Chapter 224
After finishing my preparations in my own way, I entered the Magic Tower, but I was immediately hit with the urge to leave. As soon as I stepped into the lobby, the gazes of the nearby wizards were all fixated on me. Honestly, it was a bit terrifying.
And how they knew, I’ll never understand, but from the top of the stairs, the Senior Manager came rushing down.
“Executive Manager!”
He was even calling for me in a somewhat desperate manner.
I’m scared. Younger than the Marcilio, but in human terms, he’s definitely a veteran wizard. The Senior Manager is characterized by his lofty demeanor and calmness fitting for his age. Yet, seeing him rush over in front of others was alarming.
‘This is bad.’
I instinctively knew something was off. The second-in-command of the Magic Tower had thrown away his dignity over an urgent situation.
Of course, it means that the eternally indestructible top boss is in an abnormal state.
“It’s been a while, Senior Manager.”
“Yes, it has been. Now, let’s discuss this as we walk.”
Despite my greeting, the Senior Manager barely acknowledged it and hurriedly guided me.
The more he hastened, the more my instincts screamed that the Marcilio’s condition was far from normal.
“…Is the Marcilio doing well?”
With the attitude of “be careful what you say, lest you get hit,” I cautiously inquired about the Marcilio’s state, prompting the Senior Manager to look at me as if I had spoken wisely.
How unfair. I only calmed the lady consumed by inferiority.
“I hear some intriguing news lately, which seems to be affecting the Marcilio’s ability to focus on work as well.”
His attempt to sugarcoat the situation failed spectacularly. So, he’s unable to focus on his duties to that extent, huh?
I gently shut my eyes. If the calm and easygoing Marcilio couldn’t carry out his responsibilities, then the flames of rage burning in his heart must be fierce.
“It’s unfortunate that the Marcilio seems disturbed.”
If I had known it’d come to this, I should have immediately rushed over to the Capitol when the Wise Duke mentioned it. Instead of dragging it out, I ended up triggering the Marcilio’s tension.
Of course, I regretted nothing about giving Marghetta the ring, but if it had been done in the proper order, such disturbances wouldn’t have occurred.
‘No need for it, but…’
In reality, the confession was made unilaterally by the Marcilio; I didn’t even know why he liked me. He had himself mentioned waiting until the New Year’s Ball, so I shouldn’t feel obligated to sneak glances at him.
Still, isn’t it true that I’ve received many favors from the Marcilio? Although things have been awkward and uncomfortable since the confession, the kindness shown hasn’t disappeared.
Moreover, what might happen if the Duke’s temper spiraled out of control also frightened me.
“The situation isn’t as serious as you worry.”
Just as I was imagining the Marcilio turning into a dark being, I received an unexpected reply.
‘Not as serious as I worried?’
But if he couldn’t properly conduct his work, isn’t it serious?
In response to my doubtful gaze, the Senior Manager sighed lightly and shook his head.
“Lately, the top boss has been spending longer periods of time in a daze. He sometimes walks into walls and even misplaces documents.”
“Yes?”
What’s that? Those symptoms don’t sound so major.
“Sometimes he spills ink, and he even casts spells to the point of triggering activation while mumbling his incantations.”
“Is that so…”
“Yes. They may seem like trifles, but seeing the top boss in such a state is a first for us.”
I nodded numbly at the Senior Manager, who was chuckling lightly.
‘How trivial.’
Too trivial. I had envisioned a scene where a chilling aura engulfed the entire tower, or the furious Marcilio upending everything.
But hearing the Senior Manager’s account, it wasn’t nearly as troubling as I had feared. It felt more like he was sulking than in an uproar. The chaos in the tower seemed more about the unexpected behavior of a superior rather than the fear of an angry boss.
‘It’s better than I thought.’
Thanks to that, there was hope. If the Marcilio wasn’t in a rage but merely feeling glum, then handling the situation would be straightforward. All I had to do was cheer him up and hang out with him.
– Nephew, if you feel like the Marcilio is dragging you along, make the first strike! He’ll be delighted then.
And then, the Wise Duke’s advice came to mind.
I acknowledge it’s too late now. The best time to follow advice is when you first hear it.
