“Uh.”

However, the Mage Tower Master wasn’t listening to her words at all.

“How did you know?”

“Know what?”

“That I was here!! Who tipped you off!”

The Mage Tower Master, enraged like a child, glared at Sesenia with a furious face.

“No one tipped me off, Mage Tower Master. I overheard others talking before I got off the carriage earlier. They said no matter how long they waited, no one had met with the Mage Tower Master. That means the Mage Tower Master was absent… If you were truly absent for business, you would have certainly posted a notice before leaving. That’s the usual practice. Without even that… It can only be explained as you slacking off because you don’t want to work at the Mage Tower, right?”

“…..”

“Surely the Mage Tower Master isn’t such an irresponsible person who would run away without posting a notice?”

Sesenia smiled at him gently. With an innocent expression and harmless voice.

“Isn’t that right, Mage Tower Master? I thought the Mage Tower Master I knew was a responsible person.”

“Ahem. Y-Yes, that’s right.”

“But young lady. Slacking off is also irresponsible…”

“Heh heh hem. I am not irresponsible.”

He slowly stroked his long white beard.

White hair and beard that could hardly be called silver. Wrinkles covering his face to match. The Mage Tower Master who was said to be of indeterminable age, yet possessing both childlike and strict qualities simultaneously.

This was Sesenia’s first time meeting him in person, past or present. There had been no points of contact before.

Saying he was childlike meant he was immature, and saying he was strict meant he was difficult to control. As if to prove this, the Mage Tower Master did not attend important state affairs or events of the empire.

‘Now that I see him, I understand perfectly well why they said that.’

He was an extreme person. They say that as people age, their nature is reflected in their face, and that was exactly the case here. An unusually gaunt body and drooping mouth.

“Anyway! So what! There’s no connection between you knowing I’m here and me slacking off! Someone must have tipped you off. There must be someone who tipped you off!”

“There isn’t. If the Mage Tower Master were to slack off, where would he do it? Definitely not the Mage Tower where countless people are clamoring to enter. If you didn’t go far, it’s obvious. You ran away to a hut near the Mage Tower.”

“……There’s more than just one or two huts…!”

“It’s quite well-made for a hut used by servants. Of course, not enough to stand out, but it wasn’t hard to find. Even after I’ve said all this, are you going to claim someone else told me?”

The Mage Tower Master’s expression changed subtly. He, who had been stroking his chin, nodded very slowly.

“Well. I actually did know. Since you came straight here without contacting anyone else. I did know.”

“That’s right. Not just anyone, but the Mage Tower Master who claims to know everything under the sun would surely know.”

“Hmm. Well. Yes. So why did you come looking for me? Did you come to confront me about something? Did I do something wrong?”

His expression gradually changed at the slightly flattering words. It wasn’t just that one sentence that changed him. Sesenia had entered the realm of the Mage Tower Master’s curiosity.

Sesenia deliberately told him everything.

How she found the Mage Tower Master. It wasn’t just a vague knowledge, but a detailed explanation meant to pique his interest. Having lived for too long, the Mage Tower Master had lost interest in worldly affairs.

No matter who he met or what he did, he found everything boring and didn’t even want to pay attention.

The only time such a person showed interest was when his curiosity was aroused. Like a god, he was quite generous when it came to situations and people he found appealing.

No matter what was said. That’s why Sesenia came here and did these things instead of going to the Mage Tower to find him.

She thought if she did this, the Mage Tower Master would take an interest in her.

‘Although I’ve never seen the Mage Tower Master directly, I know what he’s said. That humans are all stupid. That even the humans who can use magic in the Mage Tower are so stupid it’s irritating. That as the empire keeps winning war after war, only the number of fools has increased.’

So he wanted smart humans. He found interest in anyone who was intelligent.

But in front of the Mage Tower Master, everyone became a fool. A pioneer and sage with great power. Who would continue speaking as if they were smart in front of such a person?

“What do you want from me?”

As Sesenia silently stared at him, the Mage Tower Master urged her again.

“Do you see the slave behind me?”

“Of course I do. I see him clearly.”

“Do you notice anything strange about him?”

“Well. The fact that he’s wearing restraints?”

“Mage Tower Master. Do the restraints have any other function? Besides restraining him?”

Sesenia asked just in case. If there was any difference between Ted of the past and present, it was whether he was wearing restraints or not.

She thought perhaps the restraints had changed his hair color, but the Mage Tower Master firmly shook his head.

