Prologue

“Are you still working, Kanda-senpai?”

I’d been sitting for quite a while, working on my laptop. Just when I’d decided I couldn’t take it anymore and stretched, I’d heard a familiar voice coming from behind me.

“I just finished,” I replied, turning toward the voice.

It was the very woman I had expected to see, standing behind me with a smile on her face. She was a junior of mine here at work who enjoyed video games and anime, as did I, and we chatted often. Speaking of which, my name is Hajime Kanda—a regular office worker who likes video games and anime.

“Have you played the game I recommended a few days ago, Kanda-senpai? Have you finished it?”

“Oh yeah, the one you told me about the other day? It was pretty fun for an otome game. I got hooked and easily one hundred percented it,” I answered, boasting slightly to my junior.

“That’s the Kanda-senpai I know!” she exclaimed, surprised, before continuing in an amused tone. “Even though it’s an otome game, it’s gotten high praise for its battle system and base-building elements. The plot is more like a bonus, so I thought you would like it.”

“I do question whether an otome game should have a plot that’s just a bonus.”

The game that my junior had introduced me to was called Tokimeku Cinderella, aka TokiRella! I’d told her that I had no interest in otome games because I liked time sinks where I could slowly and diligently level up. My junior hadn’t given up, though, and had continued to recommend the game.

“Everyone says the plot is just a bonus, and all the other elements are the real game,” she’d insisted. “I definitely think you should play it, Kanda-senpai.”

I’d finally succumbed to her persistence, figuring it wouldn’t hurt to try an otome game just once. The gameplay had turned out to be a lot more fun than I’d expected, and though I didn’t want to admit it, I’d gotten hooked.

As you might expect from the title, the plot was a trite, Cinderella-esque tale, but the gameplay elements like character leveling and base building that took place between the main story sequences were fun. If you worked hard to one hundred percent the game—in other words, play to completion—you could unlock a free play mode where you could enjoy those gameplay elements, including leveling, base building, territory expansion, territory battles, and dungeon crawling. There was even a hidden boss that you could only defeat if you played through the free play mode.

“You were right about the gameplay being right up my alley, but it was pretty difficult to romance the male characters,” I told her.

“Well, that’s part of the fun,” she replied. “Also, there was a hidden boss you could only take down by grinding the free play mode. I gave up, but I’m guessing you managed it?”

A wry smile tugged at my lips as the conversation delved deeper into the game’s mechanics. “I did, but it was a lot of work. I don’t think the developers of an otome game should be making a boss that difficult.”

That very boss was one reason people called the TokiRella! free play mode “the real game.” The battles in the main story were easy overall, which made for swift progression, but for some reason, that hidden boss was abnormally strong. Its stats were balanced so that it couldn’t be defeated through regular gameplay. Unless your party met a certain strength threshold when facing it, you would immediately lose and become incapacitated no matter what you did.

The enemy’s opening attack was called “You varmints have no right to stand before me,” which was a taunt that had a huge impact on the players. Even now, remembering the shock I had felt when I’d first seen it made me laugh.

“Yeah. I also wish they’d spotlighted the main characters from the story more,” my junior said. “I think there should’ve been a route where you could romance the villain.”

“I focused on playing all the extra content, so I was just skimming the main story. I’m not really concerned with that stuff.”

I’d gotten so caught up in talking about video games with my junior that I hadn’t realized we should’ve left the office a while ago. It was quite late at night, so we wrapped things up and headed home.

“Well then, good night, senpai!”

“Yeah, good night.”

After saying goodbye in front of the office building, I began walking away. I had paused at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to turn, when I suddenly felt a strong, abnormal thump in my chest.

What was that?

Just as that thought crossed my mind, another powerful thump reverberated through me. A painful tightness clenched my chest, making it harder and harder to breathe. Unable to bear the pain, I clutched at my chest, but it didn’t help.

Before I knew it, I had fallen to my knees. I thought I heard someone scream, but I couldn’t be sure. The pain gradually subsided, and my vision faded to black.

This seems like dying, doesn’t it?

With that final thought, I fell unconscious.

Reincarnation

“Where am I?”

I opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.

All right, so I’m not at home.

I sat up and scanned my surroundings, finding only furniture that I’d never seen before. I racked my dazed brain to remember what had happened and recalled that I’d passed out while waiting at the crosswalk.

Was I brought to a hospital afterward?

Judging from the furniture and atmosphere of this room, that theory was probably wrong.

“Huh...” Something felt off. I climbed out of bed to figure out what the abnormality was and quickly discovered the problem.

My limbs are small? No way... Can it be?!

I hurried to the vanity near me and looked into the mirror.

“Who the heck is that?!” I screamed without thinking.

The mirror reflected a pretty face with silvery-white hair and complementary purple eyes. First things first: That wasn’t me. I wasn’t this good-looking. I held my head in my hands, racking my brain in an attempt to figure out what was happening. Just then, I heard a woman’s voice.

“Sir Reid!” the woman exclaimed upon seeing me. “You’ve woken up! I must inform everyone at once!” She immediately ran off somewhere.

Though her behavior was jarring, what stood out most to me was that the woman was dressed in a maid’s uniform, which left me stunned.

“What’s going on? Huh? Reid?”

As I repeated that name, a sharp pain caused my head to throb. I felt my own memories and experiences mixing with someone else’s, and the whole world felt like it was spinning. I began feeling worse, to the point of nausea. After some time had passed, my mind became clear and my body calmed down. I opened my mouth to speak to no one in particular.

“That’s right—Reid!” I exclaimed between heavy breaths. “I am... Wait, no...” I adjusted my tone to better fit the younger body I was now in. “I’m Reid Valdia!”

◇

Someone I presumed was a doctor thoroughly inspected my eye movements and the functionality of my entire body, including my arms and legs. “Well, there don’t seem to be any physical issues,” he muttered. “I don’t foresee any problems, but if something does happen, please reach out right away.”

The exam concluded, and the doctor got up and left the room.

“I’m glad to see that you are all right, Sir Reid,” a man remarked. “After you suddenly collapsed in the garden, we were worried that something was wrong.”

Several people had gathered in the room where I’d woken up. I couldn’t quite connect their faces to any names.

“I apologize for worrying you, um...” I replied with a troubled countenance.

“I am Garren, the butler,” the man said, identifying himself. He was a dapper man with gray hair and dark-brown eyes who looked to be in his late forties.

“Sorry, I seem to be a little mixed up. I’m sorry for worrying and troubling you, Mr. Garren and everyone else.” I apologetically bowed my head.

Garren and all the maids standing behind him stared, their eyes wide with shock. Still appearing surprised, Garren cleared his throat and smiled at me.

“Thank you for your generous words, Sir Reid,” Garren said in a kind tone. “However, you should not be speaking to a butler or maids in such a manner. Please call me ‘Garren,’ as always. I must reiterate, though, that your words are greatly appreciated, Sir Reid.”

“Okay, I’ll keep that in mind,” I replied. “Thanks, Garren.”

He seemed satisfied with my response and left a service bell near my bed, instructing me to call him right away if I needed anything, before leaving with all the maids. Now that I was alone, I crawled under the covers and held my head in my hands.

“Not only am I in the world of an otome game, but I’ve reincarnated as an NPC antagonist?!”

◇

Reid Valdia, whom I’d reincarnated as, was a side character and antagonist in a game from my memories of my previous life: TokiRella! The plot had followed the same narrative progression that other Cinderella-esque stories did, which meant that there was a villainess whose job was to get in the way of the main character. I, Reid Valdia, was a member of that villainess’s entourage.

During the main story, Reid was only mentioned by name, and he didn’t even have a character sprite. Though his name only appeared in one line of text, Reid faced all kinds of horrible fates at the end of the game. He was convicted as an accomplice of the villainess and, depending on the ending, exiled, sent to war to die in battle, or executed.

I hadn’t played much of the main game, so how the heck did I remember this character? The answer lay in TokiRella!’s postgame content. After completing every route, there was bonus content in the form of a free play mode, where every character was unlocked. In other words, any character from the main story with a name became playable. During normal gameplay, you were restricted to using only the main characters. Since the free play mode was designed to be a time sink, it greatly increased the number of playable characters, which made it all the more fun. Each of the newly unlocked characters had stats that were carefully balanced, which was one of the reasons the main story was often regarded as bonus content. With all of that said, the character I’d prioritized leveling and used during my playthrough of TokiRella! was the very person I’d become: Reid Valdia.

“Since I’m Reid, if I work hard, things might work out for me!” I muttered to myself.

I peeked out from the covers and stared at the ceiling, my face now full of hope because Reid Valdia was a character who transformed into a total powerhouse. Magic existed in the world of TokiRella!, and in order to use it, you needed something known as elemental potential. Each character had unique stats when it came to their elemental potential. Reid had horrible base stats, but he had elemental potential for every type of magic, which made him a late bloomer.

The main characters had modified growth rates, so they became more powerful at a relatively quicker pace. These characters notably had fewer elemental potentials, which meant that they couldn’t use as many types of magic. In order to reach the hidden boss, players had to face challenging situations where their party might not be able to use all the types of magic necessary to win. By leveling up Reid, who could use all types of magic, and adding him to your party, this content became much less difficult. However, Reid had terrible base stats, so leveling him up was grueling work. The only people who used him were those who wanted to grind.

“I like steady growth and repetitive tasks. Also, if I’m remembering correctly, Reid has elemental potential in all types of magic. First, I’ll assess my current situation. I’ll plan for my future after that. At the very least, I’m going to avoid getting involved with any antagonists and live an honest life.”

With that decision made, I rang the service bell that had been placed by my bed. A few moments later, a cute maid of small stature appeared.

“Excuse me,” she said as she entered the room. She had black hair and orange eyes, and she stood in front of the door with her head lowered as though she was waiting for something. I could sense that she was slightly afraid and nervous.

“There’s no reason to be so nervous,” I reassured her. “Now that I’m awake again, there are a few things I want to confirm with you. I’m seven now, right?”

“No, sir. You just turned six last month.”

“Oh...yes, that’s right. I also wanted to ask...”

I continued with questions about my father, my mother, and the country we were in. I eventually confirmed that this was indeed the world of TokiRella!

“Are you perhaps unwell after all, Sir Reid?” the maid asked. “If you’d like, I can call the doctor back...” She had a concerned look. I had probably worried her with all of my strange questions.

“I’m sorry for worrying you. I think I’m feeling anxious after suddenly collapsing in the garden. I’m okay, and thank you.”

The maid seemed slightly relieved by my response, but she still seemed to be nervous or scared for some reason.

I wonder what’s wrong. Just as that thought crossed my mind, Reid’s memories flashed before my eyes. This caused my head to ache slightly, and I placed a hand on my forehead.

“Sir Reid?” the maid asked. She drew closer and inspected my face, her own full of worry.

That’s right. I remember now. I, Reid, have been taking out my anger on the maids and various objects these days.

“I’m an idiot,” I whispered to myself. Then, I turned to look at the maid and spoke in a gentle tone. “There’s no need to worry. I’m all right. More importantly, I’m sorry for treating you so harshly until now.”

Her eyes widened in shock. “You’ve done no such thing, sir.”

“Yes, I have,” I insisted. “The way I’ve been treating everyone is unconscionable.”

It was clear that she was confused, but the fear and anxiety she’d initially exhibited toward me had lessened.

“Oh, by the way, can you tell me your name?”

“My name is Danae.”

“Danae,” I repeated. “That’s a nice name. It’s a pleasure to properly meet you.” I tilted my head in an endearing manner and gave her a smile.

