GDTEA Chapter 78

The Person I’m Looking For

The Magic Tower Master was busy.

He had always been busy, but now he was even busier, and he was scheduled to become even busier in the future.

‘How on earth did they get their hands on forbidden magic?’

The Magic Tower Master, who had discovered traces of forbidden magic at the cliff of Habsan Waterfall, was seething inside despite his smiling face.

Unlike black magic that harms people with magic, forbidden magic corrupts mana itself and damages magic. When someone with a mana imprint carved into their heart touches forbidden magic, the gradually corrupted mana spreads through that person’s magic, eventually affecting the hearts of other mages as well.

As one who stood at the pinnacle of the Magic Tower, the Magic Tower Master had a mission to protect the dignity of the Magic Tower and magic itself, so he could not take this matter lightly.

‘They wouldn’t have touched forbidden magic just to kill one person.’

The Magic Tower Master’s mind was troubled.

If he could have his way, he would have interrogated every noble in the Great Empire of Neweiton one by one to uncover the mastermind, but the Magic Tower Master was not a god.

If it was forbidden magic powerful enough to affect Grand Duke Gwendhill, even the Magic Tower Master needed to be cautious.

‘If I can just find out what kind of forbidden magic they’re using, the countermeasure would be simple.’

To do that, he needed to find Leodelt Gwendhill.

However, even for an archmage, casting a missing person search spell across the vast imperial territory was not easy.

“He might have fled outside the empire.”

The range was quite extensive.

Even mobilizing all the mages belonging to the Magic Tower, they couldn’t invest all their time in searching for a missing person.

Just then, the communication sphere flickered.

-[I know you’re busy, but the Magic Tower Master should at least show his face once. After all, you are the owner of this mountain and might become the lord of the village in the future.]

The matter he had gotten involved in this time was quite troublesome.

The Magic Tower Master, who had always ignored complicated worldly affairs and only did what he wanted, naturally intended to feign ignorance this time as well.

-[We’re holding a feast, so please come even if you’re late.]

The Deputy Tower Master’s face, which had always been haggard from excessive workload, was now gleaming as if oiled.

Since he was constantly absorbing high-grade pure mana just by breathing, the Deputy Tower Master’s face was glowing even at sunset.

Unlike someone whose fine hair was on the verge of being damaged from too much stress in a short time, the Deputy Tower Master appeared to be lounging around contentedly.

“…….”

Immediately, the Magic Tower Master moved to the village he had dumped on the Deputy Tower Master.

As soon as he arrived at the village, the Magic Tower Master felt his body fill with mana. His troubled mind also became refreshed.

‘Ah, this place is really the best. Is this what it feels like to take tranquilizers?’

The Magic Tower Master regained his composure while stroking his long hair. Still, not wanting to immediately go through the troublesome greeting procedures, the Magic Tower Master wandered around the village alone without looking for the Deputy Tower Master.

Passing by the residents excited about preparing for their first feast and the Krofl Mercenary Group who had naturally adapted to village life, the Magic Tower Master headed to the workshop site.

“Oh, Magic Tower Master?”

“Magic Tower Master!! Please listen!”

There, the Magic Tower Master was caught by Magic Tower mages who harbored grievances about the workshop problem and had to listen to their complaints, but unexpectedly obtained information about a special constitution.

It was definitely about the robed man he had glimpsed before.

Driven by the mages’ nagging about their curiosity toward the man with the special constitution, the Magic Tower Master reluctantly moved his steps.

“Are you there~?”

Until he knocked on the door with a good-natured smile on his lips, the Magic Tower Master had been more curious about the doctor who was supposedly the owner rather than the special constitution slave.

‘A doctor, and on top of that, using a rare slave with a constitution immune to magic as a bedroom slave?’

A doctor who came for treatment to a hidden village, had connections with the Krofl Mercenary Group, dragged even the Magic Tower into work, and as if anticipating this, even brought along a special constitution slave immune to magic.

It wouldn’t be bad to see the face of a doctor with so many peculiar descriptors at least once.

“Who is it?”

However, as soon as the door opened and a large man appeared, the Magic Tower Master couldn’t help but open his mouth slightly.

‘This person is a slave?’

Even combat slaves rarely had this kind of presence.

Most of all, the Magic Tower Master’s fingertips trembled slightly at the natural intimidating aura the other person exuded. Feeling somehow familiar yet strange, the Magic Tower Master took out a scroll from his bosom. And the moment he suddenly removed the man’s blindfold to gain certainty, the Magic Tower Master almost burst into hollow laughter.

They were clear, focused teal eyes that couldn’t be captured in a portrait.

“Bin-go.”

The previous Grand Duke Gwendhill wouldn’t have had an illegitimate child. He had never heard that the current Grand Duke Gwendhill had a twin.

Then there was only one answer, wasn’t there?

“He is the person I’m looking for, right?”

The Magic Tower Master reached out his hand.

He had to immediately grab the man and take him to the imperial palace—no, to the Magic Tower.

Just as he was about to quickly cast a teleportation spell while the other person had his eyes closed, a small white hand suddenly intervened between the Magic Tower Master and the man.

“Hmm?”

It was a woman wrapped tightly in robes and a hood.

When his magic casting was interrupted, the Magic Tower Master’s gaze toward the woman naturally turned cold.

“You’re not the person I’m looking for.”

“…….”

The woman seemed to shrink back for a moment, then openly stood in front of the Magic Tower Master. The Magic Tower Master chuckled softly at her posture of hiding the man behind her.

It was indeed the owner who treasured her slave dearly.

The Magic Tower Master narrowed his eyes and carefully looked the woman up and down.

If the man was indeed Leodelt Gwendhill, what was the woman before him? A con artist? Or an enemy?

