I Broke Off My Engagement and Got a Job at the Academy

55 – Festival

I smiled as I looked around the festival. I felt a sense of satisfaction, as if I had achieved something worthwhile.

Various people gathered around the magic tower, creating a festive atmosphere.

In the past, I didn’t particularly care about such things, but today, feeling good, I decided to explore the festival with Professor Cordelia and Cerise.

I could feel the gaze of people looking at me. If it were a day in the past, I would have tried to avoid those looks. There was nothing particularly good about those days.

But today was different. I confidently smiled, enjoying the gazes of people. Unlike in the past, their eyes were filled with amazement and awe.

In response, Professor Cordelia smiled and said, “Our disciple, excited, aren’t you?”

“Of course, it’s exciting.”

Who wouldn’t be excited in such an atmosphere? People who used to mock, pity, or look down on me were now looking at me with admiration. Could I just stand still?

“Oh dear. Dressed so beautifully and with such remarkable abilities, people must be flocking to praise our excellent disciple, right?”

Cerise, instead of opposing Professor Cordelia’s words by belittling me, seemed to have decided to uplift me. I burst into laughter at Cerise’s attitude.

“Oh, what’s that? It looks fascinating.”

Thanks to the festival organized by the Magic Tower Society, there were not only street vendors but also wizards selling magic products and artifacts they had created.

I leisurely observed them. Time was on my side, and I was in a good mood. So, I planned to fully enjoy the festival.

Cerise and Professor Cordelia also seemed to find it interesting in their own ways. Thus, I continued to explore here and there.

“They say he’s the star of this society. I heard he was the heir of a fallen family, but whether it’s because of being born as the heir of a prestigious family or not, he’s incredibly impressive.”

“That’s right. Among the nobles, many would probably want to have a private conversation with him. I bet his value has skyrocketed in an instant.”

“He created such magic. Just selling artifacts alone must bring in a fortune…”

The memory of falling from grace is said to be more vivid than the original fall. The same seems to apply in the opposite direction. Falling into the abyss and then rising to a high position again creates a powerful memory.

I felt anew the praises I had heard countless times in the past. My body felt light, as if it could fly.

Therefore, I smiled. Confidently. And assuredly.

In front of me, someone appeared.

Silver hair. Amethyst-colored eyes. My former fiancée, who had become so unfamiliar… Arielle was there.

I remained silent. She spoke to me.

“…the presentation, well done. It was impressive. Congratulations.”

Even after hearing those words, I remained silent. I didn’t know what to say. I still hadn’t sorted out my feelings about my ex-fiancée.

“…”

Seeing me like that, Ariel smiled as if to reassure me.

“…I just wanted to congratulate you. I’m going now. Congratulations.”

With those words, Ariel turned away, wearing a slightly sad smile, and disappeared into the crowd.

“…”

I continued to watch her back until she completely disappeared, then turned away.

She wasn’t what mattered to me now.

After some time, nobles began approaching me one by one. The high-ranking ones hadn’t approached yet, but still, it was something.

I answered their questions sincerely.

“Do you have plans to sell artifacts?”

“Yes. I plan to sell, but not a lot. It’s difficult to make, and I don’t want to mass-produce. Besides, I’ll make it so that if someone tries to leak the formula, it’ll just be destroyed.”

“Do you accept sponsorships? I’ll provide funds to you!”

“I have no plans to accept sponsorship. I work as a professor at the academy, and if I need capital, there are people who help me.”

I looked towards Ceris as I said that.

Count Derin benefited the most when the Kainers’ family collapsed. According to Ceris, he didn’t want to pass the Kainers’ belongings to other upstarts.

As a result, Count Derin had risen to prominence, almost to the brink of the last remaining big family. Of course, Ceris’s personal abilities must have played a significant role.

Now, not involved in politics, Count Derin, who had no problems at all, suffered a setback from the rumors about me.

“Ugh…”

It was absurd to try to reach out to someone supporting you from a much stronger family. Moreover, there was no limit to Ceris supporting me.

“All that I have is for you.”

Saying so, Ceris had asked me to tell her if I needed anything. Naturally, there was no need for support from anyone else.

Moreover, I wasn’t in a situation where I needed a lot of support. I didn’t have to conduct additional research, and the situation was that money would multiply by making and selling artifacts.

“What sponsorship, sponsorship.”

Materials? The professor’s salary alone could cover that without even asking Ceris. In the academy, they didn’t find the cost of a professor’s research wasteful.

In short, I didn’t have anything to ask of them. They might have many expectations from me, but I realized that someone had said this to me.

“Do you have no intention of marrying my daughter? I will offer my daughter to you. It may sound strange to say this, but my daughter is very beautiful…”

“That’s enough.”

Seris interrupted the nobleman who had come to propose a marriage alliance to me. Well, I had never intended to accept in the first place. I had no interest in marriage, and what could I possibly gain from marrying a lower-ranking nobleman, both practically and socially?

Ancestry and honor as a noble lineage? Those were things commoners might covet. After all, my own family was the Kainus clan. Even if it had fallen on hard times, it still had its roots intact. Besides, I had a title of my own, albeit not a particularly prestigious one. In short, there was nothing to gain from this marriage proposal.

But what was positive about it was that, as my family fell into decline and I became ostracized from society, nobles started to flock to me.

For now, it might only be lower-ranking nobles, but the value of my body was on the rise, and when that happened, the upper-ranking nobles couldn’t just sit idly by.

What would their expressions be when that time came? I wondered, as I obediently followed Seris, who had taken hold of my arm.

The murmurs grew louder. Perhaps rumors would spread that I was Seris’s lover or husband.

Well, strictly speaking, Seris and I didn’t have that kind of relationship, and even if we were to engage in a romantic relationship, I couldn’t be called her husband anymore.

I thought to myself and said to Seris, “I never had any intention of accepting a marriage proposal like this, so why rush into it?”

Upon hearing that, Seris let out a small sigh and replied, “I just didn’t want to see those clueless people making a scene.”

Well, if that’s the case, there’s nothing I can do about it.

I chuckled softly.

At that moment, Professor Cordelia looked at Seris and me with an amused expression and said, “My students, let’s go over there. I heard there’s something interesting.”

“…There’s nothing there, though?”

The only thing there was a tavern… Oh.

“I don’t drink.”

“Why, it’s a joyous occasion; you should raise a toast.”

“If that’s the case, we should quietly have a drink at Seris’s mansion. How can we drink here in such a noisy establishment? Seris would be uncomfortable too.”

“Well, then let’s just drink the two of us…”

Crash! It was the sound coming from the tavern Professor Cordelia had pointed at. It seemed like a fight had broken out.

Professor Cordelia smiled awkwardly and said, “Let’s just have a drink at the mansion. What kind of place is this? The alcohol here is all cheap. We should open an expensive bottle.”

“You seem quite naturally interested in our mansion’s high-quality liquor.”

“Why, so you won’t offer me a drink just because it’s expensive?”

“I wouldn’t do that. Do I come off as that stingy?”

“You were said to be quite stingy.”

“That doesn’t apply to Idun, you know. What do you think is the reason I save money?”

Seeing the comical sight of Professor Cordelia and Cerise, I burst into laughter.

Then, someone approached me.

“Ah, sorry, but I don’t entertain discussions about sponsorship or private consultations.”

With a bow, the man in front of me spoke.

“I come from the Hwangga.”

“…”

“Could you come with me?”