Margaret sat on the bench, her gaze filled with sorrow as she looked toward the end of the corridor. Ever since she learned of Mason Wyman's death in battle, she felt as if the sky had collapsed—Old Hoffman had many apprentices, but most of them died on the northern frontline, and some even defected to Chaos.
Mason Wyman was originally Old Hoffman's heir, the new vessel. Margaret broke out in a cold sweat when she first heard about the mission of Colin's sect, the Secret Keepers; fortunately, Colin no longer had to inherit anything.
But when the news of Mason's death arrived, Margaret felt Colin change.
He no longer laughed, nor did he tell jokes to her or anyone else.
She would often see Colin in the hallway, always staring at Mason's portrait. The man with a melancholic expression seemed to have a magical power, as if he was going to snatch Colin away from her.