It happened in an instant, before I could even grasp what was going on. The mana stone that was about to explode vanished, and Robert collapsed.

I don't remember much after that.

I definitely heard Ian and Astina's voices... and it felt like someone was carrying me.

"Rudy? Are you awake?"

As I slowly opened my eyes, trying to gather my thoughts, Luna was sitting in front of me.

"How long have I been lying here?"

"About three days... Can you wait a moment? I'll call the others."

"Okay."

Luna got up and left the sickroom.

I blankly stared at her retreating figure, but what I was truly curious about wasn't how long I had been unconscious.

I was certain I had met Professor Robert.

The image of him smiling lingered before my eyes.

It wasn't my imagination.

Professor Robert was definitely...

The door to the sickroom opened, and Luna came back.

"Rudy..."

Seeing Luna's face, tears started to flow from my eyes. Luna came closer without saying a word.

"Rudy, it's okay. Everything is okay."

"Professor Robert is..."

I couldn't finish my sentence as it was interrupted by my sobbing.

Luna quietly hugged me. My heart ached, and a vague feeling became a harsh reality.

"Professor Robert is no longer with us."

I didn't know much about Professor Robert's family.

Yet, I knew Professor Robert had stories about his family.

"Do you remember what Robert said to you in the beginning?"

"…The beginning?"

Robert said that he didn't take disciples.

"Robert didn't want to create people he had to take responsibility for, or people who would take responsibility for him. He couldn't bear the sorrow of losing his family and the sorrow of being abandoned by his mentor. To avoid going through that again, he didn't try to make connections with people."

"…"

"That's when you came along. There was Borval, too, but he was different. The relationship between him and Robert was more professional than that of a mentor and disciple."

Cromwell said this and took a bottle of alcohol out of his bag.

"He took you as his disciple. There wasn't any special reason. He liked the way you worked hard.

You really struggled like hell at the academy, didn't you?"

He brought the bottle to his mouth and gulped down the alcohol.

After drinking, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve and spoke.

"To Robert, you were a commitment, a disciple, and a son."

"..."

"Robert wouldn't have wanted you to be so sad and downhearted. He wouldn't have wanted you to have regrets. He would have wanted you to stand up proudly."

Cromwell poured the alcohol over the gravestone and looked at me.

"It's time to get up now. Shouldn't we start moving? You have many people around you, not just Robert."

I had many thoughts during the week I spent in the sickroom.

If I had been stronger, more cautious, or if there had been something else, could Robert have lived?

However, there are no "ifs" in reality.

I have lived my life doing my best, facing reality head-on.

If I crumble here because Robert is dead, it would be no different than destroying everything I've built up.

As Cromwell said, there's still a lot left for me.

If Robert were here, he would have scolded me and slapped me on the back, asking if I was going to fall apart over something like this, if this was how I was going to end things.

I must live. I cannot fall apart here.

"You were my best disciple."

Remembering Robert's words, I looked at Cromwell.

"I am a disciple of Professor Robert. I cannot fall apart here."

"Right."

Cromwell smiled upon hearing my words.

Cromwell and I flew through the sky and arrived at the academy.

"Take these things with you."

Cromwell handed me a few items. They were Robert's belongings.

"Is it okay for me to take these?"

"I can't take them, can I? Most of them are related to dark magic,"

Cromwell said with a smile.

"…Thank you."

"What's there to thank me for, giving you luggage to carry?"

"I'm thanking you for something else."

Cromwell's words were a great help.

Robert wasn't the only thing in my life.

Although Robert played a significant part in my life, I still had a lot left.

The Astria family and the rebels of Aryandor.

And the people who believe in me and are waiting for me.

I'm greedy. I couldn't give up any of it.

"Then, go rest now."

"Aren't you going to take me? After bringing me here."

Cromwell laughed at my playful tone.

"It's difficult to take you by magic, but I can catch a carriage for you. Go to the front of the academy."

"Thank you."

I smiled and went outside. Outside the academy, countless cherry blossoms stood out. The rich scent of flowers was in the air. Soon, new students will enter.

Someone's life has ended, but someone else's life is about to begin.

I stretched out.

"Maybe I should see the faces of the other guys."

Though third-year students like Luna and Rie might not be around, it was about time for second-year students like Yuni and Kuhn to start returning to the academy.

"Hey, young master of the Astria family."

As I was thinking this and walking forward, someone called out to me.

"…?"

In front of me stood an old lady with her hands clasped behind her back.

"You've been busy lately, haven't you? Not even coming to eat."

This grandmother was the owner of the restaurant Robert used to take me to, a place that served cheonggukjang.

Surprised to see her after a long time, my eyes widened.

"How about a bowl of food?"

The grandmother pointed with her cane to a shabby building, where her shop was located.

"Just recently, that damned Robert came to pay off his debt and said one thing before he left. 'I've paid off everything, so give my disciple a meal sometime.'"

The grandmother chuckled and gestured for me to follow her with a wave of her hand.

"Have a bowl of food before you go. I'll make it tasty for you."

Hearing the grandmother's words, I smiled.

"Yes, I'll have a bowl before I leave."