Wise Golden Wind.
At the sound of the epithet she had left behind in the distant past, Archmage closed her eyes once. Perhaps time had carried away her pain, because her heart did not waver nearly as much as she had expected.
She soon opened her eyes again.
“So much time has already passed. It has been a while.”
“Hmm… I suppose you’re all right now?”
“They do say time is the best medicine.”
Separately, he still had the same vile hobby.
Knowing someone’s scars and deliberately prodding at them.
“So, what brings you to my Magic Tower?”
But by now, she knew it did not stem from malice.
His personality was simply rotten by nature.
“There is something I wish to find.”
Thus, instead of reacting sharply as she had in the past, Archmage stated the reason she had come.
“You must have smuggled out some of Heartless North Wind’s research materials. I won’t blame you, so lend them to me for a little while.”
It was time to seek the knowledge that had sunk beneath the ashes.
“You mean we’re supposed to go by ourselves?”
That evening, Archmage, who returned later than anyone else, made a shocking declaration.
I think I’ll have to remain in this city for a while.
Even if she intended to rejoin us eventually, it meant she would be leaving the party for the time being.
“C-Can we really go by ourselves?”
“Why wouldn’t we be able to?”
Well, that was true.
People climbed Everest back on Earth without magic, so there was no way this journey would fail merely because Archmage was absent.
“But if that happens, then we’ll…….”
Still, it was true that Archmage’s absence gave us more things to consider.
Losing Archmage did not simply mean losing one person. It also meant losing the many spells she had been providing us.
For example, warming magic, tracking magic, alarm magic, barrier magic, and even subspace magic.
“Don’t worry too much. I’ve already arranged for a mage and some items that can substitute for me. I’m told the mage also knows the Norda region inside and out, so they may actually be far more useful than having me there.”
I suppose that was fortunate.
Archmage had taken into consideration the consequences her absence would create.
The first proof of that was the substitute mage she had arranged.
“Even so…….”
Of course, that alone did not erase all the shock.
One only had to look at the Inquisitor, who clearly had no idea what to do.
She had gone stiff like a puppy whose owner had suddenly vanished from sight.
“It’ll be all right. Haven’t you done well until now, Inquisitor?”
“…….”
Archmage reassured her a couple of times, and she did improve somewhat, but…
Still.
Did it really have to be right now?
Remembering the crying I had occasionally heard before dawn, I opened my mouth.
“Archmage, did you make this decision after considering every circumstance?”
Even I had heard it despite sleeping in a different tent. There was no way Archmage had not.
The Inquisitor was strong, but there were still parts of her that needed protecting.
“…I cannot say with certainty. But… for the journey to reach its end, I believe this is absolutely necessary.”
And yet she had still made this decision, which meant there had to be a reason important enough to justify it.
Watching Archmage’s reaction, I gave a small nod.
“I respect your choice, Archmage.”
Come to think of it, perhaps this was actually the only time she could do it.
Once our business in the Norda region was finished, Meister and I would leave the party.
Archmage certainly would not be able to absent herself then as well.
“…I’m sorry. I had hoped not to place another burden on you.”
“I wouldn’t call it a burden.”
“Even so…….”
“I truly am fine.”
And would Archmage’s absence really make things difficult for me?
Not particularly.
Even setting aside the conveniences provided by magic…
The Inquisitor was not the sort of person who demanded extraordinary care.
At least, the person I had seen her become now was not.
“More importantly, I think we’ll need to check the mage who is supposed to replace you.”
So it would probably be fine.
I dropped a candy in front of the head oscillating back and forth between worry and determination.
It was a maple-syrup candy I had impulsively bought earlier while going to purchase a dagger.
“Oh! Thank you.”
The Inquisitor popped one into her mouth,…