“Thread…?”
What Diana held out to me was an ordinary spool of thread. The kind typically used for sewing or mending clothes.
The only unusual thing about it was that, unlike the common round spools wound around a wooden core, this thread was wound on a flat, thin wooden stick engraved with what looked like burn marks.
Thread? Out of nowhere?
I didn’t even bother to hide my confusion as I examined it closely.
Diana, who had been sitting quietly across from me, watching as if giving me enough time to study it, finally spoke up.
“I only heard briefly about this, but among the sorcerers of the Geron Continent, thread is considered a symbol of connection. I heard rumors that the magic being sought by the Grand Duke’s household has to do with connecting souls.”
So that’s how the story has spread.
Well, it would’ve been much more problematic if word had gotten out that I was researching “body-swapping magic.”
I nodded calmly. “I see. And does this thread have anything to do with that magic?”
“My classmate asked her grandmother about it, and she said this might help. She passed it along through a magical messenger. However, I don’t think she had time to explain much. Neither my classmate nor I know much about magic, so…”
“I see.”
Thread as a symbol of connection.
I had heard stories like that before.
People born with red threads tied to their pinkies, or the mythical three sisters who spun, wove, and cut the threads of fate.
“……”
I silently picked up the thread and examined it for a long time.
The blue thread was tightly wound around the wooden stick, which was engraved with letters in an unknown language. Looking closely, the characters resembled the ones in the magic book Eloise had hidden in her study.
It wasn’t a foreign language, nor was it an ancient one.
At that moment—
Wait a second.
Something flashed through my mind like a bolt of lightning.
“The maximum duration that can be maintained arbitrarily is one year. If you fail to resolve it within that time, it will become irreversible.”
Now that I think about it… The magic book also mentioned knots. And the old woman I met spoke about knots as well.
Thread and knots.
Of course, the term “knot” likely held more of a metaphorical meaning, but it was hard not to think there might be some kind of connection between the two.
As the thought crossed my mind, I suddenly sprang to my feet.
“Lady Lawrence, I’m terribly sorry, but I’ll need to take my leave now.”
Diana looked up at me with wide eyes.
“Your Grace?”
“I’ll send you an answer regarding the proposal I mentioned as soon as possible. And I’ll gladly accept this.”
I waved the spool of thread in my hand, and although Diana still looked slightly bewildered, she nodded amicably.
“Yes, I’m glad if it’s of any help…”
“Thank you, truly.”
I clasped Diana’s hand in gratitude, the thread still clutched in my other hand.
“Well then, until next time.”
❖ ❖ ❖
“Ian! I’m back! Ian!”
The moment the carriage stopped in front of the Grand Duke’s main residence, I flung the door open, bounded up the stairs two at a time, and burst into the lobby.
Ian, who seemed to have been inspecting the steady stream of items and books coming into the lobby even after I’d left, turned toward me just as the butler, Harold, was delivering his report.
“…Eloise?”
“I figured something out! Whoa—”
I beamed and started running toward him, but I tripped over some clutter still scattered across the floor of the yet-to-be-organized lobby.
As I felt myself tipping forward and the floor rushing up to meet me, I suddenly found myself steadied by a pair of firm arms.
Ian had dashed over in an instant, wrapping an arm securely around my waist.
“Whoa, that was close.”
“…My lady, you truly test my heart dozens of times a day,” he muttered, his tone laced with exasperation.
Judging by his disgruntled tone, it seemed Ian had been more startled than I was.
I smiled sheepishly as he pulled me upright and began to inspect me from head to toe to make sure I was unhurt.
Pressed close against him, I giggled softly.
“Hehe, sorry. I was in a hurry.”
“Are you hurt?”
“Nope, you caught me.”
He let out a quiet breath, somewhere between a sigh and a groan, as his gaze met mine.
“Please be careful.”
“But you’ll catch me every time anyway,” I said shamelessly.
He stared at me in disbelief, wearing the same expression he had when I’d spouted some over-the-top sweet line to him during our first tea time at the Grand Duke’s residence.
“Ahem.”
Oh dear, how embarrassing.
