I Became the Magic Tower Master's Experimental Mouse - Chapter 64

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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 on earth are you talking about?”
“Well. I don’t think I should tell you just yet.”
The lady merely smiled enigmatically, offering no answer in the end.
Why did everyone have so many secrets? Though I suppose I had no right to complain, given my own share of them.
I pouted and shot Cassian a pointed look for no particular reason.
* * *
Two days later, we set out toward the Magic Tower.
“Coo-ooo, coo. Croo-coo-croo-ooo.” (Put the basket on your lap. It keeps swaying.)
The moment the carriage lurched forward, Cassian issued his command from within the basket with imperious precision.
“…On my lap, you say?”
“Coo.” (Yes.)
“…Ugh.”
I grumbled and gathered the basket he’d vacated into my arms.
The reason the heir to the great Behemoth found himself confined to a basket was simple enough: to keep his Beast Form hidden from prying eyes.
At first, Cassian had raged—why should he be reduced to such a conveyance?—but eventually he’d accepted the necessity and ceased his protests.
‘This is what I have to deal with now, is it?’
I sighed and drew the carriage curtain closed, screening Cassian from view.
And so, with my lap commandeered as Cassian’s preferred seat, we jolted onward for days.
“Wow! There’s the Magic Tower!”
The moment the familiar skyline came into view, I let out a cry of pure delight without thinking.
The effort of sitting ramrod straight while cradling Cassian sent a sharp ache lancing through my lower back.
I winced and fell silent, and the Tower Master clucked his tongue sympathetically, his fingers working at the tension in my spine.
‘…I’m glad to be back.’
I couldn’t help smiling to myself.
Coming home made me realize just how much I’d missed this place.
‘A guild where I spent my whole life, and yet the Magic Tower—where I’ve only been a few months—feels so much more like home.’
Contented, I waited for the carriage to halt before hopping down eagerly.
“Pip!”
At the Tower Master’s signal, the gates swung open, and the first to greet us was Liz.
“Let me see your face. Come here, come here.”
“I’m glad to see you, Liz.”
“Me too! Just the other day I went out to buy bread and made a friend. We got along great. How about you, Pip?”
“A friend?”
“Yeah. We had this strange chemistry, you know? I’ll introduce you later!”
I clutched the basket firmly and kept the lid secured, preventing Cassian from emerging, and offered Liz a bright smile.
‘I can’t hide him forever once we’re inside, but revealing him right here in the lobby feels premature.’
Cassian, sensing my intent, remained still and quiet inside the basket.
“Wow, it’s Pip!”
“Pip~!”
The four musketeers who’d been standing behind Liz came rushing toward me.
I was delighted, squeezing Lilly’s hand and squeaking with joy, when I noticed the Tower Master pressing his temples as if afflicted by a headache and heading upstairs.
“Oh, Tower Master! There’s a mountain of papers on your desk! So much needs your signature!”
Liz rushed after him in panic.
The Tower Master grimaced at the mention of so much work, but then something seemed to occur to him.
“Liz, I have some business to attend to in the Imperial Capital for a while. We’ll need to adjust the schedule—I’ll be away frequently.”
“Is something the matter?”
“Nothing serious.”
I followed in their wake, tilting my head in puzzlement.
He’d seemed distracted just now, lost in thought about something. Whatever it was, it must have been important.
I watched Liz disappear with the Tower Master into conversation, then lingered a moment longer with the four musketeers before heading upstairs to my room.
“I’m back, my room!”
Everything was exactly as I’d left it.
The absence of any stale or musty odor suggested someone had been diligently airing the space during my absence.
‘Ah, I’m exhausted.’
I threw myself onto the bed, and the moment my face touched the familiar fabric, a comforting scent drifted up to meet me.
“Coo-ooo, coo!” (What if you’d thrown me! And it’s dirty!)
“Oh, right.”
In my drowsy state, I’d completely forgotten about Cassian and carelessly dumped the basket onto the mattress.
He tumbled out indignantly, chittering and grumbling his displeasure at the rough treatment.
“But what’s so dirty about it!”
“Growl, growl!” (Without washing, and you climbed right into bed!)
“Oh, never mind! Why don’t you get down, sir!”
How dare you backseat drive from someone else’s bed!
But Cassian was too small and too adorable to throw out unceremoniously.
“Grrrr!” (Insolent!)
I traded barbs with Cassian while thrashing my limbs about on the bed, treading water in place.
“Pifi, are you asleep? Why aren’t you answering… Kyaaaah!”
In my distraction, I didn’t hear the knock on the door, and by the time Liz had slipped inside, she locked eyes with Cassian and let out a scream.
