Ike stiffened. He looked at the man slowly. I can’t feel his pressure, but if anything, that just makes me more scared. Wisp can hide hers, too. If Wisp just insulted an ancient mage, we’re so fucked.

The strangely-dressed man laughed. He patted Wisp’s head. “No, no. What’s a circus?”

“It’s a place where freaks go to—”

Ike stepped forward. “—where performers show off their talents in brightly-colored clothes.”

“Oh.” The man looked around, then pointed at himself. “Me?”

“Yes, you,” Ike said. Is he unaware of how strangely he’s dressed? Surely he put all that on himself…

The man looked around again. He laughed lightly. “I think the staff are much more like circus people. Look! They’re even performing for us.”

Ike raised his brows, but said nothing.

Wisp turned toward the windows. She nodded and hopped onto the couch next to him. “Be nice if we got snacks, too.”

“I’d like some snacks,” the man agreed.

Ike stepped over and sat down delicately on the other side of Wisp. “I’m Ike, and this is Wisp. And you are?”

The man thought for a second. He frowned. His brows furrowed.

“Did you forget?” Wisp asked.

“It’s been a while,” the man said. He waved his hand. “Spend a few hundred years in seclusion, and you forget all these worldly things.”

“Seclusion…? Hundred years?” Ike muttered to himself.

Wisp looked at him. “It’s an old-fashioned thing mages used to do a loooong time ago. They’d find somewhere with a lot of mana and sit there absorbing it until they Ranked up.” She paused. “It was harder than killing monsters, so it fell out of fashion.”

“Oh,” Ike said. He looked at the man with even more respect in his eyes. So he’s really old.

The man chuckled, a note of pain in his voice. “I’m not that old. I’m barely more than a child!”

A few hundred years in seclusion? I think you’re quite firmly an adult, Ike thought. Externally, he nodded at the man. “If you can’t recall your name, it’s no trouble. We can—”

“Montagne! That’s my name. Oh, but call me Mont for short. Most people do,” he said, nodding.

“Mont. Good to meet you,” Ike said, nodding.

“Likewise.”

They sat there in awkward silence for a few beats. At last, Ike cleared his throat. “So, um, what brings you here? A bit of relaxation after all that seclusion?”

“No, not at all.” The man frowned. “I was secluding in a place with thick mana, but suddenly, it all dried up. Someone is tapping the mana veins. That wouldn’t be so bad, but they’ve inconvenienced me, so they must be stopped.”

“Mana veins?” Ike asked.

“They’re places where thick mana runs just under the earth’s surface. The mana veins supply mana to the entire region, kinda like how your mana vessels supply mana to your body,” Wisp explained.

“Oh,” Ike said, nodding. That makes a lot of sense, actually. The earth needs mana to flow somehow. Why not in a similar method as it flows through the human body?

“I suspect the inn has something to do with it, but I’m not sure what. So I came here to investigate,” Mont said, leaning in. “I’m trusting you two. This is an essential investigation. Of the highest import. The region—nay, the world is at stake. I can’t let anyone distract me—”

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“Tea?” Lanie asked.

“Oh, of course, of course,” the man said, sitting back. He smiled at Lanie. “Could I get some more of those biscuits as well? Or what do you call them, cookies? They were fabulous.”

“Right away, sir. Now that I’m away from battle, I’ll go warm that bath for you, hmm?” Lanie said indulgently.

“Thank you. You’re a dear,” Mont said, smiling.

Ike narrowed his eyes at Mont. Can’t let anyone distract you? You look pretty distracted. Are you sure you aren’t here to enjoy the inn? Because it looks like you’re enjoying the inn.

“And what about you two? Any tea? Cookies?”

“Yes!” Wisp said.

Ike hesitated, then nodded. I can afford it, right?

He glanced at the storage rings on his fingers, full of the accumulated wealth of Abyssal and the money of the rich boy’s bodyguard. A small smile spread across his face. Oh, I can afford it.

“Excellent. I’ll be right back,” Lanie promised with a kind smile. She retreated, vanishing into the back of the inn.

“Cookies are almost as good as foxes,” Wisp said, satisfied.

