Chapter 52

***

Unexpectedly, Micheal was not the only one involved in the ribbons.

‘Oh.’

Jayna, who was wearing a headband with a large ribbon, accidentally ran into Diamide.

“Good Morning, Tower Lord.”

When their gazes met, Jayna politely bowed.

She tried to quickly leave before he would begin to feel uncomfortable. However, she was unable to do so.

It was due to Diamide’s piercing gaze that was directed towards Jayna.

Well, to be exact, his gaze was directed towards the ribbon on the headband she wore.

‘Why are you staring at me? Did I do something wrong?’

Some time had already passed. The presence of the Tower Lord was far too great to ignore.

Jayna was a bit nervous as he had blocked her path, and simply stared at her.

‘Do you think I’m living too extravagantly with the money you’ve given me?’

This, however, was incorrect.

Jayna opened her mouth to clear up the misunderstanding.

“About the jewel on this ribbon… Izren won a duel against a noble and won them. I didn’t buy it with the money given to me by the Tower Lord.”

As Jayna continued with her explanation, Diamide frowned. She then became even more surprised as his expression had previously never changed when she was near.

“I’m not mad at you for wearing a headband with a ribbon on it.”

“Then did I do something that offended you?”

“Why do you think I’m angry with you in the first place?”

You don’t seem to be in a good mood…

Jayna quietened after trying to answer with those words.

‘If not, then what’s the big deal? I’m not a good person to hold a long conversation with.’

Jayna looked at the exit. There was no good in facing the Tower Lord for long periods.

“If not, it’s a relief. Then please excuse me first, I have something I must do.”

Jayna tried to quickly resolve the issue, but unexpectedly, Diamide caught onto her.

“Are you… scared of me?”

She tilted her head. Jayna had no clue why Diamide was asking such a question.

She wasn’t particularly scared of Diamide or anything like that. She was ready to die from the moment she came to the Tower.

But she couldn’t figure out what to say since this was an unexpected question.

Jayna tried to say that she wasn’t, but she was vaguely evasive because she was afraid that she would be easily seen through by the master of the tower.

“Because I’m not good enough to be the conversation partner of the Tower Lord.”

She didn’t say that she was scared, but in the end, Diamide had become uncomfortable.

Jayna bowed her head and scuttled away in front of Dimide.

However, Diamide stood firmly in place even after Jayna left.

‘It seems you’re still afraid of me.’

He was just staring at Jayna because she was wearing a ribbon headband she didn’t usually wear.

He even thought it looked pretty on her. However, it seemed like nothing but a burden to that child.

‘Maybe she needs a bit more time…’

Diamide didn’t realize he’d been looking at Jayna for a long time, so he thought so and walked away.

***

All the wizards resembled their Tower Lord, Diamide, and were extremely neat.

First of all, one of them was extremely wary of outsiders.

Yurika, a maid, was told that she had to settle her room and board at the wizard dormitory.

– You could go outside the tower, but every time… it was impossible.

Yurika closed her mouth, remembering that Jayna was a child. However, from her reaction alone, Jayna could understand that Yurika would be punished if she said something about the tower.

‘The Tower’s security is perfect… Well, that’s how it was able to maintain such a huge organization for so long.’

Jayna was headed towards the road of being sponsored, Yurika thought she was lucky that for the time being, she didn’t need to think about her life.

“It’s a nice day, isn’t it, my lady?”

“I know. The sky’s so blue and clear today.”

The windows of the tower could show various weather and places, but Yurika said it was different from the natural scenery.

“It may just be a feeling of mine.”

Under the warm sun’s light, Jayna ate a fruit sandwich with Yurika.

“Hmm.”

There were so many strawberries between the whipped cream that it felt uncomfortable to eat. It reflected Jayna’s taste.

Jayna enjoyed the sweet taste and stepped inside the tower.

However, unlike the idle Jayna, other wizards seemed extremely preoccupied.

“Salaman’s eyeballs, Neijian horns, Pasrnian leather, this is all we’ve got this month?”

“Funny, what happened to the herbs?”

“The weather in the north was hotter than usual, so we couldn’t meet the demand.”

“Then what about the Alkendra essence I told you to bring?”

“Wasn’t that essence the main cause of the recent explosion?”

The Tower of Wizards was unprecedentedly noisy. Jayna looked at the noisy tower as if it was a market.

“It’s busy because it’s the day wizards restock on supplies needed to study magic.”

Yurika carefully led Jayna inside, saying that wandering around the tower would disturb the wizards.

“Hold my hand tightly because you might run into some wizards.”

Jayna moved cautiously, holding Yurika’s hand, as if she was a toddler.

As they walked past the wizards, something fluttered in the air without the two noticing.