“A, a beast?! No, what is that!”
“Oh, Liz! Calm down!”
“Kyoo-eeng! Grrrrrrr!” (Insolent! Calling me a beast!)
The room erupted into chaos in an instant.
I had to leap from the bed and break into a sweat trying to placate the furious Cassian and the startled Liz.
“Now, Liz. This is young Master Cassian. He’s fallen ill and is simply in Beast Form at the moment.”
“…Really in Beast Form?! But how did he end up like this…?”
Liz’s eyes went wide.
It was unusual enough to see someone in Demi-human Form, let alone Beast Form, so her wonder was understandable.
Moreover, since Liz also knew that Cassian had previously used the alias Ash, she gazed at him with pitying eyes.
“Grrrr…” (How unpleasant…)
Cassian still vented his displeasure in a long, rumbling cry. Liz, unable to decipher his meaning, simply tilted her head in confusion.
“Well, I thought you might be tired, so I brought dinner here for you. As for the young Master’s meal…?”
Liz looked at Cassian with a troubled expression, murmuring something like “Does his diet change in Beast Form…?”
I shuddered at the image of him in rat form eating insects, my whole body trembling.
Seeds and nuts were fine enough, but there were certainly things I absolutely didn’t want to imagine him eating.
“But Liz, you don’t eat animal feed when you’re in Demi-human Form either…?”
“Oh, that’s right. I wondered if Beast Form was different.”
Liz shrugged as she spoke.
“For now, we’ll share today’s meal. I’m not very hungry anyway.”
“Mm… are you really sure?”
“Of course!”
I agreed readily and showed Liz out.
“There, young Master. Special food, shared only with you.”
I broke the bread in half and set one piece in front of Cassian.
I started eating the salad eagerly, when Cassian suddenly blinked and asked something.
“Koo, koo-koo-koong. Krrrring.” (Hey, listen. Change how you address me.)
“Hm?”
“Koo-oo…” (Well…)
Cassian hesitated, drawing out the silence for a long moment.
“If you have something to say, just say it already. This is frustrating!”
Irritated by the wait, I snapped at him, and Cassian jutted out his snout and cried out.
“Arr-rr… koo-oo-oot!” (Like before… call me by my name!)
“What? My name?”
“Krr-ng.” (Yes.)
As if unburdened now that he’d spoken, Cassian’s expression returned to its shameless brightness.
“Why?”
“Krr-rr!” (Because I want to!)
“…Young Master Cassian?”
“Kyow-oo!” (Too long!)
What did he want from me?
Irritated at having to engage in trivial conversation while a perfectly good meal sat before me, I answered carelessly.
“Master Cassian!”
At that, Cassian’s tail wagged with delight.
‘Good grief.’
Children’s thoughts are unpredictable, but I truly couldn’t fathom what he was thinking.
“Koo-oo koo-aang!” (You can keep calling me that from now on!)
Feeling generous, are we?
I shot Cassian a annoyed glance and turned my attention back to my meal.
After Cassian finished eating, he didn’t leave my room until I’d unpacked, washed up, and gotten ready for bed.
“Why are you still here?”
“Hmm?” (What?)
“This is my room. And Cassian’s room is right next door.”
Since Cassian wouldn’t move, I’d had to change into my nightclothes in the bathroom.
When I planted my hands on my hips and spoke seriously, Cassian’s eyes slid away.
“You turned human for about three seconds yesterday, didn’t you?”
“Grrowl…….” (Yeah, you’re right……)
“What if you transform while we’re sleeping together? I can’t have scandalous rumors spreading about me.”
“Grrr, grooowl! Growwwl.” (No, no, not yet! I’m not fully recovered!)
Cassian pressed against me and threw a full tantrum.
“……But you might turn back eventually anyway.”
“Grooowl.” (Well, that’d be good, then.)
……Is that so? I suppose that’s true.
He does need to return to human form eventually…….
‘It’ll be easier for everyone once he’s back to normal.’
Even as I thought this, I suddenly realized I’d been won over, and I started patting the blanket on the bed firmly.
“No, you absolutely cannot sleep with me!”
“Tch.” (Hmph.)
Cassian pouted and picked up the basket in his mouth, moving it onto the nightstand. Then he jumped into it with a bound, settling onto the blanket lining the bottom.
“Grooowl.” (There. This works.)
His determination not to leave my side for any reason was unmistakably clear.
I finally gave up and burrowed under the covers.
‘I need to search for early spring fragrance materials tomorrow…….’
* * *
The next day, during my free time, I headed to the Poison Material Archive within the Magic Tower.

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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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