The Nerd Next Door Turned Out To Be The Magic Tower Master [Novel] Chapter 25

Time flowed like water, and before long the day arrived when she had to leave for the Grand Temple.

Cecilia packed the heavy book the archbishop had tossed her way, a few sets of clothes, a handful of jewels in case of emergency, and her favorite writing implements.

As she slowly stuffed her meager belongings into a travel bag made from layers of leather by a craftsman, Melanie, who was helping beside her, let out a soft sigh.

“You don’t want to go?”

“Mm-hmm.”

It wasn’t even a long stay, and the biggest problem — her holy power — had been resolved, but that was beside the point. She just didn’t want to walk into hardship with her own two feet.

The Holy Temple, of all places. Unlike the utterly indulgent life of a noble young lady, wouldn’t she have to live an incredibly diligent life there?

In short, it was horrifying.

“I won’t be able to nap there, or snack either.”

As she muttered sullenly, Melanie deftly comforted her.

“There, there. If I get the chance, I’ll secretly buy you some Sachertorte from Sweets, so cheer up.”

The Sachertorte sold at Sweets, Weberdin territory’s finest dessert shop, was a treat Melanie occasionally bought for her like some grand reward.

But that was Cecilia Weberdin’s favorite snack, not hers.

Since she couldn’t confess the truth, Cecilia just nodded vaguely. Then she listlessly turned her gaze out the window.

In the distance, she caught a glimpse of the high wall tangled with vines. Beyond it would be the familiar manor.

I wanted to say goodbye to Rien one more time before leaving, but I guess that’s not happening.

Just as she’d expected, the day after her secret outing, her brother had been brought in and she’d been confined to her room — no lessons, not even allowed outside.

Fortunately she hadn’t gotten in trouble since it wasn’t really an incident, but the result was the same: the day of departure had arrived without seeing him again.

Should I just be grateful I got to say goodbye in advance?

Cecilia sighed briefly and touched the area around her neck. The round, smooth amber had warmed to her body temperature, turning lukewarm.

Then the touch that had grazed her at a similar warmth, and the smile stained by sunset, naturally surfaced in her mind.

“Oh my, miss! Your face is red — are you hot?”

“I guess it’s because it’s summer.”

Right. Her face heating up, her heart pounding — it was all because summer had drawn near.

Fanning herself to cool down, she suddenly jumped to her feet.

“I’m going to go find Charles!”

“You need to leave soon, so don’t be too late!”

“Mm-hmm!”

Cecilia quickly escaped the room, gave a small cough, and called for Charles.

Even if Rien was impossible, she should at least say goodbye to Charles before leaving.

She would’ve liked to take him with her, but cats were territorial animals. No matter how smart a cat who’d claimed both the front yard and the neighbor’s flower garden as his territory, taking him outside would definitely stress him out.

She wouldn’t see him for a while, so she’d planned to give him treats herself before leaving, but Charles seemed to have claimed even this vast estate as his territory — he was nowhere to be seen.

“Charles! I know you can hear me!”

Like a cat tormenting its butler.

She’d just resolved to give his rear a few good pats when she found him.

Meow.

Charles’s cry came from not too far away.

The light is darkest under the lamp — it was from the small study connected to her bedroom.

“Charles? How long have you been here?”

Charles was curled up in the lowest shelf of the walnut bookcase occupying one wall.

How had he even pulled out books to squeeze himself in there?

Cecilia roughly cleared away the scattered books and pulled Charles out.

“You’re covered in dust, you troublemaker.”

“Meow!”

She carefully set down Charles, who struggled without easily allowing his butler’s touch.

A tender farewell would have to wait for the next life, it seemed.

She was about to put the disheveled books back when she noticed they went in at oddly different depths.

What’s this?

Looking closely, she saw a small notebook lying horizontally in the depths of the bookcase.

Cecilia pulled out the notebook and plopped down on the floor, examining it carefully.

It had some dust on it, but didn’t look that old.

Could this be…[Cecilia Weberdin][Year xxx. Month of Verdure, Day 9.
I made a diary at my physician’s recommendation.
Actually, this was a notebook I bought to write down prayers, but I trust God will forgive me for using it for personal troubles.
At first I refused, calling it a hassle, but according to my physician, keeping a diary has the effect of helping you reflect on your situation and inner state, managing anxious emotions.
To think something as simple as arranging letters could have such a remarkable effect.
I don’t believe it, but since I have no one to confide my troubles to, I thought it might be better to use even a scrap of paper like this.
So I’m going to try filling it with rambling stories like this.]

