Chapter 171
“Franz, it was really fun. Let’s go again next time.”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
Franz said his goodbyes to Yuna in front of the Es-teo-ban Ducal Residence.
Turning his gaze away from her as she smiled brightly and waved her hand, Franz snapped his fingers.
“Thanks to you, I had a good experience. If there is an opportunity next time, I would like to join you again.”
“I’ll let you know when I have time.”
“If by any chance Count Genes contacts you, could you let me know? I want to make my own preparations on this end as well.”
It wouldn’t be possible to undo the mistakes of the past, but mending a broken relationship should be possible.
As time passed, Hera had also achieved mental growth.
“Sure.”
Franz left a short reply with a smile, and he immediately snapped his fingers.
The scenery changed from the lush thickets of the Great Forest to the villa, and from the villa to the Serphia Grand Cathedral.
Yustia stood in front of Franz.
“It was fun. It will definitely be an unforgettable moment.”
“I’m glad you had fun.”
The purpose of this trip was the subjugation of the Seven Great Evils and the recovery of the holy relic, but it was also to spend a pleasant time with everyone. It was a vacation in its own right, after all.
Beyond achieving all his goals, he had even gained a pet named Leviathan, so it was a sufficiently beneficial time for Franz as well.
“You do remember that you still have doctrine studies left, right?”
“…If I say I don’t, do I not have to do it?”
“Of course you still have to do it.”
A playful smile spread across Yustia’s lips.
He was annoyed to death by it, so he didn’t know what she found so enjoyable.
However, Franz couldn’t bring himself to complain. Instead of him being tied to the Goddess Church as a Saint, Yustia was the one suffering by traveling back and forth over a long distance.
“Don’t forget to rely on me if anything happens.”
“I haven’t forgotten.”
“Then I’ll be going now. I’m busy since I’ve been away from my post for a long time.”
Yustia smiled and immediately turned to leave.
Franz stared blankly at her retreating back before snapping his fingers.
She was an obstinate woman, as expected. She was a bit unsuited to be called a Saintess.
“Arian, let’s go now.”
Having dropped off all three of them, Arian was the only one left.
The reason he left her for last was that they would be going to the Magic Tower together. There wasn’t any significant meaning to the order.
“Magic Tower Master, can’t we just look at the sea for a moment before we go?”
Arian seemed reluctant to leave Ganiphus.
Honestly speaking, it was no different from whining, but…
“If it’s just for a moment, it’s fine.”
It was rare for Arian to ask for a favor in the first place. She had a personality that always tried to handle things on her own somehow.
Considering her efforts so far, he figured it would be fine once in a while.
Franz immediately headed to the nearby beach with Arian. Wriggling above their heads was a long eel, which was none other than Leviathan.
“I think it was really fun. That’s why I’m just as sad to leave.”
“We can just come again next time.”
“I can consider this a promise, right? We’re definitely coming together next time?”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
It was just going on a trip together. What was the big deal?
It wasn’t a difficult task, so there was no reason to refuse.
Afterwards, Franz walked along the beach with Arian. It was a short coastline, so it didn’t take a very long time.
“Now that we’re going back to our daily lives, I kind of hate it…”
Riding in Franz’s Special Carriage, Arian drooped her shoulders and grumbled.
“I hate it too…”
The Necromancer Association would definitely make unreasonable demands, and the fire-attribute and water-attribute mages would bicker with their pride on the line.
Thinking about having to face those problems as soon as he returned made his head throb for no reason.
‘Still, it can’t be helped.’
Wasn’t that just how people lived? There was probably no one in the world who could live doing only what they wanted.
Even the Emperor ruling the Empire was losing his hair day in and day out, so what more needed to be said?
“Then let’s go.”
Franz immediately snapped his fingers. The carriage that had brought everyone to Ganiphus now held only the two of them and one pet.
A Magic Circle was drawn on the floor, and soon the massive vehicle vanished without a trace.
Eventually arriving at the Magic Tower, Franz took a step forward, slowly observing the atmosphere.
