The World Has Become Kinder to Her

Manores, ever the logical and composed high-ranking mage, quickly reined in his emotions. While it stung that his carefully constructed protective wards had been broken, the opportunity to vent his frustration on Frederick had been worth it. After all, he had just unleashed some of his pent-up annoyance from the past year. Half of the weight on his chest seemed to have lifted.

“Wow, you bastard. How did you manage to hold that in for so long?” Frederick grumbled.

“If you were born in a position like mine, you’d naturally learn how to manage such things. Perhaps in your next life, you can try,” Manores replied sarcastically.

Frederick pouted, muttering to himself. *Why doesn’t he just curse me outright?* If it weren’t for his good looks, the only thing saving him in moments like this, even Manores wouldn’t have been able to tolerate him. Manores thought Frederick should be endlessly grateful to his parents for blessing him with a face as striking as an elven prince.

“I’m planning to propose to Loti,” Frederick suddenly blurted out.

Manores blinked. It seemed Frederick had only just realized his feelings the previous day, and yet, in the span of one night, he had already devised a plan for a proposal. Truly, this Tower Master was extraordinary in every sense.

“Then I suppose you’ll be having the wedding tomorrow?” Manores quipped.

“I could if I wanted to,” Frederick replied, completely serious.

“…”

“But what if Loti rejects my proposal?”

“And there’s your answer. At least you still have some cognitive function left. I’ll give you 3 out of 10 points for that,” Manores deadpanned.

“Hey!”

“So, what’s the problem?”

“Uh… well, how do I get Loti to accept the proposal?” Frederick asked.

Unlike his parents, who were too old-fashioned and nosy, or his brother, with whom he had too much sibling rivalry to confide in easily, Frederick found it easier to seek advice from Manores. The Vice Tower Master had a sharp mind and a prickly demeanor, but he never hesitated to offer his honest opinions. That’s why, in the early hours of the morning, Frederick had turned to him for help.

“I’m not exactly a relationship counselor,” Manores said, exasperated.

“As Vice Tower Master, aren’t you supposed to offer advice to the Tower Master?”

“This isn’t Tower business, though.”

“If I marry Loti, she’ll become the mistress of the Tower, so it’s indirectly related.”

That made Manores pause. He was familiar with Lotus. When he needed to find Frederick for a report or any other Tower matter, and the Tower Master wasn’t around, Lotus was usually the next person to look for. Nine times out of ten, Frederick could be found at her side.

— *Manores, working hard as always, I see.*  

— *Yes, and you as well. May I take your… ahem, our so-called “free spirit” back to the Tower now?*  

— *Of course. If I could wrap him up with a bow, I would, but sadly, I can’t.*

Manores had always found Lotus to be intelligent, with a good deal of patience, even more than beauty. Though she wasn’t a mage, her proximity to Frederick had given her a decent understanding of magic, and she often offered thoughtful opinions on various topics. Most importantly, she was the only person capable of controlling and correcting Frederick’s behavior. 

Frederick usually ignored or brushed off remarks from his family and the Tower’s members, including Manores, but when Lotus spoke, he at least pretended to listen—and sometimes even made efforts to change his actions afterward.

If Lotus married Frederick and became the Tower’s mistress, the Tower might become a more peaceful place, and as Vice Tower Master, Manores would no longer have to be the one constantly nagging Frederick. That sounded appealing.

“…So, what’s your plan for the proposal?” Manores finally asked.

“You know that brooch I gave her before? The one with the shield magic engraved on it? This time, I’m planning to give her a matching mana stone ring engraved with a simple attack spell. That way, she’ll have both offense and defense covered perfectly,” Frederick explained.

“The acquisition and processing of the mana stone can be done, sure. You might have some stored away, and unless it’s a top-tier stone, it should take only two or three nights to craft. But I heard she didn’t like the brooch last time.”

“Uh, she said it was unnecessary,” Frederick muttered.

“She probably found it overwhelming,” Manores replied.

“Why? I gave it to her because I wanted to,” Frederick said, sounding genuinely puzzled.

“Tower Master, you’ve never lacked anything in your life, nor have you ever failed to achieve something. So, you might not understand, but for most people, receiving something beyond their expectations or experiencing something outside their control can feel burdensome or exhausting.”

“You’re saying Loti felt burdened and disliked it?”

“That’s just my guess.”

“So, should I give her a different ring? You’re not suggesting I make something out of grass, are you?”

“Why do you always go to extremes? Just buy a reasonably priced ring from a jeweler. Or if you really want to make one yourself, grab some of the gold from the storage vault. Just remember that pure gold might be too soft. Also, don’t forget to record how much you take and replace it later, or I’ll have to report it to Lady Estelle.”

Frederick grimaced. “It’d be better to make it myself than give her something common. I guess I’ll use an emerald in the center instead of a mana stone. It’s close enough to Loti’s eye color.”

“One more thing: when you propose, stop using that irritating, snarky tone.”

“S-snarky?” Frederick blinked, visibly taken aback.

Manores didn’t care if Frederick annoyed him, but if Lotus found his tone just as grating, that could be a much bigger problem. Thinking back, Frederick realized she hadn’t been fond of his way of speaking either.

