Chapter 25

The Mage Tower Master deliberately diverted the topic.

“What exactly are you worried about? Now that I’m here, you know Iberia Del won’t die.”

“……”

Silence filled the room.

It wasn’t that Ermite hadn’t heard the question or couldn’t answer it. The Mage Tower Master knew this, so he didn’t bother asking again.

He lowered his head slightly, his eyes catching Iberia’s pale face. Ermite quickly shifted his gaze to the blanket covering Iberia.

Ermite asked himself—what was he worried about right now?

He didn’t want to be forgotten. That was all. The mere possibility of being forgotten in Iberia’s memory was unbearable.

It wasn’t worry.

Ermite’s lips quivered.

It was an unreasonable attempt to persuade himself. His analytical and perceptive mind already knew the truth about his emotions—an unbearable fear.

It was similar to a child afraid of being abandoned by their parents, throwing a tantrum to avoid being left behind. When fear couldn’t manifest as fear, it took another form.

No, it was simply another face of fear.

He was afraid that directly acknowledging the fear might give it power. In the past, he had feared Iberia forgetting him, and as a result, she had forgotten him, erasing their shared memories.

The causal relationship had been flawed from the beginning, but personal experience and judgment held greater sway over logic.

Ermite blinked rapidly.

The current Ermite was a man of power and capability. Acknowledging his fear wouldn’t lead to loss as it had in the past. He could control anything.

Thinking so made it easier to find an answer.

“Is this… worry?”

No, it wasn’t worry.

“I’m afraid of being forgotten. I’m afraid I won’t exist in Iberia’s memory…”

Finally, he voiced his fear. It was both a relief and a source of terror.

For some reason, his eyes felt warm. Ermite’s pupils trembled and swelled slightly, but he didn’t let the tears fall.

The Mage Tower Master looked at Ermite with an unreadable expression.

“Well, for now, there’s nothing significant I can do.”

He added that Iberia would regain consciousness once her magic replenished, and after that, he fell silent.

Afterward, a heavy silence hung between them. Neither made an effort to speak to the other.

At that moment, they sensed someone’s presence outside. It seemed to be a petite woman. Ermite tensed instinctively.

“Iberia!”

It was a student who was always with Iberia.

Ermite shifted his gaze from Cynthia back to Iberia.

He had little interest in her. There was only a faint, complex feeling about the fact that she had spent time with Iberia that he hadn’t.

Cynthia had managed to get into the room where Iberia was by showing her academy ID, some money, and a few witnesses to vouch for her.

She entered the room absentmindedly, only to freeze when she saw who was sitting next to Iberia. The man who had been the source of Iberia’s stress at the start of the semester—the Young Master of the Nesferos Ducal House.

A reflexive murmur escaped Cynthia’s lips.

“Why… are you here?”

“Am I not allowed to be here?”

It wasn’t a question born of genuine curiosity. The Young Master of the Nesferos Ducal House gave a faint smile. His tearful smile might have looked ridiculous under other circumstances, but his face resolved everything.

Cynthia momentarily lost herself in the angelic face of Young Master Nesferos before hurriedly bowing.

She couldn’t fathom why Young Master Nesferos was there. Cynthia’s gaze wavered, her thoughts spiraling into extremes.

Trembling, Cynthia knelt before Young Master Nesferos.

“Iberia is innocent.”

“I know.”

“Do you go around hitting students in the academy?”

The Mage Tower Master teased as if he had caught onto something. Ermite couldn’t respond. For whatever reason, there had been times when he had struck other students. Of course, he had let himself be hit a few times before retaliating.

Hearing another voice, Cynthia’s eyes darted around before landing on the black-haired man. Cynthia’s eyes widened.

She recognized the Mage Tower Master’s hair color and face. Cynthia stiffly alternated her gaze between Young Master Nesferos and the Mage Tower Master.

Ermite sighed. If it were anyone else, he would have ignored them kneeling or apologizing. But the fact that she was Iberia’s friend complicated things.

Turning his gaze back to the blanket covering Iberia, he spoke.

“Stand up and sit down.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, I’m scared.”

With Iberia collapsed in front of him, Ermite glared at the Mage Tower Master, wondering how he could joke at a time like this.

The Mage Tower Master, unfazed, casually addressed Cynthia.

“It’s late at night. You’ll just take a look and leave, right? You’ve got things to do tomorrow.”

Despite his playful tone, his gaze resembled that of the Crown Prince. If Iberia had been awake, she might have shuddered at its familiarity.

Fortunately, Cynthia, having lived alongside Iberia for two years, had become somewhat accustomed to the nobles’ indirect way of speaking.

Cynthia nodded vigorously.

She wanted to stay by Iberia’s side, but saying so now might lead to dire consequences.

