Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 36

I couldn’t see his face under his deep hood, but he seemed quite sociable as he spoke to me.

Plus, he seemed to have a bit of a reputation, judging by the small cheers from all the rejected interviewees.

“Then try interviewing me.”

I subtly checked the brooch which was attached to his cape.

Magicians are divided into 1st to 9th ranks based on the amount of magical power they possessed. The closer to the 9th rank, the more magical power they have.

The star on the brooch, indicated his affiliation with the Gray Tower, it was like a report card that intuitively revealed the magician’s abilities.

Judging by the number of stars on the brooch, the magician in front of me was a 3rd-ranking magician.

Although I was looking for magicians of 3rd or a higher rank, but that was merely the minimum criterion.

To be honest, 3rd ranking magician has too little of a magical power and also the ability to teach others.

Yet he was confidently asking me to hire him.

‘What’s…. with this guy?’

I subtly signaled Vivian with my eyes.

“It’s Cheshire, the only disciple of the lord of the Mage Tower.”

Vivian whispered, providing me an explanation.

Upon hearing that, I lightly furrowed my brow.

As far as I know, the first disciple of the Magic Tower Lord was the protagonist of <Hirome>.

Ending number 11, Conqueror of the Gray Tower.

In the ending when the lord of the mage tower met him, he told him this,

“Hey, Crumb. Want to be my disciple? It’s a really great deal. Everyone else is going crazy because they want themselves to be the lucky one.”

“I’ll give you my name, as you are a special individual for being my first pupil. Oh, and of course, you must never mention your master’s name.”

But the Master of the Gray Tower already had a disciple?

The discomfort I had felt when I entered the tower struck a nerve like a thorn in my fingernail.

I narrowed my eyes and observed the magician who claimed to be the disciple of the tower master.

Sociable, popular, and suspiciously capable, the young magician seemed to possess enough skill to be taken on as Master of the Gray Tower’s disciple.

But paradoxically, the idea of him being his apprentice bothered me.

In my situation, avoiding the benefactors was crucial, and there was hardly any fatal disqualification.

Moreover, he was only a 3rd-ranking magician.

Perhaps my intention to decline his request was visible on my face.

Because suddenly, a thin smile appeared beneath the hood.

“Your thoughts might change when you see my work. My service is highly satisfying.”

And with that, Cheshire removed his hood.

In an instant, a radiant glow illuminated the dim Gray Tower.

Pink hair, reminiscing the spring flowers.

Sparkling ash-colored eyes, glimmering like a meteor’s tail.

A tear-shaped mark below the left eye, revealing a playful charm as if a child had accidentally drawn it on him.

There were some dark circles under his eyes, but his decadent beauty was making up for it.

“Oh my…”

“Oh God…”

Voices calling out for God erupted from everywhere in the tower, which blasphemed God by his very own existence.

If I weren’t for the Belinda translator, I would have joined them in calling out to God as well. He is the very epitome of beauty.

If he’d been born in Korea, he’d have found his calling as an idol and bought a building in Gangnam just by selling his photocards.

Cheshire, who is responsible for the welfare of the Magic Tower, smiled with an immensely destructive beauty as his power and asked again.

The ornate earrings in his ears glinted as he tilted his head.

“What do you think? Have you changed your mind, dear customer?”

Yes, I think so.

“No.”

Oh well, I survived thanks to Belinda’s translator.

I almost rented a low-level disciple of the Mage Tower lord because of his face.

“Hmm. I guess it’s my very first-time that my beauty didn’t work.”

Cheshire chuckled, as if feeling a bit embarrassed, and scratched his cheek.

That, that. He knows how to use his face to get what he wants.

In fact, I could feel Vivian behind me tugging at my sleeve urgently.

No, Vivian. I know what you’re thinking, but I can’t fall for him!

As I shook my head, signaling my refusal, Cheshire, who was pondering with his index finger tapping his cheek, happened to call a magician who was passing by.

“Penny.”

“Che-Cheshire.”

The brooch revealed she was a 4th level mage like Vivian.

He pointed towards the chairs that the interviewees used to wait for their turn and spoke in a tone that sounded strangely commanding.

“This one, can you make it fly with using floating magic?”

“I have something else to do…..”

“Oh, great. Then, this is just an additional task for you.”

The mage, unable to refuse Cheshire ‘s request, broke out in a cold sweat and drew out a wand from inside her long sleeve.

