Kind-Hearted Two

“Nuhoho, this is a magical device for moving between the Mage Tower’s floors, and with this you’ll reach the top of the tower in no time.”

Jonah, who had entered a small room installed in the Mage Tower together with Tommaso, was now experiencing a strange sensation as if his body were gently lifting and floating.

Beside the room’s door was a lever, and next to it were characters in ancient script representing numbers.

“If you align the lever position with these numbers and operate it, it stops at the desired floor.”

“Is that so…!”

At Tommaso’s careful and cheerful explanation, Jonah’s eyes also shone.

According to his explanation, this magical device had been in the Mage Tower from the start; many wizards were studying it, but its principle remained unresolved.

“So, Jonah. Here, what is…”

“Yes. Um… it only has a simple operation method written down.”

“Is that so…”

Tommaso asked with hopeful anticipation, but unfortunately it wasn’t what he had hoped for.

That said.

“Nuhoho. As magical devices, there are many that are unused or whose usage is unknown. We can’t be depressed over something like this.”

“Yes!”

Perhaps thinking he couldn’t bring shame upon his adult self in front of Jonah, Tommaso suddenly adopted an optimistic attitude and Jonah nodded happily.

“Well then, let’s head to the next magical device!”

Tommaso guided Jonah from one magical device to the next, advancing the deciphering of the ancient script.

Although none yielded the desired result, they were able to grasp details of magical devices that had been half—no, only a third—understood before. That alone could be said to have advanced Mage Tower research by more than ten years.

Jonah deciphered the ancient script engraved on the magical devices, and Tommaso recorded them all onto parchment.

Then.

“Changing your tune from tablets to researching magical devices? Tommaso.”

A mocking voice came from behind, and Jonah and Tommaso turned around.

It was three wizards, two men and a woman, clad in black robes.

“But that’s better, isn’t it? Researching current magic and magical devices is more meaningful to the world than chasing dubious ancient magic that we don’t even know exists.”

“That’s right… We are proud residents of the Mage Tower. We have no time to waste on frivolities.”

“……………………”

At the three wizards’ words, Tommaso looked down and fell silent.

The figure reflected in Jonah’s eyes seemed different from the Tommaso he had known.

“Well, I’m glad you’ve finally woken up. By the way, who’s that child?”

The male wizard patted Tommaso on the shoulder and gave Jonah a suspicious look as he asked.

“…He is my excellent assistant.”

“Hmph, I see. You’ve fallen so low that you’re relying on a child now, ignored by everyone.”

Losing interest, the male wizard said that and left the place with the other two.

“Nu, nuhoho, I’ve shown you a shameful sight, haven’t I?”

Tommaso turned and laughed as if trying to cover it up.

It was clear that his smile was an act of kindness meant to reassure Jonah, who watched him with a worried expression.

“Um… those people were…?”

“…They are colleagues who entered the Mage Tower around the same time as I did. Unlike me—just one of those unsuccessful researchers—he rose to become the head of this Mage Tower.”

Tommaso began to speak haltingly, looking down a little.

Ten years ago, yearning for ancient magic, Tommaso knocked on the Mage Tower’s gate and met a man.

His name was Felipe Hohenheim. An alchemist more versed in and more loving of magical devices than anyone else.

Ancient magic and alchemy—completely different fields of magic—yet somehow the two got along.

They stole moments from others’ eyes to drink alcohol forbidden in the Mage Tower and spoke to each other about their dreams.

Yes… they were undoubtedly friends who shared the same ideals.

“Then why…?”

“…It’s all because I’m worthless. For ten years I believed that the tablets were the clue to ancient magic and threw myself into research, producing not a single result; Felipe must have given up on me.”

He muttered that and Tommaso looked down with a self-deprecating smile.

Indeed, until Jonah deciphered them, he had no doubt the tablets were connected to ancient magic and had spent ten years trying to decode them.

However, it is also a fact that since the Mage Tower arose in ancient times and its master was lost, no resident of this world has been able to unravel the building’s mysteries.

Of course, no one had been able to decipher the ancient script carved into the tablets either.

Still, Tommaso was admitted with the expectation that he would solve the Mage Tower’s mystery; thus it was natural that some results were expected of him.

Even so… Jonah couldn’t accept that.

Because Jonah, too, had failed to fulfill his role as a ducal son in the Langheim family, was given up on, and now found himself in a foreign land—he was the same as him.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of…”

“Jonah?”

“Tommaso, you’re not shameful. Ancient magic certainly exists in this world.”

Staring with onyx-like black eyes, Jonah said it clearly.

Jonah’s time with Tommaso had been brief, but he was a kind man who, in Jonah’s limited time of less than a year left, had accepted him—a bit odd, longing for ancient magic more than anyone, clumsy, and long branded as a failure despite his ignorance.

For that reason.

“My name is Jonah. A mage… no, a wielder of ancient magic, Jonah.”

Jonah deliberately declared that he was a wielder of ancient magic.

Even breaking his promise to Carlo, with whom he had shared a fragment of a bond and connected hearts.

“…Is that true?”

To Tommaso’s tentative question, Jonah nodded slowly but firmly.

Tommaso’s eyes seemed to light up, then he immediately smiled sadly.

“Um, um…”

“Truly, Jonah is a kind boy. To spare me, he told such a lie…”

Unfortunately, he seemed to have taken Jonah’s words as a lie told out of consideration for him.

It’s no wonder; the Jonah in front of him was after all only an eleven-year-old boy.

“It’s not a lie! Well, I can’t use ancient magic here right now, but if there’s a wide, empty place…!”

“Nuhoho, even if Jonah truly is a wielder of ancient magic, it would still be preferable if it were a lie.”

“Ah…”

Tommaso patted Jonah’s head and said with a soft smile.

It seemed he understood what it would mean to be able to use ancient magic and was gently admonishing Jonah with that understanding.

However, while Carlo feared Jonah being regarded as a weapon or threat, Tommaso feared he would be treated as a test subject.

Yes… this is the Mage Tower, the symbol of magic in the world. If it became known that a wielder of ancient magic existed, Jonah could be stripped of his whole life as a subject of study.

That is why Tommaso deliberately declared it a lie without testing the truth of Jonah’s words.

“…Tommaso really is kind, isn’t he?”

“That’s not true. I am also one of the people of the Mage Tower. Even knowing it’s a lie, I might still succumb to the temptation of ancient magic and bare my fangs at Jonah at any time.”

“Ahaha!”

Saying that, Tommaso opened his mouth wide and made a mock gesture like the wolf from a fairy tale.

Seeing him like that, Jonah laughed happily.