“What a cute smile,” Danae quietly whispered. Then she gasped and bowed her head. “M-My apologies! It’s my pleasure as well, and I look forward to serving you!”

A cute smile, huh? The reflection I had seen in the vanity mirror was indeed cute. I probably do have a cute smile. That thought felt so silly that I couldn’t help but giggle. Danae just stared at me, confused.

After asking most of the questions that were on my mind, I bowed my head gratefully to her. “Thank you.”

She frantically waved her hands to indicate that my gratitude was unnecessary. “Please raise your head,” she begged.

Once Danae left the room, I began thinking about what I needed to do next. But before I could do that, I’d drifted off into a deep slumber.

My Mother

“Good morning, Sir Reid. It’s time to get up.”

“Morning...”

“Hmm? Is something wrong?” Danae stared at me, perplexed.

I’d been shocked by the fact that I’d opened my eyes to a woman in a maid outfit waking me up. I couldn’t tell her that I’d been enamored with her maid uniform, so I bashfully looked away. Danae just tilted her head in confusion at my behavior.

Once I got out of bed, she offered to help me get dressed. That would have been much too embarrassing, so I declined. Unfortunately, I’d never seen clothes like these before, so I didn’t know how to wear them. In the end, I had to ask her to help me after all, and my face flushed bright red.

“There’s no problem with asking for help,” Danae reassured me, but that just made me want to cry.

After getting dressed, I headed to the dining hall for breakfast, where a long table had been set. I took my seat, and one after another, dishes were brought out. Nobles live so extravagantly.

Garren, the butler who’d introduced himself yesterday, was standing off to the side. I scanned my surroundings as I ate and found that I was the only one there.

“Where is everyone else?”

“Sir Reiner is visiting the capital,” Garren responded. “I believe he will be returning in the next few days.”

My—Reid’s—father was Margrave Reiner Valdia. He governed our family’s mark, which shared borders with several neighboring countries. As the head of the household, he would visit the imperial capital from time to time to handle administrative tasks.

I nodded in acknowledgment. I see. My father’s away at the capital.

“What about mother?” I asked next.

“Lady Nanalie is feeling unwell and resting in her room.”

“In that case, I’ll go check on her later.”

“I think that will please Lady Nanalie very much.”

I continued chatting with Garren and managed to get through breakfast. I’d been worried about whether I could conduct myself with proper etiquette, but it seemed that there hadn’t been any issues. I was about to return to my room to start planning my course of action, but for some reason, I felt incredibly concerned about my mother’s well-being.

I found Danae, who’d been waiting nearby, and asked her to take me to my mother’s room. She seemed confused by the request, because I should have known where my mother’s room was. I told her that I was embarrassed to visit her on my own, which made Danae giggle and immediately show me the way.

I should mention that Nanalie Valdia’s name had never been mentioned in the game. What is she going to be like? I wondered as I made my way to her room. I felt a strange mix of excitement and nervousness swirling within me, and my heart began to race.

“Here is your mother’s room,” Danae said.

Now that I was standing in front of her room, I suddenly felt overwhelmed by anxiety and held my breath. It was as if my body and mind were denying me entry, insisting that I never set foot in my mother’s room. Danae noticed my behavior and spoke to me with concern.

“Perhaps you’re still feeling unwell, Sir Reid. You look a bit pale.”

“What? Oh, no, I’m fine,” I assured her. “I’m just visiting my mother, yet it feels like I’m going to see her for the first time in a while.”

Danae looked bewildered by my response. She appeared to be searching for a reply before finally speaking again, carefully choosing her words. “Sir Reid, are you sure you’re feeling all right? Not long after Lady Nanalie fell ill, you began avoiding her. You used to visit her every day, but recently, I don’t believe you’ve stopped by her room at all.”

“Huh? Really?!”

“Yes. Every member of the staff was pained to see you like that.” Once she finished talking, Danae adopted a sorrowful expression.

“I see...”

Why did Reid stop visiting his mother? I tried to search for the answer, but I could sense only fear coming from his memories. Rather than finding answers, I should see my mother first.

I choked down all the anticipation and anxiety I was feeling and knocked on the door. Several moments later, a quiet voice responded from within.

“Come in.”

I steeled myself and entered the room. Inside was a slender woman with long, red hair and purple eyes. She was sitting up in bed, reading a book. The moment I laid my eyes on her, I felt a deep thump in my chest and all sorts of emotions began filling me up. It felt like my life was flashing before my eyes.

“I want to be doted on. I love you. You’re precious to me. I want to protect you. I want you with me always. Why? How? I’m frustrated. I’m sad. I can’t forgive them. Who? Me? Don’t leave...please.”

A wave of indescribably complex emotions washed over me, bringing along a mountain of memories. Unable to process these feelings, I just stood still. My eyes suddenly felt hot for some reason, and tears rolled down my cheeks. I quickly realized what was happening, and I wiped them away with my sleeve.

My mother had noticed me crying, and she raised her voice in shock. “Are you all right, Reid?!” She leaned forward in an attempt to get even the slightest bit closer to me, but she immediately began coughing and leaned her hands on the bed to keep herself propped up.

“Mother! Are you okay?!” I ran over to her side and rubbed her back. Now that I was seeing her up close, my mother’s spirit seemed dull, and I reflexively began rubbing her back harder.

She looked at me with concern, then pulled me into her arms. “Thank you, Reid,” she said in a gentle voice. “I heard that you collapsed in the garden. I wanted to visit your room, but my body just wouldn’t listen to me. I’m so sorry. Garren told me you were better, but are you truly feeling all right?”

My mother’s embrace was warm and full of love, and I felt the storm of emotions that had been stirring inside me settling down. Though her presence was calming, her voice was shaking.

“Yes, I’m fine now,” I replied. “I was wondering how you were doing. I’m glad I got to see you, mother.” I spoke to her in a soft tone with a smile, trying to ease the trembling in her voice.

“Really? Well, I’m glad to hear that. I’m sorry for causing you all so much pain.”

My mother looked apologetic, and I shook my head at her. I firmly grasped her hand with both of mine, trying to ease as much of her concern as I could.

“I’m okay, mother,” I confidently responded. “After all, you’re my mother, and my father is a margrave!”

She seemed pleased with my response and gave me a smile. After that, I spent some time having a friendly conversation with her. “I’ll visit again,” I said before leaving her room. I thought back to all the emotions and memories that had washed over me when I’d first seen her and mumbled to myself, “I wonder if those emotions that filled my chest when I saw my mother were Reid’s memories that were lying dormant inside me.”

My beloved mother was slowly withering, but no one could do anything about it. As one of the people closest to her, how had I felt when I had been by her side? She was an affectionate woman who hid the pain of her sickness. She worried about me, treasured me, and loved me. I had probably been in incredible pain—the kind of pain that made you want to scream and cry because it tore your heart to shreds. I felt like I had been keeping those feelings bottled inside, unable to tell anyone about them.

That realization led me to make a vow: In order to lead an honest life, I was going to cure my mother’s sickness, no matter what.

◇

I returned to my room and decided to write out what I needed to do moving forward. Fortunately, paper existed in this world, and my desk was equipped with a notepad and ink. I immediately began writing out my plan in Japanese.

Measures to avoid exile/conviction:

1. Become friends with characters from the game and avoid routes that involve my conviction, death, and exile.

2. Gain the skills necessary to live on my own in the event that measure one fails.

3. Save (and make) money in the event that measure one fails.

4. Cure my mother, Nanalie.

I think that sums it up, I thought after writing out the various measures, only to let out a heavy sigh.

“I know I’m the one who wrote it down, but the first measure is totally impossible.”

Yes, it was impossible, because the various characters who appeared in the game lived in either the imperial capital or other countries. I lived in the Valdia Mark and had no connections to anyone outside my home. There was no way I could get in contact with them. That was expected, since Reid barely had any interaction with other characters during the main story. I felt like crying, but it was too early to be defeated. After all, I’d made a vow to live an honest life.

“For now, measure number four is my top priority, followed by three, then two.”

I immediately summoned Garren to my room and asked for the name of the disease plaguing my mother. Garren’s face twisted into a deep scowl. I took an imposing stance in front of the door and glared with desperation at the butler.

“I won’t let you out of this room until you tell me!” I shouted. “I’m serious! I’m not backing down!”

“Sir Reid...”

Garren perhaps sympathized with me, because he finally told me that my mother was suffering from a disease known as mana depletion disorder. I asked for details of the symptoms and learned that everyone in this world had mana, even if it was only a little bit. Mana was not only the source of magic, but also our life force. Normally, after depleting one’s stores, the body would naturally regenerate mana. Mana depletion disorder lowered the amount of mana one’s body could regenerate by an extreme amount. As a result, you would slowly grow weak, and eventually, you would die. Garren grimly shared that there was currently no established treatment for the disease. He’d originally had no intention of informing me what my mother was suffering from, but I was so desperate and determined that he’d told me on condition that it remained a secret between us.

I’d actually heard the name of the disease and the symptoms before. In my memories of my previous life, I recalled TokiRella! having a debuff known as “mana depletion.” That debuff slowly depleted the affected character’s MP. Once their MP reached zero, it would move on to depleting their HP. Of course, if left untreated, the character’s HP would go down to zero, incapacitating them. In the game, there were ways to heal both HP and MP, so the status effect wasn’t much of a threat. However, as a disease in the real world, it couldn’t be more terrifying. It was basically a fatal disease with no natural cure whatsoever.

“I’d like to look something up right away. Do we have a library or anything like that?” Those were the first words out of my mouth after Garren’s explanation.

He proceeded to show me the way to a large study in the mansion. “Please use this study for anything you’d like to look into. If you require any other documents, let me know and I’ll have them sent over. Please do keep in mind that it will take several days to have items sent here.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

Garren slightly bowed his head and left the study while I proceeded to inspect my surroundings. The room had quite an impressive number of books, but there was an issue that I’d only considered upon entering: Could I even read? I cautiously reached for the closest book, and...I was able to read it. I had no problems at all.

I’m so glad reincarnating carries over abilities.

“All right, let’s find some answers!” I forcefully smacked my cheeks to steel myself, then began reading through the books in the study.

The more varied the books I read, the faster I was able to read. Partway through my search, I realized that I was able to memorize almost the entire contents of a book after reading it just once. What a gifted child I am.

“You’re incredibly talented and capable, Reid. Why did you join the villainess’s side?” Those thoughts spilled out of my mouth as I gazed into the distance.

Memories

“Yo...nam...s...Reid...”

I heard the faint sound of a familiar and soothing voice. Whose voice is that? I feel like they were really important to me. For some reason, I was terrified, afraid of remembering whom the voice belonged to.

I had a strong sense that the speaker had loved me deeply. They would smile at me, their eyes full of affection. They would always cradle me with kindness.

“My, you remember the story from this picture book? That’s amazing!”

She was always praising me. There was another person with her, and they normally had a scary expression, but her smile even put a smile on their face. Hearing her gentle voice always put me at ease too.

One day, she looked particularly happy. “Something wonderful has happened. You’re getting a sibling! You’re going to be a big brother.”

“A big brother?”

“That’s right. When your sibling is born, you’ll have to protect them. Can you do that?”

“Yeah! I’ll look after the baby!”

I remember now. I had promised my mother I would protect the new member of our family. What had happened to that promise?

After some time, my younger sister was born. She was an adorable girl who had my mother’s red hair, and we had the same purple eyes. As she grew older, we began playing together. Our mother and even our father, who usually had a stern countenance, would watch over us with incredibly gentle gazes.

◇

One day, my mother was behaving differently than usual. I became worried and called out to her.

