The Innocent Mage's Spellbinding Nights - Chapter 24
After completing two more tasks in addition to visiting the desert tribes, Irina finally returned to the White Tower past 9 PM.
‘This damn body!’
The day’s accumulated fatigue was one thing, but the sensual sensations that arrived like an alarm as darkness fell made it hard for her to maintain her composure.
‘Fortunately, it’s not as bad as the first time… but I should hurry back to my quarters, lock the door, and lie down.’
Having accumulated fatigue from visiting various places today, she hoped that a bit of self-consolation might calm her body and let her fall asleep.FF
Clinging to that thin thread of hope, Irina sent a brief message to her aide through the communication orb and headed straight to her quarters without stopping by the office.
A few moments later, she was immersed in thoughts about how she could soothe herself tonight to get through it unscathed.
Irina’s mind went blank the moment she saw someone standing in front of her quarters.
“Tower Master.”
How long had he been waiting there? The way he called her “Tower Master” instead of “Senior” hinted that he had been planning this for a while.
“Did your business trips go well?”
“He-Hesed.”
Would it have been less embarrassing if he had confronted her immediately about how she ran away?
Seeing Hesed greet her with a calm face gave Irina a very ominous feeling.
“Why are you here at this hour?”
“I feel our conversation last night still stands unfinished.”
With that one sentence, he revealed that he knew everything—about Irina’s continued struggle with the potion’s side effects and the desperate mistake she made last night.
“Listen, I’m sorry, but I’m really tired and would like to rest…”
“Or should we talk here casually?”
Not a work-related conversation, but an extremely personal one, in the hallway? Though this area where the Tower Master’s quarters were located was usually deserted, it was still an open hallway. No matter how much soundproof magic was used, it would be psychologically embarrassing and nerve-wracking.
In the end, feeling guilty about her wrongdoings, Irina backed down.
“…No, come in.”
As if waiting for that moment, Hesed’s artificial smile became slightly more natural.
“Then, I’ll come in for a moment.”
As Hesed entered her quarters, Irina, without even offering him a seat, spoke.
“So, what do you want to say?”
“Not even offering me a cup of tea is quite harsh.”
“…I told you I’m tired. So, just get to the point quickly.”
“If that’s how you feel, Tower Master.”
For a moment, the smile vanished from Hesed’s lips.
“Let me ask directly. Why did you leave without a word after spending the night together?”
Irina’s eyes widened with surprise. She hadn’t expected him to come straight to the point without any preamble, unlike his usual playful demeanor.
“W-What are you talking about?”
Although she guessed it would be of no use, she tried to play innocent.
Hesed continued without any change in his expression, as if he had expected her reaction.
“Of course, the bed and the interior of the quarters were spotless. Not a single hair out of place.”
Irina had checked the bed and the floor multiple times before leaving Hesed’s quarters. There should be no issue on that front.
“But something that should have been there was gone.”
Ah!
Only then did Irina realize what she had overlooked.
‘You idiot! Fool!’
If an impenetrable barrier disappeared, Hesed would naturally suspect an intrusion. Even if she had tried to mimic and restore the barrier, the energy embedded in the magic would be different, making a perfect cover-up impossible from the start.
Irina began to wonder if the side effects of the potion included not just uncontrollable s****l desire but also memory loss or brain deterioration.
“…I’m sorry for pretending.”
In the end, Irina had no choice but to apologize.
“I thought it would be better if you mistook that moment for a dream.”
“Why?”
“Just… for many reasons. It was embarrassing and… I felt guilty.”
“What’s there to feel guilty about? I was the one who offered to help. Even if our roles were reversed, you would have tried to help me too, right?”
Well, that’s…
The atmosphere suggested she should answer ‘yes’, but Irina couldn’t bring herself to say it. She could get hurt or even die for her only junior, depending on the situation, but this was different.
‘I couldn’t just engage in a relationship like you did.’
Probably not just her, but even Scarlet or Vine wouldn’t have done that.
“What’s with the silence?”
“I would have helped, but… doing it your way would be the very, very very last resort. It’s not as simple as helping someone who’s collapsed!”
Although she emphasized the word “last,” Hesed responded in a completely unconcerned tone.
“Anyway, you mean you would have helped if the potion’s effects were driving me mad, right?”
“…Yes.”
Chastity and convictions were important, but first and foremost, one had to preserve a person’s life, especially a bright junior’s brain.
“I felt lighter, but with a desperate heart.”
Was it possible to use “light” and “desperate” in the same sentence?
Hesed’s thoughts were sometimes incomprehensible, perhaps because he was exceptionally unique.
“I may not think as seriously about chastity as you do, but I care for and cherish our relationship as junior and senior disciples just as much.”
Irina’s image was fully reflected in Hesed’s red eyes.
“So don’t feel sorry or burdened about seeking me multiple times to resolve the potion’s side effects. Rather, I felt good that you trusted me. What upset me was…”
The fact that you tried to hide it.
“It felt like you were reluctant to get involved with me because you thought I was a worthless person.”
