Bennett had changed his perception of the magician several times.

 

When he had discovered the circumstances of the hidden magic sword in the academy, he had seen him as a villain with evil intentions, preparing a conspiracy.

 

When he had confronted him in the classroom, he had seen him as a crazy madman whose head had been damaged by magical research.

 

When he had tricked the party into another world, he had seen him as a spider-like man who would not hesitate to use any means or methods to achieve his goals.

 

After going through all this.

 

He had only found out that he was working in the dark to save the world, but many things were still questionable. He was a man who gave the impression of a deep sea.

 

Who is he, what is his attitude, and what is his true purpose?

 

Even if he tilted his head and looked closely, only his own face would be reflected on the rippling water surface. Even if he narrowed his eyes and tried to look beyond it… all he could find in the pitch-black deep sea where light could not reach was darkness.

 

That’s why Bennett was gambling.

 

Revealing the fact that he was a black magician. Bennett could have first revealed it to his teacher, Alexon, who had a good relationship with him. In some ways, this would have been a cleaner way to handle it.

 

The reason he insisted on talking to the crazy magician was also because he felt that he was strongly connected to the second prince. If he could persuade him, he would have a strong backer on the other side. Bennett’s reason told him so.

 

And Bennett’s heart gave a different reason for the same action.

 

What Bennett wanted was a happy ending without sacrifice. And in the usual way, one of his sister and two friends would have to be sacrificed.

 

It was unrealistic optimism to think that he would not only execute the powerful black magician, the ‘Horror-Eating Corpse Flower’, for betraying him, but also separate her spiritual body and save Bennett’s sister.

 

However. If this man, whose intentions were unknown.

 

Perhaps… he had a vague intuition that he could solve everything in an unimaginable way.

 

Knock, knock, knock.

 

Three heavy knocks. Bennett announced his visit beyond the professor’s study.

 

“Bennett Hilton, I’ll come in.”

 

“I was waiting for you. Come in.”

 

Creak…

 

As Bennett opened the door, the hinges made a loud and unpleasant noise. If he was a competent magician, he would have a lot of money, but wouldn’t he change the hinges to new ones?

 

The magician noticed that Bennett’s gaze was directed at the hinges and said before he could ask.

 

“Oh, I made it rusty and stiff on purpose. It’s a cost-effective security device. It will make a noise if someone tries to sneak in.”

 

“…Don’t you install magical security devices?”

 

“Of course I do. I’m holding the yang angle. Usually people think that either magic or physics will be used, and… people tend to fall for obvious and primitive traps. It’s hard to imagine that a magician would be prepared with rusty hinges.”

 

“…”

 

The placement of traps that exploit the gaps in the subtle ritual. Bennett carefully scanned the inside of the study and stepped inside. It was very tidy and clean for the study of an eccentric magician.

 

It was like the interior of an office worker’s office.

 

The only unusual thing was that there were no books or bookshelves in the room. It was a piece of furniture that would normally be placed one or two at a time, but it was not visible. Instead, there were several flower pots in its place .

 

“Have a seat. Would you like some coffee?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Bennett sat down on the sofa with a square table in the middle. The magician poured boiling water into a teacup and placed it on the table. It was unmistakably boiling water, both in color and smell.

 

“…Didn’t you say coffee?”

 

The magician snapped his fingers.

 

“Now it’s coffee.”

 

“…”

 

The liquid that had been boiling water had become a dark and fragrant coffee. It was impossible to tell whether he had tricked the water into coffee with illusion magic, or whether he had tricked the coffee into water.

 

The magician sat down cross-legged opposite Bennett. The magician’s face was close to being expressionless, but his speech was friendly and witty.

 

“You said you had something to say? If it’s relationship counseling, you’re welcome.””At least I don’t want to receive counseling from you. If I had any romantic concerns, I’d grab any passerby and ask them .”

 

“Ha… I’m a veteran in romance, yet I don’t know this.”

 

“Indeed.”

 

Bennett took a sip of coffee. It tasted like lukewarm water. He knew the wizard’s intentions through it.

