When she opened her eyes, everything was shrouded in fog. This familiar place was one she had visited once before.

“This is…”

Her voice hadn’t changed. Could it be?

Siara raised her palm to check. Her skin was still dark. The dimensional transfer spell had worked perfectly, bringing her here without damaging Annie’s body.

Looking around, she saw black whirlwinds swirling everywhere. While storms raged in other areas, the spot from which Siara had emerged remained calm.

Siara entered the area where the black whirlwinds were raging. Having memorized both her entry and exit points from this place, she had no trouble navigating. Soon her body slipped into the black whirlwind.

After passing through a dark tunnel, she opened her eyes to beams of light showering from all directions.

On this brilliantly sunny day, the familiar Magic Tower stood right before her. A black flag was planted atop the tower. The black flag signified that someone had died.

‘A black flag?’

Siara walked toward the Magic Tower. However, when she tried to enter, a guard stopped her.

“I’m sorry, but the Mage’s Tower is currently off-limits.”

“…What? Oh, I’m Annie Light, Siara’s…”

But since she was inside Annie’s body, there was no way they would recognize her as Siara.

“…disciple, Annie Light.”

“The Archmage had a disciple?”

“I heard she disliked people and lived alone in the Magic Tower all this time…”

Siara smiled brightly.

“I can perform dimensional transfer magic. That’s why I wasn’t often seen by others.”

“…I understand! I’ll inform His Majesty right away!”

Since the royal palace and the Magic Tower were some distance apart, Siara tilted her head in confusion.

“Is His Majesty here?”

“…Yes. He’s keeping vigil at the Archmage’s memorial. She has passed away.”

“…Siara is dead?”

“Yes.”

‘So I died when I was struck by lightning.’

Recovering her real body was now impossible. The thought of living the rest of her life in Annie’s body with its minuscule magical power felt strange.

The guard who had gone inside the tower returned and called for Siara.

“His Majesty has asked you to come in.”

“Yes.”

Siara followed him into the Magic Tower. The guard led her to the hall where a pitch-black coffin stood.

The guard bowed to Owen.

“Your Majesty. This is the Archmage’s disciple.”

“…Is that so?”

Owen sat on a sofa with a dejected expression, sipping wine. Across from him sat Jensen, the astrologer. Owen’s eyes were bloodshot, suggesting he had been crying considerably.

Jensen widened his eyes upon seeing Siara. He approached her with open arms.

‘As expected, the 500-year-old Jensen recognizes me immediately.’

He embraced Siara.

“You’re Siara’s disciple? Can you really perform dimensional transfer?”

He hadn’t recognized her after all. The corner of Siara’s mouth twisted upward.

“…Yes.”

“Thank goodness! Really! While it’s unfortunate that Siara died so meaninglessly, we must hurry because an asteroid is heading this way!”

Jensen was crying tears of joy, which increasingly irritated Siara.

“But before I perform the dimensional transfer spell, I’d like to see the deceased Siara.”

She was intensely curious about what had happened to her body.

At those words, Owen’s ears perked up. He spoke with profound dejection.

“When we found her, there was nothing but a burn mark on the floor. She had turned to ashes and disappeared.”

“…I see.”

Her body with its milky skin and silky black hair. It seemed to have vanished while still pure. But now that she was here, she needed to quickly redirect the asteroid elsewhere.

“Master Jensen.”

“Yes.”

“I will perform the dimensional transfer spell. Let’s relocate that asteroid.”

“Excellent!”

Leaving the intoxicated Owen behind, Siara and Jensen went outside. Knights and guards gathered around, eager to witness the dimensional transfer spell.

Jensen looked through a telescope at the sky and pointed to a spot.

“There it is! It’s coming!”

Siara was also looking at the sky. Even without a telescope, she could see by infusing her gaze with magical power. The asteroid was rapidly cutting through the air toward them. It looked ready to collide at any moment.

Siara performed the dimensional transfer spell, pouring magical power toward the asteroid. Soon the magic enveloped the asteroid in blue light, and it vanished without a trace. Only the cloudless blue sky remained where it had been.

Jensen took his eyes off the telescope and smiled brightly.

“Well done! Now the Kingdom of Estain won’t perish!”

“Hooray!”

The watching knights and guards applauded. Their eyes shone with admiration, like those looking upon a hero. These were not the contemptuous gazes reserved for an illegitimate child.

‘I must have stayed in that other world too long. Being celebrated like this feels strange.’

Her position in the Kingdom of Estain had been good. Though her magical power was diminished, the knowledge of magic remained in her head, so living here would bring her much better treatment.

Despite the averted national crisis, Owen didn’t come out. When Siara looked toward the Magic Tower where Owen remained, Jensen appeared apologetic.

“…Once His Majesty’s mind settles, he will bestow a title and great reward upon you. By the way, do you have a place to stay? If not, you’re welcome to reside here in the Magic Tower. It has no owner now…”

Jensen’s face turned bitter.

“…Then may I stay at the Magic Tower for the time being?”

Honestly, she had nowhere to go in this body, and having returned to her homeland after so long, she wanted to rest comfortably in her own home.

Jensen nodded emphatically.

“Certainly! His Majesty will approve as well.”

It had been a long time since she’d dined at the Estain Royal Palace. The familiar salad, sandwich, and steak were served. A white tablecloth covered the table, with a luxurious carpet below and beautiful murals adorning the walls.

Owen shook his head with a disgusted expression.

“No.”

He said while drinking wine.

“I appreciate you saving this country, but the Magic Tower was the home of my godmother, the Archmage. I cannot give a place where royalty resided to a wanderer of unknown lineage.”

Jensen glanced at Siara nervously and whispered.

“She’s not asking for ownership, just temporary lodging. And she was Siara’s disciple, so she’s not completely unrelated.”

“…I’ve never seen her before. I’m suspicious of her claim to be Siara’s disciple. Could she be a spy from another country?”

“If she were a foreign spy, why would she save our country from crisis? And dimensional transfer magic was something even Siara couldn’t perfect…”

While listening to the two men talk, Siara continued eating. The food tasted bland. The food in the other world had been much more delicious.

‘Ah, should I go back just for the food…?’

“Your name is Annie Light?”

“Yes.”

Siara quickly answered Owen’s question. He slowly observed how Siara ate. Her noisy eating reminded him of someone. Come to think of it, even the way she held her fork resembled Siara quite a bit.

Though Siara had been a high-ranking noble, she was brought to the Magic Tower at a young age and never learned proper dining etiquette. However, since no one dared lecture the Archmage, she had lived quite freely.

“…Jensen.”

“Yes?”

“Was Siara skilled in transformation magic as well?”

Jensen tilted his head in confusion.

“No. I heard transformation magic was what she struggled with most. Only those born with the talent can do it.”

“Is that so…?”

Owen’s gaze pierced through Siara. Having finished all the food before her, Siara gulped down her wine.

“Ah. Though it lacks flavor, the familiarity makes it not so bad.”

Speaking casually, she caught Owen’s eye and realized her mistake. But Owen’s plate still had food on it. As Owen broke off a piece of cake with a small teaspoon, she exclaimed:

“Owen! Didn’t I tell you not to nibble at your food?”