“Hehe, that’s impossible. How could such a thing happen?”
“I know. I even tasted that hell myself.”
“Maybe a group of acquaintances just visited all at once…”
Brutus shook his head at those words.
“I even received praise from a customer today saying the food was delicious.”
For the first time today, Brutus had heard a customer compliment his cooking. All of this was thanks to that person.
“I had a stroke of luck. A Sage visited and passed down a Magic Recipe to me.”
“A Magic Recipe?”
“It was a Chicken Soup that heals the very soul.”
Brutus briefly explained the miracle he had encountered the day before.
“This is a miracle. I still doubt whether it will actually taste good, but would you be willing to share that recipe with us?”
“I’m sorry, but I believe I must ask for permission first. He said he would return eventually.”
“Hehe. We’re counting on you.”
“It would be a great help in achieving our lifelong wish.”
Not all the mages were just envious.
“Even so… we need a plan. Ten customers aren’t enough. We can’t run a care home with just that.”
Brutus sadly agreed with that statement.
“Yes, you’re right. It will be difficult to run the care home unless the cafeteria becomes more active.”
“We need to receive at least fifty customers a day.”
“Fifty? We struggle with ten, so how can we possibly get fifty?”
“Wouldn’t it be possible if we had that Magic Recipe?”
“Now, then, let us each pray to the gods we believe in. They might send a miracle our way as well.”
“Hehe. What kind of mage offers prayers?”
“Everyone in the Jeomamo, let’s all hang in there.”
“Let’s hang in there.”
“Let’s hang in there.”
Voices shouting “hang in there” echoed like a chorus from the crystal ball.
The Jeomamo. It was an association for low-level mages. They were mages who had been kicked out of the Mage Tower for failing to meet the standards.
It was a gathering of those who could not surpass the 1-Circle.
While the original name was the Low-Level Mage Association… the mages of the Mage Tower mockingly called it the “Imbecile Mage Association” for short.
Level 1 magic was still quite useful, so some mages found employment or entered training to realize a 2-Circle. They could use elemental magic and were generally capable of traveling by riding a broom.
Despite that, they were poor. The world outside was harsh for naive mages who had done nothing but research in the Mage Tower.
To make matters worse, after visiting Brutus and seeing him run the House of Angels, they had all resolved to run care homes in their respective villages.
When Brutus started running a cafeteria, they all made similar attempts, only to find they possessed similar levels of restaurant management skills.
They were terrible at business.
For that reason, they were currently suffering through economic hardships. To overcome this, the members of the Jeomamo held regular meetings once a month to share information through crystal balls.
“Then, until the next meeting.”
“Hehe. Chicken Soup, huh… I want to try selling it at our place soon, too.”
“Please, could you stop that ‘hehe’ thing? It makes us sound like villains.”
“Hehe… I’ll try to fix it. Since the crystal ball only transmits voices, I used it as a signature to let everyone know it’s me…”
“We need a greater secret strategy. Everyone, please give it some thought.”
“If that person happens to come back early, I will call an emergency Jeomamo meeting.”
With Brutus’s final words, the ten low-level mages, harboring a small spark of hope called Chicken Soup, took off their black robes and ended the communication.
Brutus was tidying up the crystal ball when Lara came running in.
“Director! The older brothers from yesterday are back!”
Startled by Lara’s words, Brutus rushed out in a flurry. Waiting there was the horse-drawn carriage that had left just yesterday.
***
We reunited with Brutus after only one day.
“How… why have you come back?”
“It’s a long story. For now, we’ve brought a load of luggage at Lady Serranos’s request.”
“What? Who? No way… my Master?”
Beside me, Slot and Hyde whispered to each other.
“What’s going on? Wasn’t this discussed beforehand?”
“I know, right. I naturally thought Lady Serranos would have sent word ahead of time.”
I briefly explained today’s events.
“I didn’t hear anything from Master. It’s already been one year since we lost contact. To think she was in Tanden… That’s not far from here.”
“From Brutus’s perspective, isn’t this a completely bewildering situation?”
“Seriously. We suddenly show up with a carriage full of luggage and brought an extra mouth to feed, too.”
We glanced at Pie. Pie was sitting there with a frown, looking quite displeased.
“For now, would you like to read this?”
I handed over the letter Master Serranos had given me. Brutus read the letter over and over in silence.
“How can Master be like a mother to every one of her disciples…”
To Brutus, Serranos was both a teacher and a mother figure.
***
Brutus remembered the time he entered the Mage Tower.
A war orphan, he had worked as a laborer for a circus. One day, exhausted by the chores, he looked up at the sky and happened to swallow a ring.
The ring was an Artifact, and because of it, a circle was engraved on his heart. He had become a 1st Circle Mage. Furthermore, although it was only one type of magic, the Artifact allowed him to use the 5th Circle spell, Teleport, infinitely.
However, his magic was used only for medicine shows to help sell goods.
Master Serranos had paid a massive fee to bring him to the Mage Tower. She had looked after him like a mother.
When he first entered the Mage Tower, he was famous as an unprecedented genius. A 1st Circle Mage could use the 5th Circle magic, Teleport, infinitely without consuming mana, after all.
However, when it was discovered that he could never advance beyond being a 1-Circle Mage due to the side effects of the teleportation ring Artifact, everyone ridiculed him.
Even the 5th Circle magic, Teleport, could only move him 10 centimeters, and it had the side effect of returning him to his original position if he used the magic again.
In the Mage Tower, he was treated as an imbecile along with the other 1st Circle mages. But not by Master.
Master had tried everything to cure him. She spent vast amounts of money to obtain elixirs and even invited high-ranking mages to solve the problem.
