Father, I Won’t Do Anything

‘I must present myself well to him.’

After paying extra attention to her attire, Charlotte headed to the Magic Tower.

Mysterious flickering lights floated before the Magic Tower’s entrance.

Charlotte swallowed hard. Following the lights, various sceneries passed by beyond the windows.

A snowy forest, a scorching desert, a rainy lake…

The Magic Tower led anywhere mystical.

However, the guardian statues and treacherous traps never felt familiar, as if entering a demon’s lair.

‘If I become the lady of this place… I should make it more glamorous and beautiful.’

Charlotte clenched her fists. She would remove the eerie elements and decorate the Magic Tower with the capital’s latest trends.

‘Wouldn’t the Tower Lord prefer that too? There are only magic fools here, after all.’

Well, calling them magic fools, each was undoubtedly formidable enough to be considered a weapon.

It might not be bad to teach them refinement and earn their loyalty in return.

To be the respected lady of the Magic Tower’s magicians, feared by all!

Buoyed by her dreams, Charlotte’s steps quickened.

Soon after, she arrived before Diamid’s study.

“To-Tower Lord. I am Charlotte de Marjansong.”

Tense, Charlotte deeply bowed her head before belatedly raising it again. There she saw the Tower Lord’s face for the first time in ages.

His striking brows accenting his pale complexion, his distinct eyes as blue as the deep sea, his exquisite jawline as if drawn by a brush…

‘How did he come to possess such a noble appearance?’

While his expression was coldly impassive without a hint of emotion, it somehow suited him perfectly.

Having met Diamid’s gaze, Charlotte reddened and lowered her head again.

‘He hasn’t changed at all since I last saw him at thirteen.’

His ageless appearance befitted one who had reached the pinnacle. No wonder he was the hero who saved the world from the Demon King.

“I summoned you because you’ve worked hard. Is there anything lacking?”

“No, thankfully you have taken good care of me, Tower Lord…”

“It doesn’t seem like I’ve done enough to warrant such words.”

“Huh? That’s…”

As Charlotte stammered, a low chuckle could be heard.

Belatedly realizing the Tower Lord was joking, she smiled too.

‘The atmosphere is good!’

Contrary to his breathtakingly beautiful face, Diamid had a low, husky voice.

Its resonance was quite pleasing, causing Charlotte’s face to redden.

“From your lack of complaints, it seems you’ve been teaching well. The child you’re in charge of is quite…”

Diamid trailed off with a troubled smile.

“Gifted at putting people in difficult situations.”

“Oh my.”

“It seems you’ve had a hard time because of it.”

Charlotte nodded. While initially tense, as the famously cold and indifferent Diamid spoke kindly, she gradually relaxed.

His friendly smile, gentle voice. Had there been other women Diamid treated this way before?

‘The Tower Lord must be fond of me!’

Her heart raced. Caressing her flushed face, Charlotte chimed in readily.

Fortunately, the conversation topic was one she could prattle on about effortlessly.

“To be honest, that child is so lazy and stubborn, her skills just won’t improve. Not that she brags, but she’s quite headstrong, you see. I wonder how it would have been if another teacher came instead…”

Diamid raised his hand, signaling he understood. Charlotte fell silent and looked at him.

“How is her progress on the song contained in the necklace?”

“Actually, I’ve had her practice other pieces instead. Let me explain, it’s better for improving her skills.”

“I see, you must have had your reasons.”

Unexpectedly, Diamid rose from his seat and spoke in a languid tone, almost as if seducing Charlotte with his casual manner.

“Then could you play the piece you’ve been teaching her? I don’t expect her to perform it properly.”

“Of course. That child’s small hands make her tempo unbearably slow.”

“So it would take years for her to play it properly?”

“Yes. Only I can play this piece.”

Just in case, Charlotte took out the pocket she had brought.

Provided by the Magic Tower upon becoming a teacher, it was a subspace pocket capable of storing large objects.

“By the way, I’ve been making good use of the item you gave me, Tower Lord. Though belatedly, I wanted to express my gratitude.”

From the subspace pocket, Charlotte took out a harpsichord, deeply inhaled, and began playing.

‘The Tower Lord is watching me.’

Worried her hands might tremble from nervousness, she was relieved when her fingers moved as deftly as usual. Before long, Charlotte closed her eyes, immersed in her dazzling performance.