“Mother? Are you all right?”

“Thank you, Reid. I’m fi—”

“Mother?!”

As soon as my mother smiled at me, she collapsed to the ground. The household was in turmoil. After that, she was bedridden. Whenever I visited her, she would greet me with a smile. She always looked at me with a loving gaze, but she never showed any signs of recovery.

All sorts of people came through our home to assess my mother’s condition. My father’s eyes were always full of agony after speaking to them. Eventually, he started to look sad even when looking at me.

The members of the staff seemed grim when they spoke of my mother. I began wondering whether she would ever recover. Days passed, and her symptoms weren’t getting better—in fact, they kept getting worse.

Is she going to die? Will I never get the chance to speak to her again? I was overwhelmed with anxiety.

My mother would be the one to eventually teach me about death.

◇

There was a small butterfly in the garden. I thought it was cute, so I caught it. I brought it to my mother and proudly showed her the butterfly. She was happy for me, but she also gently corrected my behavior.

“What an adorable butterfly. Thank you for showing me. But you need to let it go, okay?”

“Why? It’s so cute.”

I didn’t understand why I should let it go, and I tilted my head in confusion. My mother smiled and tried to persuade me by explaining her reasoning.

“You see, butterflies are living creatures, just like us. We’re all fighting desperately to live. Now, if you were to capture a butterfly and keep it in a small cage, wouldn’t that be sad for the butterfly? They’re also very weak. It will die right away, trapped in a cage.”

“It will die? What does that mean?”

My mother seemed troubled by my question, but she quickly smiled and kindly answered.

“Well, a living creature dies when its life comes to an end. We can move and talk because we have life within us. When that life ends, we die, and we can never move or speak again. The warmth of that person will also disappear.”

“If your life ends, you’ll die? I won’t ever get to talk to you again?” Her words made me feel terrible, and my face twisted with worry and fear.

She just smiled again, speaking softly in order to reassure me. “Yes, that’s what happens at the end of a life. But you have nothing to worry about. I’ll always be by your side.”

“Really? Promise?! You have to promise!”

“Yes, I promise. So, will you let the butterfly go? Every living creature has a life, and it must never be thoughtlessly taken by anyone, okay?”

“Okay!”

◇

My mother had made a promise. She’d said she would always be by my side. But, at this rate, she might die. Would I never be able to see her smile, hear her voice, or feel her warmth again? I visited my beloved mother every day, trying to dispel that fear, but seeing her only confirmed that she was deteriorating and headed for death.

My mother didn’t want me to see her growing weak, so she never failed to greet me with a smile. Keeping up story time was probably exhausting, but she continued to happily read me picture books. One day, however, I noticed a deep sadness hidden behind her gentle expression. I finally realized that my mother wouldn’t get better—she was going to die. The moment her fate sank in, I ran away from her. She was surprised, and she said something to me, but I couldn’t tell what. I had one thought in my mind: I wanted to save her. At the same time, I understood that there was nothing I could do. I fled to my room, where I wailed and took out my anger on various objects.

After I’d made a mess, I ducked under my covers and sobbed. Eventually, I noticed that someone had entered my room. I popped my head out from under the covers and roared, “Get out!”

It was my sister. She seemed terrified by my shouting, but she did her best to endure it so she could ask me about our mother.

“Brother, is mother...?”

“Don’t ask me about mother!!!”

My blood rushed to my head. By the time I came to my senses, I’d already shouted abusive things and gotten violent with my sister. My anger took over, and I screamed and cried until the butlers and maids, who heard the commotion, came and stopped me. After that day, my sister stopped visiting me. I couldn’t accept my mother’s impending death, and I began taking that out on the objects and people around me.

As a result, the kindness that used to be in my father’s eyes was gone. He now looked at me with disgust and pity.

◇

Some time later, I had a dream: My mother died, and I became even more uncontrollable. My father tried to forget about her by throwing himself into his work, and he began to neglect his family. On top of our mother’s death, my sister also had to deal with the neglect from both my father and me, which caused her to suffer emotionally. She stopped eating and holed up in her room. The days passed, and eventually, she died as well.

After my mother’s death, my sister’s condition had slowly deteriorated. When she died, she was completely unrecognizable, with no trace of the adorable face I knew. My father attended the funeral, and when he looked at me, his eyes were full of hatred. Perhaps looking at me reminded him of my mother. A decade and some years later, I began seeking out death. Desperate and reckless, I aligned myself with a certain faction. That decision led to my conviction, and eventually, my death.

I suddenly woke up, and for some reason, I instinctively knew that my dream had shown me my future. Overcome with a sense of unease, I ran outside. I cursed my own lack of power while desperately wishing for more at the same time. I want the power to save my mother, my sister, and my father. I want the power to protect everyone important to me.

When that desire grew strong, I felt something deep inside me, sleeping behind a door. I didn’t know why I was doing it, but I frantically focused all of my senses on opening that door. The moment the door opened, I lost consciousness.

◇

“Huh? Where am I?”

I opened my eyes and saw that I was in my own room, as always. Was I dreaming just now? It all felt too real to be a dream.

“What’s happening?”

I finally realized that tears had been streaming down my face. I looked down at my pillow and saw the wet marks I’d left. I started to understand what I’d seen in that dream and what I was feeling.

I grabbed my chest and whispered to myself, “That dream was probably Reid’s memories... Did he want me to see that? All he wanted was to save his family...”

The complex emotions that Reid carried with him had washed over me while I had been dreaming.

“Yeah, I got it. I promise. You’re me, so I’m going to solve things, no matter what...” I spoke as if trying to reassure somebody inside me.

My Younger Sister

One day, I was in the study, absorbed in my research as usual, when I saw the door open ever so slightly with a creak. No one entered the room. From the crack in the door, eyes the same shade of purple as my own stared in.

Is she trying to stay hidden? I wanted to let her think she was successful, but we’d definitely made eye contact. Should I pretend that I didn’t notice her? I feel like she’s really wary of me.

“What are you doing, brother?”

“I’m looking something up. Want to join me, Meredy?”

Meredy Valdia was an adorable girl who was almost four years old. She’d inherited our mother’s red hair and purple eyes.

“You won’t get mad at me if I stay with you, brother?”

“I won’t get mad,” I assured her. “Come over here. Want me to read you a picture book?”

“Really?! You’re not lying?!” Meredy flung the door wide open and ran toward me, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“I’m not lying. Want me to start reading now? Oh, I need you to close the door first, though.”

“Okay!”

Meredy happily shut the door and sat near me. I went through Reid’s memories and recalled his heartbreaking interactions with Meredy. When she’d been born, Reid had been overjoyed, and he’d doted on her. But once Nanalie had fallen ill, he hadn’t been able to cope and had taken out his feelings on everything and everyone around him.

He was only a child, and perhaps his actions had been his best attempt at protecting his heart, but he’d hurt Meredy in the process. Reid had begun yelling at Meredy for simply getting near him. When Meredy had asked about their mother, he’d gotten violent with her. Fortunately, Garren, Danae, and some other maids had stopped him, and Meredy hadn’t been injured. The matter had been settled as a “simple children’s quarrel,” but after that, the siblings had grown apart. Now, the household staff did their best to keep them apart through means such as giving them separate meal times.

“I’m sorry, Meredy.”

“For what? Oh! Brother, you can’t sleep in the garden anymore!”

“Huh? You knew about that too? Don’t be like me, okay?”

“I won’t do that!”

“I know. You’re a good girl, after all.”

“Yeah! I’m a good girl!” Meredy swayed from side to side with a smile, bashfully delighted by the praise. “Oh! You can call me ‘Mer,’ brother!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah! Mommy always calls me Mer! You can do it too. It’s special!”

“Okay. It’s very special. Thank you.” I smiled back at her, and Mer began giggling and bashfully swaying again.

I proceeded to read picture books to her for a while. I kept going as if to make up for my past mistreatment of her. I had no idea how much time had passed, but at some point, Mer had fallen asleep while I was reading. I called a maid over, and eventually there was a knock on the door. I replied, and Danae entered the room.

“Excuse me,” she whispered.

Mer was lying on the couch fast asleep. Danae was surprised to see her at first, but her expression faded into a gentle smile. Mer was absolutely adorable when she was asleep. Seeing her would make anyone smile.

“Lady Meredy, are you able to get up and walk?” Danae asked.

There was no response. Mer was in a much deeper sleep than we’d expected. Danae picked her up, and I opened the door for her. She smiled as if to thank me and left the study, heading for Mer’s room. Right after Danae left, Garren entered with a dubious expression.

“Were you with Lady Meredy, sir?”

“Yup. I noticed the door was ajar, and Mer was peeking inside. I read her books until she fell asleep.”

My answer was perhaps unexpected, because Garren just stared at me, his eyes wide with shock. He eventually seemed relieved, and his face relaxed into a smile.

“That’s wonderful. I hope you will continue to look after Lady Meredy.”

“Of course I will. She’s my little sister.”

Garren was probably surprised because he knew how I’d treated Mer in the past. “You seem to have changed a bit, ever since you collapsed in the garden, Sir Reid.”

“What?! You... You think so? I don’t think I’ve really changed.” I tried to maintain my composure, but my heart was racing.

“I see. I apologize for making such a presumptuous statement.”

“Oh, no, no. You’re fine. Thank you for worrying about me.” I was behaving quite suspiciously during this conversation.

“Well then, I will excuse myself,” Garren said with a smile, and he left the room.

“Whew... That caught me off guard. I guess it’s only natural to think I’ve changed when you look at my past behavior.”

Ever since the onset of my mother’s mana depletion disease, my emotions had become a mess, and I had indiscriminately targeted everyone around me. The memories of that period were still inside me. That was why I vowed to myself once again that I would save my mother, no matter what, before shutting myself away in the study once more.

Nanalie Valdia

Nanalie had been told that there was no name for her condition and the cause was unknown. Regardless of what the disease was, she had quickly understood that it was fatal. She knew she was headed for death. With each passing day, something left her body. She had been feeling it happen since first becoming sick. It felt like there was a cup with a crack on the bottom, and the water inside was spilling out, several drops at a time.

At first, there had been no signs of such a disease. It had started with mild fatigue, and Nanalie had simply wondered if she’d caught a cold or was just tired that day. Several days later, she had lost the strength to even get out of bed.

Her husband, Reiner, had used his position as a margrave to do everything in his power for her, but not a single doctor had come up with an answer as to what had caused her sickness or what disease she was suffering from. Nanalie suspected that they had indeed figured out the cause of her symptoms, but either the doctors or her husband had decided to keep that information from her.

Eventually, Reiner became busy with work that kept him in the capital, and he began to visit less and less. He still cared for her deeply, and he wrote to her every day without fail, telling his bedridden wife about events in the capital and what things were like outside the mansion. Writing such letters was out of character for her surly husband, and the corners of her mouth would naturally turn up as she read them.

Every now and then, though they brought a smile to her face, reading them made Nanalie feel that her husband was avoiding seeing her. He loved her deeply, but that was also why he was struggling to accept her fatal condition. She loved Reiner just as much, and she didn’t want him to see her growing weak, so she decided that she would keep all her complaints and feelings to herself.

I’m not going to lose to some ridiculous malady, Nanalie told herself, determined to stay strong. Every day, she thought about what she could do to save her deteriorating body. She focused on that feeling of the water dripping out of the cup. Though she might have imagined it, it felt as if the water started dripping out at a slightly slower pace.

