“Would you like a drink?” Zod Exarion offered a glass. Reddish-colored wine swirled in it. “Gladly.”

Adjest accepted it. They clinked their glasses softly before both taking a sip.

It was very sweet. The scent was strong but she couldn’t quite pinpoint which region the wine had been produced in.

“This is top class wine. It’s more aromatic than the ones I am familiar with from the Bourgogne and Arnen regions. But oddly enough, I can’t quite figure out where this one was produced.”

She nodded. They held a conversation, however neither of their hearts were in it. Neither of their eyes met.

They were at a ball, both staring in the same direction.

Among the many people moving busily, one boy stood out in particular.

Desir Arman.

“It’s nothing new, but Desir is such a unique friend.” Zod stated in a matter of fact manner.

“He never shrinks back from the powerful people present representing the Western Kingdom Union. He’s not afraid, nor under pressure to talk with and win them all over.”

It was definitely out of the ordinary.

The strain on him must have been enormous in a function like this, with so many powerful people gathered. A normal person would look like Romantica and Pram. The two who were shell shocked and sitting as far from the crowd as possible. However, Desir wandered around majestically, talking with many in a very calm and stately fashion. Zod drank a little more from his glass.

“… No matter how much I think about it, I can’t figure out who he really is.” The red liquid sloshed around as if agitated.

It was delectable, but impossible to ascertain the origins of. “You question him?”

“So do you.”

Adjest brought about another round of silence with that swift rebuttal.

She could not deny it.

It was undeniable that Desir Arman was a person of questionable origins. “Do you know anything about Desir?”

“… It’s probably not too different from what you already know, Tower Master.”

“So he hasn’t talked with anyone.”

Zod mumbled.

Adjest could not help enquiring further. “So you doubt him, Zod?”

“No, no way. I trust his nature and personality more than anybody in the world. I would never believe he is a villain.”

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have done Desir such favors.

Desir Arman had already taken residence in a huge portion of Zod Exarion’s heart. The loss of Desir would do significant damage to him on a mental level.

“But when I heard the news that Desir performed Seventh-Circle magic, the curiosity I managed to set aside had resurfaced completely.”

Seventh-Circle.

The pinnacle of human power.

Desir took one step forward after getting the Fourth-Circle implanted.

There were several harsh limits and conditions imposed on doing so, but Zod was astonished that Desir managed to reach his level, albeit temporarily, and didn’t even feel the need to mention it.

He reached the legendary Seventh-Circle with just four circles in his body.

Zod was happy with his growth so far, but reaching the power of a Seventh-Circle magician was another story altogether.

That was the highest that a human could go, and it was also the wall he found himself at. Zod Exarion opened his mouth.

“I believe trust and curiosity are two different things. Though he promised he’d tell me one day, and I trust his word, I’m still very curious. As you know, I am not one that can resist their own curiosity.”

Zod continued.

“… Plus, we know Desir Arman is on the move to achieve something.” Adjest trembled.

She had a rough idea what Desir had been busy with behind the scenes. It was hard to believe he did everything he had so far for the sake of vanity or recognition.

“Someday… He will tell us himself.”

“Someday he will. But we don’t know when that will be.” Zod continued after another brief pause.

“It is a fact that we trust Desir Arman more than anyone else. However, we also don’t know much about his identity or purpose, which keeps him at a strange distance from us. This is never a good or healthy thing. Even for Desir, this distance can’t be pleasant.”

Desir had become an existence that impacted the entire world, reshaping national alliances and technological development. He was too powerful to ignore the fact that he was concealing his identity and in pursuit of an unknown goal, whether it was personal or not.

“Despite what he says, it wouldn’t be bad to figure it out first.”

“Why have you brought this up?”

“Because you’re the closest to Desir.” Zod put down his empty glass.

“What I’m trying to say, let’s share what we have on him.”

“… ”

Adjest said nothing in response.

She didn’t know how to answer that.

“Well, I didn’t expect to get an answer tonight.”

The Tower Master looked away. Ultimately, his eyes fixed once more on Desir, who was just returning from a conversation.

“What are you talking about?”

“Not much. It’s just that the wine tastes nice.” Zod passed him a glass.

“So did it go well?”

Desir nodded, grabbing the glass.

“Yes, it went well. I had some satisfying outcomes.” He had accomplished his intended goal.

When Desir talked about how he persuaded President Anous, Zod was delighted, as if it was him that personally stood to gain from this improvement in relations.

That result alone made attending this banquet worth it.

“But it’s a shame I wasn’t able to do one of the things I had planned to. I didn’t manage to catch a hold of the King of Divide."

