Ihelm’s appearance had changed noticeably since I last saw him in Berhert. He was thinner now, his face pale and hollowed.0

"Have you been cutting back?" I asked.0

“... They say it’s hard to stomach someone else’s success. Watching you thrive makes life miserable. The world feels stifling, like I’m choking on every breath.” Ihelm sneered, his smile twisted with bitterness.0

I observed the magical energy flickering around him with my Sharp Eyesight and said, “You’ve made progress, despite it all.”0

“... Don’t assume you understand me. What could you possibly know?”0

The Ihelm I once knew had never been a particularly outstanding named mage. Sure, his raw talent surpassed Deculein’s, but compared to other powerful named figures, he had always fallen short. Yet now, the purity of his mana was beyond anything I had anticipated.0

“Hmph. How curious. I once lived off whiskey, brandy, vodka, tequila—whatever I could find from the archipelago. Yet somehow, my magical insight is sharper than ever,” Ihelm continued, tilting his head slightly, his red eyes fixed on me. “Is this your handiwork as well, Deculein, esteemed Head Professor?”2

"Naturally. It appears I possess a talent for awakening the magical potential in others."0

“... Ha,” Ihelm said, letting out a dry laugh, but his face quickly twisted in fury. "Deculein, I still can’t figure out what’s going on in that twisted mind of yours. What exactly are you intending to do with Luna’s daughter?"0

I remained silent.0

"You didn’t expel her from the Mage Tower. Instead, you accepted her as an assistant when you had every opportunity to dismiss her."0

I settled back into my chair in silence.0

Ihelm, however, leaned forward, encroaching on my space as he continued, “I’ve given it much thought. If you were anything like Decalane, I might have understood your reasons for keeping...3