Episode 138
EPISODE.69
“I also wanted to contact you often. But given the circumstances…”
Russell continued to make excuses.
Even though I was not at the crossroads of life and death, a cold sweat ran down my back.
“As you know, the Kuril Islands are a place where the magical conditions are so poor…”
In front of Russell, Hecate was still sitting with a numb face.
Were you listening to yourself?
The figure sipping tea with calm eyes without making eye contact.
Did he pour out excuses nonstop for about ten minutes? Hecate put down the teacup in her hand.
Dalgrak-.
The sound of an empty teacup being placed on a pedestal reverberates like thunder.
Daria giggled softly as she watched cold sweat run down her earlobes.
She bit into a donut placed in front of her with an excited look.
“If you are going to make excuses, why not stop? Are you?”
Meanwhile, Hecate opened her mouth.
“Saying that doesn’t make it look like I’ve been pouting because I couldn’t hear from you.”
She licked her bright red lips like cherry blossoms.
“Why are you trying to clear up misunderstandings? I am fine.”
At those words, Russell became a mute drunk and kept his mouth shut.
Unlike usual, he has an insensitive expression and even the appearance of putting a sense of distance for some reason. So you’re saying that the appearances so far weren’t sulking?
then why?
I had a question, but I didn’t dare to ask. Instead, Hecate fired a word in a meaningful voice.
“I don’t know what you think of me, but if you thought I was a petty woman who couldn’t even understand the outside world of men, I would like to tell you that it was an unpleasant miscalculation.”
She spits out without even making eye contact and gets up from her seat.
“I saw your face, so it was done. I will go back now.”
It wasn’t as cold as the northern wind and snow, but somehow it sounded like a wall had been erected.
Russell gulped.
Either that or not.
“Then, an invitation to tea time today. thanked. Sir Daria.”
“Look into it. Her Highness the Princess.”
After greeting Daria, the princess turned around.
thud thud-.
Leaving only the sound of footsteps, I left the main room.
If you go downstairs, the escort knights from the palace will probably be waiting for you.
Russell stood like a scarecrow and watched Hecate’s back.
“Oh, you’re a guy who doesn’t even notice the blood on his new feet.”
Daria patted Russell on the back.
“A guy who is brilliant in other areas doesn’t care about this. Eh.”
It’s been a while since I clicked my tongue as if I was pathetic.
Daria shrugged and buried herself deep into the backrest.
“What can I do? That, too, is your charm.”
Russell sued bitterly at the teacher’s rebuke, not rebuke. Because he knew very well that he was also lacking in this area.
“Haha… Master, how have you been?”
“To turn the horse around.”
Daria, grumbling for fun, continued.
“Except for worrying about the disciple who didn’t communicate properly even once, I guess you could say we got along well.”
After all, she was Russell’s teacher. It was playful, but I was genuinely worried.
“If it wasn’t for the guy who brought you the news, I might have been a little more worried.”
“If you came with news…”
“Aidan Owl. Didn’t you recommend it?”
“yes.”
When the story of Aidan Owl came up, Russell nodded.
“How did you do?”
“The talent for magic is just average, but the talent for magic pharmacy is amazing.”
According to Daria’s explanation, Aidan is now formally affiliated with the Flame Tower, receiving research funds and conducting research.
There is even a story that a prototype of an additive may be introduced within this year due to the support of Yeomtap on both sides.
“I’ve been asking a lot about where I got it.”
Daria giggled while saying that and brushed Russell’s whole body with deep sunken eyes.
“More than that, there must have been some results of foreign travel research. Not only is the circle much more stable than before, but even the eyes look deeper…”
She corrected her posture and said as she filled the empty teacup with black tea.
“Where do you bring up the story of the past?”
As a teacher, the growth of a disciple has always been something I should pay attention to.
.
.
The Master of the 8th Circle and at the same time the Master of Flame Towers.
The greatest wizard of our time.
Although she was called ‘Daria Snowwhite’ by such titles, the Kuril Islands were a land that held many mysteries for her.
It is also true that when he was young, he did not have the opportunity to visit the Kurils because he was chasing cults.
As I got older, I sat in the weighty position of the lord of the salt tower, so it was not easy to leave the tower empty for a long time.
So, the time I spent talking with Russell was quite beneficial for her as well.
Beyond the time to simply check the student’s growth, I was able to indirectly experience the culture of the Beast tribe, which I was unfamiliar with.
Of course, she also didn’t expect that Russell would meet Muyaho, the king of beasts.
“It wasn’t enough to have met the Beast King, so you entered the Beastmen’s shrine and found the remains of Fenrir?”
Not only that, but even sparring with the beast king for over a month as a reward for finding the treasure of the beast tribe in the remains.
“yes. Master.”
Russell nodded as he projected the image of the remains that he had photographed with magic.
