IGWL 06

Chapter 06

In Neya’s eyes, the two of them looked quite close—just sitting across from each other and sharing something.

Even if that “something” was alcohol, and both of them had faces flushed bright red from it.

“Well, friends… I’m not sure about that,” Shane said, hesitating.

Azure and Gary were certainly on good terms, but calling them friends felt a bit ambiguous.

Because there had once been a time when Azure and Gary could hardly stand each other.

Azure had once had a fiancé. And she also had a childhood friend she had grown up with.

Her fiancé Theodore, and her childhood friend Lydia. And now, those two were engaged to each other.

Yes. In an instant, Azure had lost both her fiancé and her childhood friend—because of love, of all things.

The first time Gary and Azure began clashing often was when strange tension started forming between Lydia and Theodore.

Consumed by the belief that her fiancé had been stolen, Azure began committing all kinds of misdeeds toward Lydia. And Gary was the one who stopped those actions before they could harm her.

Azure and Gary were originally on very bad terms. That made sense—Azure hated Lydia, and Gary liked her.

Gary did everything for Lydia.

Staying by her side when she was struggling. Saving her from danger. Treating her gently at all times, and standing firmly on her side without conditions.

He always acted for Lydia’s sake—but in the end, Lydia took Theodore’s hand and smiled as she said:

“You’re such a good friend to have, Gary.”

It was a cruel way of drawing a line.

In the end, Gary never even managed to confess his feelings, and his devoted one-sided love was forcibly brought to an end.

And ironically, that very event was what brought him and Azure—who had fought so much—closer.

They somehow developed a strange sense of comradeship and began occasionally drinking together like this.

The only thing that created that bond between them was heartbreak.

“That guy who made you laugh—why do you go to the one who made you cry?! Lydia, I loved you, but I do not understand your taste!”

“Maybe she got tired of you giving her everything like a pushover,” Azure shot back.

“I’m the one being wronged! What was wrong with loving her properly?!” Gary slammed the table in despair.

“I already have enough problems with succession issues, and that damned Lydia won’t leave my head—no, sorry! Lydia, I didn’t mean you, I meant myself!”

“Hey, at least you’ve got a mage tower. I’ve got nothing! Damn Theodore—let’s see how well he does after ditching me!”

“Well, of course he’ll do well! He’s the Crown Prince and she’s the Crown Princess!”

“Exactly! We’re the only ones who ended up with nothing! Hahaha, I failed at love and ruined everything else too!”

Azure laughed like she had lost her mind. Gary was the same.

“Watching you two makes it feel like there’s some twisted affection there,” Shane muttered from the second-floor railing.

“Mom’s crying,” Neya added.

The next morning, Gary slowly opened his eyes while lying on the sofa.

He sat up, holding his pounding head. His stomach churned as if he might die.

“Ugh… my head…”

“Here’s some water!”

At his mutter, Neya quickly held out a cup of water as if she had been waiting for it.

“…?”

Even though it was early morning, Neya was fully dressed in outdoor clothes. Gary stared at her in confusion.

“…Why is there a kid here?”

“Do you not remember anything from the beginning?” Shane said, exasperated.

It seemed Gary had been drunk from the moment he arrived.

And Shane, like Neya, was also neatly dressed early in the morning—though that was always the case for him.

Meanwhile, Azure lay face-down on the dining table, wrapped in a blanket. She hadn’t even changed clothes, and her hair was completely disheveled.

“Your Grace, please get up.”

“Don’t talk to me… I feel like I’m going to throw up…”

She was apparently not asleep either, groaning in a dying voice. She looked just as hungover as Gary.

“Master of the Mage Tower! Drink this water!”

“….”

At Neya’s insistence, Gary reluctantly took the glass.

Then he muttered to himself.

“I thought I slept at someone else’s house… because there was a kid when I woke up.”

“Me too,” Azure quietly agreed.

Both of them had made a mess of their first meeting with Neya.

Gary only then seemed to recall last night and slightly flushed.

“Sorry, Uncle wasn’t quite in his right mind yesterday. What was your name again?”

“Neya! I’m seven years old, and I’m a catsha!”

“Oh, so you’re the one?”

Gary already knew a catsha would be staying here as a gift from the Duke. He had visited this house often enough.

“Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Gary.”

“I know! You’re the Master of the Mage Tower!”

“Hmm… did I say that yesterday?”

Gary barely remembered anything, so he was still confused.

Seeing Gary treat Neya so kindly, Azure commented in surprise.

“What, you like kids?”

“Not really…”

Gary had no experience with children at all. The only memory he had was children always avoiding him in fear.

“I don’t know why, but kids always seem to hate me.”

“You might find the reason if you look in a mirror,” Shane replied kindly.

Gary shot him a glare.

“Whatever. Azure, where’s that book I left here before?”

“You left so many books, how am I supposed to know?”

“The one with the silver leather cover.”

“Here.”

Gary took the book from Shane and lay back down again as he opened it.

Azure looked at him in disbelief.

“You’re not going home?”

“There’s still leftover alcohol from yesterday. I’ll finish it tonight.”

“You’re planning to stay all day?”

“Maybe even until tomorrow?”

Gary answered as if it were obvious. Azure looked disgusted.

Neya just stood there quietly, staring at him.

Then she blinked and tugged on Gary’s sleeve.

“Um, Master of the Mage Tower?”

“Hm?”

“I heard you’re very busy. Is it okay for you not to work?”

She had heard from Hugh that the Mage Tower Master was an extremely important and busy position, since Hugh was knowledgeable about magic and interested in the tower.

Gary laughed.

“Haha, this Mage Tower Master is extremely capable. I already finished all my work and came here!”

“What does ‘capable’ mean?”

“It means very smart and cool!”

“Wow!”

Neya’s blue eyes sparkled.

She shouted excitedly:

“Cool Master of the Mage Tower!”

“Right, you can call me that from now on!”

“So there are two noisy ones now…”

Azure muttered irritably.

“Neya. You don’t need to play with that guy. Come here. We should get going.”

“Yes!”

At Shane’s call, Neya immediately ran to him.

“You’re dressed up early. Where are you going?”

“We need to buy things Neya needs. We’re going to a nearby village.”

“Then take him too.”

Azure pointed at Gary.

“…?”

Gary blinked, suddenly singled out.

“Why me…?”

“You’re just annoying to look at.”

“What—”

Gary was dumbfounded, but before he could argue, he saw Neya’s expectant face.

“Are you coming too, Master of the Mage Tower?”

“….”

How could he refuse that look?

Gary ruffled his hair and stood up.

“Fine. Let’s go.”

“We got ourselves a pack mule,” Shane remarked, seemingly pleased.

Thanks to Gary, who was skilled in magic, they could use teleportation instead of a carriage, making the trip much easier.

Shane then turned to Azure.

“We’ll be back after lunch outside, so we’ll be a bit late.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“The maid will arrive soon, so please make sure you eat breakfast and lunch.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Azure waved him off lazily, signaling them to hurry.

Shane looked at her with concern, then left the house with Neya.