IWEML 40

I continued speaking calmly, unlike Damian, who looked startled enough to ask again.

“Like last time, I failed to pay attention to the men. Please tell them that I won’t be forming relationships with men either.”

“Men, too…?”

“Don’t think so narrowly. Even the men over there are looking at you, Tower Master.”

Saying that, I turned around sharply.

Sure enough, the people who had been looking our way flinched and hurriedly turned their heads aside.

I clicked my tongue and looked forward again.

‘I’ve been too narrow-minded, only watching out for women.’

I recalled a script I’d read recently—one where the fiancé cheated with another man—and sighed.

‘Do I have to be wary of everyone now?’

Polius wasn’t exactly unattractive himself, but still—he wasn’t this level.

Who knew that being next to someone so handsome would require so much mental effort?

“I’m not really the type to attract that much attention,” Damian said.

“What are you talking about…”

That was ridiculous. The only reason people stayed away from him was because of his cold demeanor and constant scowling.

Even Polius, who wasn’t as popular as Damian, had a bit of an ego—yet this man had the audacity to say he wasn’t popular?

“Do you see me as a flower coated in honey, Lady Clotilde? And everyone else as bees?”

“There’s not much difference, really.”

“……”

“Actually, that’s not quite right. You’re more like the honey jar itself, Tower Master.”

“What in the world are you saying?”

I spoke seriously, but Damian’s face twisted like he didn’t know what to make of my words.

Anyone overhearing us would think I was spouting ridiculous flattery to my lover.

‘But I’m only speaking the truth!’

Since he was the Tower Master, there must’ve been plenty of people who admired him silently, even if they couldn’t approach him directly.

Yet Damian seemed utterly oblivious to all that.

“I told you before,” he said quietly. “While I’m seeing you, I won’t be meeting anyone else.”

“I’m sorry, but could you please consider my position too? It’s not easy meeting with a handsome man like you.”

Ah, thank goodness this was only a contract engagement. If it were real, imagine the emotional exhaustion!

“…Are you indirectly saying that I’m good-looking?”

“Huh?”

“No, never mind.”

Damian didn’t argue further and simply said, “You should finish your meal.”

He looked like he’d accepted something to himself, lowering his gaze back to his plate.

Though he replied calmly, his ears seemed a bit red—but it was hard to tell in this place, where everything was tinted warm and reddish.

Anyway, we soon finished the restaurant’s most popular dish.

The southern seafood cuisine carried unfamiliar spices that stung the nose, but surprisingly, it suited my palate.

After the meal, we decided to stroll for a bit to digest.

Damian suggested resting longer, but sitting right after eating would only make digestion worse.

“A place like this… I think it’d be great to build a large cultural complex—a theater, sure, but also spaces for art, exhibitions, and entertainment. Somewhere people could enjoy being in.”

“Somewhere that feels special just by stepping inside…”

“Exactly. Maybe a rooftop café with gorgeous interior design, places to relax and enjoy cultural activities… And we could add some luxury retail—kind of like a high-end department store.”

I glanced at him. “Am I rambling too much?”

“No,” he said. “I understand perfectly what you mean.”

Sometimes when ideas popped into my head, I’d speak them aloud without much structure. But Damian never asked me to repeat myself.

At first, I thought he was just pretending to understand—but when I asked follow-up questions, he always got it exactly.

“How do you understand everything so easily?”

“Because I’ve had similar thoughts myself,” he replied, then added, “Still, it’s one thing to have ideas, and another to bring them to life. You’re impressive for being able to do the latter.”

Hmm. It seemed he wasn’t the type to flatter idly, except when genuinely impressed or considerate.

“You’re right—I am impressive. And since you’re my partner, that makes you impressive too, Tower Master Damian.”

I nodded enthusiastically.

He had a strong business sense, and we shared similar values—it felt refreshing not to have to force a sense of compatibility.

‘Polius never made me feel like this, and yet he had the nerve to call himself my equal.’

Ridiculous. I smirked, remembering the nonsense Polius had spewed the last time he came to see me.

‘Well, if it weren’t for him, maybe I’d never have met Tower Master Damian at all.’

For a fleeting moment, I wondered if I should be thankful—then quickly dismissed the thought.

It wasn’t thanks to Polius; it was thanks to me, for overcoming the mess he caused.

‘Still… I feel comfortable around the Tower Master now.’

Switching to a lighter topic, I asked, “Tower Master, would it be hard to make a viewing crystal that large? About the size of that building?”

“You don’t mean that mountain-sized structure over there, do you?”

“Well, if it’s you, I think you could manage.”

“I thought you’d learned a fair bit about magic while working with me.”

I scrunched my nose and shrugged.

“Kidding. But honestly, that’d be horribly inefficient. No cost-effectiveness at all.”

“What a fascinating joke. But judging by your tone, I think both your body and mind are tired.”

“Then why don’t you tell a funny story, Tower Master? Instead of just judging my jokes.”

“……”

“To think the great Tower Master would be at a loss for words. What a rare sight.”

Yes, it had been quite a pleasant day.

Although riding the carriage for so long and walking under the southern sun had worn me out…

“……”

Actually, more than a little. Maybe… a lot.

‘Ugh, I feel dizzy. Painkillers or not, I’ve run out of stamina…’

Still, it was a small blessing that the exhaustion only hit me near the time we were returning to the capital.

That was partly thanks to Damian, who insisted on taking frequent breaks despite my protests.

‘But yeah, I definitely overdid it.’

Even with a convenient gate transfer midway, my body felt drained.

“Lady Clotilde, you don’t look well.”

“Haha, maybe it’s just that it’s been so long since I’ve been under sunlight.”

I climbed into the carriage and closed my eyes. I was too tired to even fake a normal expression anymore.

Sensing my condition, Damian didn’t try to make conversation. Instead, he quietly arranged the carriage so I could rest more comfortably.

‘We’ll be at the gate soon…’

Maybe I’d even run into my father—he might be using the gate around the same time.

If that happened, I’d have to introduce Damian properly—as my business partner.

‘I wonder if they’ve met before. What kind of faces will they make?’

Father wasn’t exactly warm toward strangers either, and Damian was famously reserved.

[Gate 19 activating!]
[You may experience dizziness. It’s temporary—please hold on for a moment.]

That strange floating sensation wasn’t new. It was the same as before when we first passed through the gate.

So, this time should be no different… right?

“Representative?”

As we arrived in the capital, I was just about to step down from the carriage when my vision spun violently.

“Lady Clotilde!”

It wasn’t the gate-induced dizziness—it vanished too quickly for that.

No, this was something else. My body simply… stopped listening to me.

“Cough—”

A warm liquid spilled from my lips, soaking into my clothes.

‘Guess I really pushed myself today.’

I was sure I’d opened my eyes when I stepped out—but now, everything was pitch black.

Only, the ground beneath me didn’t feel hard. Something soft and warm caught me instead.

The pain ebbed slightly, my pounding head clearing just a little…

“Mélanie!”

It sounded like my father’s voice, calling my name.

‘Father… you sound worried…’

And that was the last thing I thought before everything faded into sleep.