“Oh, you came. Who is the person next to you?”

He casually accepted the greeting and glanced at me.

It was truly an uninterested look.

The feeling of asking out of courtesy since a person he’d never seen appeared in his sight?

“She’s my cousin, and she came to see the tower master. Sister, this is Senior Spencer, my direct supervisor.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Shailyn Sharofe.”

“Pleased to meet you for the first time. I’m Spencer, a mage belonging to the magic tower.”

I was surprised inwardly hearing the greeting, thinking Spencer was a surname rather than a first name.

He must be a commoner…….

The magic tower was famous for not discriminating based on origin and status, so the existence of a commoner mage wasn’t surprising.

However, it was surprising that they assigned him as a supervisor to Deborah, who was a duke’s daughter.

‘They would feel uncomfortable with each other…… No, listening to Deborah, maybe that’s not particularly the case.’

Just now he had used casual speech with Deborah, and he didn’t seem particularly tense even in front of me, a noble.

“But did you really come to see the tower master?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, that’s interesting. The tower master is someone who doesn’t meet people easily.”

“Is that so……?”

Well, I didn’t meet him easily either. I waited a long time after coming to the magic tower…..

“Yes, there are many cases where he won’t meet you even if you stand in front of the magic tower for three days and nights.”

Before I could feel bewildered by his words, Spencer shrugged his shoulders and turned his head toward Deborah.

“The tower master is in the pharmacy right now. Go there if you want to see him.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Alright, come straight to Laboratory 2 when you’re done with your business. We need to continue what we didn’t finish yesterday.”

“Got it. I’ll be right there.”

Spencer bowed his head to me and leisurely left.

Deborah, whose steps suddenly quickened, sat me down in the break room and spoke rapidly.

“Sorry, sister. Senior Spencer called me so I have to go quickly. I’ll call the tower master for you, so have your conversation and go in carefully. Got it?”

“Yeah yeah, don’t worry about me and go work. Do your best today too, Deborah.”

“Yeah, thanks!”

Deborah waved her hands vigorously and ran out of the break room.

And after quite a long time passed, the man I absolutely had to make my partner appeared.

“It’s been a while, Tower Master..”

I quickly got up from my seat and greeted him.

It had been a really long time since we met, with my sick visit being the last time.

‘His unique atmosphere is still the same.’

The white, handsome face that exuded decadent beauty from morning silently bowed to me.

“Have you been well? Were you surprised that I suddenly visited? I’m sorry for coming without contact.”

“It’s fine. What brings you here?”

“I have something to earnestly ask of you.”

I grabbed the tower master’s hands and sent him a pitiful look.

Then he greatly hesitated.

“What……”

“Please be my dance partner at the social queen selection next month!”

“……Pardon?”

He, who usually showed no change in expression, opened his mouth slightly.

A shocked gaze pierced down at me beyond bewilderment, but I desperately avoided it and blinked my eyes pitifully.

“……I’m sorry but that would be difficult, Miss.”

The tower master carefully extracted his caught hands and recited kind reasons for his refusal.

“First, I have no talent for dancing, and I’m not interested in social circles. Moreover, I’m currently too busy with magic tower work.”

“I have no talent for dancing either, so we can practice from now. I know you’re not interested in social circles, but just this once! Just once! Can’t you be my partner?”

“No matter what, I—”

“That busy magic tower work, it’s the magic stone supply problem, right?”

When I asked, recalling what Deborah told me on the way, he obediently nodded.

Not missing the opportunity, I sparkled my eyes and proposed.

“Then how about making a contract with me? I’ll provide magic stones from our Sasha Magic Mine.”

“You…… Miss?”

“Yes!”

Actually, the trade with the magic tower was very beneficial for me too, as I was looking for a solid place to regularly trade magic stones anyway.

It was like a major corporation that consistently needed magic stones anytime and had credibility.

“Among all the magic mines in the empire, there’s no place with more magic stone reserves than ours. Wouldn’t it be preferable to do business steadily with one place rather than frequently changing trading partners?”

