BCOM 44

Chapter 44

Let’s say I can understand the striking red hair… But what should I do about his eyes, shining silver as he looks back at me?

Is there really another combination like that?

I knew this world had a fairly wide variety of hair and eye colors, but even so, the combination in front of me was breathtakingly vivid.

And of course, it wasn’t just the colors. Even if I hadn’t seen him clearly in the dim, shadowed space, it wasn’t confusing enough to mistake him for someone else.

“A jeweler…”

“My goodness… It’s Kirkan!”

“What’s a wizard doing at a banquet?”

At that moment, a word caught Agnes’ ears so sharply that she almost froze. What did she hear…? Wizard?!

Hearing that the man who had women squealing and noble ladies peeking from behind fans was a wizard, Agnes couldn’t take her eyes off him either.

The very thing putting Caesar in danger was the mana that wizards were skilled at manipulating. Depending on how it was handled, it could sustain life or cause an explosion… it was a matter of life and death.

Even the thought that it could affect her didn’t leave her mind.

Thanks to Teowin, who was always by her side, she could focus on assisting with palace matters and prevent her unnecessary worries from spreading endlessly. Without him, she might have been swept away by her swirling thoughts.

But she didn’t forget that ultimately, she had to solve the problem first to avoid being lost in distractions.

She had been poring over books alone, but of course, there was a limit to what she could find this way.

Handling this alone would be a long battle, and she didn’t know how much time Caesar had left…

Then, unexpectedly, a wizard appeared—someone who hadn’t even been invited, someone who wouldn’t have been on any guest list if this banquet was strictly by invitation. Wasn’t this lucky?

From that moment, Agnes’ mind was consumed with thoughts of how she could naturally speak to the red-haired wizard. And she had to do it without anyone else noticing.

Should she ask for advice about her father first? And then, toward the end, bring up her own matter?

No, first, ask about her father… Since it wouldn’t be resolved in one day, she could meet a few times and gradually see if he was someone she could eventually discuss her own matters with.

Since the word “wizard” had lodged itself in her mind, nothing else could get through. Her father’s issue was the most urgent—so that had to come first.

From the moment Agnes first spotted Kirkan, Teowin had been quietly observing her.

He didn’t know why her gaze shifted so suddenly toward the wizard, but Kirkan appeared amidst the cheers, love, and attention of many women. No one seemed indifferent upon seeing him.

Usually, this was the type of reaction people had when they saw Teowin. They didn’t scream or strain to talk, but they often went completely awestruck.

Yet, Teowin didn’t care about others’ thoughts or expressions. What unsettled him was Agnes’ reaction.

“Your Highness, how many wizards remain in this empire?”

She finally looked away from staring at him for so long and addressed him. But she didn’t like that the topic she had chosen concerned wizards.

“The empire has very few wizards left. I’ve heard about ten to fifteen still survive.”

“Ten to fifteen?”

She knew how rare this coincidence was. If she had business with a wizard… now was her chance.

Agnes’ eyes began to sparkle as she sneaked glances at the man standing in the distance.

No one knew exactly what drew her to him…

Teowin was caught in a dilemma. Should he send her to the man or not?

And just as Teowin hesitated to make a decision, Kirkan strode forward. Naturally, being at a palace-hosted banquet, it made sense for him to approach first and greet them.

Using his long legs, he pushed through the crowd and quickly stopped in front of the two of them.

He was slightly shorter or about the same height as Teowin, flashing a smiling gaze that partially hid his ash-colored eyes.

Agnes’ heart had been racing ever since she saw him approaching. If he didn’t know what she was curious about, she could face a truly desperate situation.

“I am Kirkan, wizard of Kropen, here to meet the future Crown Prince and Crown Princess of the Empire.”

He bowed politely, his voice calm and composed. Seeing his fearless smile, Teowin fought to suppress the stiff expression forming on his face.

“So, one who usually pays no attention to banquets has appeared here. What brings you to this event?”

Teowin raised the corner of his lips and asked. He was curious about why Kirkan had suddenly shown up and greeted them so openly. Seeing Agnes’ expression, he found her delight suspicious.

Agnes, unaware of his thoughts, kept her gaze on Kirkan, curious for an answer.

After bowing to both of them, Kirkan’s eyes shifted slowly to Agnes. He looked at her steadily, still smiling.

“I came to repair an item I previously sold to Your Highness, the Crown Princess.”

“A wizard was running a shop? And the item sold wasn’t even that long ago… needing repairs now—wouldn’t that be a problem?”

Agnes had started to excitedly ask if the jeweler in front of her was really the same person, but Teowin’s voice stopped her.

Teowin was clearly displeased. Or rather… extremely uncomfortable.

Even as Agnes glanced back at Teowin, Kirkan kept looking at her. His gaze traveled from her face to her necklace.

Watching this, Teowin furrowed his brow even further.

“Answer the question.”

“The item I sold was a necklace, but not an ordinary one. It was designed for a certain kind of magic—an operation related to mana.”

Kirkan spoke to Teowin but shifted his gaze back to Agnes. She focused entirely on the words “magic necklace” and “mana.”

A wizard must have the answers.

Agnes unconsciously raised her hand to hold the pendant of her necklace. She never imagined the necklace she had bought could have such properties. The fact she hadn’t sensed it—did that mean she lacked such power? Were the strange voices she occasionally heard unrelated to mana or magic?

She wanted at least some answers, however small. Even if everything couldn’t be solved at once, perhaps one piece could be unraveled…

Teowin initially thought Agnes’ calmness meant she had lost interest. Earlier, her eyes had shone brightly, and he had nervously wondered if she would insist on going to talk to Kirkan separately.

But as she gradually calmed, he realized she hadn’t lost interest. She had simply organized her thoughts and made a decision.

“Today is a banquet where everyone remains at their place, so it seems inappropriate to discuss matters here. Will you come again tomorrow, wizard?”

Agnes flinched slightly, but she didn’t speak up. Even if she appeared impatient, she had to wait.

“If you wish to talk, come again tomorrow.”

This applied to Agnes as well. Kirkan’s eyes slid toward her at the remark. She felt uncomfortable and instinctively hid behind Teowin.

“Thank you, Your Highness. I will return tomorrow.”

He bowed again without hesitation.

The tense atmosphere had everyone watching Kirkan with shining eyes.

With the conversation over, Kirkan would now enjoy the banquet. The ball would start soon, and the young ladies’ eyes sparkled in anticipation.

The married Crown Prince could no longer compete for attention at the ball.

But Kirkan, showing no lingering interest in the festivities, turned sharply and strode out of the banquet hall.

“Sir Kirkan!”