The Drinking Sage 39

The place Adela took me to was an alleyway.

An even darker place within the streets of the Pitch-Black Tower. We were entering a secluded place where light didn’t reach, not just because it was decorated in black.

“…”

Looking at her like that, I considered opening my mouth for a moment.

But soon I thought it would be ridiculous to doubt Adela at this point, so I quietly closed my mouth and followed her.

As we continued walking, something that looked like a motel appeared.

The reason I couldn’t call it a hotel was because its exterior wasn’t very good, as evidenced by its location in such a secluded area.

Knock knock-

Adela knocked on what looked like a shabby door.

“Welcome-“

A languid voice greeted in return.

Then the door opened automatically. Probably done with magic.

Adela entered first, and as I followed her inside, what I saw was.

A middle-aged woman with a pipe in her mouth, exhaling smoke with a “phwooo-“

She was keeping her head down without even looking at us. Perhaps her gaze was directed at a newspaper?

[…There are rumors that the Second Prince has been frequently absent from the imperial palace lately!

What on earth is happening in the imperial palace! I, Juliana, reporter for the Imperial Daily, will definitely dig into this.

Those who are curious about the results, continue to subscribe…]

“…”

A name and writing style I’ve seen a lot somewhere.

‘Still writing such articles.’

While I inwardly clicked my tongue as I recalled a night I once spent with Rinet. The woman opened her mouth just like that.

“What are you here for? Stay, relationship? Just tell me.”

Word choices that weren’t direct but not particularly roundabout either. She said “relationship,” but she’s clearly referring to sexual intercourse.

I inwardly sighed and glanced at Adela.

Though not expressed out loud, it was with a slight reproach.

‘Where have you brought me?’

Judging from the woman’s attitude, I didn’t get a very good impression. It didn’t seem like a place someone of royal blood like me should come to.

Whereupon.

Wink- Adela noticed my gaze and gave a light wink, then approached the middle-aged woman with small steps.

“It’s me. Master.”

A friendly tone as if to indicate they knew each other.

At the same time, the woman’s face softened considerably. A smile formed on her expressionless face, and finally she lifted her head.

“Well, look who it is. If it isn’t the Sage?”

“Why are you being so awkward? Just call me Adela.”

“Kuk kuk. You said you were going to the Academy, why have you returned?”

“Don’t you know there’s a party at the tower? I’m participating in that.”

“Ah, right. Because you’re Agria’s daughter. I see…”

After an appropriate conversation ended. The middle-aged woman’s gaze passes Adela and turns to me.

A peculiar light settles in her eyes that had been silently looking at me for a moment. A feeling of surprise was clearly contained within.

Then, she leans in close to Adela and whispers.

“Adela, you… when did you catch such an item?”

Still using impolite word choices.

For a whisper, it sticks well in my ears; is she intending for me to hear it or not?

The corners of Adela’s mouth curve into an arc. She also whispered sweetly.

“Oh my. You recognize who he is?”

“Only a moron wouldn’t recognize imperial royalty. So, what? Is he at least your boyfriend?”

The gesture of subtly raising her pinky finger is truly uncomfortable.

Adela’s answer was simple.

“Yes.”

“What?”

The woman’s mouth opens wide. She seemed dumbfounded.

However, Adela continued without minding at all.

“We’re going to be husband and wife, you know? So lend us a room. With ‘magic.'”

“…”

At those words, the middle-aged woman’s brow furrowed.

The word ‘magic’ that Adela just mentioned seemed to catch her attention.

The woman who had been silent for a moment opened her mouth.

“…If you want to do it, I won’t stop you. But are you really dating?”

“Of course. Naturally. Should I ask His Highness?”

With those words, Adela steps back.

Naturally clinging to me, she looked directly at my face and addressed me.

“What do you think? Your Highness? Am I right?”

“…”

After briefly contemplating how to respond to that.

I cut off distracting thoughts and answered calmly.

“That’s right.”

“Yes. I knew it. See, right?”

“Haa…”

The middle-aged woman shakes her head.

Then she waves her hand, probably casting a spell.

“I’ve opened the room. Go use it.”

“Yes, thank you. We’ll make good use of it.”

“Sure. Well, what a big thing has happened while I wasn’t looking. What the world is coming to…”

Leaving behind the middle-aged woman’s words that sounded like a sigh. Adela took my hand and led me.

“Let’s go, Your Highness.”

“Alright. However, could you explain what this ‘magic’ is?”

Having followed without questioning until now. To my question asking if she could explain now.

Adela only answered with a bright smile.

“It’s a secret magic of the Tower Master.”

“Pardon?”

“It was made by none other than my mother.”

“…”

It seems I need to hear more explanation.

 

It’s a shadowy room.

Without needing to say it’s decorated in dark tones, it’s literally a room without a point of light.

In such a dark room, two beds close to capsules were placed.

“I told you before that other mages dislike the Tower Master’s magic, right?”

“Yes.”

“So the Tower Master couldn’t commercialize magic even after developing it. Rather, she sporadically revealed it to avoid backlash from tower mages.”

“Hmm.”

It wasn’t particularly pleasant to hear.

While I was thinking about how to respond, Adela continued as if not caring at all.

“Anyway, this is the magic the Tower Master created alone. It’s called ‘Nostalgic Dream.'”

“Nostalgic Dream, is it?”

It’s not well understood just from the name.

Seeing my gaze requesting elaboration, Adela smiled softly without saying anything and.

