~Chapter 03~
I didn’t want to believe what I was seeing.
“It’s hard to see you. I think this is the first time I’ve seen you this year.”
“…Yeah.”
I was hoping not to run into him this year, next year, or ever again.
“You don’t look happy to see me.”
“Because I’m not.”
“Why? Is my face that unpleasant to you?”
“Well…”
Aska looked directly at me. His clean-cut face sparkled under the sunlight.
Damn it, he’s so annoying, but I can’t even insult that face.
When I stayed silent, he gave a faint smile.
“Yeah, I missed you too.”
“Hey! When did I ever say I missed you?!”
“You had that kind of expression.”
“Absolutely not!”
I glared up at his shameless face.
No matter how many times I looked, it was definitely Aska Willovis.
The youngest ever leader of the Dawn Tower, the only son of the Duke of Willovis, and during our academy years, my fierce rival—he had actually shown up in person.
Of course, it had to be now! How fantastic timing!
Despite all the noise in my head, I tried my best to keep a neutral expression.
“So, what brings you here?”
“I was wondering how you were doing. I thought maybe something happened during your suspension.”
His pale lavender eyes stared into mine. I couldn’t read what he was thinking.
‘Did he find something out?’
I didn’t know how long I had been unconscious, but I could guarantee it wasn’t long.
‘He wouldn’t have had enough time to detect a timeline disturbance and figure out I was behind it.’
So maybe this visit really was just a coincidence. I really hoped it was.
‘Wait a sec. How did he even get to my front door? What about the security barrier?’
I was just thinking that to myself when Aska responded.
“Oh, I unraveled the barrier using reverse calculation. The structure was way too simple. Who set it up?”
“…Me.”
And I’d put a lot of effort into it, too.
“You just broke someone’s home security? On your own?”
“We’re not strangers, are we?”
He replied like he’d done nothing wrong. I was the idiot for trying to have a normal conversation with this guy.
“Right. We’re not strangers. We’re worse than strangers.”
I grabbed the door handle and tried to shut the door, but Aska’s hand blocked the frame faster than I could react.
“Urghh…”
I pulled harder, but the door didn’t even budge—if anything, it started to open more.
Unbelievable. He spent all his time stuck in a tower doing research, so why was he so strong?
“Why! What are you even here for?!”
Feeling like I was about to lose in raw strength, I hurriedly asked his reason for coming.
He reached into his jacket pocket and casually waved a fancy envelope.
It had the Willovis family crest stamped on the front. That was probably why he’d come.
“Give it.”
I immediately reached out to snatch the envelope—but Aska raised it high, just out of reach.
Having everything wasn’t enough—he had to be annoyingly tall, too.
No matter how much I reached, I couldn’t grab the letter fluttering above my head.
“You’re not handing it over?”
“Who kicks a guest out at the door?”
“I never invited you. And why bring it yourself anyway? You have plenty of people who could’ve delivered it.”
“Well, this is for the great ‘Royal Chief Mage’—figured I had to come in person.”
His tone was clearly teasing, and I glared at him.
“You came to pick a fight?”
“Not exactly…”
His voice trailed off, and there was a strange glint in his eye.
“You’re so tense, Rel. Like someone hiding something.”
Gulp.
I froze and stared at his face.
Aska was still smiling meaningfully.
“You gonna keep me standing out here forever?”
I swallowed dryly.
“…Fine. Give it and go.”
After a tense standoff, I finally stepped aside.
If I kept fighting him and he sensed something was off, it’d be a disaster.
Once I moved, Aska walked right in like he owned the place.
Anyone would think we had an appointment.
I quickly scanned his back as he passed.
Unlike me, panicking like a dog that needed to pee, he was completely calm.
“Did someone come by earlier?”
“Wh—what? No! Why?”
“You seem different than usual. If not, never mind.”
Ugh.
His sharp eyes haven’t changed.
Magic leaves traces when used.
Normal people can’t see it—but Aska isn’t normal.
He was born with a “Magic Eye.”