Since then, whenever she was awake, Nanalie made sure to focus on that sensation. When it was time to sleep, she maintained her focus for as long as she could. Sleeping and waking up became a hellish experience. Perhaps that was her body’s reaction to all of her efforts. Nanalie would wake up in the middle of the night with severe heart palpitations, and it was a struggle to even breathe. As the days passed, it only got worse. Still, the only thing she did was focus her senses on the cup, trying to keep the water inside for as long as possible.

Nanalie’s heart broke every time she thought of Reid or Mer. Reid was an incredibly smart child who had learned to read quickly after Nanalie began reading picture books to him. He could recall the details of a story she’d only read to him once and even had the ability to pick up on people’s gazes and read situations. He easily picked up any simple physical activity as well. Perhaps she was just blind with love for her child, but Nanalie was confident that he was gifted with innate abilities.

Nanalie’s symptoms had appeared before Reid’s sixth birthday. Once she had become bedridden, the natural gifts she’d coveted in her son had unfortunately made him realize that his mother was headed for death. He had likely also realized that there was no cure for her suffering. Nanalie did her best to maintain a cheerful demeanor and continued to read him books, but nothing she did helped the cloudy look on his face. Eventually, he stopped visiting her.

Though Nanalie was saddened by Reid’s avoidance, Mer started visiting in his place. Unfortunately, she was always crying. Nanalie asked her what was wrong and learned that Reid had lost control and had begun treating Meredy harshly.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Nanalie apologized between sobs as she hugged Meredy tightly.

Meredy didn’t understand why her mother was crying, but she felt her mother’s sadness. “Don’t cry, mother,” she said, crying along with her.

Since then, Mer visited Nanalie every day. Nanalie figured that her daughter was fleeing to her room just to avoid her turbulent brother. Every visit from Mer made Nanalie’s chest tighten with pain. Why was this disease destroying not only her body, but also her precious children’s hearts? Nanalie cried every day out of frustration, but she continued to endure. The only thing she could do was hold out for as long as possible.

The days passed, and Nanalie continued to bear the pain. One day, Danae the maid informed her that Reid had collapsed out in the garden. Nanalie wanted to rush to his side immediately, but her body just wouldn’t listen to her. She stayed in bed, worrying as she waited for an update. Later that day, Danae reported that Reid had woken up, and Nanalie was relieved. There was still some concern, as Danae had mentioned that he seemed a bit different. According to the maid, his violent attitude was gone, and he’d become quite composed—in fact, speaking to him felt like interacting with an adult.

Nanalie wanted to see this change in Reid’s behavior for herself, but she’d given up on him coming to see her. To her surprise, however, her son visited her the very next day. Upon seeing Nanalie’s face, tears streamed down his cheeks, and he quickly wiped them away with his sleeve. Nanalie worried that he wasn’t feeling well and tried to get closer to him, but her body wouldn’t cooperate, and she began coughing.

“Mother!” her son exclaimed. He rushed to her side and began rubbing her back.

Nanalie looked at his face and was surprised to see that he appeared completely different. It was as if he’d gotten rid of some evil that had possessed him. He was smiling like he had in the past. Before leaving her room, he tightly squeezed her hand.

Once Nanalie was alone again, she let her tears fall. She was glad to see that Reid had recovered from his bout of acting out. Still, this disease was going to take his mother from him. She worried whether that would leave him unable to smile again, and she couldn’t stop crying at the thought.

Several days later, Mer visited as she usually did. Meredy knew that her brother had collapsed in the garden, and she knew he’d woken up, but as always, she didn’t want to see him. Nanalie was confident that Reid in his current state wouldn’t hurt Mer, and she decided to ask her daughter for a favor.

“Mer, can I ask you for a favor? Could you please see Reid and tell me how he’s doing?”

“What?! I don’t want to. Brother is scary.”

Mer refused at first, but Nanalie insisted. “I can’t leave this room.”

Mer reluctantly took off to look for Reid, and she didn’t return to Nanalie’s room until the next day.

“Brother read me lots of books!” Mer ecstatically reported to her mother.

After that day, Reid never lashed out at his sister again. According to what Nanalie had heard from Danae and Mer herself, Reid seemed to love his sister very much. After hearing about his behavior, Nanalie was confident that she knew what had happened. She believed Reid had been depressed by her condition, which had led to a period of acting out. But he had since recovered from that downward spiral and was now trying to lead the family in a positive direction. Unbeknownst to anyone else, feelings of hope were rekindled within her.

“I’m not going to give up. How can I, as a mother, give in to a mere disease when my own son managed to recover from his pain?” Nanalie’s voice trembled as she sat in her bed and mumbled to herself. “I’m going to beat this, no matter what it takes.”

A Conversation with My Father

Today was the day my father, Reiner Valdia, would be returning home. I let Garren know that I wanted to speak to my father, and he said that he would pass that along.

There were two things I was hoping to discuss. First, I wanted to start studying all sorts of subjects, including magic and martial arts. In the game, Reid didn’t get any boosts to his EXP like the main characters did. I knew he had the potential to be powerful, but it would take time to get there. It was possible the game’s mechanics applied to this world, so there was no harm in starting my training early.

The second thing I wanted was some money to use as I pleased. I wanted to start making money to save for my future, but at this moment, I was flat broke. I had no choice but to ask for my father’s help. It might’ve been possible to sell some of the expensive things I could find around my home, but that could lead to future problems, so I wanted to leave that option as a last resort.

Moving on, I’d been spending all of my time in the study reading books, and I’d learned something interesting: Most of the plants and minerals in this world were the same as those from my previous world, name and all. Of course, it wasn’t all the same, and there were a few that were unique to this world.

“This might be my path to making money,” I muttered to myself. “I can invite a merchant here and come up with something both possible to make in this world and endlessly suppliable...”

I was organizing my thoughts out loud while I read when I heard an adorable voice complain, “I’m bored, brother.”

“Oh, right, I’m sorry. Let’s move on to story time.”

“Really? Yay!”

Mer had really enjoyed it when I’d read to her the other day. Since then, whenever I was in the study, she was there too. I could tell she was smart, because she immediately comprehended the plot of any story I read to her.

My sister might be a genius.

Danae, the maid, was here as well, accompanying Mer. I thought I saw an affectionately patronizing look on her face, but I was probably mistaken.

“Excuse me, Sir Reid,” Garren said after clearing his throat. I didn’t know how long he’d been standing there by the door. “Sir Reiner would like to see you in his office.”

“Got it. I’ll be there right away.”

“Thank you for your promptness. I will be returning to Sir Reiner.” After quickly delivering the request, Garren bowed and left the study.

“Whaaat?!” Mer exclaimed. “You’re leaving, brother?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll read to you later.”

“Nnn...”

Just as Mer had been about to get her story time, I’d been called away to see my father. She was about to get fussy.

“I will read to you in his place, my lady,” Danae quickly said to appease her.

Mer seemed to feel better and demanded, “Read to me later. You have to promise!”

“Yes, I promise,” I replied, then headed to my father’s office.

A look of nervousness washed over my face as I arrived before his door and knocked.

“Come in,” a formidable and deep voice responded.

“Excuse me,” I said as I entered.

Garren was there, and it looked like he’d returned before me to help with my father’s work. My father was seated at his desk, handling some paperwork. Once I walked in, he stopped what he was doing and looked up at me with a sharp glare.

“I heard you collapsed in the garden,” he remarked. “Are you feeling well?”

“Yes, I’m all right now.”

“I see.”

Reiner Valdia had the same silvery-white hair and purple eyes as me. He always had an emotionless frown on his face that made it hard to tell what he was thinking. His eyes were especially fearsome, and one look from him would probably make most children burst into tears and run away.

“Garren informed me that you wanted to speak with me,” he said. “What do you wish to speak about?”

“Yes, that is correct. First and foremost, I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak to me today. To answer your question, I have two requests to make of you. The first is that I would like to have tutors so that I may learn magic, martial arts, and various other subjects.”

“Hmm...” My father thought for a moment. “I have actually thought about employing a tutor for some time, but I’ve been putting it off. Considering your emotional state and behavior here at home, I thought it would be difficult to get you to study obediently. I never thought you would ask for a tutor yourself. Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”

His response was surprising. As far as I knew, he never really spoke to Mer or me, yet he had taken my emotional state into account and put off hiring any tutors.

I never would’ve expected him to do something like that. Also, if that’s the sort of father he is, couldn’t he have confronted us directly?

As those questions popped up in my head, my father just stared at me, his expression unchanged. I took a deep breath, puffed my chest, and responded confidently.

“Yes, I am. I apologize for worrying you. I had seen for myself how weak mother was growing with each passing day, and for a period, my heart was in turmoil. However, I have since realized that being upset won’t resolve anything. I believe that I can be of service to mother by improving myself. I hope you will consider my request regarding tutors.”

“Understood. Seeing as you are thinking clearly, I believe that will be fine. I’ll send for a tutor right away. What is your second request?” After hearing my response, for just a moment, Reiner looked both relieved and happy, but he quickly adopted his usual emotionless countenance before moving on to the second item.

“My second request is a bit shameful. I would like to ask for some funds that I may use personally at my discretion.”

My father fell silent for a moment before he responded. “For what purpose?” His voice was even more intimidating than before, and that single question was enough to completely change the atmosphere within the office. The air around us now felt oppressive.

“While looking through texts in the study, I found several things that I believe I can turn into useful products. I would like to try producing these items.”

“Usually, the person requesting funds has to submit documents to the investor. Are you saying that I should simply provide you with capital without seeing any plans?”

“You are absolutely correct, sir. That is why I would like you to see this as an investment in me, your son. As a father, I would like to believe that you trust in your own child’s abilities. And so, I humbly ask you to fulfill this request.”

This was a total gamble. My father was right—if I wanted him to invest in my business, I should’ve prepared a plan. The problem was, coming up with a proper business plan could take a lot of time, and considering my mother’s health, I didn’t have any to waste. That was why I had decided to take the risk. Passion could move people’s hearts, especially the hearts of family.

I was already banking on the fact that we’re family, but now that I’ve heard him say things that suggest he’s been watching over me, he might actually say yes!

My father furrowed his brows and massaged the wrinkles that formed with his right thumb and index finger. I kept my eyes locked on his face, and when he noticed my gaze, he let out a small sigh.

“Very well. I will prepare some funds that you can use however you’d like. You mentioned that this money is for a useful product, so I assume you’re planning some sort of business venture? The amount of money needed to start a business is far more than a child should have, but if you are truly that confident, I’d like to see you use it effectively.”

I let out a gasp. “Yes, I will! Thank you very much! I promise to meet your expectations!”

My father seemed to be in a better mood than when I’d first arrived at his office. Maybe I can push for one more thing?

“Father, since I am already here, would it be all right if I made an additional request?”

“What do you want? If it’s about money, I can’t help you any more than I already am.”

“No, it isn’t about that. Both Mer and I have been disappointed that we do not get many chances to speak with you. Would it be possible for us to have breakfast and dinner together?”

Reiner’s forehead twitched when he heard the name “Mer.”

“I’ll think about it... Did I hear that right? Do you refer to Meredy as Mer?”

“Huh? Oh, yes, I do. She said that mother refers to her that way, and she wanted me to do the same.”

“I see. Is that all? If so, you can leave.”

My father closed his eyes and appeared to be thinking about something. I watched him as I exited the office.

“Thank you,” I said and shut the door.

I could hear Garren and my father speaking, and though I was curious, I decided to leave and head back to the study.

“All right! That went a lot better than I expected. I’ve got my war funds. I guess the next step is to find a merchant.”

My negotiations with my father had gone so well that I’d completely forgotten I’d promised Mer I would read to her.

