Hill waved a hand, and the hall swiftly began to rotate. After a dizzying series of movements atop the raised platform, a reclining chair appeared behind the desk once more.
Russell's high-backed chair was moved to the front left of the desk.
Once seated, Russell was finally able to clearly see his teacher's current face: it was a very Hainalson face.
Very handsome, yet it always gave off a sharp, cutting impression. Even the short strands of hair seemed like soft needles.
There really was a reason Gilbert remained guarded against even when he was terribly weak.
Yet for some reason, after looking at that face for a while, Russell could always discern a trace of gentleness in it.
He did not know whether that feeling came from knowing this was not the other man's true face, but he could not help asking, "Since they mean no good, then... Teacher, you don't have to go, do you?"
Hill glanced at him. "Archmage Rute has always been too lazy to care about matters that can be done or left undone.
"If I make the trip and complete the formalities, he will not find anything wrong with it.
"If I do not go, he will at most grumble a little. But I have never had much of a temper, and I do not like dealing with people. At most, he will criticize me a little the next time we meet.
"But if there are some things I do not do, it seems... heh... people will harbor lucky expectations.
"Doesn't she just want to see whether I am still the Gilbert I used to be?"
"What is Mage Aislin trying to do?"
Russell understood as well... whether Aislin sent this invitation was not the crucial point. She had merely brought the matter into