TPM 03

Chapter : 3

…it was such a long dream.

I slowly lifted my heavy eyelids.

The first thing I saw was a pure white ceiling.

‘Ah.’

This is the chamber in the detached palace.

The moments before I collapsed now felt like they belonged to a distant past.

‘Master…’

The first face that came to mind was my master’s.

‘Where is he?’

“Finally awake, Themis.”

At that familiar voice, I turned my head.

My master was sitting in a chair right beside the bed, resting his chin on his hand as he watched me.

“There was an attack, I heard.”

—Ah! I almost jumped. His face was so close that it startled me.

The eyes staring at me from right in front of my nose were far too beautiful.

“M-Master…”

I called out to him, my eyes brimming with tears. Seeing my expression, my master looked a bit puzzled at first, then chuckled softly.

He must have sensed how desperate I felt…

“You must’ve hit your head. I should call for someone.”

No, that’s not it!

I quickly shouted, full of injustice.

“I’m fine!”

“People who are hurt never admit they’re hurt.”

With that, he rose from the chair.

“You’ve woken up, so I’ll bring you something to eat. Wait here.”

“You could just ask someone else to do it…”

“All the people in the detached palace are being questioned right now. There’s no one I trust more than myself.”

Ah, true. After what happened, it’s only natural the palace would be in chaos.

“…All right. Please go ahead.”

After sending my master off, I let out a long sigh.

It wasn’t unreasonable for him to react that way—after all, I was completely different from the person I’d been before I fell unconscious.

‘Maybe it’s better to have a little time alone.’

My head was spinning, and I needed to sort out my thoughts.

And with good reason—

How could anyone easily accept that their own master was the second male lead in a book?

A tragic sub-male lead who dies after giving up his mana core for the female protagonist, Princess Aria!

While I was unconscious, all my past life’s memories came flooding back.

And then I realized it.

This world was inside the romance fantasy novel To You, I Offer My Heart—the very one I had read before I died.

It was a story full of intrigue and romance, centered around Aria, the heroine who awakens as a magician and is later revealed to be a princess.

But to me now… it was nothing but a sorrowful tragedy.

“How could this happen…”

My perfect master was the sub-male lead who never got the girl.

‘He gives up his life and even his mana core for the princess, and yet… they never end up together?!’

My mind could understand, but my heart refused to.

It was part of the inevitable logic of the story.

A magician’s power comes from their mana core—using too much magic strains it.

Especially for newly awakened magicians like me, the mana core—our “second heart”—is unstable, so we often live with constant pain.

That’s why magicians naturally form close ties with priests—their divine healing is the only thing that can ease the pain.

The “Everett” my master once mentioned was one of the most gifted priests of all, a young prodigy known as the leading candidate for High Priest.

Because the princess was a magician, she often met with Everett for treatment, and the two of them inevitably fell in love.

Yes—Everett was the novel’s male lead.

And I hated that ending.

Why?

‘What about Master?’

My master’s story was left out completely!

In the original, Aria didn’t only meet Everett.

She also studied magic under my master, the greatest magician of the age.

Their meetings became frequent, and eventually, Aria became my master’s first love.

‘…And then, for the terminally ill princess, he gives up even his own mana core…’

He sacrificed his very life for her, yet they didn’t even end up together.

The dying princess recovered and found happiness with Everett, while my master… lost his life.

‘I’ve never once seen my master truly happy.’

It stung.

To know that the person I cherished most in the world could never find happiness.

“Themis.”

My master’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I hadn’t even noticed he’d come back.

“When did you return?”

Instead of answering, he handed me a bowl of oatmeal and smiled faintly.

“Don’t worry. Whoever dared to harm my disciple will pay dearly for it.”

His words were so warm, so reassuring, that my nose burned and my eyes stung.

You should be worrying about your own future instead, Master…

“I-I can fight too! Anyone who stands in my way—I’ll deal with them myself!”

My throat tightened for some reason, making my voice tremble.

“Do as you wish. But you still look troubled. Is something wrong?”

Even now, his face was so perfect that it almost hurt to look at him.

I made up my mind.

‘I was already prepared to dedicate my life to him anyway.’

Then I’ll give everything I have to make my master truly happy.

‘There must be a reason I regained my past life’s memories.’

First things first—stop making him worry.

I forced a bright smile.

“No, nothing’s wrong. I was just thinking about who could’ve attacked the palace.”

“The royal family is investigating thoroughly. We’ll catch them soon enough.”

“That’s a relief.”

Still, something didn’t add up.

For someone to attack the detached palace of the Archmage Aquilan—and yet so clumsily?

Were they really after my master?

I’d have to look into that myself later.

“Master, I have a request.”

Now was the time to focus on his happiness.

“A request? What is it?”

He sounded curious—probably because I almost never asked for favors.

“I’d like to attend the banquet being held for the princess’s return to the capital.”

“…You?”

He asked it without sarcasm, just genuine surprise—and my conscience twinged a little.

Yes, I suppose I haven’t exactly been the social type…

“Yes. I think it’s time I started living more actively.”

If it’s for my master, I can do anything.

And with my past memories, socializing should be a lot easier this time around.

“…You once said you were happiest just staying by my side.”

At his quiet murmur, my face flushed red.

I knew he wasn’t being possessive, but still…

‘That sounds… suspiciously like jealousy!’

I hadn’t expected that reaction from him, and oddly enough, it made me a little happy.

‘Really now…’

This is exactly why I like him so much.

“This is my first time asking for something like this, Master. And I’d love to meet the princess too.”

He looked at me in silence for a moment before finally speaking.

“All right. If you want to go, you should.”

“Really?”

“But you’ll need to prepare first. That won’t be easy, you know.”

I’d expected that.

I’d need a new dress, dance lessons, etiquette practice—everything at once.

It would be exhausting, but if it’s for my master, I’ll do it.

“Yes!”

I replied brightly, and he tilted his head again in that endearing way of his.

“Then let’s start preparations tomorrow. But you should get a checkup first. I’ll ask Everett to come as soon as possible.”

Ah… so he really is worried about my sudden change.

‘That’s understandable.’

But actually, this was perfect.

‘It’s not easy to get close to Everett.’

Even as a disciple of the Archmage, meeting a high priest like Everett was rare.

‘If I want to protect Master, I have to keep Everett and Princess Aria apart.’

To block their fated connection, I first needed to get close to Everett myself.

Strike while the iron’s hot.

“Then why don’t I go request a meeting with him right now?”

“…Right now?”

“You said you were worried about me. If I see him right away, you won’t have to worry anymore.”

Once I decided to change my master’s fate, there was no time to waste.

“…Did you just say, with your own mouth, that you’ll go see Everett?”

“Yes.”

My master’s gaze grew sharp, but I ignored it.

That wasn’t what mattered.

Don’t worry, Master.

Just as you once taught me what happiness is, I’ll show you the same—

Even if the price is my own death.