My Nerdy Neighbor Is the Master of the Magic Tower
Chapter 6
‘Haa.’
Cecilia, finally standing in front of the dog hole, narrowed her eyes in frustration.
“Charles! If you come back now, I’ll give you a treat!”
“…….”
“Charles?”
The novice butler shouted from the wall, but the haughty cat didn’t let out so much as a meow.
She could have bet her wrist that he had heard his butler’s desperate plea and was steadfastly ignoring it.
‘If I leave him be, he’ll probably ruin the garden again.’
Charles had a spectacular track record; from his very first day at the Marquis’s estate, he had destroyed a grass sculpture that the gardener had spent a month painstakingly crafting.
Though the gardener, who had been weeping and pounding the ground, recovered quickly after some monetary therapy…
That method certainly wouldn’t work on Lien, who seemed to treat gardening as a primary hobby.
Resigned, Cecilia squeezed her body into the dog hole, which felt exceptionally narrow today.
And surprisingly, she didn’t make it through.
‘Wow, I’m actually stuck.’
Whether it was because she had just eaten or because today’s outfit had an unusual amount of lace and fabric, she couldn't move, wedged firmly at the waist and hips.
Cold sweat broke out at the embarrassing situation, but suddenly, a pair of large hands gripped her near the ribs and lifted her straight up like a radish being plucked from the ground.
“Are, are you all right?”
Surprised by the sudden height, Cecilia grabbed onto the person’s shoulders.
It was Lien, the robe-enthusiast who was, as always, shrouded in his hood.
‘Crazy.’
She never imagined meeting him like this.
No matter how thick-skinned she was, being rescued while stuck in a dog hole was mortifying.
Her face flushing bright red, Cecilia made an excuse in a tiny voice.
“Th-that… Charles hopped over here again….”
“Ah, he must have taken a liking to my garden. I saw him playing there again.”
Perhaps the proposal to be friends had been effective; he replied without stuttering and laughed naturally.
……Though she couldn't see it because of the robe.
She could tell by the curve of his lips and the hint of amusement in his voice.
Afraid her agitation would be found out, Cecilia subtly averted her eyes and spoke as if composed.
“But, could you put me down now?”
“I-I’m sorry.”
Reverting to his usual self the moment he was called out, Lien quickly set her down on the ground.
“I-I’ll go bring Charles back!”
“Shall we go together?”
And the moment her feet touched the ground, Cecilia immediately made her move.
‘I definitely wasn’t in the mood for this…….’
Muttering an excuse to no one in particular, Cecilia brushed off the dust and stood beside him.
“Is that okay?”
“Huh? Yes! Of course!”
Receiving his stiff escort, they made their way toward the western garden.
Cecilia struck up a casual conversation with him as she had before.
“I really should block up that dog hole. It’s useful for sneaking out without my father’s permission, but illegal trespassers like Charles or myself can just barge in whenever……”
“Um, Cecilia-nim.”
Lien suddenly interrupted her cautiously.
“This might be an overstepping question, but is something bothering you?”
Cecilia turned her head toward him at the sharp question.
She thought she had hidden it well. It seemed her low mood from her racing thoughts had been caught.
Cecilia cast her gaze toward the field of white flowers they had arrived at.
She couldn't lay out all her circumstances in detail, but she didn't want to lie or be vague with him either.
After a brief moment of thought, Cecilia spoke.
“Something has come up, and it looks like I’ll have to head up to the Capital soon, but I’ve never been outside the fief before. I’m a bit worried about all the things I’ll have to learn.”
“The Capital?”
Lien, momentarily pausing, asked back.
“Oh, you said you were from the Capital too, right, Lien?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
He nodded readily.
Cecilia gazed quietly at the large mansion, which looked so close it felt like an optical illusion despite the distance.
She had heard that this mansion, right next to the Marquis’s estate, was built in the past by one of the Weberdin ancestors for a dear friend.
As time passed, the owners changed, and because it was obscenely expensive yet secluded, it had become something of a villa for wealthy nobles.
To have bought such a mansion, he must come from a family of high rank or considerable wealth.
‘And a noble from the Capital at that.’
Regardless of his gentle personality, his authority and connections would surely be substantial.
