On Official Duty with My Tower Master Ex-Boyfriend - Chapter 54

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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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Episode 54
“I can call those two to the Magic Tower? Really?”
“Why? Did you think I’d locked them away so you couldn’t see anyone?”
“No, well…….”
I was still dumbfounded that Cade had actually agreed.
“Tell them to visit tomorrow afternoon.”
“I will.”
That was all.
He’d asked me not to wear my uniform, but since it was a day off at the observatory anyway, there were no real conditions attached to it.
Cade had let my guests visit the Magic Tower without imposing any conditions.
It wasn’t just me who found the situation hard to believe—Simona and Yukel, who arrived at the Magic Tower the next day, were visibly surprised as well.
“The Tower Master really permitted it?”
“Yes. I didn’t expect it either.”
I led the two of them up to my room while studying the wizards’ expressions.
Some occasionally showed hostility toward outsiders, but most seemed merely curious for a moment before losing interest.
Perhaps because so many civil servants had been coming and going of late, people didn’t seem to feel much animosity as long as you weren’t wearing a uniform.
“Wow! Yukel. Look over there. The lights aren’t attached to the wall—they’re floating in the air.”
“So this is what the inside of the Magic Tower looks like……. Fascinating.”
The two of them marveled at everything, just as I had when I first explored the tower.
Despite having witnessed bizarre and seemingly magical weather phenomena over the rough sea countless times, neither could tear their eyes from actual magic until we reached my room.
When I brought out tea and pastries that I’d arranged with the kitchens beforehand, Simona clapped her hands in delight.
“Build those connections and before you know it, you’re dining at the 2nd Princess’s residence and sipping tea at the Magic Tower. I’m living luxuriously thanks to you.”
“It’s barely half the size of your sitting room.”
“What are you talking about? Even a room the size of a wardrobe matters when it’s in the Magic Tower.”
Simona laughed softly, and the moment tea time began, she brought up something I wanted to forget.
“So the Tower Master intends to marry the 3rd Princess?”
I startled while pouring tea and spilled a little on the table.
“Why are you so shocked? Did the Tower Master threaten you?”
“That’s not it, but he didn’t seem pleased when he received the official document.”
I laughed awkwardly, wiping the table, and Simona poured the tea for me instead.
“If the Tower Master married one of the Imperial Princesses, his life would become much easier. He wouldn’t have to worry about interference from the Imperial Government anymore.”
“The Magic Tower and the Imperial Government have been at odds for so long—would marriage make them allies just like that?”
At Yukel’s question, Simona answered as though the question were obvious.
“That’s why they need to have a child as quickly as possible.”
“A child?!”
I raised my voice involuntarily at the shocking statement, then covered my mouth and glanced around nervously.
“I-I just can’t imagine it. I’m sorry.”
“No matter how much they despise each other, once a child is born between them, husband and wife can’t help but become allies. Best if it happens on their wedding night.”
“Simona. Stop saying such irreverent things.”
“What does it matter? They say even the Emperor gets cursed when he’s not around.”
While Yukel shot Simona a look of resignation, I couldn’t focus on either of them anymore.
‘A child……?’
Fiancée. Marriage. Child.
All things that seemed completely incongruous with Cade were already trailing behind his name.
As expected, none of it involved me in any way.
As I sat staring blankly at my tea, Yukel, who’d been bickering with Simona, gently touched my shoulder.
“Vivian? Why does your face look like that? You’re pale.”
“Oh, no. I’m fine.”
Startled back to reality, I took a sip of tea and collected myself.
At that, Simona smiled knowingly, her eyes narrowing.
“Our Vivian must be worried the Tower Master will murder the Imperial Princess.”
“……Everyone would be, wouldn’t they?”
I didn’t deny it and moved on awkwardly, changing the subject smoothly.
“Right. Thank you for helping that day. I don’t know what would’ve happened without you.”
