I Became the Magic Tower Master's Experimental Mouse - Chapter 48

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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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I froze, stunned by the unexpected words, when a voice materialized from nowhere—as if a ghost had slipped into our conversation.
“A territory? What territory?”
It was Cassian, who had joined us for breakfast, interjecting into our discussion.
“Serpens Territory. It’s not your concern.”
“But Serpens Territory is on the way to our estate!”
Cassian’s eyes gleamed as he fixed them on me.
“Let’s stop by our domain too, all right? We’re passing that way anyway!”
“I’m not the one who gets to choose.”
At my reply, Cassian whirled toward the Tower Master and began to wheedle.
“……Well.”
“I want to show Pipi our territory. It’s absolutely enormous and magnificent!”
Cassian set his jaw with the stubborn resolve of an ox and clung to the idea with everything he had.
“……We’ll stop at the duchy first. Briefly. Then we’ll head for Serpens Territory.”
The Tower Master spoke as though put out, yet his expression wasn’t one of outright refusal—more as though he’d been planning to go there anyway.
‘That’s strange. He gave in faster than I expected.’
“Yes!”
But Cassian bounced with such exuberance that I couldn’t dwell on it further.
Beside him, beaming that radiant smile, I let out a breath I hadn’t known I was holding.
‘At least he’s not throwing me out after all.’
* * *
A few days later, we departed from the Magic Tower.
Long journeys themselves were nothing new to me.
Before my return, I’d chased targets across days and nights in carriages or on horseback more times than I could count.
Yet everything was different now.
When my anxiety about what might unfold made me too tense, the Tower Master told me to think of it as simply an outing—a reprieve.
So I began the carriage journey with the pure intention of traveling far from home for leisure.
It was remarkable how that single shift in perspective transformed the landscape beyond the window.
“Wow, look at those mountains so far away! They’re incredibly tall and massive!”
Once we left the Imperial Capital, the scenery gradually transformed into countryside, and when I pointed it out, Cassian let out an amused laugh.
“Those? They’re nothing. Back at our estate, we have mountains five times that size.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Do you have any idea how vast our territory is?”
Cassian puffed his chest with pride.
Whether it was the relief of leaving the Magic Tower or the joy of heading home, he was exhilarated the entire way, chattering without pause.
“How do you know it’s five times bigger? Did you actually measure it?”
“……I just know! Be quiet!”
When I teased him about it, he pouted—only to brighten again moments later and start prattling on once more.
“Once we’re at the estate, there’s a lake, hunting grounds, and the stables are packed with thoroughbreds. You’ve never ridden before, right? I’ll teach you.”
“Young master, you didn’t seem to forgive me that easily before.”
“Hae-shi, Zephyros! That was honestly just a moment of forgetfulness……!”
Cassian’s face crumpled with distress, and he shouted toward the window on my side of the carriage.
I chuckled at the thought of Cassian’s young horse, Zephyros.
When Cassian had hastily returned to the Magic Tower, he’d carelessly left his horse at the gates rather than in the stables, and Zephyros was still holding a grudge.
The colt had galloped all the way from the Townhouse to the Magic Tower carrying an inexperienced young rider, arriving completely exhausted—only to be forgotten entirely, which was reason enough for resentment.
Because I’d led him to the stables and given him hay, Zephyros had decided to favor me over Cassian.
Now, as our carriage traveled at an easy pace, he trotted alongside on my side, a creature of such intelligence that he’d earned every bit of his pedigree.
After days of playful bickering and joyful travel, the carriage finally crossed into the Behemoth Duchy.
“From here on, it’s all the capital of our territory.”
We pressed deeper into the duchy, and at last the capital of the domain came into view.
At the sight of the enormous castle rising in the distance, I found myself marveling once more at Behemoth’s wealth and influence.
“……It really is vast.”
“Right? Impressive, isn’t it?”
Cassian straightened with the satisfaction of someone whose efforts had paid off.
I couldn’t help but smirk at his expression, though I had to admit, honestly, I was impressed.
* * *
At the gates of the castle, someone awaited our arrival.
“My goodness, our young master truly has come!”
She was a middle-aged woman I’d never seen before.
Blinking in confusion at the stranger, I heard Cassian greet her warmly: “Nanny!”
“Look at you, absolutely glowing with health! The lady is waiting for you inside.”
She placed both hands on Cassian’s cheeks and examined him thoroughly from head to toe, then embraced him and held him for a long while, stroking his hair tenderly.
“Oh, nanny! Pipi can see everything…! How embarrassing….”
