You Are Cowardly

“…After that I barely exchanged any proper words with Felipe; I shut myself away and threw myself into research of ancient magic more than ever, that is how it was.”

Having finished telling everything, Tommaso laughed weakly.

Jonah finally felt as if he understood why the two had such a hostile atmosphere, why Tommaso had been somewhat reserved, and why Felipe had been so bitter toward him.

However.

“Still, there is something I don’t understand. Why would Mr. Felipe, who dislikes Mr. Tommaso so much, generously lend him the Mage Tower’s symbol, the ’Jewel of Nornil’?”

Yes… if he resented past events, there would be no way he would lend Tommaso his aid.

In other words, despite the grudges, perhaps Tommaso was still a close friend to Felipe.

Still, when the entrance to the spiral staircase leading to the underground labyrinth opened, Jonah saw something.

He saw Felipe click his tongue with a bitter expression, as if he did not wish for this at all.

“I cannot say for sure, but perhaps he intended to make me take responsibility for this matter and drive me out of the Mage Tower.”

Saying that, Tommaso gave a wry smile.

He had discovered the place that leads to the legendary ‘Undying King of the Dark Underground Labyrinth.’ There is no doubt this would be a splendid achievement, even looking back on the past.

If so, Felipe’s plan would have been foiled, and Tommaso would be able to remain in the Mage Tower. The tongue-clicking would make sense in that case.

“…Little Jonah. If I find ancient magic ahead… no, even if I find nothing, I intend to leave the Mage Tower.”

“Huh…?”

Looking up into the darkness where the entrance’s light could not be seen, Tommaso spoke clearly.

Though a smile played on his lips, his eyes held sorrow, and yet there was something like an unwavering resolve.

“Nuhoho, it’s about time, after all. I, who could achieve nothing, cannot cling to a dream forever.”

“B-but! Then what about the dream of finding ancient magic…?”

“Young Jonah is here. If you can use ancient magic, I believe you’ll reach that abyss someday… no, I’m certain you will. I may look how I do, but my judgment of people is sound.”

Tommaso’s eyes as he looked at Jonah were filled with expectation and encouragement toward his future.

But he didn’t know that Jonah’s future had less than nine months left.

“…That’s cowardly.”

Jonah, unable to meet Tommaso’s expectations, spoke in a strained voice.

To him, who no longer had a future left, he could not forgive adults who had dreams and futures giving them up.

“As young Jonah says, I am cowardly…”

“Aah, you are cowardly.”

“…!?”
“…!?”

As if to add to Jonah’s words and Tommaso’s self-deprecating assent, a voice harshly agreed—no, reproachfully agreed.

The two looked around, but only Jonah and Tommaso were present.

Then.

“…It seems I could not overcome the trial here.”

That voice came from beyond the towering wall.

Needless to say, it was Felipe’s voice—the one who had descended the stairs together to this point.

“Mr. Felipe, I, um…”

“I am apparently unqualified to go further, for I am blindly clinging to the past and still cannot accept it. Truly, it’s an irksome matter.”

His voice mixed resignation and exasperation.

Yet strangely, it also sounded somewhat like acceptance.

“Even now, I cannot forgive that man Tommaso Rossi. No, I could never forgive him.”

“……………………”

“Because think about it. This man, more than anyone—even more than I—is the most capable among the mages in the Mage Tower, and yet he uses finding ancient magic as an excuse and continues to run away even now.”

In the past Tommaso spoke of, it was not Felipe but he who had originally been chosen as the next Towermaster of the Mage Tower.

It was none other than Tommaso himself who relinquished that and gave the position to Felipe.

“When I was told by the Mage Tower’s Towermaster that Tommaso had been named the next master, I did feel dejected, certainly. But at the same time, I thought I could accept Tommaso. And yet…”

From the words Felipe squeezed out, Jonah understood.

Felipe did not hate Tommaso. This was, Jonah realized, Felipe’s way of admonishing him.

That was why Felipe spoke sarcastically every time he faced Tommaso.

And that’s not all.

He provided the Mage Tower’s treasure, the ‘Jewel of Nornil,’ for him, and yet clicked his tongue when the entrance to the underground labyrinth was found.

Surely that was to show Tommaso, who was trapped in the illusion of ancient magic, the reality.

Why did Felipe do such a thing?

The reason is.

“…Mr. Felipe wants to hand over the Mage Tower’s Towermaster seat to Mr. Tommaso, doesn’t he?”