Ch.112A Brief Vacation (2)

“Well, I guess… you became the Magic Tower Master because you couldn’t stand by watching your juniors struggle so badly, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So now you’re saying you’ve done enough and want to step down?”

I nodded at Erika’s question.

At first, Erika asked with an expression that suggested she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

But while she initially spoke as if it was absurd, she soon came to understand on her own.

Well, it was good that I didn’t need to explain myself.

“But usually people are reluctant to give up the Tower Master position… how strange…”

Well, about that…

Just looking at the children who were eagerly studying magic because they wanted to become Tower Masters, I couldn’t help but understand.

After all, being recognized as the representative of a Magic Tower was essentially the same as having your skills as a mage acknowledged.

If there’s anything as important to a mage as magical knowledge, wouldn’t it be their achievements and honor?

In the current era, where information is shared and research is conducted collaboratively, people would naturally be attached to such things.

This was evident just by looking at Seria, who had been respected by many mages during the thousand years of continuous research after defeating the Demon King as part of the Hero’s party.

Of course, since I’ve worked hard too, I don’t think it would be so bad to live as a respected Tower Master.

However…

“I’ve never really liked positions of authority.”

I don’t care for authoritative positions.

Even during my time with the Hero’s party, I often went around alone.

Being tied down somewhere was enough in the past.

Besides, since I can’t use magic, I can’t continue magical research… so leaving this Magic Tower as the shortest-serving has-been might be the best way to receive the highest evaluation.

From the beginning, a Magic Tower Master who can’t use magic doesn’t make sense.

‘I can’t exactly say that though…’

Everyone here already believes that Blood Claw Art is Blood Magic.

Even if I told them it’s not Blood Magic but Blood Claw Art, they wouldn’t believe me.

Considering how they manipulate blood through various formulas and calculations as magic, Blood Magic clearly exists…

But I just manipulate blood by instinct.

After thinking about it, I simply decided that the best course of action would be to do everything I could for the Magic Tower and then leave quickly.

“It must have been difficult to talk about this… the fact that you told me shows that you must feel comfortable with me, right?”

After hearing my decision to resign as Tower Master, Erika seemed to think for a moment before whispering to me.

She seemed secretly pleased that I had shared this with her, coming closer and even nudging me with her elbow to show her friendliness.

‘This girl…’

It’s true that I’m comfortable with her.

But that’s only because we already know everything about each other.

Why would I be nice to someone who declared she would draw fan comics about me?

Of course, we have a win-win relationship since she gives me a fair share of the money she makes from selling my image…

But still, it was natural to feel that someone who draws such things about me was beyond comfortable—more like a frenemy.

Above all, while I do feel comfortable with her, seeing her act so smug makes me want to mess with her.

She seems to be under the impression that I only told her about this.

“I told Eterna first, not you.”

“What…”

Erika’s face showed shock, as if hearing that I told Eterna first was that surprising.

“Is there a problem with that?”

“No, it’s not a problem…”

Erika mechanically turned her neck to look in Eterna’s direction.

“No… Eterna actually listened to that…?”

“Well… we’re friends?”

Honestly, I didn’t expect the two of us to become this close, but it seems Eterna had a good impression of me.

If she wanted to be friends, there was no reason to refuse.

Erika remained dazed for a while, as if experiencing cognitive dissonance at my casual response.

“…I think I just got a good idea for material…”

Good material…?

Whenever I hear the word “material” from this person, I can’t help but think of something strange.

Especially since she just mentioned Eterna, the possibility that she’s thinking in that direction…

“Um… I don’t know what it is, but it might be better not to draw anything dangerous with that.”

I hope it’s not what I’m thinking.

I couldn’t help but worry since she was so unpredictable.

“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely censor it properly. I’ll make it for younger audiences, so please let me draw it?”

As I thought!

So it is about Eterna, this crazy woman…!

“If you’re going to do that, get permission from Eterna first, you lunatic!”

I shouted, abandoning my usual manner of speech out of shock.

I don’t really care what happens to me since I’ve already been subjected to worse things, but Eterna is different.

It was absurd that someone who knew exactly who Eterna was would say such a thing.

One wrong move in this matter could literally cost someone their head.

But Erika, whose eyes were already fixated on her new material, blinked at my outcry and immediately ran over to where Eterna was.

“Eterna!”

She even called out Eterna’s name as she ran.

Eterna looked surprised, as if she hadn’t expected the Tower Master to approach her like this.

On the surface, her expression didn’t seem to change, but having observed her frequently, I could tell she was gradually revealing her emotions.

If this continues, she might soon show reactions that match her outward appearance.

Ironically, she says it’s thanks to me, which feels strange.

Anyway…

‘She’ll refuse.’

No matter what, this matter needed to be taken seriously.

No one would enjoy being romantically linked with someone who had never thought of them that way.

Of course, I felt the same.

While Eterna was beautiful, well…

If anything, I was more drawn to Seria. I’d seen too many pathetic sides of Eterna, so she felt more like a troublesome little sister who needed looking after.

Setting all that aside, I just don’t like being linked with others in that way.

At my age, what’s the point…

However…

“Do as you please.”

“Huh?”

What did I just hear?

Do as you please…?

“Are you serious…?”

“Yay, I got permission! So I can draw it now, right?!”

Without waiting for my response, she shouted that and left immediately.

I reached out helplessly in the direction Erika had disappeared.

This doesn’t make any sense.

“You, what are you thinking?!”

“About what?”

“What if fan comics about you and me start circulating?!”

“I don’t mind.”

When Eterna said she didn’t care as if it was no big deal, I was left speechless.

Well… if she herself doesn’t mind, I can’t exactly teach her that she should naturally be embarrassed about such things.

She already knows everything there is to know, and in a way, she’s lived even longer than I have, despite my thousand-year sleep…

I let out a deep sigh.

“I give up.”

Somewhere deep in the depths of those forums, all sorts of things about me must be circulating.

I haven’t seen them directly, but human desire knows no bounds.

In this era where there are no restrictions on such things, it was only natural.

Even in places with restrictions, such content spreads through whispers, so how much worse must it be here?

The fact that it hasn’t become too prominent is probably because it’s still morally wrong and would be condemned by many people, so it remains in the shadows.

Looking back now, I really did something crazy.

I declared that I wouldn’t interfere no matter what they drew about me…

Even thinking about it now, I still believe it was insane.

But I made a lot of money from it, so…

As long as I don’t see it, there’s no problem.

Even though I’ve lived in this body for a year, I still don’t feel like myself, so even if such things are circulating, unless I see them directly, I don’t take it too seriously—how much more so for Eterna?

What’s frustrating now is…

‘She ran away…’

Erika fled immediately, probably fearing I might object.

It would be awkward to chase after her now.

And I couldn’t exactly get angry at Eterna either.

“Huh.”

After pondering what to do, I let out a deep sigh.

I came on vacation, but I feel even more mentally exhausted.

Sigh.