Chapter 33: The Secretary Obtained the Mage's Handkerchief.

Click-clack—.

Thud—.

In the stillness of the late night, the sounds of two sets of footsteps echoed in tandem.

"...It wasn't teleportation then...?"

Arian asked, stealing a sideways glance, glimpse—, as if checking if he was keeping up beside her.

'Even so, I wouldn't just run away after saying I'd walk her home.'

 The thought that she might distrust him that much made him scratch his head needlessly.

"What, should I have teleported you?"

"Ah, no. Sometimes you need to walk too."

'For someone saying that, she seems to walk to and from work every day...' 

Well, he just had to let it go.

More importantly...

'Is she feeling a bit better?'

Truthfully, the reason he was bothering to walk Arian home was that she hadn't seemed to be in a good mood.

He intended to listen if something was upsetting her and help if there was a problem.

Because worries harbored in the heart, if left unattended, festered and eventually became an illness. That was something he had realized after overcoming several bad ending turning points.

And, when all was said and done, Arian was a precious person to him.

From the time she first entered the Magic Tower until now, as the Tower Master's secretary, hadn't she continuously helped him by his side?

They bickered often, but that was just playful banter.

So, well, to put it simply, that was it.

He couldn't just ignore it when someone precious seemed troubled.

He had to take care of her himself.

"Arian."

"Yes?"

Arian looked towards him and blinked.

He had felt it before they left for the social hall, but she truly had a pretty face.

Franz silently swallowed that sentiment and moved on to the main point.

"You weren't in a good mood today, were you? Why was that?"

"Ah... It's nothing much. It was just... something like that."

Arian smiled awkwardly and shifted her gaze to the sky.

A round moon shone brightly overhead.

A quiet silence began to flow between them once again.

'This is difficult.'

She had to say something for him to listen or resolve it, but if she kept quiet like this, he couldn't do anything.

Of course, there must have been a reason she didn't want to say something.

'Still, I thought we were pretty close.'

When she didn't rely on him like this, it felt like a wall had formed.

He needlessly felt a sense of distance.

The two walked the streets in silence for a while.

The sound of their footsteps echoing in the silence matched strangely well, creating a peculiar atmosphere.

However, that atmosphere didn't last long.

Because at some point, the sound of their footsteps began to fall out of sync.

Not long after that, Arian broke the silence and opened her mouth.

"Actually, you know. I was a bit upset today."

At Arian's words, the tightness in Franz's chest eased.

He had just been wondering what to do, so the timing couldn't have been better.

Anyway, he couldn't let this opportunity slip away vaguely.

"May I ask why?"

Franz spoke as carefully as possible, paying attention to every word and tone.

He wanted to make it as easy for her to talk as possible.

"It's just, well, I dressed up in my own way to go, right? I don't know if the Tower Master noticed."

"I noticed. I even complimented you on being pretty today."

"That's right. You did. But then, as soon as we arrived at the social hall. Didn't you immediately go to another woman? Didn't you leave that woman in my care and leave? Didn't you suddenly bring the Saint...?"

A heavy sigh was mixed into Arian's words.

As if expressing just how upset she had been.

But Franz felt this was unfair too.

It wasn't like he had wanted to do that.

If he had his way, he naturally would have wanted to take care of his partner for the social gathering, but he truly couldn't help it.

"No, that's..."

Just as he was about to say something, Arian continued.

"Yes, I know too. It was something only the Tower Master could do, and acting that way was the right thing. In the end, things worked out well too. That's why I couldn't say anything. Because it was the right thing. I was the one in the wrong."

"...Arian."

"But do you know what I hated even more than that? The Hero was incredible, and the Saint shone brilliantly. Looking at them, then suddenly looking back at myself. Don't you know how pathetic and shabby I felt for being so greedy?"

Moisture began to well up in Arian's voice.

Simultaneously, her eyes grew damp as if tears might spill at any moment.

Franz couldn't say anything.

He could only listen silently.

It wasn't a problem that could be solved by doing anything in the first place.

"The Tower Master has been with people like them all this time, so how must I look? How inadequate must I be? Thinking like that made all my excitement feel foolish..."

In the end, Arian shed tears.

