Chapter 1 Part 2: People Are The Enemy

I had originally planned to study for another year.

The corners of my mouth drooped again.

Ah, no.

I hastily pulled them back up.

I just needed to finish with a final greeting.

I politely bowed.

“Please take care of me this time as well…”

“Alice White―!”

Before I could even finish my sentence, someone shouted so loudly it made the entire hall ring.

It was such an enormous sound that people hurriedly covered their ears.

That voice, could it be…

The moment my face paled, someone leaped over the railing and jumped down.

It was an enormous height, easily the equivalent of five stories, but I wasn’t worried about him.

Rather…

―CRASH!

I was worried about the floor.

The moment his two feet touched the ground, marble fragments and dust exploded in all directions.

Someone in the crowd screamed.

It was probably a mage in charge of repairs at the Magic Tower.

I stared at the man before me with fearful eyes.

His towering height easily surpassed 190cm, his muscles were fully revealed due to his tight-fitting shirt.

The bronze-skinned man glared at me, breathing heavily.

As his hood fell away, his lush, mane-like red hair was fully exposed.

I hastily greeted the man.

“Hi, Aslan.

Long time no see.”

Name, Aslan Tritan.

We had joined the Magic Tower on the same day, at the same time.

Ah, of course, only I considered him a colleague; that guy never thought of me as one.

He was always offended by the fact that we had joined together.

He probably threw a party when I quit.

And as soon as he heard I was getting re-employed…

“You damn bastard.

How dare you set foot in this place again!”

Yeah, I fully expected this.

My body lifted into the air.

Aslan grabbed me by the collar with his unnecessarily firm arm and shook me wildly.

“Don’t you have any pride?

Huh?”

Why wouldn’t I have it?

I do too.

When the Magic Tower first contacted me, I even said flatly, “Do you think I’m crazy enough to go back there?

I just barely escaped from hell to heaven.”

But then…

‘Ah, just for your reference, the salary is about this much.

We have to give this much for our cute Alice.’

It was an amount large enough to make my pride crumble.

Besides, it was an order from the Archmage himself, no less.

Sorry, but even as a mage, I have to be realistic.

Veins rose on the back of Aslan’s hand.

“You submit your resignation in front of everyone, and now you come back here?”

It was getting harder and harder to breathe.

He was still so full of strength.

This was why people outside the Magic Tower mistook him for a warrior, not a mage…

Of course, it wasn’t that I disliked him being strong.

Mages respect each other’s individuality.

I just disliked him using that strength on me, of all people.

“Get lost, right now!

There are plenty of other mages who want to get in here besides you!”

At the very least, could you lower your voice?

My ears hurt.

My ears hurt so much…

Just as I was resigning myself to everything, a cheerful voice rang out.

“Senior Aslan.

Stop it.”

The moment I heard that voice, goosebumps erupted all over my body.

On top of that, my breathing became ragged.

At this point, it was practically an allergy.

“You’re being too harsh.

Senior Alice came here under the Archmage’s orders, you know.”

I heard it again, dammit.

As I, who had been slumping, suddenly twisted my body in agony, Aslan was horrified.

“Wha- what’s wrong with you?”

“How can you not know?

It’s because Senior Aslan is tormenting him so much~”

There it was.

The second major reason for my resignation.

I’d rather have my collar grabbed by you than be harassed by him.

I desperately pleaded with Aslan to hold on tighter, but it was already too late.

“Senior Alice.

I’m truly glad to see you again.”

His curly black hair, like a sheep’s, was impossibly impressive.

Violet eyes that shone clearly like amethysts.

Eyes slanted upwards like a cat’s.

Skin so white it sparkled like snowflakes.

A legendary appearance that made people mistake him for an elf every time he went on a mission.

Moreover, his magical skills had long surpassed mine, even though I had joined a year earlier.

“Congratulations on your re-employment.

Do you know how lonely it was without you, Senior?”

The purple earring in one of his ears sparkled brilliantly.

I muttered blankly.

“…Clam Arkady.”

“Yes!

It’s me, your lovely junior, Clam!”

Not “lovely,” but “dreadful.”

Clam only had good looks and skills; he had no manners.

Do you know how much trouble I went through cleaning up your messes?

Just thinking about it made my stomach churn again.

Clam casually rubbed his face against my shoulder.

“I’m so, so happy you got re-employed, Senior.

I want to give you a gift to celebrate, is there anything you want?”

Anything I want?

I immediately opened my mouth.

“…Please.”

“Huh?”

“Please save me…”

Wasn’t it time to let me go now?

I absolutely refused to be your caretaker again this time.

