Philip opened his eyes around dawn as usual. He felt like his morning sleep was disappearing day by day.

He slowly moved his body to prepare for work. He washed himself clean, put on a well-ironed uniform, neatly combed back his snow-white hair, and put on his hat.

Looking exactly like the image of a magician people imagine, he suddenly stared blankly at his reflection in the window.

‘When did so much time pass?’

The face of his passionate and ambitious youth is now covered in wrinkles full of traces of time, no longer to be found.

“I’ve really aged a lot too.”

Philip muttered quietly. The flesh around his eyes has sagged, making his already droopy eyes droop even more, and his originally small frame is gradually shrinking.

As always, he was about to use magic to put on his shoes and grab his staff, but he changed his mind.

For the first time in a long while, he picked up the staff himself and put on his shoes. Sitting on the floor, he carefully tied his shoelaces, then gripped his knee and slowly stood up.

He felt an undeniable pain in his joints. He newly realized how old he had become, to the point where even such simple movements were difficult without magic.

“Cough, cough!”

Spitting out a dry cough that erupted for no particular reason, Philip left the house and got into the carriage.

He focused his eyelids and took in the view of the magic tower visible through the window. It’s no exaggeration to say he spent most of his life going back and forth on this road.

While reigning as the tower master, Philip lived putting aside his personal life. He had no family as he never started one, and he had few close friends, countable on one hand.

As the tower master, he achieved many things, but as Philip the person, he’s not so sure. Besides honor and achievements, what else remains for him?

Since he devoted himself to magic from childhood, he barely had a personal life. Philip, newly realizing this fact, quietly thought.

‘Perhaps it’s time for me to start taking care of my own life now.’

Before it was too late, he needed time to live as Philip the person. A day where he didn’t need to set achievements or lead people, but simply drink tea in the morning and take a walk in the warm sunlight at noon.

The moment when such ordinary days become precious and important had arrived.

Having sorted out his troubled mind in an instant, Philip entered the magic tower. The assistant, who had become a morning person half-forcibly due to his diligent superior, bowed his head upon seeing him.

“You’ve arrived, Tower Master.”

“Hohoho, good morning.”

“Yes, shall I bring you some tea?”

Philip didn’t answer and stood in place for a moment, looking at his assistant. The assistant, who had been working under him for over 20 years, had now entered middle age.

When I first saw him, he was a bright-eyed young man. Now he had streaks of gray hair and was a father with two children.

Feeling uncomfortable under the staring gaze, the assistant asked with an awkward expression.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Hohoho. No tea, but please call a meeting of the tower’s executives this afternoon.”

“Understood. But may I ask what the agenda is?”

The assistant asked meticulously, ready to faithfully carry out even unexpected orders. Philip answered with a gentle smile.

“To officially announce the next tower master.”

“Yes, I underst… What?!”

The assistant’s eyes widened as if they would pop out. Designating the next tower master meant that Philip was retiring, didn’t it?

He opened his mouth, stammering with a shocked face.

“T-Tower Master, surely…”

“I’ve grown too old now. It’s time to make way for a new future.”

“But…”

“Well then, I’ll leave it to you.”

Philip lightly patted the assistant’s shoulder and quietly disappeared into his office. Seeing his back looking much smaller than before, the assistant couldn’t say anything.

Arasila suddenly stopped her steps as she was about to go out. Turning her body abruptly, she faced the mirror.

Her deep blue eyes scrutinized herself from head to toe. As if something was not to her liking, a slight wrinkle formed between her brows.

“…My lady? What’s wrong?”

Audrey, who had been waiting by the open door obliviously, belatedly asked. Arasila, who had been staring at herself in the mirror with a serious expression, said:

“I think I need to tie my hair again.”

“Pardon?”

“Doesn’t it look a bit messy? I want to tie it up neatly and high.”

Audrey blinked with a bewildered face.

It was the first time Arasila had expressed such dissatisfaction during her preparation to leave for work. Wasn’t she the one who would let her hair down freely when she couldn’t be bothered?

‘Why is she suddenly so concerned…?’

Although Audrey found it strange, she complied with her mistress’s request. She untied the low and loose ribbon and fixed the hair up high.

“Is this alright now?”

“Yes.”

Arasila nodded with satisfaction after confirming there were no stray hairs.

“You’re suddenly paying attention to your hair, do you have an important schedule at the tower today?”

“…No, not really.”

Arasila mumbled her answer, avoiding eye contact. She couldn’t reveal the truth that she didn’t want to show even a slightly disheveled appearance in front of Demian.

Ahem. An embarrassed fake cough escaped her lips.

One knows best when they’re acting differently from usual.

“Let’s go quickly.”

Arasila hurriedly moved her legs, pretending to be in a rush as she headed to the dining hall.

Demian, who had arrived first, was sitting and waiting. His silver hair was neat today as well. Just like Arasila’s hair.

“Good morning, wife.”

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.”

