IQBSA 09

Chapter 09

“Serpine Mirabell.”

“……”

“You dare to run away while I was gone?”

A bitter, mocking smile rose on Loakin’s lips.

At the same time, his deep purple eyes, rippling with anger, turned toward me.

It was a chillingly murderous gaze that sent a shiver down my spine.

“That wasn’t running away… it was…”

As countless excuses raced through my mind, I suddenly remembered the letter I had left in the Magic Tower Master’s office.

“I left a note saying I was taking a vacation. Didn’t you see it?”

“Ah, I see. So it wasn’t running away, it was a vacation?”

“Of course. What do you take me for…”

“Hah.”

At my confident retort, Loakin let out a scoff, as if dumbfounded.

“So, did you enjoy your vacation? You certainly seem to be sleeping like a log, looking quite content with life.”

‘Of course I did. I slept like a baby.’

If it weren’t for *someone*, it would have been the perfect vacation.

But I wasn’t bold enough to talk back carelessly in front of the Magic Tower Master.

“What about the routine inspection? How did you end up here?”

“It’s over, so I came.”

“And how did you find this place?”

“That’s a secret.”

How Loakin had found my location was a crucial question.

It meant that someone else might have discovered me as well.

‘…Should I move?’

After all the effort I put into cleaning this house?

Even if it was unfair, I didn’t want to leave just like that.

Whether he knew my miserable feelings or not, Loakin jumped down from the window, landed softly on the ground, and extended his hand.

‘What’s he trying to do?’

As I stared blankly at his hand, Loakin grinned and said,

“Now that you’ve enjoyed your vacation, it’s time to come back with me.”

The stern expression from before was gone, replaced by a boyish, bright smile.

‘Don’t use your looks as a cheat code.’

As if I would fall for such a bewitching smile.

He was my boss, the one I never wanted to see again, even in my dreams!

But contrary to my inner thoughts, my fickle self was once again admiring Loakin’s handsome features.

Just as I managed to pull myself together from the daze, a magic circle suddenly began to form beneath my feet.

I recognized it instantly as a teleportation circle.

The fact that it didn’t seem sized for just one person was highly suspicious…

“Loakin. I’m not going.”

At that moment, a subtle crack appeared on Loakin’s flawless face.

But I ignored it and continued firmly.

Come to think of it, this wasn’t my workplace; it was my house. There was no reason for me to back down.

“Please leave now. It’s rude to barge into someone’s house like this in the middle of the night.”

“Rude? You dare say that to me? Who was it that tossed a single letter and ran off?”

Loakin’s smile had vanished, replaced by a cold expression.

“That’s no way to repay a favor, Serpine.”

With his chilling voice, the curtains began to flap violently, as if they might be torn off.

There was no way the wind would blow that fiercely on its own.

That sulky man over there was surely the culprit.

‘Ah, I worked so hard to hang those curtains…’

He was going to ruin all my household goods.

As the fierce wind swirling around us began to die down, I spoke again.

“Of course I’m grateful. But I’ve done my fair share by now.”

“Just three years? That’s laughable.”

“It’s been three years by the calendar, but considering the effort I’ve put in, it feels like at least ten years’ worth.”

I wasn’t unaware that Serpine had received significant help from the Magic Tower.

After all, it was the only place that extended a hand to me when I was wandering aimlessly due to my magic deficiency.

But that was that, and this was this.

Didn’t I have to live my own life?

Only by leaving the Magic Tower could I even attempt to change my fate.

“Serpine, I still need you.”

Loakin looked at me with pleading eyes.

Just how much more did he plan to use me, to have such a sincere look in his eyes?

“Loakin, I’m not going back.”

At my firm refusal, Loakin let out a lazy sigh.

He erased the magic circle, then walked into the room uninvited and sat cross-legged on the sofa.

Soon, a light, cheerful sound of knuckles tapping filled the air, and the surroundings became as bright as day.

A single light source floated in the air, emitting a warm yellow glow.

The sudden brightness was dazzling, and I could barely keep my eyes open. Barging into someone’s house and turning on the lights in the middle of the night—what an absurd situation.

‘Let’s just appease him and send him off.’

Suppressing my simmering anger, I got off the bed, threw a shawl over my shoulders, and stood before Loakin.

“I’ve been thinking it over carefully, and I really don’t understand. Why you want to leave me.”

Loakin habitually wiggled his fingers on the table as he continued.

“…Is it because the workload is too much?”

I thought he hadn’t paid it any mind at all, but it seemed he had been quite troubled by it.

‘Right, no matter how bad his personality is, he wouldn’t just ignore someone outright.’

The situation where the Magic Tower Master was rejecting my resignation was partly my fault for insisting on quitting without a justifiable reason.

“That’s not entirely untrue. The work has been very hard lately, and I feel like I need a rest.”

I was only stating the facts.