Despite her efforts, he failed to become a 2nd Circle mage for a long time, and eventually, while Master was away at war, he received an order of expulsion from the Mage Tower.
Master found him after he was kicked out. She had become the Master of the Magic Tower.
A person who served as the Master of the Magic Tower was given one special gift by the tower, which took the form of a wish. As long as it wasn’t impossible, the tower would grant the wish to the best of its ability.
Most people requested high-level Artifacts or rare magical materials, but Master requested that Brutus be given the authority to enter and exit the Mage Tower at any time, even after leaving it.
To him, who had been hiding in a village within sight of the tower after being expelled, she gave the right to enter the Mage Tower whenever he wanted to see his Master.
It was the greatest kindness she could show. She also shared part of her fortune with him.
Much time had passed since then. He often went to see his Master.
The second disciple, Fieldnier, was a true genius, unlike him. He mastered up to the 4th Circle in one go and possessed a deep curiosity for various magics.
When he heard that Fieldnier had been kicked out of the Mage Tower, he worried for Master.
More time passed.
He heard news that she had taken a third disciple. Since Brutus had just started operating the House of Angels care home, he only exchanged letters with Master.
Due to the incident with the second disciple, Master left the Mage Tower of her own accord. He heard rumors that she was moving from place to place.
He desperately pleaded with Master to live with him, but she refused, citing that it was dangerous.
Since he was running a care home, Brutus couldn’t insist on his own wishes.
According to the rumors, she traveled around looking for people who had been harmed by the second disciple and shared her wealth with them.
The anonymous donation delivered to the House of Angels two years ago was likely the last of Master’s fortune.
The days they couldn’t meet grew longer. One day, a year ago, even the letters stopped. Since then, he had heard no news of Master.
Brutus read Master’s letter over and over.
The letter began with her memories of Brutus. It described what she thought when Brutus first came to the Mage Tower and how despairing it was to hear the magical terminal diagnosis that he could no longer grow because of the Artifact.
However, she wrote that all those days were happy and joyful. It also included how she always felt sorry for not being able to do more for her beloved first disciple.
Next, she wrote that it seemed she would find it difficult to return. She was aware that her lifespan was currently coming to an end and stated that she intended to fulfill the final mission she held in her heart.
Lastly, she ended with a story about the third disciple. She wrote about how talented the child was and asked him to take good care of her.
She also mentioned that rather than the child becoming a great mage, she hoped she would grow up with a righteous heart.
And at the end of the letter, she finished with the words, “I love you.”
***
“I have read Master’s letter well. I also understand why she couldn’t contact me beforehand. I don’t understand why Master couldn’t come with you… but I’m sure she had her reasons. This unworthy disciple will simply follow her wishes.”
Brutus bowed deeply toward the letter. It was a greeting that conveyed his immense respect for Lady Serranos. Then, he looked at Pie and smiled.
“Her smile somewhat resembles Lady Serranos, doesn’t it?”
“So you’re Pie. I’ve heard stories through letters until a year ago. It’s already been several years since I last saw Master in person.”
“You’ll be able to see Master soon… probably.”
Pie was using polite speech, which was unlike her. ‘She doesn’t use informal speech with her Master or seniors.’
‘I guess seniority really can’t be ignored.’
“Make yourself at home. It seems Master might be a bit delayed…”
Then he looked at us and spoke.
“William, thank you for helping them.”
“Brutus, why didn’t you tell us you were a mage?”
“I was surprised to hear you were Lady Serranos’s disciple.”
“Is there any dinner left?”
I, Slot, and Hyde each chimed in.
‘Hyde, read the room…!’
“Haha. I was afraid I would tarnish Master’s reputation.”
Brutus scratched his cheek.
“You might have heard, but my magic is incomplete. I can only use 1-Circle magic.”
“What’s wrong with 1-Circle magic?”
“Of course, there are many great spells in the 1-Circle, but I still believe it’s something that could bring shame to the reputation of Master, who is a Great Mage.”
“I heard you can also use Teleport?”
“Well, Teleport is possible, but… I’ve developed a bit of a peculiar constitution. The teleportation distance is only 10 centimeters, and if I use the magic again, I return to where I was.”
“Whoa! Then can’t you just go far, far away and then use Teleport? It would be amazing if you could return in an instant.”
Oh. Hyde, thinking of something so cool is impressive. At Hyde’s words, Brutus smiled bitterly.
“Well, if I go far away, I do return, but I only return exactly 10 centimeters. And if I use the magic again, I go back to my previous position. I’ve done many tests, but the conclusion was that it’s useless.”
‘Is he a close-range mage or what…?’
“I think it would be useful in combat, though?”
I was reminded of the instant transmission from Dragon Ball—attacking the enemy’s back with teleportation. But I immediately shook my head.
“Ah… you said you can only use 1-Circle magic…”
“As you said… it doesn’t seem easy to become a combat mage with only Level 1 magic.”
I felt a bit sorry for bringing it up.
“From what I hear, the utility of the magic is indeed a bit ambiguous.”
Slot also added a word.
“That’s right. Many people have tried to help, but no one could figure out where to use this magic. Oh, still, I find it useful for moving short distances occasionally.”
Brutus smiled positively.
“Oh, right! Where are my manners? You must be hungry after your long journey. I’ll bring dinner out right away.”
He then went into the kitchen and came back out with food. It was Chicken Soup properly prepared according to my recipe.
Knowing that taste, Slot, Hyde, and I worked hard to lick our plates clean.
“Wait, there’s one more person licking their plate?”
Next to us, Pie was also silently licking her plate.