I Became the Magic Tower Master's Experimental Mouse - Chapter 39

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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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‘Strange. I could have sworn someone was staring at me.’
True, everyone in the hall was watching me.
But among all those eyes, one person seemed to be fixing me with a particularly stubborn gaze.
I glanced around quickly, searching the crowd. But I couldn’t pinpoint anyone in particular.
‘No one here should even know who I am.’
The stress from recent events must be making me jumpy.
I shook my head and turned my attention back to Cassian.
At that moment, Duke Behemoth approached and led Cassian up onto the central dais of the Banquet Hall.
“I’ve gathered you all here this evening to make two announcements.”
The Duke’s deep voice resonated through the hall.
As people set down their glasses and fell silent in unison, the convivial chatter died instantly.
“First, my son Cassian has recovered fully from his long illness.”
Light applause and well-wishes rippled through the crowd—everyone had been expecting this much.
But the guests kept glancing back and forth between Cassian and me, clearly anticipating something more.
‘For the last time, I’m a commoner!’
I was clenching my fists and frowning when the Duke’s next words froze the room’s buoyant atmosphere in an instant.
“However, I must be honest with you all—it was never an illness at all.”
The Duke placed his hand on Cassian’s shoulder, continuing.
“My son fell because someone poisoned him.”
The Banquet Hall erupted in a commotion.
Up until now, the House of Behemoth had carefully concealed any abnormality in the young heir’s health.
Everyone had assumed he’d simply fallen ill, but the Duke was now revealing he’d been poisoned.
Shock and curiosity flashed across the nobles’ faces.
“Poison in a Magical Creature? That’s…”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing. It must have been an extraordinarily grave matter.”
Everyone stared at Cassian in alarm.
Cassian stood composed, shoulders back, meeting all their gazes steadily.
‘Can he really just reveal that so openly?’
Then again, no matter how carefully you hide something, the truth eventually comes to light.
Besides, by the time the Grand Tower Master of the Poison Magic Tower was invited to this banquet, the shrewder guests might have already guessed.
“Cassian is now fully recovered. And we owe his recovery entirely to the Poison Magic Tower’s Grand Tower Master, Serpens, standing here before you.”
The Duke’s gaze shifted to the Tower Master.
“Behemoth never forgets a debt. Therefore, from this day forward, our House will forge a firm alliance with the Magic Tower.”
The murmuring swelled louder.
“Your Grace, surely you don’t mean the entire Magic Tower?”
“Of course not.”
I was listening with a blank expression when the assembled guests immediately began distinguishing between the Magic Tower as a whole and the Poison Magic Tower specifically.
‘So they’re separate powers after all.’
And sure enough, the Duke pointed to the Tower Master and continued.
“Until the moment this Marquess ascends to the position of Grand Tower Master, House Behemoth will throw its full weight behind his ambitions.”
The hall wasn’t merely stirred now—it was roiling.
It was common knowledge that the Empire contained multiple Magic Towers. And the Grand Tower Master stood at the pinnacle of the magical world, commanding all of them.
‘So that’s why the Tower Master accepted this commission.’
From his perspective, House Behemoth’s request must have seemed rather troublesome.
Absolute secrecy was required, an attack from a Calamity Beast was foreseeable, and the poison he encountered was extraordinarily difficult to cure.
The Tower Master wasn’t a vassal of Duke Behemoth, and he had no obligation to accept every request that came his way.
Yet he’d continued working tirelessly to heal Cassian, apparently because an alliance had been promised in return.
‘So you’ve had your ambitions all along, haven’t you?’
I found myself looking up at the Tower Master with new eyes.
He maintained an expressionless face, meeting the crowd’s scrutiny without flinching.
His thoughts remained utterly opaque.
‘The Duke announcing this so brazenly…’
I watched carefully as the Duke’s gaze swept lightly across the assembled guests.
Though his head moved only slightly, a thin edge of killing intent flickered across his eyes.
‘A warning.’
Anyone connected in any way to the Calamity Beast would face his wrath.
I noticed several faces in the crowd stiffen subtly.
Whether they actually had ties to the Calamity Beast or simply found such talk uncomfortable at a pleasant gathering, I couldn’t say for certain.
Once the Duke finished his announcement, stifled sighs leaked out from all corners of the room.
“I thought he was going to announce an engagement or something.”
“There’s still time for that.”
The nobles who had been hoping for gossip about the Grand Tower Master’s hidden daughter looked thoroughly disappointed.
‘……Phew.’
I swallowed a sigh of relief where no one could see.
The moment I realized how scandals were born seemed to be passing safely.
Just as I was letting out a breath, I felt something odd nearby.
When I turned, Cassian had a sulky expression, his lips pouting.
