I Became the Magic Tower Master's Experimental Mouse - Chapter 37

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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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News that the young lord—who had teetered on death’s threshold—had achieved complete recovery reached the Duke first.
‘Complete recovery…….’
Only after reading that single word again and again could the Duke finally exhale.
The reactions of the retainers who rushed into his study varied wildly.
Some beamed with genuine joy, their faces flushed with happiness, while others offered congratulations with an edge of calculation that couldn’t quite be hidden.
The Duke missed none of these subtle shifts in temperature.
‘……So there were those who, thinking the succession unstable of late, began quietly grasping at other branches.’
And yet this was true even of the retainers gathered here, all supposedly devoted to the ducal house.
Their loyalty, after all, was directed not toward the young lord, but toward the Behemoth Duchy itself.
The deeper the young lord’s illness had grown, the more murmurs had stirred in the shadows within and beyond the family.
Under the calculation that the succession might shift, there had been movements to lay groundwork with the cadet branch heir, securing ties before the transition came.
Though hushed, the rumors had seeped into High Society with enough persistence that whispers of the young lord’s ailment circulated openly.
The Duke was not ignorant of this.
He simply responded to rumor and watched the rest in studied silence.
Unable to abandon his only son, yet forced to prepare for the world after Cassian’s death—such was his position.
“……I have incurred a great debt to the Tower Master of the Poison Magic Tower.”
The Duke rested his clasped hands against his brow and sat in thought for a long moment before slowly reaching for his pen.
“We shall hold a Gratitude Banquet.”
The Aide beside him bowed.
“We cannot ask the Tower Master to travel so far. It must be held at the grandest scale at the Imperial Capital Townhouse.”
The plan was to invite the Tower Master and Pipi from the Poison Magic Tower.
And in doing so, he would present the heir—returned intact and thriving—before all of High Society.
“An excellent choice, sir.”
“With the succession secured, the future of the ducal house shines bright!”
The retainers hastily praised the Duke’s wisdom, offered a few words of blessing, and dispersed.
They had much to arrange themselves—sourcing gifts for Cassian and preparing their attendance.
Those with darker intentions, of course, had to spread the news just as urgently.
Once they had gone, the Duke sat alone and his brow twitched slightly.
“But……if he’s recovered and moving about freely, why hasn’t Cassian sent word?”
The Tower Master’s message had reeked of an eager desire to hand Cassian over as quickly as possible.
* * *
A few days later, a thick invitation arrived at the Tower.
Gilded and studded with tiny gems, it was a luxurious thing indeed.
Leo delivered it with such care that his hands trembled visibly.
“It’s an invitation from the Behemoth Duchy! Only you and Pipi received one!”
“Wow.”
The invitation looked more expensive than my own body was worth.
I gave Leo a brief glance and returned to my room, where I flexed the invitation experimentally.
“Why would he send this to me……?”
As I blinked in confusion, Cassian—who had been drinking tea in my room—shot to his feet.
Ever since the Tower Master had restricted contact between us, Cassian had taken to following my movements and attending to his own affairs nearby.
Not that his “affairs” amounted to much—mostly reading and drinking tea—but……
His gaze fixed itself on me almost constantly, which made for considerable awkwardness.
“Let me see. It’s finally arrived!”
Cassian snatched the invitation and grinned with unmistakable delight.
“What kind of invitation is this?”
“Father’s hosting a Gratitude Banquet to commemorate my complete recovery. Fancy name, but it’s just a party.”
“But why would he send it to me……?”
“Because you cured me. So Father’s arranging this grand celebration at the Imperial Capital Townhouse to honor you as my benefactor.”
Then, with a mysterious little smile, Cassian muttered under his breath.
“……Yes. Lavish treatment like this—you’ll realize our house is far better than this shabby tower.”
‘……What is he talking about?’
I couldn’t fathom Cassian’s scheming, but the word “party” snapped my attention sharply into focus.
Would it even be acceptable for a commoner like me to attend a noble gathering?
Well, the Duke would surely know better than I would about such matters……
‘……But I’ll need a dress.’
I couldn’t very well attend a noble banquet in my everyday clothes.
A proper dress would be necessary—and such things were never cheap.
My mind raced rapidly through the calculations.
The dress, the shoes, the accessories…
‘I can’t possibly spend all a thousand Gold just on decoration!’
Even if I bought a dress fit for a wealthy commoner, I’d clearly waste money without feeling any real benefit from it.
With a thousand Gold in hand, there’s so much I could do…!
‘Besides, my belly is already full.’
I finished my calculations and shook my head with firm resolve.
“I don’t want to go.”
“…What?”
Cassian’s triumphant expression crumbled in an instant.
“Buying a dress costs far too much Gold. I didn’t take this commission just to buy a dress, you know.”
