His gentle voice flowed into her ears.

“Miss Kana, in times like these, just ask me directly.”

“What?”

“That’s why I gave you the summoning cards in the first place.”

“……Thank you.”

A faint wetness tinged Kana’s voice.

‘I thought I had gotten used to my role as a supporting character, supporting the main characters and laying the groundwork for them.’

Though she had always performed her duties professionally without much expectation, her chest felt heavy.

Since becoming a supporting character, this was the first time someone other than industry acquaintances had looked after her.

Kiriel took out a recording magical tool with magic, patted her back, and spoke clearly to the gathering.

“Please buy me some time while I disable the magic circle.”

“Let’s do that.”

Caliman agreed with a bright expression. The mages, surprised by the Tower Master’s appearance, gained courage and eagerly assisted them.

Kana also gathered maximum firepower with the guild members to check the corrupted spirit.

Kiriel’s released mana spread thinly to cover the magic circle. Soon after, the magic circle’s pattern distorted crookedly and gradually faded.

“The magic circle is disabled!”

With Kiriel’s shout, the rampaging corrupted spirit’s momentum also weakened. Cellie firmly held it with earth, and Caliman split the corrupted spirit in half with his blue flame aura.

Kana swung Nubes. The violently whirling wind merged with Aila’s flames to thoroughly burn the split spirit.

When the surging flames and the ominous energy that had filled the space subsided, only scorch marks and scattered holes remained in the area.

It was frightening to think what might have happened without Kiriel’s help.

Caliman roughly wiped the sweat from his forehead while muttering.

“……It’s over.”

“Yes.”

Everyone including Kana nodded while finally catching their breath. Caliman examined Richard with worried eyes.

“Now we need to find some way to heal His Highness the Second Prince.”

Though the mages quickly attended to prevent his condition from worsening, it wasn’t enough. Kana took out a communication orb from her ring’s subspace with a serious expression.

“Let’s try contacting Lady Letie first. Her healing ability should work.”

“That would certainly work, but will we be able to contact her?”

“Yes. Since His Highness the Second Prince’s condition isn’t good, I’ll try directly.”

Originally Richard would contact her to find out, but with the male protagonist’s critical condition, she had no choice but to do it herself even if it slightly deviated from the scene.

Fortunately, Letie answered Kana’s call immediately.

— Miss Kana, what’s wrong?

“Lady Letie, this is sudden but His Highness the Second Prince is in a dangerous state with his energy twisted.”

Letie asked back in shock at Kana’s abrupt words.

— What did you say?

“I’m not sure if he told you about this matter, but I happened to join him on a request. However, a major problem occurred there……”

She let her words trail off weakly. Letie, who roughly knew about the situation from hearing it from Richard beforehand, carefully asked.

— Are you perhaps in the underground waterway?

“Yes.”

— Then bring everyone to the townhouse and I’ll heal him.

“Thank you.”

As soon as Kana answered, Kiriel who was standing next to her suddenly cut in.

“Lady Serade, then shall we teleport right to your door? It’s an urgent situation.”

— ……Tower Master, you were there too?

“He wasn’t originally, but I called him because the situation was critical. Thanks to him we barely avoided a crisis.”

— Ah, I see. Then I’ll wait at the door, please hurry.

The communication orb’s connection ended with Letie’s reply. Kiriel held Kana’s hand firmly while gesturing to the gathering. Everyone moved closer to him.

Kiriel immediately used teleportation magic. The scenery instantly changed from the underground waterway to in front of the Serade family’s townhouse.

Letie, who had been waiting outside, was shocked at Richard’s condition and quickly led them to a spacious room.

She wore a distressed expression seeing her unconscious fiancé surrounded by guards and mages.

“……I understand why Miss Kana contacted me urgently.”

“Will it be possible for you to heal him?”

“Of course. Even if it’s not, I’ll find a way somehow.”

Her golden eyes turned resolute. Letie poured tremendous healing ability into Richard’s arm. A dazzlingly white light enveloped his arm.

The corrupted spirit’s energy that had been eroding his arm gradually subsided. Everyone watched the situation with breathtaking tension.

Eventually his arm returned to normal. Letie casually swept back her fallen hair.

“It’s resolved. Fortunately it was much easier since the magical tool and other energies had prevented the ominous energy from spreading.”

“Whew.”

Kana let out a sigh of relief. She had saved his life and successfully preserved both the scene and the male protagonist. It was truly fortunate.

Having finished healing her fiancé, Letie gestured to the other injured people.

