“Our destination is just over there, so I will take my leave now. If you ever need a guide again, feel free to contact me anytime.”

After sending the guide on his way, I climbed the hill.

The desert night air was the complete opposite of the day, chillingly cold.

As wretched as the cold of the night was, just like the heat of the day, it at least had one redeeming quality.

Clusters of stars were embedded like jewels in the vast sky.

It was a world apart from the city sky, where clumps of what looked more like smog than clouds drifted about.

As I looked up at the sky from the hill and then lowered my gaze, I saw another cluster of twinkling lights there as well.

A bonfire blazed between sturdily pitched tents.

It was the rendezvous point Colin had told me about.

However…

‘Two of them?’

Wasn’t it supposed to be just Colin?

The figures I saw were a man and a woman.

「The World Tree jigs with delight.」

It was easy to guess the identity of the other person.

“Focus. Imbue a firm image in your mind. The infusion of mana comes after that.”

Wanderer Colin, the self-proclaimed heretic of the Magic Tower.

The common perception of him as a free-spirited and laid-back person was not prejudice, but the truth.

The only exception was when he was teaching.

Colin’s expression was serious, and his voice was grave.

Even his menacing features, which would make a gangster flinch, seemed sublime in this moment.

“You must not be mistaken. The essence of magic is not the distortion and transformation of physical laws, but the projection of the mind’s image onto the material world. Constantly review the image in your head and use it as your foundation.”

The Juggernaut school, which studied common magic, was considered the purest in the Magic Tower in its dedication to magical research.

Despite their reputation for being plain, the solidity and depth of their fundamentals were second to none.

Colin was a mage who stood at the very pinnacle of that Juggernaut school.

His teachings, as the private disciple of the Magic Tower’s Master, touched upon the very essence of magic.

“Yes, that’s it. Infuse the mana naturally, as a stream flows from high to low. If the process is perfect, the result will follow on its own.”

For an ordinary person, understanding and embodying this in a short period was an impossible feat.

It was for this reason that Colin had taken on many unnamed disciples during his wanderings.

He had been diligently sowing seeds in the hope that at least one of them would possess the talent to digest his teachings.

“Done. Now, put the finishing touch on it.”

And it seemed his wish had finally borne some fruit.

“Chain Pressure.”

Mana, twisted and linked together like a chain, bound numerous objects at once.

It was a common magic spell that restrained a target’s body and applied continuous pressure.

Just as restraining is more difficult than killing, the same was true for the spell Chain Pressure.

Its difficulty was high enough that lumping it in with other common magic felt like an oversimplification.

Charrarak!

Yet, the young mage, with an exquisite control of force, didn't crush a single object.

It was a result that revealed her high level of concentration, precise calculation, and innate talent for mana control.

“Hoo.”

Even a mage from the school who had trained for long years would find it difficult to be this perfect.

Nevertheless, the young mage who had achieved it did not exult in her success, instead letting out a short breath to show her muted feelings.

She asked.

“How was it?”

“...Excellent!”

It was the master who responded in place of his stoic student.

Colin shot up from his seat and clapped like a seal.

His face was contorted, like a wanted poster for a heinous criminal.

“As expected of Sage! A genius of the age! The disciple of the Magic Tower Master’s disciple! The unparalleled prodigy destined to be the next Magic Tower Master candidate!”

Tears even trickled down from the corners of his heavily wrinkled eyes.

His fuss was so over-the-top it was almost burdensome.

“Ehem.”

Sage, however, reacted as if she were used to such responses, seemingly unfazed.

She simply answered her passionate fan with a flick of her hair.

“...Their relationship seems to have changed quite a bit.”

Colin had always tended to coddle Sage, but wasn't this a bit much?

Right now, he looked like he was practically worshipping her.

Hiding my bewilderment, I approached them.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh, you’re here!”

“...!”

Colin’s face was still flushed, the afterglow of the moment not having faded even with my arrival.

He rushed over to me before Sage, who had also stood up, could, and chattered in an excited tone.

“Look at this. This is the magic Sage just cast. You have some aptitude, so you must understand, right? How amazing this is!”

“Yes, she did well.”

“This isn’t something to be dismissed with such a light compliment! The artistry of this mana-binding structure, the solid cohesion, the compressed incantation, and the clear image! This child is a genius! A talent who will go down in the history of the Magic Tower!”

“...”

I know she’s a genius, too.

But isn’t his reaction a bit over the top?

I recoiled, startled by Colin’s intensely passionate and menacing face.

“Hmph.”

Sage was even more composed than her master.

Though it should have been burdensome, she didn't seem to mind at all.

The way she puffed out her chest with her hands on her hips was an attitude of taking it for granted.

Poke, poke!

“...?”

Soon, Sage was poking me in the side.

The meaning behind her action was immediately decipherable through her sparkling eyes as she looked up at me.

“Yes, you did a good job.”

“...I’m a genius, right?”

“I’ve been saying that from the beginning.”

“...!”

Sage’s nose was about to shoot for the sky.

I was relieved by that.

‘I was worried she might get drunk on her own arrogance, but it seems that won’t be the case.’

She was just a kid hungry for praise.

‘Well, it’s good for her to have confidence.’

It was much better than berating her and crushing her spirit.

“You seem a little taller than the last time I saw you.”

I suddenly noticed.

Is she taller than my solar plexus now?

She’s growing like a weed, probably because she’s in her teens.

Sage’s face brightened.

“I’ll be even taller soon.”

“Right.”

“I won’t make you wait long.”

“Uh, yeah.”

Sage clenched her fist and declared.

Was this something to be so serious about?

More than that, I wondered why I had to wait for it.

The sensibilities of someone in the throes of adolescence were beyond my comprehension.