Cynthia stared at Iberia’s pale face for a long time before reluctantly leaving.

She seemed to have many questions, but Ermite didn’t ask if she was curious about anything. Such consideration felt like a luxury in the current situation. He wasn’t inclined to do so either.

***

On the last night of the festival, Cynthia visited Iberia once more. With a face that looked like she might cry at any moment, she reported that their booth had received many votes.

The Crown Prince had won the magic tournament.

Though it had been expected given his status and eloquence, it didn’t sit well that the person partially responsible for Iberia’s collapse had achieved success.

Seeing the Crown Prince participate in the tournament, Ermite had also joined the swordsmanship competition. His victory in the swordsmanship tournament was, of course, a foregone conclusion.

Immediately after his victory, Ermite requested that the academy provide detailed rankings for participants in both the magic and swordsmanship tournaments. He wanted an opportunity to compete against the magic tournament participants as a swordsman.

To outsiders unaware of the details, it seemed like Young Master Nesferos was up to his usual antics. But those who knew the truth saw it differently.

He was asking for a legitimate chance to harm the Crown Prince.

Though his request was denied, both the Crown Prince and the Mage Tower Master were genuinely impressed. It was clear that someone as unhinged as Ermite was in a league of his own.

Ermite sat beside Iberia’s bed, staring at the blanket covering her.

He still trusted the Mage Tower Master. Though he was anxious, his trust in the Mage Tower Master outweighed his fears—for now.

The Mage Tower Master carefully infused magic into Iberia’s wrist. It served as a substitute for nutrients and kept her body functioning.

When all magic was depleted, the body mimicked death until it replenished the necessary amount to sustain itself. If the body couldn’t endure that period, death would follow.

Unfortunately, Iberia’s body was weak. Though she had recently started eating well and taking care of herself, it wasn’t enough to make up for her previously neglectful lifestyle.

The day after Iberia collapsed, the Mage Tower Master infused magic into her when Ermite wasn’t present. From the following day, he openly transferred magic in front of Ermite.

If Ermite showed even indirect curiosity, the Mage Tower Master planned to explain that it was something only he could do. Who would dare argue against the Mage Tower Master’s claim?

Ermite seemed to have abandoned his academy life, spending most of his time by Iberia’s side.

Except for when he was competing, he was always there.

Even when urged to leave, he wouldn’t budge.

Ermite silently watched the Mage Tower Master’s actions. Feeling slightly guilty, the Mage Tower Master pretended not to notice his gaze.

“When will Iberia wake up?”

“How would I know? But it’ll be soon.”

“When is ‘soon’?”

“…Don’t even think about taking her away.”

Ermite’s expression turned ambiguous. Even the much-older Mage Tower Master sometimes struggled to decipher his emotions.

To outsiders, their conversation might have seemed nonsensical. But to the Mage Tower Master, his warning was natural. He briefly elaborated.

“The Crown Prince told me everything. You were planning to take Iberia Del to the Ducal House, weren’t you?”

“……”

Ermite’s silence was confirmation. The Mage Tower Master sighed softly before glaring sharply at him.

“You selfish b＊stard.”

“All I want is for Iberia to remember me.”

With his obsessive nature and desire to control everything, it was quite the spectacle.

Especially considering how, as a child, he had insisted on possessing everything related to Iberia, even blocking her magic. The Mage Tower Master sighed louder than before.

Not long ago, he had been worried about Iberia Del. Now, it seemed he was more concerned about Ermite.

Because of these two, he couldn’t even go out. Stuck in this hospital room, what was he even doing?

A bitter sigh filled the space once again.

***

It had already been three days since the festival ended.

Ermite grew increasingly sensitive as the days passed. His already slender face had become even thinner, to the point where it was difficult to meet his sharp gaze directly.

Yet, he continued to bathe meticulously.

The reason was simple—he didn’t want to show Iberia a disheveled appearance when she woke up.

The firm trust Ermite had in the Mage Tower Master was beginning to crack, little by little. The Mage Tower Master must have known this, yet he remained as unhurried as ever.

In contrast to Ermite’s growing impatience, the Mage Tower Master’s demeanor was calm. It was only then that Ermite could vaguely understand how Iberia might have felt when she looked at him.

Ermite couldn’t take his eyes off Iberia’s closed eyelids. After a long moment, he rose from his seat slowly.

“I’ll be back soon, so please watch over her…”

“Instead of bathing, you should put some weight on your face first.”

“My face looks fine even when it’s thin.”

The Mage Tower Master’s jaw dropped at the completely serious remark.

He pondered for a moment on how to handle such confidence before concluding that, with a face like Ermite’s, he could afford to live with that level of self-assurance.

For some reason, it irritated him. With a wave of his hand, the Mage Tower Master gestured for Ermite to leave quickly.