There were many names by which the Wild Mage of my first life was called.

The ruler of the wilderness without a lord.

The heretic of the Shrine Tower.

The mad experimenter.

And...

“The man who put Dahlia on the money throne!”

He would become Dahlia’s man in the future, developing countless things according to Dahlia’s command.

Most nobles wanted to gain him.

But his bond with Dahlia was so solid that he never turned his back on her...

“If he’s Dad’s academy classmate, then maybe I can find him first and form a connection?”

My eyes sparkled as I looked at Ted Madillo.

Then I said to Sister Sebastia.

“Sister, please go back first. I still have some things to attend to.”

“Oh? Um, alright...”

Sister blinked after seeing the blatantly lecherous expression on my face.

Ted glanced around.

The crowd thickened around the boys he hung out with.

And all of them were ladies from tremendous noble families.

“Prince Langro, when is the club’s hunt? Please give me a chance to cheer.”

“Pr-Prince Jermo. Oh, oh, it’s been a while.”

“Kya, Lady Roxy~!”

The boys looked indifferent.

“The hunting schedule isn’t decided yet. Ugh, annoying, go away.”

“Who is that guy?”

“Ha ha, it’s been so long. Seeing you like this makes me even happier, nightingales.”

All of them were tall, smooth-faced.

Plus, they had the blessing of the offensive type that girls admired.

Even among those they hung out with, only those deceivers had all the girls gathered around.

The other boys whispered among themselves with gloomy faces.

“What do girls see in those guys anyway?”

“A man should have size. Size.”

Though complaining, their tone betrayed envy.

The boys of ordinary appearance said to Ted.

“Prince Madillo is close with those guys too, right?”

“Yes, well...”

“But even by the prince’s side, flies are buzzing.”

“...”

“The prince’s face isn’t that bad either.”

“...”

When he first appeared in society, he was popular.

Many praised Ted’s handsome appearance.

But...

“Hello, Prince Madillo!”

“A-a-a-hello, h-h-hic!”

Since childhood, he only associated with boys, and the only female at home was his mother.

Unfamiliar with girls, wherever he went, he stammered his words.

Hence, the nickname ‘Stuttering Madillo’.

After girls got used to him...

“Prince, long time no see.”

“Yes! It’s been three months and four days.”

“Really? Ah... yes... Ah! Your outfit today is very splendid.”

“This outfit is made of bezaloc fabric. This cloth is made from the silk of silkworm monsters, which shrink to fit the wearer’s body... The silkworm supposedly eats mulberry leaves but actually... And, the study of monsters is...”

“...”

Though he was only smart and had good memory, the girls whispered.

“Prince Madillo looks handsome but... how should I say... he’s boring.”

—And so...

His nickname became “a persimmon that’s only good looking.”

Meanwhile, the communication stone was ringing hard.

Ted frowned and stepped out into the corridor.

When he connected the communication, a shrill voice flowed out.

[You didn’t run away from the party again, did you, Tederiols Michael Madillo!]

“It’s the party, Mother...”

[Today you must find a good match for sure.]

Mother complained hard.

Their already declining house had lost an enormous patron, Duke Chateaubriand.

At this rate, they might be kicked out of District 1.

Others dated by themselves and got flashy brides, but what’s wrong with you!

Mom’s friend’s son already holds a position in the royal palace...!

Ted looked at the communication stone with a tired face.

‘Do you think I don’t want to do it, Mother...?’

Passing boys who heard the communication giggled.

A curly-haired boy full of freckles threw his arm over Ted’s shoulder.

“You’re one of us in the department too, Prince.”

It made him feel gloomy.

Ted sighed deeply.

At that moment,

“Uh, Prince.”

Somewhere, the sound of jade beads rolling was heard.

The boys crowding around Ted flinched and looked to the side.

“Wow...”

“Amazing...”

They all wore dreamy expressions.

Blond hair flowing along delicate shoulders.

Fair and translucent skin.

A face shape that made you doubt how a human could have such curves.

Large, sparkling eyes.

A small pointed nose and plump lips falling in neat lines.

She was literally a ‘painted beauty’.