Some time passed, and the door to the study was forcefully flung open.

What’s going on?!

I turned to find Mer standing there with a strange look on her face, on the verge of tears. It was at that moment that I recalled my promise of story time.

“Oh! Mer, I’m so—”

“You’re a liar, brother! Liaaar!!!” Mer interrupted my apology and ran toward me, screaming and crying. She flailed her arms, and her fists went bonk bonk as she dealt painless punches. She was a crying, upset mess, so I hugged her tightly.

“I’m sorry, Mer,” I whispered, trying to soothe her.

It should be no surprise that once she calmed down, I was forced to read her picture books until she was satisfied.

Searching for a Merchant

The day following my meeting with my father, three of us were gathered in the dining room for breakfast. My mother couldn’t join, since her sickness kept her from leaving her room. I heard from Garren that she was incredibly disappointed she couldn’t be there.

Even though our mother was absent, Mer was overjoyed. My father watched us chat over breakfast, and for a moment it seemed like his expression softened.

Several days passed, and one morning, my father interrupted us. “Meredy, may I call you ‘Mer’ as well?” he suddenly asked with the same stern look he always wore.

Once he spoke, a strange air began to fill the dining room. Garren was smiling, but all the maids’ eyes were wide with surprise. However, Mer wasn’t intimidated by our father in the slightest.

“Ummm, well, no! You can’t, father! Just ‘Meredy.’ Only mother and brother get to call me ‘Mer,’ because they’re by my side!”

“I see...”

This seems bad.

The look on my father’s face didn’t change as he silently shut his eyes. He seemed to be incredibly disappointed and sulking deeply. He was probably crying on the inside. Garren’s shoulders were trembling slightly, and the maids were pinching each other’s side as if they were all trying to suppress something.

I cleared my throat and turned to my dejected father. “Father, I would like to visit the mark today. Would that be all right?”

He took a moment to respond. “I’ll allow it. You must take at least two guards with you. Also, have Garren make the preparations for the carriage.”

“Understood.”

Hearing our conversation, Mer shot her hand in the air with a big smile. “I wanna go too!”

“You’re too little, Mer,” I replied. “You can come when you’re a bit bigger, okay?”

“Whaaat?! Nooo!!!” Mer proceeded to go on the offensive, taking several pages out of the spoiled brat playbook.

As much as I wanted her to come, she would have to stay home because I was taking care of some important business today. I promised her that I would read to her when I got back, which seemed to appease her.

“It’s time to head out,” I mumbled to myself.

After breakfast, I gathered everything I would need and boarded a carriage, heading for the largest town in the Valdia Mark. It sounded like a grand adventure, but the town was close to home, so it was roughly a ten-minute ride to get there.

The Valdia Mark was often referred to as a remote area, but that was only because it was far from the imperial capital. From another perspective, it could be seen as a midpoint between the capital and other countries. Some types of products were available with much wider variety in Valdia than they were in the capital. Even when judging the mark based on the scale of our towns, it was far from a remote countryside.

One of the benefits of the mark was that compared to the capital, there was a lot more land that could be used freely. It had independently succeeded in cultivating the once-foreign olive plant, and we now sold olive oil and other products to the capital and neighboring countries.

It had been my father’s idea to cultivate olives. He believed that if our mark prospered, it would lead to stronger military forces, which would deter neighboring countries from attacking. Some people didn’t like his idea, and when he’d first started producing olives, people would mock him, saying, “If you visit the sticks, you get to go on a tree-planting excursion.” Once he saw success, people apparently began calling him “Lord Planter of Treeland” behind his back.

The carriage drove past the olive groves, and a town came into view. There was a checkpoint near the entrance where traveling merchants were waiting their turn to proceed. Our carriage stopped, and one of the guards riding out front ran off on his own toward the guard at the checkpoint.

The guard returned not long after and said, “I’ve spoken to the guard at the checkpoint. Let’s go.”

The carriage immediately took off.

Oh, I get it. I guess the margrave’s son gets to skip the line.

I felt a bit embarrassed and regretful that I was getting to enter ahead of all the people in the long line.

I’m so sorry, everyone, I apologized in my heart.

I got off the carriage at the Valdia villa in town so that I could explore on foot. I had an actual objective in mind, but this was the first time I was visiting a town in another world—I couldn’t hold back my curiosity. My eyes kept darting between all the stalls and shops lining the streets.

My eyes were glimmering with excitement as I took in my surroundings, and the two guards accompanying me stopped me. Their names were Diana and Rubens. They both had brown hair and blue eyes and were childhood friends.

“Sir Reid, please be careful not to travel too far ahead on your own.”

“Diana is right, my lord. There are a lot of people here, and you never know where danger may be hiding.”

“Yeah, okay. In that case, can you both call me ‘Reid’ while we’re here? If you call me ‘sir’ or ‘lord,’ it’ll be obvious that I’m the child of a noble.”

They were both troubled by my request at first, but they eventually gave in and responded with “Understood.”

We’d all gotten changed at the villa, so we were dressed in simpler clothes. As I walked around, I noticed that there were a lot of humans, but there were also beastkin and elves. I finally felt like I was in another world. I thought about all the exciting things I was seeing as I walked, and I eventually reached my destination.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Diana asked with an incredulous look on her face.

The sign before us read “Kristie Trading Company.” The guards had probably thought they were escorting me on a shopping trip.

“Yup, this is the right place,” I replied. I opened the door, and a bell clanged, signaling the arrival of a visitor.

“Coming!” a voice called out from the back, which was followed by the pitter-patter of footsteps. “Welcome! Do you need help looking for anything?”

The person who’d come running out from the back of the store was a girl with black hair and dark-brown doe eyes. She also had cute little cat ears and a tail. It felt nostalgic seeing someone with black hair and dark eyes, but my eyes kept going to her ears and tail.

“Is something wrong?” the girl asked.

“I apologize. I actually sent a letter to Miss Kristie the other day. Is she here today?”

“Oh! I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize you were the master’s guest! I’ll go see if she’s available right away!” As soon as she finished speaking, the girl swiftly returned to the back of the store.

While we waited, I looked through the various products the store offered. They were organized neatly, and the shop itself was kept clean. I guess this is proof that they’ve got good store management. I continued looking at the products, and the beautiful voice of a woman called out to me from the back of the store.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting, Sir Reid. I am Kristie Saffron, the representative of Kristie Trading Company.”

“As mentioned in my letter, my name is Reid Valdia. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Kristie had pale, clear skin, green eyes, and beautiful golden-blonde hair. There was something ethereal about her. What stood out the most were the long ears sticking out from behind her golden hair. She was an elf, and the only one of her kind operating a trading company in the Valdia Mark.

I’d learned of the Kristie Trading Company the day after I spoke to my father. I’d asked Garren if he knew of any good businesses that potentially had the means to distribute products outside of the empire. I also wanted the business to have prospects of expanding. It was quite the tall order.

Garren had thought for a moment before responding. “I have one business in mind,” he’d said. That was when he’d told me about the Kristie Trading Company.

After talking to Garren, I had immediately sent a letter to the company stating that I wanted to discuss some upcoming business plans.

“Let me show you to our drawing room,” Kristie said.

“Yes, thank you.”

The room she led me to was beautiful and classy. Judging from the exterior of the shop, no one would expect a room like this to be waiting inside. She invited me to take a seat on the couch, and I obliged. We were about to talk business, so I was getting nervous.

“Rubens and Diana. I’d like you two to wait outside.”

“Understood...” they both replied. They gave Kristie a look, bowed, then left the room.

Kristie seemed a bit surprised to see the guards following my orders.

“Well then, once again, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Kristie.”

“Yes, it’s my pleasure as well, but are you sure about that? You don’t want your guards in here with you?”

“Yes, I’m sure. What I’m about to discuss with you is something I’d like kept as confidential as possible until the proper time.”

“I see...” Kristie replied suspiciously. “If that’s the case, then I guess it’s all right...”

She wasn’t on board yet, but I knew I had a fair chance at succeeding today. As I explained my products to her, I thought back to the events that had taken place at home, several days before I’d come here to the Kristie Trading Company...

◇

After reading through books in the study and gathering information from the maids on staff, I learned some interesting information. People’s ideas about skincare and haircare were different in this world, and products like conditioner and lotion basically didn’t exist here. From what I’d learned, makeup did indeed exist, but most people didn’t think about their skin past applying it.

It all began when I was reading a book about plants in the study, and I found out that aloe existed here.

“If I remember correctly, there were things like aloe lotion back home,” I muttered to myself.

Danae, who’d been nearby, gave me a puzzled look. “What is lotion, my lord?”

I gave a basic overview of what lotion was, and shock washed over her face.

“What? What do you mean when you say ‘skincare?’ Is that different from washing your face? More importantly, how do you know these things, Sir Reid?”

I’d thought my knowledge was common sense, but that was far from true in this world. I asked Danae some more questions after that, and I learned that she’d never heard of such a product before. During my previous life, I hadn’t thought much about skincare, so I was surprised to see that she was so interested. Just out of curiosity, I asked her where I might find aloe in the mark, and I was pleased to learn that there were aloe plants growing on the mansion grounds. According to Danae, it was a remnant of my father’s pre-olive days. He’d imported a variety of plants and studied them before deciding to cultivate olives.

“By the way, is it not common knowledge that aloe can be used to treat wounds?”

“What? This disgusting plant has healing effects?”

Danae had led me to where the aloe was growing, and sure enough, the plant was there. Not only was it growing, but it was an impressive, thriving plant. I proceeded to make a prototype of aloe lotion and ended up with something quite nice. I had Danae test it out, and she enjoyed it thoroughly.

“This is incredible!” she exclaimed, which gave me some confidence.

Next up was conditioner, which I made using olive oil and a vague memory from my previous life. I didn’t know how to make shampoo, so I set that plan aside for the time being. Soap was a premium product that already existed here, so I figured nobles might buy conditioner on its own. All of the knowledge I used to make these prototypes was information I’d gotten from internet videos during my previous life, which I’d watched when I was bored.

Once I had my prototypes, I thought about how I could sell them and decided that the best course of action was to collaborate with a trustworthy trading company. This led me to ask Garren for advice, and he told me about the Kristie Trading Company.

◇

That brings me back to the present, where I was explaining my two products to Kristie, and she seemed more interested than I’d expected. When we’d first started talking, behind her smile, I could tell that she wasn’t amused. She’d probably thought this meeting was a waste of her time. I might be a noble, but I was a small child. Most people would think it was a waste of time if a child said they wanted to talk about business. She likely figured she would hear me out to be polite before sending me home.

I’d proceeded to explain the purpose of lotion and conditioner and how they were used, and had even told her that I had a recipe for prototypes. Once she’d heard all of that, the look on her face had changed.

“Have you heard of similar products or related concerns, either here or in other countries?” I asked.

“No, I haven’t,” Kristie responded hesitantly. “This is the first I’m hearing of anything like that. If such items were to exist, I would know about them, without a doubt.”

Her response put me at ease. Just as I’d expected, such products weren’t available in this world, nor did anyone know of similar items.

I might have a winning idea on my hands.

“However, without an actual product, or at the very least a prototype, all of this talk is no different from building a castle in the air,” Kristie remarked.

“Oh, I actually brought the prototypes with me,” I replied.

“What? You already have prototypes?!”

I nodded and pulled out my prototypes for olive conditioner and aloe lotion, placing them on the table in front of me.

“They’re only prototypes, so there’s still room for improvement,” I noted.

Kristie’s eyes were sparkling with excitement. She looked at the products I’d placed in front of her and quietly asked, “May I test them?”

