Chapter 63

We all gathered together to discuss how to defeat him.

Finally, when we woke up Riana, who had been asleep, and asked for her cooperation in our plan.

“Riana? Riana, wake up.”

“Ugh……!”

“Whoa?”

When I gently shook Riana to wake her up, she seemed to move but instead grabbed me and pulled me close.

As if she didn’t want to be woken up, she wrapped her arms and legs around me and continued to sleep as if nothing had happened.

“I was sleeping well, why did you wake me up? I want to sleep more……”

“Ri, Riana? Stop this and wake up already.”

“No. We used to sleep like this all the time before. It’s been a while since I’ve smelled Kairon oppa……”

“Ahem!”

Riana’s eyes shot open.

Abelin, who was standing in front of us, deliberately coughed loudly as if to make sure we heard.

“Wake up already, Riana. If you sleep now, you won’t be able to sleep properly at night.”

“Ugh……”

With Abelin standing right in front of her and Rostia chiming in, Riana had no choice but to reluctantly sit up.

But the problem was,

“Why aren’t you letting me go?”

“Because I don’t want to.”

“What kind of……”

She didn’t let me go.

Abelin looked at me and Riana with a somewhat displeased expression, but Rostia, as if it didn’t matter, started talking about what needed to be done.

That Riana’s master, Ronos, was actually a demon.

Moreover, he wasn’t teaching Riana proper magic, but some strange, unknown magic.

And that we had decided to eliminate Ronos to prevent further trouble.

Even when Abelin and I said Ronos was a demon, Riana was skeptical, but when Rostia vouched for it, she finally nodded.

“But I’m curious, Rostia.”

“What are you curious about?”

“If Master was really a demon, what happens to me and the others who learned magic from him? And what should we do from now on?”

“Don’t worry. There are plenty of magicians in this world who can take care of you. I’ll find a good magician for you.”

“…… Okay.”

Riana finally nodded, then suddenly lifted her head.

“What should I do?”

“It’s simple, Riana.”

Rostia picked up a piece of paper next to her and pulled out a feather pen from her pocket.

Then she started writing something in large letters on the paper.

“What are you writing, Rostia?”

“Just wait a moment. It’s something you’ll like. Here, take it!”

It didn’t take long for Rostia to finish writing.

When Riana took the paper Rostia handed her, she couldn’t help but open her mouth wide.

“Wh-what is this!”

“What’s the matter……?”

Abelin and I looked over Riana’s shoulder at the paper Rostia had written on, but Riana’s reaction made it seem less impressive than we expected.

[Permission to go out – Rostia de Medici]

The only special thing was that the writing was engraved using mana instead of ink.

At the same time……

“The handwriting……”

“Really childish, isn’t it?”

“Childish? What do you mean? I won’t get angry, so if it’s an insult, insult me, and if it’s a compliment, compliment me!”

Rostia’s handwriting, after living for so many years, was crooked and messy.

It was fortunate that she wrote it large enough to read, but if she had written it small, it would have been hard to make out.

“Well, it’s not a big deal. As long as you can read it, right? As expected of Lady Rostia, who pursues practical magic, even her handwriting is practical.”

“Don’t mix insults and compliments, just pick one……!”

Rostia grumbled, but then coughed to lighten the mood.

“Riana, what you need to do with these two is simple. I’ve written you a permission slip, so go out and have fun.”

“Really? Is that all I have to do?”

“No, I haven’t mentioned the most important part yet.”

Rostia calmed down the excited Riana with a serious voice.

And then added.

“You must have as much fun as possible with these two. And don’t come back to the Magic Tower for as long as possible.”

“Not coming back for as long as possible means sleeping outside, right?”

“You’re as sharp as ever, understanding so well. That’s exactly it!”

“But…… why?”

“Why, you ask?”

Riana tilted her head and asked, but Rostia also tilted her head in the same direction and asked back.

“Are you really asking because you don’t know?”

“Yes. Tell me, Rostia. I’m happy about it, but I don’t understand why the emphasis is on having as much fun as possible and staying out as long as possible.”

Rostia clicked her tongue and tapped Riana’s forehead with her index finger.