“Wisp!” Ike protested. We are still in their den, you know? Even if they’re reformed, or whatever. Which I doubt, but as long as they don’t attack us, I don’t really have a need to attack them. Lots of mages are murderous bastards. We set traps and kill monsters by the dozens. What’s wrong with monsters doing the same back?

I know I’d feel differently if they killed someone I cared about, but that’s the paradox of humanity, isn’t it? We rarely care much until something happens to us personally. He glanced at Mont. Like this man and his mana veins.

Mont glanced at her, then chuckled. “I like her.”

“What was that about the mana veins?” Ike asked, trying to bring the conversation back around to where it had started.

“Oh. Right. Someone tapped them, and I’m angry about it. That means someone needs to be punished. But the problem is that I can’t tell exactly where the vein is being tapped. It’s somewhere on this mountain, but more than that…?” Mont spread his hands hopelessly.

“We can help,” Ike offered. Mana veins sounded important, and more than that, they sounded like a deep source of mana. Wherever the mana vein was tapped, there’d be a lot of mana hanging around, doing nothing. He’d be able to easily train high-level abilities and construct new skills in the area. Plus, he didn’t mind doing a good deed on his way of fighting to his next Rank.

Mont beamed. “Wonderful! Tomorrow morning, we’ll set out. For tonight, let’s get some much-needed rest in preparation for our search.”

“We could set off right now,” Ike said.

Mont waved his hand. “No, no. We need to be fresh! On top of our game!”

“Mages don’t need to rest. The world’s at stake. Let’s go,” Ike said.

“What? Who said mages don’t need to rest? We need rest. Rest is good for our souls!” Mont reached over and patted Ike on the shoulder. He looked Ike in the eye and slowly shook his head. “I understand, young man. You’ve been through a lot. You’ve faced a lot of danger. But here, you are safe. Rest for just tonight. You’ve earned it.”

“You’re the one who said—”

Mont sipped loudly from his tea, blocking out Ike’s voice.

Ike shook his head and snorted to himself. I guess the world’s not in that much danger. “If you’re sure.”

“Oh, I am sure. I’m very sure. Tomorrow morning won’t be too late. We’ll save the world, starting tomorrow morning.” Mont nodded firmly. He settled back, relaxing even further.

Ike settled back as well. He glanced at Mont. Was the man worried about going out to find the mana vein? Was that why he was putting it off? Maybe he really had very little pressure. That would explain it, too. He nodded to himself, a little more at ease.

Glass shattered. One of the black-robed mages dashed through the window toward them. He lifted his hand, and an eagle formed of flame screamed as it swooped toward Mont.

Ike startled. The eagle emanated waves of heat, easily as strong as the ravens’ fire spell, but concentrated into a single point instead. He jumped up, already readying Ice Armor as he reached toward Mont. “Watch out—”

Mont opened his mouth. The eagle was only a magical construct, but it suddenly balked. It flapped desperately backward.

To no avail. Mont took a breath—just one simple breath—and sucked the eagle into his mouth. He made a chewing motion, then breathed out. A green flaming eagle shot from his mouth.

The black-robed mage laughed. He summoned another eagle. “You can’t defeat me with my own spell.”

“Oh?” Mont raised a single brow.

Hesitation flashed over the black-robed mage’s face, but too late.

The green eagle slammed into the mage’s eagle and burst it to smithereens. It struck the black mage. Green flames consumed his body. He screamed, but only for a moment. In the next, he burned up. Ashes rained down. The green eagle flew past, taking to the sky. It soared up high over the inn, then spread its wings and dissipated.

Holy shit. Ike stared at Mont, all his thoughts of a man afraid of danger gone. My first guess was right. I need to take this man more seriously than anyone I’ve encountered so far.

Mont glanced over. Their eyes met. Mont gave him an easy smile and sipped his tea. Abruptly, he startled. “Ah! Too hot.”

You just swallowed a high-Rank fire spell, and the tea is—Ike barely resisted the urge to burst out with a response. Instead, he managed a laugh.

Next to him, Wisp chuckled. “I knew it. He’s an old eccentric.” She nudged Ike. “If you’re lucky, this is your future.”

If I’m lucky… Ike looked at Mont, not sure whether to stare in awe, flinch in fear, or burst out laughing. “Yes. If I’m lucky.”