A faint glow resembling fireflies sparkled at the end of the seemingly ordinary branch-like wand.

By wielding it, the mage drew intricate magic circles into the thin air, and with a small audible exclamation, she pointed it towards the wooden chair.

In an instant, the chair floated up, and following the wand’s direction, it began to levitate in the air.

All the while, the wizard’s face turned bright red that I feared her blood pressure would rise and she would collapse.

Eventually, the chair shakily descended and landed on the floor.

“Hoo.”

The magician turned to us with a proud expression.

To put it bluntly…….

“Useless.”

“Right?”

Cheshire agreed with my comment and casually flicked his fingers.

That was it.

However, at that moment, about ten chairs floated up, orbiting around me like the Earth which was revolving around the sun.

A thin gold frame surrounded Cheshire’s eyes, making them sparkle like a mischievous cat’s eyes.

“So, what do you think, do you feel like renting me?”

“Hmph, it’s just as useless as the earlier ones.”

…He was too talented to be rejected.

Even though I knew it wouldn’t work, I ended up coming up with the next best solution.

“…First, let me see how you work today, and then I’ll decide on your employment.”

“Please take care of me for today, Master.”

Cheshire beamed, addressing me with an upgraded title from ‘customer’ to ‘master’.

Who would have thought that this embodiment of service would be so satisfying?

‘It was Absolutely delightful!’

* * * *

We left the tower and were riding back to the Blanche manor in the carriage with Cheshire.

Cheshire sighed lightly, as if he had forgotten something.

“Oh, Master.”

His voice which called my name seemed strangely meaningful.

I glanced at Cheshire, who was seated next to me.

Somehow, his complexion was darker than before, and he didn’t look well.

Was he perhaps experiencing motion sickness from the carriage ride?

I discreetly moved away from Cheshire with a shuffle of my hips.

As he moved closer to me, he whispered in my ear with a weak voice.

“Can you lend me your shoulder for a moment, Master?”

“What?”

“I’m about to faint…”

And then, plop….

A substantial weight settled on my shoulder.

“……?”

I raised my index finger, to gently push Cheshire’s head when he leaned against me.

Cheshire, with a very little resistance, slumped back against the carriage door.

“Hey, are you really sleeping?”

Terry, who had come out as my escort in place of Sir Penadel, waved her hand in front of Cheshire’s face.

At that moment, Vivian, who had been sitting across from him, spoke up with a sigh.

“It’s probably because his magic is depleted.”

No, what did he do to exhaust his magic?

“Cheshire has a very low amount of magic, even for a third-ranked mage. It seems he overexerted himself after using levitation magic earlier.”

Since a 4th-ranked mage was panting for a single chair, it wasn’t so strange that Cheshire, a 3rd-ranked mage, would faint from exhaustion after making 10 chairs float at once.

In fact, it was quite remarkable that he effortlessly lifted so many chairs with just one gesture.

I confirmed that Cheshire was indeed asleep and asked the question I hadn’t been able to ask earlier.

“Is he really a 3rd-grade magician?”

“Yes, Cheshire is a genius. His adaptability is outstanding, so he can cast more powerful magic than others with less magical power.”

In other words, he’s like a high-performance wireless vacuum cleaner with a crappy battery?

“So, usually, he intervenes into those tasks that requires stronger magical abilities for a short period. As far as I know, he has never taken on a role of a home tutor… but, he’s sociable, unlike other magicians who prefer to stay at the corners of the tower.”

Vivian’s voice began to fade as she described Cheshire.

“But I’m kind of scared, so…….”

“……?”

Didn’t you just tug on my sleeve to hire him because you were so taken aback by his beauty?

“It didn’t seem that way.”

I was referring to Vivian, but I think she thought I was talking about Cheshire.

Vivian clenched her fists to hide her nervousness and whispered.

“Well, I mean, normally it’s fine, but at night…….”

At night?

“Oh, no, it’s nothing.”

Now, look at this.

There are few ways of making someone angry instantly. One amongst them was not finishing their sentences properly!

“I think we’ve arrived.”

As Terry opened her mouth, the carriage came towards an halt.

And with an amazing timing, Cheshire woke up, stretching out like a lazy cat after a short nap.

Looking at him who was awake, Vivian was the first to leave the carriage as if she was escaping.