“Tsk tsk. If you don’t know that, I’ll have to take back what I said about you being sharp. What kind of disciple are you to Ronos, Riana?”

“His only direct disciple?”

“Right. Unlike you, the other disciples aren’t even properly taught or called by name. Most of the time, he spends it with you, right? Meals, breaks. That means……”

“It means Ronos cares for you deeply.”

I chimed in after Rostia.

“Even though Master deliberately gave me more trials and made me fall into negative emotions?”

“There’s a saying that you treat those you care for coldly and give an extra piece of bread to those you dislike. If he really hated you, he wouldn’t have taken you as his direct disciple. And we plan to make Ronos anxious by separating you from him.”

“Anxious……”

Riana nodded, but still looked uncomfortable.

“But it’s strange. I still don’t understand. Master is a demon, right? Then why does he care for me so much?”

“That’s something we can’t know.”

I patted Riana’s shoulder.

“Demons are unpredictable enemies. We’ve been dealing with them for years, but their intentions and powers are still shrouded in mystery. But one thing is certain.”

“One thing……?”

“Yes. There’s nothing good about leaving them be. Do you really think Ronos cares for you because he loves you as a disciple?”

“…… I don’t know. I don’t know anymore. But I’ll follow Rostia and your plan for now. It’s a chance to find out what Master’s intentions are, how he really feels about me. And if he’s really using me with bad intentions……”

Riana clenched her teeth.

“I won’t let myself be used anymore.”

“If you’ve made up your mind, move now. Don’t give off the feeling of testing the waters, act decisively to provoke him more.”

“Okay. Let’s move now, Riana. Since we’re going out, let’s have fun.”

“Ugh……!”

Abelin and I quickly took Riana down the tower.

Just in case we ran into Ronos and got caught.

But, we got caught right at the main gate of the Magic Tower.

“Well, even if you’re Master Ronos’s direct disciple, Riana, it’s not allowed.”

“Why not? I have a permission slip here!”

The guards at the gate shook their heads at the permission slip Riana showed them.

“Do you know how many magicians bring permission slips claiming to have gotten them from Lady Rostia? And look at this.”

The guard, looking incredulous, showed Riana the permission slip again.

“Common sense says that Lady Rostia, an Archmage who has lived for centuries, wouldn’t write in such a messy handwriting. And it’s just plain writing, no seal or emblem. If you’re going to make a fake, at least make it properly.”

“It’s not fake! Ugh, this is frustrating……!”

I stepped in for Riana, who was stomping her feet in frustration.

“Excuse me, how long have you been working as a guard?”

“Uh…… quite a while. Since the Magic Tower was built.”

“And yet you can’t tell that this permission slip is real? Take a closer look.”

I took the permission slip from the guard and held it right in front of his nose.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“Look closely. What is this writing made of?”

“What’s it made of? Ink, of course…… huh?”

The guard’s pupils shook.

The writing on the permission slip was glowing faintly with a blue light.

“Th-this is mana writing, isn’t it?”

“What? Let me see. Whoa, it really is! And the part that says ‘Rostia de Medici’ is especially radiant……!”

“Who else in this Magic Tower can write with such precise magic?”

“…… At least a High Magician, I suppose. Alright. We’ll open the gate.”

The guards, sensing the high-level magic in the messy handwriting, obediently opened the gate.

As the gate opened, the sharp outside air hit us, snapping us back to reality.

“Ah, it’s cold outside. Wait a second.”

Riana chanted a brief spell, and a warm heat enveloped our bodies.

“Done, let’s go!”

Riana, who had hesitated to leave the Magic Tower, was the first to rush out the gate.

“I’ve heard rumors that there’s lots of delicious food and fun things outside, but I’ve just been sitting around. This time, I’m going to eat and do everything!”

Seeing her innocent and cheerful expression, a smile naturally formed on my lips.

‘Thank goodness. We have a chance to save this lovely child before she’s tainted by the demon’s influence. This time, I’ll definitely……’

I quietly made a resolution so Riana wouldn’t see.

‘I won’t lose anyone or anything.’