The Childhood Friend of the Villainess in a Romance Fantasy

Translator: Elisia

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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Fortunately, the Crown Prince didn’t have a chance to ask me the reason.

Not that I would’ve been able to answer even if he had.

The murmuring noise from the surroundings subsided. The faces of the young nobles standing in small groups turned toward the sound of the heavy door opening with a resounding thud.

The door wasn’t particularly large. It wasn’t small either—appropriate for the entrance of a grand tower. But compared to the vastness of the tower itself, it was about the size of the front door of a large mansion.

However, the thickness of the door was another matter.

It was as if its construction to prevent unauthorized entry at all costs. The wood forming the door appeared to have been meticulously crafted from massive logs, each shaped with precision. Breaching it might require a battering ram.

It wasn’t just its thickness; the wood itself likely had been chosen for its strength. Perhaps Delkis pine had been used. If the design focused solely on practicality, short of making it from stone or metal, that would indeed be the sturdiest choice.

For a door that looked so incredibly heavy, the people pushing it open had surprisingly ordinary builds. Compared to the soldiers patrolling the area, they appeared to have typical physiques, suggesting that these individuals weren’t hired hands but magicians working at the Tower.

Given that they were dressed in black robes, wasn’t that to be expected?

Perhaps there was some magical mechanism at play in opening the door.

As the heavy door opened with a creak, a figure standing behind it came into view. Like those opening the door, the person wore a black robe, but the aura emanating from them was anything but ordinary.

Some of the gathered nobles began whispering. A group of women, older than us by appearance, seemed especially eager.

Perhaps they had already attended the class last year and were here to continue their studies.

Their faces were filled with anticipation as they whispered among themselves.

“……”

As if waiting for the attention of those gathered to fully focus on them, the figure stood silently for a moment before slowly stepping out of the Tower.

Once they fully emerged from the dim interior and into the sunlight, they halted their steps.

Lifting their head slowly to gaze at the sky, they raised a hand and slipped it under the hood covering their head, gracefully pulling it back.

The sound of people gasping could be heard. Some even let out soft cheers, mostly from the women present.

As for the men, a few sighed in admiration, some gritted their teeth, but the majority remained indifferent.

It was no surprise—after all, the face of the man who had been wearing the hood was strikingly handsome.

White skin untouched by sunlight and eyes as deep as wells of darkness—his appearance matched the descriptions perfectly.

And my first thought upon seeing this artistically handsome man was—

Can’t he do something about that hair?

—I’m not trying to be a traditionalist, but isn’t long hair on a man a bit much? No matter how handsome he is, there’s no need for a hairstyle that looks like a relic from a bygone rock band. It’s not like he’s planning to cross-dress.

Though the original work I knew of existed only in setting, I couldn’t fathom what the author of that story had in mind. Honestly, wasn’t that hairstyle quite unappealing?

It made me want to recommend the 10,000-won barbershop in my neighborhood.

But the surrounding women seemed to like it.

I glanced over at Amelia. She was the kind of person whose emotions showed plainly on her face, like when she first met Harvey-Hyung. Would she be charmed by someone this handsome?

But my preemptive jealousy turned out to be unnecessary.

Amelia was lost in deep thought, her expression serious. She didn’t blush or react in any way to the Archmage of the Tower.

Was it something in the invitation that occupied her mind?

“We are honored that such esteemed guests have graced us with their presence.”

Given how late they were in showing up, it felt a bit presumptuous, but no one raised any objections.

That person was likely asserting their authority in their own way.

“The audacity of being the last to arrive and still acting so self-important.”

I heard the Crown Prince muttering under his breath, but I chose to stay silent to avoid getting dragged into trouble.

“I see many talented individuals here. Some of you I recognize from last year as well.”

The Archmage of the Tower’s gaze, as he scanned the surroundings—

“Ah.”

—momentarily settled on me.

For the record, neither Amelia nor I were the ones who gasped. That was Diane and Adele.

To be fair, even by the standards of the world I came from, his face was enough to make any man exclaim in admiration. However, this world’s version of me had grown up seeing people of comparable beauty multiple times. For instance, even Harvey-Hyung’s face wouldn’t lose out to the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince’s heir, or even the Archmage of the Tower himself.

Besides, when it comes to admiration, I’m more inclined to appreciate the beauty of women than men.

And I already knew Amelia and Adele, who were unquestionably considered of equal caliber. While Diane’s beauty fell slightly short compared to those two, she was still lovely enough to be considered beautiful by most standards.

Honestly, if it weren’t for the bun hairstyle that made her look like she was carrying breakfast rolls, I would have rated Diane’s looks much higher.

“……”

For some reason, the Archmage of the Tower smiled faintly in my direction.

We were meeting for the first time today, weren’t we? Why was he making such an knowing expression as if hinting at something? Could he have visited the North a long time ago?

Hmm… I couldn’t figure it out.

All I knew was that his smile was drawing unwanted attention toward me, which I found quite unpleasant. If he had just acted indifferent like with everyone else, this wouldn’t be happening.

Could it be that I was meant to step into Harvey’s role and clash with the Archmage of the Tower instead?

“I am already thrilled at the thought of spending this year with you all. I hope we can work together to share the fruits of knowledge.”

Though his words were a standard formal expression, coming from someone so handsome, they seemed to have a sweet effect on the ears of the women around.

I couldn’t help but feel a bit envious.

“While I would love to teach each one of you, but as a researcher, my time is limited. Additionally, the classrooms within the Tower of Magic aren’t large enough to accommodate all of you at once. As such, we have decided to divide you into groups, with a magician from the Tower assigned to each group. I ask for your understanding in this matter.”

Because of this arrangement, there were always people who decided not to proceed with the classes before they even began.

Though the cost of education remained the same regardless of who taught, the quality of teaching varied greatly. Naturally, there was a significant difference between being taught by the Archmage of the Tower and an ordinary magician.

Already, sighs of disappointment could be heard from various corners, mingled with whispers of anticipation.

High status didn’t guarantee placement under the Archmage of the Tower, nor did low status exclude one from the opportunity.

Officially, assignments were said to be random, but that seemed like a lie. In the original story, children with talent for magic were grouped together under the Archmage of the Tower.

…And Amelia, the Grand Duke’s daughter, had also been placed under him. While grouping talented individuals made sense, donations likely played a role in the placement as well.

In this world, Amelia hadn’t poured insane amounts of money into trying to date the Archmage of the Tower, so I couldn’t be certain how it would play out.

“For now, all those who accepted the invitation will be guided into the Tower of Magic. After a brief introduction to the Tower, we will explain how the upcoming classes will be conducted and introduce the magicians who will be teaching them. Light refreshments have also been prepared, so please enjoy your time here today.”

Gathering the young nobles like this also served as a promotional event for the Tower of Magic.

Some would attend this event but choose not to take lessons after being assigned to a magician, while others might reconsider after hearing the costs. Nonetheless, it was crucial to convey why the tower was significant and worthy of support.

Years had passed since the war ended.

Magic, which could no longer be used for military purposes, needed a practical demonstration to prove its usefulness. Simply explaining it wasn’t enough.

“If we’re assigned to the same magician, we’ll be seeing each other often.”

“Gah!”

The Crown Prince had approached me without my noticing, and I nearly jumped out of my skin when he spoke.

“That would be quite an honor, Your Royal Highness” Amelia said with a smile, naturally interjecting between the Crown Prince and me.

“Hmm.”

The Crown Prince looked at Amelia with an amused expression, shrugging his shoulders as if to say he found the situation entertaining.