“I found it! The magic circle that will make Leber’s surgery perfect!”
Just as the meeting was about to end, Elise burst into Karan’s office.
She was in a very excited state.
So much so that she, who considers etiquette very important, even forgot to knock.
“What is it, Elise?”
Karan gestured for the administrators participating in the meeting to leave, then approached Elise.
Only then did Elise realize the situation and frowned.
“It’s okay, Elise. Everyone likes and respects you.”
The people coming and going in the palace were the type to think there must be a reason even if Elise had messy hair and was shouting at the top of her lungs from dawn.
Sure enough, the faces of those greeting Elise with eye contact were full of curiosity, with no sign of criticizing Elise’s behavior.
“That’s why I should be more careful.”
One should do even better when praised.
“If you do any better, my position might be in danger. Elise, do you want to become king?”
Elise’s popularity in Tetris was extraordinary. As Karan said, to the point of threatening his position.
“No. I’m satisfied being Your Majesty’s companion. I have a lot to do as it is.”
“Honestly, I don’t want to give it up either. There’s really a lot of work.”
The king had many things to worry about. Not only that. He had to take responsibility for all matters big and small happening in the country. He also received a lot of criticism.
Even the lack of rain and livestock giving birth to fewer offspring were all blamed on the king.
That’s why he couldn’t give it up.
Elise should only hear good words and see good things.
“Now, tell me what you found.”
Everyone had left and the door was closed. Karan perched slightly on the desk. Only then did his eye level become similar to Elise’s.
“A way to help Leber!”
“A way to reduce transplant surgery side effects?”
Karan understood immediately.
“Yes, I found that.”
“That’s great, Elise.”
Karan’s face lit up. He wanted to throw a party out of joy.
How much trouble had Elise gone through, even reducing sleep, to find a way to help Leber.
“But there’s a problem.”
“What’s the problem? I’ll solve it for you.”
If only you could rest, if I could have you all to myself for even a moment, what couldn’t I do?
An impatient Karan narrowed the distance with Elise.
“We need to find a book. A book I used to read…”
“You don’t have it now?”
Elise nodded.
“What’s the title?”
“‘Dictionary of Magic Circles That Are Terrifying When You Know It’.”
It was quite a childish title. Elise blushed, embarrassed to say it herself.
But Karan was only serious.
“Dictionary of Magic Circles That Are Terrifying When You Know It… Let’s look for it. Is there any more information that could be a clue?”
Karan picked up a pen. His eyes sparkled like someone chasing hidden treasure.
“It was thick, with a brown cover and a door drawn on it. A pattern of vines wrapping around the door.”
“Do you remember where you bought it?”
Elise thought hard but shook her head. No matter how much she racked her brain, she couldn’t remember buying the book or receiving it as a gift.
That book had just always been by her side since she could remember.
“When was the last time you saw that book?”
Before moving to the palace in her first life.
Elise had sorted out most of the things she used at Viscount Worton’s house. She had sorted out that book then too, but how should she say when that was?
After thinking, Elise said,
“It was in Viscount Worton’s house until I left Bedrokka. In my room.”
After regressing, she was so busy she didn’t even think to bring that book. It was just a book with ridiculous magic circles that only kids would look at anyway.
Of course, she had regressed using a magic circle from that book, but she thought it was just a lucky coincidence.
‘No. I didn’t have time to think about that then.’
Elise blamed herself for not examining the ‘Dictionary of Magic Circles That Are Terrifying When You Know It’ at the time.
Karan’s hand, which had been writing something for a while, stopped. He put down the pen and pulled Elise’s waist into his arms.
“I’ll definitely find it for you. Let’s start by searching Viscount Worton ‘s house.”
“They probably sold it already, right? If the owner changed, they would have completely remodeled the inside. That’s usually what happens.”
“Didn’t I tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“I bought the Viscount Worton’s mansion.”
“What?”
Elise’s eyes widened.
****
“Yes, that’s right.”
Unable to have a proper conversation due to Karan’s next schedule, Elise called for Haltbin.
“When? Why did he buy that house?”
“He tends to buy land and buildings here and there in various countries.”
“This is news to me.”
Haltbin answered mechanically, then suddenly came to his senses.
Because the buildings and land he mentioned were secretly bought under the name of Pawnshop K.
Karan still hadn’t revealed the identity of Pawnshop K’s owner to Elise.
When Elise tilted her head, Haltbin rolled his eyes widely and quickly changed the focus of the conversation.
