Chapter : 26
When he first made a contract with the royal family, he was still young, full of enthusiasm, and naïve.
In short, he was an easily exploitable pawn.
If only he had known a little more about the world back then, would things have turned out differently?
After the previous emperor died of a drug overdose, the current emperor, determined not to repeat the same mistake, began regulating the distribution of medicinal substances and the production of drugs.
Among these, the highly addictive herb Linarama was subject to particularly strict regulation.
Nobles who enjoyed the hallucinations and euphoria caused by Linarama were arrested, and the drug was strictly limited to medical use only.
The nobles had protested and resisted at meetings only a few years ago.
Yet ironically, the very person who caused that incident had now created trouble with Linarama.
“There’s being thoughtless, and then there’s this.”
Once it became clear that the emperor had reached such a state, attention naturally turned to the archmage, who had neglected the royal family.
He felt irritated, as if he had been waiting for someone to blame him.
He hadn’t been acting like a useless bum, pretending ignorance of state affairs for nothing.
He simply wished the royal family’s problems wouldn’t reach him.
But seeing such a foolish person could make all motivation vanish.
“A cycle repeated even after hundreds of years.”
Is life merely existing because one is alive?
Is this ennui?
Or has it come to the point where the long life, now felt more as a curse than a blessing, should finally end?
Everything felt like a story from a distant world.
“…Even so, I should first deal with the matters that are directly troublesome right now.”
Akilan exhaled a heavy breath, narrowing his eyes.
There were countless problems that people demanded he solve. Among them, the one currently gnawing at his nerves the most was uncovering the Mage Tower’s spy, who had yet to be caught.
“Who could it be?”
The phantom he had created had narrowed down the suspects to about five individuals.
The problem was that each one wielded considerable influence over the Mage Tower.
Whoever the traitor was, the Mage Tower would suffer significant damage.
As he considered the potential consequences, Akilan recalled Themis, who had been among the crowd earlier.
“So she’s been disobedient lately.”
Themis had been involved in every incident and had always tried to resolve things, keeping her far from being a culprit.
Her nature was not one to scheme conspiracies in the first place.
Lately, Themis had been acting unusually, and out of consideration for her, he had left her be—but that had backfired.
“Still wearing that expression…”
The face she had worn when he introduced her to Princess Aria lingered vividly in his mind, tormenting him.
He found himself more concerned with her now than when he first brought her along.
It was unlike her usual demeanor.
She seemed to have changed overnight into a different person.
And he disliked how, consciously or not, he was being swayed by that change.
Being led by someone else was enough for the past.
Despite having been so betrayed by human nature, he kept endlessly trying to trust humans—a walking contradiction.
The archmage, who was thought to have mastered all the knowledge in the world, might just be the most foolish of all.
Too many people didn’t realize that living long doesn’t automatically make one wise.
“Themis.”
Isn’t that right?
Even now, he stood in front of Themis’s door.
Neglecting important matters to spend time on something meaningless was unlike him.
Today alone, there was a meeting scheduled from the afternoon regarding the emperor’s drug intake—a gathering of the most prominent nobles, which required his attendance alongside Princess Aria.
Simply figuring out how to counter a noble ready to exploit the royal family would already take up all his time.
Meeting Themis could be done anytime, not necessarily now.
“But…”
He hesitated because of that expression.
“Themis.”
He could almost see her running out, shouting, “Master!” Themis was the easiest child for him to read among all those he knew, which made dealing with her convenient.
“She seemed like she wanted to be questioned first.”
If Themis wished it, it seemed reasonable to give her some time first.
It was strange.
He had a hunch that seeing Themis smile would improve his mood as well.
But it wasn’t Themis who greeted him—it was silence.
“Themis?”
Even when he called again, there was no answer from inside. Feeling something was wrong, Akilan knocked once more.
‘She’s not in there.’
Sensing no presence inside at all, Akilan quickly turned the door handle.
As his intuition predicted, the room was empty.
Themis was meticulous about keeping her belongings in order.
Although he didn’t visit often, he had learned the approximate location of things each time he came.
Yet the open wardrobe was empty, and most of the books that had filled the shelves were gone.
The meaning of this was clear.
She had left.
‘Without saying a word?’
This was the student he had personally brought along, the one who had always followed him, calling him “Master.”
‘Just like that?’
He hadn’t thought she would leave so suddenly—had he misjudged her?
It wasn’t unusual for mages to leave the Mage Tower. To remain, a mage had to prove their worth.
Those who made no progress in research or achieved no magical results eventually left, almost as if pushed out.
They were often hired by the royal family, noble households, or became mercenaries.
‘A mage leaving the Mage Tower itself is not surprising.’
Then why did he feel disappointed?
‘Because it was Themis? Because I assumed she would always stay in that place?’
Since when had he assumed she would remain in her position forever?
“…Archmage? What brings you here?”
The door opened, and it sounded louder than expected.
Aren, appearing in the hallway, noticed him and hurriedly bowed.
Akilan looked at him silently before speaking.
“Do you know where Themis went?”
Aren’s expression was peculiar. It was hard to tell whether he was troubled or forcing back a smile.
“Do you mean Themis? I did see her leave earlier…”
“Earlier?”
“About an hour ago. Whatever it was, she seemed in quite a rush.”
“I see…”
“She disappeared before even finishing her questioning. That’s unlike Themis.”
Aren looked concerned for Themis, but his mention of the interrogation was deliberate.
Akilan, expressionless, considered the situation.
Themis had left.
‘Am I disappointed in her?’
…Perhaps.
“How could she run off without following the archmage’s instructions? As a fellow mage, I can only lament it.”
Aren spoke as though Themis were a traitor.
But Akilan did not think Themis would be a traitor, even if she had left him—or the Mage Tower.
“….”
His principle was not to forcibly hold onto someone who left.
There would be many who would seek her out anyway.
This was no different.
“Master.”
Even the clear voice did not change anything.
“Aren.”
“Yes, Archmage.”
“Let’s go to the auditorium.”
“Eh?”
Aren hesitated at the sudden command but shrank under Akilan’s sharp gaze.
“Yes…”
Akilan led Aren toward the auditorium.
The reason was simple.
To resolve the issue of the traitor that had been postponed due to a sudden royal incident.
…And Aren, who had annoyed him, would…
“We will resume the interrogation.”
“Themis is…”
“That’s not the issue right now.”
She was the most likely candidate for the culprit.
He was simply attending to the pending work.
That was all.
He was not immersing himself in work to calm his stirred emotions.
Late at dawn, Rider, who had gone straight to bed upon arriving at the Mage Tower, woke up as the sun fully rose.
Even if it was just three hours of sleep, it was enough.
‘Hmm.’
Indeed, one must sleep. Feeling refreshed, Rider arrived at the auditorium and was startled.
“Wh-what is this?”
“P-please save me, Rider…”
“Who is the traitor…? Have them come out immediately…”
Mages clung to him, groaning like dying monsters.
He quickly calmed them down and made his way to the center of the auditorium.
As he walked briskly, the radiant spheres on both sides of him glittered as if at a grand ball.
Reaching the center, he couldn’t help but sigh.
“…My goodness.”
“Next.”
In the middle of the auditorium stood Akilan, indiscriminately trapping mages within spheres.
