NOVEL NEXT Chapter 365
Winterhome Wizard’s Tower, topmost floor.
The current Chief Magic Consultant’s office, research room, and bedroom.
“Oh, um. Cough cough.”
A cough that felt a bit awkward. Karem quickly scanned the room.
As always, the work desk was cluttered with various scraps of parchment and scrolls, reference books, and even the coffee table with Catherine lounging on the guest sofa was littered with magic books and parchment.
The office, recently cleaned by Mary, was filled with the smell of fresh air rather than the usual musty ink and paper scent.
The fireplace, usually ablaze, felt a tad chilly as it too had been extinguished.
Turning his gaze slightly, Karem spotted shelves and storage racks holding various materials, and a bit further revealed Catherine’s personal space.
The top floor of the Wizard’s Tower was the haven for the Chief Magic Consultant.
In other words, no one else could use it apart from Catherine.
Typically, one would segregate the office, research room, and bedroom, but Catherine seemed too lazy to go back and forth, so she had combined all three into one.
Although the space might sound cramped, as previously noted, there was only one person living on the top floor.
In fact, the space was so abundant it overflowed.
Considering Catherine’s penchant for gathering belongings, it was only natural for such a situation.
There were magical materials whose origins were unknown, magic tools pending classification or requests, byproducts from specific monsters or beasts, and perhaps a haphazard pile of clothes tossed aside.
But something unexpected caught his eye.
To be specific, a wall with a door.
Its volume was about a quarter of the office space.
Inside, barely visible, was a bed he hadn’t seen before.
“Did you change the bed? It seems larger than before.”
Looks like that must be the bedroom from now on.
The original wardrobes and several shelves, some tables, and a few chairs seemed absent. They were probably inside there.
As Karem surveyed the slightly more cluttered office, Mary quietly inquired.
“You seem not surprised?”
“I had a heads-up from Narque. I saw some senior moving the furniture from my room earlier.”
“Oh.”
Mary suddenly stroked her chin, marveling softly.
“A senior, huh…”
“What’s with that?”
“It sounds far sweeter than I expected after such a long time. Do continue to call me that—”
“I won’t.”
“How disappointing.”
But perhaps hearing the word ‘senior’ after so long was genuinely pleasing, Mary tried poking him a few more times, looking crestfallen as she exited the office.
“Hmm… so, it’s cohabitation, then.”
“Well, surely you don’t have any complaints about it?”
His tone suggested certainty, though his demeanor told otherwise. A slight flush dusted his ears and neck, casting his nonchalance into doubt.
“Me? How could I possibly have a complaint?”
He was simply startled by an unexpectedly vacant room.
Upon reflection, he noted that even with the increased belongings amounting to one person’s worth, the excessive space in the room was quite absurd.
Of course, Karem had always owned fewer belongings, but still, it should have been a fair amount for one person.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if it were a good thing.”
“Uh, yeah.”
“But you’re not really angry, are you?”
“Who said I’m angry?”
“What do you mean? If I walked in and saw just a bed in there, I might wonder if my things had been tossed out!”
Such a situation would signal a breakup, whether it was a married couple or lovers.
Naturally, Karem felt a twinge of guilt as well. Despite it being just a teleport hub, having frequented lately, it raised ample suspicion.
However, Catherine didn’t harbor any such thoughts.
In fact, she was utterly unconcerned with suspicions regarding Karem.
Her reflections stemmed more from her encounters over tea time with Elizabeth, which had nothing at all to do with Karem’s concerns.
Let’s rewind time a bit; this had happened.
“Atanitas. So, when’s the wedding?”
“The wedding? Well, I haven’t really thought about it.”
“Uh, why not?”
“Honestly… isn’t that a bother?”
In her innocent blink at the idea of swapping rings, Elizabeth nearly unleashed a protest.
Meanwhile, Skadi perched in the clouds found herself wanting to protest but was restrained by Tutatis.
There was no way that was sufficient justification.
Yet Elizabeth held her peace.
Now was not the time to screw things up.
That single thought quelled Elizabeth’s excitement.
True, Catherine hadn’t been fond of socializing, nor was she keen on burdens. It had taken quite a while even to have this tea time.