What was certain was that the person most needed by Leodelt Gwendhill right now was the Magic Tower Master—himself. The Magic Tower Master was about to open his mouth to reproach the woman’s attitude with his characteristic arrogant expression, but the woman raised her voice first.

“You, you’re going too far!”

“……!”

It was a voice so damaged that it was difficult to distinguish gender. The Magic Tower Master was startled by the bizarre voice he was hearing for the first time in his life.

“Why are you coming here to confront Ren about that? What did Ren do wrong?”

“Ren?”

It was a name he was hearing for the first time.

Before he could ask who that was, the woman poured out her grievances.

“And who does Ren bully? Even if Ren looks scary and speaks a bit roughly, he’s not someone who would bully anyone.”

“No…….”

The Magic Tower Master hesitated, unable to say a word at the rough protest coming from the small, delicate woman.

The Magic Tower Master, momentarily tongue-tied, rolled his eyes and looked behind her, seeking help.

However, seeing the man behind the woman smiling contentedly, the Magic Tower Master was momentarily speechless.

‘……Smiling?’

Was the man hiding behind the woman and constantly chuckling really the grand duke of the empire?

And it wasn’t a mocking laugh, but a delighted face that his owner was taking his side.

The Magic Tower Master felt something was strange, but suddenly thinking that he appeared completely undignified and that the other party was being rude, he composed his expression.

The Magic Tower Master lifted his chin.

“I’m not confronting anyone, I’m the Magic Tower…….”

“Yes. It’s rather Ren who was bullied by those Magic Tower mages.”

“Bullied, what happened? Who? That person? No, by whom? Magic Tower, our kids? Bullying?”

The Magic Tower Master opened his mouth slightly with a dumbfounded expression for the first time in his life. He even picked his ear, wondering if he had heard correctly.

When the Magic Tower Master was flustered, a small snort of disbelief came from inside the hood.

“They kept clinging to Ren even though he disliked it, touching his body, and calling him a slave and property in front of people—that’s harassment beyond rudeness.”

“…….”

“Ren was just standing there briefly after making a formal contract with a mage from the Krofl Mercenary Group. Right, Ren?”

“That’s correct.”

The man nodded readily.

The Magic Tower Master looked at the two with eyes that had witnessed something bizarre.

‘Speaking formally? A grand duke who doesn’t need to speak formally to anyone except the emperor?’

The Magic Tower Master couldn’t hide his confusion.

No, now he was beyond confused and even bewildered.

“So…….”

“What is the lady to that person?”

He had to ask. Who on earth was she to step forward like this?

The Magic Tower Master’s subtle gaze was closer to pure curiosity than sarcasm.

“Ren is my, my assistant. And I am—.”

“The master I serve.”

“…….”

The man quietly took the woman’s hand. His lips, particularly soft-looking perhaps because of the blindfold, curved upward noticeably.

The Magic Tower Master stopped thinking.

‘A war veteran looking at someone like that? Treating them so carefully?’

As the heat that had been boiling in his head quickly cooled, his thoughts became rational.

The Magic Tower Master again fumbled to take out and unfold the scroll. Then he compared the man with the figure in the portrait from various angles.

No matter how he looked, they were strikingly similar people. However, upon rational comparison, they were just people who resembled each other.

‘I don’t feel the distinctive aura of a Sword Master either.’

He was extraordinary, but at best, just above ordinary.

He had a sharp atmosphere, but at best, he was just a rough beast, lacking the cutting blue aura of the imperial sword of the Great Empire of Neweiton.

‘But they look so alike.’

The Magic Tower Master wanted to immediately ask if he knew the name ‘Leodelt Gwendhill.’ He wanted to show the portrait of Duke Gwendhill and ask directly if they were the same person.

But the Magic Tower Master only moved his lips and covered his mouth with his sleeve.

‘Is it because of the forbidden magic?’

If that were the case, it was understandable that he was wary of mages.

It wasn’t a matter he could casually mention, and he had to consider the possibility that he was hiding his power.

Actually, this village was a hidden village owned by Darhan Bridend, the leader of the noble faction. Grand Duke Gwendhill might be turning crisis into opportunity and preparing for a counterattack.

‘Let me observe for now.’

The Magic Tower Master suppressed the urge to immediately take the man to the Magic Tower to confirm the whole story.

‘If he’s really Grand Duke Gwendhill, there’s no way he wouldn’t recognize me. So for now, it’s right not to let on that I know.’

With a minor misunderstanding, the Magic Tower Master postponed urgent matters by deciding to observe the man for a while.

And Sharti, who had been watching the Magic Tower Master’s troubled decision in real time, swallowed nervously.

‘This person seems like the Magic Tower Master……?’

Sharti glanced at the scroll the Magic Tower Master was holding.

At first, she really thought he was a senior mage representing the Magic Tower who had come to confront them about what happened during the day. But his appearance matched exactly what the villagers had told her about the Magic Tower Master, and most of all, his natural composure and arrogant atmosphere were distinctive.

‘What he’s holding is definitely a wanted poster.’

However, Sharti was more focused on the scroll the Magic Tower Master had pulled out as soon as he saw Ren rather than his unexpected appearance.

The Magic Tower Master’s gaze, constantly alternating between Ren and the scroll, wavering between “it seems right” and “no, it’s not,” fueled Sharti’s anxiety.

‘The words about “looking for someone” are also suspicious.’

Thinking about it that way, his suspicious behavior of trying to use magic on Ren as soon as he saw him also made sense.

Sharti firmly grasped Ren’s hand while harboring a great misunderstanding. And Ren, who had been quietly keeping his eyes closed behind Sharti, instinctively realized.

‘This is someone who knows me.’

Only Ren had approached the truth.