At my words, Simona’s forgotten memories of that day resurfaced, and she poked Yukel’s shoulder excitedly.
“I wish you’d been there too. The Tower Master actually blew the roof right off that building? The wind came rushing down so suddenly from above, we nearly had a disaster.”
“A disaster? Was anyone hurt?”
“No, no. A wig on one of my companions flew right off, and I had such a hard time keeping from laughing. I was trembling the whole carriage ride trying not to think about it.”
“You’ve never had a serious bone in your body, have you?”
Yukel shook his head and asked me a question.
“By the way, have you heard the news from the Harbor? You’re the one who requested supplies from the Imperial Government back then, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. How is the Harbor reconstruction progressing?”
I’d been curious about it for some time, so I listened intently to what Yukel had to say.
“The news isn’t good. Half the docks have collapsed and the commercial district sustained major damage, but the repairs have been halted.”
“Halted? When will they resume?”
“There’s no set date. The Imperial Government withdrew all the workers they’d sent.”
I blinked in disbelief.
“I heard they weren’t sending additional personnel, but……they withdrew the ones who were already there?”
“Please, ma’am civil servant. Help us. Our shop is destroyed, and…….”
“Father hurt his leg too. If things continue like this, he might…….”
“Even if we catch all those monsters, what happens to our shop? Our boats are all destroyed.”
The faces of the people who’d pleaded with me simply because I was a civil servant from the Imperial Government were vivid in my mind.
They’d believed that because I was a civil servant, because I came from the Imperial Government, they’d surely receive help, so they’d made their pleas.
They’d lost their shops. They’d lost their boats. Many were injured.
How could such a thing be allowed?
‘Then those people are still living in temporary shelters?’
As I sat paralyzed, Simona let out a helpless sigh.
“Melgote is an area with many magical beasts, isn’t it? There’s the Crystal Whale too. If ordinary civil servants go there and become Attuners, what then?”
“Having more Attuners would be good for the government, wouldn’t it?”
“If they’re trapped inside Melgote’s barrier, what good are more Attuners?”
“…….”
The extreme and simplistic handling of the situation made my head throb.
I couldn’t argue because there was no certainty that others wouldn’t be trapped inside Melgote’s barrier again.
Even when I’d sent word about the damage from the monster beast attacks and requested supplies by letter, the reply didn’t contain kind words.
Summarizing the lengthy letter from the administrative branch: the Harbor was close to the Magic Tower and the situation could be sufficiently resolved with the Tower Master’s intervention, so voluntarily undertaking work beyond assigned duties and requesting supplies without approval was a matter deserving of investigation.
In even shorter terms, it amounted to saying that acting recklessly in danger before receiving the Magic Tower Master’s Seal was irresponsible.
“Is there any way the observatory could help those people?”
“Vivian. You’ve worked at the observatory too, so you know that after a monster beast appears, the sea experiences constant abnormal weather.”
“We were working overtime until yesterday.”
Simona and Yukel answered half-heartedly. It was the answer I’d expected.
“Right. The observatory is a busy place…….”
“Oh, that’s right. Speaking of the Harbor, it reminded me—not long ago at the observatory—”
After that, we spent tea time discussing the observatory’s recent circumstances and how my abilities had collided with Melgote’s barrier, causing problems.
Even after washing away the sweetness in my mouth with tea, the image of the devastated Harbor refused to fade from my mind.
***
When I woke up after spending several days at the Magic Tower, it had become natural for Tris to be beside me.
It had become natural to exchange light greetings with the wizards I encountered, and to attune with the magical beasts in the Monster Enclosure so they could rest comfortably.
But I still hadn’t grown accustomed to Cade’s mercurial nature.
“If you’ve got nothing in particular to do, want to go out?”
“……Go out? Where to?”
“Outside the Magic Tower.”
The moment I emerged from the Monster Enclosure, Cade appeared and proposed an unexpected outing.

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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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