Gorsa was stopped as he entered the city.
Or rather, he was recognized—and the person who recognized him happened to be the young Tier 1 Wizard who had gone to the Kema border to meet him nearly a month earlier.
The young wizard froze for a moment, then his expression turned bitter.
When their mission had failed, the Court Wizard leading the group had been quite surprised that Gorsa hadn't killed him on the way back.
The young wizard had felt a chill in his heart, though he was also relieved to have escaped with his life.
The leader, however, had seemed quite pleased, apparently thinking that Gorsa had spared the young wizard because his strength had declined, so no one else would notice anything amiss.
The leader hurried back to report, but left the young wizard at the capital gate to continue waiting for Gorsa.
The excuse was still, "You've already met Gorsa. You're more suited than anyone else to greet him at the city gate."
The young wizard had hurried back to the capital and waited nearly a month. Gorsa still hadn't arrived, and he'd secretly hoped the man wouldn't come at all.
That wish had barely formed, still fresh in his mind, when he looked up and saw Gorsa wrapped in a gray cloak.
Although half the man's face was hidden in shadow, Gorsa wasn't concealing his identity completely. The strange air about him was unforgettable to someone who'd seen him once.
So, though the young wizard felt uneasy, he still went forward and led Gorsa away from the orderly queue at the city gate.
"Lord Gorsa, we've been expecting you for some time. Would you be willing to take a carriage to the castle now...?" The young wizard glanced up at the man, whose hat shaded