It was a very fine powder, like dust.

Seureureuk.

It permeated Yurika’s body little by little, but the two walked forward without realizing that something was amiss.

***

Knock, knock

There was a knock on Jayna’s door.

“My lady, it’s a surprise treat.”

When Jayna opened the door, she smelt something sweet.

She could see milk tea, cranberry scones and cocoa cookies in Yurika’s smiling hand.

Under the warm sunshine seeping through the window, the milk tea’s steam spread like a haze.

“Put it down. It must be heavy.”

Jayna quickly led Yurika to the sunny table.

Next to a vase of colorful tulips, the two had an impromptu tea time in the afternoon.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, my lady.”

Yurika laughed when she saw Jayna’s cheeks filled up, looking like a cute squirrel.

“Although they’re not as good as Lady Hilvenzia, the chefs themselves are extremely talented.”

“Please tell the chefs that I really do appreciate it.”

The cranberry scones were crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The cocoa cookies didn’t contain too much sugar, so they go well with sweet milk tea.

“But why is there no milk tea for Yurika?”

“The milk tea was brought while keeping the young lady in mind.”

It was Yurika who liked black tea but drank milk tea as well.

‘But I can’t believe she doesn’t like milk tea combined with the other two dishes. As expected, a person’s taste is delicate.’

Jayna convinced herself.

‘In fact, this milk tea is a little too sweet for my taste… although it is delicious.’

Jayna couldn’t tell whether they had put more sugar in, even she felt it was too sweet and thought some undissolved sugar powder was present.

“Thank you for the meal.”

However, Jayna did not show what she felt and put down the teacup with her usual expression. It was all because she didn’t want Yurika to feel embarrassed.

‘I’m glad I’m the only one who drank milk tea.’

I ate lunch and ate a lot more snacks than I thought, so I was full.

Yurika grinned, as if she had noticed that.

“Do you want to take a walk? The upper floors of the tower are very nice.”

“Have you been upstairs before?”

The upper floors were not easily accessible to Jayna or the wizards of the Tower.

When Jayna tilted her head in curiousity, Yurika cracked a strange smile.

“I want to show you something fun.”

“Have you ever gone upstairs?”

But Yurika answered by turning her back.

Before Jayna knew it, it was decided that they would go for a walk.

‘It’s the first time Yurika has been so forceful.’

Yurika, who always asked for her consent, seemed to have badly wanted to go for a walk this time.

“Nyaang.”

Izren, who was dozing off in the afternoon sun, woke up by stretching the unique way cats did.

He then leisurely followed Jayna. He didn’t think he would have to undo the transformation.

Izren has been following her in the form of a cat ever since Charlotte previously kicked him out of the class. He seemed to think that it was a helpful form for escorting someone.

‘That’s how I can help when Jayna is in trouble, although I think it’s generally safe inside the tower.’

Jayna and Yurika left the room and headed up the tower.

A spiral, swirling staircase.

As they went up a few floors, Jayna looked down.

“It’s higher than I thought.”

“The weather is nice, but I thought it would be nice to see the sky on the ceiling of the tower.”

Haven’t I seen enough of the sky before?

But Jayna wasn’t inconsiderate enough to say that out loud.

‘Wouldn’t it be hard to climb up the tower in the form of a cat?’

Jayna glanced back at the Izren who was following her and then turned her head.

As she climbed the stairs without a break, Jayna herself became increasingly out of breath.

However, that was only because she was a dragon, an ordinary child would have been stretched thin by now.

‘Other wizards must fly instead of using the stairs…’

Suddenly, Jayna thought how strange it was that Yurika didn’t look exhausted.

‘Is she all right? It must be hard for ordinary people.’

When Jayna tried to ask Yurika if she was having a hard time, Yurika looked back at her with a strange smile.

“The sky, can you see it well?”

Jayna looked at the ceiling of the tower, which Yurika pointed to.

As they came high up, she was able to see the sky a bit better, but even though the tower was so high up, it wasn’t much different from the view from the ground.

“That’s too bad. I wanted to show you a better view because it would be the last time you’d see it.”

And with those words, Yurika rushed to Jayna and grabbed her by the collar.

Duck!

It was a sudden attack. But it wasn’t just that.

It was hard for Jayna to catch up with what was happening.

And no matter how young she is, she somehow has the strength to lift Jayna with a single hand.

“Eup…”

Jayna was suffocated by the hand that was holding her by the collar. Yurika’s unfamiliar smile was seen through the blurring vision.

‘…It’s not Yurika.’

She already had a hunch that was the case, but now that she was being strangled, Jayna was helpless.

It was then.

“My lady!”

Izren, who had been in the form of a cat, released his transformation and rushed toward Yurika.