 

Bennett couldn’t tell the difference between coffee and water. Whether it was coffee or water, it changed with a single gesture from the illusion wizard. He was… indirectly expressing his confidence in his abilities.

 

It was that simple to change a person’s black and white.

 

Revealing such intentions metaphorically at this timing also meant… ‘I already know your true identity.’

 

Looking back, he had said this from their first meeting.

 

‘Do you think your beliefs… are the correct answer?’ he had asked, not asking if he would continue on the path of the dark wizard. Bennett couldn’t understand the meaning at the time. He had known from the beginning .

 

He didn’t know if he had read it in a dream or if he had another way of obtaining information. However, the fact that he knew he was a dark wizard and still tolerated him was a positive sign.

 

Bennett asked just to be sure.

 

“Did you know?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“That I’m a dark wizard.”

 

“…Ah, yes. I knew a little faster than you thought.”

 

This man must have also taken the magic circle he had set up to summon the ‘Horror-Eating Corpse Flower.’ If he was orchestrating a grand scheme to save both worlds… there was no point in pushing or pulling, or making deals .

 

There was already a huge gap between the wizard who knew everything and Bennett.

 

Bennett erased his easygoing plan to ask for help in exchange for information. He let out a hollow laugh. This wizard had completely overwhelmed Bennett with sophisticated metaphorical pressure in the short time since he had entered, not even five minutes ago.

 

And hadn’t he lowered a subtle lifeline through the coffee? ‘If you cooperate obediently, I can bury your mistakes like this coffee.’ Then he had no choice but to reveal everything he had.

 

“I’ll tell you everything I know.”

 

“……”

 

Bennett handed over all the information he had gathered while he was part of the dark wizard forces. The disruption of the academy. The revived ‘Horror-Eating Corpse Flower’ and her plans. And the dark wizard bases he knew of. And.. .

 

“There’s also a dark wizard branch near here. They only give orders through magic communication to hide their location, but I managed to backtrack it. That’s all I know.”

 

As Bennett finished speaking, the wizard who had been listening attentively tilted his head. And he looked at Bennett with a gaze that seemed to peer into his soul with ominous red eyes.

 

“…Hmm. I appreciate your trust, but why did you come to me? Aren’t you close with the Saintess? She can help you.”

 

“Tara has high authority, but she doesn’t have much power. If she were to protect me, she would have to undermine her own authority. I don’t want that.”

 

“Indeed…”

 

The wizard clapped his hands. And he spoke cheerfully.

 

From Noble mtl dot com

 

“Alright, let’s do this. You are a double spy secretly dispatched by the Saintess, and you infiltrated through cooperation with us… the Second Prince and the Imperial Defense Force. You successfully retrieved a lot of information, and as of today, you have retired after the operation ended.”

 

“Retired…?”

 

“Just in case, I’m not speaking metaphorically about leaving the academy and farming. Since you’re a spy dispatched by the Saintess, you should return to her side. You still have to graduate from the academy, don’t you? “

 

“…Understood.”

 

The wizard raised the corners of his lips slightly, as if satisfied. And he took out a crude necklace from his pocket and placed it on the table. The necklace was made of string and an old gear.

 

Bennett felt a strong sense of deja vu from the necklace that looked like one he had seen somewhere before.

 

“Bennett. I told you I had a story to tell you… This is it.”

 

“This is?”

 

“A gift from Abraham.”

 

Bennett realized from the wizard’s words. This gear was… a part of Abraham’s, who had been trapped in the body of a golem in the dungeon. Bennett clenched his fists and glared at the wizard.

 

“…What are your intentions?””I don’t know the details either. Why this necklace is in this form. I received it as well. From the goddess.”

 

To Bennett’s fierce gaze, the wizard waved his hands and claimed his innocence. In fact, the crazy wizard didn’t know anything. Because it was something that the Purple Tower Lord had given to the trio to give to him.

 

“The goddess of this world has filled the place where the evil god has retreated, and has prepared a gift with the power that has gathered in the meantime. Abraham’s soul has been taken by him, so tell him not to worry.”

