“Effort never betrays you. Both Mother and I believe in you. Right, Mother?”

“Yes, Theo. This mother believes in you. So, this time, don’t be nervous and do your best.”

The Countess, who was endlessly cold and strict to Ravenne, was generous and lenient only to Theo.

What would happen if that consistent and devoted faith were to be shattered? Right before her very eyes.

“But this is an indoor room. If I use magic incorrectly…”

Theo began to make his final excuse.

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

Saying this, the headmaster stood up and stretched out her hand.

A faint blue light leaked from her fingertips.

“I’ve put up a barrier around us. So, Theo, please feel at ease and show me the most powerful magic you can perform. I’ll evaluate based on that.”

The stage was set, and the three of us, excluding the headmaster and Theo, were watching the test from a short distance away.

Theo’s face was colored with confusion. He chanted the spell with an uncertain voice.

“Fi-Fireball!”

And in sync with his chant, flames began to bloom from his fingertips.

I had to use all my strength to hold back the laughter that was about to burst out at the ‘Fireball’ magic that finally revealed itself.

Well, if one were to insist, a ping-pong ball is also a ball, so this too could be forcibly called a ball.

But what was even more miserable was the speed at which it was fired and flew.

While I was left with the impression that even a slug might crawl faster than this, the fireball simply vanished in mid-air.

“The size of mana, the speed of the projectile, and even its sustainability are all below average. I’m sorry to say, but even with the Duke’s request, we cannot accept this level of performance.”

The headmaster briefly evaluated Theo’s magic. Of course, even without her kind explanation, anyone could see that such miserable skills wouldn’t be enough to enter the Academy.

But the reason she gave a detailed explanation seemed to be mixed with some irritation at being bothered.

“Headmaster, why are you discouraging our Theo? It was a fireball, wasn’t it! Even a ping-pong ball is a ball, so strictly speaking, that was also a ball!”

“That’s enough… stop it now.”

“Wait a moment. It seems the headmaster isn’t convinced yet.”

“Ravenne… Stop it. Let’s go back.”

The Countess, seemingly shocked as well, tried to stop my actions and abruptly left her seat. Theo hurriedly followed her.

“Mother, wait a moment. Let’s go together!”

I too, rushed to follow them, afraid of losing sight of the two.

***

After Ravenne disappeared, Ilion fidgeted for a while before finally bursting into laughter.

‘So this is what she meant by leaving it to her?’

Watching the Duke laugh for a while, Lucia, the headmaster of the Academy, asked curiously.

“Um, I followed your instructions as you said, but was this the right thing to do?”

The content of the telegram Lucia received was simple. It said to handle things according to the Academy’s rules, ignoring whatever his fiancée might say when they visit shortly.

And Lucia had faithfully acted according to the telegram’s content.

“Yes. It seems this was the picture Ravenne wanted.”

Ilion answered, his voice still tinged with laughter.

“The picture she wanted?”

Making this incomprehensible remark, Ilion headed towards the window.

“I’m sorry about this. Coming suddenly and causing a disturbance.”

“No, this hardly counts as a disturbance.”

For Lucia, who was used to nobles visiting and objecting to grades as an annual event, this was nothing out of the ordinary.

She looked at Ilion while clearing away the teacups. Although she had known him for nearly 7 years, it was the first time she had seen him laugh with such a bright expression.

When Ilion first came to her offering to sponsor the Academy, he seemed cold, dark, and somehow empty, as if he had no lingering attachment to life.

Even during their most recent meeting, he was still the same. He had always been like an emotionless doll.

She didn’t know what had happened in that short time, but the man she saw today seemed to have a vitality that was different from before.

“Your expression has improved a lot, Your Grace.”

“Is that so?”

“To be honest, I didn’t believe the rumors circulating…”

Lucia was one of the skeptics about Ilion’s scandal that had stirred up the Empire.

The reason was simple. She thought such a person couldn’t possibly love someone.

However, after actually meeting Ilion, she had to admit that her thoughts were wrong.

His eyes, looking down at the window, were filled with warmth.

“Perhaps it’s because I’m getting old, but my eyesight must be failing. It turns out Your Grace is also capable of love.”

Saying this, Lucia showed a benevolent smile.

“You intended to make us a complete spectacle!”

As soon as we left the Academy building, the Countess began to snap at me.

“Mother, I didn’t mean to…”

“After all the grace of raising you, you still…”

She was a woman with quite a bad habit with her hands. Whenever she got angry, her hands would move first.

As I stepped back to avoid her hand, her body staggered.

“Mother, you need to fix that habit with your hands.”

“What?”

“Is it right for your hands to move first whenever you’re displeased?”

“Where did you learn to speak like that?”

She shouted, her face red to the roots of her hair.

