Damian was famous as a genius mage and the heir apparent to the Magic Tower.
He was just as proud, and he wasn't the type to open his heart to women easily.
The only woman he'd pursued passionately in his entire life was Lucia, the star of high society.
"I'd like to know your name, Young Lady. Won't you whisper it to me with those sweet lips?"
And yet, with Lucia right beside him, he'd let another woman steal his heart.
Platinum-blond hair, blue eyes, and a pure, youthful beauty that held a peculiar allure.
Celine's maturely styled appearance was exceedingly beautiful.
If Lucia was a rose in full bloom, Celine was like a Snow Plum Blossom blooming alone in a snowy field.
"...Pardon?"
Celine, for her part, could only blink in confusion.
"Ah, forgive me for startling you, Young Lady."
Damian finally came to his senses. He was just about to reach out to Celine in longing.
Smack—!
A hand shot in like an arrow and seized Damian by the wrist.
"Hey."
When Damian turned his head, his vision filled with a pair of golden eyes brimming with bloodlust.
"Do you want to die?"
"Who the hell are you?"
He was blocking the man's approach to the Young Lady and making his hostility clear. The reason for this man's behavior was obvious.
"You scoundrel. Are you planning to keep two women all to yourself?"
"Shut up and get lost. I'll give you three seconds."
"That's my line. Let go of my hand and get lost. Now!"
Their gazes clashed so fiercely it seemed sparks might fly.
Amid the menacing atmosphere, Celine clung to Astin's arm.
"P-Please calm down, Older Brother!"
Older Brother?
Thud—!
"I'M SO SORRY!!!"
Damian von Sirius, the genius mage of his age.
His judgment was every bit as quick and precise as his magical calculations.
That was why he was the Deputy Tower Master.
"I didn't recognize you and spoke out of turn, Young Master! No, Older Brother!!"
His attitude changed as quickly as a flipped palm. Even his form of address had slyly shifted from Young Master to Older Brother.
Astin let out a short, incredulous breath.
He glared at Damian as if he were a bug, then turned away coldly.
"Let's go, Celine."
"Ah...!"
Astin led Celine off the terrace by the wrist.
His angry footsteps thudded against the floor.
On the terrace the two had left, only Damian and Lucia remained.
"Ahem, ahem!"
Damian got up, dusting himself off as he coughed repeatedly in embarrassment.
Until just a moment ago, he'd been searching for Lucia, only to fall for another woman in an instant.
From Lucia's perspective, he must have looked like the worst kind of womanizer, jumping from one woman to another.
Damian cautiously glanced at Lucia.
"Miss Lucia. I'm sorry. I was rude..."
As he began to make excuses, Lucia smiled warmly with her eyes.
"I'll be rooting for you, Deputy Tower Master Damian."
There was no jealousy or hurt in her smile, only the utmost warmth.
"Pardon? Miss Lucia, what do you mean..."
"I mean, give it your best shot. Good luck!"
Lucia even clenched her fist and cheered him on.
Damian froze, completely baffled.
Lucia turned her back on him and left the terrace with a light, skipping step.
'This is great. I'm finally down one!'
The four men who were obsessed with her and constantly bothered her.
Lucia felt deeply grateful to Celine for relieving her of that exhausting burden.
***
"Where the hell is he hiding? He was in the corner just a little while ago."
The two Young Ladies walked around the ballroom, searching every inch of their surroundings.
"Exactly. Could he have just run off?"
"Maybe."
Astin might have fled because he couldn't stand the glares. Then again, what did you expect? Everyone knew he had a reputation as a good-for-nothing.
The hand nervously fanning herself trembled with impatience.
They had to humiliate Kardenos at the Founding Day Festival today, no matter what.
It didn't have to be Astin. Even the bastard would do.
That was the secret instruction the Rosenthal family had given them.
"Our future at the Magic Tower is at stake. We have to find that bastard, at least."
With Rosenthal's backing, we could finally shed our tiresome apprentice status.
The Magic Tower was a harsh place where talent alone wasn't enough to survive.
They desperately needed powerful backing with immense wealth and influence.
Even as they spoke, the two searched the crowd intently, their eyes blazing.
"Oh? Look over there."
"Did you find him?"
Her red-painted lips curled into a sinister smile.
"That's him. He's passing by right now."
A blond man and woman crossed the ballroom.
Astin walked out of the terrace with a rigid expression, while Celine hurried to keep up with his long strides.
"Of all people, the two of them are together."
"If we don't act now, we might not get another chance. Besides, it might be better that they're together. Remember, we have to be ready to take a few hits from Astin."
"Of course."
The two Young Ladies set down their champagne glasses and walked over with elegant steps.
Just before the servant carrying champagne on a silver tray passed the siblings,
the two Young Ladies casually brushed past them.
Whoosh—
In an instant, a faint ripple of magic stirred at the Young Lady's fingertips.
