When she turned her head, sure enough, the tower master stood there with his hands clasped behind his back.

His appearance caused a stir in the surroundings.

There were plenty of people sending eager gazes wanting to exchange greetings, but the tower master only looked at her.

“Ah, it’s a magical tool I once needed. It’s fine now since I don’t keep cats anymore.”

When she deliberately replied playfully, the tower master’s lips drew a faint arc.

“Would you follow me for a moment?”

“Yes.”

She gladly accepted the tower master’s proposal and followed him closely.

They left the exhibition hall and headed to a lounge on the middle floor of the magic tower.

Since all the visitors and mages were on the first floor, the lounge was quiet. It was just the two of them, making it convenient for conversation.

Sitting side by side on a bench and looking ahead, the tower master spoke first.

“I’m glad your face looks good.”

“Really? It’s all thanks to you helping me back then.”

She bowed her head as she remembered receiving help in various ways during the heresy trial.

She even found out later that he had cooperated with Carl, so thanking him a hundred times wouldn’t be enough.

“Thank you sincerely once again.”

“I’ve already received enough thanks.”

The tower master waved his hand urgently. He was truly a tender-hearted and kind person, unlike his decadent impression.

This is why you shouldn’t judge people just by their appearance.

Especially when thinking of the head priest, looking so benevolent and holy but having driven her like a madman not long ago.

He, showing a somewhat awkward smile, soon spoke seriously.

“There’s a separate reason I invited you today.”

“What is it?”

As soon as she turned her head, her gaze met his mysterious teal eyes.

The tower master, flinching momentarily, didn’t avoid her gaze and slowly moved his lips.

“Do you remember when I said my heart beats when I see you?”

“Yes.”

Wasn’t that what he said when she had lifted his curse and achieved 100 favorability, receiving his confession?

The tower master moistened his dry lips with his tongue nervously and spoke in a low voice.

“Back then I said I didn’t know how to define that emotion, but now I know.”

His body honestly turned toward her.

“I like you. I fell in love at first sight.”

His second confession, uttered purely without pretense, made her heart sink a little.

But she didn’t avoid this and faced it head-on.

It was a result she had created while progressing the mission.

“Thank you for looking at me favorably, Tower Master.. But I don’t think I can have the same feelings.”

She conveyed her intention calmly. Then the tower master, his expression visibly darkening, asked carefully.

“……May I ask the reason?”

“There’s no particular reason. Our hearts just went in different directions, it’s absolutely not that anyone did wrong or made a mistake.”

Finding the reason for something is actually close to finding the cause of fault.

But the tower master had no part in her rejection, so she conveyed that fact clearly.

The tower master, silent for a moment, bowed his head slightly and pressed his forehead.

“……However, since I once unintentionally deceived you, Count, I’m concerned whether it might be because of that.”

“Ah, you mean when you were Goldie? I don’t think you deceived me.”

Just as the empress had hidden being cursed by a demon and falling ill, the tower master could have done the same.

It was a part that could be a fatal weakness for him.

“You didn’t do it on purpose. You had your circumstances.”

“That doesn’t make the fact that I deceived you disappear, does it?”

The tower master rebutted more seriously than expected. She, throwing words to ease his mind, was slightly flustered.

Well…… right? Even if there were circumstances, he did deceive her anyway.

But wasn’t that something that could be taken into consideration to some extent…….

“I often said things I didn’t mean or made up facts that didn’t exist to hide that I was cursed.”

He dry-washed his face once and muttered quietly like making a confession.

“But looking back, I don’t think I ever once considered that all the false words and actions I did for reasons I couldn’t help might hurt other people.”

“……”

Her words were suddenly blocked.

Because…… it applied to her too.

“Honestly, I regret it. Rashly being certain that no one could understand and accept me turning into a cat.”

The tower master continued speaking calmly.

She could feel traces of fierce self-reflection and introspection in each word.

“If they were truly trustworthy people, I should have tried opening up completely at least once.”

“……”

She couldn’t offer any comfort and stared at him blankly.

She felt dazed as if struck by a blow at an unexpected moment.

The tower master, who had been looking at her quietly, stood up from his seat with a face as if he had decided something.

“In any case, I understand the Count’s intention. Thank you for speaking honestly to me.”

He bowed politely. Flustered, she hurriedly stood up.

“Even if it hurts for now, hearing the truth is much better.”

“……Is that so?”

“Yes, in the long run it will cause less heartache.”

Then that’s fortunate.

Since her heart wasn’t entirely comfortable having to reject him after being the one to seduce him first, she felt somewhat relieved that he said that.

She clasped her hands together and bowed politely.

“Thank you for liking me. And I’m sorry, Tower Master..”

“There’s no need to apologize.”

The tower master smiled faintly.

“It was an emotion I chose and a confession I decided on.”

It felt strange, as if he knew her circumstances and was saying that.

Especially since it was so similar to what she had unconsciously hoped for.

She moved her lips then decided to wrap things up. Further conversation seemed meaningless.

“I’ll head back now.”

“Yes.”

The tower master didn’t stop her. She turned around alone, leaving him behind, and walked toward the lounge entrance.

Just as she placed her hand on the door handle.

“Count Sharofe!”

He suddenly called her in a loud voice. She opened her eyes wide and turned around.

The tower master with reddened eyes greeted her.

“Farewell.”

“Yes, farewell.”

She accepted this and thought. This would be the last time they met privately.

The relationship that began when they first met not as a person but as a cat was settled like this.

When she went back down to the exhibition hall, she saw Deborah looking around next to Spencer.

Soon Deborah also spotted her and raised her hand high.

“Ah, sister! You were there?”

“Yeah, Deborah.”

Spencer, briefly conversed with Deborah, bowed to her, and left.

She lightly acknowledged it and smiled toward Deborah as she approached alone.

“Did you finish looking around?”

“Not yet, I haven’t seen your magical tool.”

“Really? Then follow me. I’ll show you.”

“Good.”

She moved her steps following Deborah, naturally linking arms with her.

Despite looking around the exhibition hall for quite a long time, she didn’t see the tower master again.

That night, she had a dream.

It was a dream of watching Carl wander searching for her after she had returned to the original world, from beyond a transparent wall.

“Shailyn, where are you! Shailyn!”

His appearance with tears dripping from his reddened eyes pierced her heart.

“Carl! I’m here!”

She pounded the wall blocking them and shouted.

But Carl never looked in her direction. Rather, he ran in the opposite direction from her, getting farther away.

Her heart felt like it would burst from frustration. I’m here, where are you going.

Carl, wandering with his back to her, finally knelt down on both knees and collapsed.

“You said you liked me, but how can you leave without a word like this……”

His appearance wrapped in despair made her heart ache, and she cried too.

“Carl…… don’t cry. I’m sorry.”

I’m truly sorry.

She muttered endlessly, repeating apologies that could never reach him.

Then when she woke from the dream, her whole body was drenched in cold sweat.

Mandy sat worriedly beside her, wiping her face with a handkerchief.

“Miss, are you alright?”

“……Yeah, I’m fine.”

She looked down at her faintly trembling hands then bit her lips tightly.

Her heart, which had been unable to find direction like a small boat floating in the wind, finally stood upright.

She thought she should finally give an answer to Carl’s confession that she had been putting off.