“Above all, my lady, you have more than enough potential to become the tower master, so don’t put others down out of an inferiority complex.”

Demian finished speaking in a low voice, as if warning.

Arasila is a person overflowing with passion and talent. She would surely be able to achieve her dream of becoming tower master if she wanted.

At his confident words, the magicians seemed to want to say something, exchanging glances and mumbling their lips.

“…But it won’t happen?”

Then someone softly objected. Demian frowned and searched for the person who said it.

However, looking around at everyone’s faces, he couldn’t tell who had spoken. Because everyone was staring at him with the same eyes and expressions.

Faces certain that Arasila would not become tower master.

Dumbfounded, Demian narrowed one eye and opened his mouth sharply.

“How would you know that―”

“It’s not us who don’t know, but Lord Vandermir.”

“That’s right, he’s a knight. He doesn’t know anything about magic towers or magicians.”

Some magicians rebelled with dissatisfaction. Demian was at a loss for words, unable to deny their statements, when:

“Then let me, who knows well about magic towers and magicians, tell you.”

A clear voice interjected between them.

Arasila approached Demian’s side with a relaxed smile, having arrived at some point.

“I will become the tower master.”

Arasila added with a smirk towards the once again silent people:

“At least I have more potential than you lot who gossip about colleagues and then keep blabbing shamelessly when caught by her husband?”

At her words, several faces flushed red.

Arasila looked at them with cold eyes, contrary to her brightly smiling lips, and said:

“If you understand, don’t cluster like a swarm of ants and disperse.”

People hesitantly scattered in all directions. There was nothing to gain from raising their voices in an argument with Arasila here.

In an instant, the area around Arasila and Demian cleared. Even those who had been watching the situation from a distance left whispering.

Arasila silently looked at Demian. Demian quietly looked down at her as well.

Arasila’s lips slowly opened.

“Shall we step out for a bit?”

The two moved to a secluded lounge rarely visited by people.

Since many magicians shut themselves in their labs and don’t go outside, the lounges inside the magic tower were deliberately decorated like gardens with artificial trees planted for welfare.

Demian sat down following Arasila, who sat on a bench under a tree.

After sitting side by side for a while just looking ahead without speaking, Demian broke the silence first.

“Were those people always disliking my lady?”

“I’m not sure either. Whether they originally disliked me, or came to dislike me because of some incident.”

Arasila answered in a somewhat indifferent voice. Demian gazed steadily at her, who seemed deep in thought despite appearing nonchalant.

In reality, Arasila’s mind was complex.

They would only chatter behind her back, not daring to move in front of her.

That’s why Arasila had recommended rest to Demian when she briefly went to meet Philip. In case they said nonsense or messed with him while she was gone.

She expected they might, being cowards who couldn’t openly reject the possibility of her becoming tower master while acting behind her back.

But to think they’d really get caught gossiping by Demian.

She didn’t feel good about showing him a side of herself she particularly didn’t want him to see.

“If I had known they were on bad terms with my lady, I wouldn’t have spoken to them from the start.”

“Then you wouldn’t have many magicians to talk to.”

Arasila retorted with a snicker. Demian then asked seriously:

“Why do they act that way towards my lady? Out of wariness or jealousy?”

His expression was grave, as if he himself had been gossiped about.

Arasila stared at that face for a moment before abruptly asking back:

“Do you think you could understand if I told you the reason?”

“If you mean those people, I won’t. If you mean yourself, I’ll try to understand even if I can’t.”

At his extremely biased answer, Arasila laughed softly and fell into thought. Demian calmly waited for her to open her mouth.

After a long while, Arasila’s story began.

“For a long time, there’s been a prejudice in the magic tower that it’s useless to nurture female magicians since most quit working after marriage.”

The only person who discovered Arasila’s talent early on and scouted her without being influenced by that prejudice was Philip, the current tower master.

Thanks to him, Arasila was able to enter the magic tower as the youngest magician, but that was just the beginning.

Even with Philip’s backing, there were far too many obstacles in Arasila’s path.

“At first, people wondered how long I would work at the tower before quitting to get married. There had never been a case of a noblewoman from a good family remaining as a tower magician till the end.”

Those tiresome doubts played a big part in Arasila’s declaration of celibacy.

She thought if she said she would never marry, people might believe her a bit and find credibility in her words about wanting to become tower master.

“Moreover, due to crimes committed by some in the past, female magicians have the negative image of using their powers swayed by personal emotions.”

So Arasila tried not to show emotionally excited behavior in front of her tower colleagues as much as possible.

It wasn’t difficult since she didn’t have an easily agitated personality to begin with. But it was frustrating at times.

Regardless of age or gender, all people sometimes act emotionally and sometimes calmly depending on the situation.

Everyone seemed wary that she might use her abilities emotionally just because she was a woman.

In reality, no matter who frequently showed emotional behavior, they focused on Arasila the most.

“That’s also why there hasn’t been a single female tower master in history. They say female magicians retire when they marry or have children, and are generally too emotional to be given important positions.”