“We will enclose filming records related to the remains in a future report.”
After the appropriately adapted story, Daria gazed at the remains and nodded.
How exciting was Russell’s adventure story.
A chocolate cake that had not been touched was placed in front of it in its original form.
Still unwilling to touch it, Daria tilted her head lightly back.
‘Hmm.’
Certainly, if he had been sparring with the Beast King for over a month, it would be understandable that his skills had improved markedly.
‘Of course, that’s not all.’
What he could improve through sparring with the Beast King was his skills as a war mage, not his discretion as a mage.
However, Daria did not make that a problem.
I’ve known for a long time that there is something to hide.
‘If I wanted to make that a problem, I would have pointed it out before making him a disciple.’
What she was most curious about about Russell’s story was the remains of Fenrir, the first beast king, and the incantation book of the beast tribe that Russell had brought.
I wanted to hear a report about them right away, but…
‘That should be postponed for later pleasure.’
There were still serious issues that needed to be dealt with right now.
“But the migration of the beastmen? You have asked a very difficult question.”
“Will it be difficult?”
“Well…”
Daria giggled, smirking.
“What is difficult and easy to do? What I have to worry about here is not me, but the various high and small ministers of the court.”
The fact that they had piled up a mountain of problems to solve made them laugh as if they were already happy.
“Once you write and submit the report, I will deliver it directly to My Majesty.”
“Please. Master.”
“But he is the youngest.”
Let’s finish talking about serious matters. Daria raised an eyebrow.
“yes. Master.”
“Did you bring any souvenirs?”
“If it’s a souvenir…?”
“Apart from souvenirs for me, shouldn’t there be something to make Her Highness feel better?”
He must have been a magic teacher, but how did he become a love coach?
‘It feels like I have a youngest grandchild rather than a youngest pupil.’
Thinking so, Daria shook her head involuntarily.
* * *
A few days after that.
“What is this? Are you?”
Hecate asked as he checked the jewelry that was being held out to him.
His voice seemed a little stiff, perhaps because he was still not in a good mood.
“In the Kuriles, they call this dayjam. It’s a women’s accessory made of special jade, and I heard it’s used to tie up long hair and fix it.”
“Why are you giving it to me?”
“I bought it because I remembered Hecate.”
It wasn’t exactly a memento, but Russell wasn’t wrong.
A few hours before boarding the boat leaving the island.
It was because I remembered Hecate at an old antique store while looking around a beastman village located on the coast and bought it.
“You bought it for me?”
Did the gift work as Daria said? Hecate’s eyes widened like those of a deer.
I could feel that the wall that was contained in the voice softened a little.
Sensing that fact, Russell nodded.
“yes. I heard that it has a detoxifying effect on several kinds of poisons, albeit simply.”
In the Eastern Continent, there is an item called blood poison wine, and it was said that it was a jade made by carving the item.
“A detoxifying effect on poison…”
It wouldn’t be something worth a penny or two.
However, as a member of the royal family, if you were to ask if it was such a precious item, it wasn’t.
It’s not poison poison, but if it’s an artifact with a similar effect, she also has a few.
Nevertheless, Hecate smiled softly.
“You brought something really valuable.”
It wasn’t that things were valuable.
‘I thought I bought it.’
The only truly valuable thing was Russell’s heart, which he chose while thinking of himself even in the distant Kuril Islands.
She handed the hairpin she was holding to Russell.
“…?”
“It’s a beautiful accessory, but I don’t know how to use it. Won’t you tell me?”
Since it was the first accessory I had ever seen, I think it was fortunate that I asked the store owner how to use it.
“I will. Hecate.”
Russell nodded and accepted the napkin.
Then he went to the back of Hecate, who was sitting in the seat, and brushed her hair to tidy up.
Every time I combed, a good scent that I didn’t know why came up.
“It’s a clumsy hand movement, but it feels very good.”
Feeling Russell’s touch, Hecate said.
“If it’s okay with you, would you like to hear about what happened on this trip while getting a haircut?”
“Sure.”
It was about the time the hair was almost finished that Russell’s mouth opened once again and the story ended.
Even if it was a sloppy skill, she put her hair up in a napkin and smiled faintly as she reflected on herself.
“Feel so good.”
Then he asked as if he had just remembered.
“Come to think of it, there is something that suddenly makes me curious. would you answer Are you?”
“…?”
“Looking at what she calls her, was Muyaho, the king of beasts, a woman? And…”
Hecate’s question was not one. she asked, staring at the necklace around Russell’s neck.
“It’s a necklace I’ve never seen before. Who did you get that necklace from?”
“—!!”
It’s cold.
Russell’s heart, which sensed the crisis almost instinctively, beat faster than during the sparring with Muyaho.
dragon-swallowed wizard
