Chapter 41
Near the closed Sharit Lake.
A gate appeared out of thin air, sending five mages away.
“Hah. Why did I let this happen?”
The red-haired mage lamented, his expression filled with frustration.
“Well, it can’t be helped. It’s the decision of the Bregemin (the highest council of the tower).”
A man about his height, clad in white robes emblazoned with golden stars and carrying a white staff, said.
Sharit Street was temporarily closed after the incident.
Matap has dispatched an investigative team to ‘settle accounts and investigate anomalies’.
Star-ranked wizards, even from the mages’ mecca, the Sky Tower.
“Shouldn’t the branch take care of this?”
“The Southern Branch’s own investigation was unable to determine the cause of the anomaly.”
“I’m too busy trying to raise a new disciple these days, why should I have to do this?”
The red-haired mage looked very unhappy.
“Move while you’re hot and bothered.”
Grumbling aside, the inspection went smoothly.
“All is well here.”
“But the crystals are fine, what is it that needs repairing here?”
“The other seals are intact.”
The sealing circle of the Great Hemp Tree Sharit.
It was impossible for a crystal system that had existed for hundreds of years to suddenly develop an abnormality. As it turned out, there was no abnormality.
They arrived at the scene of the crime.
“It appeared here, a gap to the other world.”
“Yes. The reports indicate that it was a temporary gap caused by the overlapping of the crystalline worlds.”
“Isn’t such a phenomenon incredibly rare? What a shame. It’s a shame this body wasn’t here at the time.”
Upon examination, the crystalline system was functioning normally.
“Perhaps it’s no wonder. If there was a problem with the system, all the buildings would have been submerged under the lake long ago.”
“So what was the problem?”
“It’s our job to find out.”
That’s when the team hit a snag.
“Here.”
The smallest robed wizard in the center of the mansion, facing the floor, raised his hand.
“What is it?”
The red-haired wizard who had been whining about having to take on an apprentice earlier approached.
“The Hemp Tree Sealing System…”
It was that moment.
Everyone noticed the change.
“Sharit the Hemp Tree’s aura.”
“Gone.”
All the wizards were silent.
***
The bonus was returned to her savings under the guise of pocket money from Mehen.
“Isn’t that why you gave me a bonus?”
Mehen retorts with a smirk at her mild protest.
“It’s okay because you gave me your heart.”
“Mum, I didn’t give you my heart!”
“It was inside?”
“Ew.”
Mehen smirked.
What was so good about it was that from that day on, Mehen laughed so hard that the mansion had a story.
“Are we going to get fired?”
“Did we do something wrong?”
“I’m scared. I wish you’d tell me what I did wrong.”
A.k.a. the gentle smirk that Mehen would display just before taking someone down…
“What do you usually do?”
Once again, she must say that she was able to realize who the ruler of Halbern Manor was without an Archduke.
Bonus points to the nursery corps for always being there for her.
“Envelopes! In an envelope!”
The demands were clear.
What do you prefer in-kind?
She shook her head when he asked for a bank cheque with her signature on it.
“This is your heart.”
“This is your love.”
“This is your…”
Every single one of the nannies wore them on their bodies as talismans.
Bonus week again, these people.
“I’m glad nothing bad happened to Young Lady.”
“It shouldn’t happen again.”
“Right, right, right. Next time, we’ll go with you.”
“Date with Young Lady…”
Isn’t this just they being jealous of Mehen’s date?
“Never mind, it was uneventful.”
The marks on the back of her hand were uncomfortable, but they weren’t harming her, and no one had found them, so she left them alone.
‘I’m sure someone will recognize this mark if I look it up.’
For now, Mehen and the Nursery were too overprotective to say anything.
Plus the dream.
“What was that?”
All she can remember is the platinum hair that glistened like honey and the pale pink eyes that were as beautiful as rose petals.
“Hmm.”
Could it be her mum?
For a moment, she wondered, but then she shook her head. Given her beauty, it felt like a sin to assume she was a mother.
“The subject of extras has a lot of secrets.”
She supposedly has a lot of secrets because she is an extra.
Sometimes she forgets that she’s reincarnated in a fictional world.
“Maybe it’s not so bad.”
Or living like this.
“…I want to play the violin.”
Suddenly, she thought.
***
The Crown Prince’s palace.
Pession was unusually low.
“I miss Arellin.”
He’d been going to see her every day, and now, if he didn’t see her, his mouth would turn to mush.
“Too much homework, too many classes! Damn it, how long do I have to do this?”
“Only a week. You’ll get through it, Your Highness.”
“Graham, I hate you!”
Despite his words, he’s been attending class and completing all of his homework.
He just doesn’t feel like it.
“Is he a sergeant?”
“Is he a sergeant?”
“His Highness is a corporal.”
“You’ve grown up.”
The servant maids of the Crown Prince’s court, who knew the truth, looked at Pession and smiled unnecessarily.
“What’s wrong with you all?”
“You really don’t know why?”
“…?”
Shirua, whose classes overlapped with the Crown Prince’s, also looked at Pession with a sour expression.
“Shirua, why do you look at me like that?”
“You’re crazy, aren’t you?”
“You’re the one who’s crazy, aren’t you?”
“That’s weird.”
Shirua frowned, but he couldn’t put her finger on what was different about Peshion.
He just muttered something about it being strange.
Pession’s resolve was renewed.
“I’ve set a goal.”
“A goal?”
“I’m going to be Arellin’s father.”
“What are you talking about, all of a sudden?”
Graham was stunned.
Was this a declaration of intent to give up the throne and become Archduke of Halbern?
As Graham pondered what to make of this declaration, Pession reflected on his behavior.
It hadn’t been very forward-thinking.
“Yes, the most important thing.”
Arellin’s health.
***
“Arellin, I missed you!”
A week passed, and Pession returned.
“Didn’t you miss me, Arellin?”
He asked with a puppy dog whimper, but really, Pession was an unscrupulous bastard.
“What? You didn’t miss me? Really?”
…Well, maybe she missed him a little.
The peace was nice, but she was also a little, really bored without the annoying voice next to her.
“Off.”
“Heh.”
“I’ll pet you instead.”
“Ouch!”
She grinned, wondering what was so good about being petted.
“I’m pretty sure Lord Pacello doesn’t have a human heart, because I’ve spent the last week, well, how do you know…”
Pession scowled.
“All my teachers have given me double the homework as punishment. I’ve had double the classes, double the homework, double the training, and it’s been hell.”
“I see.”
“I thought I was dying to see Arellin.”
“Well, at least you managed to get through it.”
“Yeah!”
Pession nods in agreement. The day went on as usual.
Until then.
“So, I’ve prepared something.”
“Huh?”
“After what happened, I thought maybe Arellin was too fragile for this.”
No, it wasn’t. It was a natural disaster.
What are you talking about, man?
“How can we make Arellin’s health more effective? I’ve put my head together with the best experts I know!”
Do what?
“Voila, the Arelin workout plan!”
She glanced at it, the tightly packed table in front of her.
“What do you think? Isn’t it great?!”
Back to the palace, you bastard.
