As she answered with a voice full of fatigue and turned around, Ashites’ hand reached towards her neck. She took a half-step back, but relaxed when his fingers touched her necklace without malice.

“I’m taking this.”

“Why…?”

“……”

He asked questions when he was curious but didn’t answer others’. He was really rude. But since the Master of the Magic Tower was taking it, she had no reason to refuse. She was outranked and outclassed in wealth…

If this were Earth, she would have been a millionaire. But this man was someone who raked in money across the continent, making any comparison pointless.

Feeling a strange sense of defeat, Lysith turned around and gathered her hair to the front.

What Ashites saw was her white nape and her wearing his white robe. He had given it to her without much thought, but now seeing it again, it had a powerful visual impact.

The robe was tailored for him, fitting his body, and now she looked like she was swallowed by it. Wearing the robe of the man she had been intimate with just last night…

Reaching out with a slightly trembling hand, he gently brushed his fingers down her nape, causing her to flinch slightly but not say anything.

Encouraged by her reaction, he moved his fingers deeper, cupping the back of her neck with his palm. The warm, soft skin felt good in his hand.

The situation had completely reversed.

As his hand regretfully left her nape, he buried his face in the exposed skin.

“……?”

Lysith had no idea why he was acting this way. If only she could see his affection level.

She considered asking why he wasn’t taking the necklace but didn’t have to as he quickly lifted his head and took the necklace into his hand.

“Is this expensive?”

“Probably.”

“Hmm… okay then.”

“……”

“If you want this back, come to the banquet tomorrow. Got it?”

High-ranking nobles only showed up on the first day, so she didn’t plan to attend again… but meeting him like this wasn’t something she needed to refuse.

“Okay, I will.”

Nodding at her positive response, Ashites glanced at her small mansion.

“Is this where you live? It’s pretty small.”

“I didn’t want to draw attention. And I’m the only one living here.”

“Hmm.”

Looking at her small mansion with sharp eyes, he fiddled with his long right sideburn and spoke in a mocking tone.

“Well, it suits you.”

Whether it was an insult or a compliment, Lysith liked her current mansion and decided to take it as a compliment, glancing inside the house.

Just in case Penchev passed by…

Unable to stand his gaze, Lysith finally spoke first.

“Do you have anything else to say?”

“No.”

“Then why don’t you leave…”

“It’s my business.”

How was she supposed to deal with this man? She didn’t particularly want them to meet. Their difference in status, and Penchev’s eyes were issues. She couldn’t predict what would happen if they met.

“Well, I have work to do. Don’t forget to come tomorrow.”

“Yes. Oh, what about the robe…”

“Do what you want.”

With that, he climbed into the carriage without any hesitation. Lysith, unable to find a moment to say goodbye, tilted her head in confusion.

He was rude and inscrutable.

* * *

After riding the carriage to his shop, Ashites lay down in the back. It was the same place where he had run into Lysith before.

“Master, what’s going on?”

The unfortunate employee sighed. The master had unexpectedly locked the door and lay down on a chair. Though he had the right to open and close the shop, the employee felt like they had been hit by a bolt from the blue.

Meanwhile, Ashites was deep in thought.

He recalled the warmth and softness of her skin, the gentle scent when he buried his face in her nape. He had only used a simple cleansing spell last night.

And the image of her wearing his white robe came to mind. The shoulder line that hung far below, the length that almost touched the ground, the hood that reached his back but only came to her waist, and her fingers swallowed by the sleeves.

And before that, her face awkwardly smiling as if she had realized something from his words…

“F*ck.”

“Why are you suddenly swearing?!”

Ignoring the employee’s scream, he thought.

Could that awkward smile really look pretty? His heart felt like it was flipping, making him frown deeply. It wasn’t until she stopped smiling that he snapped back to reality.

Despite that, his heart continued to race.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“That girl who came last time. The noblewoman.”

“Oh, yes. Lady Gronevelt.”

“Is she…”

Should I ask this? To him? Despite his thoughts, his lips moved against his will.

“…Is she pretty?”

“What?”

The employee looked at him in disbelief, but under his fierce gaze, he obediently answered.

