Side Story 1 – Chapter 17

 

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‘What if Evan misunderstood?’

In the carriage heading to the Magic Tower that night, Loretta buried her face in her hands.

She couldn’t shake the image of Evan’s expression when they had bumped into each other in the Imperial Palace garden earlier that day.

‘…He looked really hurt.’

When their eyes had met, Loretta had hesitated for a moment, but then she had started to follow after him.

But Evan had quickly disappeared into a nearby meeting room.

The meeting had begun immediately, and Loretta hadn’t dared to intrude.

From that moment onwards, she had been worried that Evan might send a message asking to cancel their meeting tonight.

‘Thankfully, no such message came.’

Actually, there had been no contact at all.

‘…What if he asks me why I came when I arrive? I’ll be so upset.’

Despite her constant worries, the carriage steadily made its way along the dark outskirts road and finally stopped in front of the leaning Magic Tower.

“Thanks for the ride so late at night.”

With a weary expression, Loretta handed the coachman a snack and a separate envelope containing overtime pay.

“No problem, but why are you so down, Miss? You look even more hopeless than when you begged me to run away with you before the exam.”

“W-why are you bringing up things from so long ago? And…I…”

Loretta hesitated, then mumbled as she came up with a suitable excuse.

“It’s just that I feel a bit guilty coming to the Magic Tower without Father’s knowledge. I promised him I wouldn’t do this again…”

“What?”

“It, it couldn’t be helped. At this late hour…”

Loretta fiddled with her hair, flustered.

“No, that’s not what’s surprising.”

The coachman pulled a small money pouch from his pocket and showed it to her.

“The Duke also gave me separate overtime pay.”

“What?!”

“He said you were going to the Magic Tower, and that I should be careful because the roads are dark.”

“Oh my God, Father knew?!”

Loretta exclaimed with a horrified expression, and the coachman nodded dumbly.

“So I…I thought you had become an honest adult, Miss.”

“No way, I could never tell Father about this, no matter how honest I am! It’s too embarrassing!”

“If you didn’t say anything…”

The coachman looked up at the pitch-black Magic Tower.

“…Evan told him?”

“I can only think that way. Even the young masters don’t know.”

Loretta nodded.

If even one of her brothers knew, she would already be on her way back to the ducal mansion, dragged from the entrance of the Magic Tower.

“Melody knows, but…she wouldn’t tell Father without asking me first.”

“Then it was definitely Magician Evan.”

“…Why would he say anything?”

“Perhaps he wanted to put your mind at ease. It makes you feel better knowing the Duke knows, doesn’t it?”

Loretta nodded. She did feel a bit guilty about deceiving her father.

“Well then, I’ll leave the carriage here and play cards with Magician Miguel. Just let me know whenever you’re ready to go back.”

The coachman drove off, and at that moment, Echo the cat appeared and sauntered around Loretta.

“Echo, did you come out to meet me even though it’s cold?”

“Meow.”

“You’re so cute today too. Oh, do you want a snack?”

Despite the tempting offer, Echo turned and began to walk ahead.

“…He’s never refused a treat before.”

She followed Echo for a few steps, then stopped.

“It’s…so dark.”

The Magic Tower at night, which she was experiencing for the first time, was surprisingly dark.

Loretta wouldn’t have been able to take a single step forward without the small candles flickering intermittently every few steps.

“Echo?”

Suddenly, she realized she had lost sight of Echo who was ahead of her.

“Wait, if you go ahead like that…”

It was somehow frightening to be alone in this dark place, so Loretta hurriedly turned towards the stairs.

Thud!

She bumped her forehead against something.

“…Ow!”

She took a step back in surprise and felt someone supporting her waist.

“Miss, are you alright?”

Loretta gasped, startled, and looked up.

Even though it was dark, she could easily recognize the person in front of her.

“…Evan?”

“I’m sorry. I should have come out sooner. It’s uncomfortable being in the dark, isn’t it?”

“Uh, no…”

Loretta narrowed her eyes, trying to gauge Evan’s expression, or rather, his mood.

But all she could see was his familiar silhouette.

‘His voice sounds the same as usual…’

“Miss.”

“Y-yes?”

“Can you stand on your own?”

