Chapter 05
The man swaggered over and flashed a grin.
“Am I the last one here?”
Bridin greeted him with a smile, while Hemil, apparently meeting him for the first time, watched him with wary eyes.
Pretending to take a sip of water, I kept observing him.
Especially his red hair.
‘A Volks?’
But he wasn’t anyone I knew.
I wasn’t particularly good at remembering faces, but I was certain I’d never seen someone wearing glasses with lenses that thick.
The way he walked, the casual stance with one leg relaxed, even the clothes carelessly draped over his shoulders—they were all worlds apart from a nobleman’s manner.
Still, I didn’t lower my guard.
Just in case.
Maybe, like me, he was from one of the Volks family’s branch lines.
“This is Dale. And this is Rex. Remember? The incredibly talented mage I told you about—the one I met on the Eastern Continent.”
“Ohhh, the one you’ve praised so much my ears nearly fell off. Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.”
The mana I felt through our brief handshake was completely unfamiliar.
Even so, my anxiety got the better of me.
“…Did you happen to study at the Magic Tower?”
“Huh?”
“I mean magic. The Western Continent is famous for its Magic Tower, right? I was just curious.”
Dale shrugged.
“Sorry if you were expecting something impressive, but I’m not a noble. My family was poor.”
After letting go of his hand, I stepped back. While he exchanged a brief greeting with Hemil, I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
The longer I watched…
“…He doesn’t look that strong.”
When I whispered that to Bridin, he smiled.
I wasn’t trying to insult him.
It was a terrible thing to say about someone I’d just met, but honestly…
He looked like one of those common thugs who knew a few spells and strutted around taverns acting tough.
“I don’t think he’d even qualify as Rank Four. Are you sure about this?”
“Mm. The real one isn’t him.”
“The real one…?”
Just then—
“Hey. Aren’t you moving?”
Voices rose from the direction Dale had come from.
When I looked over, I saw a fight breaking out not far away.
A huge man glared murderously at a tall man, repeatedly shoving his shoulder.
“What’re you staring at? Didn’t you hear me? I said move!”
Bridin’s smile deepened.
Right… he’d said two people were coming.
One of those two?
The thought had barely crossed my mind—
“AAAGH!”
The tall man suddenly twisted the bigger man’s arm behind his back.
“L-Let go… AAAAAH!”
Three more men, apparently his companions, rushed in.
The tall man never released his grip.
He casually dodged their attacks with nothing more than slight movements of his head and shoulders before kicking each of them away with his long legs.
“GYAAAH!”
So that’s the real one.
“That’s enough. Let him go.”
The one who stepped between the rough-looking men was Dale.
His entrance was completely unexpected, yet the disturbance ended almost immediately.
As soon as the tall man released him, the others hurriedly backed away.
They continued glaring at him with obvious resentment, but whether from pain or wounded pride, none of them dared say a word.
Dale merely gave them a small nod before leaving.
Then he brought the tall man toward us.
‘His face is completely covered?’
Everything except his eyes was carefully wrapped in black bandages.
His cloak was black.
His hair was black.
Instead of looking funny, the whole thing was simply eerie.
Unlike Hemil and me, who instinctively frowned, Bridin greeted him with a smile.
“Long time no see, Black Dog.”
Unable to contain my curiosity, I asked Bridin,
“Dog?”
“Yeah. Because he’s loyal to this guy like a dog.”
…You really said that right in front of him?
Fortunately, he didn’t respond.
But for the brief moment our eyes met…
His gaze was chilling.
“Well, now that everyone’s here, let’s head—”
“Wait.”
Hemil cut Bridin off and stood.
“You. Take those bandages off.”
“…”
“We’ll be trusting each other with our lives tonight. I can’t trust someone who won’t even show his face.”
I nodded vigorously.
Exactly!
Who’d want to work with someone that creepy?
“Can’t be helped. Take them off.”
To my surprise…
The Black Dog obediently followed Dale’s order.
Wait… he’s actually doing it?
His hands slowly reached for the bandages.
Watching a mummy unwrap itself…
Maybe this was what that felt like.
The strange tension in the air made my throat dry enough that I instinctively reached for another drink.
Finally…
The last black bandage came loose.
The instant his face was revealed—
“Say hello. My slave, Black Dog.”
The water spilled right out of my mouth.
Black hair.
Strange violet eyes.
That absurdly handsome face I knew all too well.
‘Phillion?’
What are you doing here…?
* * *
Our destination wasn’t very far from the capital.
“It’ll still take a while to get there, so get some sleep if you’re tired.”
Bridin sat beside me with his usual friendly smile.
“Good thing I rented a carriage, right?”
He really did have connections everywhere.
He’d known people all over the Eastern Continent, and apparently he’d already made plenty of friends here in the West.
The carriage was old, but comfortable enough to nap in.
Still…
I glanced toward the driver’s seat.
“Um… Dale. Is it really okay to leave him up there alone?”
“Hm? Why?”
“I just thought… wouldn’t your companion feel left out if we’re the only ones resting?”