“Of course. Objectively, she’s a beauty. And she holds the highest status among the women in the Empire…”

“But?”

“Before she got married, her nickname in social circles was ‘The White Rose on the Cliff.’ She had such a quiet personality and never caused a scene… And she always accompanied her older brother, the current Duke, so most young men couldn’t even approach her. After she married the Grand Duke, people said, ‘That’s why he protected her so fiercely…’”

Listening to the employee, Ashites felt utterly displeased.

There wasn’t a single part he liked from beginning to end.

He didn’t like her brother, who seemed to have wrapped her up as if she was always destined for the Grand Duke. He didn’t like her nickname in social circles, implying many men desired her.

As he continued to think about how displeased he was, something felt off.

Wait, why am I getting annoyed?

Frowning deeply, he anxiously tapped the desk with his fingernails. Oblivious to Ashites’ reaction, the employee, gaining momentum, kept talking.

“Interestingly, she doesn’t have any close noblewomen friends. Anyway, she lacks nothing in appearance, status, or wealth. So, I hear there are still quite a few young men secretly admiring her…”

“Shut up.”

“I’m just telling you because you asked…”

Ignoring the employee’s pouting, Ashites struggled to think clearly.

So this is…

Just as he tried to define his emotions, he heard a rustling sound from his pocket. Taking it out, he saw the necklace he had taken from her. The golden gem, resembling him, was beautifully crafted and about the size of a thumbnail.

Staring at the golden gem with an unreadable expression, he put the necklace back in his pocket.

The employee, noticing his slightly improved mood, cautiously brought up another topic.

“There are still no applicants.”

Under normal circumstances, it would have been a mundane conversation, but not for Ashites at that moment.

Yes, there was that deal. To become a test subject for the magic tool…

It was just a whim. While he did need a volunteer, he thought it would be amusing to see a high-ranking noblewoman receive such a proposal.

“It would be interesting if she became the test subject.”

That’s what he had said in the past. But now… Sitting with his usual expressionless face, he thought deeply before finally speaking.

“…No.”

“What?”

“I don’t think I can…”

“Find a volunteer? Did you find one?”

“No, nothing like that.”

Yes, nothing like that existed. Feeling the weight of the necklace in his pocket, he left as quietly as he had arrived.

* * *

After seeing Ashites off, Lysith greeted the knight guarding the back gate and entered the mansion. She turned off her passive skill and carefully walked halfway around the mansion to the large front door she usually used.

As expected, it wasn’t locked. She cautiously closed the well-maintained, silent door and stepped inside, only to be met by Eve, who was pacing anxiously.

“Do you think something happened to Miss?”

“……”

Penchev, listening to Eve, didn’t respond but had a worried expression. Serena, standing next to him, also frowned as she listened. Watching them awkwardly, Lysith finally spoke up.

“Um…”

“Should we contact the Duke?”

“Guys?”

They were so focused on their discussion that they didn’t hear her. She had to raise her voice and move closer before they noticed her.

“Guys!”

“…Miss!”

Hugging the rushing Eve awkwardly, Lysith glanced at the three of them.

“Sorry. Something came up. I couldn’t send word that I wouldn’t be back last night.”

“What happened… Never mind that! Have you had breakfast? A bath?”

“Not yet. No breakfast, no bath.”

“I’ll get it ready!”

Watching Eve dash upstairs, Lysith turned her attention to the remaining two. Serena was examining the white robe she was wearing, while Penchev stubbornly stared into her eyes.

Serena spoke first, having finished inspecting the robe.

“Miss.”

“Uh, yes?”

“If my eyes aren’t mistaken, this seems to bear the crest of the Master of the Magic Tower.”

“…What?”

Lysith, who had no idea such a thing existed, quickly looked down to where Serena was staring. On the hem, a gold-embroidered tower with a rapier crossed diagonally behind it signified the Magic Tower.

Her mind filled with warning bells.

“Miss, this…”

“Oh, I’m so hungry~ I didn’t have breakfast. I’ll take a bath first, so please prepare a meal. I’ll be going up now!”

Knowing what Serena was about to say, Lysith pretended not to hear and quickly followed Eve upstairs.

Although someone stubbornly watched her leave, she didn’t notice.