Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Sense of Unease
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Magic Tower.
The heart of all magic, and the home of the Tower Lord.
I’ve never been to the Magic Tower.
Of course, I have seen the Tower Lord before.
But honestly, he didn’t leave much of an impression.
I just recall an old man who declared he’d take me from Mother, only to get an earful and slink away.
Thinking back on that somewhat crotchety old fellow, I gaze out the window.
Numerous knights ride alongside us on horseback, while inside this massive carriage are just Mother, me, Lily sis, and Clue.
I wanted to take in the scenery, but the knights block the view.
With that thought, I turn my eyes back inside the carriage.
Luxurious carriage.
There’s no sense of jostling at all, and the interior is so vast it feels like you could play games in here.
It definitely didn’t seem this big when we got in.
“It’s spatial magic,”
Mother says with a smile, pointing around the carriage as if explaining to me while I look around.
“It looks small from the outside, but once you step in, a huge space awaits. That’s the magic.”
For a moment, I feel disoriented by this world that doesn’t just ignore the laws of physics but treats them as nonexistent. Then my gaze shifts to the glass suddenly thrust before my eyes.
Lily sis is beaming at me.
“Theo, drink some water!”
“Uh, yeah. Thanks... Lily sis.”
Ever since we decided to visit the Magic Tower together, Lily sis has been in strangely high spirits.
No, not strangely—she’s outright beaming.
“...”
I quietly watch Clue.
Clue is holding the Holy Grail filled with water, staring at me.
Her unoccupied hand fidgets restlessly, and she gives a wry smile before slowly setting the Grail down.
Her expression says she’s conceding it to me.
I let out a small internal sigh and speak up.
“Clue, I’m really thirsty, so I’ll take that water too. Thanks for thinking of me.”
“...Ah, yes. You’re welcome, Master.”
I take the two glasses of water—one a regular cup, the other the water-filled Holy Grail—and sip them while glancing at Clue.
This carriage is apparently reserved exclusively for royalty.
No exceptions, no one else allowed aboard.
Yet somehow Clue managed it.
Simple reason.
“Theo’s so kind even to dolls.”
“Huh?”
“Because Theo’s such a good boy, he treats dolls nicely too.”
Lily sis, who brought me the water, smiles softly, pats the back of my hand, and walks away.
That’s right.
The reason Clue can ride with us is that she’s treated not as a person, but as property.
So officially, there are only three passengers in this carriage.
Clue insisted she could easily keep pace on foot, but making a girl who looks like a 13-year-old kid run alongside struck my conscience—hard.
“...Sorry, Clue. For calling you a doll and bringing you aboard like this.”
I whisper just loud enough for Clue beside me to hear. She smiles gently at my words.
“I’m thrilled to ride with you like this, Master. I’m just grateful for your consideration.”
“Still...”
“And strictly speaking, I’m not human anyway.”
“...There aren’t many homunculi?”
Are her kind that rare?
If not, she wouldn’t face this kind of treatment.
“Well, rare doesn’t even begin to cover it...”
Clue scratches her cheek and chuckles softly.
“I’m not entirely sure myself.”
“...”
I decide not to press further.
Clue has her own secrets, after all.
“And...”
“Yeah?”
“You didn’t tell your doll to run alongside, Master.”
“That’s... true?”
“That’s enough for me.”
Clue smiles warmly again.
But still, how can she say that?
It might be common sense to others, but not to me.
It’s sheer nonsense.
With that thought, I turn my gaze back to Mother.
She’s stealing glances at me.
Our eyes meet, and she clears her throat before looking at me.
“Theo, feeling okay? No discomfort?”
“I’m fine, Mom.”
“I thought your first carriage trip might bore you, but I’m glad.”
Her face mixes pride and guilt.
Like she wants to brag about her talented son but feels bad dragging him around everywhere.
An emotion that’s hard for an orphan like me to grasp.
So I just accept it.
Time to ask a question.
“What’s... the Tower Lord like?”
“The Tower Lord, hmm...”
Mother rests her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
“He’s very good at magic.”
