Amid the cluster of trees was an old man.


    He had a clock covering his entire body, but that didn''t stop him from being recognizable at all.


    His flowing white hair and long beard leaked out of the hood he wore, and his jolly eyes couldn''t be contained by the hood''s disguise.


    The old man took a step, and then two, ncing around him as if trying to ensure no one was following him.


    Walking in the woods was a good way to traverse the world whole trying to hide one''s identity, but the man''s caution seemed too far-fetched.


    No, in the first ce... who was he?


    "Maya, look at that person?" Kuzon pointed at the bushy bearded old man who stroked his beard as he nced left and right before taking even just a couple of steps.


    He seemed clumsy for an old oaf, but something about him just drew Kuzon in.


    Perhaps that was why he couldn''t look away.


    "T-that''s him! That''s the man with the sleigh! He''s the one you''re looking for?" Maya''s voice suddenly peaked, causing Kuzon to swiftly cover her lips so she wouldn''t make any further noise.


    If someone like the old man was cautious enough to look around him, Maya''s words could have attracted his attention.


    ''We''re not too far from him. Though I wonder why he isn''t just using Sensory Magic.'' Kuzon thought to himself, recoiling from Maya''s words.


    "He''s the mysterious man? The Variant that''s causing the Midas Empire such a headache...?" Kuzon looked at the old man once again and his heart fell.


    ''Really? Him?''


    Sure, the man seemed ''odd'' enough. However, the possibility that he was just an entric old man was certainly high.


    ''I can''t sense any Manaing from him. No Aether too...''


    Nothing in the man''s outfit had any Magical effects, and the fact that he was being so overly cautious while slowing himself down, instead of simply using Sensory Expansion or something, made him doubtful.


    ''I know of the Midas Rule, but you can still perform basic sensory stuff despite it. That''s what I''ve been doing. If he''s truly the enemy of the Midas Race, he should have figured it out...''


    Kuzon mulled over these thoughts, alternating states between Maya and the old man. In all honesty, he was disappointed.


    However...


    ''This is the closest we''ve gotten to solving the case. It wouldn''t hurt to give it a try.''


    Perhaps it was because he now had a contingency in the Midas Empire—or rather, two—Kuzon didn''t feel as anxious or as frustrated as before.


    "We''ll follow him from behind. Let''s see what he''s up to."


    It would be difficult to follow someone''s trail, and stalk from afar, without Magic. However, Kuzon was an expert in that area.


    ''His means of detection are sloppy at best. He won''t be able to catch me.'' He smiled, ncing at Maya.


    "You just have to follow my lead. Don''t do what I wouldn''t do, and don''t stray away from me."


    If this was indeed their guy, Kuzon still wanted to obtain enough information before approaching him.


    ''He seems especially cautious and fritzy.'' With that in mind, he decided it was time to enact his n.


    *


    *


    *


    Kuzon and Maya trailed after the old man for a couple of minutes, traversing the thick Custer of trees, and doing everything they could to stay hidden


    By ensuring they stayed a sufficient distance from him, they maintained their hiddeness. Plus, the little sounds their footsteps made couldn''t travel very far, making it pointless for the old man who tried to see and hear the approach of enemies.


    He looked like an idiot to Kuzon; cing his hand around his ear, or his hand over his eyes.


    ''He won''t be finding us.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    After following him for a while more, they finally slowed down thanks to the old man stopping in a particr ce that even Kuzon didn''t know existed in the forest.


    ''I surveyed this ce, though. Was this always here...?''


    It was a cave.


    This cave was embedded into a massive stone-like boulder, and it was covered with nt-like curtains.


    It was a primitive method, but understandable.


    ''Why is he going to the cave, though. Don''t tell me... it''s his home?!''


    The old man ventured inside, causing curiosity to rise in Kuzon''s chest.


    He couldn''t take the suspense anymore, so he focused his vision so he could see beyond the nt-like curtains, and then into the cave itself.


    ''By circting my energy flow and concentrating it internally, I can do this. I wonder why the old man doesn''t do the same to better sense his vicinity...''


    Since they began observing the old man, the chances that he was the man Kuzon was looking for had fallen drastically.


    At this point, it was mostly out of curiosity that he kept on spying.


    He also had nothing better to do—at least, until recoveredpletely.


    ''Hm? That is...'' Kuzon''s eyes narrowed as he looked at what the old man was doing inside the shallow cave.


    Rather than resting, the old man cleared some of the twigs that seemed to litter the flow, taking away a moss-like carpet too.


    Once those were shifted to the side, something became visible to the old man, and to Kuzon.


    ''... A vault?"


    The metal-like casing, and it''s solid handle made it look like the real deal.


    ''Looks like it isn''t his home, after all.''


    However, that raised her another issue for concern.


    ''What is a shabbily dressed old man doing with a vault like that? Could he be plundering someone else? No. Am I cing too much emphasis on his appearance?''


    ''Maybe he''s in disguise and is the real deal. But, his actions don''t add up.'' Kuzon shook his head as his thoughts shed, trying to focus more on the scenery unfolding before him.


    ''What will you do next, old man?''


    Before Kuzon realized it, the man jumped into the vault, closing it instantly.


    The twigs and carpet miraculously returned to their position to cover the vault,pletely making it the same as before.


    As a spectator, Kuzon was stunned, to say the least.


    ''E-eh...?!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    I wonder who this old fellow is...


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