Chapter 80
“Yes. Usually, the Tower Master only stays on the topmost floor.
No one except Mr. Eden is allowed to enter there.”
That made no sense.
Then what about the pink-tinted romance subplot that was supposed to happen?
Was the universe actually discriminating against my poor brother Ren now, the second male lead?
Even if this world wasn’t following the original story perfectly anymore,
there were still certain events that had been happening just like the novel.
Summer working at the Magic Tower was one of them.
If Alperen wasn’t deliberately avoiding her, there was no way they wouldn’t have met by now.
“Wait a minute… could it be that my brother’s hiding?”
A chilling thought hit me.
If anyone could erase their presence as easily as breathing, it was Alperen.
If he decided to disappear, even seasoned mages couldn’t find him.
In the original story, he secretly helped Summer from the shadows,
but let Adrian take all the credit.
“But that was only after he found out Adrian liked her…”
Right now, there was no reason for him to avoid her.
“Seriously… what is he doing while I’m trying to set everything up perfectly for him?”
I’d gone through so much trouble to recreate his fateful encounter,
and he couldn’t even bother to show up?
“When you like someone, you’re supposed to hover nearby!
Where did all that advice I gave him go?”
Clearly, my brother needed serious coaching in romance.
“At the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet, he’s bound to see Adrian again.
If he just stands there doing nothing, he’ll lose her and regret it all over again.”
Alperen had always been… too indifferent.
Once, I thought it was just because he’d been born with everything.
But now I knew better.
He’d never even been given the chance to think about what he truly wanted.
The title of “heir to the great magic family of Einluk” came with shackles —
and he’d been bound by them all his life.
Every moment for him was like walking on a blade’s edge.
Especially after his father — once his greatest shield — had collapsed.
***
“In his position, showing weakness meant being devoured.
It didn’t matter if you were strong or fragile — you could only survive by appearing strong.”
“The only time I could let my guard down,” he’d once said softly,
“was when I was with you.”***
How could I not have been moved by that?
He’d said that playing around with his friend’s little sister
was the only time he’d ever felt at peace.
No wonder I’d found him so frustrating and pitiful in the original story.
He was someone I couldn’t help but want to protect.
Lost in thought, I didn’t notice how long the silence stretched until—
“Um…”
Summer toyed with her empty cup and asked shyly,
“Will Lord Adrian be attending the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet as well?”
I blinked.
Why was my orangutan of a brother suddenly in this conversation?
The Ferris family had always supported the royal faction —
and yes, Adrian was expected to attend, since it was a major political event.
In the original story, that banquet was where Summer and Adrian met for the first time.
So unless something changed, that fate should still happen.
But still…
“Why is Summer asking about my brother like that?”
My instincts as a romance novel reader screamed: Something’s off.
“Do you… know my brother?”
“Ah, yes. We met once at the Tower, actually.
And since then, we’ve run into each other a few more times…”
Summer trailed off, her cheeks turning pink.
That look — that shy, fluttery expression — told me everything I didn’t want to know.
“Wait a second. That can’t be right.
They’re not supposed to have met yet!”
Then why was she acting like she was talking about her crush to his sister?!
“What on earth happened while I wasn’t paying attention?!”
Before I could demand an explanation—
“Lady Ferris! My deepest apologies! I fell asleep halfway here!”
Eden suddenly burst into the room, saving Summer from interrogation.
Startled, she shot up from her seat.
“I-I’m so sorry for the intrusion! I’ll let you two talk!”
And with that, she bolted out of the laboratory, her face bright red.
I stared after her, dumbfounded.
“Why does she keep blushing?! She looks exactly like someone nursing a crush!”
I’d sent her to the Tower hoping she’d grow closer to Alperen —
but somehow, she’d developed feelings for Adrian instead?!
“No, no, no. This can’t be real.”
While I was still clutching my head in disbelief, Eden spoke seriously.
“I heard you successfully awakened the Spirit Stone.”
Ah, right. That was why I’d come here in the first place.
I shook off the thoughts about Summer and focused.
“Yes. I actually got a clue from one of the Magia members.
Thanks to that, I managed to awaken it.”
“You always have a plan, Lady Ferris.
I was wondering why you joined such a little-known club.”
“That’s my club, you know.”
“Ah— pardon me.”
He pushed up his glasses, eyes darting nervously.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect you’d really succeed.
When I gave you that lead, it was more like grasping at straws.”
“I didn’t expect it either, to be honest.”
After a moment, he asked, voice low and tense:
“Then… is it possible? The thing we discussed?”
“I haven’t tested it yet, but I’m fairly certain.
The fairy I formed a contract with said it was possible.”
Well — to be precise, he’d yelled that it was so easy he could do it in his sleep.
Still, Eden’s face brightened instantly.
“That’s wonderful news!
Actually, the Tower Master has been completely absorbed in experiments lately.
I was starting to wonder if maybe the two of you had a falling-out.
So when you reached out, I was relieved.”
“We didn’t just fight,” I said dryly.
“We broke up.”
“Right, you broke up so I— wait, what?! You broke up?!”
Eden’s voice shot up an octave as his glasses nearly slid off his face.
“I don’t know what happened, but please — I’m begging you — don’t abandon our Tower Master!”
His desperate cry echoed through the room.
It was the first time I’d ever heard Eden raise his voice.
Feeling awkward, I muttered,
“Shouldn’t you be siding with your boss, not his ex-girlfriend?”
Why was he acting like I was the villain here?
Even if the relationship had been fake, my feelings for Alperen were real —
so his reaction stung a little.
Eden, oblivious to my expression, continued dramatically:
“That’s only when our Tower Master is normal!
Lately, he’s been colder than ice! The entire Tower feels like it’s frozen solid —
and it’s all because of you, Lady Rodelia!”
“Why are you blaming me?!”
Eden rattled off a rapid-fire list of Alperen’s recent “crimes”:
apparently, he’d been overworking himself so much that other mages were practically being sacrificed.
“Please, I’m begging you! Take him back! Think of all the lives you’ll save!”
“Sorry, but we already agreed to end things.
Still, I’ll help with waking up Lord Daven. Have you told Alperen yet?”
“Not yet. I asked for your help behind his back,
and I was planning to tell him once I confirmed the results.
But now— oh no, I’ll have to explain everything to him, won’t I?!”
“That’s what you’re worried about right now? Really?”
I sighed. His priorities were all over the place.
“As you can see, things between me and Alperen are… complicated.
So you’ll have to take the lead from here, Mr. Eden.”
“Cruel! You’re so cruel! You have no idea how terrifying he’s been lately!
Please, have mercy on us innocent mages!”
It was obvious he hadn’t slept in days.
He was rambling incoherently, dark circles and all.
“Before I go to Lord Daven, please get me a sample of the Frost Dragon’s glacier.
I need to confirm that it can actually be melted first.”
“Y-yes, of course. I’ll have to ask the Tower Master about that —
he’s the only one allowed near the dragon’s remains.”
That was fine. There was still plenty of time before the next step anyway.
“Alright. Let me know once it’s arranged.”
As I stood to leave, I asked casually—
“By the way, isn’t Miss Summer also working on research related to this project?”
