“It’s been a while.”

Cheltain was a mage who had been practically expelled from the Magic Tower due to his depleted magical power. As a result, he was currently recuperating—though not officially—in Mercia.

Today, however, he had arranged to meet a former colleague from the Magic Tower at a shabby restaurant. Despite finally seeing his colleague after so long, no warm greeting passed his lips.

“I thought people like me weren’t worth your concern anymore.”

The sarcastic remark flew toward his former colleague.

Despite Cheltain’s prickly attitude, his former colleague Max remained unfazed. He already understood Cheltain’s resentment toward the Magic Tower that had abandoned him.

“Don’t be so hostile. I feel sorry about your situation too.”

If Max hadn’t felt sympathy for Cheltain’s circumstances, he would have had no reason to seek him out.

“What brings you looking for me?”

“You were always good at finding people and objects, even though your magical power is depleted. An opportunity has come up.”

“Opportunity?”

Though skeptical that the heartless Magic Tower would offer him any kind of opportunity, Cheltain listened attentively to Max’s words.

“Find someone the Magic Tower is looking for.”

“Hmph, what scraps would fall to me for helping the Magic Tower?”

“You know magical power depletion isn’t completely irreversible, right? With the Tower’s technology, they could maintain your body enough to let you live as a mage again—not like before, but enough.”

This wasn’t untrue, but thinking about how the Magic Tower could have done this yet chose to cast him out made Cheltain’s blood boil. 

Still, knowing this wasn’t unique to his case, he couldn’t even feel properly wronged. Regenerating depleted magical power required several times more magic than was practical.

“What are you looking for?”

Nevertheless, he recognized this might be his only chance. Whatever the Magic Tower wanted to find, he needed to find it first.

“We’re looking for a person. A female mage who was at the Magic Tower.”

“A mage?”

Cheltain wondered if this was about a mage dabbling in black magic or defecting to an enemy nation, which happened occasionally.

“You’ve probably seen her before. Her name is Rael, a mage who was skilled at making magic potions—blonde with blue eyes, quite pretty.”

“Why is the Magic Tower so desperately searching for this mage? Did she commit a crime?”

“Well, yes. When has the Magic Tower ever searched so desperately for someone who hadn’t earned their enmity?”

Whoever she was, earning the Tower’s displeasure meant she was in a pitiful situation. However, Cheltain’s current circumstances left no room to sympathize with others. 

There were many female mages at the Tower, and blonde hair with blue eyes was fairly common among them. He searched his memories of the past.

“Here.”

Max handed over a portrait. It was one of those drawn for every mage entering the Tower. The woman in the portrait, with her stiff expression staring straight ahead, looked somewhat familiar.

“Since she looks familiar, you must have seen her at the Tower. Where is she from?”

“A rural village called Yumiel. You have wide connections, so use them to search diligently. I came all this way to tell you this because of our old friendship.”

“…I see.”

Fortunately, thanks to Max being a sentimental person, Cheltain had been given an opportunity. There was no guarantee he could find someone the Magic Tower couldn’t locate, but even this small hope was welcome in his current situation.

“Thank you.”

Cheltain expressed his gratitude while tucking the portrait into his br*ast pocket.

Leaving the restaurant, he took out the portrait again for another look. The face was indeed familiar. He felt the image was surprisingly vivid for someone he had merely crossed paths with at the Tower years ago.

“First, I should ask around…”

While contemplating his next steps, he suddenly raised his head and scanned the village. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had seen her somewhere in town just yesterday.

Considering whether to immediately head to the Capital to find his informants, he paused to gather his thoughts.

What if he trusted this strange feeling that made him want to stay in this village a little longer?

Cheltain tucked the portrait back into his pocket and headed toward his lodgings. For some reason, he had a good feeling about this.

* * *

“You don’t need to feel awkward.”

Those were Rael’s first words when they met again after the prayer room incident. Bastian gave a hollow laugh seeing Rael acting even more uncomfortable while telling him not to be embarrassed.

“You’re the one who seems more embarrassed?”

“Ahem, what is there to be embarrassed about between us?”

Despite her words, she kept scratching the back of her neck, her actions contradicting her speech.

In truth, while Rael had dismissed Bastian’s words as childish and foolish, her mind had been in turmoil all night. She had never thought of Bastian and herself as man and woman, but the subtle emotions evoked by the word “marriage” wouldn’t easily dissipate.

“For someone who claims to be unfazed, you’ve come quite early this morning.”

“Actually, I couldn’t sleep last night… No, no! It wasn’t because of you, so don’t misunderstand.”

