Rute turned his head for a glance.
Although the three Ninth-Circle Mages from Sia Tower made it sound as though he alone received special treatment, someone had also come over to personally attend to the two Eighth-Ring mages, "Aislin" and Oliva.
Then, seemingly because Pete, the elder from the Colorful-Robed Faction, kept holding his arm and chatting intimately with him, the people who delivered crystal balls to his two students were an Eighth-Ring mage from the White-Robed Faction and one from the Black-Robed Faction, respectively.
Everything had happened naturally.
But to Rute, who already secretly suspected a connection between "Aislin" and Xiya, this apparent natural progression felt a little forced.
Pete genuinely knew nothing.
But what about the Black-Robed Faction?
They were being a little too cooperative... yet the incident with "Aislin's" flying craft had happened some time ago, when Aislin had still been herself!
Besides, the person who had seen her was not the "Black Artist" himself. Rute did not think an ordinary Ninth-Circle Mage could see through the methods of Sia Tower's master.
Ordinary... Rute could not help turning that word over in his mind.
Since when had he started calling Ninth-Circle Mages of equal standing to himself ordinary?
Quietly drawing a deep breath, Rute gave a gentle smile and continued exchanging pleasantries with the three of them... they certainly could not leave at a time like this.
After all, no one knew whether something unexpected might happen among the Black Mystery Tower mages being registered with the Sia Grand Magic Array.
As for whether any of them might be different from the original person... Rute did not particularly care. Surely he was not supposed to worry about Sia Tower's safety?
Although the Black Mystery Tower had long since copied and handed over the records of the mages