Chapter 1 – I Woke Up and It Was 5 Years Ago (7)

“I thought you were using books as an excuse to hang out with Young Duke Demi, but do you actually read all those books?”

Listening to the merchant’s admiration, Mirabelle wrapped her arm around Chloe’s shoulder and teased her. Even as she spoke, she knew better than anyone how clever Chloe was.

“Isn’t that right, Young Duke?”

Demetrian, who would usually add a comment to Mirabelle’s teasing, remained silent, his expression still hardened. Mirabelle waved her hand in front of his eyes and asked.

“Oh, right.”

Demetrian responded, looking bewildered as if he had been suddenly pulled out of his own world.

“By the way… How did you come to know so much about Scandar’s magic stones?”

“Huh?”

“Even the Senate’s Chamber of Commerce people don’t know much about the magic stone industry… Since when have you been interested in Scandar?”

Chloe was taken aback by the unexpected question aimed at her.

‘Why is he being unnecessarily sharp…’

Thinking that, Chloe felt annoyed at Demetrian’s assumption that he knew everything about her. How much did he really know about her…

“Knowing this much is just common sense. Even if Ridote is a three-year program, we learn what we need to learn.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

Mentioning Ridote, the cultural academy Demetrian had also attended as an auditor, made his eyes narrow for no apparent reason.

It was strange. Demetrian and Chloe had grown up learning many things together, so the knowledge and culture they shared were not something to be questioned about how they came to know them.

‘Could it be that Demi also…?’

Just as a nonsensical thought crossed her mind.

“You know how much Loi’s mother is interested in other countries’ cultures.”

Mirabelle hurriedly intervened between the two, who seemed ready to bicker as usual, while the merchant was busy with many customers at the stall.

“Oh, right. She knows that too.”

“…Yes, she does.”

Despite saying that, his expression was somewhat reluctant. Chloe, feeling uneasy about his sharp demeanor, linked arms with Mirabelle and turned her attention to the magic stone toys and accessories scattered haphazardly on the stall.

Magic stones were set in the Moniel style in toys like a puppy that wagged its tail when petted or a dragon that flapped its wings when tossed into the air. There were also unique items like hairpins that added beautiful curls to hair and bracelets that stained nails red.

“Wow, this is amazing. Look, Loi.”

“If you keep wearing them, the magic will deplete.”

“Oh, I didn’t know.”

As Mirabelle tried on various items out of curiosity, the merchant added a curt remark. Chloe smiled at Mirabelle’s actions, a smile filled with meaning only she knew.

‘I was just as amazed when I first saw them.’

Even to Chloe, who often received the finest magic stones crafted from precious gems in Scandar, these items were fascinating. No matter how intimidating a large diamond ring or a fist-sized ruby necklace with defensive or shattering magic inscribed on it might be, a puppy toy with magic stone eyes the size of a pinky nail wagging its tail was more relatable.

‘Come to think of it, Rabi used to always check out the magic stone accessories I received… She never showed how amazed she was back then.’

Mirabelle, who easily expressed her amazement and rarely held back her emotions, whether positive or negative, had endured much heartache among the strict maids of Shevik.

Seeing Mirabelle express her emotions without reserve, as she did before they moved to Scandar, was both joyful and, at the same time, made Chloe feel a pang of sadness. Whether things suddenly returned to ‘normal’ tonight or time continued to flow as it had until now… She would eventually go to Scandar.

‘Then what about Rabi…’

“How much are these flowers?”

“It’s written there.”

The merchant’s voice, responding to another customer, broke Chloe’s train of thought.

The tone, even more curt than when he had scolded Mirabelle, drew the attention of both Mirabelle and Demetrian.

‘Northern people’s speech tends to sound curt, but this merchant seems particularly severe.’

On the side where the customers were gathered, there were artificial flowers that glowed softly or sparkled as if sprinkled with opal dust. These were the flowers used in the custom of wearing them on ears or lapels during the festival week and throwing them during the parade on the eve of the festival while making a wish. They seemed to have magic effects added with small magic stones attached to the stamens made of cloth.

The magic flowers seemed popular, as all the customers at the stall were gathered around them.

“What’s 30 bronze worth? Books are about 10 silver.”

“At a bakery where commoners go, something expensive might cost around that much.”

“For something with magic stones, isn’t it cheap?”

“Well… The fish-shaped red bean bread was 20 bronze.”

The young lady from the Baron’s family, who had never bought magical items, and the young lady from the Count’s family, who had never bought street food, failed to gauge the price of flower clips. The parade was an event for commoners, so they had no way of knowing how much a flower, used to wish for 12 months of happiness, cost per piece.

They glanced at Demetrian just in case, but he remained lost in thought, his expression hardened. His gaze, meticulously examining the stall and the merchant, seemed sharp at times.

“What’s got you so serious all by yourself?”

