The Old Wizard gave an awkward smile, but did not look away.
"Of course, of course. Of course I'm your friend. In a sense, I haven't changed. Or rather, the me you knew was always changing," the Old Wizard said. "When you first traveled with me, my consciousness was constantly fighting against it. Sometimes, when hunger tormented it, I would briefly gain the upper hand. Later, I fell dormant, but I still subtly influenced its consciousness... I've always been by your side, my mushroom friend..."
Gubo swayed happily, then paused again, seemingly thinking something over.
"You fused with its soul?" Ruger asked.
The Old Wizard gave a friendly smile.
"That's more or less it. But to be precise, I don't possess that kind of fusion ability. It was the one that used its delicate ability to merge with me, making us perfectly one, before willingly relinquishing its own consciousness. This way, and only this way, could both of us truly survive. It foresaw the Invaders' defeat. So you could say it was the mighty Cavern World that saved me by driving it to despair, while you, Sir Ruger, laid out that foreseen outcome before it in detail..." As he spoke, he looked toward Gubo again.
"At the same time, beyond its despair, it also felt envy, surprise, longing... It was Sir Gubo who showed it that side of things so well, even giving it a friend, something it had never had before... When it sat lost in thought, it would browse my memories, and I let it do so without holding anything back or putting up any defenses. Fortunately, I wasn't an overly boring Wizard in the first half of my life. These coincidences, this despair and longing, brought about this interesting final outcome... Thank you both again. Now I've