The man who stepped into the count’s manor looked around with eyes full of curiosity.

As he carefully observed his surroundings and crossed the courtyard, Count Sivier Rodrigo awaited him at the entrance.

“Welcome. I am Sivier Rodrigo.”

With a friendly smile, Sivier inclined his head in greeting.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Count.”

The man returned a polite bow and followed Sivier into the manor.

Though modest, the estate still had the trappings of a noble house. After crossing the lobby, they arrived at a reception room for guests.

“Please, have a seat.”

The count offered the chair with a smile. The visitor gathered the hem of his long robe and sat.

“What brings you all the way to this barren land of Sitata…?”

Perhaps because his guest was not only a rare visitor but a high-ranking mage, a hint of tension flickered across the count’s face.

“I’ve not introduced myself properly. I am Aman Tinoor, royal mage of the Esna Kingdom. I have been appointed as a professor at the new Magic Academy of the Arant Kingdom.”

“Ah, I see. I had heard rumors that the palace was investing heavily in a magic academy.”

Sivier nodded, recalling the stories he had heard.

“If you need lodging on your journey, you are welcome to stay here without worry.”

“Haha, thank you, but… I did not stop here to rest.”

At those words, the count’s face darkened slightly as he set down his teacup.

“Ah, do not worry. I merely came to confirm something.”

“And that would be…?”

“Is there, perhaps, a mage here?”

As usual, Lucas sat in the courtyard, pretending to look at weeds while secretly training his magic. Suddenly, a chill prickled across his back.

‘…What is this?’

He had easily reached the 5th circle by now, but no matter what he tried, he could not draw the next.

He needed even the faintest sign to attempt it, but he couldn’t even form a single dot—it was maddening.

“Young master~ Time to eat!”

At the wet nurse’s call, Lucas gave a small smile and rose to his feet.

Hurrying back into the manor on his little legs, he realized what had caused that chill earlier.

‘…Who’s that?’

As he locked eyes with the man leaving the reception room alongside his father, unease welled up, his brow furrowing.

The man, however, smiled with satisfaction and walked toward him.

“Hello, young master.”

Looking at the man’s genial face, Lucas had the sudden urge to spit in it.

“Haha, forgive my son, he’s shy. Please understand.”

Noticing Lucas’s stiff expression, Sivier quickly added.

“No, not at all. Your son’s fine features must surely come from you, Count.”

At the smooth flattery, Sivier chuckled and called a servant to escort the guest to a room.

As Lucas glared at the man’s back, Sivier bent down to meet his son’s eyes.

“Lucas, that gentleman is a mage from the Esna Kingdom.”

“…A mage?”

“Yes, you’ve heard of them, haven’t you? Those who summon fire in their hands and stir the winds.”

He gently stroked Lucas’s hair.

When Lucas nodded quietly, the count continued.

“Yes, such a fine mage he is. He stopped by our house while traveling.”

“……”

“Haha, so when you see him, treat him kindly as our guest.”

Ruffling Lucas’s hair, the count left. Lucas’s small brow furrowed deeply.

‘I’ve seen him somewhere before…’

An uneasy feeling gnawed at him.

When the man had approached with a smile, it felt as if he had known him from long ago.

And along with that familiarity came a wave of discomfort that unsettled Lucas greatly.

Escorted to the guest room, Aman wore a wide grin.

He had found a raw gem in the most unexpected place!

Such a discovery would make his latest amusement all the more enjoyable.

He had been ready to leave after confirming the source of the aura, but now his plans had changed.

“That little human was the one? Hahaha!”

He had always known humans had endless potential, but in his thousand years, he had never seen one like this.

And that small boy clearly knew exactly what power he possessed.

Yet he shone those innocent-looking eyes as though he knew nothing—it made him all the more fascinating.

“I’ve found something very entertaining.”

An ordinary human could never have sensed Lucas.

Mana was the essence of a being itself—no matter how skilled, a human couldn’t perceive the mana of another.

Thus, mages gauged each other’s circle not by sensing it, but by what magic they could cast, how widely they could wield it, and how long they could sustain it.

And even then, each mage’s unique nature and hidden strengths meant their true power was rarely known.

Not unless they fought side by side in war.

“This will be a delightful game.”

As though writing a story, Aman pictured the kind of tale he could craft with the boy called Lucas, his face curling into a satisfied smile.

“Young master, what’s wrong? Did you not like your meal?”

Seeing Lucas’s sour face throughout dinner, the wet nurse stroked his cheek.

“No, it was fine.”