Cassian’s face flushed as he grumbled, yet he made no move to pull away—clearly pleased beneath the protest.
“Ho ho, young master, you’ve grown into quite the gentleman. Now, won’t you introduce us?”
“Ah, yes, of course.”
By the rules of propriety, she could not address us without a formal introduction.
Either the Tower Master, being of the highest rank, had to speak to her first, or Cassian—a minor lord of middling station among us—had to make the introduction for us to exchange greetings at all.
“Tower Master, may I present my nanny, Hemia Rostance, Countess of Rostance.”
“Lady Rostance. Claude Serpens.”
The Tower Master inclined his head and lightly brushed his lips against the lady’s gloved hand.
‘My, if she’s a minor lord’s nanny, she must be nobility herself….’
I alone, possessing the lowest rank among us, could only blink in bewilderment.
“Nanny, and this is Pipi. Though since you haven’t gotten close yet, you should call her Epiphany.”
Cassian made a needless show of introducing me.
‘What pointless commentary…!’
I cast a sidelong glance at Cassian’s ribs while offering Lady Rostance a proper bow.
“Pleased to meet you, ma’am. Pipi is fine, truly.”
“My dear, so you’re that Pipi I’ve heard so much about! How formal. Just call me nanny like he does.”
I blinked at her warmth, then smiled and nodded.
“Yes, nanny. But ‘that’ Pipi? You know of me?”
“Ho ho, every time our young master writes, nine and a half of ten pages are nothing but your story. The lady saw you and praised you quite thoroughly.”
“Nanny!”
Cassian shot the nanny a look that begged her not to divulge his secrets.
I stepped closer to her, curious. “I’m dying to know what he wrote about me.”
“Ho ho ho. He said I simply must have apple pie ready—your favorite—so since I didn’t know when you’d arrive, I’ve been baking one every day since yesterday.”
“Oh…!”
My eyes lit up.
Lady Rostance laughed at my delight, then turned her gaze toward the Tower Master.
“Your Grace, the lady awaits you in the drawing room. Allow me to show you the way.”
Lady Rostance led us deeper into the estate.
* * *
* * *
‘Something’s odd….’
As we made our way toward the drawing room, I caught a familiar scent—faint, ticklish, somehow recognizable.
Yet when we arrived at the drawing room itself, the scent seemed to fade.
“Nanny, is there anything in that direction?”
I subtly gestured toward the hallway where the scent had grown stronger, asking Lady Rostance about it.
She tilted her head thoughtfully and replied with a gentle smile.
“That’s the lady’s private quarters, dear.”
Then it struck me like a flash.
‘Ah, yes! It’s like the scent that came from the Duchess!’
More precisely, it resembled the taint of poison I’d sensed when performing the Detoxification.
The fact that it was stronger there than in the drawing room where the lady was waiting….
‘This cannot be coincidence.’
I stole a glance at the Tower Master.
His face remained impassive.
‘Coming from the Behemoth Duchy itself rather than from his own domain—could he have a plan for this?’
What I had performed last time was merely emergency treatment.
Though not as severe as the poison lingering in Cassian’s body, the toxin within the Duchess had been too extensive to dispel completely with temporary Detoxification.
It occurred to me that perhaps the Tower Master had come here first with the intention of fully resolving the Duchess’s poisoning as well.
I simply smiled like an innocent child who knew nothing and stepped into the drawing room.
“Ah, my mischievous little runaway returns.”
The Duchess sat on the sofa, her face noticeably paler than before, regarding us with weary eyes.
“Mother!”
Cassian’s expression darkened when he saw the Duchess looking worse than last time.
I watched him hurry to her side, then glanced at the Tower Master. Just as I sensed it, he too observed the Duchess with a discerning gaze, evaluating her condition.
“Tower Master, forgive me for remaining seated to greet you. It seems my strength has waned after that hurried trip to the Imperial Capital.”
“Duchess.”
The Tower Master bowed respectfully, and as the nanny excused herself to fetch tea, he withdrew something from his robes.
“What is that……?”
“A Sound-Blocking Artifact, my lady. It shields a space roughly two handspans in radius from where I stand.”
The Tower Master took my hand and drew us closer to her and Cassian.
“Forgive me for the intrusion of standing so near.”
“What on earth is happening……?”
The Duchess looked up at the Tower Master, her expression bewildered.
“If I may be candid, my lady—your condition is not a matter of depleted vitality.”
“Pardon?”
“Now that I examine you closely, the picture is clear.”
The Duchess’s fine brow creased slightly at words that seemed to come from nowhere.
“Your poisoning has grown considerably worse.”

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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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