Honestly, how could he claim to love me yet still react so coldly in moments like these?
“So, what happened that you set aside all decorum to rush back like this? It doesn’t seem like you’re here just because you missed me.”
“Oh, well…”
As I hesitated and glanced around, Ian motioned with a single hand, and the butler Harold, along with the remaining staff in the lobby, promptly exited the room.
Whoever’s husband he is, his charisma is no joke.
I only indulged in this frivolous thought for a moment before confirming that the lobby was now completely empty. Taking the spool of thread out from my pocket, I held it out to Ian.
“What is this?”
“It’s something Lady Diana—or rather, Lady Lawrence—passed on to me. It seems to be an artifact used by the sorcerers of the Geron Continent, where the Nomos Empire is located. She said it’s deeply tied to the concept of connection between people.”
“Connection, you say.”
“Yes, but more importantly, I think it might be related to the magic once used by the former Grand Duchess.”
I briefly explained the bits I’d heard from Diana, combined with what I knew from Eloise’s magic book and the old woman’s words.
When I finished, Ian nodded as if the explanation made sense.
“I see. Then I’ll investigate in that direction. Once Kyle returns, I’ll have him dispatched to the Geron Continent immediately. It shouldn’t take long.”
Somehow, it felt like Kyle had been getting increasingly busy lately.
Picturing him running around somewhere on the continent right now to carry out Ian’s orders, I offered him silent condolences.
When he gets back, I should reward him with a bonus for all his hard work.
“Oh, right. Have we received any response from that side yet?”
At my question, Ian shook his head.
“If you’re referring to Duke Roger, no. Not yet.”
“Hmm, I thought so…”
There were two reasons why Ian had gone so far as to launch a large-scale operation under the name of the Grand Duchy.
The first, of course, was to swiftly gather and consolidate information. Even now, as soon as the Grand Duchy’s name was put forward, we had started uncovering information about the magic of a distant continent, not to mention the Levant Empire.
The second reason was none other than Duke Roger.
Hayden Roger had a deep connection to Eloise’s magic.
I suspected he knew more about this case than anyone else, second only to Eloise herself.
And he had been adamant, repeatedly emphasizing my status as an “outsider,” that Ian would never accept me once he learned the truth.
He’d even gone as far as to insist, almost like brainwashing, that he was the only one who could help me.
He also said there wasn’t much time left.
This statement, whatever its meaning, implied that he too was feeling pressured.
If the Grand Duchy made a move first and hinted that Ian might already know the truth, I figured it would provoke some kind of reaction.
“No reaction at all…”
“It hasn’t even been 24 hours yet. As I’ve mentioned before, Duke Roger is calculating and cunning. He’ll act with caution in a situation like this. He’s probably scheming as we speak.”
“Of course. Considering how he’s tested me in the past…”
“Still, it won’t take long. In the meantime, you should be careful, Eloise. Hayden Roger has always acted unpredictably.”
“…I understand.”
“I’ll assign someone to stay by your side today. Someone trustworthy, who can protect you closely.”
“All right, please do.”
Under normal circumstances, I would’ve declined, saying it wasn’t necessary. But seeing how serious Ian looked, I nodded without argument.
As I met his steady gaze, I lowered my eyes briefly.
His expression was composed, but the strength in the hand holding mine betrayed his inner tension.
“Nothing will happen.”
I placed my hand over his and looked up at him again.
“I believe in you. You’re here with me.”
❖ ❖ ❖
Investigating the magic was one thing, but I had another task of my own to handle.
The next day, I sent a letter to the princess, requesting an audience for personal reasons.
As always, her response arrived in less than half a day, which was how I found myself now in the Emerald Palace, meeting with her in private.
The princess, who had been staring blankly at me for a while, suddenly slapped her cheeks with both hands.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“…I was curious about what you’d say since you asked to meet me first, which is so unlike you…”
Her round eyes narrowed into triangles.
“No way!!! Why should I!!! Are you out of your mind, Grand Duchess?!”
The next moment, her piercing voice echoed through the drawing room, and I reflexively shut my eyes.
…As expected, this wasn’t going to be easy.
• • •
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