Karina urged for the next words, saying she was curious about the results.
"The first time, thanks to the Tower Master who happened to be in the garden, I couldn't even set foot inside the Tower. It was as if he knew exactly what I was going to do. On the next two visits, I managed to avoid the Tower Master, but a rather strange maid appeared instead. She was incredibly cold; no matter how hard I tried to explain about the Lady, she refused to let me in, claiming she didn't know who I was talking about."
"At last."
"Yes. In the end, I failed to meet the lady like this."
"Well, if Sir Rudis has visited three times so far, you have done your best in your own way."
Karina gently patted Rudis's slumped shoulders.
"If the Marquis de Grannois had been a suspicious person, I would have reported him. However, his reputation in Baynan is excellent."
Karina nodded. It was understandable. After all, she herself had never once suspected the Tower Master until Selinia came to find her.
"I feel much more at ease knowing that Sir Rudis is such a righteous man. Your promise to help me remains unchanged, doesn't it?"
Karina opened her mouth after receiving Rudis's promise once again.
"Women with brown hair and green eyes are disappearing in Baynan. And those women are gathered in the Magic Tower."
Rudis recalled Selinia's thick brown hair and eyes resembling fresh greenery.
“Then that lady too…"
"Yes. Her life is in danger."
***
Karen took the punishment in my place and disappeared, but no one blamed me. Neither the maids nor the researchers changed their attitudes much.
While I felt relieved that not everyone was hostile toward me, a strange desire arose in a corner of my heart for everyone to criticize me. As if being pointed at to my heart's content would somehow erase my wrongdoings.
"What kind of potion are you making this time? A speed potion? You must have been really upset about being late last time."
Sally's attitude was as cheerful as ever, but at this moment, I found it difficult to simply take her words as a joke. I recalled the image of her taking the lead in shouting that she would obey the Magic Tower's rules at Eon's words.
'And then you strike up a conversation so nonchalantly?'
I kept my mouth shut, worried that it might escalate into an argument, but Sally spoke to me again.
"Karen has just arrived in the exhibition room. Did you see her?"
At the mention of the exhibition room, I eventually had no choice but to answer.
"Did you know about the exhibition hall?"
"Of course. It’s introduced as one of the research facilities when you enter the Magic Tower, isn't it?"
"Then all the other researchers..."
"Of course they know."
'Ha. I see.'
I felt like a fool for worrying whether Sally knew about the exhibition room in the past.
'What's the use of being possessed? I was the only one who didn't know. Only me.'
Swallowing a short sigh, I gazed at Sally's bright face. At first, I liked the innocence that distinguished Sally from the maids. But now, that smile of hers felt nothing but strange.
"So you're saying you entered the Magic Tower even after seeing that?"
"Why? Is that strange too?"
"You must know that the name of all those exhibits is Sally, right?"
"Yes, they are numbered Sallys. Isn't that amazing? They are preserved perfectly, as if they were alive. If the royal family knew this, wouldn't they want to preserve the past Kings like Sallys?"
"Ah..."
"It is an honor for Karen to be included in that group. It really was a great decision that you chose her."
I wondered if she was criticizing me, but there wasn't a single trace of sarcasm on Sally's face.
"Even though I know everything..."
I was about to ask if she had allowed herself to be called Sally even though she knew that, but I decided against it. It was because Sally's expression, as if to say 'what is the problem?', was still vivid in my mind.
"To think the only exhibit isn't Sally."
I didn't want to hear any more about Karen and the exhibition room, so I let her words go in one ear and out the other. As I kept rambling on, she must have noticed that I wasn't listening, so she changed the subject.
"By the way, do you have any stealth potions left from last time?"
I gestured toward the clear liquid on the shelf.
"Can I take it?"
“As much as you want.”
There was no longer any need for the potion that had driven Tara to her death.
"Hmm, if it works well, shall we go check out that room?"
She spoke as if talking to herself, but Sally was waiting for my reaction. However, when I didn't respond, this time she asked directly.
"How about it? Aren't you interested in the Forbidden Room? Won't you come with me?"
"Do you think the Tower Master will generously forgive you if you come with me?"
“I know very well.”
"You could end up taking the blame for my crime and getting kicked out."