“Oh, him? It’s fine. He wouldn’t care even if I kept him awake for an entire week.”
No…
I was worried because I’d never imagined seeing Phillion sitting in a coachman’s seat.
Wait.
What?
He keeps Phillion awake for an entire week?
“He does whatever I tell him. That’s why he’s my slave.”
“Slavery was abolished ages ago,” Dale added with a grin.
And all I could think was—
He’s insane.
Phillion Elfert.
The youngest son of House Elfert.
A powerful heir.
The one and only disciple of the previous Magic Tower Master.
The wanted criminal with a 10-billion bounty on his head.
And this guy…
Treats him like a slave?!
…And Phillion just goes along with it?
Apparently he really did.
The carriage started moving without a single complaint from him.
Bridin, Dale, and even Hemil all looked perfectly relaxed.
I was the only one whose thoughts refused to settle.
Why would someone like him stay beside that thug while letting himself be called a dog?
Trying to figure it out was more exhausting than any battle I’d ever fought.
Eventually I arrived at one conclusion.
…Was he just bored?
No, I know how ridiculous that sounds!
But every other possibility made even less sense!
What could Phillion possibly need?
Leaving aside his noble birth and influence…
He was the strongest person in the entire world.
If he wanted something, he could simply take it.
So maybe…
Life had become too boring.
Maybe he just wanted to throw some chaos into his perfectly smooth existence.
While I was drowning in those thoughts—
“Hey! Stop!”
Dale banged on the carriage and shouted.
Ignoring our puzzled looks, he shrugged.
“Nature calls.”
Apparently it was urgent.
He disappeared into the bushes like the wind, shouting one last thing before he vanished.
“Black Dog! Stay here! Don’t follow me!”
Just as instructed, Phillion climbed down from the driver’s seat.
But he didn’t follow Dale.
He merely stood there quietly, watching the direction his master had gone.
Bridin and Hemil also got out.
Unlike Dale, they simply stretched their bodies.
The unexpected stop wasn’t bad news for me.
I’ll ask him directly.
Without hesitation, I walked toward Phillion.
* * *
I’d imagined this situation many times during my journey to the Western Continent.
If I ever met Phillion again…
I never knew what the circumstances would be.
Only that we’d cross paths by pure chance.
Every time, I reached the same conclusion.
Pretend you don’t know him.
Even just now, I’d thought the same thing.
Maybe I really should ignore him.
But…
I was far too curious.
There were countless things I wanted to ask.
Why was he living like a slave under that man?
Why had he become a wanted criminal?
And most of all…
Had he really…
Tried to save me?
I wanted answers to everything.
“Hey.”
I stopped behind him.
“Hey. You.”
He didn’t even turn around.
So I walked in front of him instead.
“You. I’m talking to you.”
Only after I pointed at him with my finger did those violet eyes finally shift away from the direction Dale had disappeared and settle on me.
There wasn’t a trace of emotion in them.
They were so dry…
So empty…
That my own voice trembled.
“What are you… doing here?”
…That sounded more confrontational than I’d intended.
I softened my tone.
“I mean… why are you here? What’s your reason?”
Ten years ago, when we’d first met…
He probably would’ve answered,
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m waiting.”
With that same icy expression.
But the Phillion I’d known five years ago, just before I left…
He would’ve smiled teasingly and said,
“You kept me waiting.”
“It’s been so long. Didn’t you miss me?”
…Well, I wasn’t expecting that.
Honestly, if he was angry, I’d deserve it.
After all, they’d even built a statue in my memory.
Then suddenly I came back alive.
I’d have every right to be questioned.
So I had been bracing myself.
But—
“Huh?”
Without saying a single word…
Phillion simply turned around.
“Hey! Where are you going? I’m trying to talk to you!”
I grabbed his arm.
He looked back at me with half-lidded eyes.
There wasn’t even the slightest hint of interest.
It was the look one gave an annoying stranger.
Or…
Someone they’d never met before.
…No way.
“You…”
“You don’t know who I am?”
“…”
“You… don’t remember me?”
Maybe…
Maybe that really was possible.
He hadn’t even blinked when I’d died.
To Phillion Elfert…
Raiel Volks had been no more significant than a pebble lying beside the road.
That’s exactly how the original story described it.
And now…
Five whole years had passed.
I slowly let go of his arm.
I shouldn’t have asked.
I wasn’t exactly happy.
It was frustrating that I was the only one who remembered.
But…
I was the one who had run away because I wanted to be forgotten.
Complaining that he’d forgotten me now would be ridiculous.
Maybe this was for the best.
I shouldn’t talk to him again.
“Forget it. You can just—”
Just as I turned to leave—
“I’m sorry.”
The completely unexpected apology froze me in place.
I stared at him in shock.
“I’m not permitted to associate with women without my master’s permission.”
“…Your master’s… what?”
“I’m truly sorry.”
“…Huh?”
“Excuse me.”
And just like that…
I was rejected.
Without even confessing.
Out of all the defeats Phillion had handed me over the years…
This was by far the most humiliating—
No!
That’s not the important part!
I ran after him and grabbed his arm once again.
