/
“So? How was the village strange?”
“Oh… Should I say that the spirit of death overflowed? The whole village is gruesome and abominable. I felt like I was in a graveyard.”
The wizard shuddered as he thought of that moment, as if it was an abomination.
Reinhardt rubbed his long fingers under his chin. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked.
“What kind of village was it?”
“Oh, it was a small village in the southwest… …The moment he saw me, he jumped on me like a hungry animal. I had no choice but to go there because I needed something urgently, and I came back without being able to buy it.”
Reinhardt listened intently with his chin propped up. Without him interrupting, the three wizards engaged in an enthusiastic dialogue.
“Come to think of it, it was a bit odd.…….There was no one whose limbs were fine.”
“It’s a village that only gathers people with problems. Isn’t that what Sokor always does? If you do anything slightly different, they won’t even treat you.”
The cynicism in the wizard’s voice was thick with disgust. Reinhardt snickered and the corners of his eyes drooped.
“It’s true. But the Sokors seem to have been starving for a long time. There were a lot of emaciated people. …… I thought I was going to get eaten. Anyway, it makes me shudder to think about it again. I’m not going to the southwest anymore.”
“Don’t go. Please don’t go.”
“Yes. Why would you go to Sokor village? What’s so beautiful about it?”
After deciding where to go next, Reinhardt slowly got up from his seat. He pressed his neck lightly and folded his eyes narrowly.
The three wizards who had been conversing shifted their gaze to Reinhardt as he stood up.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yes, I have something to do.”
At the unexpected reply, the three wizards nodded. The way he spoke so informally was so natural that none of them pointed it out.
“Have you seen the tower Master lately?”
“No.”
Reinhardt shook his head without the slightest hesitation. He had seen him every day, if he may say so, but it would be strange to say that he had been watching him.
“It’s been a long time since the master didn’t come back, hasn’t it?”
“Did he really give up his position as the master of the tower?”
“Even so………. He is our lord. It would be nice if he paid attention to the mart, not the Sokor.”
Reinhardt could not even turn his body at the voice that suddenly became depressed and frowned. He didn’t understand what was so depressing about it, but it felt odd to have his name listed among them.
“I’ve heard that he’s stronger than the previous Lord of the Magic Tower.”
“I was when Gray’s head exploded. The Lord was very brutal, but his strength was really amazing.”
Having said all that, there was silence again.
Reinhardt stood at an angle and kept his mouth shut. He had to turn his body around properly, but he couldn’t move his feet easily. Even though he knew that good words wouldn’t come out if there was one anyway.
“…. Hey, can’t we just let Sokor live in the tower? Honestly, one Sokol is such a distraction.”
“I heard that Sokor also helped the lord a lot when he was struggling.”
“Is that right?”
When Valletta’s name was mentioned, Reinhardt was even more unable to leave the room. If there was any possibility of harm to her, he would have to kill them here. No harm should be done to her. Veins appeared on the back of his white-knuckled hand where the calluses had formed.
“On top of that, I heard that the lord even went to repair the tower and the Sky Island on his way out. I think that’s why the altitude of the Sky Island has increased recently.”
It would have been troublesome if he fell, so he just did his last duty and went. It didn’t seem to be something to say in a sentimental way.
Reinhardt just tilted his head.
“However, I still feel that destroying Sokor Village this time was a bit excessive.”
“Ah, I met Quilt a while ago and asked him. He was angry because it wasn’t like that…”
“Are you sure? But if that’s the case, the lord should have told people. He didn’t say anything and just went away.”
The growls had somehow become neither a complaint nor a grumble, just complaints. Reinhardt swallowed a vain smile at the sight of himself standing awkwardly. He didn’t know what he was doing.
“Isn’t he usually quiet? He doesn’t even talk about himself. He never gave orders, and he’s just been quiet about this whole situation.”
“No, wait a minute! Then he left to figure it out on his own, didn’t he?”
A startled voice echoed through the library. Sure enough, several pairs of eyes came back to them. The tense atmosphere dissipated after the person who raised his voice hurriedly bowed his head and apologized.
“His mood was a little off… and he didn’t seem to be happy.”
“Should we stop talking?”
“But I was hoping my lord would settle down here soon.”
“Can we ask him to come back so he can live with Sokor?”
One of the wizards, who had been talking in a gloomy voice, placed his face on the desk without effort.
One cheek rested against the desk, and his lip quivered as he discovered Reinhardt.
“What do you think? Will he really not come back?”
“I don’t think he’ll come back.”
“Why not?”
“Isn’t the tower doing well without the Lord? Why do you need him now? It seems that he knew this and left.”
