Translator: Nox

My Nerdy Neighbor Is the Master of the Magic Tower

Chapter 25

Time flowed like water, and before long, the day to depart for the Grand Temple arrived.

Cecilia packed the heavy books the Archbishop had dumped on her, a few changes of clothes, some jewels in case of an emergency, and her favorite writing instruments.

As she was packing her modest belongings—which fit easily into a travel bag made of multiple layers of leather by a master craftsman—Melanie, who was assisting her, let out a soft sigh.

“Are you doing this because you don’t want to go?”

“Mm-hmm.”

It wasn’t for a particularly long stay, and the biggest issue regarding her divine power had been resolved, but regardless of that, she didn’t want to walk into a path of hardship of her own volition.

The Temple. Unlike the life of a decadent noble lady, it felt like she would have to live a very diligent life there.

In a word, it sounded horrific.

“I won’t be able to nap there, and I won’t be able to eat snacks.”

As she muttered gloomily, Melanie soothed her with practiced skill.

“Now, now. If I get the chance, I’ll secretly buy you some Sachertorte from Sweets, so cheer up.”

The Sachertorte sold at ‘Sweets,’ the best dessert shop in the Weberdin territory, was something Melanie would occasionally buy for her as a grand reward.

However, that was Cecilia Weberdin’s favorite snack, not her favorite snack.

Since she couldn’t confess the truth, Cecilia simply nodded. Then, she listlessly cast her gaze out the window.

In the distance, she caught a glimpse of a high wall tangled with vines. Beyond it lay a familiar mansion.

‘I wanted to say goodbye to Lien one more time before leaving, but I guess that’s not happening.’

Just as she expected, the day after her secret outing, guards had been heavily stationed, and she hadn’t even been able to leave her room, let alone attend lessons.

Fortunately, she wasn’t scolded since she hadn’t caused any trouble, but as a result, the day of departure arrived without her seeing him again.

‘I suppose I should consider it lucky that I said goodbye in advance.’

Sighing softly, Cecilia suddenly touched her neck. The round, smooth amber had turned lukewarm, warmed by her body heat.

Naturally, the touch that had brushed her with a similar warmth and the smile colored by the sunset came to mind.

“Oh my, My Lady! Your face is red. Are you hot?”

“It must be because it’s summer.”

Yes, her face heating up and her heart thumping were all because summer had drawn so close.

Fanning herself with her hand to cool down, she jumped up from her seat.

“I’m going to go look for Charles!”

“You have to leave soon, so don’t be too late!”

“Okay!”

Quickly slipping out of the room, Cecilia gave a small cough and called for Charles.

Even if she couldn’t see Lien, she should at least say goodbye to Charles.

She wanted to take him with her, but cats were territorial animals. Even if he was a smart cat who claimed the front yard and the neighbor’s flower bed as his domain, taking him away would surely cause him stress.

She intended to give him some treats personally since she wouldn’t see him for a while, but Charles was nowhere to be seen, as if he had claimed the entire vast mansion as his territory.

“Charles! I know you can hear me!”

What a cat, making his butler anxious.

Just as she decided she would give his rump a good pat once she found him—

Meow.

She heard Charles’s cry from not too far away.

It was a case of the dark being right under the lamp; he was near the small study connected to her bedroom.

“Charles? How long have you been here?”

Charles was curled up in the bottom shelf of the walnut bookcase that occupied one wall.

How had he even managed to push the books out and squeeze himself in?

Cecilia cleared away the scattered books and pulled Charles toward her.

“You’re covered in dust, you troublemaker.”

“Meow!”

She gently let go of Charles as he struggled, refusing to easily permit his butler’s touch.

It seemed a tender farewell would have to wait for the next life.

Just as she was about to put the displaced books back, the depth to which the books went in felt strangely different.

‘What’s this?’

Looking closely, she saw a small notebook placed horizontally deep inside the bookshelf.

Cecilia pulled the notebook out and sat down haphazardly on the floor to examine it carefully.

It had some dust on it, but it didn’t look that old.

‘Could this be…’

< Cecilia Weberdin >

I started a diary at my doctor’s suggestion.
Actually, this was a notebook I bought to use for memorizing prayers, but I believe God will forgive me for using it for my private worries.
At first, I refused, saying it was a bothersome task, but according to the doctor, writing a diary helps one look back at their situation and inner self, effectively managing unstable emotions.
To think that merely arranging letters could have such a wonderful effect.
It’s hard to believe, but since I have no one to confide my worries to, I thought it might be better to make use of even a piece of paper like this.
So, I intend to try filling it with even these rambling thoughts.>

In the early days of her possession, she had searched frantically for Cecilia’s diary to fill her empty ‘memories’ and to find a clue as to why she had woken up in this body.

