IQBSA 04

Chapter 04

After my first plan failed miserably, I went back to work.

Despite my ambitious declaration of a strike, no one had acknowledged it.

I was only adding to my mental exhaustion by wrestling with people who stubbornly brought their work to me.

And what’s more, the Tower Master—the one who should have been reacting—showed no response whatsoever.

‘Some strike. There’s no way I’m getting fired like this.’

I decided to change my plan.

‘What do I have to do to get a reaction from the Tower Master?’

What could I do to provoke enough anger that he’d want to fire me immediately?

As I racked my brain, I suddenly remembered an ingredient I’d found while organizing the storage room.

‘That’s right—coriander!’

I’d been fascinated that this world also had coriander, so I’d taken a good look and remembered exactly where it was stored.

Alright. Time for a new plan.

I jumped up, went to the storage room, and brought out all the remaining coriander.

Then I entered the potion lab, placed the coriander on the table, and opened Serpine’s recipe book.

It was a book containing every potion recipe Serpine had ever formulated.

After flipping through the pages diligently, I found what I was looking for and stopped.

“……This is it!”

[Sleeping Potion Recipe

— Letus leaves: 10 pieces

— Water: 20 cups

— Venomous spider venom: 3 drops

— Honey: 2 spoons

*Note: If the heat is too high, the texture becomes sticky, so be sure to boil over low heat.]

This sleeping potion was a sleep-inducing brew that Serpine had specially formulated for the Tower Master.

The Tower Master suffered from severe insomnia.

So severe that he would knock himself out with sleeping potions every night.

‘Was this in the original story too?’

I always felt this way after possession—there was so much omitted from the original.

Perhaps because of the whole mysterious, enigmatic concept, information about the Tower Master was especially sparse.

“Well, I guess it wasn’t that important.”

After all, the second male lead’s role usually just falls for the female lead without much context and becomes her ally.

‘……Let’s focus on what I’m doing.’

The original potion had a distinct sticky texture and a sweet yet pungent, nose-stinging scent.

But the Tower Master, with his extremely sensitive nature, disliked it and refused to take the potion.

‘Honestly, he’s like a child who doesn’t want to take his medicine.’

If it were me, I’d have told him if he didn’t want to drink it, then don’t.

But the kind and diligent Serpine came up with another method.

After extensive research, she transformed the sleeping potion into something odorless and tasteless, like water.

But right now, I had no need for a bland, tasteless sleeping potion.

The more unpleasant it was for the Tower Master to drink, the more effective my plan would be.

“Alright, let’s recalculate.”

Coriander was an ordinary plant, not a magical one, so it could add fragrance without altering the ingredients too much.

‘I can’t just recklessly throw in strange things and cause a disaster.’

Potions weren’t like in fairy tales where you just toss random ingredients into a cauldron and they magically turn out.

Precise measurements and timing were essential for potion brewing.

If I had to compare it to something, it was like cooking.

Considering the mixing ratios of the ingredients, I calculated the maximum amount of coriander I could add.

“Ugh, look at this smell.”

As soon as I threw in a handful of coriander, a pungent, dizzying scent rose up.

I was stirring the mixture diligently to ensure the ingredients blended well when Sheila opened the door and walked in.

“Good morning, Serpine.”

That day, I’d eventually agreed to help with a few difficult potions after being worn down by Sheila’s whining, and she’d come to collect them.

Sheila placed the finished potions on a tray, then pulled out a new list of potions to make and carefully set it on my desk.

‘She’s brought another mountain of work.’

I half-resigned myself and focused on the potion.

“Serpine, what are you making?”

Sheila, who had been dragging the tray back, suddenly stopped and sniffed the air.

“This? Roakin’s sleeping potion.”

“Why does the sleeping potion smell… like this?”

“I added some new ingredients.”

“Hmm.”

Sheila looked puzzled, but soon lost interest and went on her way.

It was convenient that mages tended not to pry into others’ affairs, so I didn’t have to explain everything in detail.

I stirred the cauldron, and exactly 30 minutes later, as the recipe specified, I finally turned off the heat and clasped my hands together.

“Please, let Roakin drink this and get so angry he fires me.”

The final ingredient in the sleeping potion was a fervent wish.

—

* * *

Full of confidence, I went to the Tower Master’s room and held out a cup filled with the sleeping potion.

“You requested a sleeping potion.”

Roakin took the cup, massaging his temple as if tired.

As he brought the cup to his lips absentmindedly, he paused for a moment.

‘……Was the smell too obvious?’

His eyebrow arched slightly—it seemed he’d noticed something suspicious.

What if he refused to drink it after all my hard work?

I was inwardly worried, but Roakin stared at me intently and downed the sleeping potion in one go.

Watching his throat move without hesitation, I began to feel uneasy.