“...”
Stating the obvious.
“A high-rank mage, no less.”
“...”
High-rank mage.
Every time I hear it, the feeling is so weird.
No, not weird.
I’m actually a bit pissed.
The more I study magic, the more it bugs me.
What lunatic decided to divide magic into beginner, intermediate, and advanced?
Never read a novel or played a game in their life?
And why hasn’t anyone fixed this nonsense yet?
Spatial magic too—the creator of this world doesn’t seem to care about realism or logic.
There are masters of magic and swordsmanship, but the ranks and power levels feel slapped together by someone who’s never touched the genre.
I’d love to track down whoever came up with this garbage tier system.
And the even weirder part is...
“...Theo?”
Mother tilts her head.
Mother’s smart.
Not just smart—she’s capable and strong.
I know from watching her work.
No one earns the title Empress as a joke.
Yet once you buy into this world’s “common sense,” even Mother becomes like everyone else.
As if the world itself blocks that line of thinking.
“...”
No, that’s probably too much of a leap.
Even if I’m a possessor, that crosses a line.
Right. I’ll ask the Tower Lord about this.
With that in mind, I look outside again.
“Theo, if you feel carsick, you can always come cuddle with Mom, okay?”
“I’m good, Mom.”
I chat with Mother and Lily sis, occasionally with Clue, as we head toward the Magic Tower.
*
“...”
I look up at the tower before me.
Wow, it’s tall.
A massive stone tower.
The bizarre mana circulating endlessly marks it unmistakably as the Magic Tower.
And soon, an old man comes rushing out in a fluster.
“You’ve arrived! Your Majesty Empress! Thank you for gracing us after so long.”
I watch the old man approach with quick steps and bow.
The Tower Lord.
I knew from his mana, even without seeing his face.
Anyone would recognize that monstrous mana signature.
“Princess Lily as well...”
“It hasn’t been that long, has it? I’m back, Tower Lord.”
Lily sis returns the greeting politely, and the Tower Lord smiles in satisfaction before turning to me.
“And... Prince Theodor...”
His eyes, full of decorum moments ago, now burn with fervor.
Thirst for knowledge.
“We’re truly honored by your visit. I was over the moon when Her Majesty told me...”
“...Ah, uh-huh...”
“I heard you can wield both sword aura and magic.”
“Well...”
I don’t really know myself.
That’s just what others say.
It’s hard to even explain how I do it.
“In any case, you’ve traveled far, so please rest. It may be humble compared to your quarters at home, but we’ve prepared our finest room.”
I follow the Tower Lord as he toddles ahead once more.
Fine. Since I’m here, I’ll learn as much magic as possible.
“Theo! I’ll show you around!”
“Oh, sure.”
And just like that, Lily sis grabs my sleeve and starts dragging me along.
Lily sis pulls me forward, while behind us, Mother and Clue follow.
How to put it.
Lily sis feels a bit different from before.
“What’s up, Theo? Staring at my face all of a sudden.”
“Nothing.”
I shake my head at Lily sis’s puzzled question.
More precisely, she changed after starting sword practice with Ravire sis.
Like the leisure has drained from her.
“...Sis.”
“Yeah, Theo?”
“If something’s bothering you, talk to me.”
“...”
Lily sis turns to gaze at me quietly.
Soon, a smile spreads across her face.
“Theo!”
“Eek.”
She hugs me tight, rubbing her cheek against mine as she continues.
I glance at Mother, who watches us with a gentle smile.
“Yeah! If anything comes up, I’ll definitely talk to you, Theo!”
“Sure. I’ll help however I can.”
If I can, that is.
A kid’s worries are probably just emotional stuff anyway. I can listen well enough.
Better than Mother, even.
As I pat Lily sis’s back, a sudden thought strikes me.
Since she’s here, maybe ask now.
“Oh, sis.”
“Yeah?”
“Why is magic divided into just beginner, intermediate, and advanced?”
“What’s that supposed to mean, Theo?”
She tilts her head.
