Saying she’d realized this in her third life after dying twice would sound insane to anyone. There was no way he, who’d lived an ordinary life, would believe her.

No matter how skilled Cardel was, there was no guarantee he could control and regulate Kelic.

If he failed, he could face a life-threatening crisis. Evolaine would also suffer physical damage, but the real problem lay elsewhere.

How would the Duchy of Radelica react? If the duke’s eldest son faced mortal danger while helping a b*stard child, who would protect Evolaine?

“…What will you do if the young lord faces danger while trying to control Kelic?”

“Cardel is highly skilled. I guarantee he won’t fall into danger.”

“Kelic can’t be controlled simply through superior skill.”

“What?”

The duke’s gaze felt sharp. His naturally cold impression made it seem even more so.

“A mage capable of handling Kelic must have magic power compatible with it.”

This was exactly why the marchioness had been able to steal Kelic from Evolaine in her past lives.

The marchioness had been desperate to find a mage most compatible with Kelic in order to take it from Evolaine.

‘In the end, she succeeded in stealing it.’

At that time, Evolaine hadn’t fully awakened Kelic, making it much easier for the mage to handle.

“How can you tell if they’re compatible?”

“…That’s—”

The only way to confirm compatibility was to see if they could subdue it through attack.

If they could subdue it, that proved the mage could handle Kelic. Conversely, if they couldn’t subdue it, they couldn’t control Kelic.

However, knights and mages had different combat styles. If Evolaine, who possessed Kelic, used a sword as her main weapon, mages used their magic power as their main weapon.

Since mages didn’t typically use physical weap*ns like swords, they had a relatively higher chance of getting injured.

The problem was that her opponent was Cardel de Radelica.

Evolaine didn’t even want to imagine what would happen if she injured the eldest son of a noble family among nobles during a duel.

When Evolaine hesitated to answer, the duke tapped his desk to ease his impatience. To Evolaine, it looked like he was pressuring her with a fierce expression, but his true feelings were different.

Letting her, a descendant of Kelic no less, leave the duke’s castle would be a loss for the ducal family.

Moreover, Cardel had made this proposal himself. Since the party involved had essentially agreed in advance, they only needed Evolaine’s positive opinion.

“Father, I’d like to appoint Evolaine, who passed today’s entrance exam, as my escort.”

He couldn’t understand his son’s true intentions when he suddenly came after observing and said this, but either way, it became an opportunity to keep Evolaine, so it didn’t matter.

“Is the method very dangerous?”

Evolaine’s eyes widened—she hadn’t expected Cardel to ask directly.

“…The method is a duel. If you succeed in subduing me during the duel, you can control Kelic.”

“If I fail?”

“Then you can assume you cannot control Kelic.”

“Then let’s proceed. When would be good for the duel?”

The duke shook his head at the schedule being set as naturally as meeting a friend.

His taciturn, quiet son always had this strangely proactive and passionate side in odd areas.

“My lord, are you really proceeding with this?”

Heron, who’d been watching the conversation from behind the duke, quietly approached and asked.

“What choice do I have? The parties involved say it’s fine.”

Evolaine hadn’t confirmed her answer yet, but the duke arbitrarily stamped it with certainty.

“It’s late today, so we’ll conduct the duel tomorrow morning. I’ll send someone, so come to the location they guide you to.”

At the duke actually proceeding, Evolaine sensed things had gotten complicated. Her goal in this life was to take revenge on the marchioness. That’s why she’d come to the Duchy of Radelica—to build her strength.

However, she’d never considered a situation where she’d grow this close to the ducal family’s people.

“I look forward to tomorrow’s duel, Evolaine.”

Cardel extended his hand for a handshake. His slender, smooth fingers contrasted with Evolaine’s scarred hands.

“…I look forward to it as well, Young Lord.”

In the end, Evolaine had no choice but to accept the proposal. She felt inexplicable pressure from the golden eyes watching her.

* * *

The next morning, the duke sent someone as promised.

“You look well-rested.”

“…You seem to be in a good mood as well, Young Lord.”

“Of course—it’s been so long since I’ve had a duel. Since you’ll be my escort, should I call you ‘Dame’? Anyway, thanks to you, Dame, I have a duel scheduled, so how could I not be in a good mood?”

“Yes…”

‘I didn’t want this duel though…’

Evolaine suppressed the urge to pout and went back into her room to frantically finish preparing.

She’d thought they’d send a servant or subordinate at most—she hadn’t expected Cardel to come himself.