In such an atmosphere, Arasila’s rise as a candidate for the next tower master was encouraging.

Her talent was more brilliant than anyone’s, and contrary to public prejudice, she devoted all her time and effort solely to magic.

Year by year, more people predicted Arasila would become the first female tower master.

But the situation flipped when she had a prophetic dream and married Demian.

People once again distrusted Arasila, harboring near certainty that she would eventually quit the tower now that she was married.

The momentum of Arasila, who had been considered a strong candidate for the next tower master, faltered. It was fortunate that other candidates couldn’t surge ahead.

“I was relatively free from that prejudice, but not after marriage.”

While she had many enemies to begin with, it was true that more overt and direct attacks came in after marriage.

“Of course, marrying you was my choice, and I was the one who proposed, so I’m not blaming you. But I’ll continue to suffer from this prejudice throughout our marriage.”

“…”

“That’s why I want you to inherit the duke’s position as soon as possible. I don’t want my dream to be hindered just because of marriage.”

After hearing Arasila’s story, Demian couldn’t say anything.

In fact, until now he thought that while Arasila hadn’t gained anything from marrying him, she hadn’t lost much either.

His family did cause her harm, but if you put that aside for a moment.

Their cherished values being shattered was the same for both, and on the surface, the union of House Vandermir and House Hugo seemed more beneficial to Arasila’s side.

Moreover, he hadn’t restricted Arasila’s external activities after marriage and let her be free, even cooperating at times and always helping when she was in trouble, so he had been trapped in such arrogant thoughts.

But after hearing the magicians’ gossip and Arasila’s words this time, he realized.

In reality, Arasila had taken an unimaginable hit from marrying him.

This was separate from the fact that they had agreed to a contract marriage. After all, Demian personally hadn’t suffered any losses from marrying Arasila.

No one told him to step down from his position as commander of the knights because he got married.

Until now, he hadn’t had the chance to feel the pressure Arasila received internally and externally after marriage, so he couldn’t realize it.

The Grand Madam and Duchess did nag that she should quit the tower now that she was married, but it seemed largely aimed at picking faults, so he didn’t take it seriously.

Arasila also seemed to take it similarly and brushed it off, making him think of it even more lightly.

Upon realizing this, he suddenly recalled the words he had spoken when fighting with Arasila over his mother’s dress.

‘Well, what would someone like you who’s lived such an easy life know?’

‘What would you know, having lived like a flower in a greenhouse? You can’t even imagine how I’m feeling right now.’

Ashamed of speaking so carelessly without knowing much about her, Demian covered his face with his palm.

‘Why did I arrogantly assume this person had lived comfortably without losing anything?’

He couldn’t lift his face, embarrassed for hastily judging and deciding when it’s natural for everyone to have their own hardships.

Arasila glanced at Demian, who remained motionless with his face covered.

‘I guess… it’s a hard story to understand?’

In fact, there was little room for him to emotionally empathize, having never experienced anything similar.

Perhaps he might think it was a problem that could be solved if Arasila just worked harder and did better. It’s not like she hadn’t heard such words before in her life.

‘Maybe I should have just said people are jealous because I’m too outstanding and have a high chance of becoming tower master.’

As Arasila slightly regretted being too honest, Demian suddenly opened his mouth to apologize.

“I’m sorry, my lady. I was too narrow-minded and self-centered.”

“…?”

Arasila was taken aback by the sudden self-reflection. She was even more surprised since she hadn’t intended to hear an apology when bringing up the story.

Demian lowered his hands and continued speaking, honestly meeting Arasila’s gaze:

“Until now, I thought if you were having a hard time because of our marriage, it was only because you had to deal with my family.”

“…”

“I failed to consider that your dreams and future could fly away. I’m ashamed for thinking and judging only from my perspective.”

Arasila blinked slowly. She was dumbfounded, not expecting Demian to understand her to this extent.

Moreover, since she really hadn’t spoken with the purpose of blaming or making him repent, she felt somehow awkward.

“…Ahem, they haven’t flown away yet, so you don’t need to say such things.”

As she said that while unnecessarily scratching near her neck, Demian nodded heavily.

“I will do my best to ensure they never fly away.”

“How will you do your best?”

Demian hesitated, not having thought that far, then answered after a moment of silence:

“I will support you from the sidelines during our married life.”

“So I can become tower master?”

“Yes, I will be a husband who absolutely does not remain as a blemish in your life.”

Demian declared with a resolute face.

He felt he couldn’t bear it if he remained as someone who blocked Arasila’s dreams and future in her life.

Arasila burst into soft laughter at his completely unexpected statement.

While she wasn’t exactly ordinary herself, this man’s thinking also had extraordinary aspects.

As she shook her head with a smile, a sudden thought occurred to her.

‘Is it because he has such a strong sense of responsibility that he feels responsible for his mother’s death too?’

Somehow, Arasila felt she understood a little about what mindset he had lived with.

And this was the same for Demian. He came to know what kind of life she had lived, and with what mindset she was living.

As they fully understood each other for the first time, the person they had been seeing until now began to look different.