All eyes were on him.
Ruger parted his lips slightly, wanting to say something, but unable to find the words.
Death? An inevitable yet unpredictable word.
His thoughts in disarray, Ruger even thought of this world for an instant.
He gathered his thoughts and chose to trust his teacher, even this somewhat strange teacher-or, more accurately, his teacher in this peculiar state. Simple and direct.
The thought of his teacher sent his mind leaping in alarm.
All he could think of was the Demon Wizard. The Demon Wizard had arrived, and then this had happened. Mona's words echoed in his ears too: the Demon Wizard ate people. Back then, he had even teased her about it. He remembered opening his mouth wide and baring his teeth. How ridiculous. How terrifying.
If things were just as he imagined, the Demon Wizard had come, and Mr. Normanu had died.
Everything seemed to follow so naturally.
Then what about his teacher? His Excellency Immanuel Caputo! Could all the bizarre things happening to his teacher have been caused by the Demon Wizard too?
Had his teacher died? Was he just like that old Fourth-Ring Wizard in the Castle, without any sign of life?
Ruger smacked his gums and looked around at the people nearby.
Then he raised his head to glance at the vaulted ceiling of the Cavern Domain.
Two questions were now churning in his mind, the most conspicuous of them all, like two light stones colliding and flashing.
Had Normanu Vango been enduring the same discomfort as him, perhaps under even greater pressure as a Fourth-Ring Wizard, and died because he could not withstand it? Or had the Demon Wizard killed him? This mattered.
It seemed like a single question, but the possibilities were utterly different. One meant failing to withstand his