“You’re defending yourself before I’ve even thought of anything.”

Rael certainly hadn’t considered Bastian’s proposal positively—not even a speck of approval. She was simply worried their relationship might become awkward because of his words.

But seeing him now, she found it strange that while she had worried all night, Bastian appeared completely unbothered.

Wouldn’t someone normally feel troubled after making such a bombshell statement? Perhaps he had just blurted it out in the moment without much thought.

Looking at Bastian’s gentle expression, she felt frustrated and even resentful that she alone had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep with worry.

“Again, I’m the only one who worried. Just me.”

Her shoulders slumped. Rather than disappointment, it was closer to relief. As she exhaled with the feeling of having shed a burden, Bastian stopped his walk toward the prayer room. They were currently heading to the prayer room for morning prayers.

“No need to feel wronged. I thought about it all night too.”

Bastian’s warm hand landed gently on Rael’s head. Her hair moved along with his hand as he ruffled it from side to side.

“…I did that reckless thing because it was you. If you act like that elsewhere, you’ll end up with your heart broken and tears flowing.”

Think about it—Bastian was a young, promising High Priest with a future ahead of him. Moreover, his handsome face would stand out anywhere. If someone like him proposed marriage, even out of pity, who wouldn’t jump at the chance?

When Rael spoke seriously with sharp eyes, Bastian smiled, his eyes crinkling.

“That won’t happen.”

“What do you mean? You seemed ready to marry and take in every pitiful person you see. At this rate, you’ll end up with ten wives.”

“It’s because it’s you.”

Just when they had cleared the awkward atmosphere, Bastian reignited the flame.

“I couldn’t sleep all night, thinking about why I said those words and what my feelings are.”

“No. Well… What…”

Rael was about to ask what nonsense he was going to spout now, but she had to stop when she saw Bastian’s downcast, serious gaze.

“Just because I brought it up easily doesn’t mean my thoughts or feelings are shallow. It came out smoothly precisely because it contained my true feelings.”

Rael’s lips went dry at Bastian’s words.

…There’s no way he could be joking when speaking with such clear eyes that reveal his innermost thoughts.

Their conversation from the prayer room was reigniting.

“If I said those words because you’re my childhood friend, like family to me, or out of pity, I’d truly be a fool. Are you certain there’s nothing beyond friendship or familial love in my feelings for you?”

“You’re mistaken…”

“Rael, I serve the divine. I’m more sensitive than anyone to my own thoughts and emotions. I also live a life of constant self-scrutiny.”

“Bastian…”

“How could someone like me not understand my own feelings?”

Bastian’s hand fell away from Rael’s crown. His gaze remained serious, but his expression had softened.

“I know it was a burdensome proposal. But I don’t regret what happened yesterday. I have no intention of forcing anything on you. Just, if you need someone to lean on, like now, let me remain that person for you.”

“You really… I don’t understand you. Suddenly, what is this…”

Rael had spent more than half her life with Bastian. She thought she knew everything about him, but when he showed such unexpected words and actions, she questioned whether this was the same Bastian she knew.

“No need to be confused. Nothing changes. We’ll continue just as we have until now.”

“Are you saying…”

How was that different from saying he had liked her all along?

“Yes. Ten years ago, five years ago, or a month ago, or yesterday. Not a single day has been different from this moment. The only difference is that feelings that merely existed have now been spoken aloud.”

“……”

Rael’s mouth froze. She had hoped Bastian would laugh together with her and dismiss yesterday’s events as a bizarre incident, but instead, he was driving in the stake. He was nailing it down, determined to engrave his feelings clearly.

“There’s no need for words like ‘it never happened,’ ‘misunderstanding,’ or ‘pity.’ Rael, you don’t need to try to find an answer for me. Just stay close, like now, don’t drift away.”

Bastian turned and opened the prayer room door, observing Rael who couldn’t hide her bewilderment. Then he spoke.

“When your mind is troubled, how about joining the dawn prayer?”

Acting completely normal.

He smiled truly like nothing had occurred. In a daze, Rael entered through the prayer room door he had opened.

Bastian ascended to the podium for prayer as usual, while Rael found a place among the villagers already filling the prayer room.

When he began reciting the prayer, the solemn prayer time commenced.

Rael too closed her eyes among the praying people, trying to clear her complicated thoughts.

Bastian’s calm voice, maintaining his composure, filled the prayer room. The prayer text once, the people once. Bastian’s glancing gaze invariably held Rael within it.