Once Ferdinand had been steadied by that transparent giant hand, his face immediately lit up with surprise and admiration.
"Was that [Mage Hand] just now?!"
Otto's eyes widened as well. "You really became a mage?"
Leaving Reese standing beside them with an ugly expression, the two hurried over to He Xi.
"When did you get here, Fernandez?"
"Why didn't we hear the young master mention it?"
"Did you sneak here?"
"Did you not want the young master to know?"
One question after another, they nearly gave He Xi no chance to get a word in.
"I really didn't tell him." After thinking for a moment, He Xi added, "And I heard Cyril doesn't usually come to the academy much."
His gaze passed over the two of them and fell on the negotiation over sixty Gold Shields from earlier.
"Besides, you two look pretty busy right now."
He paused.
"I figure he must be pretty busy too."
Ferdinand and Otto's expressions instantly turned serious.
"He Xi."
"That's not right."
He Xi: "...Huh?"
Ferdinand looked at him with heartfelt anguish. "You don't consider Young Master Cyril a friend!"
Otto immediately nodded. "That's right!"
"The young master talks about you every day."
"Every day!"
"He says that without the piece of incantation you gave him, he never could have made it to where he is now."
"This paradise!"
"Paradise!"
"Paradise?" He Xi was somewhat puzzled.
Cyril liked Fernandez that much?
As if seeing through his misunderstanding, Ferdinand hurriedly explained, "A paradise for insects!"
"The young master used to have only a small cabinet for collecting beetles and cicada shells."
"But now it's different." There was a touch of gratification in Ferdinand's tone. "Every day, he gets to deal with all kinds of strange insects."
"Professor Meli occasionally even takes the few of them