Chapter 73…………………
The disguise had been flawless.
Well… not entirely flawless.
It wasn’t like I’d completely changed my appearance, so calling it “perfect” weighed a little on my conscience.
Then when exactly did he find out—and how much does he know?
“…Since when did you know?”
“Since four years ago, at the entrance ceremony.”
What?
I stared at him blankly.
He had known about me far earlier than I ever imagined.
A flood of questions swirled in my head, but in this moment, there was only one I needed to ask.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because you didn’t say anything first.”
He looked at me. He hadn’t spoken simply because I hadn’t.
Suddenly, his graduation speech came back to me—so similar to Aquila’s letter.
Don’t tell me… Lennox is Aquila?
I couldn’t stop myself from asking.
“…Then, approaching me back then—was that on purpose?”
“Yes.”
Lennox didn’t deny it. He admitted he’d come to me with intent.
“I wanted to know what you were thinking.”
It felt like being struck by a hammer.
Unable to meet his gaze, I lowered my eyes and swallowed.
“…And did you find your answer?”
I wanted to know what expression he wore as I asked, but I didn’t dare look. My heart thudded in fear that I’d see betrayal on his face.
“Not yet.”
His low voice fell over me.
“I still haven’t found it.”
“…I see.”
Relief leaked out in a soft sigh.
At least he hadn’t realized he was Euclide.
Right. He hasn’t remembered yet.
There was still room to fix this. If only I could keep him from going to war.
“But I did find out one thing.”
“…What’s that?”
“You care about me, Senior. But…”
Instinctively, I lifted my gaze to his.
His expression was unreadable, but in his eyes was the look of someone deeply wounded.
“…That doesn’t mean you’re really caring for me.”
A bitter smile curved his lips.
“That’s…”
I couldn’t finish.
Because he was right.
I told myself it was about protecting his well-being, but in truth—it was about protecting my own.
If Lennox’s safety had nothing to do with mine…
Would I still have tried to protect him?
No.
And denying that would only be hypocrisy.
“So… that’s why you’re going to war?”
“To sever this chain of sponsorship.”
And with that, Lennox walked away.
Left alone beneath the hilltop tree, I slid down its trunk.
The deed of succession slipped from my hands, fluttered in the air, and landed softly on the ground.
Right.
I realized then what I had forgotten.
But even if I had handed him the document, he would have refused it.
‘I’ll repay the debt of sponsorship.’
The last words he had spoken before leaving echoed in my mind. Strange words.
They didn’t sound like something meant for a mere proxy benefactor. They sounded like… he knew I was the true one.
Blankly, I lifted my gaze to the clear blue sky.
It was only midday, but the sun overhead was already blindingly harsh.
That evening.
My whole body ached from running around since morning, but I forced myself to the highest floor of the Magic Tower and knocked on the door.
—“Go away! Don’t bother me!”
At the curt reply, I wiped the endless sweat from my brow and answered.
“…It’s me, Professor.”
The door opened instantly. Elihu frowned at the sight of me.
“What’s going on at this hour? And why do you look like that again?”
“Whew… I came to ask a favor.”
“What could be so urgent you had to climb all the way up here? Your legs must be killing you.”
He was right.
The tower had no elevators.
And this was the twentieth floor.
On the way up, I’d seriously wondered if my tombstone was about to be planted at the top of the tower.
“Cough, cough.”
Dry coughs rattled out of me, each one feeling like it dragged my very soul up from my gut.
“Haa… I’d like to commission a magic tool.”
“What kind of tool? The workshop is on the ground floor—what can’t they make for you down there?”
I opened my mouth, but shut it again.
A wave of instinctive unease held me back.
Is it really right to seal his memories like this?
Giving him a magic tool to suppress his lost memories… wasn’t that the same as controlling his very mind?
Memories of our time in the lab flashed through my mind.
The way his face would flush red at the smallest tease, the way he’d smile at the tiniest things.
In that long yet short year, I’d never seen his eyes so pained—
‘You care about me, Senior. But… that doesn’t mean you really are.’
Wounded, because of me.
Wasn’t I just being a hypocrite, pretending it was for his happiness?
I knew all too well the sting of betrayal by someone I trusted. I didn’t want to inflict the same wound on him.
I clenched my eyes shut.
“…I need the best magic tool there is for protecting oneself in war.”
The boy who had once shut his memories to shield himself from the trauma of seeing his family die—perhaps, if he wasn’t in mortal danger, that door would never open.
“Professor, I don’t care how much it costs.”
Yes—I knew it was rationalization.
Elihu blinked at my sudden request.
“What? Are you the one going to war?!”
“If it’s impossible, I’ll just ask Chris.”
At that name, Elihu leapt up, bristling.
“That brat? If I can’t do it, how could he! I was only taking time because there are too many options for the best tool!”
Chris—once his rival for the Tower Master’s seat, now Chief of the Imperial Magic Division.
As expected, touching his pride worked. Elihu took the bait.
“Hmph. Give me a month and I’ll craft you something magnificent.”
I let out a disappointed sigh.
“…I see. Of course, something like that would take a while.”
“What was that?”
Elihu glared at me.
“If even someone like you needs a month, Professor, then…”
“A—A week!”
“Thank you! I’ll never forget this favor!”
I bowed deeply. Elihu sat back down, still looking sour.
“It’s for a man, so… please make it suitable.”
His hand, polishing his staff, froze. He squinted at me.
“What? You dating someone?”
“It’s nothing like that.”
“Everyone says that at first. Turns out it’s always lies.”
Ugh. I said it’s not like that!
Ten days passed.
Two days ago, Lennox departed with the troops.
I idly toyed with Aquila’s letter as I stared out the window.
It hadn’t been long since I realized Lennox’s handwriting was identical to this.
“Why do you seem so drained since yesterday?”
Lisa refilled my coffee and asked.
“Mm… no reason.”
I shook my head.
“You don’t even seem motivated with work anymore.”
“…Feels like I don’t have any goal left.”
Before, I had worked tirelessly to exempt Lennox from conscription.
But now, there was no need.
The boy had chosen to throw himself into war.
Why did Lennox do it? And why did I…?
I couldn’t understand him, rushing to the edge of life and death. But even less did I understand myself.
Why had I backed out of giving him a memory-sealing artifact over just a single look on his face? Foolish.
What if he regains his memories on the battlefield?
Worse, the timing of memory recovery coincided with the awakening of his latent ability.
And that awakening required—“the death of someone he loved.”
If his ability manifested, seizing the throne would be child’s play.
“…Lisa, do you know how much it costs to emigrate?”
“It depends on which empire, I think.”
The Balt Empire immediately came to mind—where Callisto had fled.
They said the air and water there were pure. Lennox’s study-abroad plan had failed—so maybe I should go instead.
“For the Balt Empire, it’s ten million gold per person.”
“What? Cheaper than a countship? …Wait, how do you even know that?”
“I like reading newspapers…”
Lisa smiled shyly.
She had an encyclopedic sort of knowledge—broad but shallow, like a walking trivia book.
Wait a second. The thirty million gold I borrowed from the old duke…
I’d already blown it all on the title!
