The brain is awake but the body is asleep—sometimes we call this sleep paralysis. Perhaps what I experienced was a kind of sleep paralysis too.

Specifically, spending the entire night in Ping-Valerez's embrace.

For personal reasons, I couldn't fall asleep. My heart was beating too fast for drowsiness to settle in. So the challenge became how to pass roughly eight empty hours.

I could have spent half the day admiring Ping-Valerez's feminine form, but that would likely have meant bidding farewell to my sanity, so I refrained. When I tried planning the next session, Ping-Valerez's occasional movements sent my thoughts wandering off track.

Fortunately, I had something mindless to occupy myself in this situation.

The succubus race seemed to have a built-in ability to absorb magical power through skin contact. When pressed together like this, I could feel my mana being slowly drained.

Ping-Valerez probably wasn't deliberately absorbing my mana. The amount was negligible, and after claiming to be friends, sucking mana like a mosquito would damage her pride. Someone as dignified as Ping-Valerez wouldn't make such a choice.

It must be a racial characteristic—something unconscious, perhaps.

Just like how you can lose track of time popping bubble wrap around a package, I enjoyed the mini-game of defending against Ping-Valerez's mana absorption. It was perfect for mindless concentration.

After enduring those hours, as dawn broke, Ping-Valerez slowly opened her eyes. Judging by the clarity in her gaze, this wasn't sleep-talking. Realizing she was finally awake, I executed an emergency escape from the blanket.

Rolling, rolling, rolling.

I fell from the bed, tumbled three times across the floor, and stood up. I am free.

Ping-Valerez rubbed her eyes, grabbed her glasses from the bedside, put them on, looked down at her body thoughtfully, and then calmly said something outrageous to me.

"You didn't use it, I see?"

"Spouting nonsense first thing in the morning, you...!!"

I was momentarily flustered.

No, I couldn't lose my composure. Both Ping-Valerez and I are extremely offensive types. When one of us gets pushed into a defensive position, the other can ride that momentum and deal damage until death.

I needed to parry. If I didn't parry...

"Hmm."

Ping-Valerez smiled playfully and lifted the blanket with one arm, creating space for me to enter. Her dress shirt had absorbed moisture, faintly revealing her skin, and warm air circulated inside the blanket.

Sunlight streamed through the window, brightening the bedroom, but in contrast, shadows inside the blanket subtly accentuated the curves of Ping-Valerez's body.

Then she said matter-of-factly:

"If you want, you can come back in."

"......"

"I won't tease you this time."

A critical hit.

...I lost!

I immediately executed my escape. I opened the door, rushed out, and rolled down the corridor. I tried to erase the scene from my mind by turning myself into a centrifuge, but no matter how much I rolled... it remained vividly imprinted.

Just you wait, Ping-Valerez. Though I've suffered this humiliating defeat... tomorrow brings a new sun. Next time, I won't be so helplessly defeated. Or so I vowed.

But then the Tower Master I encountered in the hallway screamed:

"...Y-you! Why are you walking around in just your underwear?!"

"Ah."

Only then did I realize I'd fled the room in a state of undress and poverty, and had to return to the bedroom I'd just escaped from...

===============================================================

I'm so annoyed.

That slightly upturned corner of her mouth, despite her otherwise expressionless face, is so irritating. If I could turn back time, I would have just quietly slept while hugging the Tower Master.

Of course, she wouldn't have been able to sleep either, but at least the Tower Master wouldn't tease me all day. If anything, I would have been the one doing the teasing.

"Cra—ahem. Crazy Magician?"

"......"

The invisible "lol" between her fake cough was clearly audible to me. Considering Ping-Valerez's characteristically blunt persona, her previous line was essentially no different from "Crazyㅋㅋㅋㅋ Magicianㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ."

How annoying. Even for a defeated general, is such mockery appropriate? The world is truly harsh and unfeeling.

I covered my face with both hands and uttered my second surrender declaration of the season.

"Ping-Valerez, don't talk to me today..."

"I'm sorry, but imperial orders take precedence over a friend's request. The 2nd Prince has sent a message."

"Then I should hear it. What is it?"

"He says he'll reward you generously for your achievements at the Academy. He wants you to come up to the Imperial Capital, Crownhall, to show your face briefly."

So His Highness wants to reward me for achieving 120% work completion! I hope it's substantial research funding. I've been planning to create a vaccine to eliminate a virus.

With enough money, I could outsource or hire researchers. Since I need to fulfill my duties as a professor while also playing TRPG, my research time has inevitably decreased.

If I recruit... graduate students. If I use the power of "Professor" to mobilize paid slaves, I could make up for the reduced research time.

"But there's one peculiar requirement... he asks you to wear quilted protective gear when you come."

"?"

I couldn't understand the 2nd Prince's deep intentions. Why would he want me to wear protective gear? Is he planning to take me somewhere special, like an SM café or to the front lines?

Surely His Highness wouldn't be thinking of hitting me. I've done such good work.

"Anyway, I understand."

"It'll be nice to see Crownhall after so long."

"Oh, you're coming too?"

"Of course. My job is to assist the Crazy Magician... and I should follow my friend."