“Then why do you look so displeased?”

Her soothing tone was long familiar to him.

“Nanny, how long is that man going to stay here?”

“That man? Ah, you mean the mage who arrived as our guest?”

“Yeah.”

“Hohoho, why? Did you take a dislike to him, young master?”

“No, it’s not that. I’m just curious.”

The wet nurse smiled as she gently smoothed down Lucas’s messy hair strand by strand, as if she found him adorable.

“I don’t know how long the guest will be staying. But I hear he’s a very fine royal mage.”

At her words, Lucas barely restrained himself from letting out a scoffing “Ha!”

‘Fine royal mage, my ass. He even looks irritating. That bluish hair, those bluish eyes… wait!? Bluish!?’

As he thought of the mage, Lucas felt as if he had been struck on the head.

Though he had spent more than ten years in human form, he had failed to realize something so simple.

‘Silver-blue hair… blue eyes.’

Fleeting memories stirred, and the corner of his lips twitched with faint anger.

It had been two days since Aman came to the manor.

Lucas could clearly feel the man’s gaze watching him from afar, but he continued to play the part of “I don’t know anything.”

‘Just stay quiet and leave, you pathetic blue-scaled lizard.’

Every time he felt that gaze, he cursed him inwardly. But Aman’s eyes only grew more blatant, trailing him more openly by the day.

At first, Aman had approached as if to win his favor, conjuring snowflakes or little sparks before his eyes, trying to dazzle him.

But if this was the same lizard Lucas knew, then he surely already recognized Lucas’s true identity. The fact that he still displayed such paltry magic tricks before him was nothing but insulting.

“Young master, isn’t magic wonderful? If you come with me to the Academy, you’ll be able to learn all these marvelous spells!”

The smile Aman gave, eyes curved slyly, seemed unbearably conniving.

Lucas confirmed then and there that the saying “You can’t spit on a smiling face” was utterly false.

On the first day he merely hovered nearby, but now he followed Lucas openly, peppering him with questions. Lucas’s silence was wearing thin.

The moment he saw Aman begin walking toward him from afar, Lucas leapt up from his seat and hurried toward the manor.

But his legs were half as long. No matter how fast he ran, Aman caught up easily.

‘If this were the old days, I’d have tossed that little lizard straight into a fire pit!’

Grinding his teeth, he hurried through the corridor, when Aman’s soft voice called from behind.

“Young master Lucas~?”

“……”

Forced to stop, Lucas turned to see Aman walking toward him slowly, hands clasped behind his back.

“Have you thought over what I said?”

“……”

“Hmm… then I suppose I’ll have to speak with the Count directly.”

At Aman’s sly smile and drawn-out “Hmm,” Lucas felt his blood boil.

“Do as you please.”

He whirled around, stomped into his room, and brought his little foot down with a sharp “thud.”

‘Arrogant, pathetic little lizard!’

“…You mean to send our Lucas to the Academy?”

At Aman’s words, Sivier’s eyes wavered.

His precious child, dearer than life itself—sending him to the capital, teeming with enemies, just to see whether he had talent?

The count’s heart pounded wildly.

“No. Absolutely not.”

“…I understand your worries.”

“If something, anything were to happen to him…”

Unable to finish even the thought, Sivier buried his face in his hands.

“But, my lord. You must see the potential your son holds.”

“No. We expect nothing of him. Even if he chose to live as a farmer in the countryside, it would not matter. But the palace…! I cannot allow it.”

His expression twisted with old memories, Sivier’s voice was resolute.

“Mages are rare treasures. Even one who can merely summon a small light is honored everywhere. Moreover, they have built their own independent society, transcending nation and rank. If your son’s talent as a mage were revealed, no one could easily harm him or your family.”

-Bang!

Sivier slammed the table with such force that it shook.

For a man so gentle by nature, it was an uncharacteristically fierce outburst.

“No! There’s no need to continue this discussion.”

“……”

It took him a long while to calm, drawing a long, shuddering breath.

“I apologize. I lost myself. But I hope you understand. That child… he is everything to us.”

Aman met the count’s determined gaze and quietly nodded.

“Very well. Since it is the count’s will, I shall press no further. I, too, must apologize.”

Sivier rose first, his face still taut.

“Then please, be at ease during your stay.”

-Knock, knock, knock.

At the sound of knocking, Sivier opened the door. Standing there was Lucas.

“Lucas?”

Startled, the count called his name.

The boy’s jet-black eyes met his.

“I want to go. To that Academy.”

(End of Chapter)