Hmm, it probably didn’t really understand, so it was just a random action?

Anyway, if he really was the male lead, it would be very troublesome, so I couldn’t just sit still.

“I feel uncomfortable, so I can’t just stay put. I should go look around the streets with Carl.”

“Meow.”

“Goldie, you stay quietly in the room and wait. Got it?”

“Meow!”

I handed Goldie, who was suddenly crying sharply, to Mandy and called Carl.

When I said let’s go to the plaza together, he obediently followed.

“How’s the cat? Nothing strange happened?”

Carl threw out a random question. I shrugged my shoulders and answered.

“Yeah, not really? Why, did you also fall for my Goldie’s charm and become curious about his well-being?”

“I’m only curious about my master’s well-being. It’s fine if nothing happened. If he ever acts disgustingly like a person, tell me.”

“Goldie only does very admirable actions like you, so don’t worry.”

“…… I feel ambiguous about being on the same level as a cat.”

Carl got off the carriage with a displeased face and took my hand to help me down.

The plaza I came to after a long time was bustling with people. Whether Magic Tower extras had been distributed, everyone was holding a newspaper in their hands.

And every newspaper had headlines like this printed in large letters.

〈Shocking, Tower Master Chester is Missing!〉

People who read the articles gathered in groups of three to five and chattered.

“Oh my, what’s this about? Even someone like the Tower Master can go missing.”

“Did he really get attacked by those who believe in demons?”

“I’m getting scared too. From now on, I should pray to Solaris three times a day.”

Everyone was just agitated by this sudden news, but no one said they had witnessed or knew anything related.

‘Did no one really see the Tower Master……?’

As I walked anxiously among the people, two people standing on one side of the street suddenly came into my view.

They were wearing the same pure white Magic Tower uniforms as Deborah and were handing out flyers to passersby.

I also approached and received one, and it was a missing person flyer with the Tower Master’s portrait.

〈Anyone who has seen the Tower Master must contact the Magic Tower. We will also provide a small reward.〉

After quietly reading the flyer contents, I readily suggested to the mages.

“We’ll hand these out, so why don’t you two return to the Magic Tower and help with searching for the Tower Master?”

“Huh? But we can’t just dump work on civilians……”

They exchanged glances and hesitated. I smiled as kindly as possible and appealed.

“I’ve danced as the Tower Master’s partner before, and since my cousin Deborah works for the Magic Tower, I want to help.”

“Ah, you’re Miss Deborah’s family member.”

Once my identity became clear, the two mages’ expressions brightened considerably.

“No wonder you looked familiar. Then we can trust you with this.”

“Could we ask you a favor?”

“Of course. Please give me the flyers.”

I quickly received the bundle of flyers and passed more than half to Carl.

“We’ll come out every day to distribute them, so don’t worry.”

“Yes, thank you so much.”

The mages kept bowing in gratitude before leaving.

Then Carl, who had been making a disgruntled expression, said in a rebellious voice.

“Why ‘we’? I never said I’d do this.”

“You also know the Tower Master, so don’t be so heartless. And if I’m doing it, won’t you do it too?”

When I threw out a question that was almost like a threat, he sighed and took more flyers from me.

“It’s my sin to have such a meddlesome master.”

Ignoring his muttering, I held out a flyer to a passing person.

***

Meanwhile, at the Roben mansion.

“Aaaaah!”

Janice threw an ink bottle and pen in anger.

Since the Queen selection, she had been rejected from all parties and gatherings in high society.

This was the result of her behavior that seemed to deliberately interfere with Shailyn at the time and the argument she had at the imperial ball afterward.

‘This is all because of Shailyn! That nasty b*tch, I won’t let her get away with this!’

While Janice was throwing whatever objects she could grab in her room, blaming her innocent half-sister—

“Ah, Miss. A guest has come to see you.”

A young maid carefully opened the door and reported.

Janice’s eyes widened as if they would pop out when she heard the identity of the guest.