Wink. Ping-Valerez's expressionless wink struck me.

My heart pounded after the direct hit. What is this, this emotion...? My body heats up, my hands and feet tremble, and all my muscles tense.

This is... something I haven't felt in a while... anger!

I reached for my transformation switch. This means war. Whether you're stronger or my TS mode is stronger will be determined in bed tomorrow. Now I fear nothing—

Perhaps reading my agitated state, Ping-Valerez appropriately steered the conversation. The topic was too interesting to ignore.

"Ah, Crazy Magician. Did you know? There's a very nice establishment in Crownhall."

"What kind of place?"

"It's a tavern where the beer tastes bad and the owner is unfriendly."

What's good about that?

"The owner's daughter serves the beer. She's a lively beauty with freckles. But the employee uniform skirt is extremely short..."

"...How short?"

"About this short."

"Let's go right now."

Friends are truly wonderful. A relationship where we share information and derive pleasure—isn't it beautiful? I promised to have a beer at the tavern and walked side by side with Ping-Valerez, arms around each other's shoulders.

===============================================================

I sat the small, precious Purple Tower Master on my lap, combed her hair, and chatted pleasantly. This is exactly what I missed—her pocket-sized stature and warm temperature. It's cute how she goes "Eep!" when hugged tightly.

Of course, I was ready to let go if she showed any discomfort. I just needed to observe the effects floating around the Tower Master. If skulls, restraints, or knives appeared, it meant she disliked it.

Don't worry about awkward aspects that might ruin the mood. With Level 1 Lust Suppression, I can chase away all inappropriate thoughts.

"So I'm planning to go for drinks with Ping-Valerez. You probably wouldn't like that sort of thing, right, Tower Master?"

"N-no. I want to go too! I, I can drink well."

"I wasn't talking about you, but about the waitress's skirt... Seeing you boast like that, you probably can't handle alcohol."

"...Actually, I've never tried it."

The Tower Master mumbled. I was surprised. Never had a drink? Was she unexpectedly living a very healthy lifestyle? But still, people usually try it at least once.

"Not even once?"

"...No."

"That's strange. If you live long enough, you usually try it at least once."

"Um...?"

The Tower Master's body suddenly stiffened. Oh no, that was a mistake. Age is a sensitive topic.

"Ah, I'm sorry. It's rude to talk about a lady's age..."

"W-wait. Wait wait wait...?! How old do you think I am...?"

The Tower Master fluttered frantically. This was a difficult question. "How old do I look?" At face value, she obviously looked sixteen or seventeen, but her actual age was a mystery.

She's the Tower Master of a magic tower. Moreover, as a master of illusion magic, she could easily alter her appearance. So estimating her age based on looks would be foolish. I should guess based on physical age.

Considering the Tower Master's athletic abilities...

"Forties?"

"...Hey!!"

The Tower Master spun around to face me while sitting on my knees and delivered merciless Yuna-punches with both hands. Was I wrong? Judging by her anger, was she younger?

"I-I-I'm about the same age as you...?!"

"...Then fifties?"

"Excluding past lives-!!"

Now she was starting to sob. I hugged the Tower Master and patted her earnestly while thinking hard. Wait, so I'm... in my tenth year at the tower, so about twenty-two. Then her claim to be similar in age doesn't make sense.

Even when I first entered the tower, the Tower Master's appearance wasn't much different from now. So naturally, I thought she was a magician in her forties maintaining her youthful appearance through mysterious powers.

But what if it was the opposite...?

What if she had used illusion magic to appear older than she actually was, to hide her young age?

What if the Tower Master wasn't a reverse-aging loli but an actual young girl?

That would explain the Tower Master's suspiciously poor social skills, her loneliness, and her awkwardness around others. She was naturally shy, but she also had limited social experience and was young to begin with.

Then, then...?

Past transgressions flashed through my mind.

Skimming research funds and saying "Just bring me food, Tower Master."

Talking about underwear for three hours in front of a child.

And telling her "I trust you, Tower Master" before dumping everything on her and sleeping comfortably.

"......"

"H-huh? Why the sudden change in expression...? D-do you prefer older women? T-then, actually, I was in my forties..."

The Tower Master stroked my cheek with tears welling in her eyes. Even now, she was thinking of me first.

The thought that I had been making such a kind child suffer all this time tore at my conscience. I, I was garbage...

A critical hit.

I quietly hugged the Tower Master and gathered all my sincerity to speak.

"...I'll make you happy from now on."

"Eeheh...?!"

"I'll make sure you never have to lift a finger...!!"

"W-what, what does that mean?!"

I patted Purple Tower Master Yuna gently. That was all I could think about now. I needed to show her all kinds of fun things so she could enjoy her youth.

I made plans with the Tower Master to tour the Imperial Capital. Walking in parks together, dining at fancy restaurants. The Tower Master, who had been dazed for a moment, soon began enthusiastically planning.

She suggested riding horses together or walking along paths famous for couples, which I agreed to. It sounded fun.

"T-this is a date..."

"Pardon?"

"N-nothing...!"

And so our trip to Crownhall was efficiently prepared.