‘Are there no particular problems…?’
It was a situation where the Magic Tower Lord, Franz, and his Secretary, Arian, had vacated their seats at the same time. and for quite a long period. So he naturally assumed there would be problems.
However, contrary to his thoughts, the Magic Tower was surprisingly quiet. It was like the calm before the storm, which made him anxious for no reason.
It was then.
“M-Magic Tower Master?”
Turning his head at the sudden voice, he saw a mage standing there.
His expression was filled with such deep emotion that he looked like he would burst into tears at any moment, leaving Franz feeling puzzled.
‘They aren’t the type of guys to act like this…?’
Didn’t they say that if someone did something they didn’t normally do, it was a bad omen? He wondered if they had all collectively consumed poison or something.
Well, that was just his personal impression, of course.
“Did something happen?”
“The truth is…”
The mage slowly began to lay out the story.
From the Head of the Fire Attribute Magic Association losing to Zenia in a theoretical debate, to Seria, who was working as a clerk, cursing out the mages as incompetent slugs.
He had thought it was the calm before the storm, but it turned out that the storm had already swept through, leaving nothing behind.
“Did those two really do such things…?”
“Yes, so the mages are in an uproar right now.”
Franz sighed inwardly. The children he had taken in out of pity had caused trouble, so the responsibility lay entirely with him.
He would have to speak firmly to the two of them, and apologize to the mages…
“Having been pushed back in skill by such young girls, the students' eyes are burning with determination as they devote themselves to their studies. And even in the midst of that, they are handling all their work perfectly.”
“…I understand for now. Thank you for telling me.”
“Thank you for returning, Magic Tower Master.”
The mage bowed his head politely. Sincerity was evident in his action, so there was no need to ask how he felt.
‘Could it be that I’m not suited for the position of Magic Tower Lord…?’
Franz genuinely thought so as he watched the man’s retreating back. Somehow, it seemed like the Magic Tower ran even better than when he was around.
“I guess it turned out well…?”
Arian was also wearing a sour expression, so it seemed she was just as bewildered.
“It does seem like it turned out well, but… I should still have a talk with those two.”
Even if the result was good, he couldn’t say the process was. As their guardian, he couldn’t just sit still.
Having finished their conversation, Franz headed to the office where the clerks would be working, along with Arian.
“M-Magic Tower Master?!”
“W-Why are you here…?”
The ones surprised to see Franz were none other than the clerks.
Knowing full well how uncomfortable it was to have a higher-up coming and going, Franz rarely visited the office unless it was necessary.
That meant Franz’s visit indicated a situation that was just that unusual.
It wasn’t strange for the clerks to be nervous.
“Everyone, don’t mind me and just continue with your work.”
Saying that, Franz shifted his gaze to Seria and Zenia.
The two were sitting side by side at their desks, doing their work.
“Seria, Zenia, let me see you for a moment.”
The two, who would normally have joked around, obediently followed his words for a change. They even wore quite nervous expressions.
“Magic Tower Master, are you very angry…?”
Arian, who was watching the situation from the side, asked quietly.
He wasn’t particularly angry, nor did he plan to scold them that harshly. However, if he acted leniently even in this situation, he might end up looking like a pushover to them.
For now, he needed to make it seem like he was angry.
“Arian, you get back to work too.”
“Understood…”
Leaving Arian and the clerks behind, Franz exited the office.
Seria and Zenia were following him silently.
“Both of you, sit here.”
Arriving at the Magic Tower Lord’s Office, Franz sat on the sofa and pointed to the one opposite him.
Seria and Zenia scurried over, quickly taking their seats.
He was on the verge of letting out a hollow laugh at how well they were listening, unlike their usual selves.
If only they acted this well normally.
Well, that wasn’t what was important right now.
“I heard a certain story on my way here. But I want to hear your side of it first. What happened?”
He couldn’t judge the situation by only hearing one side of the story. He had to be fair, after all.
Seria and Zenia opened and closed their mouths, looking at each other, before soon beginning their story in low voices.
“T-The truth is…”