Hello, Readers! I am celebrating my birthday with extra chapter updates, so please enjoy this special chapter release of 4 bonus chapters! 🥳

(Lurelia’s Birthday Bonus – Update 4/4 🎉)

♡ To all readers who purchased these chapters before my Birthday: I can’t express this enough – Thank you for your support. (*ˊᗜˋ*)/ᵗᑋᵃᐢᵏ ᵞᵒᵘ*

Just as my eyes were about to meet Belissa’s, Isis stepped in front of me, blocking my view.

My vision was suddenly obstructed, and all I could see was Isis’s broad back covered in a magician’s robe.

I tried to step aside, but Isis reached back with one hand to prevent me from moving.

‘Why is he suddenly acting like this?’

Although I was worried about what trouble Isis might cause, I decided to quietly observe the situation for now.

“Who is this woman?”

He asked the Southern Magic Tower representative in a rather cold tone.

Despite Isis’s unfriendly question, the other party responded calmly.

“This is Lady Kreundel, Western Magic Tower Master. She is the younger sister of Duke Kreundel.”

“Do I need to know such useless information?”

He certainly has a way of leaving others speechless. Asking first and then saying it’s useless information.

“Didn’t you ask, Western Magic Tower Master?”

“Who said I wanted to know that? I’m asking if this woman has any right to speak about rift research.”

Isis’s attitude was quite rude, especially in front of the person in question, but no one could point it out.

After all, there was no one here with a higher position than Isis, the Western Magic Tower Master.

“Western Magic Tower Master. Lady Kreundel in this research-“

The Southern Magic Tower representative’s voice was cut off mid-sentence. It was frustrating not being able to see what was happening, blocked by Isis.

Then Belissa’s voice was heard.

“May I introduce myself directly?”

“Go ahead.”

In response to Isis’s half-hearted reply, Belissa began her self-introduction.

“Pleased to meet you, Western Magic Tower Master Isis. I am Belissa Kreundel. As a direct descendant of the Kreundel family, I can use the power of mutation, specifically the power of replication.”

The power of replication?

“Master Gabe of the Southern Magic Tower has asked for my support, judging that my power would be helpful in rift research. Is this explanation sufficient?”

Although I didn’t know the extent of her replication power, it was certainly a useful ability.

‘To think Belissa is supporting the Southern Magic Tower’s research.’

Since she could use the Kreundel family’s ‘mutation’ power, the assumption that Belissa might not be the real Belissa was proven wrong.

Belissa truly was Leon Kreundel’s younger sister, Belissa Kreundel.

Belissa supporting the Southern Magic Tower’s research essentially meant she had a close relationship with Gabe Jenade.

‘I hoped it wasn’t true, but it was just my wishful thinking.’

It was a difficult situation in many ways.

I didn’t want to be hostile to Leon’s sister.

“It seems Lady Kreundel’s qualifications are sufficient. Then, do you agree to decide the Magic Tower for rift research through a Magic Tower Battle?”

The Southern Magic Tower representative brought up the main point again.

At first glance, deciding the Magic Tower for rift research through a Magic Tower Battle seemed fair.

But I couldn’t hastily agree without knowing what the event for the Magic Tower Battle would be.

As I grabbed Isis’s robe, he turned to me and spoke in a low voice.

“You stay put.”

“Master Isis. But-“

Isis ignored my words and turned his gaze back to the Southern Magic Tower representative.

“What’s the event for the Magic Tower Battle? Should the Tower Masters have a showdown?”

It was a fierce question, as if he would tear Gabe Jenade apart if he were right in front of him.

“That’s impossible. The Tower Master is currently in a situation where he can’t leave the Magic Tower.”

I tilted my head at the Southern Magic Tower representative’s words.

‘Why can’t he come out?’

The expression ‘can’t’ come out rather than ‘doesn’t’ come out sounded particularly meaningful.

In the brief moment I was pondering, there was an intense back-and-forth between Isis and the Southern Magic Tower representative about the event.

“If we contact other Magic Towers and decide by majority vote-“

“Are you trying to bribe them? Rejected.”

“Then, how about peacefully with a traditional board game-“

“Rejected. Peace off.”

It was reasonable for Isis to keep rejecting the other party’s proposals.

They were all events that had even a slight possibility of manipulation.

After a few more rejections, the Southern Magic Tower representative suggested:

“Then how about a monster subjugation battle?”

“A monster subjugation battle?”

“Yes. Let’s make it a confrontational monster subjugation battle.”

A confrontational monster subjugation battle was usually a method chosen when conducting team battles rather than individual battles.

It was a game where multiple teams simultaneously steal each other’s territories while defeating monsters to score points, but there had never been a case of a confrontational monster subjugation battle with just two teams.

The Southern Magic Tower representative explained the simple rules.

“The side that protects their territory while defeating more monsters wins. If a territory is taken, it’s an immediate defeat. If both Magic Tower sides protect their territories, the side that defeats more monsters wins. How about it?”

Certainly, the method of scoring points by defeating monsters seemed to leave little room for manipulation.

Although there might be ways to intervene through unfair methods if one tried hard enough, on the surface, it was a fair game.

At that moment, the Prime Minister, who had been silently watching the verbal battle between the two Magic Tower sides, intervened to mediate.

“Come now. Let’s settle on the confrontational monster subjugation battle as the event.”

Isis also nodded without objection to this event.

“We’ll need to discuss the detailed competition rules, but I’d like to add one rule. It seems appropriate that the supporters from both Magic Towers should participate to assess their qualities as well.”

“……What? Wait-!”

At this sudden bombshell, I quickly pushed Isis aside and stepped forward.