Celine's dress was a long gown that reached down to her toes.
The magic, cast in secret, caused the hem of her dress to curl inward.
Then the skirt cunningly tangled around the back of her heel.
"!"
Celine's steps tangled, and she pitched helplessly forward.
Her body collided head-on with the servant. The silver tray in his hands flew into the air.
Crash—! Clatter—!
Golden champagne spilled everywhere.
Celine and the servant fell to the floor, and the dresses of the two Young Ladies passing nearby were drenched as well.
"Ahhh!"
"W-What do you think you're doing!"
The two Young Ladies leaped up, shrieking dramatically. Everyone in the ballroom turned to look.
They fussily brushed off their dresses and glared fiercely at Celine.
"Oh, dear! What are we to do? How could you suddenly run into someone like that?"
"I-I'm sorry. My feet suddenly got tangled..."
"Your feet got tangled? I thought your steps looked strange. You're that bastard from Kardenos, aren't you?"
"Oh my, you really are. I suppose you haven't learned proper social etiquette yet. Still, how could you be so careless at a ball in the Imperial Palace..."
Celine's shoulders hunched pathetically.
Now that everyone's attention was on them, the two Young Ladies brushed at their dresses even more theatrically.
"Do you want me to rip your tongue out?"
A pair of golden eyes glinted with intense bloodlust.
Astin stepped in front of the two Young Ladies, shielding Celine with his body.
"Young Master Astin. What did you just say?"
"You think I don't know? You tripped Celine, didn't you?"
"What? What are you talking about...? What reason would we have to trip this young lady?"
"That's right. Don't intimidate us, powerless as we are, just because you're the Grand Duke of Kardenos's eldest son."
This, too, had been part of the two Young Ladies' plan.
Even if they were rotten to the core, they were still a force to be reckoned with; they knew Kardenos would notice from this close.
But he was the only one who'd notice. There was no way to prove it.
"Was this Rosenthal's doing?"
"Why bring that up all of a sudden?"
The two Young Ladies managed to keep their expressions in check.
Astin glanced over at the huddled Celine as he surveyed the mood around them.
As long as this continued, Celine would only be humiliated.
"Rosenthal or not, apologize to Celine and get lost. Then I'll let this go."
"Why should we apologize? We're the ones who got hurt."
"Our dresses are soaked, and we've been humiliated. Shouldn't you be the one apologizing, by any reasonable standard?"
Without realizing it, Astin clenched his fist. The veins in his forearm bulged.
This was the moment.
"Oh, my!"
She raised her voice so everyone nearby could hear.
"Young Master, are you clenching your fist? Are you planning to use violence against us...?"
"My goodness. So the awful things that happened to Lady Azelin weren't just rumors after all."
The Founding Day Festival was attended by thousands of nobles.
If he lost his temper and raised a hand, his reputation would plummet beyond repair.
Astin suppressed his anger until his clenched fist creaked.
He wanted to tear their mouths apart right then and there, but he had to hold back.
When they saw him hesitate, the two Young Ladies continued their pitiful act, saying everything they wanted to.
"We don't even expect you to compensate us for our dresses. We just want to enjoy the Founding Day Festival hosted by His Majesty the Emperor."
"Please calm your anger and face reality. Don't let your emotions control you. Think rationally."
The two pretended not to, but watched the mood in the ballroom.
Most people were murmuring as they looked at Astin and Celine with disapproving eyes.
Astin already had a poor reputation, and Celine was a bastard.
It was easy to sway the room just by spinning the story.
By now, they must have looked like pitiful yet principled Young Ladies, trembling before a Young Master who hit women but refusing to back down.
They'd achieved their basic goal and could have stopped here, but they needed to drag him down as far as possible.
"Please don't glare at us so frighteningly. If you offer one sincere apology, we'll quietly put this behind us."
"Is it hard to bow your head because of your pride as the heir to the Grand Ducal House?
But because of your stubbornness, everyone in the ballroom is suffering. Please think of everyone and set your pride aside."
If possible, they wanted to push Astin until he resorted to violence.
That would make the crowd think of Lady Azelin and paint Rosenthal as the tragic victim.
It was a perfect plan.
"Honestly."
That was until someone intervened.
Click—
The steady sound of heels drew closer.
A single person appeared, striding confidently through the crowd. The two Young Ladies' eyes widened the moment they saw Lucia.
Why was she coming over here?
"I've been watching from a distance, and there were more than a few suspicious things."
With everyone's attention on her, Lucia approached them.
Her crimson eyes narrowed.
"You two are very suspicious."
"W-What do you mean, suspicious?"
Ignoring them, Lucia approached Celine.
"Excuse me for a moment."
She lifted the hem of Celine's skirt slightly and examined her shoes.
The two Young Ladies felt their blood run cold.
