I returned to the academy after several days, and nothing seemed to have changed. I had only ever thought of it as a place to meet friends, and since I didn’t have much attachment to the building, but it felt strangely nostalgic after repeatedly getting injured and resting.
Since Almeida and Rio were guarding the mansion, I was able to leave with peace of mind. I knew I couldn’t let my guard down as long as Cornelia, who had tried to kill Hannelore, was still at large, but the forces assembled for defense were more than sufficient.
Even Rio, who had lived for an immeasurable time far exceeding human lifespans, was excessive as a single person. And then there was Master Almeida, whose depths were unfathomable. Furthermore, though not as strong as them, there was Pfeil, an assassin from Waalthe with strength equivalent to my own.
I was confident that I would be instantly killed even if I faced the three of them.
“Murphy! Over here!”
Bertha was not the only one waiting for me at our meeting spot; Crysta Oken was there too. Her welcoming smile, as always, put me at ease.
I wouldn’t have felt like I had actually returned to the academy without seeing her smile.
“I’m sorry, Murphy. Normally, I should have come to you, but, you see, I can’t possibly go to a Duke’s residence, even if it’s a separate residence.”
“I understand.”
If the situation were reversed, even Jared would find it impossible.
Bertha, like Jared, was the child of a baronial family. Moreover, she wouldn’t be inheriting the family estate. Her standing as a noble was quite low, so it was understandable that she would hesitate to visit someone from the Alway Ducal Family, whose standing was considerably higher.
“So, about Laurentz… where are Lars and Kurt?”
I looked for the two boys, assuming they would be with him, but they weren’t there.
“I told Kurt to stay by Laurentz’s side. He might just shake him off, but I thought someone was needed to prevent him from doing anything reckless.”
“Lars apparently can’t come to the academy for a while due to family matters. The other day, he forced his way to the academy, and his family members took him away like he was a fugitive.”
“Kurt, I get. But what is Lars doing…”
While they said it was family matters, I wondered what had happened to Lars’s merchant family. I had vaguely heard from him and his older sister before that they had a complicated family situation, but neither of them had ever shared the details.
Jared wouldn’t pry into something someone was hiding unless there was a compelling reason, so he was waiting for the day Lars would talk, but with the murder of a court mage candidate happening now, it might be unrelated, yet it was easy to jump to the wrong conclusion.
“So, what’s Laurentz up to?”
“I don’t know. After he met you and Kevin Harrington at your mansion the other day, he returned to his residence, but… he clashed with his mother over his desire to find the killer, and they haven’t spoken since.”
I understood a mother’s desire to stop her son’s reckless behavior, but for Laurentz, it was probably something he couldn’t accept in his heart, even if he understood it intellectually. He must have been searching for the court mage candidate’s killer all this time. I couldn’t help but hope he wasn’t doing anything too reckless.
“So, what do you want me to do?”
“I’m sorry to involve you, but Laurentz trusts you. So, I’d like you to help him and stop him.”
“Understood. Should we go look for him right away?”
Both Bertha, who had asked, and even Crysta, who had been quietly listening without interrupting, looked surprised at Jared’s immediate agreement.
“What is it?”
“We’re both surprised and grateful that you agreed without even thinking about it.”
“When it comes to Laurentz, I’ve thought about a lot of things on the way here. Besides… there’s no reason to hesitate when it comes to helping a friend.”
Because he had a precious friend he couldn’t save in the past, Jared cherished his friends. If a friend was in trouble, he wanted to help; if they were suffering, he wanted to aid them. He even wanted to share their joys and sorrows. He wanted to become a person that his absent friend Luzer would be proud of.
“Thank you. Then, there’s something I’d like you to do right away.”
“Go ahead.”
“I need you to get information from the Mage Association. I don’t have any connections there. Honestly, I have no idea where Laurentz is or what he’s doing. Kurt is with him, but if something happens, he won’t be able to stop his master.”
Not all mages have familiars, so it’s inconvenient in situations like this. But there’s no point in wishing for what you don’t have. Time was of the essence now.
“Murphy, Bertha, be careful. And bring Herring back safely.”
“Yeah, leave it to us.”
“Thank you, Crysta.”
“Oh, right, I almost forgot. We have no idea who the culprit is, so Crysta, please don’t go out unless you absolutely have to. Also, if you happen to see Lars, please tell him the same thing. I’m counting on you.”
“Okay. I understand. Leave Lars to me.”
Jared and Bertha parted ways with Crysta and headed for the Mage Association. The Mage Association occupied a large mansion located near Weathered Royal Academy. It was originally the mansion of a mage who supported the King at the founding of the kingdom, but since that person had no descendants, the Mage Association bought the mansion and has been using it ever since. Perhaps to commemorate the great mage. It was a ten-minute walk, but not so far that they needed to call a carriage. Jared didn’t have the habit of riding in carriages like a typical noble. Fortunately, Bertha was the same, and the two of them walked together, though in silence. He understood her worry about Laurentz, but seeing how restless Bertha was made him uneasy that she might do something rash.
“Calm down. Panicking won’t change anything. Let’s do what we need to do calmly.”
“I, I understand. I’m sorry.”
“Also, don’t apologize so much. I’m worried about Laurentz too, and I don’t want anything to happen to him. So, let’s not panic, let’s stay calm and collected. Otherwise, we might make a mistake we’ll regret later.”
“…You’re strong, Murphy.”
Bertha stopped walking and spoke with a voice that sounded envious, making Jared tilt his head. He didn’t understand what kind of strength she was referring to. In terms of combat power, Jared wasn’t very strong right now. Apparently, his magic power had become quite unstable after he lost control of it the other day. Almeida had said he wanted to stabilize it by releasing his magic, but Jared prioritized Laurentz. Almeida, exasperated, had advised him to prioritize escape if he encountered a court mage candidate, but Jared didn’t think the strength Bertha spoke of was related to combat ability.
“What’s with the sudden question?”
“Laurentz always talked about you. Even when you were on bad terms, and now that you’re friends, it hasn’t changed. I don’t know anyone else Laurentz admires so much besides Kevin Harrington.”
“Is that so…”
He felt a sense of pleasure, but also a touch of embarrassment.
“That’s why I’m jealous of you.”
Even Jared, with his complete lack of romantic experience, understood Bertha’s feelings when she said that.
“Could it be that… you feel something for Laurentz?”
“Yes. I love Laurentz as a woman.”
