Chapter 21: The Secretary and the Desk Corner

Franz tiptoed carefully, making sure his footsteps were silent. 

Somehow, he felt it was necessary to do so.

His steps halted at the door, and his gaze slowly turned towards the narrow gap.

'What? Is she sleeping?'

Through the crack, he could see Arian slumped over her desk, fast asleep.

That meant the voice he'd heard earlier must have been sleep-talking.

'But that voice sounded a bit strange, didn't it...?'

Franz could still hear it clearly in his mind - Arian's excited breathing and that plaintive voice.

He furrowed his brow, then let out a deep sigh. He decided it wasn't right to be suspicious of people.

Especially not Arian, of all people. He should trust her even more.

After all, she had been helping him so much lately.

Having sorted out his thoughts, Franz slowly opened the door and entered.

Just then, another sound escaped Arian's lips.

"Ah, no... not anymore... don't make my tea cold..."

Arian's face was scrunched up as if she were having a nightmare.

As he'd suspected, the voice he'd heard in the hallway must have been her sleep-talking.

But still.

'Was it really that traumatic?'

It was just drinking cold tea, after all.

But seeing her have nightmares about it, it must have been quite shocking to her.

It seemed he'd have to restrain himself for a while.

"Arian, go home if you want to sleep."

Franz tried to wake her up.

Based on his 21st-century modern sensibilities, sleeping hunched over a desk would not only make her neck and back stiff but also prevent her from getting proper rest.

But Arian didn't move an inch. She was like a living corpse.

'Well, she must be exhausted.'

With the Tower Master away, the secretary would have had to work even harder.

So it felt wrong to wake her up.

But leaving her like this also felt wrong.

Hmm.

After some deliberation, Franz decided to let Arian sleep in his room.

It was just past the door from the Tower Master's office, and there was a bed there.

The bed's owner would have to sleep on the couch, but...

That was fine. It was more comfortable to inconvenience himself rather than make someone else uncomfortable.

As Franz's fingers moved in the air, Arian's body, slumped over the desk, gently floated up.

Arian still didn't stir at all. She must have been in an incredibly deep sleep.

Franz entered the room and carefully laid Arian down on the bed.

After covering her with a blanket, he left the room again.

'Now, time to get some sleep.'

He was quite tired after being out for two whole days.

If this had been during his time traveling as the magician of the Hero's party, it would have been nothing.

He wondered if his stamina had weakened considerably.

Franz lay down on the couch, using his robe as a blanket, and tried to sleep.

The corner of the desk was strangely slick and damp, but Franz didn't notice.

He probably wouldn't notice in the future either.

It was Arian's perfect crime.

* * * * *

Creak, thud.

As Franz closed the door and left, Arian carefully opened her eyes.

'I didn't get caught, did I...?'

Arian hadn't been asleep at all.

She had only pretended to be sleeping.

Even the sleep-talking had been deliberate.

She had a feeling Franz might have heard her voice earlier.

'It seems I've fooled him for now...'

But she couldn't be completely at ease.

Franz might have known everything and just pretended not to, worried things would become awkward.

If that were the case...

'Then I might as well die.'

No matter how she thought about it, there was no future.

Haah.

Arian sighed and pulled the blanket up to just below her eyes.

Suddenly, Franz's scent wafted up, enveloping her.

It was as if electricity coursed through her entire body, making her dizzy.

Come to think of it, the pillow, the blanket, the bed - everything around her belonged to Franz.

'This isn't good...'

Arian's night was long and arduous.

* * * * *

As dawn was just breaking in the early morning.

Franz woke up a little earlier than usual.

It had been hard to fall into a deep sleep on the couch, and when sunlight started streaming through the window, his eyes naturally opened.

His body felt stiff, but his mood wasn't too bad.

However, that good mood was short-lived.

'Should I really be like this...?'

Franz's brain naturally started looking for work to do.

Having been swamped with work every day for the past year, he wasn't used to having free time.

