People aboard the large ship in the harbor were discussing the matter late into the night, too.
Mr. Number 18 turned a chunk of mithril over in his slender fingers. "He really is a Grand Sage?" he asked, sounding surprised.
Only after his subordinate confirmed it did he say thoughtfully, "I was thinking we could head home!
"After all, I left one of Damboro's Advanced Magi, a man on the verge of becoming a Grand Sage, so badly injured he won't be able to do anything for at least ten years. That makes this trip a success.
"Heh. Especially since the Damboro people could only watch him get beaten into a wreck... unless they wanted to support his attempt to rob a foreign merchant.
"Honestly, I wish a few more people had joined in!
"I never expected him to be so unpopular that Damboro would come out of it with its reputation intact.
"What a shame! You didn't even get a chance to act."
He turned toward the silver-haired elder seated in an armchair on the other side of the room. "Right, Grandfather?"
"I only came along to keep you company, little one," the kindly elder said. "There's no need to frighten the Damboro people out of their wits."
"And here I thought the young lady of the Ster Family wanted a forbidden romance with me!" Mr. Number 18 said regretfully. "But she only wanted to show an enemy prince how beautiful and charming she was?
"If she'd made a move, I'd have an excuse to meet Grand Sage Belfran by now, wouldn't I?
"Grandfather... what do you think..."
"By the great Sea God." The silver-haired elder's expression turned solemn. "The ocean tells me that he is not someone we can afford to offend lightly."
"Not even you, Grandfather?" Mr.