# Chapter 60
Saint left the room with a sharp gaze, as if determined to find Asher. Luke stared at the empty space where Saint had been, suppressing his emotions as he called out to someone.
“Come out.”
In response to his call, three shadows emerged from the darkness and knelt before Luke. They were all wearing black cloaks that concealed their faces, but they were individuals who had pledged their lives to Luke.
“One of you will investigate within the ducal family, and another will track down Shaki’s whereabouts. As someone who was close to Asher, he might know something.”
Honestly, interrogating Toms, Asher’s knight, would have been faster, but the fact that the ducal family didn’t know Asher’s whereabouts even after three days meant that either he had no intention of revealing the truth to anyone or he truly knew nothing.
“And you, record and bring me a list of every person Asher met in the past three months, without exception.”
Luke recalled the pheromone of another person that had lingered on Asher, thinking it might be connected. He needed to find Asher before the Duke did, and for that, he needed more information.
“There must be clues among the people he met. We must find him. We must.”
If Asher hadn’t sent him and his rut away, he would have been approaching his heat. It was difficult for him to maintain his sanity as an alpha when his mate had disappeared without a trace. At Luke’s command, the three shadows vanished as quickly as they had appeared.
“…Did you leave because I said I wouldn’t let you go?”
He hadn’t liked him from the start. Seeing Asher with his face expressing that he wanted nothing, displaying innocence, Luke thought it was some kind of joke. But over the year they spent together, Asher had changed from his past self, awakening Luke’s alpha instincts and stirring emotions he had never experienced before.
“And now you’re trying to leave me? Did you think I wouldn’t be able to find you?”
Luke’s expressionless face twisted into a crooked smile. He smiled with a fierce madness, filled with possessiveness, as if to say he would never let Asher go once he found him.
*
As if the cold season had never arrived, the tower was filled with the warm energy of spring. To be precise, it was a different kind of warmth than the Blade Empire, where spring came a little later. Asher took a deep breath as he looked down at the tower surroundings, filled with rapeseed flowers.
“Young Master!”
Narta rushed to where Asher was, quickly wrapping his arms around his waist and nuzzling against him. Just like before, Narta was consistently affectionate like a younger brother.
“I told you not to call me Young Master anymore.”
“But… I feel comfortable calling you Young Master.”
Narta’s face became sullen with disappointment at not being allowed to call him Young Master. But at this point, having abandoned everything, there was no reason for Narta to address him that way. Asher detached Narta from his waist, bent down, and gently met his eyes.
“It’s still not allowed. From now on, just call me Asher comfortably.”
“…Alright.”
Narta nodded as he watched Asher speak firmly. His slightly protruding lip clearly showed his disappointment, but Asher took out a candy from his pocket and put it in Narta’s mouth.
“It’s lemon-flavored candy, your favorite.”
At Asher’s candy offensive, Narta smiled broadly and creased his eyes as if he had never been upset. Looking at Narta’s pure expression, Asher found him cute and recalled his first arrival here.
On the day Asher had resolved to leave the ducal family, he received a message from Kan. It was a message saying that he was staying at a lodge near the tower because Narta might be startled if he suddenly appeared. Though he didn’t say it directly, Kan seemed to have vaguely guessed that Asher had an urgent matter that required using the Wishing Stone to cross over to this place. Thanks to Kan’s consideration, Asher was able to successfully cross over to the Bulldog Kingdom.
-Thank you. I will definitely repay you someday.
-No need for repayment. I’m doing this because I want to. More importantly, you’re surely not planning to leave just like this, are you?
Asher tilted his head at Kan’s question, which seemed to state the obvious. Kan shook his head as if he had expected this response.
-Since this is your first time here, how do you plan to live?
-You’ve already helped me cross over to this place; I’ll handle the rest myself.
When Asher drew a line, indicating he was fine, Kan exhaled softly and met his eyes.
-This is a country where many foreigners come and go, so theft and incidents occur frequently. Moreover, your hair is a pink color that is rarely seen around here.
-…
-Why not come to the tower where I’m staying?
-But I know it’s not a place I can just enter freely. For the tower’s security, I would need the approval of the Tower Master.
Asher was about to refuse, knowing it wouldn’t be easy, but Kan threw out a sharp remark as if he had been waiting for this.
-I heard you were raised gently. Plus, with a new life in your belly, it would be dangerous for you to wander alone.
-What… did you just say…?
-Mages can sense the energy of life. Just as I recognized Narta’s energy, it’s a natural principle.
Asher was too shocked to speak hastily. He thought only Toms and the physician knew about his pregnancy, but unintentionally, another person had found out.
-Don’t worry. I’m not the type to gossip about others’ affairs. However, if you don’t stay in our tower, that’s a different story.
It was a threat mixed with humor, but he could tell that Kan had no malicious intent. He probably said it because Asher was being stubbornly insistent. Asher bit his lip, seemingly deep in thought.
-You will become the highest person in the Empire.
-…Can you also see the future?
-Who knows?
Kan shrugged lightly and placed his hand on Asher’s belly. Asher, startled, moved back, but Kan paid no attention and emitted a faint light from his hand. It was a warm and comforting light.
-Wh-What are you doing?
-It’s a blessing spell. There will be many hardships until the child is born and grows into a great person. The path seemed too lonely and desolate, so I’ve bestowed a special gift.
Blessing spell. It was a high-level magic cast on a fetus in the womb. Above all, it consumed a lot of magical power, so it was a spell used only by the imperial family. Asher was grateful that such a precious spell had been cast on his child.
-…Why are you so kind to me? I haven’t done anything for you.
-Let’s say it’s repayment for sending Narta to me. That child will also become a mage of the highest caliber in the tower someday.
-…
-So why not wait at the tower until the strong winds subside?
Asher couldn’t refuse his kindness, especially after he had cast a blessing spell. Thinking about it now, he even wondered if Kan might be the Tower Master of the Western Tower.
“Narta. When did they say the Tower Master is coming?”
“Wh-Why do you ask?”
“I can’t stay here indefinitely without the permission of the tower’s owner.”
At Asher’s words, Narta gave an awkward smile and rolled his eyes. Perhaps because he was only eleven years old, his thoughts weren’t well-hidden in his expression.
“Are you hiding something from me?”
“N-No!”
Narta’s ears turned bright red in surprise. His denial, complete with hand-waving, made it clear that he was definitely hiding something. Asher straightened up from his bent position and spoke to Narta as if determined to find out.
“Then I should leave today.”
“What?! Why?”
“It’s disrespectful to continue staying when we don’t know when they’ll arrive.”
“B-But…!”
At Asher’s mention of leaving, tears welled up in Narta’s eyes. It wasn’t meant to hurt him, and seeing Narta’s sad face, Asher hurried to comfort him. However, a voice from behind caused both of them to freeze and turn in the direction of the sound.
“Making a child cry? What a naughty adult.”
“Kan.”
Kan, with a playful expression, was leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed, watching Asher and Narta. His gaze seemed to find both of them endearing.
“Narta, could you give us some privacy for a moment?”
“Yes.”
At Kan’s words, Narta left the room with a dejected expression, his shoulders slumped. Though it was clear he didn’t want to leave, Narta obeyed Kan’s words well. As he had consistently noticed, everyone he had met here absolutely accepted Kan’s words.
A person who could bring outsiders, a person with decision-making authority within the tower. Perhaps, he really thought, Kan might be the Tower Master of the Western Tower.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I might be the Tower Master?”
Kan approached where Asher was with a sly smile.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
