You were a silver-core mage. Maybe, You would have noticed details others missed."
She poured wine into his cup, offering him a silent bribe to loosen his tongue.
Brian blinked in surprise, as if jolted by his own forgetfulness. "Now that you mention it, there was someone like that. A boy, with crimson red hair."
The words felt strange leaving his mouth, as if they had been plucked from a part of his memory he had long neglected. He took another swig from his mug, his thoughts sluggishly piecing together fragmented recollections.
"Didn't look more than seventeen," he continued, rubbing his forehead. "Others thought he was a noble, but haha! I don't think so."
The woman sitting across from him tilted her head slightly, observing him with patient curiosity. "And why do you think that?"
Brian let out a dry chuckle, his fingers drumming idly against the worn wooden table. His breath reeked of alcohol, but his words carried an eerie clarity.