“Of course. Will you be trying them out personally?”

“Yes, but I’ll think I’ll just try the aloe lotion for now,” she replied. “According to your description of how conditioner is used, I don’t believe I can try it here. Would it be all right if I held on to that one?”

“Very well. I will trust you and leave the conditioner in your hands. Please keep these products between us.”

“That goes without saying,” she assured me. “In that case, I’ll try a bit of the lotion on my hand.”

Kristie picked up the prototype on the desk and poured some out onto the back of her right hand. She used her left hand to spread the lotion around her whole hand, then held both hands up and compared them, confirming that there was a difference in how they felt. The glimmering in her eyes grew even stronger, and she looked fired up.

“This is good! This is really good!”

I was shocked by her strong reaction and let out a flustered, “Thank you very much!”

Kristie shot up from her seat, giddy with joy at how well the prototype had worked. Our eyes accidentally met, and she let out an embarrassed “Oh!” She quickly came to her senses and bashfully sat back down, then proceeded to take some deep breaths and regain her composure.

Finally, Kristie cleared her throat and said, “I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve had some concerns about my dry skin for some time. I never would’ve dreamed of such a product, nor would I have thought there was even a solution, so I’m deeply moved.”

“I wasn’t aware you had such concerns, but I’m glad that I was able to help.”

It appeared my business pitch was a success.

“Sir Reid, this will definitely sell!” Kristie enthusiastically exclaimed.

“I’m very glad you like the product, Miss Kristie. I’ve tried them myself, but I wanted to hear a woman’s opinion as well.”

“Sir Reid, please call me ‘Kris.’ Please let me—no, actually, we must turn this into a commercial product!”

I was stunned for a moment, then I finally replied, “Yes! I’m looking forward to working with you!”

With that, I was officially in business with Kris from the Kristie Trading Company. I’d had no idea how this meeting would go, but now that things had worked out so well, I was able to let out a sigh of relief.

◇

Once our discussion about lotion and conditioner wrapped up, I decided to talk to Kris about my future plans. That was actually my main reason for today’s visit. I told her all about how I wanted to build my own wealth, how I still had lots of other product ideas, and how I wanted to use the Kristie Trading Company to get my hands on some herbs that would help me create a cure for mana depletion disorder.

Kris’s demeanor had completely changed since the beginning of this meeting, and she was now listening to me intently.

“You have an impressive future ahead of you, Sir Reid. I’m surprised you even came up with products like lotion and conditioner, yet you still have more ideas? Not only that, but you also want to make a cure for mana depletion disorder! If you’re successful, you would most definitely win some awards...” After hearing what I had to say, Kris was staring at me as though I were some sort of enigma.

“I’m not doing this because I want rewards,” I insisted. “Anyway, in pursuit of these goals, I have a few things I’d like you to look for.”

“What sorts of things?”

“Two herbs: rute and moonflower. Have you heard of them?”

“Hmm...” Kris thought for a moment. “I’m not familiar with either, but I’ll look for them.”

“Thank you. Also, thank you for everything else today.”

“It was my pleasure. It was incredibly worthwhile. Thank you very much.”

I stood up and held my hand out, and without any hesitation, she grabbed it, giving me a firm handshake. After leaving the drawing room, I reunited with my two guards, and we left the Kristie Trading Company. Kris and the girl from earlier were both standing outside, bowing their heads until we were out of sight.

Kristie Saffron

“Thank you for taking the time to see me today,” the boy said. “I’d like to get started right away. So, Miss Kristie, do you know what lotion is? Or conditioner? Have you ever heard of them?”

The question posed by Reid Valdia, the son of a noble who’d sent a letter stating he would like to discuss some potential business, was a simple, “Does this product already exist?”

Kris looked at the nervous boy sitting in front of her and thought about what had happened several days prior. She’d received a letter from someone named Reid Valdia claiming they wanted to speak to her about a business opportunity. This letter had come out of nowhere, and Kris couldn’t believe what she had read. The letter was from the margrave’s son, who was just a young boy. What did a mere child know about business?

Sitting in this meeting, Kris couldn’t help but feel irritated. She was the eldest daughter of a family operating a trading company within elven territory. She had an older brother, and her parents had taught both siblings about business equally. Her older brother was a skilled businessman, but Kris was far more talented. Unfortunately, the laws of succession mandated that her brother was named heir to the family’s fortune. Kris had been aware that he would eventually take over the business, so she’d decided to work with him to support the trading company.

But, out of nowhere, rumors had begun spreading throughout the company, claiming that her brother was set to inherit the family business. Some employees began arguing on Kris’s behalf, citing her performance records and business acumen as proof that she deserved to take over instead. Those voices of opposition grew louder, and Kris had begun to fear that it would tear the company apart. She had eventually chosen to leave her family and the business and start her own trading company.

When she established her company, Kris had had two requirements in mind. First, she didn’t want her business to operate in the same area as her family’s. Second, she wanted to be located in an area with little to no elf-owned businesses. The Valdia Mark ended up being the perfect spot.

Her mind drifted back to the present, and she took a good look at the child before her.

I came out here to avoid my family, only to end up on a playdate with the margrave’s son. Who would’ve thought? Well, I’ll just let him talk. Maybe I’ll be able to use this as a way to get into business with the Valdias...

Something had shifted in her mind. She was going to wrap up this meeting quickly and find a way to get the most use out of the boy.

“No, it’s the first I’m hearing of either one,” she replied. “In fact, I’m not sure what they are just from their names. What sort of items are we talking about?”

“Is that so?! I’m glad to hear that!” The boy seemed relieved by her response.

He probably just changed the name of some existing products, Kris thought. It was rare for a wholly new item to appear. As someone who’d been selling things from a very young age, Kris was well aware of that. It took a flash of genius and long years of research to innovate something customers could use, but if successful, it would lead to significant profits. Still, it was difficult to even come up with an idea for a new product. You needed to turn that flash of genius into a tangible product. If it wasn’t something that could be sold, then the idea was useless. It wasn’t uncommon for years of research to yield no results.

“In that case, please allow me to explain. I’ll start with the lotion...”

Kris listened to Reid’s presentation, and she was stunned. A child, who was only a handful of years old, was not only inspired, but he’d been able to materialize that inspiration. He had both knowledge and products that were unknown to the world. His products were beauty items for women, and they were consumables, which made the idea even better. If these products became commercially available, all sorts of people would be racing to buy them, including women and ladies of the nobility.

But however impressed Kris was, it was all still theoretical. The idea wouldn’t go anywhere without a physical product.

“However, without an actual product, or at the very least a prototype, all of this talk is no different from building a castle in the air,” she remarked.

“Oh, I actually brought the prototypes with me,” the boy replied.

“What? You already have prototypes?!”

Kris was once again stunned. She hadn’t expected him to have created the prototypes, let alone bring them along. After he explained how to use them, she tried one of the products out on the back of her right hand. There was a clear difference in the softness of her right hand compared to her left.

Kris began trembling with excitement as she thought to herself, This is a truly new product that brings a new way of thinking into the world! I might get to pioneer a whole new undiscovered industry!

She was already thoroughly surprised by Reid’s idea for lotion and conditioner, but he had yet another idea: a cure for mana depletion disorder. He asked her to look for some herbs, which he believed would be the key to making them.

At no point in her entire life as a businesswoman had Kris ever been so elated. Once their conversation wrapped up, she shook his hand, and the boy left the Kristie Trading Company.

“I’ve never seen you having so much fun, Lady Kris,” Emma, the girl at her side, commented. “Was that boy really so impressive?”

“I must be grateful for today, as it is the day that I met him,” Kris said. “We’re going to get busy, Emma.”

“What?! That boy must really be something else if he’s making you speak like that.” Emma’s eyes were wide with shock.

This was the moment the once-dying drive for business inside Kris became a bright, roaring flame.

◇

“Did it go well?” Rubens asked with a worried look on the walk back to the villa.

“Yup. She liked it a lot more than I expected. I think we’ll be working on lots of stuff with the Kristie Trading Company in the future. I’m really excited!”

“Wow, that’s great! I do hope you won’t push yourself too hard, though.”

Perhaps Rubens thought I was getting too excited, because he tried to put a damper on my enthusiasm.

Well, I’m sure we’ve got lots of obstacles ahead of us, so I don’t really have the time to celebrate. If I sat around waiting for things to happen, I’d end up on track to face all sorts of terrible fates, like exile or execution. The image of the worst-case scenario popped into my mind and sent a chill down my spine.

“Oh? Is something wrong?” Diana asked.

“No, I’m okay.”

“Very well. The sun is beginning to set, so please let me know if you feel cold.”

“Thanks, Diana.”

She seemed to think that I’d shivered because I was cold. It was nice to be escorted by such kind guards.

“Oh?” As we continued walking, I spotted a girl up ahead. She was slightly smaller than I was, and her clothes looked expensive. She was probably the daughter of some noble.

The girl looked scared as she searched her surroundings. It was clear that she was nervous.

Is that what happens when a noble’s kid gets lost? Anyway, I couldn’t leave her alone. I made my way toward her with my guards and did my best not to scare her.

“Are you all right?” I asked.

The girl turned around, startled. She had skin the shade of terra-cotta, navy blue hair, and enchanting crimson eyes. Seeing her up close, she was absolutely adorable.

“Um...”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I probably scared you by coming up to you out of nowhere.”

“N-No, I’m fine...” She was clearly terrified of me.

Do I look that scary? I wish I had a mirror on me.

The girl had her guard up, so I told her that we were affiliated with the knights who served the margrave. I explained that we wanted to help her if she was in trouble.

The girl nervously shared her situation. She’d traveled here with some people, and before she knew it, she’d gotten separated from them.

That’s what I figured...

We decided to help her get back to the spot where she’d been separated from her companions. Fortunately, we were able to find them right away. They appeared to serve the young girl, and they were probably all from another country, because they shared the same warm skin tone.

I let them know that I’d spotted her in the middle of town, standing all alone. I explained that I’d spoken to her out of concern and learned that she’d been separated from them, which had led me to escort her to find them. Once they were caught up, one girl in the group stepped forward and bowed to me.

“Thank you very much. You were a great help.”

“There’s no need to thank me,” I insisted. “Please, raise your head. It’s only natural to help a girl in trouble...”

When she heard my response, the girl who’d been lost turned red and averted her gaze. The traveler who had bowed to me raised her head and turned to face the formerly lost girl. She walked up to the young girl, and with a scowl on her face, she boomed, “My lady, you cannot run off on your own! We were worried sick about you!”

“I’m sorry,” the young girl said, shrinking as she nodded in agreement. Judging from their conversation, I was probably right to think she was some sort of noble.

“Well, I’ll be going then,” I said. “Be careful not to get lost again.”

“I-I will. Thank you very much.”

I bowed to both the young girl and the girl scolding her before leaving with a “See ya!”

It was time to head home for real.

◇

On the carriage ride home, Rubens asked his young lord, “Didn’t you want to ask the lady her name, Sir Reid?”

After seeing Reid interact with the girl who’d gotten lost, he believed the young lord would grow up to charm people left and right. However, Rubens suspected that Reid would not behave in such a way intentionally and that the young lord would be oblivious to all the hearts he would capture.

Most people would agree that Reid had a beautiful, well-structured face. Depending on what he was wearing, one might even mistake him for a girl. Any child his age would freeze up if Reid’s face was suddenly in front of theirs, asking if they were all right.

Such thoughts ran through Rubens’s mind as he waited for Reid to respond, but the boy was completely silent.

