Chapter 80
“Yes. The Tower Master usually stays only on the very top floor. No one except Eden is allowed up there.”
That made no sense. Then what about the pink-haired guy’s romance?
Was the world really discriminating against our Ren oppa just because he was the sub-male lead?
Even though this world no longer followed the original story to the letter, some things still unfolded exactly the same.
One of those was Summer coming to collaborate with the Magic Tower.
Unless Alferen was deliberately avoiding her, there was no way they wouldn’t run into each other.
‘Wait. Could Ren oppa actually be…?’
A sudden, ominous thought slammed into me.
Alferen could conceal his presence as easily as he breathed.
If he truly set his mind to hiding, most people would never find him.
In the original novel, hadn’t he quietly helped Summer from the shadows and then let Adrian take all the credit?
‘But that only happened after he learned Adrian liked her.’
In the current situation, he had no reason to avoid Summer.
‘So what is this oppa doing, ignoring a table that’s already been perfectly set for him?’
I had worked so hard to arrange everything, yet Alferen showed not the slightest interest. It was beyond frustrating.
‘If you’ve reunited in such a fateful way, at least do something. All that advice about lingering around the person you like—where did it all go?’
It was painfully clear that he needed coaching, and badly.
‘He’ll see Adrian again at the Crown Prince’s upcoming birthday banquet. Is he really going to let her slip away like an idiot and regret it later?’
Alferen had always lacked ambition—far too much.
I used to dismiss it, thinking it was simply because he had been born with everything.
But now I knew better. He had never even been given the time to consider what he truly wanted.
The countless obligations that came with the name of the magical noble house Ainluk had chained him down.
Every moment of his life was spent balanced on a knife’s edge.
It had grown even more precarious after his father—the sturdy shield that had always protected him—collapsed.
‘Show any weakness and you’ll be torn apart. Strong or weak, you have to appear strong no matter what.’
‘The only time I could let myself be weak was when I was with you.’
My heart had ached so fiercely when he said that the most peaceful moments of his life were the ones spent playing with his friend’s little sister.
That was why he had been so maddeningly passive in the original story.
He was someone so pitiful, so heartbreakingly trapped, that I couldn’t bear not to help him.
Lost in these thoughts, I fell silent for a long while.
“Um…”
Summer fidgeted with her empty cup before continuing.
“Will Young Lord Adrian be attending the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet this time?”
The shy question left me stunned. Why was our family’s orangutan coming out of her mouth?
The Peris family had always been part of the imperial faction and one of the leading houses supporting the current Crown Prince.
In the original novel, the banquet was where Summer and Adrian met, so barring any major changes, they were destined to cross paths.
‘But why is Summer asking about my brother?’
My romance-novel-reader instincts flared with foreboding.
“Do you happen to know my brother?”
“Ah, well… I saw him once at the Magic Tower before. After that, we’ve run into each other from time to time…”
Summer’s lips trembled slightly as her cheeks flushed. The atmosphere alone told me something had gone terribly, catastrophically wrong.
‘This is strange. It’s not time for oppa and Summer to be meeting yet.’
So why was she bringing up my brother to me with that expression?
It felt exactly like someone trying to pry information from the younger sister of the man she had a crush on.
What on earth had happened while I was off the original rails?
Questions swirled in my mind as I tried to decide where to even begin.
“Lady Delly, I’m so sorry I’m late! I dozed off halfway and—”
Eden’s sudden intrusion cut off any chance of pressing her further about Adrian.
Summer, who had seemed about to say more, jumped in surprise and shot to her feet.
“I-I’ve overstayed my welcome. Please, enjoy your conversation!”
I stared blankly as she hurried out of the laboratory.
‘Why does she keep blushing like that? She looks exactly like someone nursing a crush!’
I had placed her in the Magic Tower so things would work out with Alferen, yet somehow only Adrian was reaping the benefits.
‘No—this can’t actually be happening.’
I clutched my head in confusion as Eden spoke with grave seriousness.
“You succeeded in awakening the Beastmaster’s stone.”
Only then did I remember why I had come to the Magic Tower and pushed thoughts of Summer aside.
“Yes. I happened to get a crucial hint from a Magia member. Thanks to that, it’s no exaggeration to say I’ve fully awakened.”
“So you had a plan all along. I was wondering why you joined some club I’d never even heard of.”
“That’s my club you’re talking about. A bit harsh, don’t you think?”
“Ahem. My apologies.”
Eden pushed his glasses up and rolled his eyes.
“Honestly, I never imagined you’d actually succeed. I only passed the information along because I was grasping at straws.”
“I didn’t expect it myself.”
A moment later, Eden asked with a tense expression,
“So… do you think it’s possible?”
“I haven’t tried yet, but I’m fairly confident. The fairy I contracted with said it can be done.”
More precisely, she had snapped that it was easier than breathing.
Eden’s face lit up at the news.
“That’s wonderful to hear. Actually, the Tower Master has been buried in experiments these past few days, so I was worried the two of you had fought. I was immensely relieved when you contacted me.”
“We didn’t fight. We broke up.”
“Yes, I was afraid that if you broke up, you might decide to step away from this experiment— Wait. You broke up?!”
Eden had been speaking smoothly until his eyes widened in shock. He pushed his slipping glasses back up and cried,
“I don’t know what happened, but please—don’t abandon our Tower Master!”
His voice boomed through the laboratory. It was the first time I had ever heard Eden raise his voice.
Feeling oddly unsettled, I muttered under my breath,
“Normally, wouldn’t you side with your boss rather than his lover whom you barely know?”
What was so special about Alferen that he was reacting like this?
Even though our fake relationship had ended, my feelings for him hadn’t changed, so Eden’s attitude grated on me.
Oblivious to my irritation, Eden kept talking.
“That would be true if our Tower Master were acting normal. No wonder he’s been like walking on thin ice these past few days. This is all because of you, Lady Rodellia!”
Hey—why are you blaming me?
Suddenly turning on me, Eden unleashed a rapid-fire litany of Alferen’s recent offenses.
In short, he had been so absorbed in work that the magicians in the tower were being ground to dust.
“Please, think of it as saving lives and take him back.”
“I’m sorry. It was a mutual decision. Still, I intend to cooperate with awakening Lord Deven. Have you spoken to Alferen about it?”
“Not yet. Actually, I asked you behind the Tower Master’s back. I was planning to pass the message through you once it was confirmed, but now… I suppose I’ll have to tell him myself.”
Is that really what you’re most worried about right now?
I shook my head at Eden’s strangely misplaced concern.
“As you can see, things are awkward between Alferen and me, so I’m afraid you’ll have to step up.”
“Ugh. So heartless. You have no idea how terrifying the Tower Master has been lately. Save the poor, innocent magicians.”
Eden must have gone days without proper sleep.
He was rambling far more than usual; he looked truly exhausted.
“Before we go to Lord Deven, could you procure some of the Ice Dragon’s glacier? I’d feel more at ease if I could confirm it’s possible first.”
“Of course, of course. I’ll ask the Tower Master. Only he has access to the Ice Dragon’s remains.”
There was still plenty of time, so there was no need to rush Eden.
“Understood. Let me know once it’s decided.”
As our conversation ended and I rose to leave, I asked casually,
“By the way, isn’t Miss Summer also conducting research related to this project?”