“Please don’t be so angry. I’m just advising you out of concern.”

“Ravenne!”

Her voice, filled with rage, pierced my ears.

Theo was the one who had done wrong, and I had only acted as she wanted. But naturally, all the arrows of anger were aimed at me.

“In two months, I’ll become the Duchess. Do you intend to hit me like this then too? You should know that this kind of violence is unacceptable between us, even putting aside the fact that we’re from a fallen, insignificant family.”

“What?”

“I can’t commit the unfilial act of putting you in prison, can I?”

“Sister! Aren’t your words too harsh?”

Even Theo, who had been listening quietly, began to protest. No matter how much trust between the two had been broken, it was still thicker than their relationship with Ravenne.

It was an impressive bond.

“Theo, if you’re thinking of Mother, wouldn’t it be better to dedicate yourself more diligently to your studies?”

“Why are you saying that here…!”

“How heartbroken would Mother be if she found out you’ve been meeting women every night with the money she gave you for studying? So from now on… Oh my, I let it slip by mistake.”

I covered my mouth and smiled artificially.

“Theo, you dare…!”

“M-Mother. No. Surely you don’t believe what Sister is saying?”

“We’ll talk about this at home. And Ravenne, I’ll tell your father to bring you back to the Count’s family, so keep that in mind.”

She spoke like she was delivering an ultimatum. She seemed to think I would bow down and submit if she said that.

“Oh my, then we’ll have to return the money to the Duke. I know you’ve already spent quite a lot, can you manage to gather it?”

“What’s that amount of money to us? We have the mine.”

I had felt it earlier, but it seemed they had already taken it for granted that the mine was theirs.

“Oh, I forgot to mention, I gave that mine to the Duke. The ownership has already been transferred.”

“…What?”

“So even if you take me back, you won’t get any money. Why don’t you give up on the mine and try to maintain your position as in-laws to the ducal family?”

“How dare you…!”

“Oh, and if you want to go home, I’ll arrange a carriage for you to ride in.”

She clenched her fist tightly, like she was about to crumple the bag she was holding, and then threw it at me. What a temper.

No wonder Ravenne turned out so twisted, growing up in a household like this.

“My, Mother, that’s an expensive item you bought despite your circumstances. You shouldn’t throw it like that.”

I said this while kindly picking up the bag she had thrown and handing it to Theo.

“Theo, take Mother home. We can’t let the Duke see her like this, can we?”

“……”

Theo, who had somewhat grasped the situation, took the Countess’s hand.

The Countess’s whole body trembled like an aspen leaf with unquenched anger.

I waved until the two disappeared and then sat down on a nearby bench.

“Sigh. I really am nasty.”

I knew the easiest and quickest way to resolve this. Just leave it to Ilion, and he would take care of it.

Getting slapped was infuriating, but it wasn’t worth going through all this trouble for revenge.

I was just disgusted by them maintaining their happiness by sacrificing Ravenne.

“Who am I to criticize…”

It’s not like I’m any better of a person…

***

“I apologize for earlier. Please forgive my rudeness.”

Upon returning to the headmaster’s office, I immediately offered an apology to Lucia.

“It’s alright. I was a bit surprised, but such things are common.”

Somehow, I could feel her hardships in her words when she said it was common.

“By the way, I’ve been feeling this since I first saw you, but I sense a faint magical aura from you, Miss.”

“Really? Could it be that I have talent as a mage?”

That’s right. If my brother has talent, there’s no reason I shouldn’t have it too.

As I waited for her answer with high expectations, she smiled and shook her head.

“It seems someone has cast a blessing on you.”

“A blessing? Can blessings be cast with magic too?”

“Yes. Unlike holy power, it doesn’t have healing effects, but it can help things go well for that person. Although the effect is quite minimal.”

Minimal effect? I got my hopes up for nothing.

“Who cast it?”

Ilion, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, asked gruffly.

“Was it Michael?”

It was a name that seemed to come up whenever one least expected it.

“By Michael, do you mean the Michael working at the Imperial Palace?”

“…Yes.”

Lucia let out a small laugh seeing Ilion showing hostility unlike his usual self.

“I’m not sure what you’re worried about, Your Grace, but it seems Michael is being misunderstood, so I should clarify that it’s not his magic. This is a purer and cleaner energy. It seems to be from quite a skilled mage.”

“Have you met such a person?”

“…Not particularly.”

How could I possibly know such a skilled mage? The only mages I know are Michael and Emperor Klaus.

Besides, there’s no way the Emperor would cast a blessing on me, so that’s out of the question.

Could it be? A transmigration buff? If that’s the case, couldn’t it have been something a bit better? If it had been, I could have escaped the original story earlier and lived well!

They say it’s a minimal effect, but how is this any different from a charm?