Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The Heretic of the Magic Tower (5)
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“Ahem. Manager. They say the discussion at the Magic Tower wrapped up yesterday.”
“Ah, so they accepted it?”
“At first, even the Tower folks couldn’t give a firm yes, saying Namei Christe isn’t fully one of theirs anymore. But surprisingly, they agreed readily.”
“Yeah, right? She’s not the type to take on requests like that with a smile. Maybe it’s because she doesn’t get along with the light-attribute mages.”
“Sounds like you two know each other pretty well.”
“Yeah. She’s one of the rare people I could really open up to. Our hobbies matched up, too.”
“Mina would get jealous if she heard that.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Might not be for you, but who knows what the other side thinks?”
That was true enough. Still, Namei was the dry, no-nonsense type in most situations, so theirs wasn’t some overly sweet relationship.
Of course, her usual curt demeanor didn’t mean she lacked emotional depth—she wasn’t deficient in sensitivity—so it was possible feelings had quietly sprouted without me knowing. But she never made a show of it, at least.
Sensing the subtle shift in my reaction, Big Sis Leimi smirked.
“You seem like you get women’s hearts sometimes, but other times you’re totally oblivious to romance.”
“I don’t know how I come off, but I just don’t try to tie everything in the world to romance.”
“You’d be surprised how much actually ties back to romantic feelings.”
“...I can’t outright deny that, I guess.”
“So, how’d it go chatting with His Majesty the Emperor?”
“Ow, quit teasing me.”
I couldn’t bring myself to tell the cackling Big Sis Leimi about the bizarre outfit and antics she’d pulled during that call. Back when I was still playing heir in the family estate, she’d been a sharp, ambitious woman. How had she ended up like that?
Her arrogant streak was one thing, but she wasn’t the type to pull stupid stunts like that.
“Kidding, kidding. Truth is, you’re a civilian now, so even if His Majesty’s interested, he can’t drag you into politics.”
“And I’ve got my preferences when it comes to women.”
“Oh? You actually have tastes? Who’s at the top of your list?”
I’d never really thought about it. Back when I had a fiancée, fooling around with others was off the table, and after enrolling at the Academy, I was too busy cleaning up Rias’s messes to even consider dating.
I didn’t like girls like my ex from my past life—flashy and cute on the outside but shallow at heart. Or hotheads with short fuses like Rias. Or authoritarian types without any give, like my sister Justina.
My tastes were full of dislikes and short on likes.
“If I had to pick, Big Sis Leimi would be fine.”
“....”
“....”
“....”
“...I mean, half-joking, so don’t react like that.”
“R-Really?”
Her face flushed a bit—not as much as mine might have, but enough. She fanned it with her hand and took a sip of coffee. The bitterness seemed to clear her head, snapping her back to normal as she spoke.
“Kinda unexpected. I figured you’d go for the flashy types.”
“I’ve got an allergy from dealing with too many showy ones.”
“Fair enough.”
Anyway, with her ties to the Magic Tower and her ear to noble gossip, she probably already knew exactly what status I’d held. She’d have heard plenty about the scandals around me and the women in my circle, like Rias.
That meant she could read between the lines without me spelling it out—what I was fed up with. She might seem nonchalant, but she had a razor-sharp knack for what people truly hated, and she always accommodated it. That’s why I could talk so comfortably with her.
That was one of her best qualities, in my book.
“Now that the land purification issue’s officially between the Empire and the Magic Tower, you can wash your hands of it.”
“Here’s hoping it actually stays that way this time.”
“You’ve got this weird knack for attracting misfortune, so letting your guard down’s tough.”
“Misfortune as a constitution...”
Sounds like some protagonist setup. If we’re talking worldview, Ermina’s the protagonist.
Or maybe not. If reincarnation counts, there might be a timeline where I’m the protagonist. Never mind the mess of side characters that’d imply.
I wasn’t sure how she took my silence, but she chuckled softly.
“Don’t take it too seriously. Most of that’s just delusion.”
