Chapter 44
“Ah…”
So it really was Arti, huh?
“What? You know that name?”
Cheyan’s eyes widened at the smile spreading across Seres’ lips.
That guy… he can smile like that too?
“I’ve heard of him.”
“Of course. He’s the most famous among all the previous tower masters.”
Cheyan nodded, acknowledging that it made sense. Even now, both ordinary people and mages alike often cited Arti as their favorite mage. He himself had dreamed of becoming a mage after reading Arti’s autobiography as a child.
“But the problem was too difficult. Even after going through the autobiography and every record, I couldn’t get past the twentieth door.”
“….”
That mischievous guy. What kind of building did he leave behind? Even after I die, he’s still up to his weird antics.
“Aren’t you hungry? Let’s go have dinner.”
“Yeah.”
Seres, who had been unable to take his eyes off the white building, finally turned away at Cheyan’s words.
‘I wonder if Kai knows…’
That Arti’s traces are still here, everywhere.
Seres gently closed his eyes. Somehow, he felt a strong longing to see Kainel.
“…What on earth is going on here?”
Where his feet had taken him, Mark, the only official staff member and the head chef of this place, couldn’t hide his bewilderment at the unprecedented scene.
‘What’s happening?’
Why had all the mercenaries vanished as if fleeing?
Just moments ago, they had been loudly chatting and enjoying their stew, but now, like foals with their tails on fire, they had all bolted outside.
A completely empty restaurant—something Mark had never seen since starting work here—stared back at him.
“Oh, Mark, it’s your first time seeing this, isn’t it?”
Jay, a servant of the Drow baron family who had witnessed this phenomenon several times before, nodded as if to acknowledge his confusion.
Then her gaze fell on the man sitting calmly alone in the center of the restaurant.
“This happens whenever he comes.”
Casting a quick glance at Kainel, Jay whispered as quietly as possible.
“Whenever he comes, everyone runs away. Strange, right?”
“Who is he?”
“I don’t know the details, but they say he’s incredibly scary.”
Mark swallowed dryly. If even the roughest mercenaries were afraid of him, how formidable must he be?
Busy clearing the suddenly emptied tables, Mark cautiously carried a tray of stew to Kainel.
“Pl-please enjoy your meal.”
He set down the bowl as quietly as possible, bowed respectfully, and stepped back.
“….”
Kainel didn’t even glance at Mark. He quietly lifted his spoon.
Previously, Seres had told him not to come during busy hours, but today, there was no other choice. Despite his busy schedule over the past few days, he had managed to find time to come.
‘Kainel, please eat something! I’ll handle the work!’
Even though he had regained his appetite after eating here before, he had recently buried himself in work again, barely looking at the food. If his assistant Del hadn’t forcibly dragged him out, he would have spent the day ignoring the food entirely.
“…?”
However, after taking a spoonful of stew, Kainel’s brows twitched.
Taking another bite, he finally set the spoon down on the table.
Mark, who had been watching nervously, mustered the courage to speak.
‘Could there be something wrong with the food?’
“Is it… not to your taste?”
“No. It’s not right.”
“Eh?”
Was there really something wrong with the food? The mercenaries had all enjoyed it just moments ago.
“Why does it taste different?”
“Di-different taste?”
“Different.”
Kainel’s expression darkened slightly, just enough that no one around would notice.
It wasn’t the stew he had eaten recently; the difference was subtle but perceptible.
Why? Why does it taste different all of a sudden?
‘Come to think of it…’
That woman wasn’t here.
Kainel felt something was off because Seres—the one who always made a peculiar expression whenever he came—was nowhere in sight.
“The owner?”
“Huh?”
“She’s not here.”
“Oh! Seres isn’t coming out anymore.”
“…Not coming out?”
“Yes. She has other matters to attend to…”
“….”
Kainel’s gaze shifted toward the kitchen. She was always outside the kitchen whenever he came…
So she… isn’t here?
He stared at the stew silently for a long while before placing the payment on the table and standing up.
“Th-the payment… it’s fine…”
Mark tried to return the money, seeing that Kainel hadn’t even eaten properly, but Kainel simply left the restaurant without a word.
“Ah…”
Mark stared after him, dumbfounded. Picking up the money left on the table, he sighed as he glanced at the abandoned stew.
“Will he… come again?”
“No. I don’t think so.”
Jay shook her head as she cleared the dishes he had left behind.
“Right?”
Mark nodded in agreement with her. For some reason, he kept looking toward the direction Kainel had disappeared.
“Cheyan.”
“Yeah?”
“Not working?”
“I am.”
“…I never imagined the tower master’s main job was sweeping the floor.”
“It’s fine as long as you know now! It’s okay!”
“….”
Seres let out a short sigh at Cheyan, who was sprawled on the floor sweeping about, claiming boredom.
Now she understood why people entering the office tried to avoid eye contact with him. Watching him could be so irritating.
‘Tch.’
Clicking her tongue silently, Seres roughly glanced at the documents left on the desk, which Secretary Luka had urged Cheyan to read.
‘If possible… at least get him to do one of these.’
Before leaving, Luka had asked her to pass on the favor. The tone implied it was unlikely, but still…
“Cheyan.”
“What? Bored? Want to go out?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
“Really? Where?”
Cheyan jumped up as if he had been waiting for this, and Seres handed him a sheet of paper.
“To the palace.”
It was a request to attend a meeting at the palace.
“No, no! That’s not fun!”
Cheyan shook his head vehemently, but Seres pressed the paper closer.
“I think it’ll be fun.”
“No, no! Meetings aren’t fun!”
“When else will I get to see the palace?”
“I can show you later at any time…”
“Cheyan.”
Her voice dropped slightly.
“If you don’t work, there’s no reason for me to stick around here.”
“Huh?”
“I’d feel guilty just lazing around while earning 5,000 gold.”
Though she had long since discarded such guilt, she decided to extend a small favor to Luka, who seemed destined to live under disguises.
“If I stay next to you doing nothing, what reason is there?”
Cheyan’s eyes wavered at Seres’ stern expression, as if she were ready to leave immediately.
“Going home?”
“Yeah.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go! Attend the meeting!”
“Really?”
Seres nodded, smiling faintly inwardly.
‘Just like Arti…’
Arti had also hated official duties. She had gone to great lengths to coax and persuade her back then.
But she had no intention of coaxing Cheyan into work.
Seres skimmed the attendance list attached to the meeting request and paused on a name.
Seeing the current head of the Ellesia family’s name reminded her of the man she had met in front of the temporary clinic after clearing the Black Forest.
‘I feel uneasy about him.’
She had been thinking about him ever since.
The fake ring he wore.
Why?
Why is he wearing a fake ring?
‘I didn’t imagine it, did I?’
There was only one way to dispel this unease. She would need to check, properly, one more time.
“Hello, Your Majesty.”
“…Cheyan.”
“Hello, brother.”
“You…”
“Can you all get here a little earlier? Do you think you’re the protagonist of some novel? Otherwise, why insist on showing up at the very end?!”
…And this is said by the guy who never attended meetings on time?
Crown Prince Aserai, arriving first in the meeting room, was momentarily at a loss when he saw Cheyan sitting and waving cheerfully.
