Chapter 14 - Volume 1 (2/2)

He couldn’t do anything but nod. Dejectedly getting up and heading to the space made for him in a corner of Agedilus’s laboratory, Widnichol finally settled down. And then, he quietly stifle a sigh he was about to breathe out. Aah, the magical books were so thick they hurt to look at.

That was how Agedilus talked to his disciple, who had ran from the Black Party Court to the library, in this large palace — which was quite a distance in itself — and back, desperately bringing these books for him.

Widnichol was rather used to this, so he knew that was just how Agedilus was, but he couldn’t help thinking ‘couldn’t he just let me have a break for once?’

He knew it wasn’t like he was told to do something absurd or something he just couldn’t do, but he just wanted a little more compassion.

‘But, a teacher that sweet wouldn’t be a teacher after all,’ he thought, which was true as well.

As he slowly reached out for the dark green book, Widnichol peeked through the gaps between the piled up books and research tools in the room. He Peeked between the dried herbs, medicinal plants, and the lined up medicine bottles to check on his teacher.

He was reading the magical book he had on his hand as if obsessed, like usual. Watching his calm figure made it seem like that fight hadn’t happened at all; it felt so mysterious. Even though it had just been some months since then, it seemed like it had been years.

That fight. Even children younger than 5 years old knew what that was.

That fight, namely, the fight with the ancient demon king.

Widnichol knew very well that his teacher, Agedilus, was the main person that brought down the demon king revived after hundreds of years, restoring peace to the world.

The heroes who saved world. Although people glorified him as being one of them, he knew he had barely done anything for that. He had just received the news of his teacher, Agedilus’s death.

Then, he left the capital to somehow meet up with the party of heroes and fight the army of the demon king. Nothing he had achieved there and their success could be compared to his teacher.

His teacher, who everyone thought had died, taking along the close aide of the demon king after he casted a spell with great magic, ended up saving them.

When they had gotten stuck in a trap by the demon king’s army chiefs right in front of the demon king’s castle, preparing themselves to die, his teacher had appeared out of nowhere for them.

Just who could have thought that the man in disguise, waiting in front of them as one of the close aides of the demon chiefs was none other than Agedilus?

That masked man didn’t face them, but faced the chiefs, firing attacks at them. When Widnichol saw the face under that mask, he couldn’t help bursting into tears. In contrast, the hero said, 「I knew you were alive,」 the princess said, 「You’re late!」 and the head knight said, 「You’re just picking the best of both worlds, aren’t you?!」 All of them were laughing, with no way to describe it other than, ‘of course he’s alive’.

His teacher had been running about collecting information even in hiding, taking a risk as dangerous as invading the demon king’s army, and then showing up at the best timing for them. Widnichol was so proud of his teacher, from the bottom of his heart.

That beautiful wizard with jet black hair. That extraordinary wizard that had poems written for him by the poets, who would probably have his name recorded in history books before long.

How had Widnichol started studying under that kind of a man, Agedilus Von Lancent? The reason was simple: There was no one more suitable, in both the meaning that ‘there was no one else who could be Widnichol’s teacher’ and the meaning that ‘there was no one else who could be Agedilus’s student’.

In the beginning, he would lament in front of the goddess that was his guardian deity, 「Why does it have to be like this?」 but now, he couldn’t ever thank her enough for this reality.

Widnichol’s magical power was immense. His appearance was the best proof of that, namely his ashy silver hair mixed with black.

He was the third son of a merchant that lived in the capital, and upon seeing an opportunity, entered the Academy of Magic. But in contrast to his magical power, he had an introverted personality.

That must have been the ruin of him, since by the time he realized it, he had turned into a verbal punching bag for the students in his class to take out their anger on, falling prey to teasing and bullying.

Widnichol didn’t say anything back or do anything against them, but there was one time where Widnichol’s anger finally erupted.

His wild, reckless magical power mowed down his classmates, and Widnichol came close to instantly dropping out of school.

It was then that he was summoned by the Black Party Court, settling into the position of Agedilus’s disciple, who had his name known around the world with many different meanings.

The first time he met Agedilus, Widnichol thought, ‘wow, he really is so beautiful.’ Then at the same time he thought, ‘he really is so scary.’ And that impression of him, to be honest, hadn’t changed that much even now.

His teacher was always beautiful, especially in the middle of that battle. Even after that battle had ended and things had grown peaceful, he was a scary mentor for Widnichol.

But, Widnichol knew there was more to his teacher than just that. He found out sometime ago about that person.

「Master.」

「What?」

He gave a short reply without hesitation, his voice was pleasing to the ear. His blunt way of speaking used to make Widnichol twitch no matter what, which sometimes greatly irritated his teacher.

There was someone explaining to him that his teacher wasn’t angry at him, but that was just how he talked. When the face of that person came to his memory again, his mouth spoke by itself by the time he realized it.

「How has Miss Filmina been?」

The atmosphere stiffened at Widnichol’s words.