Thus, letting go liberally, Elizabeth attempted a different approach.
“Ah, I hadn’t considered that point. So, when will the cohabitation begin?”
“…”
A brief silence.
However, Elizabeth did not miss that moment.
“Cohabitation?”
Ah, success.
From that moment, Elizabeth effectively drained Catherine of her wits.
Consequently, it took a while for Catherine to realize her behavior had crossed a line.
It wasn’t merely about being kicked out of a room; the suggestion that she could stay in a better room—sharing it with her lover no less—was a trap set by Elizabeth.
Frankly, thinking back, it was nonsensical.
Taking away belongings without the owner’s say so?
In ignorance of the circumstances, Karem’s assertion echoed loudly as a breakup.
The problem arose just as she realized this; Mary had moved all her items and then exchanged glances with Karem afterward.
How could it be—here was a newly prominent Grand Wizard, bowing to a girl who hadn’t lived for even half as long as he had.
Under normal circumstances, there should be no reason for embarrassment, and he should realize Elizabeth’s ploy as well!
Catherine struggled to suppress her complex flush, but it didn’t seem effective.
Her body was less swayed by her usual cold reason.
“Anyway, have you looked at everything?”
“The range of your flush is expanding.”
“I said! Have you looked at everything!”
“Oops, I signed up for a daily visit.”
Karem, who had lightly prodded Catherine, quickly raised both hands in surrender.
Based on past experiences, he understood that beyond a certain point, it was a warning not to pursue further. Karem learned this from Mary.
Karem took a seat beside the sofa where Catherine rested, and as she leaned comfortably, a silence settled between them.
“It feels, uh, awkward.”
“What’s awkward about it?”
“No, it’s just that this is cohabitation…”
It was suddenly embarrassing.
Every moment felt so fresh there was no time to adapt.
As he held his tongue against the prickly sensation, Catherine intertwined their fingers and whispered.
“Were you nervous?”
“Honestly?”
Although it was a question, it was basically an affirmation.
Catherine’s ears and blush flared brighter.
What a tease, while feeling embarrassed herself.
Thanks to that, the atmosphere grew even more awkward.
It wasn’t entirely unpleasant; just not exactly comfortable.
“So, about that bed in the bedroom you can see in there…”
“Bed, you say?”
“Yeah. Did you get a bigger one?”
“… Well, yes, but more importantly, go ahead and tell me what you were doing in there!”
Before Karem could even ask why he needed to, Catherine pressed him urgently.
He felt a distinct warmth radiating from her head and arms. Given the magic that usually made her cool, she was flustered now.
There was no need to press the big red button. Karem decided to report cleanly what had happened during his absence.
There was nothing complicated to explain. The lead was Inamark and Michael; Karem had only trained the staff.
He laid it out plainly.
“Wait, what’s that smell?”
Slowly, Catherine inhaled deeply.
“Huh? The smell? I didn’t sweat at all.”
“No, that’s not the smell I mean.”
Catherine turned her head and buried her nose in her shoulder.
The source of the odor was beside her.
The door opened, letting a fresh gust sweep in.
As her nose acclimated to the scent of paper and ink, she finally registered a new fragrance.
The strong smell of charcoal.
Thick with the aroma of burnt soy sauce, the scent of pork was undeniably potent.
Just that one odor could allure anyone to drink; if a Dwarf had been present, they’d already be hollering about needing to know what that smell was!
“Oh, is that Pork Belly BBQ?”
“It is indeed Pork Belly BBQ.”
Catherine rolled her tongue over the unfamiliar word, delighting in it.
“What exactly is that dish?”
“It’s nothing much. Just meat marinated in soy sauce-based seasoning for a day, then grilled over charcoal.”
“Nothing much, huh!”
This girl casually spouted something great.
Catherine briefly closed her eyes, imagining what it might taste like.
With just that snippet, there wasn’t much to go on, but Karem’s otherworldly cooking had firmly embedded itself in Catherine’s mind.
Thus she quickly reached a near-correct conclusion.
“That’s a dish served with bread, no wait, rice.”
“… What did I just say?”
