FDSML CH 11

Chapter 11

“I can’t believe I’m actually coming here.”

I’d always avoided this place, afraid I might trigger some “original novel flag.”

My first visit to the Mage Tower was just as gloomy as its reputation. Alperen sparkled too brightly for the place; most mages were no different from the engineering majors in my past life.

Maybe because magic is so tied to math, they all loved checkered patterns. They lived on caffeine and chocolate and buried themselves in research.

Alperen, for his part, secretly had a sweet tooth. When he drank coffee, they brought him a separate bowl of sugar cubes.

A receptionist spotted me then and asked, “How may I help you?”

“Hello, I’m here to see the Tower Master.”

She looked me up and down and asked mechanically, “Do you have an appointment?”

Her obvious wariness made me tilt my head, but I smiled brightly. “No, I just dropped by…”

“In that case, you can’t see him. Please leave.”

She answered crisply, like she’d expected this. She acted like she’d dealt with this kind of visit a lot—like I was an uninvited guest. I was taken aback.

“Pardon? Hold on. I’m not suspicious. I’m close with Ren—Alperen!”

“People say that all the time. If you continue to disrupt our work, I’ll call the guards.”

Very professional. When she started to raise her hand to summon security, I blurted,

“W-wait! Just send him a message—tell him Lady Rodelia Ferris is here!”

“…Ferris?”

She paused mid-gesture. I caught the tiny positive reaction to “Ferris” and quickly held out my family token stamped with our seal.

“See? I’m very much who I say I am.”

Her attitude flipped at once. “Oh my, you’re Lady Ferris.”

Huh? That fast?

It seemed she knew Alperen and Adrian were close friends.

In a much friendlier tone, she asked, “Did the Young Duke Ferris ask you to come?”

“Well… something like that.”

When I answered awkwardly, she bowed a full ninety degrees. “Please forgive my rudeness, my lady. We’ve had many noble young ladies falsely claim connections to the Tower Master. It’s happened three times already today.”

“What? That many?”

Was Alperen that popular?

I’d sensed he was quietly sought after in society, but this was another level.

Mouth hanging open, I listened as she went on, “Since he reached marriageable age, the visits haven’t stopped. A few days ago, one lady tried to sneak in, set off a tower ward by mistake, and nearly died. We almost had a corpse on our hands.”

“Goodness…”

“And that’s not all. Every morning, there’s a heap of love letters for the Tower Master—enough to keep us warm without firewood.”

She clearly needed to vent. The more I heard, the more I pictured my original-timeline self, and I sobered.

If I hadn’t known the original story, I might’ve been one of those stalkers…

Then again, his looks are practically a public asset.

I felt relieved, like I’d dodged a bit of predestined disaster.

At the top floor, an aide greeted me first. “An honor to meet you, my lady. I’m Eden Maker, the Tower Master’s chief aide.”

Pale skin, brown hair, a slightly vacant look. Messy bangs, huge glasses, eyes hollowed with dark circles—he clearly pulled a lot of all-nighters.

“Nice to meet you, Eden. I’m Rodelia Ferris.”

“The honor is mine. The Tower Master is currently testing a newly developed magic circle. Once he goes in, he can’t come right back out, so could you wait a little?”

“Of course. Ah, and there’ll be a coffee delivery from Winif soon. I didn’t know how many people were in the lab, so I ordered a lot—I’m worried it might not be enough.”

“I thought Winif didn’t deliver…”

“My maid, Mei, is bringing it herself. I just picked these up first.”

I shook the café mocha and a box of macarons I’d brought for Alperen.

“Oh my…”

Eden stared between the coffee and the desserts, visibly moved. Food really is the best bribe. Worth the time Mei and I spent waiting in line.

“This one has extra syrup—just for Ren. Could you put a warming spell on it?”

“You even know the Tower Master’s preferences—you must be close.”

“Well, he’s my brother’s friend.”

“Please wait a moment. I’ll prepare some refreshments.”

Even more courteous than before, Eden stepped out. While he was gone, I looked around the study.

It was full of arcane tools; many I’d never seen in shops. One flowerpot, though, caught my eye.

“What’s this?”

It looked ordinary—a dead sapling, stark black branches making it stand out.

How busy do you have to be to let a plant dry up like this and not even water it?

I touched a dried leaf without thinking.

Fwoop—

Green shot out around the spot I’d touched.

“Eh?”

I jerked back in surprise just as Eden returned.

“Sorry to keep you—oh? Did you touch that?”

“Ah, yes. Was I not supposed to?”

“Ah!”

Flustered, he hurried over, still holding a tray. “Are you alright?”

From his face, I guessed the sapling was toxic or something. I hunched my shoulders and waved my hands.

“I’m fine. It’s just—the pot looks different from a moment ago since I touched it…”

When I pointed at it, Eden’s eyes went round. “Huh. Why is it…?”

I’d assumed it was just decorative since it looked dead.

His reaction felt serious. I clasped my hands, guilty. “I’m sorry. I only touched it. Did I mess something up?”

“Did you really only touch it?”

His face had gone noticeably stiff. Looked like I’d touched the untouchable.

With no excuse to offer, I apologized again. “I’m sorry. I really just brushed it.”

After my repeated explanation, Eden glanced between the pot and me with an odd look. “Strange. I’ve never seen a reaction like this. What could it be…”

I stayed quiet by his side for a while as his words dwindled. Finally, he looked away from the pot.

“Understood.”

So… we’re letting it slide?

Maybe it wasn’t a huge mistake after all. My heart, knotted with worry over causing trouble, began to settle.

Setting the tray on the table, Eden said, “This is a special tea made here in the Tower. It helps calm the mind.”

“Wow, the color’s beautiful.”

The transparent pot held a vivid blue tea I’d never seen. The Tower brewed medicinal potions, but it also developed high-efficacy teas like this.

Hearing “special tea,” I promptly lifted the cup and drank.

“It smells wonderful. Tastes great, too.”

“If you’d like more, just say so. I have to check on something.”

With that, Eden whisked the flowerpot away.

So I did cause trouble?

Maybe he couldn’t scold a duke’s daughter to her face and was cursing me out inside.

I decided to sit quietly and sip my tea. Better than poking at anything else and starting another incident.