Desir had wanted to converse with the King of Divide to try and suss out whether he was trustworthy or not. It was obvious that Divide and the Outsiders had some kind of a relationship, whether the King was involved or not. Desir imagined that he could have learnt something regardless, if he had managed to talk to him.

“Why not? Did anything happen?”

“He’s already left.”

After hearing these words, Zod stared at the seats where the King and Queen of Divide would normally sit.

Nobody was there. It was coincidental, surely. “Apparently they left right after the opening ceremony.”

“That’s odd. Normally the one who’s hosting the banquet would stay till the end.”

“It’s hard to say whether it’s a simple coincidence, but I don’t have much to say as of now.” As a matter of fact, Desir did everything he could do at the banquet.

It could not be helped.

They had to gloss over it like that and move on. “So are we done now?”

“I suppose so.”

“Then we just need to enjoy this banquet.”

“Well, you say enjoy, but there isn’t much you can do here.”

“There’s one thing that cannot be missed at a banquet.” Zod glanced at the center of the ball room.

With the mood heightening by the minute, people danced in pairs. “You’re right.”

Zod had a point.

Letting himself go and enjoying this event freely wasn’t a bad idea. “Adjest?”

Desir struck out his hand, and Adjest grasped it.

There was no reason for her to reject it.

Adjest and Desir glided onto the stage.

The current song was a very slow waltz. They began to step to the music smoothly, letting their bodies go with the flow.

Desir’s movement was quite smooth. Adjest had to remark on it. “You’ve gotten much better, Desir.”

Desir answered shamelessly. “It’s all thanks to your coaching.”

While their dance wasn’t outstanding, it had a charming quality that made the audience smile. They continued to dance while supporting each other.

“Ah, youth.”

“Would you like to dance with me?”

Looking at them, many other partners were emboldened to come onto the stage too. Adjest Kingscrown looked back through her memory.

There was a time when she took Desir to the ball and taught him how to dance. Adjest remembered his inexperienced moves.

He was quite bad at dancing. He must have practiced quite a lot to be able to dance like this. However, her talk with Zod continued to come to the forefront, crowding out the nicer thoughts.

‘… I really don’t know anything about him.’ Desir Arman.

Whenever she thought about him, Adjest was filled with mixed feelings.

For Adjest, he was such a complex figure.

He was a competitor, a mentor, and a leader. ‘Such a mysterious man.’

Adjest remembered when she first met him.

He was a mere First-Circle magician.

Although they met for the first time, Adjest remembered the soft look Desir gave her. ‘He was different from the beginning.’

Like Zod said, his existence didn’t make sense at all.

He designed a spell system that could change the world drastically and had made vast contributions to world peace.

These thoughts continued to churn through her head. “Desir.”

Adjest opened her mouth in a rare moment of rashness. Their gaze met each other. They were so close that their breath tickled each other’s face. “… What is it?”

The gentle waltz continued.

They moved steps lightly.

Desir asked her again.

Her eyes met his deep black pupils.

Eyes so deep it was as if one were looking into the void.

Adjest’s lips fluttered, but that was all.

The conversation she had with Zod replayed once more.

She wanted to ask him right away.

She wanted to demand he let her know everything about him.

But she couldn’t.

All of a sudden, she realized something. ‘… He’s not the only one with secrets.’

Once she realized it, her lips hardened like stone.

Desir wasn’t the only one who held secrets. Adjest was also hiding her own, and they were likely no smaller than his.

That she was a member of the noble Rogfelas family. She was the daughter of the Emperor who ruled the Empire.

‘I haven’t told him mine either.’

She had never shared this secret with anyone.

No, she could never share it.

The reason was simple.

‘… If I told him… If I told them the truth, I’d never be able to have the same relationships I have now.’

It felt like the relationships she had worked so hard to build and maintain were at threat of imminent collapse.

‘I was afraid.’

Hence she kept quiet. She wanted to keep those old relationships. With her mind reaching this conclusion, Adjest changed her mind. ‘Perhaps Desir is the same.’

This was the most likely possibility.

Adjest couldn’t dream of asking Desir anymore.

She moved her gaze away. Deliberately acting as she always did, pretending as if nothing happened, she opened her mouth to bring an end to this tension.

“Actually, it’s nothing.”

“You’re so silly.”

The conversation ended in vain.

Soon, the tempo of the music picked up speed.

Adjest quickly adjusted to the rhythm, but Desir couldn’t.

He staggered and stumbled. Adjest held him up, seeing as he almost fell entirely. “… You need to learn from the start again.”

A burst of light laughter erupted and passed. ‘Yes.’

Desir is just Desir.

Even if he holds onto some secrets, nothing would change.

‘One day we will know each other’s secrets. But that time is not now.’ Adjest wasn’t ready, and neither was Desir.

‘But I hope that time comes soon.’