Don’t Look for the Resurrected Villainess - Chapter 274
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Special Side Story Episode 5
Outside the window, clouds were within arm’s reach. Just seeing that alone, I could tell how high up this place was.
It was a sight not easily encountered, so I stood by the window for quite a while, gazing outside. Far below, the landscape was unrecognizable in form, with only faint colors showing through the clouds as it spread out.
I recalled Jeon’s proud face when he described clouds spread beneath his feet. Now I understood the reason for his confidence. With such a view, it was natural to feel proud.
After admiring the scenery outside and browsing the bookshelf inside the lounge, I noticed Jeon’s absence was lasting longer than expected and glanced toward the door. The mage waiting in the corner of the lounge to attend to me noticed this and spoke up.
“Is there anything you need?”
“…Is Jeon very busy?”
“Jeon… Ah, you mean the Mage Tower Lord! I’ll go check and come back!”
I don’t know what Jeon had told them beforehand, but the mages of the Magic Tower all reflexively smiled the moment our eyes met. It wasn’t a bad thing, and honestly, being revered by others wasn’t unfamiliar to me, but it still wasn’t entirely comfortable. Perhaps because the overly kind attitude created a sense of distance, it only added to the feeling of being in an unfamiliar place.
Most unfamiliar of all was Jeon himself. To me, he was just a comfortable lover, but the mages of the Magic Tower all showed respect and awe when facing him. Jeon seemed unaware of it, but from my perspective watching from the side, their sparkling gazes of admiration were all too visible.
I heard that when he inherited the Magic Tower, he didn’t even hold a formal ceremony and hurriedly went through the procedures, yet everyone seemed to have quickly accepted Jeon as the Mage Tower Lord. That must mean he appeared to be an exceptional mage in their eyes.
Having a lover who was respected by others was something to be very proud of, but it also gave me a somewhat unfamiliar feeling.
How should I put it? It felt like discovering an aspect of him I didn’t know? The problem was that the very existence of “an aspect of him I don’t know” wasn’t particularly welcome.
I felt as if the Magic Tower was stealing Jeon away from me. Though if you think about it, it would be more accurate to say I had stolen a precious talent from the Magic Tower.
As my thoughts spiraled, my mood grew increasingly gloomy. I pursed my lips and surveyed the lounge again with an inexplicably displeased gaze.
Having become the Mage Tower Lord, Jeon would have to frequent the Magic Tower for the rest of his life and serve as a role model for countless mages. Since I couldn’t just confine him to my castle forever, harboring such possessive desires wouldn’t do any good…
As I was having useless thoughts and tapping the sofa with my toes, fortunately, Jeon returned not long after the mage had left. However, his expression upon return was far from normal. He was trying to smile, but there was clearly a deeply troubled look about him.
“Is there some kind of problem?”
“No, there’s no problem at all.”
But looking at your face, there’s definitely a very serious and major problem, isn’t there?
Considering how all the mages had been watching Jeon’s every move since earlier, it seemed like something had happened. The Magic Tower’s exterior walls were mottled as if scorched by fire – perhaps that was the cause? Given the faint smell of burning coming from inside the Magic Tower, there might have been an accident during magical research. I heard such cases occur occasionally.
But even so, there was no need for me to press the matter. I was an outsider after all, and since Jeon, the person involved, didn’t seem to want to talk about it, it would be better to just pretend not to know and let it pass.
“Is this where you rest when you’re here?”
When I casually changed the subject, Jeon shrugged and answered.
“It serves that purpose, but I don’t really use it much.”
His words seemed to be true. If he used it frequently, there would be marks on specific spots of the sofa, or books would be stacked in his preferred arrangement. As someone who knew exactly how Jeon sat on sofas and habitually placed books when he was at Beladia Castle, I could tell.
The furniture and objects neatly arranged in the lounge seemed untouched by Jeon’s hands. Looking at the ordinary lounge interior that bore no traces of its owner’s characteristics or habits, I felt anew how well I knew Jeon.
Or perhaps, you could say we had spent quite a long time together, enough for me to recognize his small daily habits at a glance.
“Usually, the room I use in the Magic Tower is my study. Originally, I was mainly in the research room, but after becoming the Mage Tower Lord, there are too many matters requiring my approval.”
“I’m curious.”
In fact, whether it was the Mage Tower Lord or anyone else, a study wasn’t a place where you could easily bring just anyone. However, upon hearing my words of curiosity, Jeon led the way without any hesitation.
After passing through an intermediate room connected to the inner part of the lounge and opening several more doors, a small study revealed itself.
This place, with several magic circles drawn on the walls, felt much more familiar than the earlier lounge. The reason it felt familiar was none other than because it bore clear traces of Jeon that I had become well acquainted with at Beladia Castle.
Books stacked in towers while still open, documents piled crosswise on top of each other, several identical pens, and a thin shawl crumpled carelessly on a chair.
I could too easily imagine what Jeon would look like in this place. Jeon always grumbled with his mouth, but when faced with Magic Tower work, he would handle it seriously… He’d probably be here too, complaining while his eyes and hands moved busily.
“It’s a bit messy, isn’t it?”
Jeon quickly tidied up the desk. However, since there was no space to organize things, no matter what he touched, it couldn’t become neat.
“It’s the same sight I always see at the castle.”
“I didn’t expect you’d come all the way in here, so I couldn’t organize it properly.”
Jeon looked truly embarrassed. The excuse he made was that he couldn’t use magic carelessly because there were many important documents and materials.
Certainly, if he recklessly used cleaning magic and important materials were lost, it would be a big problem. When I nodded and agreed with his excuse, Jeon’s expression relaxed a little.
It was troublesome how cute that looked. I really do like Jeon quite a lot, I thought.
“Do you only work at the Magic Tower?”
“That’s right. Resting is much more comfortable at Beladia Castle. Sometimes I think about wanting to move the Magic Tower in front of Beladia Castle.”
Jeon, who had been moving documents around, finally shook his head and gave up on organizing. Instead, he guided me to a chair next to a small table placed nearby and then rummaged around to pull out a tea leaf container.
Soon, a tea fragrance I had often smelled at Beladia Castle filled the study. It was a gentle and fresh scent that I really liked.
“If only I could install a warp gate inside the Magic Tower, I would have opened a personal warp gate in my study long ago. It’s just regrettable that individuals can’t break through the Magic Tower’s internal barrier. If I could, I wouldn’t have to take naps in this cramped study at the very least.”
Jeon grumbled in a sulky voice while preparing tea.
“So there was a reason why you come home late.”
“Still, I’m increasing the number of assistant mages to share the work. So I don’t stay away for too long. It still requires a lot of attention since I’m still adapting, but once I get roughly used to it, I should be able to leave work much earlier than now.”
Soon, a teacup with warm steam rising from it was placed in front of me. I quietly looked down at it, then wrapped both hands around the teacup and nodded.
“Yes, well done. You should sleep at home.”
“Ah, hot!”
Jeon, who was preparing his own teacup, suddenly let out a trivial scream and dramatically shook his hand. Startled, I looked at him to see him hurriedly pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the table. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to have burned his hand.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah, yes, yes. But Ne?”
“Hm?”
Looking at Jeon, who was staring at me with a bewildered expression while holding the wet handkerchief, I tilted my head and looked back at him, and silence naturally settled.
Unable to understand his reaction, I blinked blankly, then soon frowned.
“Why? Do you want to stay out overnight for long periods?”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————