Chapter 279

Chapter 279

Saveli frowned in contemplation. “Well, when you put it that way…”

“If you’re a magician who can cast time magic, your mana has to support it, right? So, you also need a fair amount of sk!ll, making it resource-intensive. Isn’t it just wasteful… unless they don’t care?”

“If they’re willing to be excessive without care… then perhaps experimentation? For research.”

“That does make sense.”

Jirata’s eyes slightly widened as he nodded in agreement. Even though it was night, the area where Kaichen stood was as bright as daylight. Light from his magic enveloped the surroundings the same way.

His golden mana radiates brilliant light, and Kaichen is the only wizard capable of making mana emit light.

“Have you ever heard of someone being chosen by mana?”

“Are you referring to Kaichen?”

“That’s right. At first, I chuckled when I heard that term, but I could understand when I saw it with my own eyes. Ah, this guy is a different league from me…”

“Does it feel the same as when an impostor meets a genius?”

“It’s exactly like that. Anyway! That’s why. Rather than saying I was chosen by mana, I thought of it as someone loved by mana.”

“You’re quite sentimental.”

“Just… that’s how it felt. When I first saw it… The golden mana surrounded that guy as if protecting him.”

Jirata chuckled softly. He couldn’t help but feel a bit cheesy, even though he was speaking to himself.

He focused his senses and scanned his surroundings, but he couldn’t detect anything other than time magic and Kaichen’s mana.

Unintentionally, he felt Kaichen’s mana all over his body as he extended his senses to perceive his surroundings, and it brought back old memories.

“You know, there are things that just don’t work, no matter how hard you try. That’s what I realized the moment I saw that guy. Still, I tried to win somehow, but it was all in vain.”

“…Hmm.”

“But back then, he had some endearing qualities. Since His Highness entered the tower, he hardly ever leaves his side now, and it’s even harder to catch a glimpse of his face.”

“Did it feel like your adorable little brother was taken away from you?”

“Are you crazy?! What are you talking about? No!”

When Jirata snapped, Saveli chuckled. “Jirata, you’re doing quite well for an impostor. You received the title of Tenebre, didn’t you?”

“That will be taken away by you soon.”

“Don’t act like you’re at a loss. You got the President’s recommendation. You recommended me because you wanted to get out of the tower and do the Association’s work, didn’t you?”

Jirata responded with a shrug to Saveli’s direct words.

He had conducted magical research without much enthusiasm, and with his proficient magic, he had reached the pinnacle, finally occupying the tower’s top floor for his studies.

Sensing mana and tracking it greatly assist Julius, and working for the Magic Association would also be more convenient for him. He didn’t care about the identity of the next emperor, but he did prefer it to be Julius, with whom he had grown up in the tower.

Unlike Kaichen, who could act freely, Jirata needed to leave the tower to assist Julius. To achieve that, he had to relinquish his title as ‘Tenebre.’

“You’re the most likely to target my position and tailing me, right?”

“Oh my! What are you talking about? I think you said you fell for me at first sight.”

Saveli, smiling with raised eyebrows, caused Jirata to grimace and turn his head.

“How can you still say that? It’s annoying, I’m tired of it. How can a woman claiming she fell for me come to my room and sleep there on the first day?”

“Weren’t you eagerly waiting for me to reach out to you?”

“What…!”

Jirata clenched his lips in response to Saveli’s words, who was smiling. He couldn’t determine whether it was genuine or a jest.

While one side struggled to dismantle the time magic, Jirata and Saveli remained relaxed. Nonetheless, a slight unease lingered.

Jirata grumbled, shaking his head, and suddenly sensed something. It was an irritating sensation—unmistakably the aura of a dark magician. Jirata signaled Saveli with a swift gesture.

The quill stopped on the parchment as Saveli summoned another pen from thin air. Its elegant and unique design marked it as Saveli’s wand.

“Set up a barrier to keep him safe,” Jirata ordered.

“The extent?”

“It doesn’t need to be extensive. Just ensure Kaichen’s protection.”

Usually, he wouldn’t require protection, but now he channeled all his mana into dismantling the time magic. It was a task demanding vast mana and precise control, and Jirata didn’t even know if he could afford to stay aware of his surroundings.

“If I don’t return within thirty minutes, contact Michelle and instruct everyone to come immediately. We must ensure Kaichen’s safety at all costs.”

“…Understood.”

Jirata requested a protective barrier for him and swiftly moved toward the location where he sensed the unsettling aura of the dark magician.

—

I crouched down, hugging my knees tightly.

Despite being inside a room with a roof and walls, an undeniable chill permeated the air. The icy floor sent shivers through my body.

It was unusually cold, even for the day. The biting cold reminded me of the North, causing my teeth to chatter.

After shivering in the cold for several hours, I feared my mouth might freeze shut as I drifted into a fitful sleep.