The Female Lead Takes Care of Everything - Chapter 56

* * *

The black kitten they had encountered in the forest had been none other than Ather, the Archdragon, in disguise.

Dragons possessed the ability to shapeshift into various forms. People called it polymorph, or transformation, and revered it as a divine trait.

However, being less than six months old, the only form Ather could manage was that of a kitten.

She couldn’t even change her fur color.

“Ugh, just thinking about it still makes my heart leap. That brazen brat—I was a kind Archdragon coming to help, and she tried to…!”

Ather grumbled for quite a while.

In the carriage heading to the Tower Kindergarten, it wasn’t just Nivellia, Aref, and Deter on board.

“She sure is chatty,” said Armiphera, the kids’ aunt.

“You wouldn’t say that if you went through it! Your niece tried to kill me! Said she’d rip out my tiny throat!”

Ather, no longer in her kitten form, had returned to her original self.

Today, she wore a violet cape and lace ankle cuffs. A cute bead pin secured the adornments on her front legs.

Come to think of it, dragons are supposed to love shiny things, right?
Deter quietly wondered if Ather’s fashion obsession stemmed from that instinct.

“Auntie, why are you and the lizard going to the Tower? Are you going to school?”

Nivellia swung her short legs as she asked.

Armiphera gestured toward the Archdragon, comfortably sprawled across her lap.

“We’re taking her to meet the Tower Master.”

In truth, they were going to confirm the curse that had been placed on the Tower Master.

“The Tower Master… doesn’t really like dragons…”

Aref’s words came slowly, uncertain.

He had recently realized Ather wasn’t the evil being he had imagined.

But Magia’s deep resentment toward Ather had been real.

“I know she doesn’t like me.”

Oddly enough, Ather didn’t seem too bothered.

“But even so, we should talk. You’ve got to start somewhere if you want to break down a wall.”

“If you break a wall, you get hurt.”

And getting hurt… hurts.

Nivellia stated simply.

“…Even so, it’s better to try.”

If you run away just because it hurts, the wall will never move. It will always block your path.

After saying that, Ather closed her eyes.

But her paws, hidden beneath her cape, were trembling slightly.

“It’s okay. It’s okay.”

Nivellia gently patted the dragon’s head.

Aref reached out quietly and placed a hand on Ather’s back.

* * *

When Armiphera arrived at the Tower—

“My sparkling soda! You charming little traitor!”

Magia, the Tower Master, had come all the way down to the first floor to greet her with open arms.

He adored her. Probably because she always drove his landlord, Ardores, crazy.

“Grandpa, guess who I brought with me today?”

But the moment Magia laid eyes on the kitten in the cage—

“……”

His expression darkened like he’d bitten into a lemon.

Nivellia and Aref, wisely stopping there, headed off toward the kindergarten.

“Do you think they’ll make up?”

Nivellia swung her joined hands with Aref as they walked.

“I hope so.”

“Right?”

Nivellia liked Magia just a bit more, so she decided she’d let him have his way, no matter what he chose.

And if they didn’t make up, she’d just go home and comfort the dragon.

“All right then, Aref! See you later!”

“See you, my lady.”

They parted ways at the kindergarten gate.

Aref had recently started attending classes at the Tower’s academy.

The Tower wasn’t just a kindergarten—it also housed a learning center for older children.

Since Aref was too old for kindergarten, he had quickly picked up the basics and transferred to the academy class.

“Good morning, teacher!”

Nivellia walked into class cheerfully and greeted her teacher.

“Good morning, Nini! Oh my, your hair looks beautiful today!”

“Deter did it for me!”

At kindergarten, Nivellia learned many things.

She drew straight lines with colored pencils on worksheets, practiced spiral curves like snail shells, and did her best to keep her lines connected.

That day, she worked on an art project: sticking insect stickers onto a giant flower picture while discussing the question:
“What kind of bugs can we see in summer?”

“Phew…”

Another successful day.

Nivellia slowly nodded as she admired the collaborative art piece she and her friends had finished together.

“Hey.”

A boy with short, brown hair approached her.

