Knock… Knock.
Someone knocked on the door. After the first knock, there was a short pause, but then another knock sounded.
Inside the well-lit study, Karl-Michael took off his reading glasses, put them down on the desk, and turned his gaze over to the closed door.
"You may enter."
The door opened, and a gray-haired man entered, wearing a long gray cloak with a conical hat with a wide brim.
He looked like a classic wizard straight out of a storybook.
"Brother." Merlin rubbed his lengthy beard.
"You found anything about this Kiernan kid?" Karl-Michael asked.
"Well, as much as I could in only an hour." Merlin said. "He is from New Rakuya, Irio."
"I don't know that country." Karl-Michael said. "A small one?"
"Tier 4."
"Hmph." Karl-Michael shook his head. "That kid must be talentless then."
"Well, I don't really know." Merlin said.
"He participated in that country's nationals and reached the quarterfinals with his school. He is his school's ace.
