Chapter 123: I Want to See My Master Again After So Long

“Well, I guess that’s about it.”

I had just finished introducing all the residents of the second family garden.

“Huh? What about Miranda-san?”

Well, it’s just her there, and she’s already acquainted with Shifa-san and Anii-san, so I figured it wasn’t necessary.

Still, I made a mental note to give a brief explanation to Sarassa-san and Lilcarlia-san.

“Also… there’s one strange wizard here.”

“That’s my master! My master! I want to see my master again after so long!”

“You don’t need to meet her. You’ll just be influenced again.”

“Ehh~”

Sena pouted, clearly dissatisfied.

Honestly, that hopeless person would be terrible for anyone’s education. No doubt about it.

“Wait… is this wizard… in that tower?”

“Huh?”

At Sarassa’s words, I glanced toward the direction where Miranda was supposed to be.

And there it stood: a tower at least fifty meters high, looming imposingly.

“W-what… is that…?”

Of course, I didn’t recognize such a tower. Miranda had always lived alone in a shabby little hut.

“That is probably a wizard’s tower… something a powerful wizard might build, either to show off their power or as a laboratory for magical research.”

“Why would there be something like that…?”

Miranda is indeed a wizard, but she’s too lazy to bother building something so extravagant. That tiny hut had always been more than enough for her.

“Well, let’s at least take a look.”

And so, we teleported to the mysterious tower.

Yes… without a doubt, this was the place Miranda had been.

Next to the tower stood the familiar little hut. I peeked inside, just to be thorough, but it was empty.

“Smells like booze…”

I wrinkled my nose at the lingering stench of alcohol and closed the door.

“Then… the tower?”

“Let’s go in!”

“Be careful.”

Sena cheerfully strode toward the tower, completely unfazed by any warning.

“I-I think I’ll go back… I’m scared…”

“Sarassa-san?”

“I just have a bad feeling about this…”

“A bad feeling?”

Perhaps it was something only another wizard could sense. If that’s the case, maybe it would be better not to enter.

But before I could say anything more, Sena had already reached for the heavy, imposing door of the tower.

“Come on, hurry up and let’s go in!”

“Wait a minute!”

Knowing Sena, there was no way she would listen to reason.

“Sorry… Sarassa-san, I’ll take you back to the city first.”

“…Thank you.”

I teleported Sarassa-san back to the first family garden.

“Wizard towers are sometimes designed like dangerous dungeons, to get rid of intruders. So please be careful.”

“Y-yes, I understand.”

I really wish I’d told them that a bit sooner. With that thought lingering, I returned to the others.

“Onii-chan, you’re late! Let’s go!”

And so, with Sena leading the way, we stepped into the mysterious tower.

If anything happened, we could teleport back immediately between the gardens. After all, we were still within the family garden’s domain. It should work.

Upon entering, we were greeted by a vast, open entrance hall.

The walls and ceiling were covered in exquisite carvings, and at the center stood a magnificent statue.

“This statue… could it be Miranda-san?”

It resembled her closely.

But unlike her usual lazy, disheveled self, this statue had a stern, dignified expression, gripping a magic staff with absolute authority.

“Master, so cool!”

“…Did she make this herself?”

Making a statue of oneself—talk about an ego the size of a mountain.

“Good to see you again, Geo-sama.”

“Ah, Miranda-san’s familiar…”

“Yes. I’m her demon familiar.”

A small demon appeared, Miranda-san’s loyal servant.

Usually, it did all the labor Miranda-san wouldn’t, like fetching alcohol for her.

Even now, it carried a sack brimming with bottles, somehow managing to fly despite the heavy load.

“Um… is Miranda-san here?”

“My mistress is at the top of the tower. But the way up is tricky. Shall I guide you?”

“Oh, please!”

This little demon—so responsible, it was hard to believe it belonged to Miranda-san.

Thanks to him, we navigated the tower without getting lost.

It was far more labyrinthine than I’d imagined, with traps scattered along the way. Without the demon’s guidance, we would have been in real trouble.

Finally, we reached the top floor—and there she was.

“Ughhh! Damn it, this is such a pain! No matter how many times you ask, I’m not doing something this troublesome! Just go home already!”

She sounded irritated.

Before her, a group of unfamiliar men and women were bowing their heads in supplication.

“Miranda-sama! Please, don’t refuse us! The magical depths you’ve reached could shape the future of the magical world! I beg you, teach me even a fraction of it!”

“I am the one worthy of inheriting Miranda-sama’s magic! Please, guide me!”

“Miranda-sama! I beg of you! I’ll do anything, anything at all!”

Miranda-san… admired? By people?

I shivered at the unbelievable sight.

“Ugh, shut up! I said I don’t take magic apprentices!”