“It’s not exactly suspicion… but there was a witness…” Logan trailed off cautiously, knowing how close I was to Eugene.
Axel sighed softly and gently pulled me aside by the shoulder.
“It could be like before—maybe he was brainwashed into kidnapping again.”
“Ah.”
He was referring to the time when Eugene had left the estate, following a mysterious ‘voice’ against his will. After I had poured divine power into him, he claimed he hadn’t heard the voice since, but our opponent was crafty enough to use underhanded tactics again.
‘If Eugene really did take the prince...’
It wouldn’t be a small matter. To lay a hand on royalty, especially the Emperor’s only son—that was a crime for which one could lose their head without question. And if it became known that Eugene was the ‘vessel’ helping the Mad Dragon’s resurrection, Kirke’s decision would be obvious.
Death.
“...Let’s try to find him first,” Axel said, patting my shoulder as he noticed the darkening expression on my face. His voice was surprisingly kind and gentle.
I blinked, taken aback by this unexpected reaction, and stared at Axel. He quickly looked away, clearing his throat awkwardly as if embarrassed by the situation.
“I know what you’re thinking, but I consider myself his guardian. After all, I accepted him as my disciple. You know what that means for a mage.”
“Well…”
For a mage, a disciple was like a successor, someone to whom they would pass down all their knowledge. It was akin to adopting a child, nurturing them with the intention of passing on everything, just as one might pass down a family line.
Of course, I didn’t really subscribe to that mindset. Hardly anyone wanted to learn black magic, so whenever someone came along wanting to be my apprentice, I’d happily teach them a thing or two. But most of the time, they’d give up, saying, ‘This isn’t what I expected.’
People often had preconceived notions about ‘black magic,’ thinking it was all about curses or destructive spells. But my specialty was entirely different from those common expectations.
‘Why would anyone want to learn that kind of magic, anyway?’
I had a knack for attracting would-be villains, it seemed. But all I ever focused on was continuing my research to find magical solutions for life’s inconveniences, which to those aspiring to be evil overlords, seemed utterly unremarkable.
“Didn’t you defeat the Mad Dragon? Didn’t you use some powerful curse or destructive magic?”
“Huh? No, not at all.”
“Then what kind of magic did you use to defeat it?”
“I used a spell to remove all of its scales. You see, the Mad Dragon’s scales have a natural resistance to magic attacks, so I stripped them off and then hit it with attack magic.”
“...A spell to remove scales? How did you even come up with that?”
“Why? Isn’t it incredibly useful in everyday life? It keeps your skin smooth even in the winter.”
“...I didn’t become your apprentice to learn some trivial magic! I’m destined to conquer this world!”
Right, there was that one who stormed out like that.
I nodded to myself, recalling those distant memories. So many had left without even earning the title of ‘apprentice.’ And then there was Hazen, who came to me and asked to be my disciple. At first, I thought he would leave quickly, just like the others. But Hazen diligently studied magic under me and took care of everything, acting rather attentively.
Now that I think about it, it was probably all a ploy to gain my trust and gather information that would help with his resurrection, but back then, I truly considered Hazen to be like family.
‘I never expected Axel to think of Eugene like that.’
I had assumed that, having been forced into taking Eugene as an apprentice, Axel would eventually look for a ‘real’ successor. But based on what he was saying now, it seemed he had no intention of taking on any other apprentice besides Eugene.
“You... really are responsible, huh?”
It was something I had noticed even when I was Greslin. At my admiring comment, Axel cleared his throat awkwardly and then whispered in a low voice.
“I have no intention of giving up that kid Eugene, whether it’s to the Mad Dragon or Kirke. So, just trust me for once, you suspicious, distrustful person.”
“Suspicious and distrustful!” I deliberately raised my voice, widening my eyes dramatically.
“How could I ever doubt the great and mighty Axel! Oh, no! Suspicion and distrust are simply impossible. I trust you completely!”
It was obvious to anyone that I was laying it on thick, but Axel didn’t seem too upset by it. He was trying to maintain a serious expression, but I could see the corners of his mouth twitching.
“The trust I have is unbreakable! Like a diamond—so strong, even if you threw it against a wall, it wouldn’t crack!”
“Stop. That’s enough,” Axel quickly interrupted, noticing Logan giving us a strange look.
If it were about keeping high-ranking people pleased, I could have kept going with a second or third round of flattery, but if I didn’t stop now, Axel might actually lose his temper. Knowing when to step back was also an important part of the art of flattery.
I gave a mischievous grin and nodded, stepping back quietly to stand next to Axel. He chuckled, though clearly still amused by the situation.
“Logan. The Emperor hasn’t been informed about the prince’s disappearance yet, right?”
“Of course not. We need to resolve this ourselves first. The honor of the Elpinard estate is at stake.”
“Good. Keep stalling for now. We’ll take care of this quickly.”
It might have sounded like baseless confidence, but since it was Axel speaking, it actually felt reassuring. Logan seemed to share my sentiment, as he hesitated briefly before nodding his head.
“Understood. I’ll make sure things don’t escalate.”
With that, Logan hurried off. As I watched him leave, I nudged Axel in the ribs with my elbow.
“You’ve got something in mind, right?”
“Of course.”
“Then let’s get moving!”
“Yeah, let’s move.”
As I eagerly urged Axel to hurry, he tilted his head and passed the responsibility over to me. I blinked, confused by his gesture, and Axel let out a sigh, as if frustrated by my slowness.
“The hourglass. Use it.”
Axel’s brief suggestion made my eyes light up. *The hourglass!* How could I not have thought of it sooner? It was such an obvious solution. It seemed like it would take me some time to adjust to thinking about magic and tools like the hourglass naturally again, like I used to when using magic was second nature to me.
“Do you realize how incredible it is to be able to visit the future? You can gather information from a future where the prince’s kidnapping has already been solved!”
“You’re right.”
Nodding enthusiastically, I pulled the hourglass out from my pocket. I had packed it with me when we left for the temple, just in case, so thankfully, I didn’t need to go searching for it.
I flipped the hourglass over, thinking of the exact time I wanted to leap to, and closed my eyes tightly. Normally, I would immediately feel a strange sensation enveloping my body, giving me a clear sign that I was traveling to the ‘future.’ But this time, my body felt unusually calm.
‘Humans are creatures of adaptation,’ I thought. I had used the hourglass enough times that I must have grown accustomed to that odd feeling.
After a short while, I cautiously opened my eyes.
I looked around, trying to figure out where I had landed, and quickly realized something was off. I was still in the exact same place where I had used the hourglass.
And not just that.
“...Axel?”
Axel was still standing in front of me. For a moment, I wondered if this was the Axel from the future, but his clothes were the same ones he had been wearing when we left for the temple.
“I didn’t time travel, did I?”
I asked Axel, who, still baffled, nodded in agreement. We exchanged confused glances, and frustration quickly bubbled up inside me.
‘They said it wasn’t a defective product!’
Look at this! Another problem already! I was just about to storm off and file a complaint with the Heaven Market when a message window suddenly flashed before my eyes.
**[Message from Heaven]**
**[Warning][Error Occurred] Two hourglasses have been activated in the same time period. Until the effects of the previously used hourglass have worn off, additional hourglass use is not permitted.**