Chapter 395 — One Person (1)
At dawn on the day of our departure, I stepped out into the tower’s front courtyard for a while.
There was no particular reason.
I’d simply woken the moment dawn began to break and had nothing in particular to do.
[You’re up early.]
The Vermilion Bird, which did not sleep, was at the top of the tower, tending and refining its flames.
I gave it a light, silent bow, then stared blankly at the brightening sky.
“You’re awake early.”
After I had stood there for a little while, the Archmage came out of the tower.
Her expression looked terrible, as though she hadn’t managed to sleep at all.
“Archmage.”
Well, the news she’d heard yesterday had certainly been shocking enough.
Understanding how she must feel, I greeted her with a slight nod.
The Archmage raised a hand to return it.
“Have you been well?”
“Well… not badly.”
“I see.”
Her expression belonged to someone old and exhausted, but judging from how much more lustrous her fur looked compared to before, she certainly hadn’t been doing poorly.
At the very least, it meant she had been eating and sleeping properly.
“Until I heard what all of you went through, I had even thought I’d accomplished enough to make my absence worthwhile.”
“Then I am glad.”
And if she had gained something from her absence, that too was worth celebrating.
No one in this party would have criticized the Archmage even if she had returned empty-handed, but having accomplished something was naturally much better than…