Cardel acted like he had an iron mask on his face, seemingly not seeing Evolaine’s sour expression.

“Aren’t we going to the training grounds?”

“The Lacrel Knights have training there today. You’ll join them midway after finishing your duel with me, Dame.”

Cardel took Evolaine to the forest visible immediately upon exiting through the back door of the main castle.

“We’re dueling in the forest?”

“We can’t let everyone and their mother know you’re a descendant of Kelic.”

“…”

“This place is also better for setting up a barrier. If there are buildings around, I have to control my magic power more precisely.”

Evolaine thought of the main castle, now far away. Radelica Castle had many buildings, including the main castle and annexes.

But wasn’t the forest also surrounded by things?

“There are many trees in the forest too. It’s full of plants and living creatures—what’s the difference?”

“Magic power is friendly to natural objects. It’s much easier to use magic power than with artificially constructed buildings.”

Cardel picked up a fallen branch in front of him and held it out to Evolaine.

“Beings friendly to magic power, like this branch…”

When he infused magic power into the branch, a formless golden energy enveloped it.

Soon the branch showed strange changes—bending as the energy moved, with half its form erased.

“Touch it. The part you can’t see.”

Evolaine touched the part of the branch that had form just moments ago. Unlike what she’d thought had disappeared, she felt the branch’s rough surface at her fingertips.

“I can’t see it, but how…”

“I simply erased its appearance with magic power. When I retrieve the magic power, it reveals its original form.”

“Are artificial things different?”

“Similar. But they consume more magic power, and there are many parts to pay attention to. Unlike natural objects, their magic absorption rate is significantly lower, and even the absorption amount differs by material used—you have to consider all of that.”

The knowledge she was learning for the first time and Cardel’s explanations that stuck in her head stimulated Evolaine’s curiosity.

He knew many things, and his method of explaining them in easy terms was perfect for Evolaine.

How did he know so much? Did all nobles know this much?

In reality, it was because Cardel had studied unusually hard, but inadvertently, he planted a misconception about nobles in Evolaine.

“Have you never studied magic power, Dame?”

“…No. I never had the opportunity.”

What use was studying when it was hard enough to eat every day at the orphanage? For children in similar circumstances to Evolaine, studying was a luxury.

“If you become my escort, I’ll teach you about magic power.”

“Magic power…?”

“You said it yourself. That I can only control your power if I’m compatible with Kelic.”

“…”

“If I succeed in controlling it, become my escort.”

Why was he so insistent that she become his escort?

“Is there a reason I must become your escort?”

“…Yes.”

She couldn’t read his expression. She had no sense of what he was thinking.

“I really want you to become my escort. So promise me.”

“…”

Evolaine stared fixedly at the hand Cardel extended. The more she conversed with him, the more she felt dragged into a swamp.

A terrible swamp from which she could never devise a way to escape…

“I didn’t expect an immediate answer. Think about it slowly.”

“…Yes.”

Only Evolaine felt uncomfortable in the awkward atmosphere as they arrived in the middle of the forest, unable to give an answer.

“Catch.”

“Is this the sword I’ll use?”

“Yes, Sir Leopold specially prepared it, so use it well.”

When Leopold’s name came up, Evolaine’s gaze toward the sword changed. Until just moments ago, she’d had no life in her eyes, but the moment she heard his name, they began to sparkle.

“Do you like Sir Leopold that much?”

“Yes, he’s helped me greatly.”

“If you become my escort, I can help you greatly too.”

“…I’ll consider it.”

“I look forward to it.”

Evolaine, whose heart was bursting with the desire not to fulfill his expectations, looked around to survey the forest.

Come to think of it, the only people here were Evolaine and Cardel.

Where was everyone else?

“Is it just you and me, Young Lord?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

At Evolaine’s question, Cardel stopped his preparatory movements and stood up.

As he approached with large strides, Evolaine unconsciously stepped back little by little.

“I thought you knew Kelic well, Dame, but seeing you like this makes me think you don’t know it well after all.”

“…”

“Even if I’m skilled enough to control Kelic, I can’t control the Kelic that extends to people other than me. Controlling it with my magic power is only possible between you and me, Dame.”

Cardel’s golden eyes sparkled, close enough that their noses nearly touched. She seemed to see the strange sight of his pupils narrowing due to the intense early morning sunlight.

“…It seems I’ll win this duel.”

His muttering as he pulled back looked like a predator relaxing after finding prey.

He was certain of victory.

“…”

Cardel knew about Kelic. Perhaps more than she did.