One Day, My Dad Showed Up

It was a long time later that Zoe Islay, lost in memories of the past, came to his senses and hurriedly apologized.

“… ah. I’m sorry, Miss.”

I changed the subject, both for his sake and mine.

“It’s okay. More importantly, I have something to tell you, Lord Islay.”

“Oh. What would that be?”

Then Zoe smiled brightly.

“If I listen carefully, you’ll speak to Charlotte nicely for me, won’t you?”

His manner of never missing an opportunity…

If I thought about it, it was not that bad, but it was subtly annoying.

I frowned slightly, and Zoe chuckled.

“Alright. Since you’re my friend’s daughter, I’ll give you the first one for free.”

“… I saw a child here.”

“Did you? So, Miss Claire is already old enough to ask her mom’s friend for advice on a crush? Should I tell Lord Chelsiers?”

No, I took back what I thought earlier. I really disliked everything this person said and did. I wished he’d return to the tower quickly.

I didn’t know what expression I had, but Zoe Islay playfully shrugged his shoulders and said with a cheerful tone.

“Ah, scary. Alright, I’m joking. Please, go on.”

“… the child hasn’t had an aptitude test or any formal training, but he was able to use magic to interfere with my body.”

Zoe Islay tilted his head slightly at first.

A bit of the smile faded from his face.

“Hmm… Miss, I have a few questions I’d like to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

“Are you sure the child hasn’t had any aptitude tests or training?”

“Yes.”

“How old is the child?”

“Around my age.”

A brief silence.

He asked again, his tone very cautious.

“I’m sorry, but… are you certain it was magic?”

It was a natural question, so I nodded firmly.

There was no way he’d easily believe a nine-year-old child who had lived a life unrelated to magic.

The Tower Master unconsciously tapped the table lightly with his fingers. But he didn’t forget what he had to say.

“Then that child needs to come to the tower immediately. There’s nothing to be learned outside.”

It was exactly the response I had anticipated.

So, I gave him the response he likely expected as well.

“The child’s parents dislike magic, Lord Islay. They won’t send the child to the tower.”

Why would the Tower Master not understand that a child with talent like his had nothing to learn outside of the tower?

It was because his parents had kept him away from magic.

They’d ensured that the child’s talents hadn’t even spread as rumors.

And Lord Islay, upon my specific mention of , could easily guess that it was a child I encountered during the crown prince’s invitation.

The Tower Master spoke more slowly and gently than ever.

“But it seems that you want to send that child to the tower, Miss.”

I nodded honestly.

“If he’s the child of a high noble family and still so young, it’s not easy for us to intervene against the parents’ wishes. Plus, I haven’t seen for myself if the child truly has magic.”

I didn’t object.

Even if it sounded like a refusal, I already knew it wasn’t a true one.

The glimmer in the Tower Master’s eyes.

His disdain for those with a prejudice against magic, his sense of duty toward a young, talented child.

And most of all… his cold intelligence, calculating what he must and could do as the Tower Master.

Thus, Zoe Islay requested very kindly.

“I’d like to see the child, Miss.”

“Would you like my help?”

“Yes, please.”

“Alright. I’ll inform you of the exact date and time. Be sure to make your way into the crown prince’s palace by then. Can you do that?”

“Of course. I am the Master of the Magic Tower, after all.”

A sophisticated smile appeared on Zoe Islay’s face as he said those words.

So, I didn’t ask how he intended to get in.

There was no point in doubting whether the Tower Master could really enter the palace.

* * *

Not long after, Zoe Islay disappeared just as suddenly as he had appeared.

It seemed he managed to meet with my mother in private and secure various promises, though I was not sure what tricks he used.

No… to use Zoe Islay’s manner of speaking, , it was more of a deal than a promise.

The condition that my mother accepted was to maintain her qualifications by submitting magical knowledge like blueprints for magic tools and potion recipes.

The condition that the Tower Master accepted was not to take Eciel to the Magic Tower, but instead to find a suitable wizard outside who could be her mentor.

The deadline was until this year’s Magic Fair.

They seemed to have agreed to meet at the tower during the Magic Fair to check the results.

“So, are we going there?”

“Yes. There will be a lot of people. Don’t you want to go, Claire?”

“No, it’s not that… did Dad say he’s going too?”

