Chapter 44

Johann introduced himself in her stead.  

“Today, I happened to accompany her.”  

“I see. By the way, are you a knight?”  

“What? Ah, yes.”  

Lia answered while glancing at Johann for his reaction.  

“How did you know, Dorothea?”  

“It’s obvious at a glance. Your body is very well-built….”  

Johann didn’t hear Dorothea’s description as he was lost in thought.  

‘Dorothea, Dorothea… That name sounds familiar. Ah.’  

Dorothea, the purification-type mage.  

A commoner genius who graduated as the top student in the history of the Imperial Academy.  

That commoner mage had indeed been named ‘Dorothea.’  

She was such an exceptional mage that Johann had read some of the papers she had written during her time at the academy. Judging by her age, she seemed to match that mage.  

‘But why is that Dorothea in a place like this?’  

She had graduated as the top student, far surpassing the second, and joined the Imperial Mage Tower.  

“Did you graduate as the top student of the Imperial Academy?” 

Johann abruptly asked Dorothea.  

“What?”  

Dorothea, who had just taken out another piece of jerky from her robe to eat, was startled and dropped it on the ground.  

“How did you….”  

“So, it’s true.”  

“…Are you also from the Imperial Academy?”  

“Yes. More importantly, I heard you were affiliated with the Imperial Mage Tower. Why are you here like this?”  

“…….”  

Dorothea froze, unable to pick up the fallen jerky or answer his question.  

Lia, not understanding the situation, looked back and forth between Dorothea and Johann, flustered.  

“Although we specialized in different fields during our academy days, I respected you quite a bit.”  

“…….”  

“But I was surprised when you suddenly disappeared a few years after joining the Imperial Mage Tower.”  

He recalled hearing about Dorothea during his academy days when he was learning how to handle offensive mana.  

One of his professors had praised her so enthusiastically that it was almost annoying.  

Despite being a purification-type mage, she had shocked everyone by publishing a paper on better ways to handle offensive mana.  

Her method was so effective that professors teaching offensive mana began to incorporate her paper into their lessons. 

“Dorothea, why did you suddenly disappear?”  

“Well, it’s just that the Imperial Mage Tower wasn’t what I expected it to be.”  

After a brief hesitation, Dorothea finally spoke.  

“So, I traveled around the Empire for research purposes.”  

Even so, wandering the Empire for nearly 20 years without settling down didn’t make any sense.  

Her words sounded like an excuse, but Johann didn’t press further.  

“Were you researching purification magic?”  

“That, and also potion-making, herbalism, and various other things.”  

“Have you satisfied your curiosity to some extent?”  

“…Not entirely, but somewhat.”  

She mumbled her response.  

“You don’t seem to have any money right now. Have you considered rejoining the Mage Tower?”  

“…Is it that obvious I’m broke?”  

She widened her amber-brown eyes and glanced at her appearance.  

“Yes.”  

“How could you say that so bluntly?”  

Lia scolded Johann for his sharp reply.  

“After 20 years, you’ve had plenty of time to satisfy your curiosity. Don’t you think it’s time to settle down?”  

“Isn’t it a bit intrusive to meddle in someone else’s future like this?”  

Dorothea shot a dissatisfied look at the man who seemed much younger than her.  

“Well then, let me properly introduce myself. I am Johann von Blumhart, head of the Blumhart family.”  

“…What, what did you just say?”  

Dorothea was so shocked that she pointed a finger at Johann.  

“Lia, this man is lying, isn’t he?”  

Not fully understanding the situation, Lia was startled when Johann suddenly revealed his identity to Dorothea.  

“I’m sorry, Dorothea. I should have told you the truth earlier….”  

“So, it’s true?”  

Dorothea lowered her pointing hand and blinked.  

“Dorothea, if you’re willing, I’d like to hire you as the head mage of the Mage Tower in the Capital, sponsored by the Blumhart family.”  

He stood up and made the proposal politely.  

It was an extraordinary courtesy for a Duke of the Empire’s top five families to show to a commoner.  

But to him, Dorothea was not just a commoner. She was an exceptional mage and his senior at the academy.  

