News of Her Departure

Inside the head administrator's office at the Task Issuing Center in Crescent Bay.

"Lord Harbos, welcome. What can I do for you?"

The administrator was exceedingly deferential toward the Fourth Order mage. He invited Harbos to sit, hurriedly straightened the things on his desk, then sat down himself.

"I need credentials for a trip to White Dragon Port. I have business there. Ideally, they'd let me contact one of the Territory Mage Working Groups."

Harbos wanted to find Fran, but he couldn't simply fly over to her. He planned to locate a Law School working group and reach Fran through them.

Fran's true identity had not become common knowledge in Crescent Bay. The newspapers were mostly speculating, which meant she had concealed it well.

If he went straight to her now, wouldn't all her efforts to hide her identity go to waste?

Besides, he would only stay a month or so at most, while the Territory Mage Working Group's assignment wouldn't end for another seven or eight months.

If he exposed Fran, the months ahead would be difficult for her.

So he wanted to travel to White Dragon Port under the identity of a Battle Mage. Once he found a Territory Mage Working Group belonging to the Law School, its leader would surely know him and understand that Fran needed to keep parts of her identity hidden.

That would suit Harbos perfectly. And as a Fourth Order mage, obtaining credentials here ought to be simple.

"Uh... Lord Harbos, may I ask if you're going to see your apprentice?"

Harbos's expression darkened at once. This administrator was prying too much.

He also realized that coming here to request credentials for White Dragon Port had already given plenty away.

If Harbos, a Fourth Order mage, was going to White Dragon Port, didn't