Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: The Heretic of the Magic Tower (4)
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"I'm sooo tired..."
"You said a new space was discovered, right?"
"Yeah. It's nothing major compared to finishing the layer mapping, but all these new things keep popping up, so I'm swamped."
Cosetica-nee, visiting after a while, was slurping sweet coffee with her ears perked up eagerly. Ever since discovering that durian spot, the cleanup had turned out more complicated than expected, and even Mina-nee was coming by less often.
Maybe it was the sugar rush, but she perked up a bit from her pickled state and grumbled anyway.
"Actually, it was found long after the layer opened, so there's a huge fight over the rights. The fruit stinks bad, but no one knows how it'll be used yet."
"When a layer opens, the discoverer takes the lion's share, right?"
"Yup. But the monopoly period's over this time, so they're just bickering over profit shares."
She yawned and propped her chin on the bar table.
Her ears kept twitching busily even then, so an idea popped into my head, and I spoke up first.
"Want me to give you a quick massage?"
"Oh? You know how?"
"A little."
With her okay, I straightened up, went behind her, and pondered for a sec. In my past life, I'd massaged my cat too, but should I adjust for human or cat?
I started with the spots cats love: stroking from between her brows up to the crown and nape. Then, palm over where human ears would be, thumbs on the eye sockets, pressing firmly and pulling outward.
After a few repeats, I felt her tension easing, so I moved my hands to her cheeks, palms flat, stroking from under her lips along the jaw to the joint.
"Ngh... eek."
I rubbed her cheeks with hands still on, then grabbed wide from under her ear and pulled smoothly to finish.
A real cat would've gotten tail joint and belly too, but doing that to a beastkin would just make me a perv, so I stopped there.
"...Eh? Done?"
"I could do more, but the rest are sensitive spots. Like the tail joint."
"Ah. Yeah, that's..."
She giggled and flicked her tail away to hide it, changing the subject.
"You said you tried the fruit sample I sent Mina?"
"Might be tough for sensitive types."
"I can't even get close..."
Her nose was sensitive, so just thinking about it made her grimace and stick out her tongue.
As if the smell hit her in her mind, she gulped down more coffee and tapped the table with her fingers.
"Still, it's definitely an ingredient, so folks are interested."
"I'm interested too, but the smell in the shop would be an issue, and Mina-nee hates it."
"Fair. ...I didn't smell it, but did you wrap up that thing you wanted to do outside?"
"Met a good person and handled it fine."
When I shared about discussing and testing with Ellie, Cosetica-nee poked my side and asked,
"You seem like you'd be good at office work too."
"Not bad at it."
"Help out at the guild too~?"
"Not really into that."
My upper body's kinda delicate-looking, so adventurers periodically hit on me based on face alone. If I manned the guild desk, I couldn't even imagine what idiots would bother me over.
We chatted about stuff we hadn't shared since seeing less of her lately, and she yawned again.
"Feel free to crash here."
"...Can you do a bit more massage?"
"No problem."
I did acupressure focused on her face and neck for a while, and midway her body went limp as she dozed off.
The high bar stool seemed uncomfortable, so I carried her to the sofa table side and laid her down. Soon she curled up like a real cat and started snoring softly.
Nothing beats seeing folks relax while working the cafe.
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"A designated request?"
Namei scowled at the incoming letter. Officially slated for the royal mage corps, she kept a nominal tie to the empire's magic tower for research activities.
But that was just nominal—she had no intent to work for the empire or live off the tower, and they knew it, so requests never came her way.
Yet here was a mandatory designated one.
"No clue what they're thinking... but this ain't it."
Irritation faded quick. The actual ask wasn't demanding her time—it needed light-attribute magic aptitude and requested her cooperation.
Light magic, the most aptitude-demanding among elements, where all artificial aptitude attempts had failed, made sense for a direct nom to her.
The only unbound light mage among humans was Ermina.
"Not that close anyway."
If anything, they were on bad terms over Julius issues. Unlike self-sufficient Namei, Ermina had zero backing solo, approached Julius, and ended up bursting all the pus—impossible not to dislike her.
Even Namei, who could fend for herself, had minimized contact outside sorority activities and cautiously orbited Julius.
"Still gotta do the job."
Procrastination wasn't her style. Namei left her room right away and headed to the dorm comm device to reach Ermina.
『...Who is it?』
"Namei Christe."
『I'll be right out.』
Unlike that rude Rias bitch, Ermina actually felt guilt and went ultra-submissive around Julius's circle, popping out immediately.
Namei cut to the chase.
"Tower sent me a request—needs a light mage. Can you head south to Imir Kingdom over break?"
"No plans. Mind if I ask what?"
"Someone got duped—or knew and lied—but a demon worship base popped up. Land's badly polluted, needs purifying."
"Post-cleanup mop-up... right?"
"Yeah. Minimal risk."
"I'll do it. If it helps you too, Senior Namei."
"Honestly not a big deal for me. But I'll take the sentiment."
Time was flying—break approaching. Probably initial treatment over holiday, full purge in summer vacay.
Maybe snag some light magic research or purification insights. Not a total loss that way.
Julius was empire-side, so southbound felt like missing a chance odds-wise, but she'd wait till he made a move anyway—not a huge bummer.
She thwacked Ermina's back to stop her fidgeting.
"Don't shrink up like that. Can't travel together if you're all meek around me."
"...Figured you'd still be mad."
"Obviously. But that's all it is? Vent on you, and Julius comes back happy?"
He'd just tell her to cut it out. That softie.
If word got to him she'd wronged Ermina or Rias, he'd confront her somehow.
Hm. Maybe I should throw a tantrum to lure him out?
She smirked briefly at the idle thought she wouldn't act on, then detailed the request for Ermina.
South elves, how demon worshippers polluted the land, what light spells needed.
Especially maxed out elf interaction cautions.
"...Sounds tricky."
"Nobles pick it up naturally since they deal with elves. Screw up weird, head rolls—be careful. Won't charge to kill instantly, but still."
"W-write it down later? I'll study hard."
"Yeah. Super important—nail it."
She thwacked Ermina's head again as she nodded tensely.
"I'm off. Like I said, no shrinking."
"Y-yes!"
Ermina watched Namei's retreating back, then dropped her gaze.
If she could help Namei, what would Julius think hearing that?
Happy?
Or nothing—no interest at all?