Escolleia (1)
"The Tower Master of Wallin?"
Reed cautiously called out to her.
"No... it's not."
Dolores swallowed her breath and bit her lips tightly.
Then, without listening to the rest of the conversation, she turned around and walked away.
A bewildering situation.
Even Freesia raised her eyebrows at Dolores' behavior.
"Why is she acting like that? Did you do something wrong?"
"I don't know."
"Did you cheat on her?"
"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything."
"That's exactly the face of a man who cheated."
"Have you ever met someone like that?"
"Why do you keep pushing it?"
Freesia kicked Reed's calf again.
"Well, I thought it was getting boring lately, but it's getting interesting again."
***
Returning to her seat, Dolores despaired.
Three words floating in her head.
Marriage, Reed, and Adonis.
He must have feelings for that woman too...'
In a way, it was obvious.
There was nothing left between her and Reed except that they were both Tower Masters.
He had called her beautiful before, but it must have been a slip of the tongue, and he probably thought of her as just a tutor.
'I feel like I'm the only one struggling... How foolish.'
Her clenched fists trembled.
Although it was her own fault for falling into the illusion of getting closer, she began to hate Reed again for creating this situation.
"Bad person..."
If you're going to do that, don't be nice.
Dolores took a deep breath and calmed her mind.
Soon, the Tower Masters' meeting began.
***
"Today, as planned, let's discuss the recruitment of academy graduates and freshmen."
As Helios, the chairman, mentioned the topic, everyone showed a tense expression without exception.
The Magic Academy holds its events in early spring when the cold winter winds blow.
The graduation ceremony takes place first, and the entrance ceremony for the freshmen is held the next day.
Over the course of two days, polished gems enter the world, and raw stones gather.
It was an indispensable time to secure talents, as they couldn't afford to miss out.
The magicians dispatched to the academy stay there for a total of three days.
During the days before graduation, the graduation ceremony, and the entrance ceremony, magicians have time to scout for their talents.
In order to gather talented individuals, the extent to which they could appeal to the Tower entirely depended on the abilities of the people they dispatched.
"First, let me tell you who will be dispatched to Escolleia."
Escolleia Magic Academy.
Being the largest Magic Academy in the central region, it was a top priority when it came to recruiting talent.
Even if they took someone with poor grades, they could still serve as a magician, so it was essential to prioritize them.
"As always, the Tower Master of Wallin, who receives the love of the principal."
Everyone nodded as if they silently agreed.
Dolores was the valedictorian of Escolleia.
Though there are top graduates every year, Dolores was special.
Dolores was personally chosen as a disciple by Archmage Anton, who had held the position of principal for decades, and he generously passed on all his knowledge to her.
Even when she expressed her intention to become a magician of the Tower, Anton kindly understood and let her go.
The picky Principal Anton longed for a talent like Dolores every year, but so far, no one has come close, so he appointed her as the representative magician of the Tower during graduation and entrance ceremonies.
The remaining spot was where the magicians from other towers competed.
"And the other person."
Helios continued the highly anticipated announcement.
"Let's have the Tower Master of the Silence Tower go together."
Everyone was shocked.
The same was true for Reed.
"Are you talking about me?"
"This year, the principal specifically asked for you. He may have become curious about your daughter's reputation."
"It makes sense, given that she's the daughter of the Silence Tower Master."
"They say she has so much potential..."
None of them had yet properly met Rosaria, but Dolores, who had seen her up close, praised her potential.
The Tower Master of Danseok and his group on the opposite side clicked their tongues and turned their heads away, full of dissatisfaction.
'Escolleia is an important mission...'
Escolleia, where all the geniuses gather.
Obtaining talent from there was the most important mission.
The weight of that responsibility made Reed's shoulders heavy.
'But I have to move for the sake of the Tower as well.'
The field of magic engineering was still a blue ocean.
If they wanted to study technology more or had a deep interest in inventions, the Silence Tower was the perfect place for talent, so it was also a chance to appeal directly.
'More importantly, I have to think about Rosaria's future.'
When sending a child to college, a parent wants to send them to a prestigious university if possible.
Rosaria had the skills and qualifications for it.
'But...'
Reed's mind was caught in an unexpected place.
Reed turned his head and glanced at Dolores.
As soon as their eyes met, Dolores frowned and glared at Reed.
Her gaze contained a hostility even stronger than their first meeting.
'What did I do wrong to be looked at with such eyes?'
Reed couldn't figure it out at all.
Just last weekend, she had fun studying with Rosaria, but she suddenly changed her attitude when she asked about Adonis?
"Hmm..."
I don't know.
He decided to ask her later after everything was over.
The Tower Masters' meeting concluded with everyone deciding where to go.
Dolores stood up from her seat, half-nervous, and Reed tried to catch her.
"Silence Tower Master."
But he couldn't stop Dolores from going outside at Helios's call.
"What's the matter?"
"You're going to Escolleia for the first time, so there are a few things we need to discuss..."
Reed wanted to say, 'Let's do it later since there's something more important now,' but the situation wasn't that relaxed.
"I understand."
Reed decided to talk with Helios first.
When Reed tried to get up and leave, the sun was setting.
