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One of the research rooms in the tower was remodeled into a training room exclusively for the tower master.

Reed pulled out a card mounted inside his gauntlet and threw it towards the dummy standing on the opposite side.

His series of actions were quick and agile, like a cowboy from a western movie.

Thud!

The card embedded itself in the experimental dummy's body.

At first, he focused on accurately throwing the cards at stationary targets.

Reed immediately moved on to the next level, practicing against moving targets.

He practiced everything from targets moving in one direction at a constant speed to targets moving irregularly as if in a real fight.

His overall accuracy rate was 98%. Two of the cards thrown at targets with irregular movements missed.

'2%, huh?'

Just a week ago, his accuracy rate was 95%.

As one's skill level increases, it becomes harder to improve, but raising it to 98% was a significant achievement that he could be proud of.

However, Reed thought differently.

'These 2% will hold me back.'

Even a 1% chance cannot be ignored.

He believed that as long as there was a possibility, it was virtually no different from a 50:50 chance.

His pursuit of perfectionism has grown even stronger recently.

'That man in the mask.'

Reed picked up a card from the table.

He made a few changes to the cards he used.

He added small balls that could explode like time bombs, reduced their weight to make it easier to control their direction with telekinesis, and attached blades inside the cards to inflict additional damage when they exploded, all as a result of various experiments to strengthen his means of attack.

When measuring the damage, they were at least 1.5 times stronger than the original cards.

'But it would still be just a trick against that guy.'

It might momentarily distract him, but it wouldn't be enough to deal a decisive blow.

Reed closed his eyes.

He focused on the burning desire that welled up from his heart.

'The desire to become stronger.'

He had the desire but couldn't become stronger.

Human talent is limited.

'A wall.'

It was as if a huge wall was blocking the track he had to walk on.

How nice would it be if everything could be solved simply by putting in effort?

How nice would it be if everything could be solved by sleeping less, flipping through books, and thinking?

'Surely Reed must have felt the same.'

The curse of the Adeleheights.

It was said that the bloodline would become weaker and weaker, inevitably leading to their downfall.

His father was a somewhat recognized magician, but Reed only showed a brief glimpse of genius when he was young, and soon that genius faded, and he became an ordinary magician.

'Ordinariness.'

Ordinariness is not a sin.

More than half of the world lives an ordinary life.

People live their lives boringly and steadily, hoping for a meteor or gold coins to fall from the sky.

It was not a sin for Reed to be ordinary.

However, when the light of the ancestors is too strong, that ordinariness becomes incompetence.

Incompetence is a sin.

Reed, who couldn't protect anything, is the scapegoat of the Adeleheights family.

'Can I... protect it?'

He had managed to get through without any major threats so far.

But if he couldn't protect it the last time, even after 99 successes, it would be a failure.

He couldn't even console himself by saying he did his best during those 99 attempts.

Reed looked at his own hands.

'I need to become stronger.'

What was needed for that?

Project: Flower Garden came to mind reflexively in Reed's head.

"No."

He shook his head, blurting out his refusal.

He slapped his face, driving away the forbidden thought.

The Flower Garden was a project that drew on someone's mana and abilities.

It exploited Rosaria, and eventually, Rosaria gave birth to seven disasters and became a disaster herself.

'There's no way I can touch Rosaria.'

What's the difference between burning down a house out of fear of fleas?

Then there was only one option left.

If he couldn't use his abilities, he would resort to tricks.

Like the reason why magicians fear secrets, he would create secrets that they don't know.

***

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[Original Source – dreambigtl . com]

* * *

Escolleia Assistant Office.

Dolores was finishing up her work in preparation for Anton's class.

"Phew, this should be enough..."

She took off her large glasses, interlocked her fingers, and stretched up towards the sky.

As soon as she felt a moment of refreshment, worries filled Dolores' head.

'Is he okay?'

When she heard he was returning to his birthplace, Dolores belatedly followed Reed, curious about what he was thinking.

She was a little worried that she might be obsessing too much like a stalker, but in the end, her concern helped her prevent Reed's crisis.

One unexpected thing was that, contrary to her intention to maintain composure and face the enemy, her eyes immediately flipped when she saw Reed bleeding.

'Those who threaten him...'

Rosaria is the one being threatened, but Dolores knew that Reed would do anything for Rosaria.

The Reed she knew was a man dedicated to the one he loved.

"Even though he's weak..."

He had a strong sense of responsibility despite his weakness.

Dolores didn't dislike that about Reed.

She fell for that side of him, and it was still one of the many reasons she liked him.

Dolores bit her lower lip and tapped the table with her finger.

'He must be wallowing in self-pity again, keeping his mouth shut like a fool.'

Dolores recalled the days when they were divorced.

He didn't explain anything and left only scars.

She knew later that it was his consideration for her to meet a better person, but she resented that consideration.

"I need to become stronger."

As the fiancée of the one she loves.

As a member of the Adeleheights family.

If there are people threatening her family, she must be able to punish them without mercy.

Dolores manipulated the panel on the table.

- Magic practice room rented from 04:00 to 06:00.

She had to become stronger than when she was the Tower Master of Wallin, if not stronger.

***

"Tower Master?"

"Huh? What's up?"

"I informed you about the new recruit training, but did you fully understand?"

"Training? Oh, is that what you're talking about? Just handle it for me."

At Phoebe's words, Reed fumbled with his neck and mumbled.

"Should I reduce your workload? There are many things I can do at my discretion."

"Huh? No, it's fine. What would happen if the Tower Master neglected his duties?"

"You seem to space out a lot lately. I'm really worried if your health is not good."

"I've just been out of it lately, so I'm getting lost in other thoughts from time to time. Don't worry too much."

'Is it because of the young lady?'

"Even though she causes some trouble, she hasn't had any major accidents so far. It's not because of her."

Reed chuckled in response, but the worry on Phoebe's face didn't disappear.

"I heard that there are people targeting the young lady."

"..."

Reed looked up at Phoebe.

Only then did he realize that her concern was not just about his fatigue.

"How did you find out?"

"Your fiancée told me."