As the head of the Blumhart family, he couldn’t let go of a genius mage who appeared once in a century.  

“So suddenly? What makes you trust me….”  

She was at a loss, overwhelmed by Johann’s respectful demeanor and sudden proposal.  

“I’m a bit concerned because you’ve been out of sight for 20 years, but I trust the achievements you’ve built in the past.”  

“…….” 

“Doesn’t the prospect of substantial funding for your research tempt you?”  

“Well, it does.”  

She hesitated, appearing to be deep in thought.  

“I’ll also provide you with a residence, and your salary and funding will surpass what the Imperial Mage Tower offers.”  

It was an exceptionally generous offer.  

Whatever was causing Dorothea’s hesitation, it was clear that her heart was wavering.  

“Goodness. That’s certainly a tempting offer.”  

For some reason, it seemed that Dorothea’s departure from the Imperial Mage Tower wasn’t due to a simple reason.  

There was a faint trace of fear in her eyes.  

Johann thought that this fear might be directed at the Imperial family.  

“I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety, no matter what you’re afraid of.”  

The Imperial family couldn’t easily interfere with the Blumhart family, which had been a founding contributor to the Empire. Protecting Dorothea, who would mostly reside in the Mage Tower, from the Imperial family would be no problem.  

“If you’re worried about your name becoming known in the Capital, you don’t need to be concerned.”  

Johann spoke with confidence to Dorothea.  

“…Alright. If you can keep all those conditions, I’ll accept.”  

After a long silence, Dorothea nodded.  

“Oh? So, we’re going to the Capital together?”  

Lia, delighted, grabbed Dorothea’s hand.  

“Looks like it. But when are we leaving for the Capital?”  

“Can you come to the inn in Winster by tonight?”  

Johann, determined to leave with Dorothea no matter what, asked.  

“Hmm, it’ll be tight, but I think I can manage.”  

“Then I’ll take that as a yes.”  

“Alright. I’ve finished my business here anyway, so let’s go.”  

He gave her detailed directions to the inn.  

“Dorothea, I’ll be waiting for you.”  

Johann spoke firmly to Dorothea, who was walking away.  

“Don’t worry. I always keep my word.”  

She nodded and walked in the opposite direction.  

“Dorothea must be an incredible mage, huh?”  

Lia, having no prior knowledge, had simply listened quietly to their conversation.  

“She’s not only gifted in purification magic but also demonstrated exceptional talent in other areas of magic.”  

Dorothea had shown potential even in healing magic and was skilled at creating potions and magical artifacts, making her famous during her academy days.  

‘Who would have thought I’d meet such an extraordinary mage in this remote area and even hire her? What an unexpected gain.’  

His primary goal had been to safely and quickly bring Lia back to Rafaella.  

“…She truly is amazing.”  

Lia murmured in admiration.

Lia and Johann returned to the cabin, drenched from the rain.  

Johann’s clothes, soaked without a raincoat or boots, were in such a state that they seemed unwearable again.  

Lia, having washed first, handed him a light shirt and pants he used to wear in the cabin.  

He stared at the clothes for a moment before stepping into the bathroom.  

Exhausted from the day’s activities, Lia sat at the dining table and dozed off.  

A simple snack had been prepared on the table.  

When Johann came out after washing, he saw Lia dozing off in her chair.  

‘…Why is she sleeping so pitifully like that?’  

Every time he saw her, his chest felt tight, and now she even looked pitiful.  

Hearing him come out, she half-opened her emerald eyes, which were filled with an unfamiliar longing and joy.  

“…Hart?”  

She called him by a strange name.  

Her voice, filled with longing, sounded like someone reuniting with a long-lost loved one.  

‘Hart? Oh, right. She said I could only remember Hart so she called me that.’  

Her voice, soaked with emotion, made Johann’s already tight chest feel even more uncomfortable.  

D*mn it, why did she have to call me like that?  

“…Ah! I’m sorry.”  

Lia, seemingly awake now, covered her mouth with her hand and blushed as she hurriedly retreated to her room.  

Johann stood still for a moment, unable to move.  

‘…How can she call someone like that with those eyes and that voice, and then just leave?’