Even though the basement lab is protected with a barrier, a guy like him could definitely feel a disturbance in the mana around here.
And as if I wasn’t irritated enough already, just look at this guy.
A sharp, expensive-looking suit.
Flawless skin, like he eats well and sleeps even better. And that air of total ease, like he’s never stressed.
And most annoyingly of all—he was wearing the “Morning Star” brooch, the symbol of the Dawn Tower’s master.
He looks great, while I’m stuck here, locked up under house arrest.
My chest tightened.
If I had been the head of the Dawn Tower, I wouldn’t have gotten punished like this.
“Haaah…”
I let out a deep sigh, unable to say anything.
I wanted to yell at him to get lost—but I couldn’t.
There were reasons for that.
Even though Aska was my rival, I didn’t have a bad relationship with his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Willovis.
More accurately, I owed his family.
Big debt.
‘So you’re Relshiz, huh.’
The Duke of Willovis happened to visit the orphanage I lived in and quickly noticed my magical talent.
“Would you like to learn magic?”
“If I do, can I eat tasty food?”
“Huh?”
“And have a warm bed and my own room?”
The duke and duchess gladly decided to sponsor me that very day. I later found out that it was a very unusual thing for them to do.
At first, I was just excited. After moving into the Willovis estate, I wore better clothes and ate much tastier food than I ever did at the orphanage.
Then, I started feeling proud. I used to be a nobody, just a kid from an orphanage, and now I felt like a special character from a fairy tale.
“Six years old? That’s the youngest sponsored kid ever. Must be quite the talent.”
Everyone praised me, and learning magic became fun and fulfilling.
Before I knew it, my life goal became clear.
“I’m going to be the greatest mage ever!”
It felt like the dream of a girl who had never had anything would shine forever.
At least, until I learned what kind of genius Aska really was.
As I spent more time at the Willovis estate, I gradually realized that Aska’s level was on a whole different scale.
Even when we took the same classes, he would master ten things while I struggled with one. No matter how hard I tried to catch up, he crushed me with overwhelming skill.
‘Like my talent didn’t mean anything at all.’
That’s when our rivalry began. From the day my sponsorship started, through our childhood, and into the academy.
I constantly tried to beat him, and he always stayed ahead, as if to mock me.
“She’s just a commoner. She could never beat Aska, even if she tried her whole life.”
“Poor girl. Born at the wrong time. Always second place, huh?”
In the end, the orphan commoner never beat the noble heir once, all the way to graduation. I even lost the chance to challenge for the title of Dawn Tower Master—the one thing I had truly wanted.
The first and last thing I ever really wanted.
‘You already have so much. Why did you have to take away the one dream I had too?’
It was unfair. It made no sense.
But the posted results, the time that had passed—none of it could be undone.
It felt like standing before an enormous, unmovable wall.
‘If only Aska didn’t exist.’
I would have been more recognized.
I could have become the greatest mage.
If only Aska Willovis didn’t exist…
‘Ugh. Thinking about it just pisses me off.’
I shook my head hard to clear away the thoughts.
Anyway, that’s why Aska was like a terrible, inescapable natural disaster in my life.
I always wanted to throw him out the moment I saw his face, but I held back by reminding myself of the duke who helped me.
“Wait—where do you think you’re going?”
I stopped the walking disaster who was heading straight to the sitting room like he owned the place.
“You’re not even going to offer me tea?”
“I’m out of tea leaves. Just say what you came for and leave. I’m busy.”
At my words, Aska tilted his head.
“You don’t have anything scheduled today.”
How the heck do you know that…
It was ridiculous, but I couldn’t afford to back down now.
“Something urgent came up.”
He blinked without changing expression, then sighed lightly.
“If it’s urgent, then I guess it can’t be helped.”
Aska slowly handed over the envelope.
Before he could mess around, I snatched it and opened it. Inside was an invitation.
“There’s going to be a spring banquet soon at the Swan Manor. Mother said she wants to see you.”
Swan Manor was the nickname for Aska’s family home, the Willovis estate.
