Leo's smile did not change. "Wizard Stofen, what are you talking about? I don't understand."
Of course, he would not admit that he had set a trap that had put Wizard Sajia in his current predicament.
In truth, things had largely gone according to Leo's plan. The only variable was that Stofen had defeated Sajia.
Leo had originally thought Augusta would be the one to save him in the end, while Stofen should have been defeated by Sajia—or perhaps would not have stepped in to stop Sajia at all.
Stofen said, "Since you are unwilling to admit it, then let that be the case. However, after helping you today, my day of death is not far off either."
Leo looked surprised. "Wizard Stofen, what kind of joke is that?"
With a solemn expression, Stofen said, "Do I look like I'm joking?"
Leo blinked. "Wizard Stofen, are you going to encounter some danger soon?"
"Something like that." Stofen shook his head, then added, "Well, when I said my death was near just now, I was actually joking. I wanted to ease the atmosphere."
Stofen spoke as if nothing had happened.
Yet Leo sensed there was more to his words.
"Leo, do you know why I stepped in to stop Sajia just now?"
After hesitating for a moment, Leo said, "To protect me from Wizard Sajia."
"That reason is not wrong, but I did not act because I was worried Sajia would take you away. I acted to make my stance clear."
"A stance that says, 'I, Stofen, will protect you, Leo.'"
Stofen said, "Wizard Plaisey's improved Flying Pumpkin variety, my Dragon Blood Purification Potion, Wizard Sajia's splitting and derivation of magic mechanical tools. All of these were things you came up with."
"If it had only been one of them, it