I Became a Great Wizard After Being Abandoned by My Childhood Friend

3 – Reunion with a Childhood Friend (2)

10 minutes ago.

Due to a request from the professor and principal of Lionel Academy, Nell was awaiting at the academy’s main gate.

“Hmm. Is there an issue?”

Roughly 10 minutes had passed since the agreed meeting time.

However, for some reason, the person scheduled for the interview was nowhere to be found.

‘Anyway, what an odd coincident.’

Nell recalled the conversation with the Principal.

-Nell, Professor. Are you free?

-Well, I am, but do you need anything?

-Err. I’m planning to hire a professor, and I’ve decided to interview him myself.

-You personally, Principal?

-Yes. So, could you welcome the interviewee at the main gate?

-Oh, I understand. What is the name of the interviewee?

-It’s Kael.

-Kael…I see. I will head over there immediately.

Dismissing his thoughts, Nell looked at the name of the interviewee and made a guilt-stricken face.

‘I can’t forget, no matter how much I want to.’

Just as Nell was thinking and recalling Kael.

-Uh-huh.

A vibration rang from the communications magic circle.

Checking it, he saw the message was from a security guard.

“Yes, this is Nell.”

-Sir, a man named Kael has arrived at the academy for an interview. He asked me to contact you.

“Yes. That’s correct. However, I’ve been waiting at the main gate…?”

-It seems he took a wrong turn and ended up at the back gate.

“Oh, in that case, I’ll head over there, so please ask him to wait there.”

-Yes, understood.

After ending the call, Nell quickly headed towards the back gate.

The interviewee must not be familiar with the academy.

Seeing that he’s confused between the main and back gate of the academy.

And so, as she began to move towards her destination, a man wearing a robe came into view.

From a distance, she couldn’t quite make out his features.

However, she had a feeling that he was quite handsome, even from afar.

‘He looks a lot like Kael that I know…..’

As she remembered her first love, a guilty feeling began to rise in her heart.

Nell shook her head vigorously to rid of such thoughts.

This was not the time, she needed to quickly guide him.

“Excuse me!”

As Nell raised and waved her hand, Kael approached.

In the next moment, Nell, who caught his trembling eyes, instinctively knew.

The man in front of her was none other than the Kael she knew.

***

Kael was stunned as he looked at the woman before his eyes.

Thought he had completely forgotten her.

No, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had forgotten.

Sometimes she came to his thoughts, but he didn’t feel anything now.

However, he couldn’t help but be startled when he saw the woman before his eyes.

Because he looks exactly like Reza.

“Excuse me?”

Suddenly, the woman in front of him looked at him as if to ask if he was alright.

Kael, who shook off his thoughts in an instant, bowed his head.

“I’m sorry. You just look a lot like someone I know.”

“Is that so…..?”

“Yes. Anyway, I’m sorry for being so rude.

“It’s okay. It can happen. My name is Nell.”

“Nell…..”

The woman in front of him was indeed similar, but not the one he knew.

Kael held the hand she offered and introduced himself.

“My name is Kael. Nice to meet you.”

“Yes, I look forward to working with you as well. First, let me guide you to the chairman’s office.”

With these words, Nell leads the way.

Kael follows behind Nell, studying her.

‘The more I look at her, the more she looks like her.’

I thought she bore a resemblance from afar, but up close, she looked even more identical.

‘Did Liza have a twin?’

He pondered briefly, but ultimately shook his head in denial.

‘No, as far as I recall, Liza was an only child.’

If she originally had a twin, the matter would have come up at least once.

‘Besides, she’s not the only person with that hair and eye color.’

To his memory, members of the royal family also possessed golden hair and pupils.

Therefore, there’s no guarantee she is related to Liza.

While Kael was having these thoughts,

‘Is it the real Kael…’

Nell, also, was inwardly shocked.

Initially, she was only surprised that he had the same name as the Kael she knew.

However, seeing him in person, she never anticipated she would confront the real Kael.

She stole a glance at his face.

Black hair that slightly covered his eyebrows.

Facial features that had now completely become handsome due to lost cheek fat.

On top of that, even his height and proportions were perfect.

If judged by appearance alone, he could be mistaken for a warrior, not a wizard.

Any normal woman would blush at his sight.

But…

-Uhg.

Whenever Nell looked at him, she couldn’t escape feelings of guilt.