“Haha.”
“...Anyway, enough of that. Truth is, I’ve got connections to the Tower too, so I’m curious what His Majesty and they talked about.”
“The Tower’s definitely under imperial influence.”
“Exactly. In some ways, it’s like Astraea. ‘Officially independent’ on paper is worlds apart from actually being uninvolved.”
“But really, nothing special came up.”
“No way. His Majesty’s infamous for piling on business with everyone he meets.”
“...Yeah, that’s how it went.”
“Honestly, I’m dying to know the call details, but that’d be too rude to ask.”
What would Big Sis Leimi think if she saw His Majesty’s antics during that call? The gap from his public image was too vast to guess.
She was the type to respect the emperor as emperor.
We wrapped up the awkward topic and shifted to real personal chat.
“Oh, right. When I put in the Tower request, Dalia got back to me. People around her are starting to get hooked. She said they might put in an official order for coffee.”
“For real? Is the age of coffee finally here?”
“The researchers are loving it, apparently.”
Come to think of it, cafes where intellectuals gathered were key to sparking the Enlightenment and revolutions in Europe. Intellectuals in any era can’t escape the bonds of tea and coffee, huh?
Not that it mattered, but considering cafes as roots of the Enlightenment—and this being the Empire—it felt oddly irreverent. Then again, they just needed spots to gather, and cafes fit. With the Magic Tower already here, it probably wasn’t an issue in this world.
“She asked about other varieties too. Maybe share some of the stuff you prepped from the south?”
“True, our cafe’s patrons are set, so samples are limited. More feedback from different tastes would be great.”
“Should I tell her yes for now?”
“Yeah. Changes to the shop would be nice.”
“Don’t up and leave just ‘cause you’re succeeding.”
“Even with branches, I wouldn’t run them myself—I’d send staff.”
“Planning branches already?”
“If there’s demand, no reason not to. I’m not out to spread coffee everywhere, but giving chances to those who want it but can’t have it seems right.”
“You’d be busy.”
“Eh, train ‘em a few times and they’ll handle it. If Riza’s keen, make her manager of branch two.”
“Makes sense. Seeing that kid risk her life in the labyrinth, it’s worth considering other paths.”
Spot on. I’d asked her a few times if she wanted to keep working here, but she insisted on grinding in the labyrinth first.
I’d heard once that ‘labyrinths have a devilish allure,’ and it didn’t sound wrong.
Once you taste adventure, pulling away’s no easy feat. That much was clear.
“Oh, one last Tower thing. Dalia asked if some researchers could tag along.”
“Just send the guest list ahead.”
“Ah, right—Imir Kingdom nobles in the Tower too. Got it.”
“Thanks for understanding.”
“No biggie. My own Tower exit wasn’t clean, so I cut ties with folks for a while. Hating what you see is natural.”
“Sounds familiar.”
“I’m the senior in shared suffering. I’ve overcome it already.”
Big Sis Leimi beckoned me over, so I stood from my spot and moved beside her. She yanked my brown apron, pulling my head down, then patted it fondly with her other hand.
“Eh, you’ve lived hard and you’re still grinding. That’s something.”
“...I’m not exactly head-pat age.”
“What? You’re barely past twenty.”
“You’re mid-twenties too, sis.”
“Hey, back in the day, a year’s gap felt huge.”
Anyway, she’d started out stroking my hair but now seemed taken by the texture, combing and playing with it instead. I turned to half-jokingly complain, only to freeze—our noses nearly touching.
“...Ahem. Teasing your big sis has consequences.”
“What? Sis gets embarrassed too?”
“...You said I’m your type, so it’s got me self-conscious.”
“That’s true, though. You’re straightforward but thoughtful.”
“Enough flattery! Anyway, I’ll compile the list and bring it. Wait up!”
Watching her bolt back to her shop—weak to compliments, as always—I couldn’t help the grin tugging at my lips and fought to wipe it off.
She really was just cute like that.