Chapter : 106
“Temis, you are being ordered to die.”
“It seems, because of the contract, that even your life is in danger, Master…”
Judging from the conversation between the Emperor and Master, the contract between them must be something in service of the royal family.
If that’s the case, killing the current Emperor would clearly be a violation of that contract.
A magician violating a contract—this means you’re basically choosing to die alongside the Emperor.
“Please don’t die, Master.”
It’s too much to ask Master to give his life over something like this. He hasn’t even had a chance to be truly happy yet.
“Please…”
Swallowing words I couldn’t speak, I looked at Master with desperate eyes.
I didn’t know exactly what expression I was making, but Master’s gaze on me deepened. His previously expressionless face gradually changed, like paint spreading on a blank canvas.
“…”
The dimming light lowered Sandroa’s body, which had been suspended in midair, to the floor.
The beam of light seated him back on the throne where he had originally been sitting, and then vanished.
Even the staff disappeared, but Master’s tightly clenched fist remained unrelaxed. It seemed he had not yet fully gathered his emotions.
“Ugh…”
Sandroa regained consciousness and coughed.
“Let’s pretend this request never happened. I will take my leave now, Your Majesty.”
Master bowed slightly, then added sarcastically:
“You still don’t seem to be in your right mind, Your Majesty. You should seek treatment promptly.”
Master held my hand tightly as we exited the audience chamber.
“Let’s go, Temis.”
It happened so naturally that it didn’t feel awkward at all.
‘…Holding hands with Master!’
The situation was tense, and it seemed like something done unconsciously, yet my heart raced uncontrollably.
“What happened?”
Aria, who was waiting outside, frowned at Master’s unusual expression.
Feeling guilty, I quietly let go of Master’s hand.
“What did His Majesty say…?”
“Oh my, it’s been a while, Archmage.”
At that moment, a familiar voice came from behind Aria.
“What brings you to the royal palace?”
Princess Victoria appeared, dressed elegantly and smiling brightly.
Considering she had supposedly been seriously injured in Terma, she looked far too healthy.
“That’s none of your concern.”
“Weren’t you here to meet with the Emperor? I, too, have been summoned by His Majesty.”
“I have finished my business, so either enter or leave. Temis, let’s go.”
The verbal spar between Victoria, who tried to engage, and Master, who effortlessly deflected every move, ended quickly.
Victoria glared at Master, trembling with anger.
“I am a legitimate princess. If you treat me like this, you will regret it later.”
“Please, come inside, Princess.”
A court attendant, trying to mediate from behind, urged her.
“…We shall see.”
Victoria, unwilling to incur Master Sandroa’s displeasure, restrained her anger and turned away. The clicking of her heels on the floor was unusually sharp and loud.
Aria looked at us with worry, whispering:
“I’ll contact you separately. For now, just return.”
She seemed to sense Master’s unusual condition. Afterwards, Aria followed Victoria into the audience chamber.
Though Aria was worried about us, I was more concerned about her.
‘Can anyone really talk to the Emperor properly in that state?’
I couldn’t stop recalling the Emperor’s clearly unwell appearance.
‘What demands will he make to them next?’
Watching the closed doors of the audience chamber, I felt a sense of dread. Not only the Emperor, but what kind of insane requests he might make to Master next made me anxious.
What kind of contract could exist between the royal family and Master to make them act so recklessly?
“Since we’ve confirmed the Emperor’s state, let’s return to the Mage Tower.”
Master never allowed anything threatening or disadvantageous to himself. He wouldn’t have entered such an unfair contract lightly.
“You look curious about why I made that contract.”
Master read my thoughts as if by instinct.
“Why… did you do it?”
I didn’t expect a completely honest answer. Master never spoke about himself.
“At the time, I trusted the royal family.”
Yet the response came surprisingly quickly.
“You’re probably wondering why I trusted them. Looking at them now, they’re rotten to the core.”
Master smiled at me.
“I wasn’t always like this, not since birth.”
Walking beside me, Master returned to his usual calm demeanor, as if he had never been angry. I recalled the impetuous boy I had encountered in the dungeon.
‘No wonder that teenage boy seemed familiar…’
He was the spitting image of the boy I saw in the dungeon.
“You live, you learn, you get hurt, and you change.”
How long had it taken for him to speak such words so calmly?
“Disappointed? That Master isn’t perfect?”
“No.”
In fact, the opposite was the problem.
‘Seeing Master not just as the object of my admiration, but as Akilan Teikan, a human being…’
And realizing all over again how deeply I loved him.
“I’m glad you told me.”
My emotions swelled like a balloon, and the words finally burst out.
“Because it’s your story, Master.”
Was that unexpected? Master’s eyelids trembled slightly.
A faint smile spread across his lips.
“Then I suppose I must tell you more in the future.”
The smile was so beautiful, like someone in love, that I couldn’t look away.
After staring at Master for a while, I stood before the magic circle and retrieved my staff.
On the other side, the tower’s mages were communicating to activate their magic circles. I suddenly recalled what had happened before arriving.
“Why were you like that back then?”
“…Ahem.”
Master coughed awkwardly, then turned his head slightly away. Even through the illusion spell, the faint redness of his earlobes was visible.
“…Your gaze keeps wandering to the wrong person.”
“…”
“You should be looking only at me.”
Finishing his words, Master fixed his gaze on me. My heart raced so violently, I feared he might hear it.
Blushing, I lowered my head. The magic circle conveniently concealed my face completely.
It is now clear to me: Master cares for his disciple. Proudly so.
And yes… jealousy is possible!
‘But was there really a reason for it?’
I recalled the situation before entering the palace while standing in the magic circle, reflecting on whether I had done anything wrong.
In fact, there had been good news before Master and I entered the palace from the Mage Tower: Jed, who had been in a coma, had awakened.
As soon as he regained consciousness, he came to see us after hearing we were entering the palace.
Seeing life return to his face when he met me, I couldn’t tell how relieved I felt.
“Thank you for saving me.”
He said he was used to entering dungeons, but encountering such a dangerous high-ranking demon for the first time, he was sure he would have died without me.
“How can I ever repay this favor… please give me a chance.”
Of course, I felt honored by his words.
“Jed is my comrade too. It’s only natural I do this.”
Thinking back, I realized Master had been urging me along this whole time.
“Temis, it’s time to depart.”
Entering the palace was an important matter, so I accepted without hesitation.
“Jed, I have urgent matters at the moment. Can we talk later?”
I asked Jed apologetically.
“Of course.”
Jed smiled and nodded.
“If you wish, Temis, I can make time anytime.”
“Thank you. We’ll talk after I return.”
After I returned, I would have to tell Jed about Aren’s death, so it was only natural.
No matter how I thought about it, I didn’t seem to have done anything wrong…
“You haven’t done anything wrong, Temis.”
Master said this to me as he walked out of the magic circle. Returning to the tower, he reverted to the teenage boy appearance, muttering grumpily with a defiant posture.
“It’s just that I’m narrow-minded, that’s all.”