“Viscount Worton’s mansion has less value as an asset. The location is good, but it’s old and small.”
“That’s right. That’s why I’m curious. Why did His Majesty buy it?”
“Well, it’s because Your Majesty Elise lived there.”
Elise’s eyebrows raised. Hearing Haltbin’s answer made her understand even less.
“Are you saying His Majesty bought that house just because I lived there?”
“We tried to stop him, but he said this.”
Haltbin’s eyes became distant as he recalled the past.
“‘Elise was born here. These railings, walls, and windows saw moments I couldn’t see. If I could, I’d extract those memories and put them in my body, but that’s impossible. So I want to own this space where her memories are buried,’ he said.”
“…..”
Elise was at a loss for words. She knew Karan’s affection for her was great.
But she didn’t know it was to the extent of wanting to own even her past.
This was obsession beyond affection. A normal person should dislike it. But far from disliking it, Elise’s heart raced, making her breathless.
“So Your Majesty Elise’s room remains exactly as it was when you left.”
Haltbin added that only Iris’s room and the Viscount Worton couple’s private spaces were remodeled.
“Would you like to visit perhaps?”
“No, that’s not necessary.”
Elise immediately waved her hand. While Karan wanted to have her childhood, Elise, on the contrary, wanted to let it all go.
Because there were many painful memories.
‘If I could, I’d like to give them to him.’
“Then why did you suddenly bring up that mansion?”
“There’s something I need to find in my room. You said it’s exactly as I left it, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Haltbin, if you’re not busy, could you go to Bedrokka for me?”
Elise still doesn’t know. Anyone who receives money from Karan must prioritize Elise’s orders no matter how busy they are.
Of course, it doesn’t feel like taking on her work. Rather, they waited for Elise to assign them tasks.
They even find substitutes to do their original work while they’re doing Elise’s tasks, and they receive triple the special duty allowance.
“Of course I should go.”
“Won’t it harm His Majesty’s schedule?”
“Not at all.”
As he started to officially handle the king’s duties, Karan hired many assistants.
So Haltbin’s workload was reduced by more than half.
While Haltbin still handles important matters, he was excluded from routine tasks.
Even if he were at the forefront of work, Karan would have sent Haltbin to Bedrokka anyway.
“There’s something I need you to bring from my room. There should be a travel bag under my bed. It’s old and worn, please bring the whole thing.”
“I’ll go and return as quickly as possible.”
Haltbin left without delay.
Elise sipped her tea and thought of Karan. A deep smile spread across her face at the love of a man who wanted to possess her entirety.
****
Exactly a week later, Elise got her hands on the “Dictionary of Magic Circles That Are Terrifying When You Know It”.
As soon as she hugged the book full of her own touch to her chest, she felt an inexplicable trembling.
Should she say it felt like visiting her hometown after a long time?
She couldn’t pinpoint it exactly, but it was a feeling similar to nostalgia or comfort.
“Is this the magic circle that made Elise a great magician?”
Karan came to Elise’s side as she sat on the bed reading the book and peered at the page she was looking at.
“Not a great magician, but it guided me to become a fairly competent one.”
“I’m curious about what kind of terrifying magic is in there.”
“Want to look together?”
Karan was the first person besides Elise to show genuine interest in this book.
Iris and the Viscount Worton couple were busy calling the author of this book a fraud.
They even said it’s better to sleep than spend time reading that book.
But Elise cherished this book. She just felt like doing so for some reason.
“There are many interesting spells. This one… is terrifying.”
The one Karan stopped at while running his finger down the list was ‘A magic circle that turns all food into mint chocolate flavor’.
Elise giggled.
“That’s scary to Karan? For me, it’s this one.”
The one Elise chose was ‘A magic circle that turns sleeping people into cockroaches’.
“Hmm, I don’t like that one either. But do you think these really work?”
“I wonder. Shall we try one? I think we could try them all if Karan helps.”
Many of the magic circles in the “Dictionary of Magic Circles That Are Terrifying When You Know It” had very trivial names, but there were also many advanced magic circles that required a lot of mana to activate.
“We can try if Elise wants. But it’s late, so let’s just try one. It takes a long time to draw the magic circle too.”
The night has its own things to do.
Karan subtly stroked Elise’s waist.
Elise’s eyes narrowed, then soon curved like a crescent moon, unable to bear the ticklish sensation.
“Alright, just one! Let’s try just one.”
Elise and Karan chose a magic circle after much deliberation.