 

“…”

 

The strength left Bennett’s fist. Abraham seemed to have been saved by the goddess. A deep sense of relief was felt, and then⋯⋯ he wanted to let Tara and Niole know about this fact as soon as possible.

 

“And this is Abraham’s message. Bennett.”

 

“…I’ll listen.”

 

“Thank you for listening to my request. And, for saving the world, the hometown of this old man. I watched you fight from up in the sky. It was so cool that even these old eyes could see it clearly. You were shining like stars.”

 

“…”

 

“The goddess has granted my request to leave you a letter. I’ve lived as an atheist for half my life, but if I had known this, I would have had a religion in my life. I won’t serve that annoying lump of foam even after I die.”

 

It was the wizard’s mouth that made the sound, but Bennett could hear Abraham’s voice from the sentence. He could vaguely guess what kind of expression the old man was making as he spoke.

 

“It was a long speech. My journey ended like this. But there is a long and difficult road ahead of you. But even if the path seems painful, don’t forget that happiness is near. I will pray for you. Abraham. To dear Tara, Bennett, and Niole.”

 

Abraham’s letter ended like this. Bennett’s mouth had a bitter but not bad aftertaste. Like the taste of coffee.

 

“…If you hear this, Tara will cry.”

 

“Tears of joy, right? And from this side, there is also a personal gift. This is yours, Bennett.”

 

The wizard handed over a ticket.

 

Bennett looked at the crude ticket and revealed his honest feelings.

 

“…What is this ticket that looks like it was made by a child?”

 

“Our Tower Lord is less skilled than you think. This thing, its appearance is genuine.”

 

“Genuine?”

 

“She said she would help you. You have to save your sister, don’t you? She is the best in that area, so she will be of great help. Use it when the opportunities arise.”

 

“…Did you know about that too?”

 

The Tower Lord of the Purple Tower is said to be a monster who has reached the realm of sublimation. Bennett, who had learned how much power the fable provided, could guess the power of the word sublimation to some extent.

 

The Purple Tower is not as well-regarded as the other towers, so the Purple Tower Lord may not be as good as the other Tower Lords.

 

Saving Bennett’s sister was related to magic that worked on the mind, so it could be said that it was the best choice according to the wizard’s words. Bennett’s heart pounded.

 

When he examined the ticket, which seemed to be roughly made, he realized that there was magic on it that he could not even guess. He couldn’t figure out all the functions, but at least it wouldn’t get crumpled or torn if it got wet.

 

The ticket was most likely real.

 

Bennett ran his finger over the surface of the ticket and read the information. The magic on the ticket naturally conveyed the information. If the ticket was torn, the location information would be sent to the Purple Tower Lord immediately, and she could be summoned. If this ticket was used in front of the 『Corpse Flower that Eats Fear』…

 

“…”

 

Maybe, just maybe, he could really save her. He might be able to get his sister back, who he had lost for so long, and greet her again in the morning. This was the most certain opportunity.

 

Not an expectation to deceive himself, but really a clear opportunity before his eyes.

 

His hands trembled. Bennett picked it up very carefully, afraid that he might damage the ticket.

 

After the joy and excitement passed, anxiety surged up.

 

Because he had received so much.”⋯⋯I only provided you with a little bit of information. I don’t think⋯⋯this is something the Lord of a Magic Tower should help with. Why? Why are you helping me this much ?”

 

“That’s a strange thing to say. It’s natural for a professor to help his student…If I said that, you’d be very uneasy, right? You wouldn’t believe it.”

 

“…”

 

“I simply completed a fair trade. Bennett. Have you already forgotten what you did? It’s not even been a few days.”

 

The magician laughed, spreading his arms.

 

“You saved the world, hero.”

 

“…”

 

Bennett lowered his head. The desperate struggle of a boy who had lost his younger sister, which had begun on a cold winter day──had finally found its meaning at this moment.

 

Hope sang.

 

Now, all that was left for him to do was move forward.