The first day at the Magic Tower passed more smoothly than expected.
Nox, with eyes burning with curiosity, brought over all sorts of vials and unidentified objects. However, I coldly shook my head, refusing anything that wasn’t strictly necessary for my experiments.
‘Even this level of discussion has increased the Deviation Interference rate.’
Currently, it was around 13%. Compared to the speed at which I had been gathering Miracle values until now, this was quite generous.
With the Frost Brand in my right arm now gone, there was no need to assist him more than necessary. After all, “cooperation” was just a nice way of saying I was being treated like a lab rat.
Surprisingly, Nox accepted my refusal without much resistance. Even when I told him I would only cooperate for six hours a day, he merely nodded without expressing any particular displeasure.
He even said I was free to roam the Frost Magic Tower as I pleased—so long as I didn’t engage in any actions that endangered the tower. If I did, the servants would kill me on their own accord.
“I must never leave your side, then.”
Even in the bedroom, Kyle remained in his armor, never allowing his sword to stray far from his reach. Even when pressed close to me, he constantly checked his surroundings, as if ensuring no presence was lurking nearby.
Since I had no such talent for vigilance, I cupped my lover’s cold cheeks in both hands and tried to persuade him.
“You don’t need to, Your Highness. Nox can’t harm me anyway. There’s no need for you to be with me during those six hours I’m in the lab.”
The moment I started speaking, Kyle immediately realized what I was trying to say. His sharp, handsome features twisted slightly with displeasure.
But I wasn’t about to back down.
Since we had come all this way, we needed to gather as much information as possible. Not only to increase the Deviation Interference rate but also because we needed more intel to deal with the Northern Mage Corps.
‘I can’t do everything on my own. Besides, staying together is a waste of time.’
While Nox was occupied talking to me or conducting experiments, he wouldn’t be able to personally keep an eye on Kyle.
That meant it was far more efficient for Kyle to move around during that time. Unlike me, Kyle was highly skilled with a sword, so he could handle most threats that came his way.
Moreover, I wasn’t sure yet what secrets I might end up revealing to Nox in the future. It was safer for Kyle to gather information separately during the day and then share our findings in the evening.
A short silence passed. Kyle knew, logically, that my approach was more practical. But instead of admitting it outright, he stretched out his arms.
“I don’t like it.”
Like a child seeking comfort, Kyle burrowed into my embrace.
For someone so much bigger than me, he could be surprisingly cute. Not that I minded. In fact, having him close was reassuring.
I stroked his back and soothed him.
“I’ll be fine. It would be convenient if we had some kind of device that let us communicate even when we’re apart…”
He chuckled, as if he thought I was joking.
“Even mages struggle with long-distance communication. For non-mages, something like that is impossible.”
“It was common where I came from.”
“…What?”
When I started explaining cell phones, Kyle’s crimson eyes gleamed with interest.
“Such a thing exists…?”
It made sense for him to find it fascinating. Not only could they be charged with electricity instead of magic, but they could also send messages, transmit voices, and even display faces.
He stroked his chin, looking skeptical.
“What a truly mysterious world.”
“Well, to me, this place is even stranger. The dead serving the living, monstrous beasts running wild…”
“There are no beasts in your world?”
“Of course there are. But even for animals like tigers and bears, most people go their entire lives without encountering them directly. You only see them in places like zoos.”
As Kyle listened to my story, his expression darkened slightly.
“A world without mages, beasts, the Empire, or nobility…”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“Shu. That place must have been a much better place for you to live. Safer, too.”
“Uh…”
I couldn’t exactly refute that.
As Kyle said, unless I had a serious illness or got into an unexpected accident, life there would have been much more ordinary—and peaceful—compared to here.
There were no royal heirs constantly dragging me into battles, no insane mages leaving curses on my arm in the split second I tried to escape, and no mutated creatures rampaging through my land.
But still.
“I like it here more.”
I meant every word. Resting my cheek against his shoulder, I let my body relax.
“Sure, the place I came from was more convenient and safe… but that’s not everything in life.”
I had been lonely there.
There was no one I could truly open my heart to—not that I even had the energy for it. Every day, I came home exhausted from work, mindlessly scrolling through my phone until I passed out, only to wake up and drag my tired body back to work.
I was so drained from simply trying to survive that even complaining about it felt like a waste of energy. Not because life was easy, but because venting took too much effort.
Naturally, I drifted away from my friends. It wasn’t that I never met people—I interacted with coworkers every day—but it wasn’t like I could have deep conversations with them.
That was the life I had led.
I had been lonely for so long that I didn’t even recognize it as loneliness anymore. I didn’t want to acknowledge it. The isolation was so solid, so unbreakable, that I thought nothing could ever shatter it.
