I Became the Magic Tower Master's Experimental Mouse - Chapter 18

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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‘What’s this? A sigh of relief?’
I turned my head sharply toward the sound.
There was the Tower Master’s face, expressionless as always.
‘True enough. Whether I become his adopted daughter and leave the Poison Tower or not — what concern is it of his?’
Our relationship was nothing more than employer and employee, after all.
Perhaps he simply found my abilities too valuable to waste.
Still, looking at the Tower Master’s composed expression now, even if he had sighed, there was likely nothing much behind it.
“Very well, then. I shall respect your wishes. Tower Master — may I go meet my son now?”
The Tower Master fell silent for a moment.
He’d been keeping Cassian’s existence secret, but surely it was all right to tell the boy’s parents?
I couldn’t quite fathom what the Tower Master was deliberating over.
“The young master is still releasing Poison Aura to the outside. I cannot guarantee that Your Grace will not be affected.”
“Has he not improved even to that degree yet……?”
“However, during the Detoxification process, I confirmed that the Poison Aura flowed only into Test Subject. You should be able to see him briefly.”
Had I really been drawing it all in like a magnet during the treatment?
I’d never noticed, too focused on keeping my eyes shut and concentrating.
“But for that to happen, Test Subject would need to miss her midday meal schedule.”
“Hmm…… that is…….”
Duke Behemoth looked down at me with a somewhat flustered expression.
He wanted to see his son, clearly, but found it difficult to ask a child directly to skip her meal.
“I’m fine with it!”
I’d been lying down the whole time anyway, so my appetite wasn’t particularly fierce, and having rested well, I didn’t think using my abilities would be difficult.
When I answered confidently, the Duke’s face brightened almost imperceptibly.
‘How nice. If my grandmother were still alive, would she have come all this way to see me?’
Grandmother was the only person in this world who’d ever worried for me.
If she’d been here, she would have shouted, ‘My child’s lunch is important too!’
But now there was no one to say such things…….
If I were to get hurt tomorrow, who would come looking for me?
‘No one, probably.’
At that thought, my chest felt oddly hollow.
To avoid drawing notice from others entering and leaving the Basement, we descended underground through the Tower Master’s office.
Perhaps because I was going down with the family of a patient, I felt tense — my body grew warm.
‘Wait? No, my body really is getting warm!’
I gazed up at the Tower Master’s back as he strode ahead, rubbing my arms lightly.
The Secret Staircase, which had felt cool just days before, was now warm.
Looking around, I noticed Red Stones embedded in the walls at regular intervals.
‘The Tower Master must have warmed things up for me.’
For my sake…….
“Hehe.”
Laughter bubbled up unbidden, and my chest swelled so full I felt as though I might float down the stairs.
Even as Duke Behemoth descended gravely, worry for his son etched into every line!
‘I should be reading the mood better……!’
But the laughter kept slipping out regardless.
When I covered my mouth with my fist and chuckled softly, the Tower Master glanced at me sideways, then looked away again.
‘I really am lucky!’
To have met such a good employer!
I looked up at the Tower Master’s slender back ahead of the Duke.
His shoulders gleamed as though they’d be satisfying to lean against.
‘Gratitude toward my employer is welling up naturally!’
But I held it back, suppressing it, until we arrived at the Basement door.
The Tower Master paused and turned to regard Duke Behemoth.
“Your Grace. The young master’s current state differs greatly from his condition when he was sent to the Poison Tower. Please prepare yourself mentally.”
Duke Behemoth nodded briefly, and the Tower Master opened the door.
Cassian lay stretched out properly today.
Extracting such a massive quantity of Poison Aura last time seemed to have eased his condition somewhat.
The Poison Aura wavering above his body was noticeably fainter than on other days.
His breathing was relatively steady, though consciousness still seemed absent.
“Cassian…….”
Duke Behemoth called out to his son in a sorrowful voice.
When I glanced sideways, I saw Duke Behemoth’s face had frozen. Deep rage and sorrow rippled across his golden eyes.
He took a step closer to the bed and reached to place his hand on Cassian’s forehead.
“You cannot.”
The Tower Master cut him off sharply. Without poison resistance, touching Cassian risked poisoning himself.
‘……I envied him.’
I watched his suspended hand with longing, then sat beside the bed and took Cassian’s hand instead.
‘……Well, let me do what I’m supposed to.’
A familiar Poison Aura began flowing in through our clasped hands.
A few minutes passed.
As Cassian’s breathing grew steadier, the Tower Master’s voice came.
“Stop. That’s enough.”
It seemed shorter than usual—likely out of consideration for my still-weakened body after waking.
When I opened my eyes, I saw Duke Behemoth gazing at me with deep emotion.