Ted looked around the boys and nodded knowingly.

‘I thought she was a real angel the first time I saw her.’

Her appearance at events on video felt completely different.

It was as if she had an aura of power.

That face belonged to Erilot Astra...

The freckled boy who had his arm on Ted’s shoulder stammered.

“Me, me?”

“Ah...”

When Erilot dragged out her tail end of the sentence, other boys flustered.

“I-I think she means me...!”

“Did you call me...?”

“No, why would the Western Wonhwa call the prince? By family or influence, it would be me...!”

While the boys bickered, another group of boys stepped out into the corridor.

“Oh? Erilot!”

“Be careful. You shouldn’t call names carelessly, Wuel.”

“You watch yourself, Rokste. Don’t open your eyes all soft like that. You might end up dead by Balzac.”

They were the deceivers of the zodiac boys leading the girls.

They were the ones receiving all the popularity.

Among them, the most popular were Wuel Langro and Cassian Jermo.

They approached Erilot.

“You were here. We found you.”

“It’s a message from your father. He wants to invite you to the mansion—”

Erilot casually approached Ted.

“I was looking for Prince Madillo.”

“Me, me?”

“Yes.”

Erilot smiled brightly.

The boys around Ted widened their eyes staring at him.

“Why would the Western Wonhwa call Prince Madillo?!”

Not Wuel or Cassian, but this good-looking persimmon?!

Erilot smiled gently.

“I’d like to talk for a bit. Could you spare some time?”

“Time... Ah, yes! Of course!”

Erilot clapped her hands with a “Wow!”

The boys clutched their chests as if their hearts were struck by clapping.

“Shall we go, Prince?”

“Eh? Ah... Yes!”

Ted followed Erilot awkwardly.

From behind, the boys’ murmuring voices were heard.

“Why Ted Madillo! We could understand if it was Prince Jermo or Langro!”

“Damn it—!”

Cassian and Wuel also stared at Ted wide-eyed.

Ted blinked and thought.

‘It feels... good?’

Somehow his shoulders went up proudly.

I borrowed an empty room from Lady Paangte and took Ted there.

Lady Paangte was delicate and sent a servant to bring a carriage.

Ted and I sat facing each other across the carriage.

Ted cleared his throat.

“For what... reason...?”

“I have something to ask.”

“Yes! Please go ahead!”

“I heard that my father and your uncle were academy classmates.”

“Ah...”

Ted, who had been so cordial earlier, flinched.

He said with a troubled expression,

“How did you find out about that...?”

“I have many connections. Sorry for eavesdropping on family matters.”

“I knew Astra’s information power was strong, but I didn’t expect you to know about my uncle too.”

Ted continued awkwardly.

“My name was removed from the family register at age fifteen, so I entered the academy as a commoner special admission.”

“Your name was removed from the register?”

“It seems there were various incidents...”

“Incidents?”

Ted hesitated to speak.

Usually, I would have ignored and changed the subject, but not now.

‘I need info about the Wild Mage.’

I folded my hands and frowned.

“I really want to hear your story, Prince...”

Ted looked at me dazedly.

His ears turned bright red as he cleared his throat again.

He scratched his neck and said,

“Well, just a little...”

“Thank you, Prince!”

Ted coughed repeatedly, his face bright red.

“He was obsessed with magic and did all sorts of experiments. From childhood, people treated him like a madman.”

“Ah.”

“Eventually, he secretly experimented on an enormous sacred relic entrusted to the royal palace without my grandfather knowing, and...”

Ted said gloomily.

“Our family has been paying compensation until now. All my salary goes for it too...”

The Madillo family traditionally produced the royal palace’s chief mage.

But why they bought their son as a servant into the palace was now clear...

‘They had to earn money somehow.’

If it was a relic entrusted to the palace for investigation, it must be astronomically valuable.

“The explosion of the experiment involved my father and grandmother too.”

“Goodness.”

“Even when grandmother’s life hung in the balance, my uncle apparently kept writing down the experiment’s results, and grandfather couldn’t tolerate it anymore...”

Oh no.

Ted sighed deeply.

“By my grandfather’s order, no one in the family may meet my uncle.”

