The Innocent Mage's Spellbinding Nights - Chapter 38
For two days, Irina woke up sweating and, after calming down, fell asleep again. After spending two days like that, she still felt down, but her physical condition improved slightly since she had gotten more sleep than before.
On the final day of the festival, Irina watched the semifinals and finals of the dueling competition, then took on the role of encouraging and congratulating the top three achievers.
“Lucid Hyle, congratulations on your victory. I hope you continue to strive and become a mage who can bring strength and hope to many people.”
Thanks to the overwhelming achievement of the first-place trainee, the semifinals and finals ended quickly, wrapping up the dueling competition earlier than scheduled.
“Siana has improved a lot.”
“That’s all thanks to my excellent guidance, isn’t it?”
“Don’t take credit for your mentee’s efforts. It’s pathetic.”
The mages of the White Tower chatted about the impressive trainees and left to enjoy the rest of the festival. Irina, satisfied with successfully completing the major event, was about to head back to her quarters when Hesed hurriedly stopped her.
“Senior, are you planning to rest quietly in your quarters again today? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen your lovely face, and this junior of yours feels so sad and lonely.”
“What’s with those creepy words?”
Irina frowned slightly in disgust. However, despite his exaggerated tone and expression, his russet eyes were filled with genuine sadness and concern, making it hard for her to push him away.
“Today is the last day of the festival. Let’s enjoy this once-a-year moment together.”
Hesed smiled cheekily and clung to her side.
Ah, I should have disappeared right after the award ceremony.
Irina regretted lingering and looking around the dueling arena for a moment, lost in unnecessary sentiment. But it was already too late.
The streets and shops were crowded with people due to the last day of the festival.
But Hesed, flashing a mischievous smile at Irina, cleverly used telekinesis to push people to the sides, creating a clear path for them to walk without being jostled.
“I’ll make it comfortable for you, Senior.”
“Using magic for something like this…”
Irina shook her head but didn’t complain further, as she couldn’t deny that the clear path made walking more pleasant.
Thanks to a perception-disrupting spell, no one recognized or bothered them as they walked around.
Irina and Hesed bought and sipped cool drinks, admired the artworks made from the ubiquitous sand and rocks of the west by various artists, and watched the finals of the Best Eagle Contest.
“Hesed! Did you see that eagle snatch the flag just now? How can it be so clever?”
Irina, who had seemed like a pickled vegetable, appeared to regain some energy while watching the eagles’ performances. Seeing her brightened expression and strengthened voice lifted Hesed’s spirits as well.
“Do you think animals and birds follow your words well because you like them so much, Senior?”
“Well, I’m sure dogs and cats like me, but I’m not sure about other animals.”
“Come on, don’t you remember that day? The eagle, remember? When Love was desperately searching for water, she flew in from somewhere and guided us to a newly formed oasis.”
“That was quite fascinating. Maybe that eagle was just as intelligent as this one.”
Irina responded nonchalantly, but for Hesed, who had barely escaped death back then, it was indeed a mysterious event.
***
Except for those deeply involved in academic fields such as magical medicine and magical engineering, all the trainees of the White Tower had to undergo an annual evaluation once they reached a certain age.
Since mages of the Towers, including the White Tower, were inevitably deployed in battles against monsters upon reaching adulthood, it was more practical for those judged to lack sufficient skills to quickly switch to a specialized field or discontinue their training.
Hesed had been a standout since his trainee days, catching the attention of not only his peers but also senior trainees and adult mages.
Coming from a wealthy family and possessing outstanding talent, he had learned magic before entering the White Tower, earning him a reputation comparable to that of seasoned mages.
Most seniors and peers tried to befriend Hesed, as gaining his favor could lead to various advantages, from forming teams for group projects and completing assignments with ease to eventually becoming a close aide to the future Tower Master. After all, the White Tower was part of the human world, where such dynamics were prevalent.
In contrast, although Irina attracted the attention of male peers and upperclassmen due to her beautiful face, her quiet personality made her less noticeable. Moreover, with her being involuntarily getting “in the way” of other people’s romances, she was often ostracized by her female peers.
Given their different statuses and influences within the trainee ranks, Hesed and Irina had little reason to interact, and they had no personal relationship to speak of.
However, when Irina was 15 and Hesed was 14, they were assigned to the same group for the evaluation exam. This was the start of their deep entanglement.
That year, the evaluation required each group to secure at least ten eggs of the scorpion-like monster Besmos, which inhabited the desert, and return to the White Tower.
Although Besmos, a lower-tier monster, always roamed in pairs and had a clear weakness to fire-type magic, making it relatively easy for mages to handle, it frequently appeared in trainee evaluation exams.
“Even lower-tier monsters, when tainted by dark magic, become fundamentally strong and ferocious. Moreover, battlefields are always unpredictable, so be cautious, very cautious.”
The instructors repeatedly cautioned the trainees before sending them into the designated area.
However, such warnings hardly reached the ears of most young boys and girls, who were at the height of their youthful vigor and delusionally believed themselves to be the protagonists of the world.
Hesed had been no exception.