— *Frederick, shut your mouth.*

He remembered Lotus saying that to him once, wearing an expression much like the one Manores had now.

*But changing how I talk overnight is going to be hard…*

“If I propose the way I usually talk, do you think she’ll just tell me to get lost?”

“What on earth are you planning to say?” Manores asked, dreading the answer.

Frederick looked at him expectantly, as if urging him to listen. *Why am I even dealing with someone’s proposal speech this early in the morning?* Manores ruffled his brown hair in frustration but, being the intelligent mage he was, resigned himself to his fate.

“Go ahead. Let’s hear it.”

“Lotus, marry me!” Frederick started with gusto. “I’ll do anything you want—except refuse my proposal or ask for a divorce. I’ll even use up every last drop of my mana for you. If you want, I’ll bring you a tiara!”

Manores’ shoulders twitched with each sentence. *This is so cringeworthy!* The part about using up all his mana for her was something only a mage could say, akin to a knight offering his sword and honor to the woman he loves. That could have been passed off as merely cheesy, but the tiara comment was too much.

*Did he just promise to bring her a tiara? Does he want to start a war?*

The tiara was a symbol of royalty, worn only by queens or princesses. Offering one meant you’d have to conquer a kingdom at the very least. Normally, someone saying this would be dismissed as bragging, but coming from Frederick, it didn’t sound like a lie. His power was such that he could probably take over a small kingdom by himself.

Fortunately, knowing that Lotus was a highly rational person, Manores was somewhat reassured. If she said no, at least Frederick wouldn’t actually attempt something insane like that.

“…I think she’d hate the tiara just as much as the brooch,” Manores finally said.

“Huh? Then should I leave that part out?”

“You’re also missing the most important part.”

“And what’s that?”

“Saying you love her.”

***

The day of the proposal had finally arrived, and Frederick had prepared meticulously for it. He had crafted a ring himself, using gold and other precious materials from the Magic Tower’s storage to ensure it fit perfectly on Lotus’s finger. He had also fine-tuned his proposal speech, practiced his facial expressions—mostly to avoid giving Manores any excuse to complain—and even meddled multiple times at the Abran estate to ensure the paper and engagement gift were of the highest quality. 

For someone who had always proclaimed a desire to avoid marriage, Frederick now wanted to deliver the most perfect proposal to Lotus. The days of preparing in secret, during which he hadn’t seen her, had only heightened the longing in his heart. It was during this time that Frederick realized something about himself: despite appearing to have everything, he too had been missing something.

The fluttering, almost tickling sensation in his chest, the anxiety, the fear of rejection—these were feelings he had never experienced before. Only after acknowledging his love for Lotus did these emotions start to surface.

As the intense heat of the day began to wane, Frederick received word that the formal proposal letter from the Magic Tower to the Marquis of Estelle had been prepared. With this news, he set out to find Lotus. First, he tried contacting her through the communication crystal, but there was no response.

*Is she not in her room? Maybe she’s absorbed in a book or sleeping?* 

Frederick decided to check her room. If she was reading or resting, he figured he could wait nearby. Casting an invisibility spell, he teleported to the Estelle estate and peeked through the window of Lotus’s bedroom on the third floor. To his dismay, the room was empty.

*Did she go out to buy a book or attend a party?* 

The thought of her attending a party—or worse, meeting another man—made his chest tighten uncomfortably. *Damn it. Why did I ever tell her it was okay to see other men?* 

Frustrated, Frederick dispelled his invisibility and approached a maid standing alone in the garden.

“Eek!” the maid yelped.

“Shh, it’s me—Frederick from the Tower.”

“T-Tower Master!” she stammered, quickly recognizing him, likely due to her background as a fallen noble.

“I just need to ask you something simple. Where’s Loti?”

“L-Loti? Oh, you mean Lady Lotus?” 

“Yeah, quickly now.”

“I-I’m not sure. I think she went to a party.”

The maid could only speculate that Lotus had gone to a party and seemed unwilling to give more information. She wasn’t hiding it out of suspicion or ill intent, though—it was simply that no one seemed to know exactly where Lotus had gone. 

*How does no one in this household know where their young lady is? What kind of noble family is this?* 

His irritation spiked. Frederick couldn’t help but let a hint of his killing intent slip through, and the maid, now trembling, confessed that not even the other servants knew where Lotus had gone. 

*Unbelievable. What a mess.*

With no other choice, Frederick contacted his brother and asked him to find out where any large parties were being held that evening. He quickly learned that the wealthy Countess of Hesenia was throwing a birthday party for her youngest daughter.

Since it was the birthday of a child who hadn’t yet reached adulthood, the party had started earlier in the day, and by now, as the sun was setting, most guests would likely be heading home. Casting Haste, Frederick raced toward the road leading to the Hesenia estate.

*Why is my heart pounding so anxiously?*

It was a sensation he had never experienced before. Frowning, Frederick increased the speed of his Haste spell. That was when he heard a cry echo in his ears.

“Oh no!”  

“Help! I think she’s completely submerged!”