“What?!”

Then there’s no way to contact him.

My face hardened instantly; Ted blinked.

“But why do you want to ask about him?”

“Well, um...”

I rolled my eyes thinking of an excuse.

“He was a special friend of my dad, so I really want to meet # Nоvеlight # him.”

“A special friend? That can’t be...”

“Pardon?”

“It seems there’s a misunderstanding.”

“My dad and your uncle were in the same academy, same class...”

“No, my uncle doesn’t have friends.”

Ted said seriously, repeating.

“Absolutely not.”

“But...”

“No, no such thing. Impossible.”

“...Huh?”

When I blinked, Ted said with conviction.

“No one would consider that madman— no, my uncle— a friend!”

“...”

“He’s truly out of his mind— no, different from ordinary people...!”

“...”

Apparently, the Wild Mage I’m trying to find has serious personality issues.

Ted got very excited, talking about how bad-tempered his uncle was.

He threw people into the river just by breathing on them.

He once said to someone, ‘That brain seems useless, so I’ll take it out for experiments.’

Even his gaze while reading books was annoying.

‘But does he really hate him this much just from what his parents told him?’

I recalled what I’d heard about Ted.

The Madillo marquis family was famous for producing countless scholars.

[Inherited the talent of ancestors.

Received early admission offers to the National Academy.

But did not attend the National Academy where District 1 nobles study.

Studied abroad and later developed his magical talents.]

‘Right. Maybe...!’

I raised my eyebrows and looked at Ted.

“Prince Madillo, you were famous for being smart since childhood?”

“I even got early admission offers to the National Academy.”

Ted smiled confidently.

“Then why didn’t you go?”

“By my father’s order, I studied abroad...”

“Where abroad?”

“Aligiosa.”

“Then you must have met Prince Abino of Aligiosa?”

“Ah... well, from afar at events...”

I smiled slyly.

“Lies.”

“...What?”

“The crown prince of Aligiosa has trauma from Prince Abino’s kidnapping. So he never lets Prince Abino attend external events.”

“...!”

Ted’s face twitched stiffly.

I rang a bell inside.

‘Ted did not study abroad in Aligiosa.’

He used the study abroad excuse but was training under his uncle without his grandfather’s knowledge.

“Where is your uncle now, Prince?”

Since he is a mentor, Ted must know how to contact him.

Ted swallowed dryly.

I rushed back to the mansion.

I hurried up the stairs and burst into my room, where maids tidying up opened their eyes wide.

Jeanne, who came to get my coat, looked at me as if wondering what was going on.

“My luggage! Jeanne, where’s my luggage?”

“In the storage.”

“Bring it here. And some comfortable clothes, a notebook, take some money from my private storage, ah! Tell the coachman to prepare the carriage too—”

I poured out words and entered the dressing room.

‘Clothes that look as much like a commoner as possible... don’t exist.’

I glanced sideways at a maid my age serving nearby.

She looked at the dress I was holding with envy.

I asked the maid my age.

“Hey. Want to swap clothes?”

“Huh?”

Then other maids flinched.

“Yes!?”

“Whaaat?!”

“...?”

The dress I held was one that would cost several years’ wages of a noble family’s servant to buy.

So it was understandable that the maid was bewildered by my request to swap.

The maid stammered embarrassedly.

“My, my clothes?”

“Yeah, would you trade for about three or four sets of casual clothes?”

Heidi and Betty were shouting from both sides.

That was a dress specially made for the lady.

Why that particular dress?

Do you know how cute the lady looks in that dress?

“I’ll go buy similar casual clothes now!”

“No. You have to wear clothes you usually wear.”

“Why?”

“To look like a commoner.”

I smiled slyly and looked at Jeanne.

“Contact Alexis. And tell him to disguise me as a maid and include me in the procession going to Euroseong Territory.”

Ted said,

“My uncle is living in Euroseong Territory, but you probably can’t meet him. He hates people, especially nobles.”

Then it’s enough to look like a commoner.

Euroseong is perfect.

Euroseong is a branch family separated from the Ishiron family, and Alexis happens to have business there!