“Oh, nothing. Did you say 30 bronze was expensive?”

“Do you know?”

Chloe spoke with a nuance suggesting disbelief. She thought there was no way he would know about the living costs of commoners, which weren’t within the budgetary scope, regardless of how much general knowledge he possessed as the Senate President’s aide.

“Isn’t it a price worth trying, considering it’s practically disposable? Despite the unfriendly service, people are buying them like that.”

Indeed, regardless of the merchant’s curt tone, people crowded at the stall were buying flowers to pin on their ears or blouses before leaving.

Seeing the popularity of products with magic stones made Chloe feel a sense of pride. 

It’s my country’s specialty, everyone!

After all, in her memory, she had been the noble of Scandar until just the day before yesterday.

With that sense of delight, Chloe picked out hairpins set with magic stones resembling her and Mirabelle’s eye colors.

“I’ll buy them. It’s the first time I’ve come to the marketplace with you.”

Stopping Mirabelle from paying, Demetrian handed a few silver coins to the merchant. Despite having been lost in thought, his hands moved swiftly.

“Fascinating. It’s the first time I’ve seen a Scandarian during the festival.”

As they received the hairpins in paper bags and left the stall, Mirabelle said with a wide smile. Suddenly, something in Chloe’s mind clicked.

“A Scandarian during the festival week?”

Scandar doesn’t celebrate the festival. They don’t believe in the main god, Erd.

When Arthuzen, which had unified with the Campo Kingdom a thousand years ago, declared itself an empire and waged a war of conquest, the countries that surrendered and became vassal states all accepted the main god. However, Scandar, which surrendered last and had long-standing animosity with Campo, resisted accepting the monotheistic god. Instead, they compromised by sending heirs as hostages to the empire.

The difference in religion led to cultural differences, and unlike most of the empire, which formed a similar cultural sphere, Scandar developed its own culture. This was why Scandar’s magic stone accessories hadn’t spread throughout the empire.

Meanwhile, Scandar continually demanded independence, and in the future Chloe experienced, they eventually achieved it.

The process was peaceful, but previous demands had all been violent.

Such as setting off a bomb during the festival week parade.

“Is Scandar slowly opening up?”

“Not likely.”

Demetrian interjected, seemingly having listened to Mirabelle’s words. His tone was somehow solemn.

“It won’t happen.”

Hearing his definitive statement, Chloe racked her memory.

‘That’s right, it was tomorrow…’

As she calculated the date in her mind, Chloe felt a sinking feeling in her chest.

The Scandar separatists, Arthuzen’s biggest headache, would carry out a terrorist attack tomorrow.

* * *

Located between Philip I Avenue and Pedro Street, Marcone appeared to be a general store on the outside but primarily made its living selling weapons. It dealt in weapons from the Western Continent not handled by the continent’s forges and weapons pawned by mercenaries who never returned to reclaim them.

For Mirabelle, who was both a former mercenary’s daughter and Chloe’s escort, Marcone, with its array of weapons, was a new world.

Situated near the entrance of the Artisan District, where artisans specializing in various fields like jewelry crafting and embroidery gathered, and appearing as a general store on the exterior, it was conveniently accessible during Chloe’s outings.

Just like today.

Chloe, who usually had no interest in what Marcone sold, reluctantly stopped by, but today she followed Mirabelle gladly. Thinking of the things Mirabelle lost in the yet-to-come future, she wanted to give her as much of what she liked as possible.

“So, it was thanks to the young lady that this one kept bringing things back without leaving her post?”

Dee sighed, seeing his young lady enter Marcone familiarly.

“Helping? I’m a regular here. Is this your first time, Sir?”

Dee awkwardly covered his mouth, having almost removed his mask, at Chloe’s sly response. He thought the master’s generosity was plausible. He would have laughed even at a dad joke. Although, looking back, she seemed to have a somewhat amusing side…

“There are good things here. Want me to recommend something?”

“I learned today that you have a talent for acting, young lady.”

If she had stopped at one act, he would have laughed more genuinely.

Seeing Mirabelle and Dee engrossed in their interests, Chloe glanced at the counter, where the owner, Marco, seemed busy attending to customers.

‘Could it be fate that I came to Marcone today?’

After wandering the marketplace a bit longer, she parted ways with Demetrian, who said he had to return to his office, and arrived here. Chloe felt her heart drop.

‘If a terrorist attack really happens, this place…’

Knowing the fate that awaited this store, Chloe had something she must ask Marco, whom she had never spoken to before.

While waiting for a moment when he wasn’t busy, she aimlessly looked around the store, but it didn’t help ease her tension. Since it was a general store, there were foodstuffs like flour and salt, cheap brandy, jerky, emergency rations, and unusual packaging materials not seen in noble households, but as always, they only caught her attention briefly.

What captured Chloe’s wandering gaze were the jewels in a shabby accessory case.