It’s Sunday, and Myrin and I are once again working with the budget reports. I think we’ll be able to finish them today.

  I’m still super happy after yesterday’s painting date with everyone. And super excited to see that new girl today. I commanded David to fetch her to eat with us. I want to meet her before every guy in here starts to flock around her.

  When lunchtime starts, I hop up from my chair.

  “It’s time, Ri— Myrin! The new girl waits!”

  He gets up, but doesn't say anything. Angie left for the monster campaign this morning, so our group definitely needs an extra girl. Annie is nowhere to be seen when we enter the dining hall. No surprises there. She often eats with different men and rarely graces us with her presence.

  So it’s only me, Myrin, and Ayas this time. I immediately spot David entering the dining room with the new girl. Oh my god, she’s so pretty. Her long, wavy brown hair is just perfect. Her green eyes shine even from a distance.

  Hold on. Is she wearing pants? I have honestly never seen a woman wearing pants unless it’s for horse riding. Her uniform hugs her every curve.

  Okay, Elena. No need to get jealous. Sure, you don't have boobs, a proper ass, or an hourgss figure. But you compensate for all that with your lovely nature.

  Is my nature lovely? Myrin doesn't appreciate it. And many people say that I’m too loud. Will she think I'm too loud? Will she dislike me for it?

  Okay, I think I need to act cooler. I don't want to scare her off with my rambling. They sit down at our table, but David doesn't introduce us. He just bbbers something unreted. That idiot. I stomp on his foot under the table.

  “Hey!” he says with a frown.

  I gesture with my eyes toward Florentia, hoping he realizes what I mean, and luckily, he does.

  “Oh, and guys, this is Florentia. She’s Master’s new secretary. And Florentia, here are Myrin, Elena, and Ayas. They’re from the potion department.”

  She looks at us with a smile. She really is way too pretty.

  “Nice to meet you all. I’m Florentia, and it’s my first day here at the Tower. I am gd to get to know more people here.”

  Ayas talks first. “Oh, I heard rumors about a new employee! Gd to meet you, Florentia! It’s been so long since we’ve had anyone new here. I hope you like it here. If there’s anything you need help with, feel free to ask. I’m at your service!”

  I hit Ayas. He clearly got that gleam in his eyes. Even though he is having a date with Joanna today.

  “You’re just excited we got a new girl here at the Tower. Don’t mind him, Florentia. If you need anything, just ask me. There are so few girls here that we need to stick together.” I offer her my most excited smile.

  Ayas snaps back at me. “Hey, don’t make me sound like a perverted little boy in front of her!”

  Florentia starts to chuckle. “I’m happy to hear there are kind people like you here to help me. I’ll be sure to remember your offers.”

  She returns to eating her food, falling silent. There are like a million things I want to ask her, but maybe I should not push too hard. Ayas, David, and Myrin start talking about training. A pretty boring subject to me. I try to look toward Florentia, hoping she would look my way so it would be easier to start a conversation. But she doesn't look. Should I just talk anyway? Maybe she is just shy, so let’s just talk.

  “So, Florentia, I have to say I love your uniform! It suits you so well.”

  She turns to look at me with a smile. “Thanks. I’m really not a fan of dresses. It’s easier to move in pants.”

  “I have honestly never worn pants. But seeing you wearing them does make me want to try. I bet pants would be handy when training. Not that I train like that. Maybe I should. It would be fun to try pants. But if I want pants, I need a shirt too. Oh, that would be so exciting! Did Annie make yours?”

  “Yes.”

  “Annie really is the best, isn't she? I should definitely ask for pants too. I’m sure they would never look as good on me as they do on you, since I don't have such stunning curves like you do. But you never know unless you try, right? Oh, by the way, do you have any hobbies? Or something you enjoy doing in your free time?”

  “No, not really.”

  “I love to paint. If you ever want to paint, you are free to come to my atelier. I love painting with others. Of course, I love doing it alone too, but it's super fun with others! So if you are interested, we really should hang out! Or if you ever want to do anything, just ask. I’ll gdly show you around the Tower or around the Capital. Or is the Capital familiar to you? Were you born here?”

  “Yes, I was born here. But I haven't visited the city much. So I can't exactly say I’m familiar with it.”

  “Really? Well, we should definitely pn to—”

  Suddenly, Ayas bumps my shoulder with his.

  “Elena, you are bbbering again. Give the new girl time to breathe.”

  “Oh… Sorry.”

  I fall silent, feeling embarrassed. I told myself I would act cool. But I guess I just lost it, I’m just too excited. I gnce shyly toward Florentia, but her focus is back on eating. So I guess she doesn't want to continue our conversation. She really didn't seem too eager to spend time together either. But this is the first time we’ve met, so no need to feel too defeated. But I really should not bbber anymore. Just in case I scare her off or something.

  I keep my mouth shut for the rest of lunch and slump back in the office chair, depressed. I sm my forehead against the table.

  “Myrin, do you think Florentia already hates me?”

  “Why do you think so?”

  “I talked too much. I told myself that I would act cool, but I totally failed at it and tried to push my company on her.”

  “Why would you talking too much mean that she hates you?”

  “Well, you hate me. So why wouldn't she?”

  He sighs heavily. “I don't hate you, I dislike you.”

  I lift my head to look at him.

  “Is that supposed to be comforting?”

  He shrugs his shoulders, and I sm my head against the table again. Why do I have to be like this? Why can't I be more silent like the others?

  “If you dislike me, why did you gather everyone in my gallery yesterday?”

  “You know the answer to that.”

  “Because that's what Enred would do?”

  He nods.

  “I think it's starting to feel weird how loyal you are to my brother. Are you in love with him or something?”

