***

“Young miss, have you heard the news?”

As I came out after refreshingly washing up, Adam, who seemed to have heard the news from somewhere, spoke to me with a surprised expression.

“You know the Chebella region. They say a hot spring erupted at the place where you went to take the Elementalist test!”

I blinked as if hearing it for the first time.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. The hot spring burst out right around the ‘Breath of the Goddess’, so the test was suspended… Were you alright, young miss? Did you get hurt or anything…?”

“Ah… So that’s why they told us to go back. I was disappointed because people were blocking the area and I couldn’t even get close.”

I brazenly continued to pretend not to know, and Adam, who was completely unaware of what had happened today, let out a sigh of relief.

“That’s a relief. Anyway, there’s talk that this will be a tremendous gift for the Elementalist Association, which was declining with only the test registration fees as income.”

“Why?”

“What could be a more certain tourist attraction than a hot spring? Moreover, the ‘Breath of the Goddess’ hot spring. Since that property belongs to the Elementalist Association, it seems they’ll make quite a bit of money.”

‘Ah, I see…’

No wonder the expressions of the elder gentlemen looked serious yet strangely bright.

***

“The ‘Breath of the Goddess’ has become a hot spring?”

The knight standing before Parmes continued his report, saying, “That’s correct.”

“According to the Elementalists, there was an abnormal reaction from that stone, and the cause hasn’t been identified.”

Parmes recalled the incident when the Elementalists’ artificial cave had shaken some time ago.

At that time, Parmes, who was a boy, had accompanied Heisen to his Elementalist test.

He remembered the scene where the cave shook as if the sky and earth were vibrating, and boulders came tumbling down.

However it didn’t collapse like this time.

And the ‘Breath of the Goddess’ that flickered as if resonating with Heisen.

“It’s a very old stone. Perhaps… we could communicate with the past or future through it.”

“Who was there at the time?”

“Ah, it’s said that an intermediate Elementalist from the Elementalist Association and a child who came to take the Elementalist test were almost hurt inside the cave. But the intermediate Elementalist hugged the child and climbed up the collapsed rocks, escaping safely.”

Parmes’ red eyes flickered at the word ‘child’.

“A child, you say?”

“Yes, it was a girl, and she left right after the incident. The information can’t be found as if the documents were missing.”

“It’s obvious without looking.”

Parmes’ lips twisted into a smirk.

“Pardon?”

“I’ve thought of a birthday gift for Arinel. Bring me that intermediate Elementalist who was there with her.”

At Parmes’ order, the knight shouted “As you command” and turned around.

He looked out the window at the beautiful garden scenery decorated with colorful flowers.

***

“Aaaah!!!”

Startled by Arinel’s scream coming from the bathroom, Adam shouted,”Young miss, what’s wrong?!”

But there was only silence from inside the bathroom.

What should I do, should I just open the door and go in, Adam was stomping his feet when.

“Phew, it’s nothing, Adam.”

Arinel’s voice, mixed with heavy breathing, was heard.

“Young miss? Are you really alright?”

“Yes, this. Uh… I got quite wet, but I’m fine.”

It was a troubled voice, but since she didn’t seem to be hurt, Adam stroked his chest in relief.

“Please ask the maids to clean up the bathroom a bit later. There are scorch marks on the wall, and a lot of water overflowed outside… It needs to be wiped.”

“Scorch marks, you say…?”

The water is one thing, but scorch marks?

Did the young miss play with fire in the bathroom?

“Anyway, I understand, young miss. Please finish up and come out then.”

***

The sound of Adam leaving the front of the door was heard.

I let out a small sigh as I looked at the bathroom that was literally hit by a water bomb.

Waaah! What is this!

After the incident in the artificial cave, I could feel that the elemental power within me had changed.

My body was filled with elemental power incomparable to before, and it was circulating throughout my body at a very fast rate through my blood vessels.

