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~Chapter 51~
Diego stared blankly at the rabbit that had disappeared, then spoke in a trembling voice.
“It seems something has happened at the Magic Tower.”
“What happened?” Cecilia asked.
Instead of answering, Diego stood up silently and looked at Astia.
“Excuse me, Young Lady. I hope we can meet again soon.”
Astia could guess that the rabbit she had just seen walking on two legs was a magical messenger.
Ian’s words about the letter Diego had once received echoed in her mind.
[You need to pay an astronomical amount to use the Magic Tower’s messenger. It’s used when you want to exchange letters secretly without anyone knowing.]
So Ian had been right.
But this was the first time she had heard that the magical messenger had an expiration period.
If so, then there wouldn’t really be a reason to spend so much money using it.
“Yes, Duke. I hope things go well for you.”
“Hey. Sorry, but why are you ignoring me?” Cecilia complained.
“I don’t have the energy right now. My apologies.”
Even though Cecilia clearly showed her displeasure at being ignored, Diego left quickly without looking back.
“Do you know what’s going on, Young Lady?” Cecilia asked.
“Well… I’m not really sure.”
Cecilia puffed out her cheeks, but Astia did not explain further.
It was her own way of returning the favor for Diego not talking about the embarrassing things she had done when he was Ruby.
“Still, I’m glad the nuisance is gone!” Cecilia said brightly.
Her mood quickly improved, and she smiled widely.
Astia found Cecilia’s quickly changing emotions cute and let out a small laugh without realizing it.
The Magic Tower
Deputy Tower Master Alves was holding his head in frustration over the sudden situation.
“This makes no sense! The first person to use the magical messenger appears and this kind of error happens? Impossible!”
He pulled at his already thinning hair and shouted.
“If Ian finds out about this, I’m as good as dead!”
Recently, Alves had experienced something strange.
After carefully following Ian’s advice and continuing his research, he had successfully created a perfect magical messenger.
He was so happy.
He started selling it, promoting it as a way to secretly exchange letters, but no one bought it for a long time.
That was only natural.
The price was so huge that only the imperial palace could afford it. Ordinary nobles could not even consider using it.
So Alves changed the policy. If someone bought it once, ownership would be transferred for life through a contract.
Then, as if someone had been waiting, a buyer finally appeared.
The contract was completed smoothly, and the magical messenger was sold to an anonymous buyer. It seemed to be working perfectly.
But then, suddenly, the ownership was cut off.
He still didn’t know who the buyer was, but just imagining how furious they would be made him feel dizzy.
‘I didn’t do anything! How could the ownership be cut off?’
The only possible explanation was that the buyer had ended it themselves.
But that didn’t make sense.
Who in their right mind would pay such an enormous amount and then cancel it?
So Alves had been analyzing the magical messenger that returned to the tower, staying up all night.
“I really don’t know… Should I refund the amount except for the usage period…?”
At least, the buyer had not come to the tower yet.
That could mean the situation wasn’t serious enough for them to reveal their identity, and that made Alves feel a little relieved.
“I should keep this a secret from Ian…”
“What are you talking about?”
“Eek!”
Startled by the sudden voice behind him, Alves accidentally threw the magical messenger into the air.
“You must have a lot of money if you can throw something like that away so easily.”
“N-no, Ian!”
Ian smiled slightly and used magic to lift the rabbit-shaped messenger before it hit the ground.
“Now that I look at it, I don’t like the design either. It looks too much like that guy.”
“…Pardon?”
“Alves.”
Alves rolled his eyes nervously, watching his superior’s expression.
Ian looked like he might tear the magical messenger apart at any moment. His golden eyes shone strangely.
“Destroy the magical messenger.”
“W-what?!”
“I personally cut off the ownership. So don’t worry.”
“R-really…?”
“Yes.”
Alves almost fainted from shock.
Ian himself had cut off the ownership. Ian, who normally didn’t care about the Magic Tower at all.
He had no idea what Ian was thinking.
“If the buyer finds out…” Alves muttered.
“Isn’t that against the rules? No matter how skilled you are, this is a contract with a customer—”
“Enough. Take this and research it.”
Ian handed him a glass bottle filled with dark red mist and a broken crystal ball from subspace.
“This is evidence from a murder case that happened in the back alleys. You should handle it. Restore the crystal ball and track it.”
“Y-yes! I’ll do it as soon as possible!”
“Good. Now leave.”
“Then what about the magical messenger—”
Before Alves could finish, Ian used magic to forcibly throw him out.
“My lab is here, where am I supposed to— Aah!”
Ignoring his cries outside, Ian calmly sat down and picked up the rabbit-shaped messenger.
“Hmm… a magical messenger…”
He stared quietly at the rabbit that looked similar to Ruby.
The image of Astia smiling as she hugged Ruby when she was a child came to his mind, and he bit his lip tightly.
He had thought something was strange back then… and now he knew.
Ruby had been Diego.
He had noticed because the wave of magical power he felt from Diego was similar.
And Diego had even used a magical messenger to secretly exchange letters with Astia.
That itself wasn’t the real problem.
What bothered Ian was that Diego had been talking to Astia without his permission.
It irritated him more than he expected.
‘Why am I acting like this?’
Ian tried to convince himself that it was just concern for his research subject.
Otherwise, he couldn’t explain this feeling.
“I should make sure the magical messenger can’t be used for a while. And I’ll change its appearance to something more frightening too.”
That way, even if Diego tried to use it again, he wouldn’t be able to so easily.
He had thought of destroying it completely, but decided to show mercy.
If Diego paid more money, he would extend the usage period slightly.
Just then—
Bang!
A noisy commotion could be heard outside.
“Looks like he’s here.”
Ian closed his eyes, crossed his legs, and folded his arms.
“This is my lab! Complaints should be submitted on the first floor—”
Alves desperately tried to stop someone, but it was useless.
Bang!
The door flew open, and red, furious eyes met calm golden ones.
Diego looked shocked for a moment.
The very man who had once threatened Astia when he was Ruby was now sitting there as if he had been waiting.
“Who are you? Where is the Tower Master?”
“I am the Tower Master.”
“What?”
“Did you really think I wouldn’t know?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“That strange trace of magic clinging to you… I knew the moment I saw you.”
Ian slowly stood up and gestured to Alves, whose face had turned pale.
Alves nodded rapidly and hurried out, quietly closing the door.
“It seems we should have a conversation.”
“I’m not in the mood to talk.”
Diego answered coldly as he noticed the rabbit-shaped magical messenger in Ian’s hand.
Ian shrugged, looking amused.
“Then what are you going to do?”
The already tense air grew even heavier.
