Chapter 60

***

‘Did he get hurt in the Magic Tower?’

The red, swollen scar seemed like it hadn’t fully healed yet.

‘Didn’t they properly treat him in the Magic Tower? Does he have no one to take care of him?’

But the letter from the Tower Master that Melody mentioned earlier seemed very kind, and it appeared to genuinely concern Jeremiah…

‘Or maybe, because we’re not his real family, Jeremiah couldn’t fully open up to us.’

Ronny concluded that he was the only one who could heal such a wound.

He gently wiped the sweat gathered around the swollen scar without applying too much pressure.

“Huh…!”

At that moment, Jeremiah gasped and opened his eyes. When his gaze met Ronny’s, he shot to the other side of the bed at an incredibly fast pace, eyeing Ronny warily.

“What’s, what’s going on?”

Taken aback by Jeremiah’s defensive tone, Ronny stuttered,

“Well, I, um.”

He struggled to explain, then showed the handkerchief he was holding.

“I was just wiping your sweat… You seemed to be in pain. I didn’t mean to startle you. Sorry.”

“Sweat?”

“Yes. You were sweating a lot. Are you not feeling well?”

“I’m not sick.”

Jeremiah quickly pulled his bangs down, seemingly not wanting to show his scar.

“And about that…”

Ronny referred to the scar as ‘that’ vaguely, but Jeremiah clearly understood what he was referring to.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“How can I not worry?! Who dared to hurt my precious brother? I won’t let them get away with it!”

Jeremiah gave a bitter laugh at Ronny’s outcry.

That reminded him, this overprotective brother had foolishly cried his eyes out upon hearing their mother had left the house, not knowing that the woman felt murderous intent towards her own son.

“…Do you want to know?”

Somehow, Jeremiah felt the urge to crumple up Ronny’s heart, pretty as colored paper.

No, he wanted to tear it to shreds so it could never return to its original form, just like his own heart was now.

“Yes.”

As Ronny nodded, Jeremiah crawled across the bed to come right in front of him.

“I’m glad you’re willing to listen to my story, brother. It gives me strength.”

“It’s only natural. I’m your brother, after all.”

“Then, brother, will you also hate the person who made this scar?”

As Ronny nodded, Jeremiah quickly asked,

“How much will you hate them?”

“More than the pain you’re suffering.”

“That would be close to loathing.”

Ronny didn’t yet understand the exact difference between hate and loathing, but he could feel the deep anguish hidden in Jeremiah’s tone and nodded.

“Yes. I’ll ‘loathe’ them.”

“Could you say that again?”

“I will ‘loathe’ the person who hurt you.”

“You’ll never forgive her for the rest of your life?”

“A woman?”

The fact that Ronny used a respectful term ‘woman’ might have cast a shadow over Jeremiah’s face for a moment.

Noticing Jeremiah’s discomfort, Ronny quickly changed his tone,

“Oh, that. Yes. I will never forgive that woman and will loathe her. That is, if you tell me who she is.”

“Then, I’ll tell you.”

A silence followed. Ronny felt unusually tense, perhaps because Jeremiah’s gentle smile seemed a bit… frightening.

“That woman is…”

Just when Jeremiah was about to speak,

At this crucial moment, a knock sounded.

“Master Jeremiah.”

Impatient Mrs. Higgins didn’t wait for the boys to respond and conveyed her message from outside the door.

“A young magician from the Magic Tower has arrived.”

Jeremiah’s gaze turned towards the door at the mention of a magician.

He hurried over and opened the door to ask again,@@novelbin@@

“A magician?”

“Yes. The Duke is currently receiving him.”

Jeremiah frowned. His damned father must have requested another magician, likely not trusting Jeremiah’s magic enough.

Especially since he didn’t have the title of a magician yet.

“I must go meet him right away.”

It would be problematic if another magician used mental magic to awaken Loretta without his consent. It could mean losing his chance to earn the title of a magician.

Now that it had come to this, he had to send the other magician away and forcibly extract Loretta from the world of memories.

“You mustn’t.”

However, Mrs. Higgins stopped Jeremiah by placing her hands on his shoulders.

“Did Father order this?! To keep me locked in the room?!”

Jeremiah, unable to contain his anger, shouted.

Ronny, standing behind, dropped the handkerchief he was holding in surprise. The children of the Duke’s house were taught never to be rude to the servants.

“No.”

“Then why!”

Despite Jeremiah’s changed demeanor, Mrs. Higgins remained firm, pushing his shoulders back and leading him into the room.

It’s because your attire is in an awful state. What kind of noble would meet someone dressed like that?”

Her remark was entirely justified. Going out in damp pajamas would only make Jeremiah the butt of jokes.

“…I see.”

He felt a delayed embarrassment for having yelled at Mrs. Higgins and shifted his gaze slightly.

“I understand, Mrs. Higgins.”