“Huh?”

Curious, Rubens peeked into the carriage, only to find that Reid was fast asleep. The innocent look on his face was just adorable, and it didn’t take Diana long to take notice of it as well.

“So cute!” she exclaimed, her words muffled by her hands, which she’d quickly clasped over her mouth. It was clear from the look in her eyes that the cuteness had been too much for her.

Seriously? Rubens thought as he saw her reaction. “I guess we should get back home before Sir Reid wakes up,” he mumbled to himself as he continued driving the carriage home.

Magic

Today was the day the magic tutor I’d asked my father to hire would be coming, and I’d been buzzing with excitement since the moment I’d woken up. If things in this world followed the game from my previous life, I would have elemental potential in every area of magic. Whether I could actually use every type of magic was a significant factor that could greatly alter the course of my life. Being able to use magic would surely help me avoid scenarios where I’d get myself convicted. It was definitely in my best interest to be able to wield it.

I’d learned a bit from books but felt that I was reaching the limit of what I could learn on my own. It had been around that time that my father had said he would immediately send for a magic tutor. Once I’d learned that a tutor was coming, I’d prioritized other things over studying magic. Now that I could get back to it, I had to make sure I wasn’t being overeager. Even so, I couldn’t stop the excitement of getting to use magic from stirring in my heart.

I sat in the drawing room, restless as I wondered when the tutor might arrive. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

“Sir Reid, the magic tutor Lady Sandra Ernest has arrived,” Danae announced from the other side of the door. “May we enter?”

“Please, come in!” I immediately responded.

“Excuse me,” Danae said as she opened the door, welcoming a small-statured woman with brown hair, blue eyes, and an overall cute appearance into the drawing room.

“My name is Sandra Ernest, and I will be serving as your magic tutor, Sir Reid,” the woman said, introducing herself articulately and energetically. “I’m looking forward to working with you!”

“As am I,” I replied with a smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

She smiled back at me, and we sat across from each other and made small talk. I told her how I was very interested in magic and how I’d been on the edge of my seat waiting for this day, which seemed to make her happy. Sandra said she’d also been excited to find out what kind of student she’d have after receiving my father’s request. As we continued conversing casually, the nervousness in the air seemed to fade away, and Sandra’s demeanor also shifted. She cleared her throat, went into teaching mode, and began her lesson.

“Let’s get right into it. Have you ever used magic before, Sir Reid?”

“I’ve neither used it myself nor have I seen it used around me.”

That was the truth. While in this mansion, I’d never seen anyone use magic. The game had made it seem like magic could be wielded by anyone who put in the effort to practice. I’d found writings in this world that stated that it was only after dedicated training that someone could finally use the craft, which suggested that the information from my previous life remained true. However, the most vital aspect of the training itself wasn’t detailed in any books.

“I’ve learned a little through books,” I said. “Is it true that anyone can use magic with practice?”

“Yes, it is,” Sandra replied. “Though the amount varies, everyone has some amount of mana. Through practice, anyone can learn how to use magic, up to a point. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s easy for just anyone to learn. I will be here to teach you every step of the process, Sir Reid. With me by your side, you have nothing to worry about!”

Confidence poured out of Sandra as she stood up and placed her hand on her chest, looking into my eyes with a powerful gaze. From the way she spoke and carried herself, it was clear that she loved magic.

Then she gasped as she realized she’d gotten a bit carried away, and her face flushed red. She cleared her throat once more before continuing.

“Moving on, I will start by explaining how magic works.”

Sandra went on to carefully explain the magic system of this world. In order to activate a spell, you needed mana. Mana didn’t merely exist within humans; rather, it was a type of life force that resided within every living thing. By refining the life force within ourselves, we could transform it into mana, which would then be used to cast spells. In other words, you had to be able to feel the life force within yourself and convert it into mana to use magic. That was why practice was absolutely necessary in order to use magic.

“Therefore, your first task will be learning to perform mana conversion,” Sandra said, wrapping up her lecture.

“I understand, but would it be possible to first see magic in use, Professor Sandra?”

Sandra’s face turned bright red when she heard the word “professor.” She placed her hands on her cheeks and bashfully twisted from side to side as she whispered to herself, “I’m the professor. Professor...”

“Are you all right, Professor Sandra?!” I cried, concerned.

Sandra cleared her throat and acted as though nothing had happened. Is she going to be okay?

“Why, yes, that can be arranged. I agree that seeing magic in action first will make it easier to perform. Let’s head outside.”

I responded and nodded as we left the drawing room and headed for the Valdia estate’s training grounds, which could be used to practice various skills, including sword fighting and magic. There were other specialized facilities located on-site as well, but for now, I was happy to know that I was in an environment where I could practice sword fighting and magic whenever I wanted.

Being a noble is wild.

Once we arrived at the training grounds, Sandra announced, “I’m going to demonstrate a spell now.” She held her right hand out toward a target that had been prepared. Next, she closed her eyes and silently focused. A moment later, her eyes suddenly shot open, and she shouted, “Orb of flame, Fireball!”

Her palm began glowing in response to her words, and the light quickly transformed into a ball of fire. That orb continued swelling until it was roughly the size of a soccer ball, then it flew off, headed straight for the target. The fireball hit the center of with a loud slam! and before I knew it, the target was charred black and smoking. The entire process of Sandra casting the spell all the way to the fireball hitting the target had happened in the blink of an eye.

“How was that?” she asked. “Did it give you an idea of how magic works?”

“That was incredible!!!” I gushed. “That spell looked super cool!!!”

“R-Really? Well, I’m sure you’ll be able to do something this simple soon enough, Sir Reid.”

Seeing magic in real life for the first time made my eyes sparkle with excitement as I drew closer to Sandra. I’d always loved seeing it in video games and anime, so the excitement I felt at seeing it for myself was no surprise.

I’m going to learn how to use magic, no matter what!

While I was fired up about learning, I also had a question on my mind: Was it absolutely necessary to recite a spell’s name in order to cast it?

“Professor Sandra, I have a question about the spell you just cast. Is it necessary to recite the spell name when casting it?”

“Huh? Well, um, it’s not absolutely necessary to use the spell name to activate it.”

Sandra proceeded to explain the requirements to activate magic. The basic requirements could be boiled down to the idea that in order to successfully cast a spell, you had to have a clear image of it in your mind. You could think of it as trying to match the spell name to the image you wanted to cast. Similarly to things like sword fighting and karate, in order to accurately and quickly cast spells, you had to practice until it was ingrained in your mind and body. According to Sandra, as long as you had the form memorized, you could immediately cast a spell without any incantation.

Once her short lecture was over, she cast the same spell as earlier, this time without uttering the name aloud.

My eyes were once again glimmering as I exclaimed, “Whoaaa!!!”

“Just so you know, this sort of incantationless casting isn’t something you’ll be trying for a long time,” Sandra clarified. “First, let’s learn how to perform mana conversion.”

She proceeded to teach me about mana conversion, and I followed along carefully. I had to become aware of the life force within me, then convert it into mana—which was much easier said than done. I was definitely struggling, and Sandra just watched me with a cocky grin.

I have a bad feeling about this.

“Grasping the sensation of mana conversion is incredibly difficult, so it usually takes a lot of time, Sir Reid,” Sandra began to explain. “However, if you use a method I’ve come up with, you can learn the ropes almost immediately. Would you like to try it out?”

She seemed to be enjoying herself as she placed her hand over her mouth, slightly covering the smug smile that had spread across her face.

I’m a little scared.

She was quite unsettling right now, and I moved a few steps away from her.

“Urgh, well...I do want to be able to perform it as soon as possible,” I admitted. “What should I do?”

“You want to proceed? Very well. Please hold out both of your hands.”

“Like this?” I asked.

The unsettling smile remained on her face as she grabbed both of my hands. “Here I go,” she said.

The very next moment, there was a booming sound, like an electrical spark. I let out a confused gasp. First there was a loud sound, and then a sharp pain that felt like electricity coursing through my entire body. I reflexively tried to let go of Sandra’s hands, but she had a tight grip on me.

“Professor...please! I-It feels like m-my body is going to tear apart!”

“Don’t worry. Everyone says that, but no one’s body has actually been torn apart,” she replied. “Just hold on for a little longer, okay?”

I managed to look up at her face, and she was still giving me that wide grin. She seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself.

She’s totally just doing this for her own entertainment!

“We’re done, Sir Reid.”

It felt like I’d been tingling from the electricity for a long time, but in reality, not much time had actually passed. Once Sandra let go of my hands, I fell to my knees and began panting, trying to catch my breath. That short moment had almost felt like being tortured.

What in the world was that pain?

“I’m sorry about that,” she said with a giggle. “I’d like to explain what I just did.”

The pleased smile never faded as she proceeded to explain the phenomenon that just occurred. Through normal training, it would take a lot of time to learn what it felt like to perform mana conversion. Therefore, instead of having someone learn it all on their own, an existing magic user could force the learner’s body to conduct mana conversion just once. That way, the learner would know how it felt to convert their life force into mana, which would make the process easier to reproduce.

However, this forced conversion could only be performed by someone highly skilled in manipulating mana. Not only that, but it was also done using a spell that Sandra herself had developed, which would be classified as specialized magic, and she was the only one who could cast it. The fact that she could use specialized magic was one of the reasons she had been chosen as my tutor.

Though it was impressive, the spell also had a downside. When forcing someone’s body to perform mana conversion, it would cause them to experience intense pain, which was apparently a kickback from forcing the body to become familiar with a sensation that people usually grew accustomed to more gradually. I told Sandra that I wished she would have explained that to me first, but she answered that it wouldn’t have been as much fun if she’d simply told me.

You absolute sadist! I thought, sucking my teeth.

“Now then, I’d like you to try performing mana conversion one more time,” she instructed.

I did as I was told, just like I’d done previously. But this time, I could immediately feel something inside of me.

“You can sense it now, can’t you?” Sandra asked. “That is the source of your mana. Next, you’ll be turning that into mana itself. Try to imagine you’re compressing that source material. Once you do so, it should feel like it transformed into something else. That will mean you’ve succeeded.”

“Understood,” I replied, then did as she said. I gasped, realizing that I could clearly feel a mysterious energy inside me. Sandra seemed pleased with my reaction.

“That is your mana. Next, try to move it toward your palm. I want you to think about the fireball I showed you and create a clear image in your mind of the spell you want to cast. Once you’re ready, start with the incantation and cast the spell at a target.”

“Yes, professor!” I responded enthusiastically.

I fumbled a bit doing something completely new, but I focused and carefully followed each step. Finally, I held my right hand out toward a target, took a deep breath, and loudly recited the name of the spell.

“Fireball!”

The next moment, my mana gathered at the palm of my extended hand. Once it reached a certain size, an orb of fire shot out of my hand and struck the target dead center with a loud slam!

“I did it... I did it! Yaaay!!!”

I was perhaps a little too excited while celebrating my first successful use of magic. Magic is so much fun!

In contrast, Sandra was just staring at me with a shocked expression on her face.

Wait, did I mess something up?

After a moment of silence, she finally spoke. “You have an incredible talent for magic, Sir Reid. I never would’ve thought that you would not only be able to perform magic conversion, but actually cast a spell today.”

“Huh?”

Sandra explained that being able to perform mana conversion didn’t mean you could cast a spell and hit a target in the center. It usually took extensive practice to be able to create an image in your mind that was clear enough to manifest as an actual spell. Even so, I had managed to cast the same spell she had performed without any practice, simply by watching her do it.

“You have an incredibly strong imagination,” Sandra praised. “You might just be a genius, Sir Reid.”