“Hey! You’re not coming to the Gratitude Banquet?!”
Cassian leaped up like a frog on fire.
“I—I’m doing this to make sure you’re treated well, and look how much trouble I’m giving the butler…!”
“I don’t need to be treated well. I’d rather keep my thousand Gold.”
“A thousand Gold—since when is such a paltry sum important…!”
I shot Cassian a cold look.
‘Hmph. My thousand Gold is small but precious.’
When I shook my head firmly, Cassian trembled with indignation.
“…You—you actually dare refuse a nobleman’s invitation?”
“…Hmm.”
That was admittedly problematic.
Refusing a direct invitation from the Duke was quite a dangerous affair for a commoner.
But the dress expense was equally dangerous in its own way.
Still, I wasn’t about to waste the Protective Talisman the Duke had given me over something so trivial.
“…I’m scheduled to be ill that day. What are the odds that my one annual sick day falls on exactly this date?”
I shrugged and replied with a teasing tone.
Cassian’s face cycled several times between red and pale.
* * *
After that day, Cassian suffered in sullen silence for several days.
At first, he’d apparently planned to buy a pile of dresses and thrust them upon me as usual.
But it didn’t work out that way.
“I beg your pardon, Lord Ashé, but if the goods for Pipi contain women’s items, then any merchant carriage summoned by you is forbidden from approaching the Poison Magic Tower.”
Given the nature of handling poisons, visitors had to provide their names and business in advance.
Of course, Cassian’s merchant caravan had submitted this information too, but Liz had flatly refused them.
“…Why!”
“I couldn’t say. Why not ask the Tower Master directly?”
It was clear the Tower Master had put her foot down.
Apparently she’d made a rule against excessive gift offensives toward the child, and had literally blocked it at the carriage level.
“B-but a dress is necessary…”
Cassian bit his lip in frustration, but he couldn’t cross the Tower Master’s authority within the tower.
Even if he’d revealed his true station, it wouldn’t have mattered—the Tower Master knew who he was and had still blocked him.
“…How petty. The Tower Master is far too petty.”
Cassian grumbled with a thoroughly disgruntled expression.
Seeing his state, I felt oddly sorry for him and offered some comfort.
“It’s fine. I wasn’t planning to go anyway, so I don’t need a dress.”
“…How is that comforting!”
Unable to bear his frustration any longer, Cassian huffed indignantly and retreated into his room.
‘Tsk tsk, so he’s finally learning that the world doesn’t always bend to his wishes.’
Unless he’d been born an Emperor, Cassian was certainly old enough to learn such lessons.
I clicked my tongue and headed toward the Tower Master’s quarters for my afternoon schedule.
“…Ah, my test subject. Convenient timing.”
As I stepped into the room, the Tower Master gestured to me.
On the table before the sofa sat a single bundle.
“What is this?”
“Open it and see.”
From the bundle emerged a Tower Robe in deep emerald, its fabric exquisitely embroidered with the Poison Magic Tower’s insignia in silver thread.
At the center of the chest gleamed a brilliant jewel, sewn in place with fine cord.
Judging by its size, it had been tailored precisely to fit my frame.
“This is…a Tower Robe, isn’t it?”
“Indeed. It’s the formal dress worn by Tower mages at external events.”
The Tower Master spoke with casual indifference.
“You can wear that to the Gratitude Banquet. There’s no need to buy a dress, even if the Duke insists on it.”
“……What?”
I blinked hard.
“The Duke forbade buying me a dress, but it’s all right if you give me one?”
“Of course it is.”
The Tower Master answered with an unblushing face.
“What the Duke wanted to provide was a luxury item—unnecessary. But this is official formal wear for the Tower, so it’s practical.”
The logic made no sense whatsoever, yet the Tower Master’s expression was perfectly untroubled.
‘……Is this a case of applying different standards?’
Either way, I had nothing to lose.
A Tower Robe was far more comfortable and appealing than a heavy, cumbersome dress.
There was no need to refuse and risk offending the Duke.
‘More than that……’
Though simpler in style, I’d been secretly envious watching all the other Tower members wear their official robes.
Now it felt like I was truly showing the world that I belonged to the Tower, that I was one of its workers.
Clutching the robe to my chest, my heart swelling with a sense of belonging, I broke into a broad smile.
“Wow, thank you so much! I really love this!”
“……Well, you’re going as the Tower’s representative, so you ought to be properly dressed.”
Then he added something with a knowing look.
“Once you wear that, everyone will know exactly who you belong to.”
The corner of the Tower Master’s mouth curved upward slightly.
* * *
And so, on the day of the Gratitude Banquet.
I dressed in the Tower Robe, braided my hair prettily with the Hair Ribbon Cassian had given me, and climbed into the carriage.

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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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