“Come on, come on. First, lie down.”

She said, tuk tuk- gently pushing me with her hands.

How could I not know that affection was fully contained in that mischievous gesture? With a feeling of resignation, I lay on the bed.

“…”

Once I lay down as she said. A considerably soft sensation welcomes me.

Despite the shabby interior, maybe they use quite high-quality beds?

“Your Highness. Would you extend your hand to me?”

I stretched out my hand at Adela’s request.

The hand I extended toward her was eventually grasped by white, slender fingers.

Our overlapping hands transmitted warm body heat.

Adela then resumed the explanation she had been waiting to give.

“This magic shows the caster’s ‘happiest time’ in the form of a dream. That’s why it’s called ‘Nostalgic Dream.'”

“From the explanation alone, it doesn’t seem there’s a need for two people.”

It sounds like I’m nitpicking, but it was also a legitimate question.

If it will show the caster’s happiest moment as a dream. There’s no need for two people. One should be enough.

At that, Adela chuckled in response to my words.

“Well, you’re right. There’s no need to call us a married couple either. That’s what you mean, right?”

“…No.”

“Come on. I know everything. I know everything about Your Highness.”

It would be a lie to say I didn’t have such an intention.

Since I couldn’t say “That’s right” in front of Adela, I denied it, but Adela already seems to know.

Anyway. She continued speaking without minding.

“The Tower Master called this magic an ‘incomplete magic.'”

“Then, does that mean it’s not yet fully developed?”

“Yes.”

She turns her head from looking at the ceiling.

The obsidian eyes looking straight at me were mystical, shining in the pitch-black darkness.

“She said that making the caster two people was the method to create it in the most usable form.”

“Then, do we see each other’s dreams?”

“Exactly. To be more precise, we appear in each other’s dreams in ‘some role.’ It’s like participating by becoming a character that didn’t originally exist.”

At those words, I nodded.

‘Then you can’t bring just anyone.’

Revisiting the time you missed the most is clearly a happy thing, but that’s limited to the caster.

There’s no guarantee that what’s happiest for you will also be happy for others.

No, rather, how could it not be embarrassing to show the most intimate part of your inner self to others?

‘Considering that point, it can only be between the closest relationships.’

Parent-child. Siblings. Or, husband and wife.

In the end, the questions exchanged when entering the motel all had meaning.

However.

“Will it be alright?”

I asked with a somewhat worried expression.

It wasn’t just concern about showing my past to Adela.

Rather, to be honest, I was deeply concerned about prying into Adela’s past.

‘She is a person with many wounds.’

From what I’ve observed so far.

The Sage, Adela Ciadellia, sometimes appears sharp and sometimes lofty, but.

Inside, I dare to think she has pain she couldn’t share with anyone.

So I asked, feeling guilty about stealing a glimpse of it.

“…”

Perhaps she felt my sincerity?

Adela didn’t say anything for a moment.

But the silence wasn’t long.

“It’s alright.”

Somehow lonely and yet.

“Because I trust Your Highness.”

Also warmly, Adela told me.

“Your Highness. Do you remember what I said last night?”

“…”

What is she referring to? I pondered for a moment.

Contextually, there was only one thing she could be talking about.

-When I was tired from days of depression.

Adela clearly said that.

As if she wanted me to know, yet was reluctant to reveal it herself.

That.

“I don’t want to talk about it. So, I’d like you to see it.”

Adela is telling me she wants to show me.

I maintained silence at her words.

It was an issue where I couldn’t easily open my mouth.

The courage of this delicate woman saying she wants to show her intimate inner self to the other person.

“…Is it not possible?”

The relationship between Adela and me wasn’t so short that I could refuse with an emotionless attitude.

“Let’s do that.”

I answered plainly.

I didn’t carelessly mix in personal emotions. Because my attempt at consideration could hurt the other person.

Without saying anything.

“I also trust you.”

By indirectly saying that my past wasn’t particularly smooth either, I was reassuring her.

“Thank you.”

Adela smiles softly. Like a flower about to fall.

But.

“Then, shall we start now?”

At the same time, like a flower about to bloom soon.

Adela firmly grasped my hand and. Recited something in a low voice.

Pitch-Black Tower Master Secret

Ultimate Technique

Nostalgic Dream

Eventually.

At some point, my vision was engulfed in darkness- and I fell into a deep sleep.

 

My eyelids are heavy.

As if they weighed a thousand pounds. It was burdensome to open my eyes.

My face.

“Brother, brother!”

Poke poke- Someone was poking with tiny hands.

“…”

Barely coming to my senses, I somehow lift my heavy eyelids.

“Ugh…”

The wallpaper is all black. However, white stars embedded here and there illuminate with magic.

A single moon embedded in the middle of the ceiling brightly illuminates the room.

An interior where it’s hard to distinguish between day and night.

‘Where is this?’

I blankly turned my head.

No, I tried to turn it. I would have turned if my cheek wasn’t being pulled by five fingers.

“Brother!”

A whining voice.

A cute girl who puffs up her cheeks with a “pwoo-” as if to say I’m angry.

A girl with soft black hair hanging long.

She brought her face close to mine.

“Hmm, strange…? Brother suddenly became strange…”

Obsidian-like eyes examine my face.

Looking at the jade-like face without a single blemish even up close.

I understood the situation.

‘I see.’

It seems that Lorang von Welert has become Adela Ciadellia’s brother.