  “I’m not gay if that's what you are implying.”

  “If you really do everything because of my brother, you should stop. I hate it. You don't have to worry that I would tell Enred anything. I would rather take your hatred than fake worry. I do appreciate what you did yesterday, I really do. But I hate knowing that you didn't do it because you wanted to help me.”

  I lift my head to look at him. He just keeps his focus on the papers, silent. I sigh. I guess a tiny part of me hoped that he would argue back or something. If I really want to win his heart someday, there is a loooong way to go.

  The office doors burst open, and Ayas enters.

  “Elena, could you please help me?”

  “Sure, I’m almost finished with the report anyway. What do you need?”

  “Could you deliver the mana potions to the east mining site?”

  “Yeah.”

  I’ll do it gdly. I think I need a break from Myrin. I don't want to get too depressed. I grab the box full of potions and exit the potions department.

  Wait. Where were the east mines again? Was it on the 34th floor? Or 43rd? I open the door again and shout.

  “Hey, who remembers where the east mine is?”

  “Umm… 33rd floor?”

  “No, it's on the 42nd.”

  “No, that's the mana stone department. So the east mine is below that on the 41st.”

  Then all of them start arguing about where it is. I sigh heavily and walk toward our office.

  “Hey, Myrin?”

  “Yes?”

  “Where is the east mine?”

  “34th floor.”

  “Thanks.”

  I head there. Myrin is one of the few people who probably remember this whole pce. I’m just pleased that my first guess was right.

  I enter through the door that functions as a portal, and soon I’m facing the east mine.

  “Hey! I have your mana potions. Where do you want them?”

  “They are needed in the third entrance.”

  “Okay.”

  I start walking toward the entrance, but suddenly, people start yelling, and I feel the ground slightly shake. People are running from the cave. It takes a while for me to realize that the cave is colpsing. The rocks start to fall over the entrance, but people are still running from inside. My heart races, not in a good way. I need to help them.

  I put the box on the ground and start running toward them. I don't know if I can even help, but I have to try. When I’m close enough, I pour my mana out, trying to sink it into the stones that are falling. I concentrate, trying to levitate them all.

  I manage to do that. It’s hard, but I keep them from falling. But the cave just colpses more and more. I’m starting to reach my limit.

  I just wish that my water shield were stronger. It would be way easier to just block the fall with that. More mages appear next to me, helping me hold all the rubble from falling. We all do our best until someone yells that everyone is out. I let go and slump onto the ground, my heart pounding.

  Oh my god, that was horrible. There have been a few colpses during my time here at the Tower. But I have never been there to witness one. There are a few people who got hit by the falling rocks, but it seems there are no major injuries. I stay there to help the injured ones the best I can, but patching wounds is not my specialty. Luckily, Doctor Elrindel comes pretty quickly.

  “Elena. Come here.”

  I startle a little when I hear Master’s blunt voice. But seeing him makes me rex. When he is here, there is nothing to worry about. I walk toward him.

  “Good to see you, Master! How can I help you?”

  “Why are you here?”

  “I was delivering the mana potions to the miners when all this happened.”

  “I need you to come with me. I need your water magic to repair all this.”

  What?

  “Water? I mean, sure, of course I’ll come with you. But I don’t see how I can help.”

  “Follow me. The entrance of the cave is clearly unstable and full of cracks. I am going to melt the surrounding cave so the walls become intact again. I need you to cool them with water so they solidify faster. We don’t want them to melt too much and colpse onto the ground.”

  I know Master is a beast. But I still struggle to comprehend how powerful he is. It’s hard to understand how he can form a fire that hot that it melts basically anything. It’s a little scary.

  “Oh, I see. I’ll do my best!”

  Some other mages join us. We focus on stabilizing the cave while others do their best to clear the rubble. This would be so much easier with strong earth mages, but they are currently in the monster campaign. Keeping up with Master is difficult. I’m just gd that I have done only office work, so I have a lot of mana stored.

  Still, it doesn't take long for me to start feeling exhausted. I hold on the best I can, not wanting to compin. But as the time drags on and a couple of hours pass, even moving my body feels hard. I hate how easily I get tired. And I’m starving. But I don’t want to ask for a break either. It feels embarrassing.

  “Master.”

  I recognize Myrin’s voice, and I automatically turn to look at him along with Master.

  “What?”

  “I think Elena needs a break. She hasn't eaten in a long time.”

  What? I can't believe he would come here to demand a break for me. How did he even know I was here? I feel my chest tighten once again. Why does he have to act so caring when he just said today that he dislikes me? It’s impossible to try to fall out of love when he does things like this.

  I notice Master turning to look down at me. I feel myself shrinking in size. I’m nothing but a shrimp next to him. Master is the tallest man I have ever met, and his size just makes me look even tinier than I am.

  “Are you out of mana?”

  “No, not yet. Just hungry. But I can keep going, it’s fine.”

  “You get fifteen minutes. I’ll clear more rubble in the meantime. You are useless in that anyway.”

  Ouch. I mean, he is not wrong. All the small rubble is cleaned. There are only huge stones left. Even though my mana control is very good, I’m not strong enough to move those. I turn to face Myrin.

  “Thanks. I honestly could use a break. But I don’t think fifteen minutes is enough for me to go—”

  He hands me a takeaway box. “Here, I already got your food.”

  My chest tightens as I reach for the food. His expression is as neutral as ever. But I still get excited that he would do this for me. This has to mean that he worries about me for real, right? Or am I just stretching the truth again? I feel the heat gathering in my ears as I take the box from him.

  “Thanks, Myrin.”

  He immediately turns away and leaves. I exhale heavily.

  He really knows how to py hot and cold.