Chapter 89

A stack of gold coins and various other supports were deposited, putting me in a situation where I had to act without a word of complaint. I had no choice; I couldn't afford to betray the Crown Prince and run away. If I did, no other country would grant me asylum.

I even thought that not receiving anything and not doing the job might be the happiest way, but...

"It was something I had to do anyway."

From the moment the deposit was made, I brainwashed myself. As a torturer, it was a job I was bound to do. If I was going to do it anyway, it would be better to receive something and act. I decided to think this way for my mental health.

And the person who needed to worry about mental health was not me, but someone else.

- Master, how have you been?

The middle-aged man visible through the communication device bowed respectfully as soon as he saw my face and greeted me.

The butler who managed the mansion where the master stayed more often than not. In other words, the person in charge of the mansion where one prince, two royals, and a candidate for the Holy One would stay.

"I'm fine, as always. How about you, Butler?"

- Thanks to the master's grace, I have been enjoying pleasant days.

The butler's polite response made my heart ache a little. I'm sorry, it won't be pleasant from today.

"I'll be returning to the mansion in a few days."

- That's great news. I'll prepare to welcome you as soon as today.

"And I plan to bring a few guests with me."

Explaining the lineup of those guests required more courage than I thought.

- ...I will prepare without disgracing the master's name.

After hearing the lineup, the butler bowed his head after a moment of silence. It was a touching response, given that it was the master's order, but his eyes were trembling even through the communication device. If the usually composed butler was this shaken, it must have been a significant impact.

"Right. I'll see you at the mansion."

I ended the call hastily, fearing that saying anything unnecessary would only add to his burden. I'm sorry, Butler. But understand that I'm a victim too. The Crown Prince is a bastard, got it?

After the call, which seemed to have piled up one stack of resentment against the butler, I sat idly in the magic tower. I couldn't find a mage to teleport me back to the academy. I couldn't make a reservation because I didn't know when the meeting would end.

But these days, the magic tower has become more relaxed, so I could probably find a mage to spare after waiting a bit. There were times when the reservations were full for four days, but that was when it was really busy.

While examining the floor patterns in the lobby of the magic tower, a shadow fell over me, and when I lifted my head slightly, I saw the Archmage staring down at me.

'Shit.'

I was planning to grab any mage, but I never thought I'd grab the Archmage.

"Child? What brings you here?"

The Archmage, who perked up his ears, naturally sat down next to me. Sir, why are you doing this to me?

"It's fine. Sit down."

When I tried to stand up hastily, the Archmage pressed my shoulder and made me sit back down. No, I'm not fine.

"Thank you, Your Excellency."

"There's no master who makes their guest stand."

But I didn't want to upset the Archmage, so I suppressed my feelings. The Archmage is easily offended by small things, so I had to be careful. Maybe it's because of his age.

While fighting the urge to speak, the Archmage, who had been tidying his hair, asked again.

"When did you come to the capital?"

"His Highness the Crown Prince called a meeting, so I came today. I need to return to the academy."

"Meeting?"

The Archmage's reaction suggested he didn't know what was going on. Of course, the magic tower has little to do with the administration, so he wouldn't have heard the news.

"The club I'm in charge of is coming to the capital."

"Oh."

The Archmage's sympathetic response was enough to explain my situation. Everyone knew what I was doing at the academy and who was in the baking club, so the news had spread.

"The academy and the capital are not that close. It must be tiring to come and go."

"It's fine. I've arranged to stay at my mansion during the break, so I just need to come."

The following news left even the Archmage speechless.

"Stay strong."

And he gently patted my head. If it felt like petting a stray dog shivering from the cold, it was probably just my imagination.

'Mother...'

It felt strangely like my mother's touch, warming my heart. The pain from the quick handling by the Crown Prince and the ministers today seemed to heal. Maybe I wanted to hear warm words of encouragement more than cold support?

