"Excellency, shall I make preparations for your departure?" the maid, Daisy, asked as she saw Tars set down the invitation.

  "From now on, you may open and read any such things sent to me. If it's just more of this tedious nonsense, don't bother bringing it to me at all—just throw it away. I trust your clever little head understands what I mean."

  Tars waved a hand and climbed out of his lawn chair, preparing to head back for another round of meditation. He felt he was getting a bit lazy lately, though he attributed it to the influence of kobold genes rather than his own nature. Perhaps it was the temperament of a Dragon-blood kobold; even with purified dragon blood, he wondered if there was a spell to make one more industrious.

  He muttered to himself while stretching his limbs.

  "You've been spending a lot of time around here lately."

  He noticed that even when he hadn't summoned her, the efficient maid was often waiting nearby.

  Daisy hesitated for a moment before replying, "Being near you... feels more reassuring."

  Her reason took Tars by surprise. "Why? Is the manor unsafe?" he asked.

  "No, it's not that," Daisy quickly denied, pausing before adding softly, "It's just that there have been many unpleasant rumors in the manor lately. Although the butler has forbidden the servants from gossiping, the talk persists. I don't want to hear those things, and it is quiet here with you."

  Tars nodded understandingly. "About the Starry Family?" he prompted.

  Daisy lowered her head, not daring to speak. Tars nodded again and headed toward the cottage to begin a new round of meditation.

  Lately, he had used the cottage as a front to retreat into the Abyssal Bedroom space for his sessions. It was the perfect setup: he could be reached if there was an emergency, yet he had a private, shielded space for himself.

  Today, Big Dumb Hum and Aiskin weren't out sunbathing. Instead, they were engaged in a live-combat duel in an open clearing within the Bedroom space. After their trip to the Arena, they had learned the limits of their extraordinary healing abilities and were now fighting without holding back. They had become so diligent that they could even resist the temptation of the sun.

  As the metallic clang of clashing weapons filled the air, Tars entered his meditative state, with Smart-Bug curled affectionately at his feet. His last thought before drifting into trance was that if they kept clashing like that, he’d have to find new weapons for Aiskin and Big Dumb Hum soon.

  Those two must have been hit by a spell for industriousness, he mused.

  Within his mental space, he stood upon a calm sea of mental energy, quietly admiring the scenery. He realized he had been complaining about his slow progress, but perhaps he was just borrowing trouble. He had achieved the rank of Level 3 apprentice in the pools of the Lost City, which involved a bit of luck, but even without that, his advancement speed was remarkably fast.

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  Immersion in meditation was the best way to discard stray thoughts. One by one, runes began to manifest.

  He had mastered nearly a third of the new runes required for the fourth mana-scar. If the complexity of the remaining runes didn't spike drastically, he believed he could master them all within a few months, followed by the training required to construct them all in a single breath.

  The fifth and final mana-scar would likely require double the runes, each more complex than the last. But by his calculations, it would take a few years at most. It felt like a long time, but by comparison, very few apprentices could go from nothing to Level 5 in just a few years.

  I should probably be careful about hiding how long I've actually been on the path of the wizard, he thought.

  Two days passed quickly. Daisy appeared before Tars once more with an invitation.

  "Excellency, another invitation from the Fendis family. It mentions a wizard; it is a farewell party for her. It specifically notes that the Lady wizard dislikes noisy crowds, so it will be a private gathering with few guests. The letter says the Lady specifically requested your presence."

  Tars thought of the female apprentice he had dueled at the Arena. Since it was the Fendis family, it was likely she was preparing to return to the Wizard Domain.

  "Were there any other invitations these past few days?" he asked casually.

  "Five others, all for balls hosted by city nobles. Following your orders, I did not present them to you," Daisy said with a bow. She looked as if she feared his reproach; for a servant, ignoring noble invitations was a daunting task.

  Tars raised an eyebrow. So many invitations in just two days—it was beyond his expectation. Do these nobles do nothing but drink and dance?

  "You've done well. Go and rest," Tars said with a smile, tossing her a fruit. Daisy let out a quiet sigh of relief, took the fruit, and left.

  Tars watched her go, then looked at the invitation on the table. He was genuinely interested in learning more about the "other side." Moreover, every line of the invitation seemed designed to pique his interest, especially the mention of it being a small, private affair.

  Young Master Rodrigo still hadn't returned.

  Tars stopped tapping his fingers on the table and decided to attend. He wanted to see what the "boring lives of nobles" looked like. He also suspected that leaving the manor might draw out the mysterious visitor from a few days ago—the one who refused to give a name to a servant but wouldn't force his way in. If that person truly was a man from the Baron's side, as the old drunkard suggested, things could get interesting. Myrtle had mentioned the Old Baron kept a reclusive wizard close by. If that person wanted to talk after Tars's fame from the Arena, it was likely him.

  He didn't mind testing the fellow's mettle. Perhaps he could find another route to an unrestricted passage ticket.

  The next morning, he rang for Daisy to prepare for the party. The Fendis social was set for the evening. He ignored the usual noble protocols, which saved Daisy a lot of work; she only had to coordinate with the manor's carriage and calculate the departure time.

  After a day's routine, he declined Daisy's company and boarded the carriage alone. As the axles creaked and groaned, he sat upright and alert, eating a fruit he'd brought along, anticipating some unexpected gains.

  However, as the journey passed the halfway mark, he began to frown. When the wheels finally stopped their humming, he realized his prediction had failed; that shadow-dwelling fellow hadn't shown up. Maybe on the way back, he thought.

  He stepped out of the carriage to see a deep, somber castle. It wasn't exceptionally tall; there seemed to be a rule that no building in the city could exceed the height of the Starry Family's fortress.

  Edgar Fendis, whom he had met once before, was waiting there. Upon seeing Tars, Edgar's face broke into a warm, practiced smile. He strode forward, showing no surprise that Tars was still wearing his old, plain robes.

  "It is an honor to have you here. I hope you find tonight's arrangements to your liking," Edgar said with a grin.

  Tars looked around and saw that it was indeed a very small, private gathering. Judging by the few carriages parked outside, there were very few guests.