But it wasn’t too late to salvage the situation. It might not yield a 100% success, but I could at least manage 60-70%.
‘Make the first strike.’
Only when the fire was lit beneath me did I see the advantageous route ahead. With the Marcilio being an overwhelming presence with his status and experience, in a typical circumstance, I’d naturally get swept along.
‘But this isn’t a typical situation.’
For reasons I don’t know, but the Marcilio seems fond of me now. Meanwhile, I haven’t replied to the Marcilio at all.
The knowledge that I hold a weapon that could flip our hierarchical relationship is firmly in my grasp.
…Using love as a weapon feels a bit disgusting, but when dealing with a Duke, I’ve got to have at least this kind of edge.
“I’ll be on my way now. The top boss has dismissed everyone else.”
Before I knew it, I had arrived in front of the Senior Manager’s office, and he said that hurriedly as he slipped away. He seemed to want to avoid any trouble being near.
Watching him, a twinge of anxiety rose.
‘This is alright, right?’
The Senior Manager had indeed said it wasn’t as bad as I worried. I don’t think he’d lied, but seeing him scurry away like that made me uneasy.
No, I’ll trust the Senior Manager. There’s no way the second-in-command of the Magic Tower would lie to some kid anyway.
‘Make the move.’
I took a deep breath and grabbed the doorknob to the top boss’s office.
I’m going in first. I need to take the lead and assert control over the situation with the Marcilio.
“Your Highness, I’m coming in.”
With that in mind, I swung the door open without knocking.
Honestly, I still don’t quite know what “make the first move” entails, but I’ll just dive right in.
After all, I’m connected to the Wise Duke by lineage. I must have some piece of that wisdom flowing through me.
Wise Duke, lend me your strength!
Although we’re not blood relatives, please!
*
Lately, I’ve been feeling sluggish and my head has been foggy. This is the first time since my parents passed away that I’ve felt this way.
I know the reason. I’m not oblivious to that extent.
‘The ring.’
I found myself glancing at my left hand without thinking. Of course, looking wouldn’t conjure something from nothing.
An unadorned hand. A plain, ordinary hand with nothing special.
‘…The ring.’
A word that keeps circling in my mind. Since I first heard the news, it’s a term that hasn’t escaped my thoughts.
‘I envy her.’
That’s the only thought I could muster. I envy Marghetta more than anyone in this world.
Receiving a ring from your beloved, what must that feel like? There surely isn’t any happiness that could compare.
I’m so envious. I want to run to her right now, extend my hand, and circle around asking to have one put on my finger too.
But I couldn’t do that.
‘We’re not anything special yet.’
I bit my lip slightly. Right, despite the overflowing love I feel, Marghetta and I still share no relationship.
I still haven’t received any response from her. I planned on waiting until the New Year’s Ball to give her the time to sort things out, so I couldn’t press for an answer.
Thus, I have no right to receive a ring from her.
‘Should I have waited unnecessarily?’
The day I revealed my feelings to Marghetta, I could have pushed harder and made progress.
However, I quickly shook my head, dismissing that thought. No, that wouldn’t have been right. Doing so would only have confused Marghetta. She wouldn’t have been able to provide the answer clearly.
Exactly, it must have been like that. So, investing time and giving space from Marghetta was indeed the right choice.
‘It was for Marghetta’s sake.’
I forced myself to find comfort in that. It was a choice for nothing less than Marghetta’s sake.
But still, I couldn’t hide my forlorn feelings. Not being able to see Marghetta was sad enough, but hearing that she gave a ring to another girl only aggravated those feelings.
At the very least, if I could see Marghetta, I’d be able to ease my heart a little—
“Your Highness, I’m coming in.”
—But…
“Long time no see, Your Highness.”
The sudden opening of the door and the greeting that followed left me blinking in confusion.
This was disarray. It was the first time that door had opened without my permission. Moreover, standing before me was someone who shouldn’t be here at all.
My eyes couldn’t comprehend what I was seeing. In that confusion, I didn’t say a word, and Marghetta, with a slight smile, broke the silence.
“Did I perhaps interrupt? If so, I can leave—”
“No, no, not at all.”
Finally regaining my senses.
