The Nerd Next Door Turned Out To Be The Magic Tower Master [Novel] Chapter 23

Cecilia stood alone, leaning against a tree, idly tapping her foot as she watched the people around her.

They laughed, talked, held hands, ran, and danced.

Those ordinary scenes kept flashing before her like a sequence from a movie.

Only after the street musician’s song changed five times did Cecilia, growing a little bored, step out from the shade.

“He’s later than I thought.”

She was just pondering whether to walk a bit toward where he had disappeared when a sudden gust of strong wind blew from the opposite side.

The breeze caught her off guard — her robe was whipped off in an instant.

Her hidden, luxurious blonde hair spilled out in a flourish, causing passersby to stare wide-eyed.

“Saintess?”

“…I’m doomed.”

Cecilia hurriedly pulled her robe back over herself, but it was already too late.

“My goodness, it is the Saintess!”

She had thought the wait would be dull, but she hadn’t wished for an event like this.

“Such a staged crisis.”

It was ridiculous, but there was no denying the predicament she was in.

Fortunately, maybe because of her noble status, no one stepped too close, but a crowd began gathering around her like a swirling cloud.

“Is that really the Saintess?”

“I tell you, I saw it with my own eyes!”

“Good grief. To see the Saintess in person!”

“Could it be that she’s come to watch over us?”

Their gazes mixed reverence and affection alike.

But no matter how kindly their expressions aimed to be, Cecilia felt utterly overwhelmed by the sudden downpour of attention.

“I’m leaving, first.”

A slight risk of missing Rien was there, but as long as she didn’t stray too far, it should be fine — and besides, she trusted the Magic Tower Master’s abilities.

Just as she resolved to move, a scream echoed from a nearby alley.

“Kyaa! P-please give it back!”

“Didn’t you hear the jingling of the coin purse? That means hand it over!”

All eyes, including Cecilia’s, turned toward the alley.

Two burly men were threatening a young girl.

“There’s not much here, is there? Is that all you got?”

“Sniff, it’s not my money… I-I don’t have anything else.”

“Hmm, is that all even after getting a beating?”

‘Oh.’

Faced with this painfully cliché scene unfolding right before her eyes, Cecilia couldn’t help but admire it.

Classic. The good heroine fusses over protecting the weak and ends up in danger.

‘I never thought I’d be cast as that heroine.’

She looked mournfully at the empty space beside her.

Why do these moments of helpless violence always happen when the male lead is conveniently absent?

Is it so he can show up later with a “ta-da!” effect that sends hearts fluttering?

But no matter the romance, this selfish society bred powerless citizens who just wanted to ignore the whole situation.

Yet the world wasn’t that easy.

The crowd swelled further and started murmuring loudly enough for everyone to hear.

“Damn those bastards!”

“Oh no, this is going sideways! They’re going to hurt the kid!”

“Still, it’s a relief the Saintess is here!”

“Y-yeah! Surely she’ll save that child!”

Hey? Don’t those guys’ arms look like they’re the size of my torso?

‘I don’t have a single muscle — but what power do I have against them…’

Their eager eyes bored into her so sharply she felt like her head might split open.

Realistically, the only thing she could do for the girl was fetch some guard who was probably slacking somewhere.

‘Sorry.’

As Cecilia desperately averted her eyes, a voice cried out.

“Please give it back! If you don’t, the kids visiting the temple today will starve!”

‘Temple?’

Only then did Cecilia realize the white edge of the girl’s cloak was familiar.

And the voice wasn’t strange either.

‘No way.’

“You sure talk too much! I don’t care if beggars starve!”

A thick hand snatched the girl’s face roughly upward.

The revealed face was…

‘Yeah, it’s Sena.’

Damn it. I knew it.

I knew this flag would be planted to trap me, and I wouldn’t be able to run away.

Muttering a few curses, Cecilia reluctantly pushed herself forward.

“What do you think you’re doing? Let go of her right now.”