Nivellia blinked up at him, staring blankly.

Their eyes met—and the boy immediately flinched and looked away.

Then, for no clear reason, he scowled and snapped his gaze back toward her with irritation.

His eyes were full of unfounded annoyance and petty spite.

“You… are you close with the Tower Master?”

Nivellia briefly debated whether or not to poke him in the eye with her finger—but chose to respond instead.

“Yeah.”

In the past, she probably would’ve decked him on the spot.

But now she was a better, wiser version of herself.

“You can’t just hit people anymore.”

She had learned her lesson—watching innocent teachers apologize for her actions had taught her to think twice before acting.

“Why do you ask?”

“Liar! Why would someone like you be close to the Tower Master?”

His face twisted with disbelief.

“My grandma and grandpa are his friends.”

Nivellia and Aref were attending the kindergarten under anonymity. No one knew they were from the Deiamor family.

They also didn’t hide the fact that they weren’t children of mages.

That wasn’t strange. Not all children of mages could use magic.

Magic wasn’t something passed by blood—it was a talent. Though children from magical lineages were more likely to awaken it, it wasn’t guaranteed.

This boy picking a fight with Nivellia was one of the few with awakened magical talent.

He was a mage.

“And the Tower Master…”

He’s my subordinate!

That’s what she wanted to say.

“…Anyway, he’s friends with my grandparents.”

Nivellia had tact.

The Tower Master was, after all, the head of the Tower. Declaring herself his superior would only make things messy.

So she held her tongue. A good captain protects her subordinates.

“Why do you care?”

This time, Nivellia was the one asking.

“Why are you even asking?”

“…It’s weird.”

“What is?”

“That you’re even here. You’re not a mage.”

At that, the other non-mage children turned to look at the boy.

Feeling their stares, he scrambled to justify himself.

“O-our parents are mages at least! But yours aren’t!”

“Nope. They’re not.”

“Then what are you doing here?”

“……”

Nivellia said nothing.

Not because she was afraid or hurt—she just honestly couldn’t figure out why this brat was picking a fight with her out of nowhere.

“Alec, what’s your problem?”

Other kids sensed the weirdness too.

They stepped up and stood in front of Nivellia protectively.

She happened to be the youngest in the class, and everyone treated her like a cherished little sister.

“Why are you being mean to Nini?”

“Yeah, she didn’t do anything.”

“You’re older! Don’t pick on your little sister!”

Their united front completely threw Alec off.

He clearly hadn’t expected to be outnumbered.

Trying to recover, he shouted even louder, like volume would make him right:

“S-Still! She’s so arrogant! Staying here with us like she belongs—when she’s not even a mage! She’s so shameless!”

His shrieking made Nivellia’s ears ring.

So, she just punched him.

“You’re too loud!”

Her tiny fist landed squarely on his philtrum.

Her days as a cat might’ve passed, but her legendary strike—once feared by heroes—was still deadly accurate.

Meanwhile, while Nivellia was dealing with an unwarranted outburst…

“…So, you’re saying…”

Magia glared like he wanted to tear apart the Archdragon—the descendant of the one who cursed him 180 years ago.

And Ather was currently hiding her face in Armiphera’s arms.

“You’re telling me… the curse might not be real?”

“I-It’s probably a curse…!”

The baby dragon, not even six months old, trembled and spoke in a shaky low voice.

“But it might not have actually been cast by an Archdragon. After talking with the Saintess, we think it’s… possible.”

“And with that in mind, could you maybe stop glaring like that?”
Armiphera gently tried to de-escalate.

Magia, glancing at her—his precious granddaughter-in-spirit—finally withdrew his murderous intent.

“Thank you, Grandpa.”

“I shouldn’t be making a scene in front of you.”

“It’s okay. It’s an important topic.”

She smiled understandingly and stroked Ather’s head gently.

Only then did Ather gather enough courage to peek up.

“L-Let’s start by examining the mark the curse left.”

All curses, like all spells, left magical symbols behind.

“…Sigh.”

Magia stood from his seat—and began to unbutton his top.

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