Let’s Make Saving a Habit - Chapter 83

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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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Chapter 83
My attempt to leave Duchess Papiope and Aiden alone together had failed, but it yielded an unexpected benefit.
I consoled myself with the hope that Aiden’s charm had made a good impression.
Or rather, I tried to console myself—if not for what Duchess Papiope said next.
She rose from her seat and suddenly began stretching.
“Alright. I’m bored anyway. Shall I join in?”
“Mother, you’re saying you’ll participate in that hellish water play too?”
“Of course. Since I came all this way, wouldn’t it be a shame not to splash around a bit?”
I realized anew that Duchess Papiope was quite the eccentric.
She truly did love anything entertaining.

✦ ✦ ✦
Duchess Papiope ultimately joined in the deadly water play.
I watched the spray of water become even more chaotic with her participation.
I had certainly thought Duchess Papiope and Aiden held mutual affection for each other…
But witnessing the relentless attacks exchanged between them without a shred of restraint or consideration, I began to doubt their feelings.
“…Is it really okay to do things like that?”
Any affection would surely be washed away.
Just then, Elysion—when he had escaped, I couldn’t say—sat down beside me.
His face was perfectly dry, as if he hadn’t been soaked in water mere moments before.
“What? How do you not have a drop of water on you?”
Elysion chuckled lightly, as if it were nothing.
“I used magic to evaporate the moisture.”
“Wow, magic really is all-powerful.”
Seized by curiosity, I reached out and touched his hair without thinking.
He quietly closed his eyes and purred like a cat, savoring my touch.
Finding his behavior endearing, I had him rest his head on my lap.
It was a natural gesture that flowed from me, reminiscent of the future version of Elysion.
“Sion, how are things at the Magic Tower?”
“Good. Thanks to your investment, Father’s complaints have decreased significantly.”
“Ha, is that so?”
“Really. He was constantly grumbling about money, saying he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.”
It seemed the Magic Tower Master had struggled greatly, facing a promising project without any place to secure funding.
“Sion, thank you.”
“…For what?”
“Just for various things.”
It felt as though Elysion had gone to the Magic Tower unnecessarily because of me.
I still carried a sense of guilt toward him.
As I sat there absently, gently stroking his silky hair, it happened.
Splash—!
“Ugh, pfft!”
Elysion, who had been resting his head on my lap, jolted upright in shock as an unexpected deluge of water drenched us both.
Caught in the same downpour, I found myself looking like a drowned rat, my expression vacant as I traced the source of the water assault.
There stood Lucian, looking decidedly displeased.
“What do you think you’re doing, resting your head on my precious younger sister’s lap without permission?”
Excuse me, but your precious younger sister got soaked too.
Before I could even lodge a complaint, Elysion swept his wet hair back with an amused smile.
“You started this again? Don’t say you regret it.”
Magic circles materialized in Elysion’s palms as he spoke.
I laughed softly, realizing this deadly water battle wouldn’t end until the day was through.
Both Duchess Papiope and Aiden’s romantic endeavors had failed, and so had mine.

✦ ✦ ✦
The day after our outing, where we’d accomplished nothing but pure enjoyment.
I emerged from my room after finishing my usual etiquette lessons.
Lena approached me promptly, as if she’d been waiting, and informed me of a visitor.
“Ron from the Ageratum Merchant Company is waiting in the Reception Room. Will you see him now?”
“Ron came looking for me?”
I nodded, wondering if the Merchant Leader had sent him on an errand.
“Yes, I’ll go now.”
Upon arriving at the Reception Room, Ron rose from the sofa as if he’d been expecting me and approached.
His visit had nothing to do with caravan business—it was entirely personal.
“Tania, I brought your Talent Cultivation Institute acceptance certificate.”
Ron handed me a single sheet of paper without preamble.
It was identical in format to the acceptance certificate I’d received from the Talent Cultivation Institute.
I blinked slowly.
Now that I thought about it, I had told Ron that if he brought me a Talent Cultivation Institute acceptance certificate, I’d let him work under me.
After a year passed with no word, I’d simply assumed he’d take over the caravan instead.
Given how he’d always found everything tedious, I naturally thought he’d given up.
“Impressive—obtaining a certificate without even being an Ability User.”
Passing the Talent Cultivation Institute without being an Awakened One was far more difficult.
Evaluation relied solely on written examinations and crisis response capabilities.
“Did you pass on your second attempt?”
The Talent Cultivation Institute exam could be taken anytime, but failing meant a one-year waiting period before retesting.
The fact that he’d brought the certificate now, a year later, meant he’d taken the exam twice.
Ron admitted it sheepishly, rubbing his face in embarrassment.
“Yeah. The first time, I underestimated the Talent Cultivation Institute and took the exam the very next day.”
Oh dear.
He’d taken the Talent Cultivation Institute exam far too lightly.
“I failed spectacularly. My test scores were pathetic. I didn’t even come close to passing.”
I couldn’t imagine what pride-stricken Ron must have felt when he received such dismal results.
“So I prepared with the absolute determination to pass the next exam, and I did.”
“You must have worked very hard.”
I pondered where I should assign Ron if I hired him.
A promise was a promise, so I had intended to take him under my wing, but…
I felt he was still too young to entrust with that particular task.
Had Ron been just a few years older, I would have already placed him in charge of the Information Guild I was preparing to establish.
Just then, Ron moved his lips as if he had something to say.
“Tania, I have a request for you.”
“What is it?”
“I’m curious how many monsters are at the Talent Cultivation Institute. I’d like to train there for a few years.”
“Really?”
“I think my pride will only be satisfied once I enter the Talent Cultivation Institute and defeat every single one of them.”
Good heavens.
It seemed his pride had taken quite a blow when he failed the Talent Cultivation Institute’s entrance exam.
“So, please postpone my hiring until then.”
For me, this was a request I had absolutely no reason to refuse.
“Of course. You can come back whenever you’re ready. It’s not an easy place to get into anyway.”
“…Just so you know, I’m saying postpone it for a few years—my desire to work under you hasn’t changed!”
“Haha! Pretty boy, were you worried I might misunderstand?”
“That wretched ‘pretty boy’…!”
As Ron began to bristle, I suddenly remembered something and clapped my hands together, deftly changing the subject.
“Oh! When you get to the Talent Cultivation Institute, look for two kids named Raspi and Rosemary.”
“Who are they?”
“They’re my friends. If you mention you know me, they’ll probably treat you well.”
Ron snorted dismissively.
“That’s useless information. I have no intention of getting close to your friends.”
“Still as prickly as ever.”
Not to mention the fact that he had no friends at all.
I swallowed my words and offered a bright smile instead.
“They’re doing well at the Talent Cultivation Institute. I’ll visit them sometimes.”

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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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