The Duchess was said to be as interested in magic as Deborah. She would be the first to purchase and try out any new magical tools.

One day, she was invited to the party of the Deputy Tower Master.

Since the event was hosted by the second-highest-ranking person in the Magic Tower, several noblewomen from prestigious families attended, including the Duchess.

And on that day, a terrible incident occurred.

The host, the Deputy Tower Master, suddenly had a magic outburst, causing the death of several nobles nearby.

One of the victims was the Duchess.

It was later discovered that the Deputy Tower Master was possessed by a demon. The party was held to search for sacrifices.

Afterward, the Magic Tower suffered financial difficulties for a long time due to compensation payments, and the Duke of Diart lost their kind and wise Duchess.

“That’s why Father hates magic so much. Grandfather too. I was a bit like that when I was young.”

“Oh, I see…”

Knowing the circumstances, I realized I had hastily touched on a sensitive issue.

At the same time, I wondered why Dain had helped us.

“Why did you help us, even though that happened?”

“…Because, as you said, it seemed like Deborah really wanted it. But maybe I judged wrong. I should have just stopped her like I always did.”

Dain ruffled his hair with a regretful expression and asked.

“What do you think?”

“Me? I…”

I crossed my arms and thought deeply.

If I had faced this without a mission, how would I have judged it?

After a long silence, I spoke.

“It’s your own life; you should decide for yourself.”

Maybe because I don’t have parents, I don’t know the sorrow of losing them, so I can say this.

But…

“Deborah must not have easily decided to pursue magic. Even so, if she bravely chose her path despite everyone’s pain, shouldn’t we respect that?”

“……”

“She must have been experiencing the most difficulty and distress herself.”

I knew well how hard it was to dream of something that didn’t fit my circumstances.

So I felt sorry for Deborah.

“…You’re right. Why didn’t I ever consider Deb’s perspective?”

Dain lowered his head deeply, then lifted it to look at me.

“Thank you, Shailyn.”

Well, it’s not like I deserve thanks…

He then spoke with a resolute face.

“Sorry, but could you keep supporting Deborah in the future? I couldn’t do that.”

“Hmm, okay.”

It wasn’t a particularly difficult request, so I nodded.

Dain, with a thoughtful face, simply patted my shoulder and smiled.

And the next day.

The day of the Magic Tower entrance exam dawned.

Since it had come to this, I moved to properly fulfill the request.

* * *

Deborah watched the sunrise with swollen eyes from crying all night.

Normally, she should be preparing to go to the Magic Tower for the exam today, but since she was grounded, she couldn’t take a single step outside.

Tears welled up again in her eyes from sorrow and frustration.

“Sob, sob.”

Deborah buried her face in the pillow and curled up in despair. Her small back faintly shook.

‘It’s all over. I’ll never be able to do magic again…’

Knock, knock.

At that moment, someone tapped on the balcony window of her room.

Deborah, who hadn’t heard it at first and was just crying, eventually noticed the annoying noise and lifted her head.

And she met the blue eyes staring at her from outside the window.

“……!”

Deborah almost screamed but held back when she saw the person beyond the window put a finger to their lips.

“Could you open the window?”

At the voice that came muffled through the window, Deborah unconsciously opened the balcony.

Then Shailyn climbed in with a grunt.

Her deep green eyes wavered with surprise, confusion, and a hint of delight.

“You… What are you doing here? How did you get here?”

“Carl helped me? Oh, Carl is my bondservant.”

She had climbed up from the balcony of Deborah’s room below, using Carl’s shoulder as a step.

Without his firm support from below, she wouldn’t have been able to sneak in safely.

“I’ve come to take you, Deborah.”

Shailyn smiled and extended her hand.

“Let’s go. To the Magic Tower exam.”

“……”

Deborah stared blankly at her cousin. Her face was a mess from tears, but she didn’t care about that now.

As if enchanted, she took Shailyn’s hand, then came to her senses and quickly pulled back.

“…Didn’t you hear yesterday? Dad grounded me, remember?”

“That’s why I came secretly.”

“If I get caught going out, you’ll get scolded too. Forget it, I’m so fed up with this that I won’t do magic anymore.”

Deborah plopped down at the edge of the bed and bit her lip.

“Dad never lets me have what I want anyway. Even if I pass the exam, he’ll find a way to cancel my admission.”

Her voice, wet with tears, trembled thinly. Shailyn quietly sat beside her.

For a while, the only sound in the room was Deborah sniffling.

Shailyn spoke softly.

“I heard from Dain about how the Duchess passed away.”

“……”

“Deborah, why do you like magic?”

It was a question she hadn’t heard since her mother passed away.

Everyone just tried to stop Deborah from doing magic without wondering about her feelings.

Deborah, with reddened eyes, looked at Shailyn and answered.

“Because Mom liked it.”

“……”

“She passed away when I was so young that her face is now blurry, but I vividly remember her being happy watching me play with magic dolls.”

The Duchess passed away when Deborah was five.

For her, who had few memories to cherish, magic was the only remaining link to her mother.

Deborah still remembered her mother’s voice whispering that she would become a great magician when she grew up.

“Then, do you really want to give up magic like this?”

“…No. I started because Mom liked it, but I like magic too. I don’t want to give up like this.”

Deborah clenched her fists tightly. Shailyn placed her hand over them and smiled gently.

“Then you shouldn’t be sitting here like this. You should be out there fulfilling your dream, right?”

“…Why are you caring so much about me? I’ve always been mean to you.”

Deborah knew how rudely she had acted toward Shailyn.

So she hesitated to readily accept her kindness.

“To be honest, I have a meaner younger sister. So it doesn’t bother me.”

Shailyn shrugged as she replied. Compared to Janice, Deborah was an angel.

She didn’t hit or try to grab her hair, and her words were less spiteful than Janice’s.

“…What? You have a sister, so why do you want to make me your sister?”

Feeling strangely disappointed, Deborah pouted her lips.

“Just because.”

“…Just because?”

“Yeah. Just because.”

Shailyn’s answer was light.

Yet it relieved Deborah of some of the heavy burdens weighing her down.

Pulling the dazed Deborah’s hand, Shailyn stood up.

“Come on, Deborah. If we get caught, we get caught. I’ll stand by you to the end.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

With a firm answer, Deborah also made up her mind.

She held Shailyn’s hand tightly and went to the balcony.

Since the chance of getting caught was high if they left through the door, they had to escape through the window.

“Wait, this.”

Shailyn took a note from her pocket and placed it on the bed.

Turning away without hesitation, she went down the balcony with Deborah. Carl, who was waiting below, helped the two of them.

“You can step on my shoulder as hard as you like, just be careful coming down.”

“I’m not too heavy, right?”

Shailyn worried as she lightly stepped on him with her swinging legs.

Carl supported her steadily and replied calmly.

“You’re light.”

“Like a feather?”

“Of course, you’re heavier than that.”

“Tch.”

Shailyn, who had come down first, helped Deborah escape next.

Thus, the three of them left the Duke’s residence and headed for the Magic Tower.

Their escape was discovered sooner than expected.

Emma, who came to comfort Deborah, found the empty room.

Paul handed a piece of paper to Benjamin, who rushed over after hearing the news.

On it was written in unfamiliar handwriting:

「I have taken your daughter.

If you want your daughter back safely…

Trust Deborah and wait for her.

Then you’ll be able to have a proper conversation when she returns.

Please.

From Phantom Thief S.」

“Thieves these days are quite polite.”

At the familiar voice from behind, Benjamin turned his head.

Dain, who had come unnoticed, was smiling brightly at the door.

“Why not just follow the thief’s advice, Father?”