CH 88

"Were there close friends of Master? I'm sorry, I didn't figure it out. Next time, I'll avoid Master's friends......"

"Oliven."

Sarah grabbed her throbbing head. She didn't know where to start by pointing out that the child's thinking was wrong. That way of thinking was dangerous, with no concern for the lives of others, just for the sake of his purpose.

"I've locked you up in the magic tower too much."

Sarah hardened her face terrifyingly and stood up. Unlike when she covered her face and hid her voice in the magic tower, she was so unfamiliar now that he could see what kind of expression his master made and what kind of voice she spoke in. His master couldn't have been this cold to him.

"Don't hate me. Don't hate me, Master......!"

He hurriedly caught Sarah who was about to turn around and leave the room. But Sarah savagely slapped his hand away. Then, Oliven turned deathly pale and frozen as if stuck in place.

"It's all my fault......"

"......"

"I was wrong, I was wrong, Master. I was wrong......"

Oliven muttered blankly, unable to hold her back any longer. The hand she slapped away was burning hot. So terribly. When Sarah finally grabbed the doorknob of the secret room, he was now shedding tears.

"......"

Sarah, who was about to open the door and leave, bit her lips and turned around again to look at Oliven. It broke her heart to see her disciple standing devastated with a face that looked like he was about to collapse at any moment.

"Does anyone mean anything to you?"

"It’s Master"

"Other than me?"

"Belluna, Benjamin......"

"Is that it?"

"Yes."

"So what about everyone except me, Belluna, and Benjamin?"

"......?"

At Sarah's continued questioning, Oliven bit his lip nervously with a confused face.

"I don't know what you're asking, Master. How am I supposed to respond? How should I answer Master......"

"What I want is not for you to tell me the right answer."

"Then?"

"I want you to be a person who has the right mindset and can go on the right path."

Despite Sarah's words, Oliven still had an unknown face. Oliven was a smart kid. If she told him one, he knew ten. He was quick to grasp the situation, and he knew how to carefully examine the feelings of Benjamin and Belluna. There were many questions and things he wanted to ask, so Sarah sometimes got lost in answering Oliven's questions all day long. Since he was the only one among her disciples who had a playful and cheeky personality, there were quite a few magicians in the magic tower who adored Oliven. Therefore, she didn't know that there was something wrong with Oliven's way of dealing with others.

"Oliven."

"Yes, Master."

"Had someone else been hurt and killed for what you did, I would never have forgiven you. But I was hurt, so I forgive you."

"Why, why is that? It's more unforgivable to hurt Master."

"Are you curious?"

"......Yes."

Sarah walked over to Oliven and patted him on the shoulder.

"Let's start by figuring it out."

"Yes."

He didn't know the answer Sarah wanted, but he nodded eagerly, thinking that he was forgiven.

"I will send you all back as soon as I finish talking with the magic tower. It would be nice to find out the reason before then."

"......Are you really going to send us?"

"Yes. If you don't want to go to the magic tower, why not go on a trip?"

"I want to be by Master’s side."

"That's not allowed."

Oliven bowed his head in despair at his determined master. However, he didn't have the courage to go any further. Looking at Oliven, his master once again put him in another ordeal.

"First of all, apologize to Duke-nim for making him handle what you did, and to Claude-nim, who was startled by you."

"......Yes."

It wasn't his business to know the Ambrosia’s father and son, who stole his master, but Oliven nodded calmly.

* * *

It had been half a day since Sarah left by the time Oliven came out of the secret room. He needed time to make up his mind before following his master's instructions.

"I’m seeing things."

As soon as he came out of the secret room, Oliven struggled to blink his swollen eyes and rubbed his eyes. And he opened his eyes again, but the situation in front of him remained unchanged.

"Not there. Here. Yes, here! No! It's not there! How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Kkyah, Belluna-nim, you are so cool."

"Benjamin-nim! It's not there!"

"Belluna-nim, win! Don't cheat, Sir Louvre!"

"The vase can be moved by hand......! Ah, you broke it. Please compensate, Benjamin-nim."

"Belluna-nim, please take my handkerchief!"

His eyes widened at the unbelievable situation he was looking at. Belluna was fighting against the Ambrosia Knights in the training hall, and Benjamin was diligently moving boxes that floated in the air with the help of magic according to the instructions of Ambrosia servants.

"Belluna-nim! I love you!"

"Please marry me!"

The training hall was crowded with servants and knights who came to see Belluna's sparring. Belluna was wielding a sword made of mana with her silver-gray hair fluttering in a braid, and she was holding up quite well against the knights. At the moment he was wondering why Belluna could even fight like that against the knights who had been practicing swords all their life.

Bang! As soon as she was pushed back, Belluna exploded the magic from her magic sword, widening the distance in an instant.

"......That's amazing."

Oliven involuntarily admired her. At the same time, cheers erupted from the servants and knights once again.

"You are doing great!"

"Hey, Louvre! You bastard! If you lose, you'll have a one-on-one fight with His Lord."

The knights watched the battle with cool eyes while playfully booing their colleagues who gave Belluna time to rest. They were learning how to deal with the magicians from Belluna, perhaps resentful of being beaten by Benjamin in the Imperial Palace last time.

"Why the hell is she dealing with that?"

If only the sword was used, there was no way she could win against the knights. Nevertheless, he couldn't understand Belluna, who continued to fight while using proper magic from time to time. Was there any reason to even do this? Oliven gave up understanding Belluna. His gaze now looked at Benjamin, who was carrying the necessary loads for the Knights Order next to the training hall.

"What else is that?"

It was a total mess over there, too. Benjamin was carrying various boxes as well as laundry by magic at once, but the servants of the Knights Order of Ambrosia were trying to make good use of this opportunity, so they were overturning the Knights' quarters.

"Why is he even doing that?"

Seeing that even the sofa in the Knights Order’s lounge was wrapped in Benjamin's magic and floating around, Oliven slapped his forehead with his hand.

"Benjamin-nim! You can't put that there!"

"Uh uh uh, you can’t break that! Agh!"

"Uh aaargh! You have to let go of it gently!"

Benjamin, who excelled in destructive magic, had no talent for magic needed in real life. He could easily move large objects, but very small and precious objects were being crushed and broken by the wrong control of his power.

"......I'll try it again."

"If you can't, you don't have to do it. No one forces Benjamin-nim."

"I can do it."

Benjamin did not give up and concentrated on moving things. The servants applauded and encouraged him as he saw several people rushing in and lifting something that had to be moved with magic.

"......"

The only one who couldn't adapt to the atmosphere was Oliven.