Tale of a Hedonistic wizard

Chapter 478 - 478: Unrequited old love

The sage's amber eyes widened in recognition, old memories stirring like leaves in an autumn wind."Mother?" He paused, his gaze shifting between Jaegar and Diana, wheels of understanding turning behind those timeless eyes.

Jaegar scrunched his brows, staring at the old man, as he was staring too hard at her.

Then comprehension dawned like sunrise over mountains.

"Ah, yes... it comes back to me now. Augusta had a sister. You are Diana." His voice softened with the weight of old sorrows and remembered losses.

"Angelina mentioned you before, in the days when she still spoke of Augusta without pain clouding her words."

He stepped forward with the motion of a man half his age, extending a hand weathered by years of spell-casting and potion-brewing.

"Forgive my surprise, Lady Diana. I am Sage Eradarin, keeper of the old ways and longtime friend to this house. You are most welcome here."

"You are behaving like you own the house," Jaegar said.

"Ah," Jaegar winced as he was elbowed in his abdomen by his aunt.

"Jaegar, you are being rude," she reprimanded him quickly and then turned to the Sage.

"Don't worry about it, Diana. I don't mind his words."

Diana smiled at him and accepted his hand, feeling the calluses earned through lifetimes of scholarly pursuit and the warm tingle of barely contained arcane energy.

"The honor is mine, Sage Eradarin. Jaegar has spoken of you." Her voice trembled only slightly, betraying her nervousness at meeting such a powerful figure.

Before more pleasantries could be exchanged, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from within the house. Two more figures emerged into the morning light, each as distinctive and formidable as the sage himself.

Bruna appeared first, moving with the movement that marked her dual nature. Though currently in human form, everything about her spoke of barely contained wildness.

Behind her came Ironshade, a figure that seemed carved from living shadow and tempered steel. Tall and broad-shouldered, he moved with the measured stride of a career warrior.

"Jaegar!" Bruna's voice carried the wild joy of her nature.

Ironshade followed more sedately, his warrior's instincts automatically assessing Diana even as he nodded respectfully to Jaegar.

"This is my mother, Diana," Jaegar said, repeating the introductions with patient grace.

"Mom, meet Bruna and Ironshade—these two are the old man's companions."

Diana felt overwhelmed by the sheer presence of these powerful figures.

In her quiet life in the city, magic was never there.

Here, she stood among beings whose very existence rewrote the rules of reality. Yet their greeting was warm, tinged with curiosity but free of judgment.

"A pleasure to meet you," Bruna said.

Ironshade simply nodded, his assessment complete and apparently favorable. "Any blood of the lady Angelina is my friend too."

Bruna's face wrinkled as she turned to him, and so did Jaegar's, wondering what type of greeting it was.

Ironshade had always had the odd way of talking.

Sage Eradarin cleared his throat gently, drawing attention back to more immediate concerns.

"I'm afraid Angelina is not presently in the house. She left early this morning for... pressing matters that required her personal attention. But she should return before evening falls."

They made their way inside, passing through halls lined with art and magical artifacts collected over generations. The great hall opened before them like a grandeur—high vaulted ceilings supported by beams of ancient oak, a massive stone fireplace that could have housed a small dragon, and comfortable furniture arranged in conversational clusters. Tapestries depicting scenes of magical history covered the walls, their enchanted threads shifting subtly to show different moments in the same eternal stories.

The place seemed to have been upgraded since Jaegar's last visit.

As they settled into the overstuffed chairs and sofas arranged around a low table carved from a single piece of wood, Sage Eradarin gestured almost absently toward the doorway.

"Tea, if you would," he called, his voice carrying the authority of someone accustomed to being obeyed.

To Jaegar's surprise, a young woman emerged from what must have been the kitchen, carrying a silver tea service that gleamed with morning light.

She was perhaps twenty-five, with the kind of practical beauty that came from honest work and simple living. Her brown hair was pulled back in a neat bun, and her dress was clean but clearly that of a servant. She moved with efficient grace, setting out cups and saucers with the practiced ease of someone who had performed this ritual countless times.

"Thank you, Meredith," the sage said gently, and the young woman curtsied before withdrawing with downcast eyes.

Jaegar's eyebrows rose in genuine surprise, and he fixed the sage with a look that was both amused and suspicious.

"Servants? Since when does Grandmother need servants?"

The sage's cheeks took on the faintest hint of color, barely visible beneath his silver beard.

He busied himself with pouring tea, the delicate cups looking absurdly small in his large hands. "The house is... larger than it once was. And Angelina, while still formidable, is no longer as young as she pretends to be. I merely... suggested... that perhaps some assistance with the daily management might be beneficial."

Bruna snorted with barely contained laughter, her enhanced hearing picking up the rapid increase in the sage's heartbeat that spoke of emotional discomfort.

"How thoughtful of you, Eradarin. And I'm sure it has nothing to do with wanting reasons to visit more frequently."

"Or ensuring the house runs smoothly in case someone needs to stay here for extended periods," Ironshade added with the ghost of a smile, his usually stern features softening with rare amusement.

"Like you are any better," Bruna scoffed at him.

Ironshade blushed, thinking of what she meant.

Jaegar shook his head, thinking these two are still embarrassed about showing their feelings.

Diana found herself relaxing despite the overwhelming nature of her surroundings.

These legendary figures, for all their power and reputation, were clearly bound by the same ties of friendship and affection that governed ordinary people.

There was something deeply comforting about witnessing the sage's obvious discomfort at being teased about his feelings.