“None.”

“I see. Then my slave has suffered a terrible thing.”

“A terrible thing?”

“Yes, the fact that his hair color is in such a state without any magical artifacts. It’s quite a mess, isn’t it?”

Sesenia fiddled with Ted’s hair.

“Huh? What’s wrong with his hair color? Black hair is so good! It’s better than hair that’s turned completely white with age!”

Perhaps feeling quite self-conscious about his white hair, the Mage Tower Master approached Ted and touched his hair.

“Hmm……”

“You understand why I said it’s a mess, don’t you?”

“It’s magic. Etched very deeply.”

“Yes. I thought only the mages of the Mage Tower could use such magic. Seeing how it’s maintained like that at this age, it seems like it was done by quite a powerful mage.”

Sesenia looked at the Mage Tower Master with a very dissatisfied voice.

“You think I did it?”

“Well. Changing a human’s hair color is illegal. Because it can cause social confusion.”

“Oh? Do I look like someone who wouldn’t commit illegal acts?”

“No. I think you would commit illegal acts for fun, Mage Tower Master. But I don’t think you’re the culprit behind this hair color. You don’t seem like someone who would do something so trivial.”

Hearing words that could be either praise or insult, the Mage Tower Master smirked.

“You really are interesting. You’re probably the only human who would act so brazenly in front of me, the Mage Tower Master. What’s your name?”

“It’s Sesenia. Sesenia Bestel.”

“Oh. I see. So what you want is for me to undo that magic done by some terrible mage, right?”

“Yes. You must take responsibility. Since you’re the Mage Tower Master.”

“When you say take responsibility, you mean not only restoring it to its original state, but also finding the person who did this, right?”

“I’ve heard that magic has different characteristics for each person. So isn’t it easy for you to find, Mage Tower Master?”

He slowly nodded.

“Very interesting. It’s been a long time. Someone playing me like this. Alright. I’ll take responsibility in the name of the Mage Tower Master. But it will take some time.”

“That’s fine.”

“It’s better for me to have that person undo the magic rather than forcibly undoing it myself, so wait. I’ll go with that person.”

“Yes!”

The Mage Tower Master stared at Sesenia for a while, then shifted his gaze to Ted. Small lights like fireflies sparkled from his hand.

“Hmm……”

“Is there a problem?”

“No. I’m examining it because it’s a very old magic. But… This guy. He’s no ordinary person.”

“Is that so?”

“You seem to know. Sesenia Bestel.”

She didn’t answer. She only replied with a smile.

“Well, if you know, that’s good… But don’t think about taming this slave. He’s absolutely not the kind of human that can be tamed.”

“Yes. I know. I won’t tame him. I just… want to make him live.”

“That could make things harder for you.”

The title of sage wasn’t for nothing. It’s unclear how far ahead he could see, but unlike before, the Mage Tower Master looked at Sesenia quite seriously.

“It’s alright. What I’m doing is just the hypocrisy of a wealthy person.”

“You’re really interesting indeed. You. Alright. Since you say so, I’ll stop my advice here. I’ll bring the person you mentioned before your eyes.”

“Thank you. For welcoming such a sudden visit like this.”

“Welcome, you say. You handle me so well, as if you know everything about me. That’s why you’re interesting and amusing. Like a raindrop falling gently on a very boring lake. Making me move. Anyway, let’s see. How far your hypocrisy will go. I’m curious too. The more I see you.”

A small smile spread across the face of the Mage Tower Master, which had looked sharp throughout.

“Hmm. But you know, Sesenia Bestel.”

“Yes?”

“It seems like something very interesting will intervene in your life too. Before you go back, visit another hut here. You might discover something interesting.”

“What do you……”

For the first time, Sesenia, who had acted anticipating every moment of her meeting with the Mage Tower Master, wavered.

“That’s all I have to say. I’m going to slack off more now, so go back!”

“Ah……”

“And be very careful not to let others find out that I’m here. I hate having my rest disturbed the most.”

That was the end. Like someone who had said everything they needed to say, or rather like someone who had found a new amusement, the Mage Tower Master opened the door of the hut.

Unlike its exterior, the interior of the hut was quite luxurious. In the end, Sesenia had to leave the hut as if being chased out.

“What on earth… does he mean by something interesting.”

At that moment.

A strong wind blew, as if to send Sesenia, who was hesitating in front of it, somewhere else. A wind blowing only for Sesenia. And that wind brought Sesenia in front of a woman.