But the Southern Magic Tower representative had already left after finishing his business.

For a moment, I met eyes with Belissa, who hadn’t left yet.

“Please take care of yourself, Lady Elodie.”

Leaving behind words of sincere concern that seemed unlike a helper of Gabe, she too left the room.

Standing there in a daze, I suddenly turned and looked up at Isis.

“Master Isis! What are you going to do!”

“About what?”

“I’ve been made to participate in the subjugation battle. I don’t even have a weapon I know how to use…!”

I did have a power, but it was only a purifying force.

Asking someone like me to participate in a monster subjugation battle was like throwing me out as monster food…!

***

Special Training Day 1.

Dust rose from the ground.

“Again.”

The man’s frosty voice felt like it was piercing the top of my head.

My arms and legs were trembling uncontrollably. I gripped the wooden sword tightly, groaning.

“Ugh. I might die…”

Adenmir didn’t even blink at my strained words.

“You won’t die from this much.”

“Then… I’ll be, huff, the first one to die…”

That’s right. I was currently undergoing special training to participate in the monster subjugation battle in a few days.

Today’s instructor was Adenmir, who bore considerable responsibility for this situation.

But there was no way I could get stronger in such a short time, lacking even basic physical strength, let alone swordsmanship.

Adenmir coldly said to me, who couldn’t even stand properly like a newborn giraffe.

“You should at least be able to protect your own body easily, my lady.”

“That’s too much…”

Suddenly feeling miserable, I made a crying face. Then-.

Flinch.

For some reason, Adenmir was greatly shaken.

‘What, it’s effective…?’

Come to think of it, I had heard it before. That the 1st Prince Adenmir hated crying women terribly.

Should I burst into tears? Then he might get annoyed and stop this training.

As if reading my mind, Adenmir sighed and said as if admonishing:

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but stop it.”

“Well, Your Highness should have prevented the research authority from going to the Southern Magic Tower in the first place.”

“That’s why I’m making up for it like this now.”

Making up for it? More like torture.

How could this extreme training that’s rolling me around be making up for anything!

Just as I thought I could catch my breath, Adenmir noticed like a ghost and urged me on, correcting my posture.

“Break’s over. Your breathing’s back, so we resume training.”

“Ugh…”

“Five more laps around the training ground.”

“I’m really going to die!”

I’ve already run around the training ground excitedly and done so many push-ups I can’t even remember, and now he wants me to run again.

I’m not the exercise idiot Carlot!

I looked up at Adenmir with a strong protest, and he furrowed his brow as if troubled.

“Please cooperate. …I don’t want you to get hurt even a little.”

Of course, I understood well enough.

For Adenmir, who must be busy with official duties, to take time to help train a mere lady’s physical strength was a great consideration on his part.

Feeling his sincere care for me like that, I couldn’t rebel and say I couldn’t do it.

“If I run this time, you’ll let me rest, right?”

“I promise.”

Trusting only Adenmir’s promise, I ran around the training ground again as if my life depended on it.

The training ground of Severes, which Dad had deliberately emptied, was far too wide.

“Huff, huff…”

Having finally completed five laps, I was breathing roughly.

“Drink some water.”

“Thank you…”

I felt a bit better after gulping down the water Adenmir handed me.

Suddenly, he glanced towards the entrance of the training ground.

“Jansi Perdia and Carlot Perdia are coming. I should go now.”

“Aaah.”

As soon as he said that, I plopped down on the ground.

I had long since thrown away my dignity as a lady in the face of this extreme training.

“You’re not even pretending to hold me back?”

Adenmir asked with a chuckle, but I shook my head and waved my hand.

I didn’t even have the energy left to maintain courtesy towards the prince.

“Then I’ll visit at the same time tomorrow.”

“Sob sob…”

Despite leaving behind what felt like a death sentence, Adenmir left the training ground with a smile, seemingly in a good mood for some reason.

The Perdia brothers, who exchanged brief greetings with Adenmir, approached me.

Carlot looked around with a dissatisfied face.

“Severes always puts me in a bad mood, no matter when I come.”

“Carl.”

“Huh? What did I say?”

When I called his name, he sat down next to me nonchalantly, asking.

Jansi lowered himself and wiped the sweat from my forehead with a handkerchief, asking after my well-being.

“Lili, are you alright?”

“No. I feel like I’ve just met Irkala.”

Even though I had indirectly said I felt like I’d been to the underworld and back, Jansi smiled kindly and replied.

“You’re alright. That’s good.”

‘What an arbitrary interpretation.’

“Kiuung.”

Disgustingly, Greed was mixed in between the Perdia brothers, pretending to be a black fox as if nothing was wrong.

Jansi caressed my hand, which had no calluses, and said kindly.

“I think it’s good to learn some self-defense at this opportunity.”

“With self-defense… do you kill people?”

If I train like this every day, I feel like I could easily eliminate someone.

Jansi laughed and helped me up.

“The 1st Prince’s training intensity is quite high.”

Then Carlot interjected.

“It’s not intense at all? Sister, weren’t you just playing around?”

“Carl. Do you want to fight after a long time?”

Remembering the times when we didn’t get along, when we used to growl at each other just by seeing each other’s faces, Carlot’s expression hardened.

“…Ah, no?”

“Let’s be careful.”

“Okay…”

And so the first day of training ended, and Special Training Day 2 began.

Today, there were quite a few spectators watching my training with Adenmir.

The Perdia brothers and Greed, and even Gretel who came out of worry.

After watching me do physical training for a while, Carlot seriously commented.

“Sister, you know. Our sister… seems to have no talent at all when it comes to physical abilities.”

It was a judgment of being physically uncoordinated.