TPPM | Chapter 000

Prologue

In the dead of night, I headed toward the room where Master was sleeping.

The security outside the room was tight, but no one noticed me, cloaked in darkness.

Now, no one could pierce through my darkness. Not even Aria, the heroine of the original story and the future grand sorceress.

‘I don’t want anyone to disturb us. Will you help me?’

I whispered to the darkness I wielded.

[…Just one hour.]

The darkness muttered with a sigh.

“Thank you.”

Once again, it forgave its unworthy master.

If there’s such a thing as a next life, I prayed it wouldn’t meet a master like me.

[You don’t need such prayers. Can’t you just change your mind now? You don’t have to go this far.]

At the darkness’s words, I scratched my head. Though it could be willful at times, the darkness always thought of me first.

“I’m sorry.”

That made me feel even guiltier. Never once had I put the darkness first.

“But I had no choice.”

My life was already so full of one person that there was no room for anything else.

I approached the bed and gazed at Master’s sleeping face.

It had been nearly two weeks since Master collapsed.

There was truly no other way.

Except for one.

‘I came to see you one last time, Master.’

Knowing I’d never see this face again, I couldn’t help but stare, lingering on every detail.

I etched every part of that beautiful face into my memory.

The radiant hair, like the sun.

The finely sculpted nose and the shapely lips, firmly closed, crafted as if by an artist’s devoted hand—I looked and looked again, determined never to forget.

“Everything I remembered from my past life must have been for this moment, right?”

There was no time to waste.

I tightly gripped my staff.

“Akhilan Teikan.”

The name of the man I always had to call Master—I spoke it only in this final moment.

“Akhilan…”

The sound rolling off my tongue felt unfamiliar yet sweet.

I regretted not saying it more.

Akhilan. You were my precious master and, at the same time, the first and only love of my life.

Knowing you didn’t love me, I still couldn’t let go of this feeling.

But even if I could turn back time, I would still love you.

“I’m glad I can save you.”

I raised the staff high with both hands.

The long staff transformed into the shape of a small dagger, beginning to absorb all the mana within me.

Cough. A trickle of blood flowed from my lips along with a cough.

Aiming the glowing dagger, filled with mana, at his chest, I parted my bloodstained lips.

“There are no regrets in loving you.”

Without a shred of hesitation, I drove the dagger into his chest.

***

“…Ugh.”

Akhilan Teikan opened his eyes, feeling a splitting headache. Despite the pain in his head, his body felt light.

“How long was I out?”

His memories were hazy from the moment he lost consciousness. There was no reason for his condition to have been so bad, yet something felt off no matter how much he thought about it.

‘It started when the treatment began.’

The treatment meant to heal him had instead dragged his body to its worst state.

‘Themis.’

Suddenly, he recalled Themis, who had locked eyes with him as he collapsed.

True to a disciple who always thought of their master, those eyes had been filled with worry.

‘I need to tell them I’m okay.’

As he sat up, something thudded beside him.

Turning his head, Akhilan saw Themis sprawled on the floor.

‘…Themis?’

He scrambled out of bed and pulled Themis into his arms.

Something was wrong.

The limp body had no strength in it.

“Themis?”

It was cold.

Their face was pale, their body chilled to the bone.

Above all, there was no sound of breathing.

Akhilan’s heart sank.

“Themis.”

Don’t joke around. Get up. Call me Master like you always do.

Akhilan’s body trembled.

His mind went blank.

He summoned his staff. But even he, the grand sorcerer who had conquered hundreds, thousands of dungeons, couldn’t think of a single spell to cast in this moment.

“Themis? Please, get up.”

His cold reason delivered its verdict.

Themis was dead.

“Please…”

This couldn’t be. His one and only disciple…

No, the first person he ever loved couldn’t die so senselessly.

“Someone, please…”

He held Themis tightly, murmuring.

“Please save Themis…”

The master of the mage tower, who had stood alone for centuries as a grand sorcerer.

A man like a god, incapable of feeling emotions.

From the eyes of that Akhilan Teikan, endless tears began to fall.