“Let’s heal the others too.”

“……Ah, us too?”

“Yes, you’re Miss Kana’s companions after all.”

“Thank you, Lady.”

Aila and Cellie awkwardly received healing. The same went for Caliman and Richard’s guards. Meanwhile, Richard who had finally regained consciousness looked at Letie tenderly.

“Lady Letie, thank you for healing me.”

“I only did what I had to do. I told you not to get hurt, yet you return in this state.”

“I’m sorry.”

He tried to avoid her reproachful gaze while also expressing gratitude to the others.

“Everyone played a big part in our safe return. Thank you for fulfilling your responsibilities until the end despite the dangerous situation.”

“It was our duty.”

Caliman and Richard’s guards behaved politely while Aila and Cellie felt awkward. Kiriel inadvertently recalled Kana’s words and blurted out.

“If you’re grateful, hurry up and marry Lady Serade.”

“……Ahem, Tower Master. That doesn’t seem like something to say in this situation.”

Richard was embarrassed but didn’t say he disliked the idea. The same went for Letie. As the protagonists shyly created a warm atmosphere, Kana carefully opened her mouth.

“It was truly dangerous in many ways, but I’m glad everything was resolved safely……”

But before she could finish speaking, her head spun and she staggered unconsciously. Kiriel startled and examined her complexion.

‘Damn, prolonged exposure to the corrupted spirit’s energy plus overusing energy while restricting the spirit grade……”

Her vision went black.

* * *

“Miss Kana!”

Kiriel firmly supported her body as she collapsed powerlessly. The warm atmosphere instantly turned cold.

His heart dropping, he urgently called out to Letie.

“Lady Serade, is that deal still valid?”

“Yes. But I was planning to do it even without the deal. Miss Kana is my precious friend before being the person the Tower Master loves.”

Her golden eyes shone seriously. She approached her collapsed friend closely, carefully examined her condition and used her healing ability. A thin white light enveloped Kana’s body before fading.

Letie’s calm voice broke the eerie silence.

“She collapsed from accumulated fatigue and excessive energy consumption. She’ll recover with plenty of rest.”

“Lady Serade, there’s nothing wrong with her energy?”

“No.”

Kiriel, who had worried she might have been affected by the ominous energy like Richard, was somewhat relieved by Letie’s definitive answer. Aila opened her mouth while reading the atmosphere.

“Lady Round really did push herself too hard.”

“Yes. She said we all needed to get out safely somehow……”

Cellie let her words trail off with a worried expression. Kiriel let out a dejected laugh while still holding her in both arms.

“……Ha, that’s just like her.”

“She’s truly remarkable. At first glance she appears gentle and fragile, but she’s solid and strong inside.”

Caliman sincerely praised and admired her while recalling how smoothly things had gone despite it being their first time working together. Richard also sympathized and added.

“Right. It’s dizzying to think how we would have escaped the underground waterway without Lady Round.”

“I completely agree, Your Highness the Second Prince.”

Caliman deeply agreed. Everyone present acknowledged that Kana deserved the most credit for resolving this incident.

Energy detection, skilled direction in unexpected situations, combat, preventing the Second Prince’s dangerous condition from worsening, calling the Tower Master as reliable reinforcement, and contacting Letie with her healing ability…

She skillfully handled situations that could have become irreversible with one misstep.

As everyone grew solemn, Kiriel looked around the gathering and spoke up.

“I’ll head back first. I need to let Kana rest.”

“You’re taking her, Tower Master?”

Letie’s eyes widened. Kiriel nodded as if it was obvious.

“Yes, that will be safer.”

“I see.”

She calmly agreed. The Tower Master who becomes endlessly gentle to his precious person would surely handle things well.

Aila and Cellie briefly exchanged glances and said.

“We’ll go report to the Guild Master, including Lady Round’s share.”

“Do that.”

When Caliman, the client, gave permission, they left first. Letie looked around at her fiancé’s companions and said.

“Richard and Count Nuer, please stay and talk with me more.”

“Alright.”

Once the situation was settled, Kiriel took Kana and suddenly disappeared using teleportation magic.

Arriving at his private mansion, he carefully laid her on a bed in an empty room. Then he gave instructions to the short-haired maid who had tactfully followed.

“Take good care of her until she wakes up.”

“Yes, leave it to me.”

The maid politely accepted the order.

Kiriel’s worried gaze lingered on the unconscious Kana. After pacing around the bed with complicated feelings, he forced himself to leave to avoid disturbing the maid attending to her.