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Chapter 20
Maybe because he was tired, Felix’s usually feeble mana core suddenly began pulsing wildly — thump, thump.
Before he knew it, he reached out his hand.
Just as he was about to pull Frisia into his arms—
“Ugh! Where do you think you’re touching?!”
Smack!
With a sharp motion, Frisia slapped his hand away.
Felix stared at her in disbelief as she glared at him.
What the… Did she just push me away?
“If you don’t have compensation money ready, don’t even talk to me. What’s wrong with you all of a sudden? Ugh, so annoying…”
Frisia shuddered as if she’d brushed against something filthy, muttered coldly, then spun on her heel and walked away.
Felix was left frozen, still in the same position she’d shoved him into.
“Felix…?”
He could feel his friends’ horrified gazes.
“What was that just now? Did Frisia actually push him away?”
“I thought she was the one chasing after Felix?”
He could hear them whispering.
He’d just been humiliated — in front of everyone.
And not by anyone, but by Frisia!
Felix’s face flushed bright red.
“Ahem. A bit of a tantrum… Well, I guess that kind of attitude can be refreshing and cute, in its own way.”
“……”
“……”
His excuses did nothing to erase his friends’ bewildered looks.
Trying to keep a composed face, Felix ground his teeth inwardly.
You dare treat me like this…?
He knew very well what kind of situation Frisia was in now.
After her uncle had stolen her family estate, she’d even lost her position as lady of the Rohaim household. She had nowhere to go.
The Tower Master’s secretary, huh? Hah. Do you really think he’ll keep you around once you’re nothing more than a penniless commoner without a family name?
Crack.
Felix clenched his jaw until it ached.
[Ugh! That lunatic! Waiting in ambush on the street and suddenly jumping out like that! My benefactor almost had her magic stolen again!]
I know, right? I can’t believe he actually tried that in broad daylight, in front of people!
Seriously, I’ve seen all kinds of crazy, but that took the cake.
Just remembering Felix’s sunken, hungry face as he’d reached toward me like some starved zombie made chills run down my spine.
And to think I used to find that face handsome. I really must’ve been out of my mind.
Still, I reacted fast, didn’t I?
[Yes! You dodged like lightning! You’re improving so fast, I’m worried you won’t need Pipi much longer!]
Oh, come on, that’ll never happen. If you hadn’t shouted for me to dodge just now, I’d have been a second too late.
[Pipi’s glad to be of help!]
Exchanging cheerful words with Pipi, I kept walking toward my original destination — staying alert this time, unlike before.
Now that I knew Felix could steal my magic through physical contact, I couldn’t let him so much as brush against a hair on my head.
Before long, I arrived at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The building bustled with a moderate crowd as I strode confidently toward the front reception desk.
“Excuse me! Where can I sign up for ‘Be Mine! The Heart-Pounding Youth Dating Campaign’?”
Every eye in the lobby turned to stare at me.
Sarah Benwood, administrative officer of the Population Growth Department, sat at her empty desk with her head in her hands.
“These are all the applications we got today…?”
The government-sponsored dating program she was overseeing this time was on the verge of being canceled for lack of participants.
Even though it promised a hefty financial reward for couples who went on to marry, there wasn’t much public interest at all.
Honestly, I wouldn’t sign up either…
A state-run matchmaking event sounded like something only hopeless singles would join.
Still, what could she do? This entire project had been the Empress’s personal idea.
[Be Mine! ~The Heart-Pounding Youth Dating Campaign~]
Just glancing at the banner by the entrance made Sarah’s face twist in dismay.
Even the name was awful!
But of course, that too had come from the Empress.
Sarah secretly wished the Empress would act more like the typical “evil empress” from novels — someone who ignored politics and just indulged in luxury.
They say a hardworking but incompetent boss is the worst kind of disaster…
The young Empress was earnest about her work, but utterly lacking in sense.
Still, orders were orders.
If she wanted a promotion, Sarah had no choice but to make this horribly named, hopeless project a success somehow.
But as expected, the turnout was pitiful.
If anything, the more they advertised it, the fewer applicants they got.
At this rate, she’d have to sign up for the event herself just to meet the minimum participant count.
And the few people who did show up were… well.
“U-um, does this really mean the government will marry us off? A-and can I pick my partner from photos? I’m kinda picky about looks…”
“Can I come with my mom?”
She could only sigh.
And today was the final day for applications.
Once again, there were none.
“Haa… There goes my promotion…”
Sarah slumped onto her desk in despair.
Then—
“Ma’am, a new application just came in!”
Oh?
The first one today!
Sarah sprang up and grabbed the form.
The first thing her eyes went to was the occupation field.
“Occupation… Wow, ‘Secretary to the Tower Master’?”
What an impressive résumé!
If someone like this joined, maybe the program would finally get some attention!
Heart pounding, Sarah eagerly looked further down the form.
But when she saw the applicant’s photo, her excitement instantly deflated.
Messy hair, eyes barely visible behind ugly glasses… yikes.
Of course. Attractive people wouldn’t sign up for something this lame.
“Well, still — thank you for applying. Really, you’re my savior today…”
Murmuring her gratitude, Sarah stamped Frisia’s application.
Never dreaming that this applicant would soon turn the entire project upside down.
It was shocking news.
Aaron rushed to his master Cayenne’s office, pounding on the door.
“Master! Master!”
He pushed open the already ajar door — and froze in shock.
By the tall window where sunlight streamed in, Cayenne sat back in his chair with his eyes closed, perfectly still.
The golden light traced his fine eyelashes, casting delicate shadows, and his sharply defined lips looked like they’d been carved from marble.
It was a scene straight out of a classical painting.
Aaron forgot to breathe.
The Master… is taking a nap?
He’d never seen such a thing.
Cayenne’s overwhelmingly powerful mana constantly flooded him with information, never giving his mind a moment’s rest — the source of his chronic headaches.
Combined with overwork, it was no wonder he suffered from severe insomnia.
Just then, Cayenne’s eyelids fluttered open.
“Ah! I-I’m sorry, Master!”
Aaron almost cried, thinking he’d interrupted a rare bit of rest.
Cayenne ran a hand over his face once, composed as ever — not a single trace of sleepiness.
He gestured lightly.
“Ah, I was about to call for you. This is the mana allocation simulation report for this year’s Magic Tower. Take it.”
Aaron’s eyes widened as he stared at the papers.
“What? You finished this? In one night?!”
Normally, even with multiple mages assisting, that analysis took at least three days — sometimes a full week.
No wonder nobody volunteered for the night shift.
“The new assistant’s calculation speed turned out to be quite decent.”
Though his voice was indifferent, there was a faintly pleased smile on his lips.
Aaron blinked hard.
Did… did the Master just smile?
Was that a twitch, or an actual smile?
He bent over the report, still in disbelief.
How on earth did they finish all this in one night…
Cayenne was a monster, sure — but this new assistant’s ability was beyond imagination.
For someone with a brain like this to have almost failed the academy exams… that was the real mystery.
