As she took another sip of wine, Viola’s gaze persistently fixed on her.

Rachel felt puzzled and turned to look at Viola. Viola hesitated, carefully observing Rachel’s reaction.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s quite strange…”

“…?”

Seeing Rachel’s confusion, Viola reluctantly spoke up.

“Rachel, you seem different.”

“Me?”

“Yes. You look very mature. And a bit… scarier too. Did something happen during that month?”

At Viola’s question, Rachel remained silent for a moment.

Until Rachel managed to save Tervan from death.

For them, it might have been just an ordinary period, but for Rachel, more than 10 years had passed.

The changes in Rachel during that time would naturally seem unfamiliar to them.

Although Rachel guessed this, she found it difficult to explain and couldn’t speak.

“May I ask what you’re discussing that keeps you smiling?”

Fortunately, someone interrupted their conversation at that moment.

“Ah, Duke Bermund!”

Viola recognized him first and greeted him respectfully. Rachel greeted Duke Bermund a beat slower than Viola.

“You don’t need to be so formal. That’s not why I’m here.”

Duke Bermund spoke to Viola and Rachel with a gentle smile.

“May I join in on your conversation?”

When Duke Bermund asked in a kind voice, Viola nodded willingly.

“Of course. We were talking about how Rachel participated in the monster subjugation team and returned safely.”

Viola answered while appropriately changing the subject.

Meanwhile, Rachel slowly looked Duke Bermund up and down.

Duke Bermund was also one of the main characters in this world.

With hair as black as ebony and ruby-red eyes, his handsome appearance seemed meticulously carved by hand, making him one of the renowned beauties in society.

Moreover, he had risen to the rank of duke at a young age, ran a large trading company, and was famous for his caring and considerate personality.

Because of this, many women were infatuated with Duke Bermund. Even those who weren’t in love with him generally had favorable impressions of him.

Viola was like that too. Her face had flushed red since Duke Bermund approached.

However, Rachel knew well that Duke Bermund wasn’t just the good person everyone thought him to be.

If her memory served correctly, Duke Bermund had informed Viola about the existence of the Time Demon Creon when Viola’s depression had reached its peak.

He was the person who pretended not to know anything while leaking information to Viola, fully aware that the caster’s life was needed to turn back time using Creon. A ruthless human who wanted to see if Viola would actually use Creon.

That was Rachel’s assessment of Duke Bermund.

“By the way, you were truly impressive, Lady Pluret.”

“Are you referring to me?”

Rachel, who had been lost in thought, looked up to check Duke Bermund.

The Duke spoke with narrowed eyes.

“Yes. I spoke with General Kaines and heard that your contributions to this monster subjugation team were significant. Not only did you save people from lightning attacks twice, but you even killed the witch.”

“My goodness! Is that true, Rachel?”

As Duke Bermund finished speaking, Viola turned to Rachel with round eyes.

For Viola, who knew Rachel’s magic abilities well, this was shocking news.

“Yes. It just happened that way.”

Rachel answered awkwardly, trying to brush it off.

“Just happened? That’s not something you can explain away like that!”

Viola exclaimed with sparkling eyes.

Rachel responded to her excitement with just a smile.

“It’s nothing. Not that impressive.”

“Not impressive…? At the very least, it means you memorized three magic spells, and you’re saying that’s not impressive?”

Duke Bermund was the one who cut off Rachel’s words.

“I heard that Edward Hestein, the renowned magic prodigy and candidate for the next Magic Tower Master, can store up to three magic spells. So I suppose Edward Hestein isn’t impressive either.”

“……”

Rachel kept her mouth shut at Duke Bermund’s words.

If Edward Hestein were a stranger, she could have brushed it off, but unfortunately, she couldn’t do that.

It was because he was Viola’s brother.

If she dismissed her own abilities as nothing while standing next to Viola, it would be like disrespecting Edward Hestein, Viola’s brother, as well.

Rachel glanced briefly at Viola before letting out a small sigh.

“I misspoke while trying to be modest. You’re right. I can store up to three magic spells. And I had memorized the barrier magic in advance because I felt uneasy, so I was able to use it at the right time. That was really just good luck.”

“Luck, is it?”

“Yes. It’s not that strange to have barrier magic memorized in a forest crawling with monsters, is it?”

“That’s true.”

Duke Bermund nodded seemingly in understanding. But his eyes shone even more sharply.

“The Empire has gained a new talent. This is very pleasing news. I’m a bit puzzled why you haven’t stood out until now, but congratulations.”

“Thank you for saying so.”

When Rachel responded with a slight smile, Duke Bermund stared intently at her eyes. Rachel didn’t avoid the Duke’s gaze either.

At the same time, she began to speculate about what he was thinking when approaching her.

First, she considered Duke Bermund’s actions in the original story.

From her now faded memories, she remembered only a few things about him.

Still, she could recall some important details.

First, that he was the hidden villain aiming for the Emperor’s position, and second, that he desired to obtain the Time Demon Creon.

Duke Bermund wanted to seize the Empire by obtaining the Time Demon Creon. For this reason, he spent a lot of money to find Creon, but he couldn’t bring himself to awaken Creon through his own death.

This seemed natural.

Not many people would bet their lives on unverified information.

That’s why he tried to use Viola, who had been weakened by trauma.

To contract with the Time Demon Creon, the death of someone with a desperate wish to turn back time was needed.

But apparently, the person who faced death didn’t necessarily have to be the caster.

Therefore, no one appeared more attractive than Viola.

Her depression had peaked due to her friend’s death and the guilt toward her friend who had completely changed because of it.

Duke Bermund intended to steal Creon from Viola the moment she awakened Creon through her death.

To Rachel, who knew all this, Duke Bermund represented nothing more than a scoundrel who would drive Viola to her death.

Fortunately, in the original story, the male protagonists who loved Viola prevented her death, causing Duke Bermund’s plan to fail.

But now, someone wearing the necklace with Creon sealed inside had appeared.

And that person’s magic abilities had grown remarkably.

From Duke Bermund’s perspective, he couldn’t help but suspect that Rachel had become the contractor of the Time Demon Creon.

“With such an outstanding mage appearing, the Magic Tower will welcome a new candidate for Tower Master.”

Duke Bermund said, glancing at Viola. Rachel frowned at his clearly intentional remark.

“No. That won’t happen. I’m not interested in the Tower Master position.”

“Not interested? How can that be? Isn’t the Magic Tower like a hometown for mages? I can’t understand why you would refuse a position to become the master of mages in such a place.”

Duke Bermund retorted in a voice that suggested he couldn’t comprehend.

In response to the Duke’s persistent words, Rachel tilted her head in apparent confusion.

“If I say I don’t want it… do I need a reason to convince you, Duke?”

When Rachel finished speaking, Duke Bermund’s expression subtly hardened.

People always tended to yield to him.

That happened because people wanted to get many things from Duke Bermund.

It was partly because he was a duke, and also because he owned a large trading company.

But Rachel differed.

Rachel neither wanted anything from Duke Bermund nor cared about impressing him.

Rather, she remained wary of him, hiding his dark intentions.

That’s why Duke Bermund couldn’t help but find Rachel’s words unpleasant.

After maintaining silence for a moment, Duke Bermund’s gaze turned toward Rachel’s neck.

Around her neck hung a necklace with a red jewel that looked like a ruby.

But Duke Bermund felt convinced that it wasn’t just a simple ruby.

He felt sure that the necklace explained Rachel’s suddenly improved magic skills, as well as her ability to speak to him so defiantly.