Interrupt? If it’s Marghetta, she can come whenever. Even if she shows up when I’m busy, just seeing her gives me the strength to power through.
“I’m relieved. After all, if I took the time to come, it would have been disappointing if you were busy.”
Seeing Marghetta smile so casually made me feel aggrieved. I had been desperate to catch a glimpse of her.
But knowing she came specifically to see me filled my heart with joy.
“To nurture the same feelings as you, I believe I should see you often.”
Yet, her next words froze my mind.
“Love is a process of getting to know each other, after all.”
I felt dazed by that, a different kind of shock than before.
I couldn’t get a hold of myself. Ever since Marghetta appeared, I had been at a loss.
“The Senior Manager has been quite worried about you, Your Highness. He mentioned that you seem to be suffering from fatigue these days. I would be heartbroken if something happened to you.”
Marghetta, usually so passive, was now tackling the topic head-on.
“Though it may be of no use to you, this is simply my humble gesture.”
Marghetta pulled out a white comb and presented it as her gift.
“Please don’t refuse it. Between us, such a gesture is no big deal, is it?”
Words that Marghetta would normally never say, absolutely not.
I felt confused. Even one of these situations would baffle me, and now I was grappling with them back-to-back, barely able to catch a breath.
I hadn’t been able to open my mouth. Simply responding to Marghetta’s words and nodding in acknowledgment was all I managed. Each time I did that, Marghetta appeared to take advantage, saying even sweeter, even bolder things.
One could say it was a bit of mockery towards the Duke. While it might appear as though she was disregarding the Duke—
‘Actually, I like it.’
I found my heart racing at seeing Marghetta behave so casually around the Duke. She felt like the Duke’s partner.
I struggled to suppress my impulse to smile and tried to regain the conversational control to speak, but my heart resisted. I feared that if I overturned this situation, I might never feel this kind of happiness again.
“I’m glad I came to greet you. If I had waited until the New Year’s Ball, I would have felt lonely not seeing you in the meantime.”
“R- really?”
Seeing Marghetta smile eventually made my lips curve up too.
*
From this day onward, the Wise Duke and I shall become one. Indeed, the Wise Duke’s lamentable drinking capacity must be the result of Enen’s debuff suppressing his wisdom.
In the hour since I stepped into the top boss’s office, everything had proceeded without a hitch in the conversation.
– Nephew, if you feel like the Marcilio is dragging you along, make the first strike! He’ll be delighted and collapse with happiness.
‘It was true.’
While I was unsure if what I was doing counted as making a strike, seeing the results confirmed it had to be right.
The Marcilio was entirely just responding to my remarks. Who would think of this person as the symbol of wisdom?
“It’s already so late.”
Having confirmed my satisfying accomplishments, it was about time to pack things up. I couldn’t remain at the Capitol forever, after all.
“I should head back now.”
“Oh, I see. Time truly flies…”
The Marcilio’s perky ears drooped down weakly.
“Then I’ll be visiting again soon. My time is short in comparison to yours, so I must see you as often as possible.”
As I said this, a small smile formed on Marghetta’s face. Now that I had seen her today, I felt reassured. While I was sorting out my feelings regarding the Marcilio’s confession, I wouldn’t find myself’dragged along by the Marcilio’s pace.
Therefore, just seeing the Marcilio would not be challenging. Instead, by seeing him often, I could build up affection, which would aid my decisions.
“Don’t worry about that. Your time will become the same as mine.”
At my words, the Marcilio’s ears perked up again, and he opened his mouth, his face slightly flushed.
But what does that even mean? To become the same as mine?
‘…Is it because of mixed blood that the lifespan is short?’
Suddenly, that thought popped into my head. If that were the case, there’s no way the Marcilio’s life could be equal to mine.
“Your Highness, you’ll still live for hundreds of years after 40 years have passed, right?”
…?
The Marcilio spoke with an excited expression.
But while his face brightened, my mind was rapidly cooling down.
“Your Highness.”
Opening my mouth even made me flinch. Even I could tell my voice had dropped.
But I couldn’t stop here. This was something I needed to confirm.
“What do you mean by that?”
Me, living for hundreds of years? What kind of nonsense is that?
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