Adopting Disaster

"Tower Master~ I came to report~."

Phoebe, with her protruding black horns and flowing blonde hair, approached.

In her neat uniform, a cat's-eye gem that Reed had gifted her sparkled in the center of her chest.

"Go ahead with the report."

"Yes."

Smiling sweetly, Phoebe summarized the main content of the report.

He tried not to pay attention, but Reed kept glancing at her face.

Her speech seemed dull, but her senses were sharp.

She noticed that Reed was bothered by something.

"Why are you doing that?"

"Huh?"

"I thought you kept looking at me because something was on me."

Reed waved his hand.

"No, it's not. Continue."

"Yes."

Phoebe resumed her unfinished report.

'I seem to be too conscious.'

Let's not worry about the dream.

It feels different from usual because I'm paying attention to it.

"Ah, right! And the lady went into the storage room."

"Rosaria infiltrated?"

"Yes……."

Reed hadn't entered the research building all day yesterday, so he couldn't check the access records, let alone any signs of intrusion.

There was no doubt that Rosaria had entered the storage room for an adventure.

'Did she touch the holy sword?'

He thought of the Dawn Breaker he had stored in the storage room.

Wouldn't her curiosity have inevitably led her to touch the holy sword?

"Did anything happen?"

"There were no incidents."

"Didn't she touch anything or anything like that?"

"Since there were no items showing any abnormalities, it seems like she just broke in."

"Hmm..."

The sacred sword didn't react.

Reed felt a strange sense of relief.

If he carelessly awakened that sacred sword, he would undoubtedly be bothered by the church.

'She is at an age of curiosity.'

Rosaria is soon turning nine years old.

She has learned a lot more since she was seven, and her curiosity has deepened accordingly.

It was a time when careful attention was needed to ensure that she didn't get into danger because of her curiosity.

"For the time being, we'll restrict access to the research facility."

"I'll immediately make adjustments."

"Please do. Leave the rest of the documents on the desk."

"Yes."

Phoebe gently placed them where Reed could easily pick them up.

Her golden hair swayed, emitting a fragrance.

Reed's pen, which had been moving hectically, stopped.

"Perfume..."

Reed suddenly realized something and looked up at Phoebe.

"Perfume. Are you still using it?"

"Yes? Yes."

Phoebe nodded her head.

After using up the perfume he had given her once, Reed gave her another bottle of the same perfume.

Reed naturally thought it was a good gift, and Phoebe naturally used the perfume.

That natural assumption was a mistake on Reed's part.

"I'm sorry."

"What do you mean?"

"Thinking about it, I knew your senses were sensitive and that you disliked strong smells, yet I still gave you such a gift."

"No? It's okay! I love any gift from the Tower Master!"

Phoebe made a troubled expression and waved her hands.

What Reed said was all true, but Phoebe had overcome all of that.

"It's my mistake. I'll be more careful next time."

"Yes, yes......"

She wanted to say it was really okay, but she couldn't find the right words.

The phrase 'I'll be more careful' echoed in Phoebe's head.

"Then, I'll leave for now......!"

"Alright."

With her face flushed red, Phoebe hurriedly left the office.

Reed wondered.

'How did I just find out that Phoebe has a sensitive sense of smell and dislikes perfume?'

No one had given him a hint.

He simply figured it out from the scent wafting from her hair as she tilted her head slightly and her hair fell down.

'It's strange.'

Too many strange things were happening for it to be just a dream.

***

In the early spring, when the cold wind had not yet subsided.

The annual graduation ceremony was approaching.

Reed got off the sky carriage and approached the man waiting in front of him.

"Have you arrived, Silence?"

"Tower Master of the Radiant Tower, you're here."

"Let's go."

Reed and the Pivotal Tower's master walked across the bridge crossing the lake.

It was the way to Escolleia.

There was nothing special about the members of other magicians who came to check the graduates.

The only change from the previous year was the position of Dolores, who had originally been the master of the Wallin Tower.

"Who's leading the way?"

"The former master of the Wallin Tower will lead this time. She'll come if we wait."

"It's not the former master of the Wallin Tower. Isn't it Miss Adeleheights now?"

The magicians smiled slyly and turned their heads.

Regardless of affiliation, everyone looked at them with sympathetic eyes.

"You know very well, don't you?"

"Marriage is a crazy thing."

"…Yes."

Why do you guys worry about that?

Although he wanted to say that, Reed just nodded his head.

Let's not talk about it.

In a way, these men are also pitiable people.

Dolores took off the Wallin Tower master's uniform, and she wore a navy-blue sweater and a wide skirt.

It was a look that exuded the innocence and freshness of a university.

"Hello, seniors."

Dolores greeted them with a bright smile.

The magicians who saw her smile for the first time were quite flustered and greeted her back.

Since she had always greeted them with a poker face, this was the first time they saw her smile.

She greeted each person, and it was Reed's turn.

She wiped away her smile and said,

"……Master of the Silence Tower."

She greeted him coldly enough for everyone to feel it.

Reed calmly accepted her greeting with a poker face.

"Now that everyone is here, I'll guide you."

"Alright."

Dolores led the way, and Reed followed her.

"Did the two of them have a fight?"

"......Well, it seems like there is some issue."

"Well, even a handsome man who charms women so much can't know his own woman's heart."

They laughed, enjoying themselves as if watching a fire across the river.

As in the previous year, they first greeted the president and received a briefing on this year's graduates.

Although excellent talents were nurtured as in the previous year, Anton still seemed dissatisfied.

"That's the end. The last lecture is underway, so let's take a look before we go."

After finishing the briefing concisely, the magicians from each faction dispersed.

Reed was about to take a step, thinking maybe he would do some exploration on his own.

"Master of the Silence Tower."

Dolores stopped Reed by calling him.

She looked up at Reed with a sharp gaze.

Her eyes alone seemed ready to slap him in the face.

"Please look at me."

"......Alright."

Reed nodded as if he couldn't win.

The master of the Radiant Tower patted his shoulder, showing a tearful expression.

His face expressed that marriage was a crazy thing.

Reed followed Dolores.

The place she headed to was her office.

Although assistants were called slaves among magicians, Anton's assistant was his favorite disciple and had her own private office.

Dolores closed the door.

Click-.

She locked the door meticulously and turned her head.

The cold face gradually spread an awkward smile, and soon she laughed hesitantly.

Her tense shoulders moved loosely as she looked up at Reed.

The awkward ice queen was gone, and the fluffy Dolores greeted Reed once more.

"Welcome, oppa."