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Chapter 251: Blooming the Flower (2)

Back in her room, Sasha stood beside the bed, both fists clenched tightly, her head hung low.

At last, she managed to open her mouth.

“M-m-m…”

Her trembling lips looked like they might ring out if tapped.

Oscar, watching Sasha struggle to apologize, silently cheered her on.

‘Just a bit more! You can do it! Just say sorry!’

Perhaps his fervent encouragement finally reached her?

Sasha squeezed her eyes shut and shouted:

“M-might as well go crazy! Aghhh!”

Her face flushed crimson with embarrassment as she cast a baby bird’s pleading gaze at him, as if searching for her mother.

‘No, wait—what am I supposed to do if you look at me like that?’

It wasn’t like he could apologize on her behalf.

As Oscar floundered in his own awkwardness, Lloyd asked.

“Oscar Crucian, explain this to me. Just what exactly is going on here?”

“Ah, well, the Tower Master wanted to formally apologize to you, Mr. Lloyd.”

“…To me? An apology?”

Lloyd turned to look at Sasha with a startled expression, clearly never expecting she would go so far.

“Why?”

“She said… even if she couldn’t trust others, she should have trusted you to the end. That she had to. And she’s sorry she didn’t.”

“Wha—why would you tell him everything like that…”

Sasha muttered, looking troubled.

Lloyd, staring at her, suddenly turned his head.

“There’s no need for her to apologize. Even if I had my reasons for leaving the White Tower, the choice to slip away without a word was mine alone. It would’ve been stranger if she hadn’t misunderstood—tell her that.”

“?”

Oscar blinked. Lloyd could just say that directly—why make him play messenger?

Then he noticed something and smirked faintly.

‘He’s embarrassed, huh?’

When Lloyd got embarrassed, his earlobes always turned red.

Who would’ve thought he still had that same habit after decades?

Trying to act composed in front of his younger sister, yet clearly flustered.

Oscar nodded and relayed the words.

“That’s what he said.”

“B-but I still feel bad, thinking of how hard it must’ve been for him at that young age… Tell him I’m glad he came back, even if it’s late.”

“That’s what she said.”

“…And tell her I’m sorry too—for leaving without a word. It should’ve been me apologizing first.”

“He says so.”

Oscar couldn’t help but chuckle.

Here he was, stuck in the middle, relaying words like some go-between.

They’d both aged, their heads grown, but the way they acted? Still the same as before.

“W-why are you laughing!”

“Why laugh at this?”

Awkward and embarrassed, both turned their irritation on the wrong person.

Oscar only shrugged and replied with mock innocence.

“Just thought the two of you look good together.”

“……”

“……”

Watching them glance away in opposite directions, Oscar felt it wouldn’t take long for them to go back to how they used to be.

“How about I take a picture to commemorate your reconciliation?”

“N-no thanks!”

“I’ll pass.”

Even teasing them was just like old times.

* * *

The news of Lloyd’s return to the White Tower stirred mixed reactions in the council chamber.

“Uh…”

“Hmm…”

This emergency meeting gathered only department heads and above.

Unsurprisingly, Lloyd was not exactly welcomed with open arms.

The first to speak was Fidelina, arms crossed.

“Honestly? I don’t see why we should take him back at all.”

“I think it’s worth considering,”

Said Maxim coolly.

“Looking at sheer power, it’s a good thing. He’s an 8th-level mage, after all.”

“That’s exactly the problem. The timing’s too convenient. What if he’s a Red Tower spy?”

“This time, I agree with Fidelina,”

Added Schwein, unusually siding with her.

“I believe our greatest strength is the trust built by enduring hardships together. From that perspective, a mage who changes towers twice doesn’t inspire much goodwill.”

“Hmm.”

Deputy-Tower Master Hamel turned to Sasha.

“Let’s hear your view, Tower Master. Why bring him back?”

“…He had his reasons,”

Sasha explained, recounting parts of Lloyd’s past while skipping over the most personal matters.

Listening, Fidelina muttered.

“…Now that I think about it, our sponsorship funds jumped right after Lloyd left.”

“So that address you said didn’t match the patron’s details—?”

“Oh! That’s it!”

Covering her mouth in shock, Fidelina’s stance flipped instantly—from hostile to welcoming.

“If Lloyd hadn’t left when he did, the White Tower would’ve collapsed within three years.”

“Was our financial situation truly that dire?”

“Dire? Don’t joke. The imperial compensation all went into rebuilding and restoring magic—we were broke.”

“I see.”

Indeed, the White Tower’s struggles had mostly been about money.

Lloyd’s secret patronage had kept them alive.

“With the Tower Master confirming this, I see no reason to doubt. I support his return.”

“No need to oppose then.”

“Agreed.”

One by one, the mages voiced their approval.

Yet Fidelina still hesitated.

