Collector’s Cage - Chapter 4

“Don’t worry. You just need to hide me in the dining hall.”

“There’s a chance you might wait all day and not meet him, then have to go back. Wizards often skip meals, saying they’re busy with research.”

“Then I’ll just have to come again next week.”

“…You’re surprisingly tenacious for your looks.”

Hermie snorted.

With her big eyes, small nose, and fair skin, Hermie looked quite gentle and fragile at first glance. Her appearance often caused misunderstandings, but her personality was combative and she didn’t shy away from dirty work.

“If I had a soft personality, could I have established myself in a city where I had no connections?”

“That’s true, I guess. You’re the complete opposite of me. They say opposites get along well…”

Dawson grinned a silly ‘hehe’ with a foolish look on his face. He looked indecisive at first glance. Hermie decided not to comment further and stood up from the box.

“Well then, shall we go?”

“Yes, yes, but put this on first.”

Dawson handed her a black cloak. It was large enough to cover Hermie’s entire body.

“Am I well hidden?”

“Yes, I can’t see a thing. Please, this way.”

Hermie followed Dawson’s lead, the cloak draped over her. Entering a small side door revealed a narrow passageway.

“From here on, please be quiet. The sound echoes, so others might hear your voice.”

Hermie nodded emphatically. She was pretending to be composed, but inwardly, she was tense.

The inside of the Mage Tower was as complex as a maze. Dawson skillfully found his way through the tangled passageways.

After turning left three times, right once, and left again around a corner, the passageway widened threefold. Hermie whispered into Dawson’s ear.

“It’s really complicated.”

“Yes, I got lost often when I first started here, it was a real hassle.”

“How do I get out?”

“I’ll tell you the meeting time and place later.”

“Thank you so much. I’ll definitely repay you.”

“Rather than repayment… let’s definitely have dinner together later, okay?”

Seeing Dawson blush shyly, Hermie let out a soft laugh.

“Alright. Promise.”

“Yes, promise.”

Dawson nodded excitedly. He seemed a bit silly and wasn’t exactly Hermie’s type, but she briefly thought it wouldn’t be bad to give a nice guy a chance.

Hermie entered the wizards’ dining hall. The hall was quiet. Only a few servants cleaning the surroundings were moving about inside.

“How come it’s so empty?”

“Wizards are mostly nocturnal. It’s rare to find a wizard who eats breakfast properly.”

“I see.”

Hermie frowned slightly, troubled. She had to meet the delinquent debtor before Uncle Jen’s arrival time. If the debtor skipped both breakfast and lunch, it would throw a wrench in the plan.

That guy probably has a sallow complexion and dark circles down to his chin, living a ruined life with his days and nights reversed, she thought, which made her even more worried.

Dawson guided Hermie to a decorative cabinet against the dining hall wall.

“I think it’s best if you hide inside here.”

“Okay.”

Hermie quickly slipped into the cabinet. The inside was narrow, but it was just right for Hermie, who was small in stature.

Hermie crouched inside the decorative cabinet. The lower part was made of wood and the upper part of glass, so if she covered herself with the cloak and watched outside, she probably wouldn’t be noticed.

Before closing the cabinet door, Dawson looked down at Hermie with a troubled expression and asked.

“What are you going to do if you spot the mage?”

“I’m going to quietly follow behind, then pounce when no one’s around.”

“…Is that possible?”

“Well, you won’t know until you try.”

“I’ll pray that nothing goes wrong.”

“Thank you.”

The door closed, and Hermie took a deep breath inside the dark cabinet. The cramped space gave her a strange sense of security, but given the location, it was impossible not to feel tense.