Chapter 29
I could feel Damian a few steps behind me stiffen in surprise.
“…Master of the Mage Tower?”
By now, his face must have been full of questions.
The Master of the Mage Tower was a grand mage, over 800 years old, who protected the western continent entirely with his own power.
And yet, this little weasel in front of me seemed far too small and adorable to be that mage.
Glancing back, Damian looked exactly as I expected—dumbfounded, mouth half-open.
‘Damian making that face…’
I almost laughed but held it back. Clearing my throat, I spoke politely.
“I apologize for coming suddenly. I have something very important to tell you.”
I had actually met the Master of the Mage Tower once before my previous life.
Just once. When I was eighteen, I was sent by the emperor to plant the empire’s flag in the western lands consumed by magic.
That day, I had met a little weasel in the forest and, feeling sorry for the lone creature in the devastated west, offered it some fruit.
Who would have known that the weasel was actually the Master of the Mage Tower returning to reclaim its magic?
‘If the Master had not overlooked my intrusion, I would have been torn apart then and there.’
So I already knew one thing: this mage had a weakness for food. And if someone did him a kindness, he felt obliged to return it.
The forest was quiet except for the rustling of leaves in the wind.
“Pii.”
The weasel let out a small cry. Suddenly, dazzling light flooded around us.
I instinctively raised my arms to shield my face and closed my eyes.
When the brilliant light finally dimmed, a mysterious man with flowing platinum hair stood before me.
The weasel had been small enough to look down on, but now he was tall—so tall I could barely see his face even tilting my head back. Sunlight filtered through the colorful leaves, forming a halo around him.
Half-hidden behind his eyelids, his violet eyes calmly studied me.
“An unexpected face, an unexpected attitude…”
His gaze shifted over my shoulder.
“The princess and the Archduke, an interesting pair.”
Damian finally snapped out of his daze and quickly stepped in front of me.
“…I am Damian Carter.”
“Yes, I know.”
The Master turned lazily, showing no interest, and leaned on a nearby rock.
“I took a bit of your food because it smelled good… but now this is troublesome.”
He sighed, clearly annoyed.
“I let you approach a little because you seemed suspicious, but if I knew you came knowing my identity, I wouldn’t have given the chance.”
So he knew we approached on purpose.
“After receiving a favor, certain constraints follow.”
Golden magic shimmered from his white fingertips and disappeared. His platinum hair fell across his white cheek.
“I don’t like planned intrusions much.”
Despite his calm face, his voice carried an unexplainable pressure. The air turned heavy, making it hard to breathe. It felt like the day I first entered the Archduke’s residence when Carlos radiated lethal intent toward me.
‘Are all mages like this?’
Just as I was about to take out a refined magic stone in defense…
“Still.”
The oppressive weight vanished instantly.
“Let’s hear your story. The jerky was tasty, anyway.”
The stern, cold aura was gone; he smiled lightly, relaxed.
“Meeting guests is enjoyable.”
With a casual wave, he somehow transported us in an instant to the center of a room, where a soft golden carpet spread beneath a sofa. Outside the window stretched endless plains, distant horizons, a rainbow in the blue sky. Clouds floated beneath us; the view was breathtaking.
The top floor of the Mage Tower.
I was shocked at the sudden change until I noticed warmth in my hand.
‘Huh?’
Damian had been holding my hand tightly, as if to protect me. I felt a strange mix of unfamiliarity and awkwardness, fidgeting slightly.
“Um… Archduke.”
“Yes?”
“My hand…”
“Ah.”
Damian, realizing he’d been holding my hand, quickly let go, startled.
“Thank you.”
“…It’s fine.”
Meanwhile, the Master, clad in a pristine white robe with ornate decorations, watched us intently.
Earlier, I hadn’t noticed his features properly because of the sun behind him and the overwhelming aura. Indoors, he was strikingly beautiful—almost inhuman.
His platinum hair matched flawless pale skin. His violet eyes seemed to shift like a universe in motion.
‘Well, after living hundreds of years, I guess he isn’t really human anymore.’
Inside the continent, strong magic can weaken the body and even lead to death, but powerful, pure magic makes age irrelevant. This mage was almost a materialized force of magic itself.
“We don’t have much time.”
The voice jolted me. The Master leaned his chin on his hand, watching me.
“I’m giving you time because there are constraints when repaying a favor. If you have business, speak quickly.”
Though his tone sounded gentle, I knew it was a warning. Delaying could have consequences.
I hesitated briefly, then asked Damian for understanding.
“Archduke, I’ll step out for a moment.”
“So this is a conversation I shouldn’t hear?”
Not exactly. But I couldn’t speak freely yet. Damian exhaled and shrugged.
The Master chuckled lightly at us.
“Hmm, a secret you want to keep from your companion?”
“Not really, I just want to speak quietly.”
“Ah, that’s fine. Easy enough.”
With a flick of his fingers, a translucent barrier appeared between Damian and me.
“Now, speak.”
Facing his calm expression, I swallowed nervously. This man had the power to kill a young princess with a single gesture. Titles and nobility meant nothing to him.
‘Even before my previous life…’
I recalled past memories briefly, then focused. I took a box from my bag and opened it. Inside glimmered a high-purity red magic stone.
“Wow, you’ve brought something interesting.”
“I thought you’d need it.”
This was a force capable of saving not just the empire, but the whole continent from magic. And for someone with such pure magic, he might be able to use this stone for a fundamental solution.
‘Above all, it should interest him.’
Mages are drawn to interesting phenomena, and the Master was no exception. For the first time, a flicker of curiosity appeared on his otherwise indifferent face.
‘Good.’
Now, it was just a matter of negotiating.
The Master tilted his head and asked lazily:
“So… is this a trade?”
“No.”
I shook my head firmly, then added quickly:
“I’ll provide as much of these magic stones as you need. Can you research and produce them in large quantities as quickly as possible?”