Demian looked at Arasila with a gentle smile. Reflexively, the corners of Arasila’s mouth also curved into a smile.

At the smiling faces that seemed to be surrounded by blooming flowers and light, the two simultaneously turned their eyes away. They didn’t want to show their reddened faces first thing in the morning.

Fortunately or unfortunately, they both acted the same way at the same time, so neither noticed the other’s strange behavior.

After finishing a simple meal and leaving the mansion, Demian personally opened the carriage door and held out his hand.

“Have a good day and take care.”

“Thank you, you too.”

Arasila took his hand and got into the carriage. As she sat down and was about to withdraw her hand, Demian suddenly caught it.

He lowered his head and kissed the back of her snow-white hand. As the warm and soft sensation touched her skin, Arasila’s eyes widened at the unexpected greeting.

Demian pressed his lips firmly, then released them, raising his gaze slightly and pulling up the corners of his mouth.

“Have a pleasant day.”

“…Yes.”

Arasila closed the door with her head slightly bowed. She could feel her cheeks burning and the back of her hand that had been kissed was strangely ticklish.

She leaned her arm on the window and covered her mouth with her hand. It was because laughter kept escaping. Why was she in such a good mood from the morning over something like this?

The smile that kept flowing continued until she arrived at the magic tower.

“Hello, everyone.”

“Welcome, senior! Oh my, did something good happen?”

Sally, who had greeted her energetically, tilted her head as she looked at Arasila’s face.

“Why?”

“You’re smiling from ear to ear.”

She pulled her lips into a smile and pointed at her own mouth. Arasila awkwardly brushed her cheek.

“Ah… Was I?”

“Yes, you look extremely happy.”

Rudy also chimed in. As she touched around her mouth hesitantly, she realized her lips were still slightly curved upwards.

“I guess I have a feeling today will be a lucky day.”

Arasila finally gave up on suppressing her smile and responded with a bright grin.

At this point, she had no idea her words would become reality.

As she was conducting research as usual, news of an urgent executive meeting being called came through. Arasila finished her meal and attended the meeting without much thought.

The meeting room was quiet, as half of the executives had been swept away by the previous incident. After exchanging brief greetings with the survivors, she sat down and thought.

‘They said there was an important announcement scheduled, are they going to appoint new executives?’

Just in case Philip changed his mind, the assistant had not revealed the reason for the meeting. As a result, Arasila and the other executives had gathered without knowing why.

Before long, Philip appeared at the head seat. He seemed the same as usual, yet strangely lighthearted.

“Hohoho, thank you all for coming. I have something important to say, so I called you here urgently.”

“Are you talking about appointing new executives?”

One of the executives voiced the same guess as Arasila. Philip shook his head gently with a warm smile.

“No, that’s not it.”

“Then what is it you’re going to announce?”

“I’m going to declare the successor of the magic tower.”

At those words, the meeting room immediately became noisy. Everyone looked at Philip with surprised faces. Arasila was no exception.

Choosing a successor for the magic tower meant that Philip would be handing over the position of tower master to the next person and stepping down, didn’t it?

This also meant that the next tower master, which had been a topic of discussion for a long time, was finally being decided.

Amidst the unsettled atmosphere, the senior magician who had known Philip the longest among the executives spoke up.

“Tower Master, this is too sudden. With half of the executives already gone, for you to step down as well… It could bring great confusion to the magic tower.”

The other magicians nodded in agreement. Arasila had the same thought. She couldn’t yet imagine a magic tower without Philip.

Moreover, given that some magicians had to be expelled recently due to unfortunate events, they needed someone to serve as a focal point for strong cohesion.

Philip seemed to understand their feelings, maintaining a gentle expression while speaking firmly.

“That’s why we need to decide on the next tower master now. So that person can select the members of the next generation.”

There’s a saying that opportunity comes in the midst of crisis. Philip thought the current situation was exactly that. Now that the magic tower had been shaken once, it was the perfect time for a generational change.

While the executives understood his intention, they couldn’t hide their feelings of disappointment and regret.

“But we’re not mentally prepared to let you go yet, Tower Master.”

“That’s right. You were the Tower Master even before I joined the magic tower. I can’t believe that’s going to change.”

Philip was the longest-serving tower master in history. As such, there were many who trusted and followed him.

Philip calmly looked around at the magicians who were murmuring with uneasy expressions, then spoke.

“Don’t worry too much. Just because I’m designating a successor doesn’t mean I’m retiring right away. It’s just that this old man should stop being worked so hard, and we should prepare to make the young one suffer.”

“If that is your wish, Tower Master… we will accept it.”

Philip was at the end of his old age, too old for them to insist he stay longer. Some had noticed that his health had notably worsened recently.

It was better to choose the next tower master while Philip was still somewhat active, and prepare for the future.

“Do you have someone in mind for the next tower master?”

At the question someone quietly asked, the meeting room fell silent. Philip didn’t deny it and slowly nodded.

Even before he revealed the person’s name, all eyes focused on one place.

That place was Arasila.