Master Grey returned from the town late in the afternoon. The wooden gate behind him closed with a soft clack. At first glance, everything seemed normal. The candlelight glowered inside, flickering behind shuttered windows. But Grey's mage-eyes noticed something—an odd glint of pale green light on the edge of one shelf.
Inside, the fake books he'd left as decoys lay untouched... but he'd hidden a thin layer of Verdant Echo Dust—a special mana-reactive powder that glowed a faint green under even casual touch, and flared brightly when someone disturbed it. And although the books looked unread, the faint green shimmer across the shelf told him someone had rifled through them.
Grey moved through the house into the courtyard where two guards lounged near a brazier. One was stoking the embers; the other was leaning against a post.
"Mornin'," Grey began, voice calm but edged with steel. "Any visitors while I was gone?"
The guard by the brazier, Henrik, cleared his throat. "No, Master."
Grey's eyes swept over them. "No one approached you after sunset?"
"Master, we would've seen them," insisted Tomas, the other.
Yet their posture was stiff, their gazes flitting. Grey took the lead: slowly, deliberately questioning them "Good. Because someone's been inside."
At that, moment both men froze.
Tomas's thoughts: "We smelt the dust… the air felt wrong… but we didn't tell him. I..., in fear that he might punish us.
Grey watched the brazier's glow reflect in their eyes. "One of you spilled powder in here. Then is it one of you who tried to steal from my materials "
Henrik and Tomas shivered hearing it, it was not them who has done so, they never even had thought to steal Master Grey's belonging's.
Both of them got on their needs and pleaded for mercy-"It is not us."
Grey said furious-"Who is it then if not you.? answer me."
He said it low, cold. "I don't tolerate silence. You obey or be replaced."
Silence drew long. Then Tomas swallowed. "…It was after midnight," he confessed. "We… were guarding the house as usual, then we felt suddenly drowsy out of nowhere, hen drifted into sleep. It was very unusual, we have not even drunk that much that night.."
Grey nodded. "You say nothing—got it?"
"We beg your forgiveness, Master." Their voices trembled.
Grey cleared his anger from his head, and thought calmly. He set conditions. "Find this intruder. Disguise. Cover. Leave no trail. You have until sundown. Failure means... one of you dies." He let that hang.
The guards scrambled.
Grey first headed to the village wine shop—simple building next to the well, red lanterns still hung. He asked casual questions about what happened previous night : who left early, who stayed late, any passing strangers? The owner smiled warily: "No one unusual. Just the regular customers. I brought casual wine that we serve for regulars."
"Did you find anyone doing suspicious things?"
"No sir, everything seemed normal, everyone left early after having their drinks."
Grey carefully inspected owner's reaction.
The owner's face was tight. Face, tone—no real guilt, just nerves.
"It seems it has nothing to do with the wine, but someone might mixed some special kind of poison in the bar while they are having drinks, I should maybe also investigate the doctor and the herbalist, they are the only ones who know about herbs, and have the highest chance of concocting poison."
He arrived at the doctor's doorway next. He passed through herbs, bandages and other instruments on the shelf. The doctor greeted him kindly. Grey subtly inquired about new patients and strange illnesses, slowly investigating him, and finally asking him about any new type of medicine he concocted.
The doctor shook his head. "No."
Grey watched his eyes—there was no flicker of fear, no sweat.
This time master Grey reached Marla's house.
Curving vines hung across the gate. Inside, Marla's calm, measured voice greeted him.
"Master Grey. Back from town?"
He enquired Marla's routine in a casual manner, as he got to know then that she has been teaching about herbs to Liam .
"The boy has been diligent, at first I refused, I know teaching about herbs to the kid might be dangerous, but what can I do? he came everyday without fail and helped me with my chores, so I thought he was really serious with learning about herbs, and thought him some basics and different herbs commonly found in our surroundings."
"If I might say the boy is really talented with it."
He left without revealing more. But as he walked back, he thought:
Wine shop? No sign.Doctor? Calm.Marla... mentions Liam.The boy could he be the one? Liam was the only one who was interested in magic although Liam was a kid, Master Grey was not convinced, he saw kids far more ruthless and heartless than Liam.