“That’s true, but……”

“Actually, there were many trading companies that proposed exclusive magic stone deals with me. But wouldn’t it be more rewarding and good to supply magic stones to the magic tower?”

The tower master’s eyes wavered. From his position, I would definitely not be a bad trading partner.

I was the family of a mage belonging to the magic tower, and not a difficult merchant to deal with.

“If you just become my dance partner, I’ll only trade with the magic tower within the empire. How about it?”

“……!”

The tower master contemplated for a long time before slowly moving his lips.

“Alright.”

Yes!

I almost shouted from being too happy for a moment but held it in and smiled.

“You made a really good decision. I’ll be counting on you, Tower Master..”

“Yes, I’ll be counting on you too.”

We clasped each other’s hands and shook them. This was a trade with no loss for both sides.

And when I came out of the magic tower with light steps, Carl was standing in front of the carriage waiting for me.

“Did your business go well?”

“Yeah, the tower master agreed to be my partner. That’s good, right?”

He looked down at me, who was extremely excited, and replied curtly with a somehow spiteful voice.

“I don’t think that’s something to call good. There doesn’t seem to be any particular reason you had to make the tower master your partner.”

I shook my head at my bondservant’s comment, who knew nothing of my circumstances.

“Ah, what do you know.”

“I know everything I need to know.”

“Sure, yeah.”

I stood on tiptoes, stretched out my hand and patted his black hair.

Carl, who was suddenly ambushed, wrinkled his eyebrows greatly but didn’t swat away my touch.

I was about to pat him as much as I felt good, but stopped because my arm got sore.

It was a satisfying magic tower visit in many ways, including seeing Deborah’s Senior Spencer whom I had been secretly curious about.

***

The queen selection had a rule of wearing dresses according to set themes.

This year’s theme was ‘Summer Within Me.’

It was somewhat abstract, which was slightly troublesome, but fortunately I had Rain.

She willingly took charge of my dress and pushed up her glasses,

‘I’ll design a summer dress that suits you, Miss. I’ll create the greatest masterpiece of my life.’

She burned with enthusiasm.

Thanks to that, I didn’t worry about the dress, but the problem was dancing.

Even Deborah, who usually only said good things to me, clicked her tongue at my dancing skills.

‘Honestly, thinking about sister’s dancing makes me wonder if you really have to enter the selection…… But since you want to, I’ll introduce you to a good dance teacher.’

Phew, thank goodness Deborah is here.

The tower master and I decided to practice sufficiently on our own before matching our timing.

Since we both lacked basic skills, it seemed useless to gather and practice together.

I sat on the drawing room sofa and anxiously waited for the dance teacher Deborah introduced to arrive.

Today was the first lesson.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

Through the quietly opened door, a stern-looking short-haired noblewoman revealed herself.

“Good day, I am Giana Madison, in charge of Miss’s dance instruction.”

According to Deborah, she was someone famous in social circles for making even three-year-old babies into dance prodigies.

“Though I’m lacking, I will learn diligently from you, Madam.”

When I greeted politely while nervous, the madam looked around the drawing room interior and slightly frowned around her eyes.

“Are you alone by any chance, Miss?”

“Pardon? Yes, is there some problem……?”

“I need a gentleman to help with practice. Is there someone you can call right now?”

“Ah.”

There was exactly one such person.

‘My bondservant.’

I ordered Paul to call Carl to the drawing room.

Shortly after, Carl appeared with leisurely steps. Madam Madison scrutinized him with sharp eyes.

“His posture is straight, so he wouldn’t be bad as a practice partner. Good. I’ll begin the lesson in earnest.”

Carl, who stood blankly next to me, raised one eyebrow and asked.

“What are we doing right now?”

“Oh, just learning to dance. Don’t feel burdened and approach it comfortably.”

I answered while patting his shoulder.

It seemed like Carl would have even worse dancing skills than me.

But…….