“It’s a relief you understand. I’ll prepare proper attire right away.”

Just as the matter seemed to be settled,

“Jeremiah. What about an apology?”

Ronny, who had been watching, asked with a somewhat stern expression.

“What?”

“An apology. Mrs. Higgins was trying to protect your dignity. You didn’t realize her intention and yelled at her first, so you should apologize.”

The near-command tone made Jeremiah feel a surge of irritation.

Why does Ronny, who has always been pampered under the Duke’s protection, think he has the right to say this to me?

“It’s not hard. Just bow your head and say ‘I’m sorry’ sincerely.”

Did he think Jeremiah didn’t even know how to apologize? That’s what Jeremiah thought.

“Hurry up.”

Prodded again by Ronny, Jeremiah reluctantly bowed his head and said, “I’m sorry.”

“Your apology is greatly appreciated, Master. Thank you, young master.”

Mrs. Higgins responded in a slightly softened tone, and Ronny vigorously ruffled Jeremiah’s hair.

“That’s my brother. Really well done. The best apology in the world.”

Looking up, Jeremiah saw Ronny grinning broadly.

Did he find Jeremiah’s humiliating situation amusing?

“Now, let’s get you changed.”

As Mrs. Higgins proceeded to do so, Ronny excitedly raised his hand, saying, “Then I’ll pick the tie!”

“No, Master Ronny, we don’t need your poor sense of style to come into play.”

However, Mrs. Higgins flatly rejected his offer.

“Why! Apologize to me!”

Jeremiah watched, crestfallen, as Ronny demanded an apology from Mrs. Higgins.

Just moments ago, Ronny seemed quite mature, but now Jeremiah realized it was a mistake. He was still an inconsiderate child.

‘What’s this…?’

Jeremiah fiddled with the back of his hair, which Ronny had ruffled, feeling somehow wronged.

***

After changing into more formal attire, Jeremiah descended to the first floor with a somewhat irritable step.

A passing servant directed him to the drawing room.

Without waiting for a response to his knock, he pushed the door open and saw the Duke and a middle-aged man in a robe seated in front of him.

Jeremiah recognized the magician. It was one of Tower Master Owen’s confidants.

“Magician Pierce.”

When Jeremiah bowed to show proper respect, the magician approached him.

“Our prodigy.”

“How did you come here?”

Pierce chuckled bitterly at Jeremiah’s direct question.

“Don’t be on guard, prodigy. I’m only here to help.”

“I didn’t ask for it.”

“Trainee Baldwin sharpens when he breathes the air of his ancestral home, or so they say. It appears to be true.”

At his seemingly intrigued remark, Jeremiah scrunched up his face and corrected him.

“It’s not Baldwin. It’s Jeremiah.”

“I know.”

He smiled slightly and stroked Jeremiah’s blue hair. It seemed to be an affectionate gesture.

Everyone at the Magic Tower adored Jeremiah like this, believing that his body held the future of new magic.

“I read the report you sent to the Tower Master yesterday.”

“Is there a problem with the report?”

“No, it’s perfect.”

He slightly folded his arms and nodded.

“Then, why?”

“The Magic Tower sent me because they were worried you wouldn’t immediately use mental magic.”

“I wrote in the report. I will wait for her to wake up on her own and am taking sufficient care to ensure her body doesn’t deteriorate.”

“But the subject is a child. And you know, prodigy, a child’s mind has a nature that rapidly expands.”

And if a magician doesn’t become a guide to welcome them back, sometimes they might reach an abyss they cannot return from.

“I heard she hasn’t opened her eyes for days now. Isn’t that right, Duke?”

Pierce looked back at the Duke, who nodded, and the focus of the conversation returned to Jeremiah.

“It means it’s been too long to trust the young lady’s instinct to return, prodigy.”

“…”

Having nothing to refute, Jeremiah fell silent.

“May I ask?”

Pierce soon asked for Jeremiah’s permission, obviously wanting to know why he hadn’t approached Loretta Baldwin’s mental world.

‘Because…’

That child was raised by that woman.

“…”

As Jeremiah remained silent, Pierce soon placed his hands on both of Jeremiah’s shoulders.

“It’s okay. We’re not forcing you. Don’t be afraid. The Magic Tower will protect you.”

Moved by his affectionate words, Jeremiah blinked and looked at the man before him.

“So…”

Does it mean he won’t use mental magic and will wait with him?

“Yes, from this moment, I will take charge of the Duke’s house matters. For the client’s safety and the credibility of the Magic Tower.”

“…!”

“If you wish, you can tour the capital or return to the Magic Tower first, prodigy.”

“Wait a minute. What do you mean by taking charge? The Tower Master entrusted this task to me. As the final gateway to becoming a magician…”

“Yes. That was the case.”

He responded calmly in the past tense, as if the opportunity had completely vanished.