“Wow….”

Mario marveled silently.

It was already a magical tool in its own right, but adding another layer of magic to it was an immensely challenging undertaking.

You’d have to hire a mage with the skills of the Magic Tower Master, or someone with similar skill. The compensation would be astronomical, to say the least.

It was a truly crazy idea. And it was his superior who was going ahead with this crazy idea.

‘Lady Lili ought to know about this madness!’

However, since he had only one life, he decided to hold his tongue. It seemed that the boss was putting on airs in front of the young lady.

If he carelessly uttered a word, he might end up treading on thin ice.

“I’ll find a mage.”

“Quickly.”

“Yes, of course…”

Seeing a boss whose eyes rolled back in his head when it came to Elodie-related matters was not a rare occurrence, but it was always uncomfortable whenever Mario experienced it.

‘It’s serious. It’s really serious.’

The boss’s “quickly” meant “by the end of today.” As Mario was heading towards the door, Raeyan called him over.

“Mario.”

“Yes?”

“What’s going on with the Irkala sect?”

“They seem to be up to something. But the problem is, they operate so covertly that it’s hard to find out exactly what they’re doing.”

Even before Mario joined him, Raeyan had been consistently tracking the Irkala sect.

However, because they were so veiled in secrecy, there was not much information available about them.

The followers of Irkala existed in various layers throughout the continent, from beggars in the back alleys to famous nobles known by name.

But since they were a faction that worshiped a deity aiming to seize control of the world and plunge it into chaos, none of their followers would openly reveal their allegiance to Irkala.

“If there’s anything else worth reporting, I’ll let you know right away.”

“Alright. What about the Seal Stone of Pride?”

“I couldn’t find it.”

When he returned to his original world, the Seal Stone of Pride, which should have been in his possession, was gone.

Losing it or having it fall into someone else’s hands was an uncomfortable situation.

Raeyan furrowed his brow and muttered in frustration.

“Nothing seems to go as planned.”

[Who could it be? The existence you’re so desperate to hide. An entity that escapes the eyes of the gods. How intriguing.]

Raeyan suddenly recalled Irkala’s words.

So far, the god had not been aware of Elodie’s existence. No wonder. The seal that Arcelia had placed on her child had only been partially broken.

The problem lay in the future.

Irkala will scour the earth to find what he is hiding. Only Elodie could stop Irkala’s ambition and send her back to her underworld throne.

But could Elodie, who hadn’t fully acquired her powers yet, truly confront a god?

Raeyan stopped pondering and chuckled to himself.

‘It’s needless worry.’

Who would worry about whom? It’s Elodie Perdia, after all.

Seeing Raeyan’s smile, Mario got scared and hurriedly stepped back.

“I-I’m going!”

Mario shivered in fear.

His boss’s smiling face was just too terrifying!

****

In a densely wooded forest.

“We’ll rest here for 30 minutes!”

“Ugh!”

“This is exhausting!”

Upon Carlot’s order, the knights, who had been marching, scattered around as if they had been waiting for this moment.

They were a task force dispatched to subdue the monstrous creatures in the southwestern region under the command of Duke Perdia.

Since their departure from Somnia, they had been dealing with these creatures for quite some time.

As the duke had said, numerous unidentified types of monsters appeared. Among them were giant creatures that required Carlot’s powers to be vanquished.

But so far, they had not been able to figure out the reason for the monster’s sudden appearance.

“It’s going to take longer than I thought.”

Carlot frowned and sat on any nearby rock.

He pulled out a water bottle to drink, but frustratingly, only a few drops came out.

“Here.”

Just then, someone held out a hand to Carlot that held a water bottle.

It was Timothy Balter, one of the Order of the Guard of Perdia and one of Carlot’s sword training partners.

“Thanks.”

Carlot expressed his gratitude briefly and drank the water. Timothy watched him intently and then hesitantly took the water bottle back.

“Five lalit.”

Carlot made a displeased expression, as if he was fed up with Timothy’s jesting smile.

“I thought you were just doing me a favor this time. Now you’re charging for the water too?”

“Of course. Unlike you, who is a direct descendant of Duke Perdia, I’m the youngest in a minor vassal family, so I have to find a way to make a living.”

“You penny-pincher.”

Carlot seemed to say this with a mix of disbelief as he took out a coin from his pocket and flicked it in Timothy’s direction.

Timothy quickly caught the coin and clutched it tightly.

As a direct descendant of Perdia, Carlot was in command of the expedition, but he was far from overbearing and had a free-spirited manner.

As usual, he allowed his knights, who had just fought with monsters, to lie down on the ground.

This would have been unthinkable if the Duke of Perdia or Jansi Perdia had been present.

While the other knights were chatting noisily, Carlot remained lost in thought.

Carlot and composure… it was an unexpected combination that piqued Timothy’s curiosity, so he couldn’t help but ask.

“What are you thinking about, Master Carlot?”

“That I want to go home…….”

“What? You? Home?”

Timothy was taken aback, as this was the first time he’d heard Carlot say such a thing.

Regardless, Carlot rested his chin in his hands and murmured with a lack of energy.

“What is my sister doing……?”

“Sister? You mean Elodie Perdia?”

“Sister Lili…….”

As a vassal of Perdia, Timothy was more well-informed about the affairs of the direct descendants than others.

As an illegitimate daughter of the duke, Elodie Perdia, a fierce young lady of the House of Perdia, did not fit in with the rest of the family.

It was common knowledge to Timothy that Carlot didn’t even treat her as a sister, and that whenever they met, they fought.

However, since he was always away on monster subjugation missions, he was unaware of how the atmosphere in the Perdia family had changed recently.