The reason why he came to countryside and wanted live here for the rest of the life was due to this, the path of magic was ruthless, and unforgiving for those who pursued it.
But he wasn't sure. But now the seed of suspicion had been planted.
The next morning, a quiet knock resounded at the door of Master Grey's house. Ragnar and Liam stood outside. The former looked slightly anxious, the latter—nervous, but trying to hide it.
Grey opened the door and gave them both a nod. "Ragnar, come in. Liam… wait outside."
Liam blinked, heart stammering, but obeyed without a word.
Inside, Grey poured himself a cup of bitter leaf tea and sipped. The silence stretched uncomfortably.
Ragnar finally broke it. "Is something wrong, Master Grey?"
Grey said-"It is about Liam."
Ragnar's brow furrowed. "Liam did something?"
Grey's tone didn't rise, but his words struck hard. "Someone broke into my house. Scrolled through my spellbooks. I have guards who nearly lost consciousness."
Ragnar turned pale. "He… no, Liam wouldn't—"
"Wouldn't? Or couldn't?" Grey raised a hand. "I don't blame him. But I need to speak to him now."
Ragnar stood, mouth opening in protest—but then shut it. He turned and opened the door.
"Liam. Come."
The boy stepped inside, eyes uncertain.
Grey gestured for him to sit. "Tell me. What happened the night I was gone?"
Liam hesitated. His heart pounded in his chest. Sweat formed under his tunic. He bit his lower lip, trying to find the words—but couldn't.
Grey's gaze sharpened.
"Lying wastes time. Silence is cowardice. And honesty… well, it has its cost too."
Liam looked down. "…I came in. I wanted to look at your notes. I didn't steal anything."
"You drugged my guards."
"They're fine!"
"They could have died." Grey's voice was quiet, but carried a blade's edge.
Liam clenched his fists. "I didn't mean harm."
Grey looked at him long and hard.
Then… to Liam's surprise, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "Do you want to become a mage?"
Liam blinked. "Yes."
"Then let me ask you—what stopped you from killing them?"
Liam froze. "I—I'm not a killer."
"No one is, until they are." Grey opened his eyes again. "Listen closely, boy. This world isn't built on wishes or kindness. Every mage walks on corpses. The gentle are stepped on. The hesitant are replaced."
Liam's throat tightened. "But if I become like that, then what makes me better than them?"
Grey gave a cold laugh. "Nothing. But that's the wrong question. It's not about being better—it's about surviving long enough to matter."
He stood and walked to the window, arms folded behind his back. "When I was your age, I stole a grimoire from a wandering mage. He caught me. I slit his throat while he slept. I buried the guilt under ambition."
Grey turned and looked Liam in the eye.
"I see that same ambition in you. But unlike me, you're still weighing your soul. That's why you'll be stronger—if you survive. But know this—half-measures don't take you far in magic. If you're not willing to risk everything, you'll lose everything. You couldn't even control your emotions in front of me"
Liam looked down, silent. His thoughts spun wildly.
Was he wrong? If he'd used a real poison, the guards wouldn't even be alive to complain to Mater Grey . No trail. Just silence.
But they were just doing their job. They weren't evil. Could I really kill them just for standing in my way?
Grey spoke again, voice lower. "If you're still not certain… walk away. Leave this path. There's no shame in that."
Liam looked up. There was no scorn in Grey's eyes—only experience. Only history.
"…No," Liam whispered.
Grey raised a brow. "No?"
"I won't walk away."
"Then you'll follow this through?"
"I'll do what I have to… but not blindly. I'll find another way if I can. But I won't stop."
Though the boy might not understand it now, Master Grey sighed. He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping against the worn armrest.
He reminds me too much of myself. Same fire. Same hunger. Same damn refusal to quit.
It was foolish, perhaps. The world of magi was cruel and thankless. Students failed. Friends betrayed. And the few who rose high enough... often lost more than they gained.
But still.
The spark was there. The stubbornness. The weight behind a child's conviction.
He glanced out the window where the boy was walking beside his father, the two silent.
Grey muttered under his breath. "You little rat. You have made me teach you."
The bitterness in his voice couldn't mask the reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Yes, he would teach him.