Canis' Redemption

Canis signed his name on the resignation document.

Sakiri, who had been watching with satisfaction, retrieved the papers and carefully placed them into a file.

"Congratulations on your newfound freedom. Now that it's over, I can say this—this was the right choice. If you had hired a lawyer, things would have become much more complicated."

A lawyer? That thought hadn't even crossed his mind. Should he have considered it?

No, Sakiri was right.

If the Magic Association were an easy place to deal with, they wouldn't have forced him to sign such a document in the first place.

"So, what do we do now?"

"Well, I suppose we just leave. You're free now."

Freedom without a single coin to his name ultimately meant being penniless, but Sakiri seemed entirely indifferent, only concerned with organizing the paperwork.

Arin hesitated before asking, "Um, is there any sort of release procedure?"

"There isn't. You can just go."

The dismissive tone, as if swatting away a bothersome fly, made Canis' blood boil.

The Magic Association had never cared about them from the start. The only reason they had even bothered to spend two hours on this matter was to reclaim the 4.8 billion gold.

More than wounded pride, what truly made him feel miserable was the undeniable strength of the Association—something he could do nothing about despite knowing it.

For the first time, he truly understood just how incredible Arcane must have been to stand toe-to-toe against entire nations across the continent.

'Master…'

Now, everything was clear.

He was a battle mage, and he knew how to fight. There was no reason to hesitate any longer.

"Hey, you."

Sakiri paused at the door and turned his head.

"Did you call me?"

"You're a mage too, right?"

"Hmm, you could say that. All employees of the Magic Association are mages."

"What rank are you?"

"Officially, I'm a Rank 5."

Canis now had a standard to measure against.

A Rank 5 mage—that was the level of an investigator in the Magic Association.

"I won't end here. There's no way I'll just sit back and accept this."

"Is that so? You shouldn't. Well then, I'll be on my way."

"One day, I'll surpass you. And when that happens, you'll have no choice but to bow your head to me."

Sakiri, who had been turning the doorknob, paused and looked back at Canis with a faint smile.

"You'll have to work very hard, then. The competition for this position is no joke. But if that ever happens..."

He placed his right hand over his chest and said, "Then I will be in your care."

Even at Sakiri's unusual response, Canis felt nothing.

All he realized was just how emotionless and thoroughly pragmatic the man was.

Once Sakiri left, Canis finally understood just how tense he had been. It felt like a steel beam had been lifted off his shoulders.

Arin turned to him with a smile.

"Canis, you made the right choice."

Rotting away in prison for life with 4.8 billion gold wasn't nearly as valuable as freedom.

"There are so many strong people in this world…"

Canis' lips curled into a faint smile.

Now that he had a new goal, his heart pounded with the same intensity as when he had first met Arcane.

"Arin, let's get stronger."

"…Yeah."

Arin looked toward the door Sakiri had exited through.

Canis would one day become a mage who would not bow to the Association.

This was not the end for them. With that thought, she, too, could move forward toward the future.

Sakiri walked straight to the Inspector's Office.

Considering the gravity of the situation, the matter had been resolved rather smoothly. Arcane's death had been a significant factor.

There were no legal disputes, and Alpheas' admission of guilt had helped move things along.

The Inspector's Office was a luxurious chamber with marble flooring.

A man, a legend of Division 3 known as the "Iron Inspector," stood with his hands behind his back, staring out the window.

"Inspector, here are the approval documents for the Arcane case."

"Leave them on the desk."

Sakiri placed the file on the table.

Normally, he would have left without a word, but this time, he couldn't suppress his curiosity. He turned back at the door.

"Is it truly okay to leave Alpheas' case like this?"

"Why? Do you think the higher-ups will have an issue with it?"

"Six months of suspension is on the lighter side. But considering Arcane's death and the mitigating factors, people will accept it—especially when you factor in that 4.8 billion gold was confiscated as collateral."

"Then why ask?"

Realizing he may have spoken out of turn, Sakiri smacked his lips in regret. But since he had already brought it up, taking it back now would be foolish.

"I was wondering if it was meant as atonement."

The inspector remained silent for a long time. Then, slowly, he turned around to look at Sakiri.

"I do have a debt to repay. But do I strike you as the kind of person who would let personal feelings dictate my judgment?"

"I apologize! That was out of line!"

"Leave now."

Sakiri hastily retreated from the office.

He may have been a feared investigator among criminals, but within the Association, he was just another mage at the mercy of his superiors.

Once the door closed, the inspector carefully reviewed the documents before picking up his pen.

"…"

A memory from long ago resurfaced.

Even now, as an old man with white hair, he could still feel the dull ache in his jaw where Alpheas had once struck him.

"Tch. Should've brought a gift."

He knew he bore some responsibility for Alpheas' downfall, but that didn't mean he had ever considered himself defeated.

Yet, decades later, the world had changed.

Alpheas' quantum magic theory had evolved and spread across the entire world.

"Heh…"

At last, he had to acknowledge just how much of a genius Alpheas had been.

"Consider this a belated gift. The Gold Circle should have been yours all along."

With a sharp stroke, the inspector signed his name.

Ardiano Saroff.