Why was Lady Lucia suddenly doing this? Because she couldn't stand injustice? Even so, why interfere this much?
No, they didn't know yet. Even Lucia couldn't know about this.
"As I thought."
A small smile spread across Lucia's lips as she examined the dress.
"There's a faint trace of magic left on the inside of the hem. It's a trace of wind magic. Very faint, but I can definitely see it."
"What are you talking about? Why are you suddenly coming over and making us out to be villains?"
"Lady Lucia, you should be prepared to take responsibility for what you say."
"Yes, I will. I can say this with my honor on the line. Those two did it."
The two Young Ladies' faces went white the instant she said it.
The trace of magic was something only Lucia claimed to see. It was uncertain evidence, just an unprovable allegation.
But Lucia had said it herself. She'd stake her honor on it.
"If Lady Lucia goes that far..."
"I knew something seemed off."
Lucia wasn't just anyone. She was the star of high society.
Everyone in the ballroom understood the weight of her words and accepted it.
"She fell at just the right moment. It definitely seemed intentional."
"Exactly. I had a bad feeling about it, too."
"Oh, how awful. What could they have done to that poor young lady?"
In a single moment, one person had completely turned the mood around.
The nobles' icy murmurs pierced the two Young Ladies like daggers.
Their faces flushed red with shame, like tomatoes.
"Damn it...!"
"Tch!"
The two hurriedly fled the ballroom as if running away.
Even behind them, the nobles' criticism and gossip showed no sign of stopping.
Once the commotion had died down, Lucia turned her gaze to Celine.
"Are you hurt?"
"......."
Celine looked up at her kind eyes, holding back her tears. That only lasted a moment.
Her eyes quickly reddened, and a sob escaped her.
"Oh, there, there. It's all right. You're all right."
Lucia smiled gently and reached out. After hesitating, Celine threw herself into Lucia's arms.
As Lucia gently stroked her golden hair, she glanced at Astin.
"Can I have a word?"
"?"
Astin tilted his head, then leaned in to offer his ear. Lucia whispered softly to him.
"Actually, I couldn't see any magic either. They were really determined to pull this off."
"...Seriously?"
"Seriously. I bluffed based on suspicion alone. Anyway, I'm glad I was right."
"What would you have done if you weren't?"
"Then I'd have been out of luck, wouldn't I?"
Astin looked at her without a word. He let out a small sigh, then lowered his head.
"I'm in your debt."
He couldn't have failed to understand what it meant to stake her honor on a claim. For someone as influential in high society as Lucia, it carried even more weight.
"If you're grateful, the two of us can talk later."
Even as she patted Celine, her gaze remained on Astin.
"We have a lot to talk about anyway, don't we? Though, really, I'm the one with a lot of questions."
***
Dadat!
The two Young Ladies' faces were stricken with dismay as they left the ballroom.
"What do we do? What are we going to do!"
"It's over. It was a perfect plan! How could Lady Lucia have acted like that!"
Thanks to Lucia, the star of high society, taking their side, their plan had failed completely. All that remained was the dreadful fallout.
"Will Rosenthal clean up after us? What if they abandon us?"
"What about Kardenos's retaliation! Didn't you see Young Master Astin's eyes? He looked ready to kill us!"
As the two anxiously bit their nails,
"You two."
A chilly voice rang out from behind them.
The two Young Ladies flinched and turned around.
When they saw the figure emerging from the darkness, their eyes widened.
"D-Deputy Tower Master...!"
Damian von Sirius, Deputy Tower Master of the Sirius Magic Tower.
To the two Young Ladies, who belonged to the Magic Tower, he was an almost godlike figure.
They trembled and bowed deeply.
Damian approached in measured, silent steps.
He brushed at the hems of their dresses, which were a mess from the champagne.
"I remember you two. You're apprentices from the third-floor research lab, aren't you?"
Gulp.
"Y-Yes..."
Damian looked at them, then suddenly gazed into empty space. There was nothing there.
The two Young Ladies exchanged confused glances.
As they quietly tried to slip away, Damian muttered to himself.
"I've finally made up my mind. I've been wavering back and forth all this time."
"Pardon?"
Damian's gaze slowly lowered and settled coldly on the two Young Ladies' faces.
"I've resolved myself ten times and made a hundred vows."
A strange light glimmered in his eyes.
"I'll protect Lady Celine von Kardenos with my life."
"Eek!"
The two Young Ladies' shoulders jumped reflexively. They had no choice but to step back instinctively.
The more they did, the closer Damian came.
"There's nothing I hate more than ugly bitches picking on pretty ones."
A genius mage and the true power behind the Sirius Magic Tower.
The two couldn't even breathe properly beneath the menacing magic Damian released.
"What a shame. Those ugly faces of yours are about to get even uglier."
Damian seized both Young Ladies by the collars.
For a while, shrill screams echoed through the deserted hallway.