The Unwelcome Guest

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**Gerka**'s Temple Watchers – Level 45 | Daily Routine

**Isabel Confino** – Fourth Target Acquired David had known it was time to leave. He was already late getting Arian here, and if he thought about his father waiting, he should have left today. “Whew… there’s still this delicious cheese left…” He’d heard the place was blessed by the gods, and the cheese was too tasty. He didn’t know how they made that sweet taste, but the outside was slightly charred, and when he smashed it open with a spoon to eat the creamy inside, pure happiness filled his mouth. Of course he never imagined this was Muri Cheese from Serpine, nor that the sugar in his food was crazy. His tongue was happy, and so was his soul. And then— “Shall we go?” As soon as Damien began humming faintly, David shoved off the ground and sprinted. Damien had whispered the activation spell for the display. The chant was shockingly short compared to other mages. Before the chant ended, David rushed at Damien. The moment he arrived, a massive rift materialized from Damien’s body and attacked him. David leapt into the air, dodged, spun once in the air, and dove at Damien like a hawk. His longsword sliced through the air like an extension of his body. “I won’t get hit!” He’d taken it on day one. If Damien hadn’t barely held back the rift, David would be dead. That thumping heart at the time… he still remembered every second. From that daily duel onward, David realized the young mage was truly close to the Infinite rank—Damien Hamilcar, the Eternal Rift. As the ideal combat mage, Damien didn’t lose even to knights in one-on-one matches. When David charged straight at him from the air, not holding back, Damien finished the chant as expected. The activated defense magic collided with David’s strength and produced a sharp ringing sound. David bounced off it like hitting armor and flew backward, but he spun again in the air and landed on the ground. He was too agile to fall easily—one knee still bent. “Ugh… you’re tough.” Even as David stuck out his tongue and licked his lips in annoyance, Damien’s face remained icy. Damien was already chanting again. No matter what the song was, the distance had grown too far, and if he charged now, Damien’s defense or counter would be faster. But every mage has one weakness. David ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pretended to rise, grabbed a pebble and sand, and hurled them at Damien without hesitation. The thick sand blocked Damien’s view. The moment the sand settled, one stone shot out faster than Damien’s reflexive step back. Damien frowned, turned his head, and blocked the stone with a clang. The barrier shattered. The instant the charging David closed in— “Whichever one of you gets hurt first, I’ll starve you both.” David froze at the cold voice and crashed to the ground. Damien squeezed every ounce of power and shot into the sky. The two, who should never have been able to touch each other, stared at each other and smiled broadly beside the noise. “I didn’t get hurt.” “It’s just a spar. Eh, getting stronger like this.” Arian covered her eyes with two fingers, then extended her hand toward them. The gesture said “watch this,” and both nodded with innocent smiles. Soon after, Arian turned with her basket of ingredients and walked away. Damien and David sighed in relief at the same time. “Wow, we almost starved. I heard something about pizza today—did you hear?” “I didn’t hear, but I would have starved anyway.” “Tch, if it weren’t for Arian, I could have added stripes to that pretty face this time.” “It seems the Count’s younger brother must have spoiled you too much.” Who would’ve thought a sly trick like throwing sand and stones would be used in a spar. This was like fighting bandits, not a duel. David laughed, forgetting the order Damien had given him to handle every man near Arian. He secretly liked this count’s successor. His face was always coldly beautiful, but it was actually refreshing. The flashy looks made every action look arrogant at first glance, yet he was so clean that he even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠washed dishes himself. It seemed he endured his master’s torture until the very end, and that stubbornness was admirable. The only flaw was that he was too clingy to Arian, but Damien was only twelve. Being tortured until the end, killing someone, and running here—how could he not feel drawn to a twelve-year-old girl who saved him? But Arian would eventually return to Danier Castle, and after a few years apart, the feelings would fade. So— ‘Nothing to worry about.’ David decided to keep it simple. While Gerka’s temple watchers lived their quiet daily lives, Isabel Confino’s journey was far from pleasant. The lord of the Confino family, soon to be seventy, had been called a genius at nine. Her life had been brilliant from beginning to end. After turning forty and becoming master of the Magic Tower, she was the only one to leave the tower in her entire life. Most of the kings personally visited the tower or the territories around it just to see her. She had truly lived like a goddess. Her current lofty status— “What number are we on?” Isabel’s question made her disciple frown. “Fourth.” Dealing with bandits wasn’t hard, but after barely escaping the north, the fourth bandit had appeared already. It was annoying to the point of anger. “With such poor law enforcement, all the lords are showing off.” Isabel’s snort made her disciple answer in a soft tone. “It’s true. It would never happen in the strictly disciplined Magic Tower.” “What’s the next territory?” “Danier. The king’s summer palace is there, so the security should be decent.” “Probably,” the disciple added quietly. Although younger than Isabel, the disciple was already well over fifty. He had joined the Magic Tower as a child and had only left it about ten times in his life. Traveling long stretches of road on a carriage was unfamiliar and uncomfortable. His only knowledge came from books and maps. So he was full of worry. Even mages couldn’t handle everything in the world. But Isabel showed no interest in her disciple’s worries. Of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠course not. She had never cared about anyone else’s troubles in her entire life. They arrived at the Danier territory and naturally headed toward the lord. The highest person in Danier territory right now was the Countess, Louise Saint-Clair. Even a small territory had one thing in common: it was too small to protect itself with enough people, abilities, and wealth. But Danier territory was different. It had Arian, the genius girl who poured out brilliant ideas. It also had Louise, an expert in administration who had trained under the capable Count Raymond Danier for years. In the early days of their marriage, Louise’s skills had been ordinary, but her husband’s greatness had made her grow rapidly. Within Danier territory alone, she was a match for Raymond. Moreover, her unique charisma controlled the entire territory (possible only because the territory was small), so Danier felt completely different from other lands. The main villages were connected by paved roads. Between them, a stagecoach ran once a day. Because the roads were paved, everyone used them, and the chance of meeting bandits dropped. No one would choose an unpaved road when a paved one existed. With easy travel and regular transport, goods began moving. Arian’s annual subscription policy gave many people many opportunities. In the first year, they paid nothing and used the mill, oven, wine press as much as they wanted. They could produce more than they needed, so they compared tastes and sold the superior ones, earning profit. Of course, there was a road usage fee, but it was mostly annual. People who used the road often paid the annual fee, which was better. Only those who paid the annual fee had to work at the road gate one day a season and help with road repairs. Some serfs pooled money and gained freedom. Free citizens, hearing the land was livable, moved there little by little. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠But that was all. Danier territory had no market like Muri, and no permanent market like Lid. It was a quiet territory not on major merchant routes, so gatherings were limited. Inside, people said life had improved, but it was still the same. Other territories had “Long live the lord” anyway, and the improvement in Danier went unnoticed. That was exactly what Raymond Danier intended. Under the king’s nose, he carefully orchestrated everything so Danier could stand on its own. Nothing should stand out. Danier had already betrayed the royal family once. If they showed any sign of betrayal now, they would be crushed. Louise knew her husband’s wishes well, so she always kept the townspeople in check, never neglected outsiders coming in or leaving. That was why— “Who’s here?” When the Guardian of the Tower, Isabel Confino, arrived at Danier Castle, Louise couldn’t help but feel nauseous.