?
After pondering how to properly express my feelings, I opened my mouth and said, “You look perfect in this appearance too, no, handsome… It’s splendid.”
“What?”
But perhaps due to insufficient thought, I inadvertently paused while trying to say “perfect” and slightly softened my expression.
Ruth watched my face turn red and chuckled. “You have an unexpectedly quirky side, my lady.”