‘Ha, I can’t believe I’m about to say the classic line of a righteous heroine.’

Shame and irritation surged at once, yet her feet moved steadily toward them.

“Saintess!”

Despite her mood hitting rock bottom, Sena looked like she’d found a savior.

“What’s all this about?”

Yes, I am the saint-to-be pushed to the brink by a damn flag.

But with so many eyes watching, I couldn’t afford to look scared of mere thugs.

“Didn’t you recognize me during the Relief Festival?”

Lifting her chin, Cecilia sneered coldly.

‘Was that too cocky?’

Her sharp words likely shredded the thug’s thin patience, as he dropped Sena with a scowl.

“What?”

“You got good ears too, huh?”

Holding back trembling fingers, Cecilia summoned Sena close.

“Come here, Sena.”

“Sniff, Saintess!”

Sena ran up and buried herself in Cecilia’s arms.

Although defiant, she clearly had been frightened — the tiny shoulders trembled pitifully.

“You were really scared.”

Patting the child’s back soothingly, Sena sobbed out her story.

“Sobbing, y-yeah! It’s my first time at the festival, so the priest gave me an errand… but those men stole the money I was going to buy snacks for the children with…”

“I see.”

Those children were most likely orphans starved and drawn to the Relief Festival.

You could guess that just from Sena’s outfit. Yet even so, those bastards stole their hard-earned coins.

Apart from fear, Cecilia felt anger flare hot.

Just as she sharpened her gaze to scold them more fiercely, her anger flat-out vanished like a lie.

“So this is the esteemed Saintess.”

The thug had stealthily snuck up close, radiating a violent aura.

Hiding Sena behind her back, Cecilia straightened her neck stiffly.

“If you know something, step back while there’s still a chance.”

“What are you gonna do? We’re ignorant bastards who don’t worship God — we trust this.”

The man grinned, revealing a long scar running across his mouth, then pulled a blood-red axe from his back.

No, looking more closely, the blade’s edge was silver — the red was just dried blood.

‘I shouldn’t have looked so closely.’

What kind of thug parades around with an axe?

‘This is scary enough to make me piss myself.’

Am I going to be the first female lead to wet herself like this?

I’m an ordinary citizen who made a fuss when nicked by a razor, and if I even brush against that axe, it’s a bleeding festival — meaning I’d surely faint.

Cecilia stared seriously at the thug, who looked like he’d just escaped prison.

“What, you want to scrap? Want your precious eyeballs gouged out?”

No.

Too proud to look away, she instead dropped her gaze to the man’s philtrum.

Her only hope — ironically — was the clichéd plot.

If a female lead gets into danger, the male lead will appear at just the right moment!

‘…He’ll show up, right?’

Yet instead of him, those dozens of steps back stepped forward — the crowd.

“Get lost, you trash!”

“God will be furious!”

“Saintess, you don’t have to forgive these scum!”

Behind her, people shouted curses at the thugs.

‘No, instead of angering them, I want someone to fetch the guards!’

“Saintess, huh? You sure have a fancy way of asking to have your head chopped off.”

“No…!”

‘It wasn’t me who opened my mouth!’

She wanted to slam her forehead in frustration.

Just then, Sena, trembling behind her, boldly stepped out and shouted fiercely.

“Don’t touch the Saintess, you trash!”

The man in front was a thug, that was true, and she appreciated the courage, but it was an ill-advised move.

The thug’s expression chilled to a frightening hardness.

“Shut the fuck up. Let’s send both of you straight to God.”

A man nearly twice their size hefted the axe high.

Cecilia quickly scanned her surroundings, but unfortunately, Rien was still nowhere in sight.

‘Is this how I get my throat cut?’

Her last-ditch Plan Z to get back home was to fake dying — but she hadn’t expected to try it here.

Her brief surrender was interrupted.

She realized too late that the axe was aimed not at her, but at Sena beside her — and lunged frantically to grab her.