Chapter 16
I stared blankly at the flawless camera, witnessing for the first time a person manifesting magic right before my eyes.
“Is this what you meant?”
They say the quality of products from this place is guaranteed, and it seemed that was true. Just moments ago, I’d been inwardly dismissing him as a weirdo and doubting everything, but now my eyes widened in astonishment. It was a surprise so profound it felt like faith was blooming where none had existed before.
Honestly, I hadn’t even considered that the item would be ready today. There were so many wild rumors about the Magic Tower, after all.
So, I hadn’t gotten my hopes up at all… And yet, here the thing was, already prepared!
All those curses calling him a weirdo and a nutcase—I took them back.
In this moment, Noxie shone like my savior.
Noticing my gaze shift in an instant, Noxie watched me with eyes tinged with intrigue, as if observing something fascinating. He asked,
“What’s this for?”
…For photo cards.
“Why?”
After a brief pause, Noxie added belatedly.
“…My superior wants to know.”
Even if I said it was for photo cards, he probably wouldn’t understand anyway. I made up something on the spot.
“To take pictures of the person I like.”
“Ah, you mean that grand duke?”
Noxie mentioned Axel with a perfectly casual expression. I looked at him with slightly surprised eyes. He didn’t seem like the type to care about worldly gossip like that.
Well, if he knew, no need to beat around the bush.
“Yeah. So, how much? Don’t hesitate—just name your price. I’ll pay whatever it takes.”
“Money…”
Hmm… He dragged it out again. His way of speaking was truly infuriating. At this point, I wondered if he was doing it on purpose; if I could, I’d have flicked him on the forehead.
Unable to hold back, I urged him.
“Money?”
“I don’t really need it.”
Noxie flipped my expectations once more with his words.
But mages from the Magic Tower are supposed to be all about the money! Why is he saying he doesn’t need it when I’m offering?
Then, out of nowhere, Noxie said something unexpected.
“I could make it take moving photos too. Want that?”
The moment I heard it, my anger subsided, and my ears perked up.
GIFs too…? Of course I want that!
With every word he said, my mood swung between heaven and hell. Regaining my composure, I asked Noxie. This talent—I had to snag him. From now on, it was negotiation time.
“…Then, what do you want instead of money?”
He seemed to ponder for a moment, then suddenly pointed at me. My eyebrow twitched.
“…?”
“I don’t have any friends.”
He stated the obvious. With that personality, it’d be more surprising if he did have friends.
At that moment, an uneasy premonition flickered through me.
Ah, no way. He’s not about to say we should be friends, is he?
Forgetting that I needed to humor him, I recoiled in horror and replied.
“No thanks.”
Noxie blinked once, then said in his lazy tone, as if it didn’t matter.
“Well, if you don’t want to, can’t be helped.”
Then, the camera floating in the air suddenly blurred and began to fade away. Seeing that, I hurriedly grabbed his wrist.
You coward, using this as blackmail!
“…You should let people finish talking. It’s not that I don’t want to— I do want to be friends with you.”
I tried not to sound pathetic, but I had no choice. I forced the corners of my mouth up, even though they resisted.
“From today, we’re destined best friends.”
I gave him a thumbs-up, swallowing tears of humiliation.
In exchange for becoming friends with Noxie, I safely received the photo card camera.
Actually, the conditions he set were simpler than I’d thought. Whenever the film ran out, I’d come to the Magic Tower myself to replace it. And occasionally meet up with him.
The last part worried me a bit, but he said he wouldn’t ask too often, so I agreed.
That much was fine. After all, if it meant getting a top-quality photo card maker with GIF capabilities, it wasn’t a hard ask.
He said he’d hand over the one that could do moving photos the next time I came to the Magic Tower.
And so, the next day, it was only in the afternoon that I could finally head out to work at Axel’s office. I’d gotten delayed taking selfies in various outfits at home.
Seeing how much time had flown by, I hurriedly prepared to go to the imperial palace.
I made it just in time, an hour before quitting time—a narrow safe. Eager to see Axel even for the remaining hour, I headed to the office, only to run into Xenon standing in front of it.
He was sighing repeatedly.
“Sir Xenon, did something happen?”
“Hah… Ah, Lady Judith, you’re here! It’s nothing much… His Highness is really on edge right now. It seems he’s angry about the agenda meeting from this morning, so please be careful yourself!”
I got chewed out big time today too!! Xenon emphasized the warning once more before leaving.
Standing before the door, I hesitated.
He’s that on edge…?
Wouldn’t going in today just tank my favorability even more?
But the hesitation was brief.
I’d think about it once I was inside.
It’d be a waste of the time I’d spent coming here to just turn back, and besides, I had a lot to deliver to him today, so I had no other choice.
I took a deep breath in front of the door, then burst through and charged in.
“Hello, Your Highness!”
Axel’s pupils, slightly larger than usual, turned toward me. For a split second, they seemed tinged with surprise.
Even after waiting a moment, no response came. I called him again.
“Your Highness?”
“…Weren’t you not coming? I thought you’d given up.”
“Oh, come on, give up? I only said I wasn’t coming yesterday! And there’s still three months left.”
I’d tensed up a bit at Xenon’s warning about him being on edge, but the reply that came was the usual Axel. From what I could see so far, he didn’t seem any different from normal.
Emboldened by that, I armed myself with shamelessness and strode right up to Axel.
“More importantly, Your Highness. Do you know what I brought today?”
“…What is it.”
Rather than being on edge, he seemed even more compliant than usual…
Well, good is good!
Feeling a twinge of curiosity, I pulled out the book I’d prepared. Then, with a beaming smile, I exclaimed.
“Ta-da! A list of 100 questions that lovers often ask each other!”
Or not—it was just 100 questions I’d written that I wanted to ask Axel.
“I should at least know what my future husband likes and dislikes.”
You can do this by our next promised meeting!
Before he could refuse, I deliberately made things chaotic, then swiftly moved to the next step.
I busily rummaged through my peddler’s bag. Then, I pulled out the camera and held it up proudly to show him.
Seeing it, Axel faintly furrowed his brow.
“…A camera?”
“And I’d like to take some pictures of Your Highness with this—would that be okay?”
I had to get permission before seriously making photo cards. I couldn’t do something creepy like hiding and snapping photos secretly.
“Is it not okay…? Really…?”
I clasped my hands at my chest and looked up at Axel with wide, pleading eyes.
In that moment, I caught it. Axel’s slight flinch.
As I’d suspected, this man was definitely feeling a bit of guilt toward me from the other day.
If I dug into that, he’d surely allow it.
I didn’t miss the opening. Drooping the corners of my eyes even more, I spoke in the most pitiful tone imaginable.
“Even though the day before yesterday, because of Your Highness, I was hurt and secretly shed tears of sorrow all alone…?”
Of course, that never happened. If anything, I’d been sharpening knives in my heart, not shedding tears.