“It’s not that I oppose, but… shouldn’t we think further?”

“About what?”

“The consequences of taking him in.”

The sharp ones caught on quickly and sighed.

Maxim asked.

“You mean the Red Tower?”

“Yes. From their view, we just stole an 8th-level mage right out from under them.”

“…That’s true.”

She pressed on.

“The worst-case scenario is war between towers.”

“Would they really go that far? We have two 8th-level mages now.”

“You never know. That Red Tower Master is infamous for being reckless.”

The chamber fell into tense thought.

Compared to the militarized Red Tower, the White Tower’s growth was fragile.

They had proved themselves a part of the Four Great Towers at the recent festival, but they were far from the strongest.

“We need years to grow—five at the least, maybe ten.”

Her reasoning was sound.

But if they refused Lloyd now, he would never come back.

‘And if Kudel feeds him Gu poison… he may end his own life.’

Oscar refused to let either outcome happen.

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“That doesn’t matter.”

All eyes turned to him.

This, too, was proof of his influence.

After all, he was the one who had raised the White Tower to its present heights in just one year.

“Oscar, I trust you have a reason?”

“Of course.”

He looked at Fidelina, then at Schwein.

“As Elder Schwein said, our strength lies in bonds of trust. The solidarity forged through hardship cannot be matched by any other tower.”

Everyone nodded.

“The White Tower does not abandon its comrades. That’s our reputation. So I ask you all—”

Oscar’s gaze swept the chamber.

“Is Lloyd Schultz our comrade, or not?”

“……”

“……”

The word comrade made them think deeply.

‘Technically, not right now—he’s not part of our tower.’

‘But hasn’t everything he’s done for years been for the White Tower’s sake?’

‘So he’s simply a mage who had to step away, nothing more.’

Being comrades wasn’t about shared affiliation.

It was about whether they’d been running toward the same goal.

“…You leave us with no words.”

Fidelina shrugged.

“I didn’t really oppose his return anyway. Just thought we should be cautious.”

“Fair enough. Every tower needs someone to play the villain,”

Maxim said with a smirk.

“Exactly—wait, villain? Excuse me?”

Their usual bickering drew chuckles.

Deputy-Master Hamel concluded.

“Tower Master, the consensus is clear.”

“…Yes.”

Sasha, smiling faintly, nodded firmly.

“As of this moment, I declare Lloyd Schultz officially reinstated to the White Tower.”

Oscar, nose stinging with sudden emotion, nearly smiled with her—

BANG!

The chamber doors slammed open.

A mage rushed in.

“T-Tower Master!”

“What’s this commotion?”

“The Red Tower Master… he’s here!”

Already?

Far sooner than expected, the color drained from every face.

Sasha’s expression hardened.

“How many did he bring?”

“H-he came alone.”

* * *

Red Tower Master, Kudel Redmane, downed his hot tea in one gulp.

“Ahhh, not bad.”

“……”

Across from him sat Sasha Maestro, the seat of honor left empty.

Though only the two of them were in the reception room, the air was heavy.

“What’s your business?”

“Heh, don’t pretend you don’t know.”

Lounging back, Kudel glanced around, then said:

“I came to take back my disciple. I’ll repay you plenty for feeding and housing him.”

“……”

Sasha’s eyes narrowed.

He was offering her an easy way out: admit she’d merely kept Lloyd temporarily, and he’d overlook even cutting off Dane’s fingers.

The blatant disregard—for her, for the entire White Tower—was infuriating.

“He is here, but he’ll be staying longer. Please leave. If he wishes to return, I’ll send him back myself.”

“…Hmph.”

Kudel tapped the armrest with his finger.

“You thought that through before speaking?”

“I always say only what I can take responsibility for. Unlike some people.”

“Sigh. Why do kids these days always lace their words with barbs?”

Leaning forward, Kudel gave a chilling warning.

“I really wonder—what gives you the confidence to strut around like this? People might think Oscar Sage is still alive.”

“……”

“If it’s the Imperial family you’re relying on, think again. They won’t be coming anytime soon.”

“Funny. That doesn’t match what I was told.”

“Whoever said that must’ve been lying to calm you.”

“No. He wasn’t lying. I, too, only say what I can stand behind.”

“?”

Startled by the sudden voice, Kudel turned toward the reception room’s open door.

‘Oscar Crucian?’

He scowled at the insolent brat—

But as he laid eyes on the man entering, his face froze.

“Please, this way.”

“Ah, it’s been a long time since I visited here.”

The newcomer strode in calmly and claimed the seat of honor as though it were his by right.

Then, turning his head, he spoke casually.

“And what do you know—Kudel, you’re here too? Visiting the White Tower for business?”

The Emperor, Ludwig, had arrived without warning.

Kudel bit down hard on his lower lip.

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