And it wasn’t just the amount of elemental power that had changed.

‘Should I call it the purity of elemental power…?’

The quality of the elemental power floating in my body had completely changed from before.

They say that the elements that make up the world are the foundation of spirits, and I started to feel familiar with all of them.

“…Alright. Let’s give it a try.”

I decided to test my power while thinking of various elemental properties.

Warm heat, getting a little closer, imagining flames crackling and burning.

I want hot flames.

Let’s try to manifest it above my hand.

When I opened my eyes while imagining the specific form of flames, pushing out a bit of the elemental power that filled my body.

“…Huh?”

The bathroom was burning like a scene from hell.

Flustered, I quickly tried to use water elemental magic as well, but although it wasn’t at the level of hot spring water gushing out like in the cave, this time water exploded, instantly soaking the bathroom.

…Fortunately, the fire was extinguished in a few seconds.

‘What on earth is this tremendous power!’

I looked down at my hand with an expression that said this was absurd.

‘Did I become overpowered?’

The mountain girl I thought I was has become an overpowered Elementalist…?

Elemental magic harmonizes with nature, and Elementalists play a role in connecting nature and humans.

That’s also why the profession of Elementalist isn’t very popular. Because it’s not practical.

But the elemental ability I have now seems, or perhaps is, far higher than that of an average combat mage.

They said that among combat mages, those who can use ‘Hell Fire’ are counted on one hand, but I just easily recreated Hellfire in my bathroom.

‘Then is this indeed Dad’s power…’

From the memory I glimpsed through the Breath of the Goddess, it was clear that Dad had reversed the fate of the desolate Parmes and the empire from the original story.

Although I don’t know what kind of ability he used to turn back time.

Maybe it’s his arrangement that I, who know about future events, have come here.

If so, this power must surely be his intention.

‘I’ll probably learn more someday.’

By the way.

‘If Duke Guermont knows I have this kind of power, he’ll surely try not to let me go…’

I could naturally imagine Duke Guermont, who’s already eyeing me as a potential for a great general or whatnot, getting excited and saying, “See, indeed a successor to the Ministry of War!”

“No…!”

I shook my head, going “Ugh.”

Although I’ve gained great power, for now, I just want to splendidly rebuild my family as the young lady of Marquis Mylar, succeed in the red sugar beet business, and prepare for the severe famine to come.

“…..”

After asking the maids waiting outside to take care of the aftermath, I finished my proper grooming.

As I turned the corner after passing the short corridor in front of the bathroom…

“I’ve been waiting, my lady.”

“Eeeek!!!”

In the anteroom where walls had been removed for openness, I saw Briton sitting on a red chair, drinking tea.

A face as if finely carved, prettier than a girl’s.

His blue eyes were shining like aquamarine jewels.

Gasp, when did he come!

“Your Highness… the Crown Prince, hello.”

Too surprised by the sudden appearance of the boy, I barely managed an awkward smile and greeted him.

“I came happily thinking of seeing you, but Adam said you were in the bathroom.”

“Ah…”

“I know it’s rude to come suddenly, but I waited a bit while having tea.”

Adam must have been at a loss too.

He couldn’t leave the Crown Prince standing at the door, so he must have let him in right away.

“I also had something to give you. By order of His Majesty the Emperor.”

Briton smiled at me brightly.

***

“…This is.”

Opening the silver case Briton gave me, I couldn’t help but be startled by its contents.

Parmes gave this to me?

Suddenly, I recalled the situation with Parmes at the imperial palace last time.

My appearance, reminiscent of Elementalist attire, and his reaction to it.

That gaze as if desperately longing for someone.

“….”

I slowly lifted the gold band that was in the case.

On the gold band, which seemed to be made of real gold, beautiful jewels representing the four major elements were neatly set.

The one and only Great Elementalist of the empire.

The gold band of my father, Heisen Macerne Mylar, was one of the imperial treasures.