He said nothing, but his eyes alone carried more weight than any reward list could offer.
‘It seems he was touching my forehead while I drew out the poison.’
It would have been possible—I was absorbing all the poison Cassian expelled.
The Duke withdrew his hand at the same time as I did, then lingered over it as though trying to hold onto its warmth.
‘Someone cares for you this much. Wake up soon.’
I silently encouraged Cassian, who lay unawakened with closed eyes.
* * *
The Duke remained there some time longer before finally rising.
From the basement back to the Reception Room, he was silent the entire way.
“Your Grace. Shall I send the child to the Dining Hall for a meal now?”
“……Yes. But wait a moment.”
The Duke suddenly reached into his coat’s inner pocket.
Then he dropped to one knee to meet my eyes and extended a pendant toward me.
“Will you accept this?”
“……What is it?”
It was a pendant of faded golden metal—ancient-looking—with an intricate carving of a great mythical beast.
“This is the Protective Pendant of Behemoth.”
“A Protective Pendant……?”
I tilted my head and repeated his words, and the Duke quickly explained.
“It is a mark that I shall protect you by the name of Behemoth. Whenever you have need to borrow Behemoth’s name, showing this will grant you aid equivalent to that given to Direct Family.”
‘……Wow.’
Though it fell short of an offer to adopt me as a daughter, it was certainly an extraordinary reward.
Thinking of how many doors the name of Behemoth could open, there would be many who would pay any price to possess such a thing.
“It is a gesture of goodwill, not compensation.”
The Duke, having presented me with this treasure, looked tense as though worried I might refuse again.
‘……I suppose I can accept this much?’
I stole a glance up at the Tower Master standing beside me.
His face was as expressionless as always, but one corner of his mouth seemed twisted in displeasure.
‘……Why does he look like that?’
Surely he wasn’t cautious about me accepting something from the Duke.
I accepted the Protective Pendant with both hands cupped.
“Thank you so much, Duke. I will treasure it.”
“Good. That you came to the Poison Tower at the right moment tells me my son’s time is not yet finished. I am grateful.”
The Duke rose and gave a signal to the Tower Master.
“……Test Subject. Go eat a late lunch……and since it will overlap with snack time, replace that with a walk instead.”
“Yes!”
I caught a glimpse of the Tower Master’s clearly foul mood and internally shook my head.
My Daily Schedule had been disrupted and my snack time eliminated.
For someone who harbored ambitions of making my weight more appropriate through five meals a day, this disruption to the routine must have been deeply displeasing.
‘So that’s why he’s in such a bad mood!’
It seemed I ought to steer clear of the Tower Master for the rest of the day.
I slipped out of the Reception Room and headed for the Dining Hall.
* * *
Meanwhile, after the Duke had just left the tower and returned to Behemoth Territory,
the Man in the Dark Room, fingering the Red Crystal Orb, let out a troubled sigh.
It was because of the information his subordinate had brought him.
If he reported this intelligence to his Employer, he would certainly be dragged into something bothersome—yet ignoring it seemed too costly to overlook.
In the end, he had no choice but to activate the Red Crystal Orb and summon his Employer.
“What is it?”
“……I have a report. Duke Behemoth visited the Poison Tower in person.”
“Did he leave alone?”
“……Yes. He did not take a corpse with him when he departed.”
At this, the Employer fell silent for a moment.
He could not see what expression his Employer wore beyond the crystal orb, but anger threaded through the breathing he could hear.
“So the young Duke lives.”
“……Yes.”
“There’s no way he should have lasted this long. You’re certain he was poisoned?”
“Certain. He was at death’s door even as he arrived at the Tower.”
“……Either the Poison Tower on the Western Continent is more capable than expected, or a prototype simply isn’t sufficient.”
Then—Bang!
The sound of something shattering came from beyond the crystal orb.
The Man, who had already witnessed his Employer destroy things when matters did not go as planned, waited in silence.
There was no point in trying to soothe him. They were not lord and retainer—merely parties to a contract.
After waiting about a minute, the Employer finally composed himself and issued new orders.
“Send someone to verify it personally. I want them to see exactly what condition that boy is in, and report back.”
“You mean to breach the Poison Tower’s barriers? That will require additional payment.”
“Find a way to slip someone inside without tearing through the barriers like a frontal assault. I’m looking forward to your next report.”
The Red Crystal Orb’s light died out at once.
The Man stared into the darkness for a moment, then drew out a cigarette and lit it.
“……Damn it all. If you’re going to spend money, spend it generously! I’ve already taken the advance—can’t back out now.”
He soon began rifling through the Guild’s roster.
His choice fell on a single Low-Rank Assassin.
Though low-ranked due to limited kills, this was someone unparalleled in the art of Disguise.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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