“By the way, why did you bring Sage along?”

The dangers of exploring ruins were too obvious to even mention.

Even if she were to wait safely outside the ruins, the Land of Quicksand itself was a dangerous area.

Sage’s accompaniment was not part of my plan.

“Don’t measure Sage’s growth rate by the standards of common sense. I stake my honor and guarantee that my disciple is a mage who can already pull her own weight.”

Sage nodded her head vigorously beside him.

As if to show proof, she then displayed various spells.

Flames bloomed, water gushed, and ice poured from her outstretched palm.

「The World Tree is delighted.」

It was a complete mini-magic show.

If one looked past the flashiness, the rapid transformation and deployment of various elemental magics were certainly the work of a skilled master.

“There’s a limit to the achievements one can make through book learning alone. Great achievements are often born from real combat, so this will be a good opportunity.”

Unlike typical mages who holed up in corners and dug themselves into a rut, Colin had grown by using worldly experience as nourishment.

The theories he established were bound to be different from the common sense of the Magic Tower.

“It seems she’s built all the foundation she can in the Magic Tower, so personally, I think it might be time for her to venture outside.”

I agreed with his argument to a certain extent.

However, as her guardian, I couldn’t just let the story that followed slide.

“Regardless of personal achievement, the facilities and support of the Magic Tower will surely remain consistently useful.”

“I can get permission to take those out or provide them for her personally. Wouldn’t it be better for the child’s emotional well-being to be out in the wide world rather than the stuffy environment inside the Tower?”

His logic was flawless.

If the head of a school was willing to personally provide resources from the Magic Tower, it wouldn’t conflict with my original intention for sending Sage there.

“Have you prepared a separate workshop?”

“My disciple said she wants to live at your house.”

My house, huh.

I had prepared a room for Sage, but this was much earlier than planned.

In the meantime, two unexpected housemates had appeared, making things awkward.

As I stroked my chin in thought, Sage seemed to notice and spoke up.

“...You don’t want me to, mister? Then I guess it can’t be helped.”

“No, you’re always welcome.”

I soothed the crestfallen Sage.

Right, the freeloaders were the other two, not Sage.

The important thing was Sage’s wishes, not the inconvenience of two slaves.

‘Is this actually for the better?’

With two slaves around, they could closely look after and assist Sage.

“Excellent! Then, based on this premise, let’s discuss the details…!”

“I’ll overlook the ulterior motive hidden within your slick arguments.”

“...Ahem, ulterior motive? There’s no such thing! I’m just trying to ensure my disciple can train in peace!”

“Have you given any word to the Magic Tower about this?”

“...”

Of course not.

‘It’s probably an excuse he made up because he wants to get out himself.’

His talk about Sage’s growth wasn’t a lie, but the biggest reason was likely his recurring wanderlust.

After getting into a whole mess at the Magic Tower, Colin had not stepped outside.

He was partly restraining himself, but it was fundamentally a sanction from the Magic Tower.

But they say wanderlust is an incurable disease that only death can fix.

When he would attempt another escape was up to Colin himself.

At least he had secured a pretext before escaping without permission, which was a huge improvement.

“Let’s talk about the details later.”

If the Magic Tower put its foot down, the plan would fall through anyway.

The problem at hand was more urgent than worrying about an uncertain future.

“First, let’s go to the ruins.”

We didn’t have the luxury to be laughing and chatting.

‘The Thorson Expedition might be on our tail.’

I hadn’t forgotten the vigilance and hostility they had subtly shown.

***

“The entrance to the ruins is not far from here.”

“How long will it take?”

“If we hurry, about half a day? A full day at the latest.”

One might think that was far, but it was to be expected considering the special nature of the ruins.

Since many people coveted the ruins, its location had to be kept strictly secret.

Normally, one shouldn't even install a teleportation circle.

The half-day distance was likely a compromise to reduce fatigue.

“Half a day, huh.”

I muttered, suddenly recalling the conversation we had at the time of our departure.

“Was that distance calculated with potential obstacles in mind?”

“Not usually.”

“I thought so.”

This was an exploration that the Magic Tower Master and his disciple had continued for several years.

To avoid trouble each time, they would have either cleared the surroundings or established a safe travel route.

As expected, Colin’s expression was one of clear bewilderment.

“A band of magical beasts… I don’t know why they’re here.”

A cloud of dust was covering the area.

It was the same omen of disaster I had seen when I was with the guide.

A horde of magical beasts was approaching.

“Should we prepare for battle?”

“Let’s just watch for now.”

Colin soothed Sage, who was fidgeting with her fingers in a tense manner.

“Those things have no system and often deviate from their patrol routes at will, so this is probably one of those cases. If we hide from their sight, we can avoid an unnecessary fight.”

“It probably won’t be that easy.”

I refuted Colin’s optimistic view.

Having experienced this situation once before, I could make a guess.

“Those things… they’re probably running away.”

“Running away?”

“Their formation is too scattered for them to have spotted us and made us their target.”

My vision, enhanced by the Watcher Hawk, pierced through the thick dust.

I couldn’t see the demeanor of a hunter in that horde of magical beasts.

All I could feel was a desperate urgency to escape.

“Their base was attacked, and they were driven out.”

“Are you saying someone is cleaning up the magical beast hordes?”

“Yes.”

“Who on earth? The powers-that-be in the city wouldn’t be interested in cleaning up a backwater like this.”

“It must be people who have a purpose in this area.”

It meant they were laying the groundwork before an important event.

‘For example… exploring ruins.’

While we were talking, the dust cloud began to settle.

It meant something had happened to them.

“Let’s move for now. We’ll know when we get there.”

Whether my recent encounter with the Thorson Expedition was a coincidence or not.

It was time to confirm.

(End of Chapter)