My Husband Is Not the Magic Tower Master - Chapter 29
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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 29
Carlo had said he had no schedule in the afternoon.
Whether that was genuinely true or whether he’d cleared his calendar for my parents’ sake, I couldn’t say.
Thanks to that, he and I found ourselves once again climbing into the Steinberg carriage—like fate playing a joke on us.
‘I really could cry.’
We’d finally arrived at Serenenti, the commercial district that felt like a second home to me.
At this point, wasn’t I showing him everything Rose Steinberg had to offer?
Feeling oddly embarrassed, I began walking the midday streets alongside Carlo.
The brilliant, shimmering blue landscape beneath the sunlight was Serenenti’s greatest pride.
“Centuries back, our first family head was a Grand Water Mage.”
The district’s signature was its blue-roofed buildings and streets of blue brick.
Balloons drifted through the air in sky-blue, evoking a festival atmosphere at every turn, and even the fountain basins where water surged upward gleamed sky-blue.
Everything here was bright and blue.
Every townsperson dressed as if by instinct with blue accents somewhere on their clothes, and so wherever your eye fell in Serenenti, a clear blue rippled like waves across the landscape.
The earldom held several large and small villages, but if I had to name the most developed, it was Serenenti without question.
Personally, the clear blue unique to Serenenti was also my favorite color.
All the personal items I’d carried while working at the Magic Tower had been purchased here, and they were all blue.
Pens, notebooks, mirrors, blankets, teacups—everything.
“You could say every day here is a festival. There are plenty of shops and diverse food vendors, so visitors often come here for their honeymoons.”
For that reason, the memories Elline and I had built here since childhood could fill a whole truck.
The security was excellent, and there were abundant—if rare—entertainment experiences using Magical Artifacts.
By the time we’d watched children playing freely and street performers doing impromptu shows, we’d lose track of time and the day would be gone.
“In short, it’s a place where childhood innocence is preserved.”
I understood now why my parents had insisted—using the word ‘command,’ no less—that he tour this place with me.
As he finished explaining the town, Carlo’s eyes fell on the Hair Ribbon wrapped around my wrist and then back to the town’s colors, and his face showed a moment of realization.
The flowing fabric of the ribbon was, predictably, blue.
“…But Rose prefers strawberries to blueberries, doesn’t she?”
“Ha. Are sight and taste the same thing?”
They’re clearly different senses.
At Carlo’s response—serious eyes scanning the street—I couldn’t help but laugh.
From the moment we’d arrived, I’d decided to stop worrying and simply make the best of the time.
The water was already spilled. Besides, it was a day off.
Rationalizing it as time spent strengthening comrades’ bonds after a well-earned leave made my heart feel considerably lighter.
“It’s around three o’clock now, isn’t it?”
“Yes. About ten minutes remain.”
“We’ve arrived at just the right time. The Monthly Magic Event is about to begin.”
Today happened to be the last day of the month. My parents must have had this in mind when they told me to come sight-seeing here.
Every year, when the season between spring and summer drew to a close, Serenenti would invite Mages to perform small-scale shows.
The street was beginning to fill with people.
“Let’s head over there for now.”
“Of course.”
As the crowd pressed closer, Carlo shifted his position relative to mine and headed toward the sidewalk.
When his careful hand touched my shoulder, my mood brightened a little.
He didn’t need to hold me so gently.
I stifled the smile threatening to form at my lips and led him down an alleyway lined with shops.
“From here on, they sell food, and over there in the middle, past the Cotton Candy shop, there are general stores selling handmade goods.”
The most famous thing sold on this street was, without question, Cotton Candy.
Unlike the ordinary Cotton Candy people knew, this kind was infused with magic that lifted your spirits, making it extremely popular.
I’d decided to introduce Serenenti enthusiastically, so I led him to a stop in front of the Cotton Candy shop and deliberated over the menu.