“I mean, uh, why only three tiers?”
“Uh, hmm...”
Only then does she narrow her eyes in thought.
As if she’d never considered it before.
“...”
The unease lingers briefly.
“Yeah... I dunno...”
Lily sis murmurs, eyes still narrowed.
“There are lots of mages in the world, right?”
“Quite a few... I guess?”
“Exactly.”
“...Ah.”
Finally, Lily sis’s eyes widen.
“Yeah, I get what you mean now, Theo!”
“Really?”
“Yep!”
Her eyes sparkle as she ruffles my hair vigorously.
“Theo’s a genius!”
“What’s going on, Lily?”
Mother strides over upon hearing “genius.”
“What genius thing did Theo say this time?”
“Yeah, Mom!”
“Tell Mom a little too...”
“No way!”
Lily sis purses her lips and shakes her head fiercely. Mother eyes her narrowly before turning away.
“That hurts my feelings.”
“No! Secrets are secrets!”
“...”
Listening to them, I glance at Clue.
She just offers a wry smile.
*
Night falls, and Lily lies in bed, wide awake, staring at the ceiling.
Sleep just wouldn’t come.
The first day’s schedule was free, so she’d spent it touring the Magic Tower with Theodor.
It was fun.
“...”
Lily closes her eyes and grits her teeth.
Gray hair flutters in her memories.
Ravire.
The second princess always coveted what was hers.
She envied Lily’s magic and constantly challenged her.
Yet Lily secretly thrilled at watching Ravire—who couldn’t use magic—squirm in defeat.
The pleasure of seeing an inferior rival struggle.
It was a vicious joy, but to Lily at just ten years old, it was simply fun.
But one day, that changed.
Ravire abandoned magic for swordsmanship.
And as if she’d found her true calling, Ravire began growing by leaps and bounds.
People who once adored and praised only Lily started praising Ravire.
Still, Lily was fine.
She had her little brother, the one who truly understood her.
He never dismissed her as a kid or talked over her head—the only one who got her.
But that one person...
“...”
Lily bites her lip.
The first time she saw her little brother wielding a sword, Lily finally understood the “heart dropping” feeling she’d only read about in books.
Like her pounding heart plummeted to her gut and stopped beating.
She still can’t name that emotion, but she never wants to feel it again.
That’s why Lily will win Theodor back here.
She’ll reclaim him from her wicked little sister tempting him with swords.
But how?
Rustle.
Lily sits up.
Why did Theodor’s words stick in her mind like this?
Why is magic limited to just three tiers?
Lying back, Lily smiles.
Theo’s always been like that.
No preconceptions.
He questions even the “obvious.”
Only then did Lily start sensing the wrongness too.
As Theo said, it’s odd.
With so many spells, why only three ranks?
And such childish ones: beginner, intermediate, advanced.
“...”
Lily quietly gets out of bed, scribbles something hastily, and heads out.
Straight to the Tower Lord’s room.
He stays up late...
“...”
He’s probably awake now.
She gazes softly at Theodor.
Lily smiles tenderly.
Theodor sleeps soundly, oblivious to the world.
“Theo.”
Whispering so as not to wake him, Lily approaches the boy.
His white hair glows in the moonlight, and Lily smiles gently.
“Let’s research magic together, you and me.”
“...”
“Not with a naughty girl like Ravire—just you and sis becoming mages.”
Swallowing “forever,” Lily steps outside with a playful skip.
She has work to do first.
*
Murmurs buzz in my ears.
I open my eyes to an old man’s face right there.
What the—
The thought cuts short.
“Prince Theodor!”
The old man—the Tower Lord—spits as he stares at me.
“Truly, truly remarkable!”
“Uh, yes...?”
“This is a new paradigm for magic...! No, we must gather everyone from the towers immediately... Come on...!”
Muttering to himself, the Tower Lord looks at me with shining eyes.
“If Princess Lily hadn’t told me, I would never have...!”
Lily sis?
Clueless, I look at Lily sis,
“...”
and bathed in morning sunlight, she just smiles softly at me.