Kurt had probably treated him sincerely all along. In Wizard Zorn's and Mahama's eyes, Kurt was nothing special, but to this shopkeeper, whose progress had stalled at the fourth level of Wizard Apprentice while he was still young, he was an unrivaled genius-a dazzling, tenacious loner who had faced ridicule and refused to follow the beaten path.
He shone like a star in the sky, and he had even proved himself by successfully advancing.
Ruger could hear it in the old man's voice. When he learned that Kurt had become a Wizard, he had been even happier than Kurt himself. He had even thought of the people who had mocked Kurt decades ago, wanting to prove Kurt's brilliance to them. He deeply regretted that those who had died of illness or in the jaws of sea beasts had never witnessed Kurt's radiance.
"Having a good chat?"
When the two of them failed to return, Kurt came looking for them with a smile. He seemed quite familiar with the place.
"Of course. Mr. Tali was telling me about your moments of genius, from being the first to master the meditation method to ignoring opposition and turning away from an easier way to gain faith so you could try things your own way-"
Ruger spoke with a smile.
In Tali's eyes, Kurt had always shone. His talent shone, his conviction shone, and so did his courage. And in the end, he had risen.
Hearing this, Kurt's aged face reddened, and he gave a wry smile.
"Tali, my old friend, it seems you really have grown old and muddled. These two gentlemen are the real geniuses. My lackluster talent amounted to nothing but a few laughable little tricks," Kurt said with a wry smile.
"I'm not muddled. I still remember the looks on