The breeze, the hot tea, and the occasional crackle of the bonfire created an atmosphere straight out of a biographical adventure novel, but the wizards each had their own concerns, nothing like characters in a story.
"The way it calls to us is unusual. It isn't simply an influence on mental power," said the witch Dati, looking at the others beside the bonfire. "Nor does it distinguish purely by strength. On my way here, I also met three-ring wizards who hadn't sensed the call."
Ruger raised an eyebrow and looked at them, pondering the same question. It had been difficult to work out while he was alone, but now that four wizards who could sense the call were sitting together, a few clues began to emerge.
Those clues also allowed them to make a rough guess about who was behind the call.
"They may not be doing this deliberately. It could be a coincidence, one born of a lack of understanding..." Dati added.
The mushroom person swayed, seemingly in agreement.
"You already have someone in mind, don't you?" Ruger asked.
"No one specific, of course. I simply believe whoever is behind this isn't a wizard," Dati said.
The mushroom person swayed again, once more expressing agreement.
The old wizard kept his head lowered, staring into the bonfire as though lost in thought, perhaps contemplating his final fate. A long while passed without him saying a word.
"A wizard would be unlikely to do something like this in the first place. If they needed help, they could find a way to sell the information instead of issuing a call like this. There are too many uncertainties. All sorts of people might come, and it could even have the opposite effect," Ruger said with a smile. He was approaching the matter from