As she continued these opportunistic speculations, a good idea flashed through her mind.
“Um, Lien. If it’s not too much trouble, could you recommend a good etiquette teacher? I need someone well-versed in etiquette lessons.”
It wasn't that she truly wanted to be introduced to a competent teacher.
It was merely a calculated move born of personal desire—the hope that she could build a connection with the mentor who taught him and solidify her Plan D.
‘I really wasn’t in the mood to pull a stunt like this.’
But what could she do? A golden opportunity had rolled in, and it was only right to seize it.
However, it seemed to be a difficult request for him, as he couldn't answer easily.
Just as she was about to retract the words, thinking the request was too uncomfortable—
After hesitating for a moment, he seemed to make up his mind and readily recommended a teacher.
“W-would it be alright if I became Cecilia-nim’s teacher?”
Specifically, himself—Lien.
*
*
*
Inside a room filled with an uncomfortable silence.
To be precise, inside the interview room to select her etiquette teacher.
Cecilia was struggling with all her might to keep from spacing out, dropping her jaw, or letting out a bizarre exclamation of awe.
There was only one reason.
‘What is with this beauty?’
That ‘Lien,’ who had acted as if he would die if he lost his robe, was standing before her in a crisp suit.
Of course, the thick silver-rimmed glasses were still there.
Even so…….
‘I’ve lived a good life.’
Perhaps the trials and tribulations of possession were created just for this very moment.
However, another person in the same space, watching the same subject, seemed to have a completely different opinion.
Lacking the aesthetic eye an ordinary person should possess, the Marquis, who had been coldly scanning the resume, finally spoke.
“He is quite young…… but having served as a Professor at the Academy, his career is certainly impressive.”
‘What?’
He looked about her age no matter how she sliced it, yet he was an Academy Professor. That was impossible unless one was an extraordinary genius.
But he didn't look like the type of person who would falsify a resume.
On the day Lien had volunteered to be her teacher.
Cecilia had nodded her head before she could even think.
The fact that he was still hiding his identity, or that he didn't seem particularly skilled in etiquette, didn't matter.
She had simply snatched up the opportunity that fell into her lap.
Thus, as soon as she returned home, she emphasized the need for a teacher to the Marquis. After that, Lien had applied to the job posting the Marquis had put out immediately.
‘I was planning to throw a tantrum if Father was reluctant.’
But to think he was actually this capable.
“I was fortunate.”
When Lien replied humbly, the Marquis’s eyes narrowed further.
“However…… I find it curious why someone with this level of experience would come all the way to a remote region so far from the Capital.”
“It is for a common reason; I decided that if I were ever to take a rest, it must be in Weberdin.”
“Hmm, is there a reason for that?”
“Yes. My mother enjoyed traveling in her youth, and she praised the Weberdin fief until she was blue in the face, saying it was a peaceful and beautiful place blessed by God.”
“Well…… Weberdin does have many beautiful spots.”
“Yes. It is as wonderful a place as the stories I heard from my mother, so I am living here with great satisfaction.”
She was trying her best to maintain a calm expression so as not to reveal her friendship with him.
But as the questions and answers continued, her pupils shook violently, and her mouth eventually hung open slightly.
‘……Who on earth is that!’
Where did the shy gardener who got flustered and stuttered go? The man showing off such eloquent speech couldn't possibly be ‘that Lien.’
Yes, this was definitely another person who looked exactly like Lien, or perhaps his hidden twin.
Unlike her, who was in shock, the Marquis’s sharp gaze had softened, his guard lowered by the light flattery.
Ahem. Clearing his throat, he continued in a voice much gentler than before.
“So, you are saying you will teach my daughter etiquette while you rest in Weberdin?”
“Yes. In my eyes, Lady Weberdin already possesses an elegance beyond compare to the nobles of the Capital, but if you entrust her to me, I believe I can be of some small assistance.”
Upholding a parent’s pride by praising their child, and then appealing to his own necessity while acting humble.
If this were 21st-century Korea, parents would have shouted “Teacher!” and entrusted him with their children and wallets alike.
And a parent’s heart is the same in any era, in any world.
The effect was certain.
“Then, let us begin by drafting the contract.”
