299 – The Approaching Stage -1-

Early dawn.

Mikhail sat at the vanity, staring into the mirror.

“…”

Sitting in front of the mirror, Mikhail wore a sad expression. The reflection staring back at him looked so ugly.

Calloused hands and fierce eyes.

Short silver hair and a small stature.

There was not a single aspect that could be deemed attractive to reason. It was almost natural to think of himself as ugly.

Looking at his protruding chest, Mikhail clenched his teeth.

“Ugly.”

Others might think differently.

But in Mikhail’s eyes, he looked hideous.

As it always is with appearance.

Even if one appears beautiful to others, if they are not satisfied with themselves, it turns into self-hatred.

“…”

Mikhail hated the image reflected in the mirror.

He placed his hand on the cold glass and sank into deep thought. Trying to figure out how to resolve the emptiness that remained.

What does he want to become now?

What does he want to do?

He could not find a path.

His self-esteem was plummeting.

His relationship was sinking deeper into a quagmire. Now, it truly was.

-Crack

He could not find the right path.

When he saw his cold gaze, his heart shrank. And when he looked at his back, no longer gazing at him, emotions darkened like a ringing in his ears.

As if he had fallen into a quagmire where not a single light could enter… now, he didn’t know what to look at to move forward.

-Crack.

Everything stemmed from choices he had made.

The large lump in his chest had formed from continuous wrong answers, and the emotion of depression was stealing away the empty space that hope had once filled in his heart.

—

Why did I hate him so much?

Why did I dislike him so intensely?

If I had treated him like everyone else, things wouldn’t have turned out this way.

In the end, the arrow shot at the target returned to me. Pathetically so.

“Ha…”

Mikhail looked at his ugly reflection and pouted. It was supposed to be a day to look beautiful, but it had started off poorly.

Today is the day he meets Ricardo.

Not as ‘Mikhail,’ but as ‘Misa.’

He never thought he could deceive him for a lifetime. It was too selfish of an act.

Ricardo wasn’t a dull person.

‘Maybe… he knows…’

‘No, that can’t be true.’

Mikhail shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut.

What if.

What if he really knew my true identity but was giving me a chance for the sake of ‘Misa’… then he wouldn’t have the courage to lift his head anymore.

If he were to owe him again…

The fragile thread of reason he had barely grasped wouldn’t hold.

Mikhail, knowing that the mask of Misa was a selfish method, still indulged in his desires. If their relationship improved from what it was now, he would reveal his identity in his own words then.

So, he just wanted him to wait until that time. Until the person named Mikhail could become a better person.

“I’m sorry…”

When he was with him, the emptiness in his heart vanished. It felt like the void was being filled, and that time was incredibly enjoyable.

He didn’t know his true identity, but this relationship, which he remembered alone, had become Mikhail’s only lifeline, so he couldn’t give it up.

The irony was that he didn’t even know what Ricardo liked.

He hadn’t tried to learn about him for a long time, only thinking about what he disliked. It was strange to know so little.

Mikhail gazed at the cosmetics laid out on the vanity with a heavy heart.

Red lipstick.

Blush to apply on his cheeks.

And a potion that would make his hair long for a day.

He knew that approaching him as Misa was a sin, but intoxicated by the sweetness of that moment, Mikhail no longer had the energy to distinguish right from wrong. If he didn’t do this…

– You are trash…

– Don’t ever show up in front of us again. That’s the only atonement you can make.

It felt like everything was about to collapse.

There was no other selfish way.

Knowing it was cowardly, Mikhail brought his heavy hand to the cosmetics.

– Clatter.

To dream sweet dreams again.

“…I’m really sorry.”

Mikhail deceived justice.

***

The plains of the Hamel Mountains.

“Very well.”

“Is that so…?”

“You’ve improved a lot since before. You’re stable, and your breathing is consistent.”

“Thank you.”

Mikhail, who came under the name Misara, was standing in the plains, swinging a sword.

With long hair and awkward makeup.

“Very well. Shall we try again?”

“Yes…!”

‘Hmm…’

I still didn’t know what thoughts were behind the proud Mikhail’s visit. Even with a reliable master like Roewen, it honestly didn’t make sense for him to come.

Moreover.

– I dislike you.

The fact that the person who disliked me the most in the entire academy came to me out of a passion for learning was honestly amusing.

“Huuh… I’ve done it a hundred times.”

“Have you already finished?”