“So, was I wrong?”
“No, you’re right but—”
Pork Belly BBQ, an abbreviation for Pork Bulgogi Set.
The term ‘Set’ refers to a meal accompanied by rice, soup, and side dishes all on one tray.
Catherine felt satisfied as Karem’s nearly accurate description lead her to say.
“Good, splendid. Then we should have that.”
“Uh, right now?”
“Of course. Is there a problem? You’re not about to whine about snacks, are you?”
“No, that’s not it, but—”
Today, Catherine had munched on custard pudding in the afternoon.
Someone who normally had a big appetite wouldn’t feel full from merely a few custard puddings.
‘Unless they were bucket puddings or something.’
Still, that wasn’t the point Karem meant to make.
He pointed outside the window.
“Isn’t it about time for the Dinner Banquet?”
The vaguely visible sun was setting, painting the dreary sky a bright orange with its glow.
*
*
*
Finally relaxed, the Great Hall’s dinner banquet felt strangely more… sumptuous than usual.
This was no mere illusion on Karem’s part.
The former Duke Felwinter himself had come with his attendants; one couldn’t afford to host poorly in response. Yet, the past inefficiencies stemmed from the previous abruptness of Richard’s visit.
So, it could be said that now they were appropriately prepared for a banquet befitting a guest.
Karem was immensely pleased.
After all, there spread before him a feast made with far more care than usual; how could he possibly dislike it?
“…”
However, that was not the case for Catherine.
She merely felt regret.
“Contractor, I’ve completely stripped the meat.”
“Right.”
Of course, they were still dining separately.
“I’ll prepare it fresh for you tomorrow morning.”
“I said nothing about that.”
Yet, as Karem’s dedicated chef, he read her unspoken grievances clearly. True enough, she hadn’t voiced anything, but it was obvious it longed for some pork belly BBQ right this moment.
‘What can I do to ease her spirits?’
With that in mind, the solution seemed simple.
“How about a late-night snack?”
“A late-night snack? Just like that?”
Suddenly, Catherine perked up, her ears twitching.
“If you can’t eat what you want in time, your heart aches.”
“Well, Karem, if that’s what you want, then do it.”
Despite the words she used, Catherine seemed to brighten considerably; the discomfort that had lurked just moments before vanished entirely as she began savoring her meal.
‘So this is the way to go.’
With that feedback in mind, he could see that it was undeniably the right answer.
Someone might say he was overly dramatic, but the allure of grilled charcoal-marinated meat boasted such power.
At last, just as Karem set his mind to relish the gravies before him—
“—This old geezer cannot accept it!”
“But Henry is my friend!”
On the other side of the table, he heard voices rising beyond the chatter.
To his surprise, Richard and Alicia were at it.
“What in the world is happening here?”
“It seems that His Grace the Duke of Baron has considerable dissatisfaction regarding the princess’s friendships.”
“Just a fool being a fool, that’s all.”
Iona replied lightly to Olivier’s comment.
“He’s a mean old man!”
A shrill cry echoed.
In the gathering where the whole castle was dining, that level of noise could typically be ignored.
But in the Great Hall, every living soul froze.
Trickle, trickle—
Beer spilled from a common knight’s horn to the table and beneath it, yet neither commoners nor nobles uttered a word.
All eyes locked onto the royal table.
“Alicia is leaving!”
“Oh, Alicia.”
The entire hall held suspicions over what they were witnessing.
Alicia refusing to eat and departing?
Such a thing was unthinkable.
Yet there it was, happening right before their eyes.
Regardless, all the gazes fixed on her, Alicia stomped her feet angrily and dashed out of the Great Hall.
“What just happened…”
“According to what I overheard from the younger prince, His Grace Richard mentioned he would not tolerate the friendship with Prince Henry.”
“There, His Grace made the mistake.”
From one side or the other, they were still just children speaking sounds.
Karem’s assertion was shared by Olivier, Iona, Mary, Catherine, and William at the noble table.
As they listened to William, the other Felwinter family members nodded along as well.
“I will not accept it! Our darling cannot play with a boy!!!”
It was a tad pathetic for Richard to be so adamant alone.