She hurriedly arranged her clothes and went down to the reception room.

There really sat a red-eyed beauty with jet-black hair hanging long like ebony.

“La, Lady Celsior……?”

“Sit down since you’re here, Miss Sharofe.”

Johanna, who had arrogantly crossed her legs, gestured with her chin. Janice nervously took a seat across from her.

The haughty capital nobles didn’t associate well with Janice, an unknown noble lady who had come up from the provinces.

Especially with high nobles like Lady Celsior. She couldn’t even dream of mixing words.

But…… that Lady Celsior had come looking for her on her own feet.

Janice’s heart beat rapidly with inexplicable glory.

“Wh, what brings you here……?”

“I was quite impressed by you the other day, but you haven’t been seen at all in high society lately.”

Johanna answered in a dry voice. But Janice was greatly moved just by the fact that she had noticed her.

“It’s an honor, Lady! Actually, I also want to be active in high society…… but strange rumors have spread, making it difficult.”

“Oh my, how unfortunate. Doesn’t your sister give you any help?”

Johanna threw out a question as if deliberately probing. Janice, who didn’t notice this, readily nodded.

“Not at all! She’s a selfish person who only thinks of herself. But how did she become Queen…… You should have become it, Lady.”

“I actually have something to show you related to that matter.”

When Johanna gestured, the maid who had been standing quietly behind her took something out of her pocket.

Janice froze solid when she confirmed what was placed on the table.

Ho, how do you have this…….

“This is what you dropped when coming out of your sister’s waiting room, right?”

“……!”

Janice’s eyes shook violently.

On the table lay Rain’s scissors and her handkerchief.

What I dropped and left behind, as Lady Johanna said.

“Lady! That is, I mean, whatever you saw is a misunderstanding! I’m absolutely not like that……”

“Miss Sharofe.”

Cutting off Janice’s desperate excuses, Johanna crossed her arms.

A subtle smile hung on her lips, and her eyes were also gently curved.

“If you’re going to do it, you should do it properly. Why is a person so sloppy?”

“Huh……?”

At the gentle scolding delivered in a soft voice, Janice opened her mouth and blinked slowly.

What a really stupid face.

While Johanna inwardly mocked her, she spoke gently again.

“If it were me, I wouldn’t dirty my own hands directly.”

Just like how I came looking for you now.

Johanna swallowed the rest of her words and drooped her eyebrows with a pitiful expression.

“You seem to be suffering too much loss because you’re too pure and clear compared to your sister. My heart aches watching it.”

“Ladyyy.”

Janice, who was rather naive rather than pure, completely fell for Johanna’s words and sobbed while lamenting.

“I’m already dying of injustice! Only my mother and I suffer because of my cunning sister! But I don’t know how to fight back.”

“As I said, if it were me, I wouldn’t step forward directly. Especially during times like these when the atmosphere is ominous—”

Johanna, who deliberately stretched her words for emphasis, smiled slyly.

“Using people to teach her a lesson wouldn’t be bad either.”

“Is, is that so……?”

“If you keep putting up with it, you’ll end up living like that until you die. As for the capital’s high society, I’d say the ‘Miss Sharofe’ in front of me is more than enough,. Don’t you agree?”

At the subtle instigation, gullible Janice’s heart wavered.

Facing such an easy prey whose thoughts were completely transparent, Johanna pulled up the corners of her mouth.

It was a very wicked smile.

***

I went out to the streets around 2 PM every day to distribute flyers.

Today too, after lunch, I was resting briefly and preparing to go out.

“Meow!”

Goldie extended his small claws and clung tightly to my dress.

As if telling me to take him along too.

“Oh my, Goldie! You can’t do that to Miss. Come here. I’ll give you delicious snacks too.”

No matter how much Mandy coaxed and cajoled, Goldie wouldn’t budge.

If I tried to forcibly remove him, my dress would be ruined.

In the end, I bent down and asked.