Anyway, our family was already planning a trip that included visiting the tower, so I figured that we might as well attend the Magic Fair.

Of course, it was strange that Dad, who usually hated the Tower Master and crowded places, had agreed so readily…

“It seems like Ashel doesn’t really want me to give up on magic either.”

Mom said with a bitter smile as she sorted out the potion that she would submit as evidence for her thesis.

There must be some reason she couldn’t tell me everything right now.

Without adding much, I looked around my mother’s lab again.

It was my first time in a wizard’s laboratory since I was born, and it was surprisingly both very tidy and extremely messy.

What I meant was…

The places Mom worked in were a complete mess, while the areas the hired staff were allowed to clean were spotless.

Eciel’s testimony after taking Dad on a tour beyond the hallway confirmed my suspicions.

“It looks like Mom hasn’t been in that part yet.”

“Why?”

“It’s really clean.”

Mom looked like she wanted to argue, but then, after glancing back at the traces she had left around the lab, she seemed to run out of words.

“… Eciel, come here. I’ll show you the book you need to study.”

I took my sister to a bookshelf in a corner of the lab for Mom.

Seeing the densely packed bookshelf made her face turn pale.

“Do I have to study all of this?”

“No, just start with this.”

A book well-worn from my mother’s hands came into view.

Of course, Eciel wasn’t unfamiliar with this book and had a vague idea of its contents.

No matter how young she was, she couldn’t have missed the book that Mom had studied for years.

She must have known that after Mom finally finished studying it, I had read it out of curiosity.

But Eciel had never shown any particular interest in the book, either then or now.

“… me? Study this? Without anyone to teach me?”

“Mom knows the contents of this book, so she’ll teach you for now.”

“No, Mom is busy. She’s so busy she can’t even organize her things.”

… a wizard was supposed to be more scholarly, and, well, research-oriented, with a strong curiosity for new achievements…

Wasn’t that how it was supposed to be?

While I was at a loss for words, Eciel looked at Mom with pleading eyes.

“Um, Eciel… being nine years old is definitely a bit early to start studying magic.”

Mom said cautiously, looking rather flustered.

“But is a good textbook to start with. I’ll help you. Don’t you think you can give it a try?”

My sister’s face brightened dramatically at first, but eventually, her expression grew gloomy.

Perhaps she must be feeling desperate.

She had just told me she had finally finished all those endless tests and exams so she could enjoy a peaceful trip.

Now, faced with a new challenge, she was understandably disheartened.

In a subdued voice, Eciel asked Mom.

“… how long will it take to study this?”

It wasn’t a particularly difficult question, but Mom flinched slightly.

An indescribable flash of emotion crossed her pale face, as if struck by lightning, before sinking deep and becoming faint.

For a moment, both Dad and I directed our silent gaze toward her.

Maybe she didn’t even notice our quiet attention as she fumbled a little before responding.

“For me, when I studied that book the first time, it took less than a month… but the second time, it took about three years.”

… she must have been in the tower when she first studied it, the ideal environment for learning magic.

But the second time, it was nowhere near a conducive environment for studying.

She had to give birth to and raise twins, had no one to ask for help, and life itself took precedence over studying.

Above all… she had no magic power.

However, Eciel, unaware of these circumstances, just mumbled to herself after some thought.

“One month… three years…”

The child’s face, bright with innocence and ignorance, shone with a transparent beauty.

She must be thinking that if she worked really hard, it would take a month, and if she took her time, it might take three years.

But instead of correcting her misconception, I cautiously glanced at Mom.

Her green eyes gazed down gently at the little girl who resembled her so closely, down to every strand of hair. A child who was probably identical to her in her own childhood.

That gaze… was filled with love, so tender that it was almost painful.

There was a sense of relief in knowing that the child, who inherited her appearance, talents, and disposition, wouldn’t immerse herself in magic as the only escape from reality.

A comfort that this child, who might live a different life, wouldn’t experience the downfall that she had when she lost her magic power.

In those green eyes, glistening like tears, there was the unmistakable certainty that her young daughter would walk a better path than she had.

Because of that shimmering love, devoid of jealousy or resentment, I couldn’t easily find the right words to say and hesitated.

How could one possibly respond to such love?

… but there was a hand that gently rested on Mom’s shoulder instead of me.