‘……Why does he look so displeased?’
He’d just announced the happy news that he was fully recovered, yet instead of joy, his face showed dissatisfaction as though something crucial were missing.
It made no sense at all.
But before I could ask Cassian, someone else caught my attention.
A boy had quietly appeared like a shadow behind Cassian’s back.
“Cassian.”
He looked a year or two older than Cassian.
The boy bowed deeply before him.
“My sincerest congratulations on your full recovery. It is an honor to serve you again.”
“……Yes, it’s been a long time.”
Cassian nodded his head awkwardly.
The boy bowed with equal courtesy toward me.
“It is my first time meeting you. I heard you are Cassian’s benefactor.”
It was textbook-perfect etiquette.
I had heard brief instructions on proper manners from the Grand Tower Master just before coming…….
‘Honestly, it was hastily thrown together, so I’m not confident enough to do anything but stand still.’
If I made a misstep in front of all these nobles, it could damage the face of both the Grand Tower Master and House Behemoth.
‘……But what is this distance between them?’
The boy never stood at Cassian’s side.
He stood half a step behind, attending to Cassian as though serving him.
Not knowing what their relationship was, I tilted my head in confusion, but Cassian himself wore an even stranger expression.
“……Were you always standing back like that?”
“What do you mean, sir?”
“……Never mind. Thank you for coming. Epiphany, this is Schultz, the eldest son of Baron Ettre House. Schultz, this is Epiphany.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Epiphany…… my lady.”
Schultz, who hadn’t been given a surname, bowed with a somewhat flustered expression.
“No! Don’t call her Epiphany like that! You call her Epiphany!”
As Cassian cried out as though his feet might stomp with agitation, Schultz nodded with a look of even greater confusion.
“Yes, Cassian.”
I was thoroughly bewildered.
It made no sense that a young noble would bow to me, a commoner, nor that Cassian would make such a fuss over my nickname.
“Good evening, sir. I am Epiphany.”
“Pardon me, but…… what is your surname……?”
His gaze was pointedly searching, as if asking whether it wasn’t Serpens.
I shook my head.
“I am a commoner, sir.”
At that, Schultz’s expression grew even more awkward, and he took a step back from me.
‘Well, that’s probably normal for everyone.’
Then Cassian looked irritated and reproached Schultz.
“Schultz. Go away.”
“Yes? Oh, yes. I shall take my leave.”
Schultz immediately bowed respectfully to Cassian and withdrew, walking backward.
“……I’m sorry. We’re still too young……it’s far too early to hold a ceremony.”
Cassian whispered with a dejected expression.
“I need to give you a proper status as soon as possible…….”
He’d promised to repay his debt to me, so was he thinking of raising my social position and holding some kind of ceremony?
Since I’d never expected such a thing, I was simply taken aback.
“I don’t understand what you mean. I have no complaints about my current status.”
“Schultz was looking down on you. I’ll make sure to scold him.”
Cassian clenched his fists and declared this passionately.
“It’s natural for him to show disdain, given the clear distinction between noble and commoner. But what is the relationship between you two?”
Honestly, it was Cassian’s attitude that seemed stranger. After all, it was more proper etiquette for nobles to dismiss commoners in public settings.
‘Truth be told, it’s more surprising that he doesn’t scold me harshly for treating him so familiarly.’
In that respect, Cassian followed me with remarkable ease.
I couldn’t help but suspect that during the detoxification process, he’d come to think of me as some sort of mother hen.
“Schultz and I are friends.”
“Friends……?”
Though it seemed more like he was an advisor of sorts.
When I hesitated, Cassian spoke again, his expression darkening.
“I never really thought about it that way……. But I told you, didn’t I? My friend doesn’t come to see me. That’s him.”
“Perhaps he couldn’t come because he was too troubled in his heart?”
Of course, the way Schultz looked at Cassian didn’t quite fit the word “friend”…….
‘When one person’s status is higher, the other naturally takes on the role of serving, regardless of feeling.’
In that sense, Cassian, being the young duke, would become the apex of imperial power in the future…….
Even if their bond resembled a lord and vassal rather than friendship, it wasn’t entirely incomprehensible.
Still, I couldn’t quite ignore what bothered me.
Cassian called Schultz his “friend,” yet Schultz never returned that warmth.
It felt as though he were addressing not “Cassian” but “the young Duke of Behemoth.”
As for me, a commoner, I simply wondered if that’s how the world of nobility always worked.
“This is all because I’ve been strange at the Magic Tower. It’s your fault.”
Cassian pouted and shot me a reproachful look.
“Well then. We should be going now.”
It was then that the Grand Tower Master interjected into our conversation.

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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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