Perhaps midway through the piece, Charlotte opened her eyes to gauge Diamid’s reaction.

Unlike before, his expression was stony.

‘Is he savoring the performance?’

Then, Diamid spoke.

“You claimed the child’s skills weren’t improving, yet you had her practice such a piece…”

“Pardon?”

Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Charlotte stopped playing.

Diamid’s eyes were markedly different from before, piercing her with a cold, harsh gaze.

“No wonder her small hands couldn’t keep up no matter how much she practiced.”

“Pardon? Pardon me? Tower Lord, what is the…?”

Flustered, Charlotte struggled to find words until she recalled what she had said earlier.

“That was… I misspoke in an attempt to elevate myself!”

“Are you saying my ears have gone bad? It was clearly an unsuitable piece for the child. Not even remotely similar to the song in the necklace. And after teaching her such a piece, you slandered her as lazy and stubborn…”

Charlotte’s face drained of color. Belatedly realizing something was going awry, she desperately tried to steer the conversation another way. But lies wouldn’t work before Diamid.

“Yes, it’s true I had negative thoughts about the child. But it was all because I admire you, Tower Lord!”

Charlotte stepped closer to Diamid, pleading with tear-filled eyes.

“I know that child is yours, Tower Lord. But you have not officially acknowledged her as your own, have you? Could it be because her mother was of low birth?”

In Charlotte’s eyes was reflected Diamid’s cold gaze, colder than ever before.

“Take me as your companion. Then I shall proudly give you a son bearing the noble blood of you and House Marjansong, instead of that lowborn child…”

“Lowborn?”

Diamid contorted his face as if regarding filth itself.

“To-Tower Lord!”

Of course, Bezrice had been the woman who mocked and abandoned him. But hearing her referred to as lowborn, an inexplicable surge of rage welled up from somewhere deep within.

He had surely sealed away his emotions, so why was he so shaken?

Why had he gone so far as to put on an act, concealing his feelings and expressions over such a trivial matter?

In fact, even taking in a demi-human as a servant knight had been strange from the start.

Previously, he wouldn’t have given the Neandra a second glance, yet suddenly bringing one in as a knight.

The truth was, he had known the answer all along. He had simply been feigning ignorance.

Was it not because he and Jaina overlapped?

“I would prefer never to see you again.”

As if he couldn’t bear to look at her, Diamid glared at Charlotte with a scrunched expression. And that was the last of their interaction.

“Aaaahhh!”

Charlotte felt an overwhelming surge of magic power engulfing her. The force, like a crashing waterfall, rapidly overwhelmed her as she screamed in sheer terror.

“Huk, hueuk.”

How long had her eyes been tightly shut in fear?

Thump!

With a muffled impact, Charlotte slowly opened her eyes.

It seemed she had fallen somewhere, but the sunlight suggested it was thankfully not hell.

“Th-thank goodness. Where is this place?”

Judging from being expelled rather than killed, it didn’t appear the Tower Lord was too enraged.

Once more, Charlotte recalled the Tower Lord’s face from their final confrontation.

‘If I find him again and beg for forgiveness, might he forgive me?’

However, her fantasy was soon shattered.

“There are far too many who cross lines that should never be crossed.”

“You’re right. Those who lack consideration and courtesy.”

The cheerful voices of women came from somewhere nearby.

Relieved, Charlotte rose from her spot. But she could only take a few steps before stopping.

It seemed the impact of her fall had sprained her ankle.

“But where is that rustling sound coming from?”

“Over there…”

While crashing a nobles’ gathering without an invitation was rude, Charlotte wasn’t too concerned. She might face some embarrassment, but her reputation in high society was excellent. Everyone eagerly awaited a chance to hear her perform.

‘They’ll be surprised at first, but soon welcome me.’

However, not knowing her current location was Charlotte’s misfortune.

“Oh my, I hear someone’s voice over there?”

Charlotte brightened at the approaching voices, intending to give her signature cute and lively expression.

“What are you doing here right now?”

“Oh, Princess Elia?”

However, her expression soon froze in shock.

“As far as I know, Lady Charlotte wasn’t invited to this gathering?”

“Princess Elia. Did you perhaps invite this person?”

“No. I’m hearing of her for the first time.”

With Princess Elia’s sudden appearance, Charlotte turned pale. Her fingertips involuntarily trembled.