My mother, the Archmage, must have noticed my hidden feelings. Of course, if I called her "mother," all kinds of magic would fly from her patting hand, so I kept it to myself.

"If you have any troubles, let me know. I'll help if I can."

"Thank you for your kind words."

If I asked for support when I was in trouble, it would only make things worse.

After patting my head for a while, the Archmage stood up and said to wait a moment—

"Drink one a day. It's best to drink it in the morning."

He returned with a box full of small glass bottles and a mage.

"Ah, yes."

"It's good for you, so don't forget to drink one a day. Understand?"

"I will remember."

The Archmage, satisfied, finally turned and left, leaving me and the mage alone in the lobby.

"I'll take you."

"Ah, yes."

The process was strange, but at least I found a mage, so it was fine.

***

Outside the magic tower, I could feel the mana flow waver. It seemed he had just used teleportation to leave.

'How can he be so heartless?'

No matter how I thought about it, it was annoying that he came to the magic tower without even saying hello and left so quickly. He should know how special I am to him.

It hurt that I only learned of his arrival through the deputy archmage, not from his own greeting. I had clearly told him before that it was disappointing to hear about him from the head of the information department, and this was the second time.

So I planned to scold him firmly, but seeing him slumped in the lobby changed my mind. How could I scold him when he looked so exhausted?

'He shouldn't have to suffer from a young age.'

Seeing his tired appearance made me worry again. Is he eating properly? Is he getting enough sleep? He shouldn't be too focused on work, and he should be managing his stress.

It's troubling for someone so young to suffer so much. He still has a long life ahead, so he shouldn't get hurt. Fortunately, I happened to visit the magic tower when the potion was completed.

'I was wondering when to give it to him.'

It was difficult to deliver it myself, and it was too important to entrust to someone else. I had been waiting for him to come to the capital, and the timing was perfect.

What I gave him was a potion made from his blood and mine. It's a good thing for his health, as I told him. It's a product of my utmost effort and the knowledge of my mother.

'If it had been completed in my mother's time...'

Thinking of my mother made me uneasy. It's not an easy potion to make. I could only make it because of a series of miracles. But if my mother could have made it, if it had been completed when my father was still alive...

"Tricksey, you must not experience the same pain I did."

My father, a pure human, left my mother's side early. My mother, suffering, eventually gave up her lifespan granted by the heavens and followed my father.

My mother's last words to me were a warning. She told me not to love someone with a different lifespan and experience the pain of losing them.

So I conducted research to overcome the lifespan difference. Whether I would fall in love with someone or not, I did it to honor my mother's wishes. For those who would experience the same pain as my mother.

"I see the noble Archmage."

I didn't expect the person I had in my heart to appear before the potion was completed.

But thanks to that person, I was able to complete the potion, so it was truly a fateful meeting. Yes, my lifespan must have been granted by the heavens to meet him.

Of course, drinking one potion won't show immediate results. But if the effects accumulate over time, the flower will eventually bloom.

"Several decades..."

I muttered, thinking about the time left. Yes, several decades. If I make him drink it for about 40 years, he can walk with me.

I've been walking alone for over 100 years. If I can endure a few more decades, I can walk with someone. He's only 21, so several decades is plenty of time to wait.

***

The color of the potion was a subtle mix of red and brown. A familiar color.

'Ginseng?'

Maybe because I received it with the words that it's good for health, it reminded me of ginseng extract. Even the instruction to drink one a day is the same. Thank you, Mother Archmage, for taking care of such things for your son.

Since I was told to drink one a day, I opened one and drank it immediately. Since it's made by the Archmage, it must be effective. It smelled faintly of strawberries, making it feel more like a drink than medicine, but I trust the Archmage.

And maybe because of my strong belief, I felt my fatigue lifting as soon as I drank it. The placebo effect is no joke.

'I'll drink it every day.'

I don't know if the effects will show immediately, but if I feel better, that's enough, right? I should keep buying this if it's sold at the magic tower.