It was Cecilia’s diary — the one she’d searched for desperately in the early days after transmigrating, to fill in the empty “memories” of this body, to find a clue as to why she’d awakened in it.

When she’d tried so hard to find it, there hadn’t been a trace, so she’d concluded it didn’t exist in the first place.

With a somewhat deflated feeling, she was turning to the next page when—

“Miss, are you here? Everything’s ready, so you need to come down now!”

“I’ll come down right away!”

She wanted to read just a bit more.

Should I take it with me?

After briefly considering it, Cecilia shook her head and returned the diary to its original position, carefully replacing the books.

The fact that it was hidden so thoroughly — not in a desk drawer — meant it was to keep someone from seeing it. Taking it to the temple, which might not be a private room and where unspecified crowds would come and go, felt uncomfortable.

Cecilia gave a few strokes to the back of Charles, who was stretching with his rear stuck out beside her, then stood up.

“I’ll be back, Charles.”

It was unfortunate, but opening Pandora’s box would have to wait until everything was over.

What greeted her when she came outside with quick, clacking footsteps was a large prepared carriage and coachman, several knights drafted as escorts, and her brother.

Nox, who’d neatly swept back hair that sparkled like sunlight on water, was holding a map and talking with the coachman.

If he’d just keep his mouth shut, he’d look so presentable.

It was truly regrettable that the most important thing — his character — was ruined.

Perhaps sensing her sharp gaze, Nox’s head turned toward her.

“Good morning, CiCi.”

His voice was sweet enough to make the nearby servants blush. But Cecilia showed her displeasure without reservation.

“You’re really going all the way to the Grand Temple with me?”

“Of course. I can’t stay with you the whole time, so I should at least see you off. I also have something to deliver to the temple.”

Thanks to her serious expression in front of the Marquis last time, Nox said he would only accompany her on the journey, not stay at the temple continuously.

[CiCi, unlike you, I have a lot to do.]

How infuriating he’d been when he added that.

Even the good news that he wouldn’t be stuck to her all day had made her furrow her brow.

“Well, now that CiCi’s here too, shall we depart?”

Cecilia took Nox’s hand and climbed into the carriage.

“Please be careful and come back safely, miss!”

“Yeah, don’t worry.”

Melanie waved for a long time with a worried face, seeing her off.

Cecilia gazed at the receding Weberdin estate and Rien’s manor, then slumped back against the seat.

Judging from previous experience, falling asleep quickly was the best option.

But despite her efforts, she couldn’t hold out long and started getting motion sick like before. Nox enthusiastically mocked her for it, and the carriage finally reached its destination only after traveling for half a day.

Cecilia, who’d been half-lying in her seat, carefully got out of the carriage.

“Welcome, Saintess.”

Those who’d come to meet them were Miguel, Vice-Commander of the Holy Knight Order, and Archbishop Kiar.

Not trainee clerics, but an archbishop and vice-commander.

It was a combination too burdensome, making her stomach feel even worse.

Especially since a dark shadow hung over the archbishop’s face as if he’d been dragged out against his will — all the more so.

But Nox didn’t seem to sense that bleakness on the verge of overflowing. He lightly stepped down from the carriage and greeted them with a bright smile.

“It’s been a while, Your Eminence.”

“Yeeees…”

Kiar bobbed his head half-listening, half-ignoring, and slowly shuffled into the shade.

Nox paid no mind to the archbishop’s eccentric behavior and extended his hand toward Miguel.

“I see you came to meet us, so you must be the one assigned as CiCi’s escort?”

“Escort?”

Inside a temple full of devout believers, an escort for their idol, the saintess?

At the out-of-nowhere statement, Cecilia narrowed her brow.

“There was that incident last time. I’m really uneasy leaving her alone. I’d feel better if she at least had an escort, but a Weberdin knight can’t accompany her everywhere in the Grand Temple, right?”

“So?”

“I just asked them to assign her a holy knight. Good idea, right?”

Nox rubbed under his nose, looking pleased with himself.

He went on with nonsense about how she should feel relieved, how she shouldn’t thank him, but she was simply dumbfounded.

“What about my opinion?”

“Why would that be necessary?”

At the sincere question, her face finally twisted.

Just before excessively crude words for uttering in a temple could burst out, Nox — whose sense of timing was annoyingly sharp — struck first.

“Don’t tell me you don’t like it? His Holiness approved this too. Oh, or is it because it’s Miguel you don’t like?”