“Wow…You’re saying something really cold-hearted. It hasn’t been long since you entered the tower.”
Instead of replying, Reinhardt just looked at the man who opened his mouth in silence. What did the man think of Reinhardt’s silence? The man quickly stood up from his slumped position.
“It’s a little different from that.”
“Different?”
“The lord is our lighthouse, our beacon and the last stronghold of the tower.”
Reinhardt’s eyes, hidden under his robe, opened a little wider at the majestic description. The red irises widened a bit and then quickly returned to their original shape. He opened his mouth.
“I think you’re exaggerating.”
”As long as the lord is alive, no matter what problems arise on the Sky Island or the Tower, we are not worried. We will protect him until the end, and the one who survives will somehow rebuild our country.”
Reinhardt was silent for a moment.
He didn’t know that he had such value. To be honest, he hadn’t given it much thought. What kind of existence does a tower master have for a wizard?
“The tower is your place, think again.”
“You have to stay here. Because there’s the tower.”
“Your time and mine are not the same.”
Valletta’s words came to his mind for a moment. He rubbed his thumb across his wrinkled brow as he thought of Valletta asleep in her room. Reinhardt’s hand snapped to a stop as he realized that he was copying her habit.
“Isn’t there Barrio you like?”
He opened his mouth as usual. The wizard in front of him was already explaining everything in a friendly way, as if he was looking at a new student. Reinhardt narrowed his eyes, feeling a litte bothered.
“My lord?”
As he was about to disappear, a voice from behind him made him raise an eyebrow. His short-lived romp was over. He had come to cool his head, but his head hurt even more.
He tapped the floor lightly without replying, and in a flash, a magic circle was drawn.
“Are you leaving again?”
“When will you come next?”
“I won’t come.”
“Lord? What, have you been talking to us?”
The previously pompous wizard hurriedly stood up from his seat and bowed his head.
Reinhardt’s brows contracted, and all the wizards rose from their seats and bowed.
“I’m going.”
“You are welcome to come back any time after you cool down. I’ll be taking care of this side for a while.”
Reinhardt didn’t say anything to Barrio’s words.
As soon as Reinhardt disappeared, desolation descended. Everyone blinked without saying a word.
“Wow, we’ve talked to the lord.”
“I see he has not completely abandoned us yet.”
“How about that…”
Barrio burst into low laughter as he saw the wizards gathering and whispering in an instant.
* * *
The fifteenth night moon in the pitch black sky was dazzling. It wasn’t as bright as the sun, but it felt strange to see it from the roof. After everyone had gone to sleep, the village was quiet at dawn. All that could be heard were the cries of the nocturnal animals.
“Are you tired?”
“No, I’m fine.”
She wasn’t not tired, but she didn’t feel good either. Unpleasantness was added to the unpleasant mood. Valletta hugged the dozing Snorta and let out a low sigh.
Reinhardt, who was about to sit next to Valletta, narrowed his eyes. The magic that grazed his skin made him stand up straight again.
Noticing Reinhardt’s unusual behavior, Valletta’s eyes turned to him.
“What’s the matter?”
“Stay here for a moment, I think someone’s here.”
Reinhardt’s gaze turned to the entrance of the village.
Valletta’s eyebrows furrowed as if she was in trouble. She didn’t like the idea of being alone in the pitch black night.
“The moon is bright, will you be alright?”
Valletta nodded at Reinhardt’s question. Then he soared high into the sky and quickly disappeared from her sight. Valletta leaned against the chimney of the roof.
“I’m sorry….. But this is the last time. We can be free now.”
Hearing a small voice, Valletta’s ears twitched as she slowly straightened her leaning body and turned her head. It came into her view that someone was holding a person, mumbling incessantly as they walked out of the inn.
‘Zenith?’
Zenith was holding Desilian in her arms. Valletta leaned forward and looked at Zenith and Desilian, who were moving away.
‘How do I get down?’
There was no quick way to get down as Reinhardt had brought her up to the roof. Fortunately, Zenith holding Desilian didn’t go far. Valletta put her hands on the roof and watched them.
Holding a piece of paper in her left hand, Zenith began to draw something on the ground with a stone in one hand. Judging by the way she looked at the object in her left hand and drew, it was probably some kind of spell.
‘Is that the …… alchemy formula?’
Zenith drew a circle, and what was written in it was an alchemical formula. It was too far away to see clearly, but the shape was different from a magic circle. After Zenith finished drawing the alchemy circle, she took something out of her bag and slowly poured it into it. Reflected in the bright moonlight, it looked like a black liquid.