‘What? Why is he drinking it so well?’

Maybe the coriander taste hadn’t fully come through yet.

I waited with bated breath for Roakin’s brow to furrow.

“The taste has changed.”

Yes!

“I tried changing the formula… How is it?”

I watched carefully, hoping Roakin would get angry. But after setting the cup down, he said with a perfectly calm expression:

“This isn’t bad. It’s fragrant—I like it.”

Fragrant…?

At the unexpected review, the corners of my eyes, fixed in a professional smile, twitched.

‘That’s strange. That can’t be right.’

The potion was so potent that I’d barely tasted a drop on my fingertip.

It had definitely made me involuntarily scrunch up my face!

“I’m glad… you like it.”

Surely the sneer that flickered across Roakin’s face at my words was just my imagination.

“Leave now.”

“……Get some rest.”

I returned to the secretary’s office, holding the cup that had been emptied without a single drop left, feeling disheartened.

Sitting there dazed, I brought the potion bottle to my nose just in case and cautiously sniffed it.

“Bleh.”

But the pungent smell was still there.

‘Does he have a peculiar taste? How is this fragrant?’

Only then did it seem somewhat familiar.

There was a research finding about how certain genes make coriander smell like soap…

‘Does Roakin not have that gene?’

His unperturbed attitude made it clear—this plan had also failed spectacularly.

I drew X marks over the past dates on the calendar, sinking into deep despair.

Only ten squares remained.

“……I’m screwed.”

Before I knew it, Foundation Day was just ten days away.

‘I can’t afford to delay any longer.’

The Empress Dowager’s commission would arrive soon—I couldn’t keep wasting time in pointless back-and-forth.

Even if I was afraid of Roakin’s reaction, I had to make things clear now.

‘Let’s end this today!’

Strike while the iron is hot. I immediately rushed up to the top of the Magic Tower.

After catching my breath, I knocked and waited, but the firmly shut door showed no sign of opening.

“……Where is he?”

As someone who knew the Tower Master’s schedule better than anyone, Roakin was definitely supposed to be in the tower.

Sensing something was off, I cracked the door open and peeked inside.

‘What? He’s right there?’

I could see black hair sticking out over the back of a chair facing away from me.

Had he changed tactics and decided to just ignore me now?

‘Why isn’t he answering if he’s inside?’

Feeling exasperated, I walked over to where Roakin was.

“Roak—”

I was about to call his name when I quietly shut my mouth.

So that’s why there was no answer—he’d been asleep.

Roakin’s eyes, with long lashes casting shadows beneath them, were peacefully closed.

‘I came all the way up here with such determination.’

I felt deflated.

But I couldn’t wake someone who’d finally fallen asleep after taking a sleeping potion to combat his insomnia.

He was already sensitive about sleep, and I did feel a little guilty for having tried to tamper with the very potion that was like lifeblood to him.

‘Sigh. Not today either.’

I glared at the sleeping Roakin with bitter frustration.

When he was quiet like this, his beauty—usually overshadowed by his temper—seemed to stand out more.

His straight forehead, sharp nose, and red lips were absolute perfection.

Maybe because he was a main character, even just sleeping, his clear complexion gave off a refined aura.

‘But what good is being pointlessly handsome!’

I mimed punching the air and turned to leave.

Just then, a slightly cracked voice stopped me.

“……Serpine?”

“Oh, you’re awake?”

I hastily hid my hands behind my back as if nothing had happened.

Had he caught me in the act? My heart raced, but fortunately, Roakin didn’t seem to have noticed.

“What brings you here? I don’t recall calling for you.”

Roakin straightened up from leaning against the chair and rubbed his face as if trying to shake off sleep.

After taking a deep breath, I pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down.

“Well, I have something important to tell you.”

I’d come with a firm resolve, but the image of my burning resignation letter kept coming to mind, making it hard to speak.

As I fidgeted with the velvet cushion, choosing my words, Roakin tilted his head.

“What great matter do you have to discuss?”

“You know what I’m going to say. I want to qui—”

“Just in case.”

His voice cut in before I could finish.

“If you’re going to talk about quitting again—”

I waited for him to continue—

BANG!

The enormous door to the entrance burst open with a loud crash.

Startled, I reflexively covered my ears.

“The exit is that way.”

Roakin pointed toward the door with deadened eyes.

‘That crazy bastard, for real!’

Just because he’s the boss?

Just because he’s the Tower Master, he can throw his weight around whenever he wants?

How much longer did I have to put up with this injustice?

Still covering my ears, I couldn’t take my eyes off Roakin’s hands.

The rings on his long, pale fingers sparkled wildly.

I could see the mana gems set in the rings cracking, about to shatter—a testament to how much he was restraining his anger.

‘……Why the hell is he so angry!’