Both I, who died from overwork in my previous life, and Serpine, who was worn out by the heavy workload at the Tower, genuinely needed a break.

“Then you should have said so. Fine, from now on, just work as much as you want.”

“…Huh? What about my salary?”

“I’ll keep paying you the same. So, is that settled?”

This is a total jackpot… wait, no—

‘What nonsense is this!’

I almost wavered at the tempting offer.

Honestly, the job had no other drawbacks besides the heavy workload.

Good pay, room and board provided, a private office.

Even if my boss’s personality was atrocious, he was out of the office most of the time anyway, so it wouldn’t matter much.

‘…He knows how to negotiate, doesn’t he?’

Feeling like I was getting sucked in, I quickly came up with another reason.

“The, the food is also way too bad.”

It seemed like a flimsy excuse I blurted out in a hurry, but it was a genuine complaint I’d always had.

The welfare of a company is often judged by its meals.

And the food at the Magic Tower was truly terrible.

Since mages overflowing with magic power rarely felt hunger, the Tower didn’t pay much attention to meals, which were always lacking.

“That’s a new perspective.”

Loakin, a prime example of someone overflowing with magic power who never knew hunger, nodded as if he’d never thought of that.

“Should I replace the head chef?”

‘Please don’t seriously consider that…’

“If you want, I could even bring in a royal chef from the palace.”

“No! Never mind.”

Realizing that Loakin was taking my flimsy excuse too seriously, I felt the need to cut it off.

“Loakin. Can’t you just hire a new secretary? There are plenty of excellent mages out there who are better than me. I’m sure the right person will turn up.”

“Not yet. Not yet.”

Loakin said meaningfully.

‘So please explain what “not yet” means.’

I felt like I was going to die of frustration.

My original plan was to cleanly leave the Magic Tower and live quietly, conducting potion experiments.

But who would have thought the Magic Tower Master would react like this?

Thank goodness I escaped before it was too late, but if I had run into a commission from the Empress Dowager…

I didn’t even want to imagine it.

“Why does it absolutely have to be me? Tower Master, why are you doing this to me!”

I shouted out, partly to hear his reason.

Startled by my raised voice, Loakin flinched, and after a moment of silence, he spoke.

“What can I do? My familiar will only eat the food you give him.”

…What?

‘…That was the reason? All that fuss over a damn cat?’

My lips trembled as I struggled to hold back a sharp retort.

“You should have seen Lucifer. He’s been starving to the point of being pitiful because he won’t eat.”

Now even the cat was joining forces to be stubborn. It was infuriating.

Seriously, what harm would it do to just eat whatever was given?

As always, Lucifer was astonishingly in sync with his master.

I guess he’s not just any familiar for nothing.

“Just leave him. He’ll eat when he’s about to starve to death.”

“I’m disappointed, Serpine. I didn’t think you’d be so cruel.”

Now wasn’t the time for me to be bickering over cat food, but it seemed this persistent Tower Master wasn’t going to back down easily.

If that’s the case, there’s no choice.

I had no option but to use this method.

“Fine. I’ll tell you the real reason I want to quit. I’m going to find my parents.”

“…Your parents?”

Loakin repeated, looking dazed.

It was the same expression he had when I first submitted my resignation.

“The reason you want to quit is because of your parents?”

“Yes.”

Of course, I had no real intention of finding my parents.

They were beings who existed outside my life to begin with, so I didn’t feel any void, and I didn’t think a villainous supporting character like me would have some great secret to my birth.

Besides, how was I supposed to find parents with no information or memories?

I had wanted to avoid using this method because I didn’t want pitying looks.

But with a reason like this, even Loakin wouldn’t stubbornly insist any further.

“…I see.”

Loakin, who roughly knew my circumstances, spoke with a somewhat deflated tone.

‘…Did that work?’

I felt a pang of guilt, but if I’d known he’d give in so easily, I should have used this method from the start.

“If you find your parents. Would you consider coming back then?”

After a moment’s thought, I answered.

“Yes.”

For now, the priority was to dissuade the Tower Master and send him on his way.

Besides, I had no intention of finding my parents, so I could buy time by making excuses not to return for a while.

“But what if… you can’t find them?”

“Can’t find them?”

“Of course, you’ll do your best, but just in case—what if you never get to meet them? I’m asking if you’d still come back then.”

At that, a worry struck me: what if he uses this as a pretext to demand I return immediately?

I couldn’t help but think that way because Loakin was dead serious right now. With all traces of playfulness gone from his demeanor, I reluctantly nodded.

“Good. I’ll leave it at that for today.”

Finally, Loakin curled the corners of his mouth in satisfaction.

“Just make sure you keep that promise.”

The moment Loakin rose from his seat, my vision went black in an instant.

When I opened my eyes again in the darkness, Loakin had already vanished without a trace.