Years ago, the day she promised to confess to him, she had left without saying a word due to a certain event.

To make matters worse, it even rained that day.

Undoubtedly, Kael would have been waiting in the rain.

From his perspective, it must feel like he got betrayed by someone he’d been involved with for ten years.

Looking at it one way, he had left without saying a word.

In his heart, he yearned to reveal his identity immediately.

However.

‘If I do, who knows what could happen to Cael.’

The situation he was currently going through was not something one person could potentially handle.

If he were to mistakenly reveal his secrets, Cael could be put in danger.

Seeing the predicament he was in, Nel sighed inwardly.

“Ah…!”

Before he knew it, they had arrived at their destination.

Nel regained his senses immediately, and flashed his usual smile.

“You can go in here.”

“Yes, understood.”

With that, Cael quietly entered the director’s office.

Unaware of the guilt-ridden face Nel was making behind him.

***

As soon as he entered the room, a middle-aged man stood from his seat, wearing a faint smile.

“Nice to meet you. Archmage.”

“You don’t have to call me that. Director. That’s too great a title for me.”

At my refusal of the grand title, he strokes his chin and denies it.

“Hmm, too great? Among all the mages to date, no one’s accomplished as much as Cael.”

“I only conducted studies based on the spells our ancestors created.”

“Heh, you’re too modest. In any case, just sit wherever you are comfortable.”

At his direction, I took a seat on the luxurious-looking sofa.

Soon enough, he posed a question.

“Do you prefer coffee or tea?”

“I prefer coffee.”

“Understood.”

As he nodded and began to pour the coffee.

Once he had made the coffee, he placed it on the table.

I took a sip of coffee.

“It’s definitely nice to be in the President’s office.”

Taking a moment to savor his coffee.

“How was it? The Academy?”

The President poses the question with a smile.

I brought the image of the Academy building to mind.

Then, I answered his question based on what came to mind.

“The facilities are certainly exceptional, which is to be expected from a prestigious academy.”

“Hmm, I didn’t expect you to say that, Mr. Cael. I thought you’d find it significantly lacking compared to the Magic Tower.”

“Well…”

I had no choice.

After all, I installed all the facilities in the Magic Tower myself.

“Anyway, let’s get to the point. Do you have a reason for not rejecting Meria’s proposal? I’m sure you had every opportunity to do so if you had wanted.”

That much is certainly true.

Although Meria seemed to insist, she respected my decision.

So, I had chosen to sit for this interview.

“I accepted the proposal to facilitate interactions with people.”

“Interactions, you say?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, from what I heard, you hardly ever come out of the Magic Tower.”

“That’s… right.”

“Well, you seem to communicate well enough for someone who’s always inside.”

It’s not as if being inside the Magic Tower means I never communicate at all.

“Understood. If so, you can start working from tomorrow.”

“So, I’m hired?”

“Yes. If not you, then who’s going to be the professor?”

“Well, I’m not exactly confident in my teaching abilities.”

“Even so, you can teach the students how to survive on the battlefield, can’t you?”

“Yes, that much isn’t difficult.”

“That’s all that matters. Nothing is as important as that.”

The President said with a smile.

What’s this? This oddly fitting feeling?

“Director, may I ask you a favor for now?”

“Hmm? What is it, Cael?”

“I hope you won’t reveal my identity to others.”

“Ah, I see why.”

Makarov, who promptly understood my intention, nodded his head.

‘It’s obvious that it will be troublesome if my identity is revealed proactively.’

I bet that there will be more than one or two people who will come forward in order to satisfy their own curiosity.

For that reason, it’s far better to keep my identity concealed.

After all, I didn’t come here to boast about who I am.

“Has anyone else been informed before you?”

“You don’t have to worry. No one else knows except for me.”

“That’s a relief. Then, I guess I must go now.”

“Ah! How about a brief tour of the academy before you go? You need to at least know your way around before you start working, right?”

Due to the academy’s vastness, I really should get a proper tour.

I nodded in agreement to his suggestion.

“That’s true indeed.”

“Yes, Nell, Professor!”

After cancelling the soundproof magic he had installed in the room, the director called for Nell who was outside.

Nell then walked in through the door he opened.

“Cael is our new professor, could you please guide him around?”

“Yes, of course. Please follow me.”