Droplets rolled from her eyes and flowed down her cheeks.

Flustered, Franz hesitated, unsure what to do, then finally sighed and took a handkerchief from his pocket.

"Arian, gaining realization is good, but self-blame isn't. And above all, I don't think you're inadequate."

Franz offered the handkerchief to Arian, and receiving it, she gently dabbed her eyes, wiping away the tears.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do this..."

"It's fine. It's natural to get upset when things don't go your way. Don't worry about it needlessly, and if anything like this happens again, tell me anytime. Well, there's not much I can do, but I'm darn good at listening."

Arian, who had stopped crying at some point, nodded.

Her makeup was smudged, making her face a mess, but he didn't feel like laughing or anything.

Rather, she looked pitiful, making him worry more.

With that, their conversation ended, and the two began walking the streets again.

The atmosphere seemed to have subsided a bit, but contrary to that, their hearts felt at ease.

Their footsteps, which had fallen out of sync, matched well again after pausing briefly and starting to walk. In the quiet stillness, only the sound of their footsteps echoed softly.

How much time had passed like that?

The two stopped in front of a small mansion.

They had arrived in front of Arian's house before they knew it.

"Arian, you went through a lot today."

"Yes, the Tower Master worked hard too."

"Well then, I'm going. Sleep well today, you can come in a bit late tomorrow if you want. If you're really struggling, it's okay to rest a bit too."

It would be tough without Arian, but still, he had hired office workers, so things would manage to roll along somehow.

"I'll come to work as usual."

He hadn't expected her to refuse so flatly.

Well, if that's what she wanted, then so be it.

"Suit yourself then."

Just as Franz finished his farewell and was about to turn away.

"Tower Master."

"Hm?"

"......I'll wash the handkerchief later and return it."

Arian paused briefly before speaking.

Franz didn't know what meaning that hesitation held.

Finally, around the time he had completely turned and his figure disappeared, a low voice flowed from Arian's lips.

"...I love you."

Of course, it was a sentiment Franz would never hear.

Snnf—.

Arian brought Franz's handkerchief to her nose and took a long, deep breath.

Arian's night was long.

* * * * *

How many days have passed since then?

Rumors began to circulate among the nobles.

That Duke Ishtar had been a cultist, that the Hero, the Magician, the Saint, and Princess Freesia had thwarted the cultists' scheme, and so on.

He had figured it would spread eventually anyway, but he hadn't expected it to be this fast.

The nobles who had been at the social hall that day probably boasted about it proudly.

That they had survived the cultists' scheme.

Nobles often treated others' boasts as their own, so they must have done so.

And such rumors naturally reached the Emperor the fastest.

"Tower Master, a letter has arrived from the Imperial Palace."

Arian carefully placed the letter on the table.

The gold wax seal bearing the sun emblem confirmed it was indeed from the Imperial Palace.

'Troublesome.'

It was obvious they would ask him to come to the Imperial Castle and recount the details of the incident.

The problem was the possibility they might assign him other tasks while he was there.

The reward would, with high probability, be the Ishtar duchy, whose master was now gone, and the title of Duke.

Still, that much seemed acceptable.

The positions of Tower Master and Lord of Ester weren't things he could pass down to family.

Since he wouldn't sit in the Tower Master's seat forever, he did need at least one inheritable title.

Franz took a letter opener from the drawer and slit open the envelope.

He took the letter inside in his hand and slowly read it down.

The content was as expected.

Written with difficulty in the aristocratic style of speech, it ultimately demanded he come to the Imperial Castle and reveal the full details of the incident.

"Do you have to go this time too?"

"Well, I suppose so. His Majesty wants to see me."

"Shall I arrange for a carriage then?"

"Yes, it's a bit much to use teleportation all the way to the Imperial Castle. I was supposed to ride the next carriage with you, sorry about that."

"No. The Imperial Castle is a bit... for me too."

Arian showed an openly displeased expression.

Indeed, which noble would want to go to the Imperial Castle?

They only ever got saddled with troublesome tasks.

He would have to go and see just how troublesome it would be.

But who would have known?

That the task would be more troublesome than he could ever imagine.

At least, the Franz of the present did not know.