‘Have they grown tired of fighting?’

Timothy shook his head and commented.

“By the way, when we stopped by the last village, I saw an article about your sister in the newspaper.”

Carlot’s vacant expression turned sharp, and in an instant, he grabbed Timothy by the collar.

“What? And you kept that to yourself, you scumbag?!”

Timothy exclaimed in disbelief, having been treated like garbage out of nowhere.

“You hate your sister!”

Carlot’s eyes widened slightly. Just for a moment, he released Timothy’s collar and murmured.

“…I don’t hate her.”

“What?”

“I said I don’t hate her! You idiot.”

Thwack!

Carlot suddenly smacked Timothy’s shoulder with his fist. Caught off guard, Timothy winced and held his shoulder while whimpering.

“10 lalit for medical fees……”

Ignoring Timothy’s claim for medical fees, Carlot asked, “So, what did the article say?”

“It said she was a social butterfly, a femme fatale.”

“Femme, what?”

For a moment, he thought he’d misheard.

A femme fatale, really? Could there be a less fitting description?

‘Maybe an angel……’

While Carlot internally joked about how the person involved would be shocked if they knew, Timothy recited the contents of the article.

“It said that after rejecting the first prince’s advances, she is now actively pursued by the second prince.”

“What…?” Carlot asked in confusion.

He already knew that she broke off the engagement with the first prince, but now there’s talk of her and the second prince.

A reckless playboy like the second prince.

“They say she’s playing around with both brothers.'”

“Playing around? My sister?”

“According to the article, she even went on a date with Second Prince Beltran not too long ago.”

“What? No way!”

This brother is against it!

‘What on earth is my sister up to?!’

Feeling a sense of crisis, Carlot abruptly stood up from his seat.

“Rest is over! Let’s move out!”

The knights, who were enjoying their sweet rest, protested loudly, but Carlot didn’t even hear them.

He had to finish the mission and return to the capital no matter what.

Really, just in case, it shouldn’t happen, but if his sister were to accept the second prince’s proposal……

‘No, that can’t happen. Absolutely not.’

His face turned pale with horror.

“Get up! I said get up! Now is not the time for this!”

“Ugh.”

“Young Master. Why are you suddenly like this?”

Carlot forcibly got the lazy knights to their feet and resumed the march.

As always, deep in the forest, the monstrous creatures of the southwest appeared, and they were dealt with swiftly.

Several days passed.

Finally, the expedition force, now in a remote mountain range where people rarely set foot, discovered something worth reporting.

A rift.

Monsters were pouring out of the rift, which seemed to have been ripped open and forced wide.

None of them were mutated, but some of them were powerful enough to wreak havoc in a village if they happened to come across one.

It wasn’t the source of the mutated beasts they were looking for, but it was still something to report.

Timothy sheathed his sword and said, “I guess we can go home now, as Young Master Carlot wished.”

“That’s right.”

But there was a catch.

“……if we can make it back alive.”

[sc name=”add_image” image_url=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AIL4fc_itU9pZ8p3XYeTpxVLzWmn7_r7m4_SrmEuQvsYpfLyKsQCxOqrT-hzof05bHInGPk71iO66iYXRYjcGLNcgDdkH8_3n6Uq4k0HmrkGzthaigevI9Y=w2400″][/sc]

Bang!

The monsters, sensing the presence of the expedition force, launched a sudden attack.

A fierce battle erupted.

***

As usual, it arrived today.

A gorgeous bouquet of flowers and a single letter.

Sniff, sniff. Greed sniffed the flowers and commented.

[Popular again. But I don’t like these flowers. I don’t like the smell.]

“I don’t need this kind of popularity. Besides, no one cares about your flower preferences.”

[Just in case. Someone might want to know!]

Where does this confidence come from?

Ignoring Greed, who was boasting beside me for no reason, I picked up the bouquet and the accompanying letter.

“Ugh…….”

The sender was Beltran Locke Wallent. The second prince.

Beltran had been sending me bouquets and gifts for over a week now. At first, I took the time to read the letters, but now I didn’t even bother to open them.

“Poor trees and flowers,” I lamented.

The paper and flowers were innocent, but they suffered my contempt just because they were sent by Beltran.

“Flowers are meant for someone who wants them, and letters……”

I glanced at the fireplace.

Swiftly, I walked over to it. If the butler saw me, it wouldn’t end without a scolding, but now I was alone!

With enthusiasm, I tossed the letter into the roaring flames of the fireplace.

‘Paper, you were good firewood.’

After giving encouragement to the paper that had fulfilled its purpose, I turned around.

“Lili……?”

I locked eyes with Jansi, who had walked in without my noticing.

“Oh.”

The dream of committing a perfect crime turned into a bubble that quickly popped.

I greeted him with a casual smile, as if nothing had happened.

“It’s been a while, Brother. What brings you here?”

“I came to ask something. About the partner you’re going with to the Foundation Day Ball……”

A partner for the Foundation Day Ball.

Until now, I had been accompanied by First Prince Adenmir. After all, we were engaged. Of course, we only attended the ceremony together, but after that, we went our separate ways for the remainder of the ball.

But this year, without a fiancé, I had to find another partner.

Jansi smiled affectionately.

“If you don’t have one in mind, I’ll-.”

Was he about to offer to help find one? To spare Jansi unnecessary trouble, I quickly answered. 

“I have a partner!”

“Huh?”

“I already have a partner, so you don’t have to find me one.”

Upon hearing that, Jansi smiled and replied, “I see. That’s great. But who is your partner?”

Although he was clearly smiling, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. Was that just my imagination…..?