But at the end of that life, as if by some miracle, I was brought here. And I met Kyle.
Choosing to save him had brought countless dangers, but I had somehow survived them all.
And I fell in love with him.
Kyle felt the same, and his warmth held me here, binding me to this world like gravity.
“I like it here because you’re here, Your Highness.”
Kyle pulled back slightly, staring intently at my face. He seemed to be carefully absorbing the depth of my words.
His hands gripped my shoulders tightly, and he gazed at me with an expression that held something desperate—something longing.
Then, he smiled.
That cold, solemn face of his melted, revealing his uniquely gentle and warm demeanor.
“…I feel the same.”
A smile like that on such an icy face should be illegal. I felt my cheeks burn hot as I quickly turned my head away.
As expected, Kyle wasn’t about to let me escape. He swiftly caught my chin, making sure I couldn’t look away.
Then, without hesitation, he began pressing kisses all over my face—my lips, my cheeks, the tip of my nose, even my eyelids—showering me with his affection and joy.
He was kissing me the way he used to kiss his pet hamster! Someone, save me!
“L-let’s just go to sleep! We have a lot to do tomorrow. We need to wake up early and plan where to investigate—”
“Just a little longer.”
He cut me off by capturing my lips entirely.
This man was getting sneakier by the day.
I smacked his shoulder in protest, but the arms wrapped securely around my waist didn’t budge in the slightest.
“Pwah! Hah… haah… Stop doing this in someone else’s house!”
Kyle let out a low chuckle.
“No one will notice if you stay quiet.”
“…”
His face drew closer again.
His crimson eyes burned hotter than the fireplace, unwavering in their intensity.
I met his gaze with a nervous expression, then finally squeezed my eyes shut.
‘…Huh?’
But the kiss didn’t come.
Instead, he studied my face with a thoughtful look before effortlessly lifting me into his arms and laying me down on the bed.
His hands were surprisingly meticulous as he tucked my head against the pillow and pulled the blankets over me.
“You do seem exhausted. Your reactions are a little slow, too. Now that I think about it, a lot happened today. You should get some rest.”
…Was that so?
Maybe it was just my imagination, but my limbs felt a little heavy.
The night was already deep, and starting tomorrow, I’d be moving all over the tower. I’d be much busier than I was today.
‘I should rest.’
If I went to bed early, Kyle would get at least some sleep too.
Nodding, I reached a hand out from under the blanket and quietly took his. Then, I intertwined my fingers between his warm ones, locking them tightly together.
“You have to sleep too, Your Highness.”
Kyle lifted our joined hands and kissed the back of mine with a smile.
“I promise.”
The next morning.
After using Reload, I dragged my strangely fatigued body to the dining hall, only to find Nox grinning widely, having prepared two meals.
‘Since I already know he’s dead, he doesn’t have to pretend to eat anymore.’
He sipped leisurely from a transparent glass filled with a glowing blue magical potion while watching us eat.
“Now, let’s plan today’s schedule. What’s the plan for you two?”
“Once we finish eating, I’ll head up to your lab.”
“Just the kid?”
“Yes, just me.”
Nox’s eyes narrowed slightly. He must have realized I intended to keep him tied up in his laboratory while Kyle explored the tower.
But this place was crawling with his servants. As expected, he didn’t bother stopping us.
“By the way, you should eat more. Your complexion is terrible.”
“…Me?”
I blinked in confusion and turned to Kyle. Was I really that bad?
Kyle placed a hand on my forehead, his brows furrowing slightly.
“You have a slight fever. Do you want to rest today?”
A fever?
Now that he mentioned it, I did feel a bit chilly. I had put on the clothes Nox provided, but they weren’t enough to block out the tower’s relentless cold.
“This is nothing. It’s not like I can’t move.”
Kyle frowned but didn’t press further, likely worried that delaying our work here would only extend our stay. Instead, he just kept asking if I was really okay.
I made sure to nod extra confidently. Seriously, I was fine. It’s just a mild fever. I wasn’t a child.
“I’ll take it easy today, so don’t worry.”
Nox commented cheerfully.
…Don’t phrase it like that, you damned wizard.
Breakfast soon ended, and it was time for us to separate.
Kyle looked uneasy, so I squeezed his hand tightly and reassured him again, whispering, I’ll be fine.
Then, before he could react, I quickly stood on my toes and pressed a brief kiss to his cheek. The chill of his skin lingered lightly on my lips, feeling even cooler than usual.
“I’ll be back.”
Kyle cupped my face gently, his voice filled with sincerity.
“…Yeah. Come back safely.”