"If it's the distance to the exhibition hall, that's not bad either?"
I turned my head and looked at Sally. A faint madness was flowing from her green eyes behind her glasses.
'How on earth did only people like this end up gathered here?'
I didn't know that everyone who goes crazy for magic ends up like this.
"Since the number of senior maids has decreased just in time, I think now is the perfect opportunity."
"If you want to go, go alone."
I pushed the chair back forcefully and stood up from my seat.
"Then I have a dinner appointment with the Tower Master."
It wasn't that I was looking forward to dinner with Eon or wanted to tell others. It was simply to cut off Sally's persistent invitation.
"I hope you have a good meal."
Sally's cheerful voice was heard from behind me.
***
“Please get off.”
An escort? That was preposterous. I pretended not to see the hand extended in front of me and stepped out of the carriage. Whether that hand hung awkwardly in mid-air or not was none of my business. Eon spoke nonchalantly and walked alongside me.
"I heard it is a restaurant well-regarded among noble ladies."
So what am I supposed to do? Does it mean I should be happy that I’ve come to such a nice place? Or are you expecting a thank you? Either way, it was completely contrary to how I felt.
"It's past five o'clock; what should I do since I'm out like this?"
"It doesn't matter as long as you are with me."
"Oh my, are you saying that the Tower Master doesn't follow the rules?"
I raised my voice as if feigning surprise. It was just the other day that Karen was stuffed just for being five minutes late to five.
'But you're saying it doesn't matter as long as I'm with you?'
It was a truly flexible rule. It would have been great if that flexibility had been exercised just the other day.
"There is no way I will get scolded by the Archmage now."
Eon slyly brushed off my words.
"I heard that Miss Selinia has not been eating properly. If it is because of what happened a few days ago, you probably wouldn't have an appetite for the food at the Magic Tower's cafeteria, no matter how delicious it is."
He even made a big deal out of it, acting as if he had come here for my sake.
'You didn't go out of your way to come out at this hour just to torment me, did you?'
My eyes were drawn to the restaurant's signboard, which read the business hours from 5 PM to 10 PM. It felt as if it were defending Eon, so I unnecessarily nudged it with my foot and went inside.
The interior, featuring pink marble and orange lighting, was bright yet cozy. Sweet piano music softly enveloped the space. It could have been quite a romantic time if the person I was with hadn't been Eon.
As I just stared at the menu, Eon mentioned a recommended dish.
"How about a lamb steak aged with nineteen kinds of herbs? Since you like spices."
'When did I ever say I liked spices?'
I realized it once again. He often arbitrarily judged my tastes. Dresses, room interiors, and now even food.
'Did you really like me?'
Goosebumps appeared along my arm.
'Saying that you like me must be in the same context.'
Bringing up Sally's story would inevitably lead to praising him. It was best to simply and calmly decline his offer.
"No. I'll take this one."
I pointed to an ordinary steak with no modifiers attached.
"If that is what you prefer."
Eon shrugged his shoulders and ordered the steak course.
“Course?”
Tasting all kinds of food at the best restaurant in Baynan was certainly a happy experience. That is, if the person I was dining with wasn't that Eon. Sitting across from Eon while waiting for the dishes to be served one by one was nothing short of torture.
"You must be busy; won't I take up too much of your time?"
"It's a date with Miss Selinia. Of course, I've cleared my entire dinner schedule."
I paused for a moment at the word 'date.' Leaving aside the fact that we weren't the type to date, it felt like Karen had died just yesterday. It meant that while I might not be able to mourn, this was certainly not the time to be talking about dates.
"Someone has died, so I'm not sure if all that food will go down."
"A person died... That is an interesting thing to say."
It was something I had mustered up the courage to say, but Eon ignored it.
"Have you been to the exhibition hall?"
"No, I don't particularly want to see it with my own eyes."
"That child took the punishment in your place, so they did a valuable deed."
I wanted to refute it, but in the end, it was I who singled out Karen. If I had truly hated the idea of someone else being sacrificed in my place, I should have said that I would take the punishment myself that day.
"Let's stop talking about this and get to something important."
Eon leaned his upper body toward me and asked.
"How is your health these days?"
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