The clerks had started to pull their weight now, so things would only get more relaxed from here on out.

Was this what they called workaholism?

They say it's not easy to rest, and that turned out to be true.

To shake off this uneasiness, Franz started brewing tea.

The hot water from the kettle filled the teacup.

It had been a long time since he'd made it himself, as Arian always prepared it for him.

Soon, Franz started enjoying his leisure time, holding a steaming cup of tea.

Hot tea was a luxury for those rich in time, but he thought today would be fine.

That's when it happened.

The tightly closed door opened, and Arian came out of the room.

Franz looked at Arian.

Arian looked at Franz.

Their gazes naturally met.

Franz put down his teacup and said,

"Arian, did you sleep well? I tried to wake you up yesterday, but you wouldn't budge, so I just let you sleep in my room."

"Yes, thank you. I slept well thanks to you. But what are you drinking now...?"

"I woke up early and was having some tea."

"You mean steaming hot tea...?"

Arian's head tilted diagonally, and at the same time, the focus disappeared from her eyes.

It was a scene straight out of a horror movie.

What is she dissatisfied with now...

'Ah...'

Franz belatedly realized.

Arian had been quite shocked by the act of drinking cold tea.

So much so that she even had nightmares about it.

And now, seeing him drink hot tea right in front of her, of course she'd be angry.

"Arian, it's not like that..."

"So my tea was that bad...? To the point where you had to gulp it down in one go just to drink it...?"

Well, that wasn't entirely wrong...

...but saying that would surely hurt Arian's feelings.

So Franz tried to change the subject.

"I brewed this myself. Would you like a cup?"

"...I'll have some."

After a brief pause, Arian sat down next to Franz.

Her lips were protruding about three inches, as if all her discontent had gathered there.

If he didn't resolve this now, it would surely last for at least three days.

Franz took out another teacup and poured tea for Arian.

The steaming tea filled the cup.

"It should be quite good. I might be too lazy to brew tea, but that doesn't mean I can't make it well."

"Come to think of it, this is the first time I've seen the Tower Master brew tea."

Arian picked up the teacup and brought it to her lips delicately.

Then she said softly,

"...It's delicious."

"Right? But I find it too bothersome to do. Could you keep brewing it for me from now on?"

"You're just going to let it get cold again, aren't you?"

"That was because I was busy before. Now we have clerks, and things are more relaxed. Of course I'll drink it hot."

"...If you say so..."

A faint smile spread across Arian's lips.

As if trying to hide it, she brought the teacup to her lips again.

It seemed her mood had improved.

'That's a relief.'

Franz inwardly sighed with relief as he picked up his teacup.

Basking in the sunlight coming through the window.

After enjoying this leisurely moment for a while,

Arian stood up and said,

"Tower Master, thank you for the tea. But I need to go home for a bit."

"Alright, take your time."

"I'll be back quickly."

"If you say so."

With that conversation, Arian left the Tower Master's office.

Franz stared at the tightly closed door after she left, lost in thought.

'Something seems off...'

No matter how he thought about it, Arian's behavior was different from usual.

Normally, she would have frowned and sharply criticized him as soon as their eyes met in the morning, but she didn't do that today.

Not only that, she didn't complain at all about the tea and even complimented it, saying it was delicious.

After finishing, she even thanked him for the tea.

Hmm.

'Well, maybe something good happened to her.'

Since he couldn't think of anything specific, he decided to stop worrying about it.

If it was important, she'd tell him later.

Slurp.

The tea really was excellent.

A little time passed after that.

"I'm back."

True to her word about coming back quickly, Arian returned to the Tower Master's office in no time.

But her attire was different from usual.

More vibrant, perhaps? She definitely looked more dressed up.

Was today really some special day?

As Franz was thinking this,

Arian approached and said,

"Tower Master, um... it seems we're out of tea leaves. Perhaps..."

"Oh, is that so? Go buy some."

Arian's expression gradually hardened.

But isn't that what I hired a secretary for?