The moment I saved up enough money, I planned to leave this place again.

Clam’s eyes sparkled.

“We’re going on missions together again, right?

Like before, we can go on missions and eat delicious things, visit fun places.”

Missions?

From the start, my tasks were clearly defined.

I shook my head.

“…That might be difficult.”

Clam’s smiling face instantly froze.

“I won’t be going on missions with you anymore.”

I stepped back, distancing myself from Clam.

I had to act properly.

This time, at least.

I didn’t want to suffer anymore.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t talk to me.

Like Aslan said, I’m practically a traitor.”

“What do you…”

“I left once and came back to the Magic Tower for money.

So…”

Aslan suddenly roared.

“You idiot!”

His large palm roughly covered my mouth.

What the, suddenly?

I was still talking.

I struggled, but Aslan kept his eyes fixed on Clam and didn’t remove his hand from my mouth.

Why was he doing this?

The moment I frowned, Clam spoke.

“Senior.

You came back because of money?”

…Of course.

What else would it be but money?

I tried to answer, but Aslan’s palm was still blocking my mouth.

Clam bit his lip.

“It wasn’t because of me?”

I practically ran away because of you, so why would I come back because of you?

You’re smart and good at magic, so why are you talking nonsense?

Clam took a step closer to me.

“I had a wish while you were gone, Senior.”

“…What wish?”

“That you might miss me, just a little.

But as expected…”

Clam’s voice trailed off.

His smiling face had long since turned expressionless.

Unable to watch anymore, Aslan called Clam’s name.

“Hey, Clam.”

“Shut up, Senior Aslan.”

Click.

Clam spat out roughly and touched his earring with his finger.

“I want to talk to Senior Alice, not you.”

The earring swayed and shone brightly.

Aslan’s expression twisted savagely.

This atmosphere was definitely…

Ah, no.

Aslan loosened the strength in his arm.

I slumped powerlessly to the floor.

Aslan stood in front of Clam.

“Who are you to give orders?

You ill-mannered brat.”

“Back off if you want to keep being treated as a senior?

Especially since you’re weaker than me.”

“This bastard really…”

Aslan raised his hand.

The red gem embedded in his leather glove shone brightly.

“Today, I’ll finally tear that mouth of yours apart.”

“Ha.

I think your mouth will get torn apart first.”

Suddenly, a fight was brewing.

I stared blankly at the two, and the onlookers, who had seamlessly transitioned into spectators, raised their fists and cheered.

Everyone looked terrifyingly accustomed to this situation.

Fights were practically an everyday occurrence for us.

It would be stranger if there weren’t fights when such uniquely individual people gathered in one place.

Mages had the ability and intelligence to clean up after themselves even if they started a fight, so I didn’t particularly feel like stopping them.

But…

I gauged the distance between the two of them and myself, and despaired.

I was going to get caught in the crossfire.

I’d definitely get caught up in it and get hurt too.

I pressed my forehead to the floor.

The stomach pain that had subsided after I quit was flaring up again.

It hurt.

I clutched my belly.

What was I even doing here?

No matter how good the money was, willingly walking back into hell like this.

Should I just quit right now?

While I was lamenting my fate, forgetting to even dodge,

“Everyone, stop.”

Clap.

Someone clapped lightly.

Clam and Aslan, who had been on the verge of lunging at each other, froze in their movements.

“What is this commotion in the sacred Magic Tower?”

A woman was looking down at us.

When did she get here?

That person is…

I immediately straightened up.

The woman pushed up the black horn-rimmed glasses on her face with her finger.

It was Ms. Hilipa, someone no one could treat lightly, the assistant to the Archmage himself, whom even kings revered.

“Alice White.

The Archmage is looking for you.

Please follow me.”

Ms. Hilipa’s eyes quickly swept over the mages.

The mages subtly glanced at her, checking her reaction.

Ms. Hilipa pushed up her glasses once more and commanded coldly.

“And the rest of you, return to your places.

Please do not waste your valuable time like this.”

I-I’m saved.

The mages dispersed quickly, and I hurried to my feet, passing by Aslan and Clam.

I could feel them glaring at me fiercely.

Click, clack.

Watching Ms. Hilipa walking beside me, I swallowed dryly.

Her face was terrifyingly expressionless.

True to her role as the Archmage’s assistant, Ms. Hilipa was famous for being cool-headed anytime, anywhere.

She was one of the most respected figures in the Magic Tower for adeptly handling any unexpected situation, but her unique aura also made many people find her difficult to approach.

For example…

Just then, Ms. Hilipa’s footsteps stopped.