Chapter : 21
“Phew…”
I let out a sigh of relief and carefully folded the letter before putting it back into its envelope.
“…Did something happen? Did you do something wrong?”
Ryder, who had been waiting beside me, asked gently while clenching his fist.
“If you did, don’t worry. I’ll quietly take care of it without the Archmage knowing. You can tell me everything, Themis.”
I couldn’t help but smile at his easy humor.
Ever since my master brought me here, Ryder had always looked after me like this.
He felt… fatherly, somehow.
Completely different from my master.
My master felt like an entirely different species — it was hard to even imagine being connected to him in any real sense.
Still, if I just disappear without saying anything, Ryder will worry.
I should at least tell him.
Besides, if my master ever asks why I left without a word, I can use it as an excuse.
“I’ve decided to go on a dispatch mission.”
“…Huh?”
Ryder blinked, as though he’d just misheard me.
“I said, I’m going on a dispatch mission. I’ll be traveling to Hart with Lord Everett this time.”
“Your very first dispatch… and to Hart of all places? That won’t be easy…”
“That makes it even better.”
His concern actually made me feel lighter.
If it’s difficult, then I’ll just work harder.
If I grow stronger, I’ll gain the power to control the darkness and stabilize my mana core.
That’ll bring me one step closer to my goal.
“I’m surprised the Archmage allowed it. I didn’t think he’d ever send you as far as Hart.”
“…I haven’t told him.”
Ryder’s face froze like he’d just been hit on the head with a hammer.
“What did you just say?”
“I missed the timing, and now it’s hard to bring it up again. Besides, I don’t think he’d really care whether I’m here or not.”
It was the first time I’d ever admitted such bitterness out loud.
Maybe it was because it was Ryder — the words just spilled out like water bursting from a cracked dam.
“Isn’t it true? The master always disappears here and there, showing up only once in a while. Would he really notice if I was gone?”
“Uh…”
Ryder hesitated, blinking rapidly, then clenched his fist as though making a decision.
“You’re right. He’s my superior, but the Archmage isn’t exactly the caring type, is he? Cold as ice, detached from others… Sometimes I wonder if he’s even human. People like that need to be left alone for a while — that’s the only way they realize what they’re missing.”
…Why did I feel worse when he took my side?
“B-but the master has a kind side too! He looks out for me sometimes, and yesterday, he even waited behind me so I could use my powers comfortably…”
I reflexively started listing all my master’s good traits.
Sure, I’d just said I was upset with him, but that didn’t mean I wanted to hear anyone badmouthing him.
As I passionately defended my master, Ryder’s eyes narrowed in amusement.
“You haven’t changed a bit, Themis.”
With a warm smile, he asked,
“If you care about the Archmage that much, then why are you leaving? The dispatch could wait.”
I fell silent for a moment.
“It’s good to see you wanting to change, but… take it slow.”
He wasn’t wrong.
The banquet I’d attended for the first time, the new relationships I’d formed, even revealing my power in front of others — all of it was new territory for me.
It was exhausting.
His gentle words of comfort made me feel strangely at peace.
“You’re right. It’s hard… and it’s scary.”
I admitted it.
I wanted to change the original story for my master’s sake, but I couldn’t be sure what I could actually achieve on my own.
All of my choices were tied to him — and not knowing what kind of butterfly effect those changes might cause filled me with anxiety.
“But I can do it.”
Because I still had something to move toward.
“I have a goal.”
“And what might that be?”
“My master’s…”
I caught myself and quickly corrected it.
“My own happiness.”
Wishing for my master’s happiness wasn’t a purely selfless reason.
His happiness… was the very thing that made me happiest.
Ever since the moment he saved me, that wish hadn’t changed.
Then suddenly, the words the darkness had asked me earlier crossed my mind.
‘Why go that far?’
Yeah, why do I go that far for him?
Even I didn’t know where this blind devotion came from.
I couldn’t define what it was I truly wanted from him — and honestly, I didn’t want to.
If I had to define it…
Let’s call it the earnest effort of a disciple filled with respect and gratitude for her master.
That much, at least, I could leave as it was — for now, it felt right that way.
“I’ll support your decision, Themis.”
After a brief pause, Ryder handed me a small card.
“If anything goes wrong, go here.”
I took the card — and my eyes widened.
“Wait, this is one of the most famous information guilds in the whole continent!”
The Information Guild.
Despite its absurdly obvious name, it was renowned for supposedly knowing everything there was to know in the world.
“Ahem, well, not every mage stays cooped up in the Magic Tower. I keep in touch with some of the mages working there. If you tell them you’re my acquaintance, they’ll probably give you a discount.”
Unawakened mages who couldn’t summon staves often had sharp hearing or vision — and used those talents working in places like that.
That’s so like Ryder.
Reliable, dependable — just like a proper assistant to my master should be.
Ah… but Ryder’s connections are basically my master’s connections. If I use this, won’t my master find out right away?
I hesitated, then quickly decided it didn’t matter.
He’s not the kind of person to care about something like that.
Besides, Ryder wasn’t the type to report every little thing. Unless my master specifically asked, he’d probably never know.
“Thank you, Ryder. I’ll be going now!”
I bowed deeply, clutching the card in my hand.
“You’ll probably be too busy to breathe for a while, so I’ll say my goodbyes now. Take care, and come back if it gets too hard. There are plenty of other mages who can go on dispatch instead.”
“Yes. I’ll do my best!”
With Ryder’s strong encouragement behind me, I left the Magic Tower.
Knowing I wouldn’t see it for a long while made the enormous tower feel strangely unfamiliar — and precious.
Yeah, I was going to miss this place.
As in most romance-fantasy worlds, the information guild here operated under a disguise.
In this world, its hidden base was behind a dessert shop called Sweety — a place where nobles and commoners alike could come and go freely.
I come here pretty often myself.
The shop offered every kind of dessert imaginable and was extremely popular among mages too.
The first floor had cheap takeout options, while the second and higher floors catered to nobles — appealing to every kind of customer.
“Would you like to be seated upstairs?”
“No, today I’d like…”
I put on a serious expression.
“One full ‘Sweet and Sour Strawberry Princess and the Bittersweet Chocolate Prince’s Midnight Escape Cake,’ please.”
…Honestly, I had no idea how that was supposed to connect to a guild,
and my ears had already turned bright red just saying it!
Apparently, the guild’s secret password changed daily — though I couldn’t tell if they were always that ridiculous.
Still, that was today’s phrase.
If anyone else but Ryder had told me this, I would’ve thought they were lying.
The friendly-looking waiter’s expression went completely blank the moment I said the words.
“Right this way.”
The warmth vanished from his face in an instant — replaced by the cool efficiency of someone used to dealing in secrets.
