Brondin decided to stay behind and guard the workshop, while the rest of us—Da-eun, Asier, and I—set out to find the mage. As we walked through the streets, I couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of frustration as Da-eun explained what had happened.

“So, Brondin gave a spare key to a mage he partnered with?” I asked, incredulous.

“Yeah, apparently he trusted the guy and didn’t want to deal with opening the door every time, especially when he wasn’t around,” Da-eun explained.

“That’s why he gave him a key?” I sighed.

Asier chimed in, “Brondin trusted the mage. That’s the kind of person he is.”

“I see… I guess that makes sense,” I muttered, feeling only slightly less bewildered.

“Wait, that’s all it takes for you to understand?” Da-eun asked, surprised.

“Why not? It’s kind of how dwarves are,” I replied, shrugging.

“Dwarves don’t usually trust others easily, but when they do, they trust them completely,” Asier added.

“Oh? I thought they were more friendly and quick to trust,” Da-eun said, her head tilted in curiosity.

“Not quite. Being friendly doesn’t mean trusting someone,” I explained.

“Huh... I guess that makes sense,” she said, though her face showed lingering confusion.

I decided to elaborate. “For dwarves, ‘trust’ isn’t just a casual belief in someone. It’s something deeper… more like a bond of faith.”

“Oh, so it’s more like loyalty or a promise of honor?” she asked.

“Yeah, something like that,” I confirmed.

Dwarves had a reputation for being straightforward and strong-willed. Once they placed their trust in someone, they’d remain loyal to them through thick and thin. It was no wonder people referred to them as ‘solid’ or ‘dependable.’ To break a dwarf’s trust was like breaking a sacred bond. That’s why Brondin hadn’t suspected Asier, even though he might’ve been the most logical person to blame.

“Oh... so that’s why Brondin didn’t want to talk about it,” Da-eun realized. “He must’ve felt like he was betraying that trust by even bringing up the mage as a suspect.”

“Probably,” I agreed.

“Even though I didn’t like the mage from the start,” Asier interjected.

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“Something about him felt off. His vibe, his expressions—they just didn’t sit well with me,” Asier said, his tone a bit darker.

“That sounds suspiciously familiar,” Da-eun muttered to herself, rolling her eyes.

I looked over at her briefly but focused back on Asier. “Tell me more.”

Asier’s feelings weren’t something to ignore. Despite his eccentricities and the way he’d changed after Grasis fell, his judgment had been highly regarded when he was a prince. The people he chose to surround himself with were always capable and trustworthy. Nobles often tried to recruit Asier’s men, but no one ever left his side, swearing loyalty to him instead.

“It’s hard to explain. He always had this smile, but it felt like there was something sinister behind it. Like he was hiding his true intentions,” Asier said, shaking his head.

“Hmm…” I pondered.

No matter how keen Asier’s intuition was, it was still based on a feeling. Without hard evidence, it would be hard to convince others.

“Still, I’ll trust you,” I said.

Asier blinked in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah. You’ve never been wrong about people before,” I replied.

It wasn’t hard to keep an eye out for the mage, and if Asier’s gut feeling was telling him something was off, it was worth taking seriously.

As I finished speaking, I noticed that both Da-eun and Asier had stopped walking and were staring at me.

“…What?” I asked, confused.

Asier sighed deeply. “This is why I can’t seem to let go.”

“…?” I tilted my head, still clueless.

“Kana, you really shouldn’t say things like that so carelessly. It might give people the wrong idea,” Da-eun gently scolded, patting me on the head.

“...??”

What in the world are they talking about?

Despite my repeated questions, neither Asier nor Da-eun explained further, leaving me in a state of complete bewilderment.

After that brief, awkward moment, we arrived at the mage’s workshop. Asier, who still hadn’t fully recovered from the earlier conversation, approached the door and knocked.

“Is Max the mage’s name?” Da-eun asked, eyeing the simple sign hanging over the door.

“Yeah, Max Gramoov. He’s from the Arca Empire,” Asier replied.

Da-eun and I both tensed at the mention of the empire.

“An imperial mage…” I muttered. My voice may have sounded innocent, but Asier knew better than to be fooled by it.

‘I already know why that voice feels so unsettling,’ Asier thought, grimacing. The relationship between Asier and Garid, the high mage of Grasis, had always been complicated—strained even more by Asier’s romantic pursuits.

“I know, Kana. Let’s not cause any trouble here,” Asier said cautiously.

“I know,” I replied, a bit grumpy.

Da-eun, sensing the tension, tried to distract herself by asking, “Isn’t it a bit strange for a partnered mage to have their own workshop? Wouldn’t it make more sense for them to work in the same space as Brondin?”

“No, not really,” Asier answered. “Partnering isn’t the same as merging. They work on different things, so sharing a workshop would be inconvenient.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Da-eun said, nodding slowly.

“And besides, mages are really sensitive to sound. A blacksmith’s workshop would drive them crazy,” Asier added. “Imagine trying to carve a spell while hammers are constantly banging.”

“Oh... yeah, I can see why that would be a problem.”

Just then, Asier knocked on the door again, harder this time. “Max? It’s me, Azie, Brondin’s apprentice.”

“Wait, that’s a fake name?” Da-eun asked, realizing for the first time.

Asier shrugged. “It’s easier this way.”

Da-eun raised an eyebrow but seemed to accept it. “Isn’t it a bit too close to your real name?”

“Anyone who’d recognize me would recognize me no matter what name I use,” he explained.

Fair enough.

“Why isn’t he answering?” Asier grumbled, banging on the door harder now, his knuckles turning white.

As the pounding grew more intense, I stepped forward. “Should I break it down?”

“No,” Asier said firmly, cutting me off before I could pull out my sword.

I stepped back, disappointed. Da-eun quickly hugged me from behind, both to comfort me and to stop me from doing something reckless.

Finally, Asier stepped back, panting from his efforts, when suddenly a voice called out from the adjacent workshop.

“What the hell’s all this noise? If the door’s closed, just go home!” A neighboring mage poked his head out, clearly annoyed.

All three of us immediately turned to face him, causing him to flinch.

“W-what’s with the staring? I didn’t say anything wrong…”

Though the mage tried to maintain a tough front, his voice wavered as Asier approached him.

“Do you know Max?” Asier asked.

“Well, uh, yeah. We’re... acquaintances, I guess,” the mage stammered, shrinking under Asier’s gaze.

“I’m Brondin’s apprentice, Azie. We need to talk to Max, but his workshop is locked. Do you know where he is?”

“I... I don’t know. We’re not that close,” the mage muttered, clearly wanting to avoid any further involvement.

Asier, sensing the need for a little persuasion, pulled out a gold coin and flashed it subtly. “Are you sure you don’t know anything?”

The mage’s eyes lit up at the sight of the coin.

“W-well, now that you mention it… I did see him last night, carrying a large bag. He looked like he was in a hurry, but I didn’t ask where he was going.”

“Did you see which direction he went?” Asier pressed.

“Uh… I’m not sure...” the mage trailed off.

Without missing a beat, Asier pulled out another gold coin, flicking it between his fingers. “How about you help us find him? These could be yours.”

The mage gulped, his eyes glued to the gold.

“Yes, of course! I’ll help you,” he agreed eagerly.