ITHTJ 30

Chapter : 30

A Troubling Relationship (5)

“But why would someone like that be curious about me? And he even asked who I really am.”

I looked up at Jade’s face and swallowed hard.

I still didn’t know why he had come to see me and was probing into my identity.

But this much I knew.

“Um, excuse me.”

As long as that man was standing there, it would be difficult to get away easily.

In the end, I decided to take the straightforward approach.

“I’ll answer all your questions, but could we step out of this space for a bit? My head’s spinning from all the white everywhere…”

I grabbed my head and staggered, pretending to be dizzy, putting all my energy into the act.

“Being stuck in a completely white space with just him? This is torture.”

I could at least handle being alone with Eclipse. That person would calmly carry out their work even in a place like this. Then maybe I’d feel a little more at ease. Ah, he’s just as composed as ever today. It’s nothing major, so I should calm down too, I told myself.

“Hmm.”

Jade tilted his head at my words, then nodded.

“Well, that makes sense.”

He snapped his fingers again.

Slowly, the white space collapsed, and Eclipse’s office appeared once more.

“Better?”

The sheer magical power capable of instantly reshaping the surrounding space—wow.

“As expected of a grand mage.”

Admiring his incredible ability, I heard Jade speak.

“Now, it’s time for you to answer my question.”

There was an inexplicable pressure behind his gentle tone.

Jade, smiling softly, glanced slightly behind him and said:

“They won’t be able to hear our voices, so don’t worry. And of course, we can’t hear theirs either.”

“Oh, okay.”

Really? Is that possible? Is there really such a convenient spell?

“I want to learn that too.”

Anyway, if you receive something, you should also give something in return. I decided to answer his question.

“Kid, you know this already, right? The power you have is far greater than you think.”

I had realized how extraordinary my magic was during my first lesson with Lynette.

“My power was twice that of Lynette, who had the heroine buff.”

Still, something had been bothering me a little while ago.

“This guy has been calling me ‘kid’ this whole time.”

Being called “kid” was the thing I hated most in the world. Even when I ran my own business alone in the Windelton Seventh District, my petite height and youthful appearance had caused problems.

So I absolutely hated that humiliating expression.

I didn’t like being underestimated, which is why I always wore oversized robes and wide-brimmed hats.

“I can endure someone insulting me—as long as they pay. But calling me ‘kid’? Not even for a fortune!”

…Or so I thought boldly.

“No. Maybe I could tolerate it if the money was really that much…”

My courage was quickly shattered in front of money.

I shook my head violently to dismiss the silly fantasy and tried to put on as angry an expression as I could.

“Excuse me, I have a name too.”

“Oh, right. Elsie Blumheyer, wasn’t it?”

“…You knew?”

Wait, so you knew but didn’t call me by my name?

I looked at him in disbelief, and Jade grinned.

“Of course.”

“Then please call me by my name from now on. Either Elsie or Blumheyer is fine.”

“Hmm.”

He thought for a moment, then spoke decisively.

“How about ‘Kid Elsie’?”

“…Please leave out the ‘kid.’ I really hate that word.”

“Really? That’s a shame. I thought it was cute.”

Jade genuinely looked disappointed.

“Then call me whatever you want.”

I felt like this man would actually do exactly that. Somehow, it felt lucky if he at least used my proper name.

“I have only one reason for seeking you out, Blum.”

Look at that. He just called me “Blum.” Totally arbitrary, right?

“I think you’ll make a good subject for research.”

“Research subject? That sounds ominous…”

“Ominous? That’s the highest compliment I can give.”

I gave Jade a wary look, this time for a different reason than before.

“So.”

At that moment, the magical flow around us changed. To be precise, the caster had canceled the spell.

“Won’t you come to our Mage Tower?”

Just then, Jade smiled gently.

“Nooo!”

Suddenly, Lynette shouted, squeezing in between Jade and me.

I felt a strange sense of déjà vu, as if something similar had happened recently.

“Elsie is my teacher, sir. I won’t let anyone take her.”

Lynette hugged me tightly with a firmly angry expression. How could such strength come from such a fragile frame?

I was just baffled by the situation.

“Hahaha, scary. The little hedgehog has bristled its quills.”

Jade, watching us, laughed loudly. He seemed so amused that tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. He even clapped his hands.

“Definitely. He deliberately canceled the spell.”

There would be no reason to retract the magic at that precise timing otherwise.

“This person is no ordinary human,” I thought.

At that moment, Eclipse, who rarely raised his voice, walked toward us.

Still in Lynette’s embrace, I looked up at him.

“Blumheyer is officially employed as a teacher by the Grand Duke’s family. You cannot just take her at will.”

“I understand, Your Grace. Don’t worry too much. I’m just here to scout a promising talent today.”

Promising talent? Could he mean me?

Just then, a piece of paper densely filled with writing and a fountain pen appeared before my eyes. It could only be a contract.

“The contract is for two years, right, Blum?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Don’t answer, Elsie. By the way, Blum—what is this familiar nickname?”

“Exactly…”

I chose to stay silent, still being held tightly by Lynette. Eclipse’s expression was sharper than usual.

“Once your contract with this fearsome Duke ends, come to our Mage Tower, Blum. We’ll welcome you under very good terms.”

“Excuse me? But…”

“Read it.”

Jade tapped on the paper, which seemed to be a contract, with a smile. Then.

“That’s enough.”

Eclipse, for once serious, snatched the document and tore it in half.

I gasped in surprise. Lynette seemed equally shocked—her heartbeat quickened so vividly that I could feel it.

“……”

Eclipse’s gaze toward Jade was like ice.

The surprising thing was Jade himself. He seemed completely unfazed by the bold act of tearing up the contract. As if he expected it.

“Let’s leave meaningless acts at that.”

“Meaningless? What do you mean?”

I couldn’t contain my fascination at the unfolding scene. Who’s selling popcorn?

“Anyway, the contract expires in two years.”

As Jade said, my contract was set to end in two years. Of course, my dream was a lifetime contract, but any extension was entirely up to Eclipse. No matter how hard I tried, if the employer wanted me gone, that would be it.

Could it be because of that?

“Being scouted by the Mage Tower in the Hern Mountains… I just can’t believe it.”

It was quite a dilemma. Like many with magical power, I had romanticized the idea of a Mage Tower.

“The part about being a research subject is a little concerning, though.”

Would he really experiment on me? Even if Jade is strange, that seems extreme…

Wait.

“…Could he actually?”

After all, the very purpose of the Mage Tower is “magical research.” Jade is the head of the research institute overseeing that work. And he called me a research subject?

“This is a bit worrying…”

Then, Eclipse’s steadfast gaze met mine. There was strong conviction in his eyes.

When I looked at him, he slowly shifted his gaze from me to Jade.

“Unfortunately, Jade. Blumheyer demanded a lifetime contract from me.”