“Yes…!”

Still, her strong will to learn made me look at her favorably. I could see her genuine desire to learn.

Knowing Mikhail’s nature, if she wanted to dig something out, she would have asked long ago, so I was teaching her the sword with sincerity.

As I corrected Mikhail’s posture, which was letting out deep breaths, I offered my advice.

“You’ve improved a lot since before. You seem to have gotten used to the new sword, and your ability to channel magic into your body has also improved significantly.”

“Is that so…”

“Since it’s a compliment, you can be happy about it.”

Mikhail nodded with a small smile at my teasing words of praise.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“So this is what it feels like to be complimented…”

“Yes?”

“Ah… never mind.”

Seeing Mikhail’s flustered expression, I also smiled gently and added my encouragement to her efforts.

Time gradually passed, and lunchtime approached.

“Shall we go eat now?”

“…”

Mikhail made an awkward face at my suggestion to go have lunch. It was a look that seemed to say she didn’t want to repeat our last meeting.

“…”

Her emotions were clearly reflected in her expression.

“…Hmm.”

I smiled slightly and brought out a bag I had hidden behind a tree, spreading out a mat on the grass. Then I called out to Mikhail, who was standing awkwardly next to me.

“What are you doing?”

“Yes…?”

“We need to eat.”

“Ah… I didn’t bring a lunchbox… Please go ahead, teacher. Haha… I’ll eat separately after the class ends.”

“Really… Misa, you are such a frustrating person.”

As I laid out the lunchbox on the mat, I extended my chopsticks towards Mikhail.

“What are you doing?”

“Yes?”

“My arm is going to fall off. Let’s eat together.”

“Ah…”

Mikhail, who was staring blankly at the chopsticks with an awkward expression, nodded with a bright smile.

“Yes…!”

She looked happy. Her expression, that is.

—

How could I have laughed like this, yet all this time, why had I walked around with such a frown? Truly, a person I could never quite understand.

Mikhail looked at the kimbap in the lunchbox and spoke to me.

“Did you… make this yourself?”

“Yes.”

“…”

“Does it taste strange?”

Mikhail tightened his grip on the chopsticks and spoke in a small voice.

“No…”

– Crunch…

“It’s really delicious. So addictive…”

***

Upon returning to the mansion, I smiled at the familiar presence I hadn’t felt in a while.

It felt as if the wandering wizard had come back.

– Bear!

“Yes, I’m back.”

As I stepped into the yard, Gom-tang, with a tail no bigger than my thumb, wagged it and nudged his head toward me.

– Gom-gom…!

“Yes. Yes.”

I patted Gom-tang’s head and looked beneath the enormous doghouse.

‘Wow…’

When did they make something like this?

I marveled at the massive tunnel inside Gom-tang’s house. It didn’t seem like something made with ordinary care.

There were stairs.

And a loft door.

This is no joke.

I cautiously knocked on the open loft door. No matter how much of a homeowner they were, I needed to get the tenant’s permission.

– Knock knock knock.

– …Yes, please wait a moment! We’re doing some expansion work…!

‘How far are they planning to expand…’

I chuckled softly at Hans’s voice echoing from deep within the tunnel and nodded my head.

—

“Take your time.”

– I’ll be right up!

‘You can come slowly, you know…’

Thanks to Hans coming to the mansion, I was able to do many things.

Like cleaning the mansion.

And security has become more thorough.

I didn’t have to feel burdened about leaving the mansion.

Thanks to the reinforced barriers, I could protect the lady even when I was away.

And if an intruder were to come to the mansion, I had set up a spell that would contact me immediately, so I could worry less.

My life became easier thanks to an unexpected twist of fate. Truly.

After knocking, I waited for him to emerge from the tunnel, hearing the sounds of movement.

And then.

“God!”

I could see Hans, whose titles changed every time.

Hans peeked his head out from the tunnel, exchanged a brief greeting, and then spoke to me in a cautious voice.

“Do you have a moment to talk?”

“A talk?”

“Yes.”

“Ah…”

I smiled awkwardly as I looked at the lady peeking her head out from outside the mansion.

“Would it be alright to talk in the evening? The lady is waiting.”

“Of course. The time of the saint is precious…”

“…Sigh, is it an important matter?”

“No, it’s just something I wanted to report.”

I nodded slightly and headed back toward the mansion.

And that evening.

I ended up hearing a somewhat serious story from Hans.