As Evan asked, Loretta realized she was still leaning against him.

“Sorry, was I heavy?”

She quickly straightened up and fiddled with her hair, flustered.

“No, it was…nice.”

He naturally released her and held out his hand.

“May I help you?”

“Can…can I hold your hand?”

“If you’d like to.”

She tentatively reached out, and Evan quickly enveloped her hand in his.

“Be careful, there are stairs ahead.”

As she climbed the stairs of the Magic Tower, Loretta glanced up at Evan’s profile as he walked half a step in front.

‘Something’s different.’

Evan was kind.

He was always kind, but today he was even more so than usual.

Not only did he offer to hold her hand first, but he had even held her waist so casually when they had bumped into each other.

He used to be quite hesitant about such things.

Even a slight touch of their arms would send him into a frenzy of apologies.

‘Is he…doing this because he’s upset about what happened today?’

Perhaps, being kind as always, he couldn’t bear to blame Loretta and was expressing his emotions this way.

‘Should I apologize first?’

Loretta thought it was the right thing to do and gently tugged at Evan’s hand.

“Hm?”

But when he glanced back and smiled, saying, “We’re here, Miss,” she simply nodded, unable to voice her apology.

‘…He smiles so beautifully that I forget what I was going to say.’

In the end, they arrived at the door of his room without Loretta being able to address the events of the day.

The very room she had been forbidden from entering for several years.

“Um…I tried my best to tidy up, but…”

As he was about to open the door, unlike when he had confidently asked, ‘Would you like to come to my room?’, he seemed a bit anxious.

“It might still look a bit messy, since I have so many things. Please don’t hesitate to tell me if you feel uncomfortable. I also cleared out the reception room, just in case.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. I’ve always loved your room, ever since we were kids.”

“It’s probably three times more cluttered than it was back then. Feel free to tease me. It’s true.”

He turned the knob, and Loretta peeked inside.

His room was exactly what one would expect of a ‘standard magician’s room’.

A large desk piled high with papers, leaving barely enough space for a pen.

Bookshelves crammed with books, threatening to burst at any moment.

The display cabinet was overflowing with various experimental tools, precariously stacked.

‘This is beyond just being messy.’

Evan had been using this room since he was a novice.

As he grew older and his research expanded, he needed a much larger space.

“Master offered me a different room several times.”

Evan, seemingly sensing her thoughts, explained.

“But I like this room.”

“Because of the large south-facing window?”

Loretta pointed to the window tilted towards the sky.

“That’s part of it, but actually…”

Evan closed the door behind them and approached her.

“I didn’t want to give the room where I spent time with you to another magician.”

“But I haven’t been here that often.”

“It doesn’t matter how many times. It’s just…”

He glanced at the worn carpet and sofa, then mumbled hesitantly.

“It’s a very special memory for me.”

“…”

“I like you, Miss.”

“Huh?”

“I’m sorry if I surprised you, but I thought I would tell you whenever I felt like it from now on. Is that alright?”

Loretta nodded slowly, and he smiled.

“Oh, right. We should watch the meteor shower before it’s too late. It would be a disaster if it passed while we were talking here.”

Evan seemed slightly flustered as he led her towards the south-facing window.

“You’ll be able to see it better if you sit on the window sill. It’s a bit high, though, so you might be scared. What would you like to do?”

“I think…I’ll be fine even if I sit up there.”

“Actually, I thought you might say that, so I brought a step stool beforehand. You like high places, Miss.”

She stepped onto the wooden stool and saw that Evan had placed several blankets there.

He must have been worried about Loretta, who easily got cold.

‘…Evan, you don’t have to go this far for me.’

Loretta felt even more guilty about what had happened during the day.

She hugged the rolled-up blankets and gazed at Evan, who had climbed up to sit in front of her.

He tilted his head back, looking up at the sky, and muttered with a worried expression, “There are more clouds than I expected.”

“I was hoping it would clear up in the evening, even though it was a bit cloudy during the day.”

“Evan.”

“Don’t worry, Miss. It’s not too thick, so it might clear up if we wait a little longer.”

“No, that’s not it.”

Loretta grabbed Evan’s arm, pulling him away from his anxious observations of the sky.

Finally, he stopped talking and looked down at her.