"Sterl!" Delgado roared.
"Ah~" Earl Ster greeted him with a delighted smile. "What a pity. But that's reality, isn't it, esteemed Sage Delgado?
"Next time... do bring more money... ah, no. Perhaps you should take on a few more promising students?"
Laughter rippled through the hall.
Even Mr. Number 18, who had sat there calmly all along, managed to make himself heard from behind the mask covering his entire face.
His head rocked back and forth so vigorously that a few short strands of golden hair escaped from beneath his tightly fitted top hat.
Hill watched him curiously for a moment... Perhaps because Basia City stood by the sea and endured a storm season every year, its people rarely wore brimmed hats like that. Even the nobles mostly wore thin hooded cloaks, long or short, full-length or half-length.
So despite having returned only recently, Earl Ster could tell that this was a visitor from elsewhere.
Delgado gave an irritated snort. Crushing pressure swept across the hall. Seeing the room fall silent, he turned and left with a cold laugh.
"Hmm?" Hill tilted his head.
Perhaps because Earl Ster had to let the Sage save some face, he made no attempt to stop Delgado from venting his anger.
But Hill noticed a peculiar glimmer of magic settle on Mr. Number 18's shoe.
Delgado had reacted quickly enough to pick a spot his target might touch even when changing shoes... and deftly avoided skin contact that might have alerted him.
Archmage Delgado certainly seemed experienced!
Resting his chin on his hand, Hill studied Number 18 below, who appeared not to have noticed a thing... But someone who dared come alone and compete with a notoriously shameless man like Delgado had surely made thorough preparations too, hadn't he?
Who knew which of them