“Hmm. If I recommend something, the ‘Reconciliation’ flavor is nice, and the ‘Cherished Memory’ is supposedly quite delicious too. The most popular menu item, I hear, is ‘Love’….”
I faltered mid-sentence.
We weren’t even a couple. Had I said something awkward?
Now that I thought about it, the Cotton Candy shop was popular with young newlyweds.
‘I’ve heard it’s the flavor that works magic on couples who’ve fought, or husbands and wives, bringing them back to how they were.’
Since I’d actually never tasted it myself, I didn’t know for certain.
Memories—I had no courage to guess what scenes might churn through my mind at a taste like this.
I glanced awkwardly at Carlo, but fortunately he was focused intently on the menu items before him.
When I asked if there was anything he’d like to try, he shook his head.
“It’s fine. I’m not one for sweets.”
“Is that so?”
Then we’d skip this.
Since we’d eaten our fill at the estate’s brunch, I hardly expected snacks to tempt me anyway.
He and I walked at a leisurely pace into a street lined with miscellaneous shops.
On one side were stores run by non-mage residents, selling handmade accessories and daily necessities.
On the other were workshops dealing in magically-crafted goods.
Personally, I preferred browsing the latter.
After all, opening a workshop myself was my dream for the near future.
Especially in the Steinberg domain, where awakened mages were scarce, magical workshops were a rarity.
Since most of the residents here were non-mages, many shops opened with half-baked plans only to fail.
I’d witnessed more than twenty openings and closures since childhood.
‘At least this one’s still standing.’
My go-to spot—the Jo Brothers magical workshop.
The last time I’d visited this shop was about a month ago.
I mentioned offhandedly while examining a new display nearby, wondering if anything had arrived since then.
“Carlo, what do you usually enjoy doing when you visit places like this?”
“…I tend to prefer observing.”
“Oh, that’s similar to me.”
My eyes still on the workshop’s display, I asked without thinking.
“By observing, do you perhaps also enjoy performances? Theater or opera, that sort of thing?”
Or perhaps street brawls?
The sort who seeks out fires to watch houses burn?
Without seeing what expression he made beside me, it was then that I picked up an object.
“I rather prefer theater….”
Carlo’s voice was drowned out as someone shouted loudly in our direction.
“Gah-ha-ha! Welcome back, customer!”
A scraggly frame paired with an unexpectedly boisterous voice.
Joji, the elder operating the Jo Brothers workshop, suddenly poked his head out from inside the shop.
Following his lead, Joseph leaned out with only his upper body visible, pushing up his monocle as he added his greeting.
“It’s been a while, generous patron.”
“Generous” was a nickname, “patron” was the truth.
I’d frequented this workshop like I was conducting market research, and I loved the magical artifacts filled with their ingenious ideas.
“Ah, hello. Joji, Joseph.”
I’d always come alone, never bringing anyone with me before.
As I greeted them awkwardly while glancing at Carlo beside me, Joji clapped as if things had worked out perfectly.
“Ah, you certainly have a good eye.”
“Excuse me?”
“That item you’re holding is precisely our fresh new stock for this month’s event!”
“I see….”
What I held was a small postcard with a scene from Serenenti depicted on it.
Unlike other magical artifacts that gave off strange emanations, this was merely paper and looked like an ordinary postcard, which was curious enough to touch.
Still, I felt no trace of power from it.
“It doesn’t seem to be finished as a magical artifact yet—how can it be part of the event merchandise?”
As I looked over the postcard uncertainly, Carlo whispered softly to me.
“If its function truly is as a letter as it appears, they’re probably intending to infuse it with mana during delivery.”
“Bingo! That’s exactly right!”
Joji clapped once more, applause echoing.
“You seem to be a non-mage, yet you’re quite sharp.”
“…?”
For reference, the Jo Brothers were twin mages who’d awakened to the wind attribute less than six months ago—still green beginners.
Of course, when it came to ideas, they were seasoned masters.
‘Their sense for detection, though, is hopeless.’
Because their skill was still far from developed, they had no idea I was a water mage.
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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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