"Heh, as expected of the Magi Craft Meister!"
"She really is wonderful, Adriana-sama!"
Sion and Marikka were absolutely gushing with admiration.
"At the time, it seems the Predecessor had over five hundred disciples," Jin explained. "Among them, there were about twenty known as senior disciples. Practically speaking, they could be considered the pioneers of magi-craft in the Allied Kingdoms."
"Wait, if the senior disciples were the pioneers... then what happened to Adriana-sama?"
At that question, Jin’s expression clouded with a hint of pain.
"Ah, well, you see..."
"What? Don't be so vague."
Seeing Sion's persistence, Jin decided to tell the truth.
"...After this point, the Predecessor gradually became marginalized and cold-shouldered."
"What?! Why on earth?"
"...Do you want to hear it? It might be a bit of a heavy story."
"Tell me! This is about the respected first Magi Craft Meister, Adriana-sama!" Sion replied instantly.
"All right. This was when the Predecessor was thirty-five years old..."
＊ ＊ ＊
King Iars Lanece Garandia, who had only recently been crowned, suddenly passed away.
Naturally, the kingdom was thrown into a state of chaos. The most significant problem stemmed from the fact that an official crown prince had not yet been designated.
King Iars had four children, two of whom were male. The eldest son, Jack Taije Garandia, had a weak constitution and spent most of his life bedridden. In contrast, the second son, Leogar Raie Garandia, was widely rumored to be brilliant and full of talent. Both were in their late twenties—an age perfectly suitable for ascending to the throne.
The eldest and second daughters had already married out into other noble families, placing them outside the line of succession.
Predictably, the Royal Palace split into two factions: those favoring the eldest son, and those favoring the second.
Adriana Barbora Tsetse, who loathed tedious political squabbles, sided with neither and remained strictly neutral. One could even say she ignored the whole thing by burying herself in her research.
As the new year approached, the political struggle came to an abrupt end. Jack, the frail eldest son, passed away.
While officially mourning his father and brother, Leogar Raie Garandia began overhauling the national structure. He purged or demoted those who had supported his brother, driving them from the political stage.
The fallout reached Adriana as well. In Leogar’s eyes, her neutrality was equivalent to showing him contempt. He slashed her budget and subjected her disciples to constant harassment.
During this time, a certain person paid Adriana a visit.
"It has been quite a while, Sane-san."
"Indeed, Adriana-san. I have been rather busy with the handover."
"The handover... Does that mean you are resigning?"
"Yes. I am quite old now, and it seems the new King does not care for me much anyway."
"..."
Sane was already seventy—an age where most would have long since entered a quiet retirement.
"I have served two generations, King Harodolf and King Iars. I think it is finally time for me to retire."
"...If you hadn't recruited me back then, Sane-san, I wouldn't be where I am today. I want to thank you again."
"No, no. A person as talented as you, Adriana-san, would have risen to prominence sooner or later regardless of my involvement."
"So, what will you do after you retire?"
"Actually, I was born in the Garandora Kingdom. I have a son and a grandson there, so I plan to live with them."
"The Garandora Kingdom..."
Adriana recalled the summit from years prior. "Maybe I should go there too..."
At those words, Sane gave a gentle smile.
"If that is the case, would you like to come with me? A person of your skill, Adriana-san, would be put to work immediately."
Because of his position, Sane was well aware of the cold treatment Adriana had been receiving lately, and he offered her a way out.
Adriana’s resignation was accepted immediately. Word of her departure spread among her disciples in an instant, and over fifty of them decided to follow her.
Four days later.
"Master, stay healthy."
"Master, thank you for everything you've done for us."
"I can't go with you, but I'm counting on the rest of you to look after her."
Seen off by the disciples staying behind in the Garandia Kingdom, Adriana left the capital of Lacapoe alongside Sane and fifty-five of her students. They headed west.
The golems accompanying her on this journey were M-010 and F-010.
＊ ＊ ＊
"What a... what a selfish king. Oh, wait, I guess he was already king by then."
Once Jin reached a stopping point in the story, Sion expressed her fury exactly as he had expected.
"True. But unfortunately, there's always a certain number of people like that in the world."
Jin thought back to his days working at a black company.
"When someone loses sight of the people around them... or when they're too consumed by their own ego..."
Jin’s gaze turned distant, as if he were looking at something far away.
＊ ＊ ＊
After a journey of more than ten days, the party arrived in the Garandora Kingdom. News of their arrival had preceded them, and an envoy was already waiting at the border.
"Welcome, Magi Craft Meister Adriana Barbora Tsetse-sama, and all of your disciples."
"The Garandora Kingdom welcomes you with open arms."
"Thank you for your hospitality."
Among those greeting Adriana was Mariosa de Faures. Mariosa was now serving as the Minister of Internal Affairs for the Garandora Kingdom. His father belonged to the generation that had studied directly under Adriana's father, Shuuki Tsetse.
As his daughter and a Magi Craft Meister, Adriana was welcomed with resounding cheers even in the Garandora Kingdom.
"That worked out well, didn't it, Adriana-san?"
"It is all thanks to you, Sane-san!"
"Nonsense. It is thanks to your own talent. Well then, let us meet again one day."
Sane offered a pleasant farewell before parting ways with the group to head for the town where his son lived.
A few days later, the group arrived at the capital, Fudars. A place for Adriana had already been prepared.
"This will be your workshop."
"Wh—this whole place?"
Mariosa de Faures personally led Adriana and her disciples into the workshop. The grounds were vast—so large that the mansions of most nobles couldn't even compare.
"We intend to build more classrooms as well. We would very much like you to train more disciples here."
"Yes, of course."
"The day after tomorrow, we would like you to present yourself to His Majesty."
"Y-yes."
And so, Adriana Barbora Tsetse once again found a place of peace, where she could devote herself to educating the next generation. It seemed as though the prosperity of the Garandora Kingdom was about to truly begin.