Little Chessboard

The Tower Master's office in the Crystal Spire had changed a great deal from Ron's memory.

It was not that the layout had been altered in any major way—the dome was still that miniature Star Chart, and the walls still held the oil portraits of past tower masters.

The only thing that had changed was the smell.

In Cassandra's era, this office had always been filled with a cold, metallic fragrance.

It was like the scent of ozone condensed in the air before a storm, making people tense up on instinct.

But what now filled the air was a wisp of ginkgo wood fragrance, soft in its middle notes, making one relax without realizing it.

Antico turned his head and called toward the inner side of the office, "Dear, is the tea ready?"

A faint sound of metal rubbing came from the side hall.

Lady Mercury carried a delicate set of silver tea ware and slowly walked out from behind the curtains of the side hall.

At first glance, you would think she was merely an exceptionally beautiful silver-haired woman.

But when one's gaze lingered on her a little longer, some indescribable sense of wrongness would quietly crawl up the spine.

"Professor Ralph, please have some tea."

Ron took the teacup. The moment his fingertips touched the cup's wall, he sensed an extremely faint fluctuation of magic power.

He did not expose it, only silently noting the detail in his heart.

"Good tea."

After offering his habitual praise, he set the teacup back on its saucer and met the other party's gaze calmly.

"But I didn't come today just for tea."

"Of course." Antico's expression shifted from easygoing to serious.

"I have already approved the procedures for using the Little Chessboard."

He took a document from the desk and pushed