Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Villainess Lady Feeling a Sense of Crisis (1)
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“Diana!”
I hurriedly clamped my hand over her mouth.
“The Pink Mage Tower Lord hates being called by her real name. Don’t say Pink Pink—just call her Mage Tower Lord!”
“Mmph!?”
“Master, it’s my fault, not Diana’s. I should’ve warned her ahead of time! You absolutely can’t say ‘Pink’ twice in front of Master!!”
“...My disciple.”
The Pink Mage Tower Lord personally lit the mana herb herself.
“Does my disciple think I’ll throw a fit just hearing the word ‘Pink’?”
“Ah!”
I rolled up the pink tapestry in my line of sight.
“I’m sorry. I must’ve been off my game today.”
Master flashed a grin and pointed a finger at me.
“Firestorm.”
Fifteen minutes later.
The Pink Mage Tower Lord and I were outside the house, chatting alone.
“Disciple, your master here truly can’t live with you sometimes.”
“What a coincidence. I nearly lost my life because of you just now.”
“As if a mere spell like that could kill you. It’s all because I have such deep faith in my disciple.”
“Do you know? A master’s excessive faith can burden the disciple.”
“Light the mana herb for me.”
Master put another mana herb in her mouth and wiggled it up and down with her teeth.
I grabbed the tip with my fingers.
“...Eh? (Disciple?)”
“You’re smoking too much. Don’t you puff on these all day in the tower?”
Mana herbs only supply mana, but too much can harm the body.
So I puffed on the tightly rolled mana herb instead. I’d just broken down a spell from Master that packed real intent, after all.
“Hoo...”
She inhaled deeply, and mana accumulated from various plants flowed into her body.
“...You just... casually smoke that.”
“Pardon? What’s wrong with smoking premium stuff like this?”
Low-grade mana herbs give off a rough vibe just from holding them in your mouth, but Master’s had none of that discomfort.
“This kid... Sometimes sharp, sometimes clueless...”
“Pardon?”
“Shut it.”
Hearing sudden profanity made me feel a bit down.
“Hey, mind if I crash here a few days?”
“What’s this? Tiona’s the lady of the house, not me. Get her permission.”
Strictly speaking, it was her father the Duke, but in practice...
“Tiona... Ah, Roll Bun Girl.”
Master inevitably pulled out a fresh mana herb, stuck it in her mouth, and leaned toward me to light it.
The brim of her witch hat brushed my scalp.
With a sigh, I lit it for her.
“This almost looks like a priest smoking with his acolyte.”
“Blech. You don’t smoke?”
“No.”
“Good thing. Women hate men who smoke.”
Then she suddenly squinted at my face.
“Should I make you smoke as parasite control...? Nah, I’d hate that too.”
“What’s that out of nowhere?”
“Shut it.”
“You’re extra prickly today. Want some chocolate?”
“I’m not on my period.”
“My apologies.”
“Still give me the chocolate.”
“I’ll prepare some later.”
For a moment, we stood side by side, inhaling mana.
“Did Roll Bun Girl show any standout talent in the meantime?”
“She’s growing steadily.”
“Meaning not yet, huh. You’ll see it eventually, so contact me when the time comes.”
“Of course.”
The Pink Mage Tower Lord glanced at the house.
“That flatty you introduced today? She’s a real gem. Where do you find these kids?”
“Please, for the love of—don’t call her flatty to her face.”
“What do you take your master for...?”
Anyway.
I was a little worried, but I’d successfully introduced Diana to the Mage Tower Lord and gotten her approval.
‘Nice...!’
I could practically see the counter for ‘Turn the protagonist’s party into viable talent’ rise from (1/4) to (2/4).
If I kept this momentum and added Tiona and Lea to hit (4/4), I’d finally be free...!
...No, the four of them would enroll in the academy. And I’d have to follow to clean up after Tiona.
Huh? Thinking about it, nothing really ends?
‘It’s over.’
Suddenly, the vivid image hit me.
Tiona, Cynthia, Diana, Lea. The four of them graduating the academy and setting off to exterminate the apostles of the Outer Gods.
Witnessing horrific scenes, battling apostles empowered by Outer Gods, burning away filth, collecting grimoires.
Sometimes camping, roughing it outdoors, forcing down tasteless food when rations ran low, encountering ordinary humans committing ugly acts who weren’t even apostles.
Tiona, Cynthia, Diana, and Lea.
“...”
Not exactly a thrilling vision.
“Disciple. About those Outer Gods you mentioned last time—I looked into them a bit more after.”
“Oh. Really?”
The Mage Tower Lord’s busy with magic research, yet she investigated for me.
That’s why I acknowledge and respect her as my master, like it or not.
“I even arranged to meet someone in the capital about it—”
“Ah~ There you are~!”
I heard Tiona calling me.
“It’s walkie time, where are youuu?”
Oh, right, it was time.
“Can we continue after the walk?”
“Do whatever.”
“Thank you.”
I opened the front door, and there was Tiona with hands on her hips.
“You’re late!”
“...Miss, did you get fully dressed and ready all by yourself?”
“Yessiree! You can praise me if you wanna!”
Tiona puffed out her chest proudly.
Normally, I’d tease her, but after that grim vision earlier, I just smiled faintly.
“Splendid.”
“Ehehe!”
Tiona beamed.
On the walk with Tiona, we happened to run into Cynthia, who was training at the northern church.
“Ack, Cynthia! Long time no see, three days!”
“Oh, that saintess robe suits you well. I figured it would, Saintess Cynthia.”
Not empty flattery—truly. The Heavenly Church’s signature black, elegant robes fit the raven-haired beauty Cynthia perfectly.
A couple of church folk were with her, but they stepped back, not wanting to interrupt the saintess chatting with an acquaintance.
“Wh-wh-why are you two out here?!”
Cynthia shrieked, her face flushing beet red.
I did warn her. Not to be too harsh because she seemed fragile... no, because she’d regret it.
“You know we walk around here. How’s church life treating you?”
I tried to brush it off lightly.
I did.
“But if it’s just the nearby church, why’d you say goodbye so dramatically?”
“Kyaaaaaaaah!!!”
“Saintess!”
“Oh no, the saintess is ascending from shame!!”
“Ack, light from the heavens!!!!”
“Hah, hah... No! I’m not dying!”
Is she okay? The priests’ reactions make it seem like they really saw something.
One priest asked Cynthia.
“Saintess, shall we head back?”
“...No.”
Cynthia thought. Since we’d bumped into each other anyway, she didn’t want to just feel embarrassed and leave.
Life at the church was comfortable—everyone fawned over her as the saintess—but deep down, she harbored dissatisfaction.
Arthur.
He wasn’t there.
Being apart made her realize how precious those few weeks living with him had been.
And anxiety crept in.
While she holed up in the church, wouldn’t other girls swoop in on Arthur beside her?
Like Tiona, right there with him now.
She was still too immature to fully grasp her own feelings, but living together 24/7 made her the most dangerous rival.
‘That can’t happen.’
She had to be the one to claim Arthur.
Cynthia resolved herself.
She’d become a tremendous saintess.
So tremendous that no other woman would dare touch the man she’d chosen as her husband—and so that he’d have no reason to refuse.
It was her sole weapon, born from being a commoner with no talent in magic or swordsmanship.
She couldn’t slack on honing it.
But what if the game ended before the weapon was complete?
That absolutely could not happen.
Cynthia grabbed Arthur’s sleeve.
“...Teacher.”
Without realizing, she called him by his old title.
Without knowing, her lips curved into a smile too sultry for a saintess.
“You know, right? Don’t get married while I’m gone.”