When she tried to find it, it was nowhere to be seen, so she had concluded it didn’t exist in the first place.

It was just as she flipped to the next page with a somewhat hollow feeling.

“My Lady, are you here? Everything is ready, so you must come down now!”

“I’m coming down right now!”

She wanted to read just a little more.

‘Should I take it?’

After a moment of deliberation, Cecilia shook her head, put the diary back in its original place, and meticulously tucked the books back in.

The fact that it was hidden so thoroughly, and not even in a desk drawer, meant it was intended to be kept from others’ eyes. There was something unsettling about taking it to the Temple, where she might not have a private room and where an unspecified number of people came and went.

Cecilia stroked the back of Charles, who was stretching with his rear high in the air next to her, and then stood up.

“I’ll be back, Charles.”

Regrettably, it seemed opening Pandora’s box would have to be postponed until everything was over.

---

Emerging with quick footsteps, she was greeted by a large, prepared carriage, a coachman, several knights drafted as escorts, and her brother.

Knox, his hair neatly swept back and glittering like sunlight on water, was talking to the coachman while holding a map.

‘He looks so decent as long as he keeps his mouth shut.’

It was truly a pity that his most important quality—his personality—was ruined.

Whether he felt her stinging gaze or not, Knox turned his head toward her.

“Good morning, Cece.”

It was a voice so sweet that the nearby servants blushed. However, Cecilia showed her displeasure without reservation.

“Are you really going to the Grand Temple with me?”

“Of course. I won’t be able to stay with you the whole time, so I should at least see you off. I have things to deliver to the Temple as well.”

Was it thanks to her stern expression in front of the Marquis last time? Knox said he would only accompany her on the way and would not stay at the Temple.

[Cece, unlike you, I have a lot of work to do.]

How obnoxious he had been when he added those words.

Even at the good news that she didn’t have to be stuck with him all day, she had frowned deeply.

“Now, since Cece has arrived, shall we depart?”

Cecilia took Knox’s hand and boarded the carriage.

“You must take care of yourself, My Lady!”

“Yes, don’t worry.”

Melanie waved her hand for a long time with a worried face as she saw them off.

Cecilia stared at the receding Weberdin mansion and Lien’s mansion before leaning back deeply into the seat.

Based on her previous experience, falling asleep quickly was the best option.

However, despite her efforts, she couldn’t hold out for long and began to get motion sickness just like before, Knox ridiculed her state relentlessly, and the carriage reached its destination only after traveling for half a day.

Cecilia, who had been half-reclining on the seat, cautiously stepped out of the carriage.

“Welcome, Saintess.”

The ones who met them were Miguel, the Vice Commander of the Holy Knights, and Archbishop Kiar.

‘Not even apprentice priests, but an Archbishop and a Vice Commander.’

It was a combination so overwhelming it made her stomach feel even worse.

Especially since a dark shadow loomed over the Archbishop’s face as if he had been dragged out against his will.

However, Knox didn’t seem to notice that gloominess that was on the verge of overflowing. Stepping lightly out of the carriage, he offered a greeting with a smirk.

“It has been a long time, Your Excellency.”

“Yes…”

Kiar, who nodded as if he were barely listening, shuffled back into the shade.

Unfazed by the Archbishop’s eccentricity, Knox reached out a hand toward Miguel.

“Seeing as you’re the one who came to meet us, I guess you’ve been chosen as Cece’s escort?”

“Escort?”

In a temple full of devout believers, an escort for the Saintess, who was their idol.

Cecilia narrowed her eyes at the sudden statement.

“There was that accident last time. I’m quite uneasy about leaving you alone. I thought I’d feel relieved if you had an escort, but a knight of Weberdin can’t exactly wander all over the Grand Temple, can they?”

“So?”

“So I just asked them to provide a Holy Knight. Didn’t I do well?”

Knox puffed out his chest, rubbing under his nose.

He continued with nonsense about how she could rest easy and how she shouldn’t thank him, but she was simply appalled.

“What about my opinion?”

“Why would that be necessary?”

His sincere question finally made her face contort.

Just before words far too harsh to be uttered in a temple could burst from her mouth, Knox, whose intuition was annoyingly quick, beat her to it.

“Don’t tell me you hate the idea? Even His Holiness permitted it. Ah, is it because the person is Miguel?”