For the next three days, Ezio had met the Grand Mages who would suddenly appear wherever he went. They tried to talk to him and convince him that he should return with them to the Magic Tower.
At first, he tried to politely decline them and tried to explain that he did not want to leave. He also told them he was perfectly fine with living in a secluded place like Moonvale.
Ezio explained and thought that they wouldn't approach him anymore but to his annoyance, they persisted. If it was not the man who looked like a pervert with his creepy grins, it would be that woman who tried to kill him and if both of them were gone, the other woman who looked cold will come to him.
The woman, Meliore, as he learned her name through their conversations, was a lot better than the other two. She would talk to him and even tell him of his uncle's great deeds. It was fun but at the end of the day, she was still there to convince him.
"You're frowning again?" Nina came up to the front of the counter that was used to welcome and check-in guests.
Ezio sighed, "That's because they won't let me go! I take it that it was some kind of a task but they've becoming annoying!"
Nina chuckled as she tried to empathize with him but she still laughed after it. "Why don't you ask the master to do something about it? I'm sure that he will help you."
It was a very tempting suggestion but how could he even do that? He already did it once but he had no courage to do it again. He was even turned away but luckily Mr. C was there to help him this the master accepted him.
The door to the inn opened, so Ezio readied himself to greet the guest but only saw a familiar face. The man was smiling at him and even gave a nod to Nina.
"Are you here to convince me too?" Ezio asked in a sharp tone. Astrophos was with those people the last time they visited Vergessen before it burned down.
Astrophos shook his head, "No, I am here to visit and see if you are doing fine, after what happened to the bakeshop."
Ezio frowned at the smile on Astrophos's face, he always felt that the man has been sincere ever since the beginning. He could even say that the mage was different from the others who came to coax him. He was like Meliore in some sense. They felt like good people, but at the same time, he can't be that sure.
"I'm fine and can't you tell those people to stop talking with me. I already told them that I won't be going with them but they are relentless." His frown deepened as he leaned on the counter with his head resting on his palms.
Astrophos actually laughed, "I can't do that. They don't exactly listen to me since they are at a higher rank than I am."
"But you are the person that told them about me, so you should take responsibility," Ezio did not relent and instead put the blame on the man.
"They already knew about you, it was only for confirmation that they asked me. Besides, that person will be backing you, if something went wrong with the Grand Mages." Astrophos shrugged his shoulders and cleared the incident as he did not want the child to hate him more.
Two glasses of juice was suddenly placed in the middle of the two and Nina's pleasant voice pierced through the awkward situation, "I hate to break it to the both of you, but you can't exactly talk here right? What if other guests come?"
Ezio stood straight and gave the woman a sheepish smile with his cheeks turning red. "I'm sorry, don't worry we're already done here."
Astrophos only smiled and took the juice that was served then he looked at the woman, "Can I stay here for a while then? The bakeshop is gone and I don't have any place to go."
"Of course!" Nina clapped her hands then she went on to pat the other's shoulder before leading him to where the couches were. "I'll bring you some snacks as a treat since you are friend of our Ezio."
"He is not my friend! And why are you calling me 'our'?" Ezio shouted from the counter as he clearly heard the woman's statement.
His voice that was filled with indignation and complaint made Nina laugh, so when she was within Ezio's vision, she gave him a wink before she disappeared to the direction of the kitchen.
Ezio ignored the both of them instead he focused on greeting guests. Even though he was not giving them any attention, Nina's laughs were still loud that he could here it and even their conversations would distract him every now and then.
"Alright, you can come visit us again anytime." Nina walked beside the man until they reached the counter.
Astrophos gave Ezio a nod before he left while Nina was waving from the back. Ezio could not help but stare at the grinning woman.
"Is there a problem?" She asked when she saw that he was looking at her direction.
"You really get along well with Astrophos," he could not help but comment.
"Well he's fun to talk with," Nina gave him a grin before she left.
Ezio was left in confusion. He did not understand what the woman was thinking by being all friendly with Astrophos. He immediately shook his head when he realized that his thoughts were going astray. He then returned to his job and focused onn it instead.
Meliore watched as Astrophos left the inn, she was about to go and talk to the child once again but she changed her mind, instead she followed Astrophos.
The man stopped walking when they reached an alley, he then turned around and greeted the woman who was following him.
"What can I do for you, Grand Mage Meliore?" He asked as he hid his expression once again.
Meliore only stared at him for a minute before she answered, "You seemed to be close with Ezio."
It was not a question but a statement. He did not know what the woman was implying, but he needed to be careful.
"No, although I visit him from time to time, he doesn't really like me. He doesn't really like mages," he answered. He knew that they were having a difficult time to convince Ezio, but it was not his problem any longer.
"If he really disliked mages, then why would he agree to stay in that place? That woman is a mage," Meliore asked. If it was really the reason then it doesn't support Astrophos's claim.
The man sighed, "The child was close to his uncle. He was the only family he had. I don't know what Grand Mage Jagan told him but he started to avoid us then it happened. His uncle died and that was because of a mage, a mage sent by the Magic Tower." He paused to let her absorb what he had said. The woman was intelligent and he knew that he understood his meaning.
"Then there would be no way for us to convince him no matter what we do. I understand then." She turned around and left.
Astrophos looked at the spot where she stood before he also disappeared. He must make sure that nothing bad happens to Ezio.