Her expression was now caring—nothing like the teasing grin she’d been wearing earlier. I proceeded to cast the spell several more times, and I didn’t have a single failure. I even tried incantationless casting, and I was able to cast the spell with no issues.

“You’re...a genius,” Sandra whispered quietly, the color draining from her face.

I was having so much fun that I kept casting magic until I suddenly started breathing heavily.

“It looks like you’re getting low on mana,” Sandra remarked. “That’s enough spellcasting for today. The rest of the day will be seated lectures.”

“Yes, professor. I think I got a little too excited.”

“That’s not a bad thing at all,” she reassured me. “I’m glad to see you’re having fun. I think we should discuss mana amounts as well.”

Mana wasn’t an infinite resource. Everyone had different amounts that they could use, and though some had a higher capacity than others, there weren’t any extreme differences found from one person to the next. The more you practiced using magic, the more your maximum mana output would increase. If you wanted to learn a variety of spells or cast large-scale spells, you absolutely had to practice every day.

I asked Sandra how mana could be recovered, and she said that the only way currently known was natural regeneration. The recovery items that had been available in the game didn’t exist in this world.

“Every country is trying to search for or make a medicine that can do that, but I’ve never heard of anyone succeeding,” Sandra explained.

“I see.”

It might be fun to try making the mana recovery potion from the game.

After that, Sandra taught me about elemental and specialized magic. The elemental spell class converted mana into elements such as fire or water. Spells that didn’t convert mana into a specific element were considered nonelemental, but even those fell under the elemental magic umbrella.

In most cases, elemental magic could only be used by those who had elemental potential. The first spell that Sandra had shown me, Fireball, was a fire spell, so the caster would be required to have elemental potential in fire. As a sidenote, the Valdias generally had elemental potential in fire, but in the game, Reid had potential in every single element. That was something I needed to test in the future.

Specialized magic was a very interesting spell class, because as far as I could remember, there had been no such thing in the game. According to Sandra’s explanation, supporting spells—such as the one she’d cast on me, Forced Mana Conversion Awareness—would fall into that category.

“Magic can actually accomplish a lot more than you might think,” Sandra remarked. “With enough mana and skill, you might even be able to come up with your own spells. The only issue with inventing a spell is that it’s quite difficult to imagine something new with enough clarity. That’s why there aren’t many people coming up with their own spells.”

That’s incredible. I can make up my own magic with enough hard work?

I felt a surge of motivation growing inside me. As I stood there, clearly eager to do more with magic, Sandra cleared her throat and set me straight.

“I must point out that you’ve only just started studying magic, Sir Reid. First, you must learn to perform mana conversion with better speed and efficiency. The more magic you cast, the more mana you’ll be able to use. You’ll have to start with diligently practicing every day.”

“Yes, professor! I’ll work hard!”

Today was probably the most fun I’d had since coming to this world.

I’m going to keep practicing and eventually make up my own spells!

My eyes shone with hope as I thrust my first into the air, and Sandra watched with a smile.

Martial Arts

“Sir Reid, what are those strange movements?”

“Huh? Oh, these are warm-ups. You don’t warm your body up before exercising, Rubens?”

“I see,” Rubens replied, not sounding entirely convinced. “We go on runs before training, but I’ve never moved my body in such a weird manner before.”

I was warming my body up by performing Japanese radio calisthenics, and Rubens was staring at me, suspicious of my movements.

Maybe the concept of gymnastic exercises doesn’t exist in this world.

I was at the training grounds, and the plan for today was for Ruben to teach me a variety of martial arts, including both unarmed combat and sword fighting.

The Valdia Mark sat near the border of the empire, which was shared with our neighboring countries. As a margrave, my father held the second-highest status following the imperial family, and his rank was equivalent to that of a duke. Margraves were permitted to have an army of a set size as a precautionary measure against invasions from neighboring countries, and Rubens was a knight in the Order of Valdia. According to what I’d heard, he was quite skilled.

“Let’s get started,” he announced. “First, you’re going to be running so I can assess your stamina.”

“Please don’t go too hard on me,” I pleaded.

I had never exercised in my previous life. I hadn’t been particularly athletic, so I was in low spirits, lacking confidence in my martial arts abilities. But when I thought about the future, this wasn’t something I could avoid. I reminded myself of that as I began running, following Rubens’s instructions.

Hmm... I thought I’d get tired right away, but I’m actually doing pretty well.

After I ran for a bit, Rubens yelled out, “That will be fine.”

I slowly came to a stop. Next, he handed me a wooden sword.

“Here, take this.” Rubens proceeded to teach me how to practice swinging with the proper form. “You’re really good at this, Sir Reid. It just goes to show that you can’t fight what’s in your blood.”

“You think so? Thanks.”

Rubens’s comment was in reference to my father, Reiner Valdia. There were plenty of nobles in this empire, but my father was one of the most skilled warriors of them all, although it was hard to imagine him as an incredible fighter when he was always swamped with office work.

“Let’s move on to sparring,” Rubens said. “Go ahead and strike me from wherever you’d like.”

“Okay,” I replied.

We stood across from each other with our wooden swords in our hands. Rubens looked like he was prepared for absolutely anything I might do, which made sense, considering I was a complete beginner.

In that case, I’m going to take advantage of getting to practice with someone much better than me.

I raised my wooden sword above my head in what would be considered the jodan stance in kendo and focused my breathing.

“Here I come!” I shouted.

I kicked off the ground and swiftly swung down my sword. Of course, Rubens was able to block it, and our blades made a dull thunk as they clashed. I immediately retreated before striking again, trying a variety of high, middle, and low stances. I didn’t really know why, but my body felt light, and I was having fun swinging the wooden sword around.

After practicing with Rubens for a while, I finally realized that my capabilities were likely due to Reid’s inherently high athletic abilities.

I didn’t realize Reid was more than just smart. He’s got both brains and brawn.

Though he hadn’t done anything during the main game, Reid was a character that had shone in the bonus free play mode. Perhaps that was what gave me such incredible base abilities.

“We should take a break, Sir Reid.”

“Yeah, okay.”

“I must say, judging from your current talents, you’re going to grow up to be quite formidable,” Rubens remarked. “I believe you’ll even surpass Sir Reiner.”

“Thank you, Rubens. I’ll do the best that I can.”

Rubens had looked pretty surprised during our training, perhaps because he was seeing my impressive athletic abilities in action. Even so, I hadn’t been able to land a single strike while we were sparring, which was frustrating.

Even if I’ve got crazy good stats, I guess I’m no match for an adult without practicing.

I thought about what I might be able to do to win, and I came up with a bit of a mean plan.

“So, Rubens, you’re childhood friends with that other guard we went out with the other day, right? Diana?”

“I... Yes, I am. Our families lived close to one another, so we often played together with wooden swords.”

“Huh, I see... So, do you like her?”

“Excuse me?! Where in the world is this coming from?!” Rubens turned bright red. He’d probably never expected a small child like me to tease him, but I was preparing to let out my frustration over not landing a single blow on him. All Rubens could see on my face was an innocent look, but inside, I wore a twisted, cocky smile.

“Hm? Was I wrong? All the maids and knights say that you’re a coward who won’t tell Diana how you feel, and that’s why nothing ever changes.”

“A coward?!”

Look at that!

Rubens turned completely pale with shock. Perhaps I’d gone a little too far.

“I’m not... I... Even I am...” he mumbled to himself, sinking to the ground. He then held his knees to his chest as he repeatedly drew circles in the dirt.

Shoot. I think I went overboard. What should I do?

Just then, I spotted Diana walking past the training grounds. I waved at her and caught her attention, beckoning her over. Diana immediately came running toward me.

“Phew... What can I help you with, Sir Reid?”

She was panting a bit. It seemed she’d rushed over thinking it might be an emergency. As a knight in the Order of Valdia, Diana was dressed in uniform and her hair was pulled into a ponytail. She looked more gallant now than when she’d escorted me into town.

“Well, you see...” I trailed off and pointed at Rubens, who had grown pale and was sulking on the ground.

Diana exasperatedly put her hand on her forehead and sighed. “Sir Reid, Rubens can be sensitive about the strangest of things, so this happens sometimes.”

“Oh, really?” I never would’ve thought that telling Diana he was a coward would be like stepping on a land mine, but now that I knew, I could be careful in the future.

“So, Sir Reid, what exactly did you say to him?”

“What? Oh, I just said that he was being a coward regarding you.”

I thought I heard the sharp snap of all the air around me freezing. I cautiously looked up at Diana’s face, only now realizing that I’d made a terrible mistake. I could feel the color draining from my face, but she was simply smiling.

I can sense a demonic rage behind that smile, with an extra dash of divine wrath.

“It looks like I’ll need to have a long talk with you later to find out exactly what happened, Sir Reid.”

“Yes, Lady Diana...” I responded nervously.

Though it wasn’t hiding her anger, Diana maintained her smile as she brought Rubens back to his senses.

“Huh? Diana?! What are you doing here?!” Rubens seemed completely lost upon his return from the blank space his mind had traveled to.

“Rubens, your training with Sir Reid is over for the day, right?”

“What? Oh, yeah, we’ve pretty much finished.”

“I see. In that case, I need to speak with Sir Reid, so we’ll be taking our leave.” Diana then turned to me. “Isn’t that right, Sir Reid?”

“Y-Yes, let’s go...” I replied.

Rubens looked puzzled as he watched Diana lead me away.

After that day, Diana was moved to the top of my list of people I should never upset.

Getting Business Rolling

“You’re a very good storyteller, Reid.”

“Yeah! When brother does story time, it’s a lot of fun because I get to hear lots of voices!”

“Thank you two. It makes me happy to hear you both say that.”

I was currently in my mother’s room, reading a picture book to Mer. I’d been on my way to visit my mother when Mer had stopped me and requested that I read to her. I asked her what she thought of having story time in our mother’s room, which she responded to with abundant joy.

The “lots of voices” that Mer had brought up was exactly that: I’d been mimicking different character voices. I’d always liked anime and video games, so I’d casually used the opportunity to try my hand at voice acting. I’d thought it would be no big deal to try it with picture books, but I had been deeply mistaken. Once I’d done it, Mer was no longer satisfied if I didn’t read to her in different voices. It wasn’t much of an issue when there weren’t many characters in a story, but some books had huge casts, which made it quite difficult to keep track. Sometimes I would be doing my very best, only for Mer to complain, “You’re doing the same voice as earlier.” That hurt a little.

“The way you read makes me feel like I’m seeing an actor perform at the theater,” my mother raved. “It was lots of fun. I never knew you had such a lovely talent. It makes me very happy.” She had her hands clasped together in front of her face, and her smile was wide.

“Yeah, yeah!” Mer said, nodding along with her every word. “Oh, oh! I’m giving brother direction! Praise me too!!!”

“Yes, of course. You’re doing a wonderful job of directing him.”

Mer giggled in response to the praise. It seemed that she had felt a little left out when our mother had praised me, but after receiving praise herself, she was in high spirits.

My mother was sick with mana depletion disorder, which the body couldn’t heal on its own. If nothing changed, she would die in the near future, though that was something only a handful of people in the Valdia household were aware of.

She seems like she’s doing well today, but she still looks pretty unwell...

I continued chatting with her and Mer, and eventually, there was a knock on the door. I responded, and Garren the butler stepped into the room.

“Sir Reid, Lady Kristie is here.”

“Okay, I’ll be there right away. Can you show her to the drawing room?”

“As you wish, sir,” Garren said, then stepped out.

“I’ll be going now, mother,” I said, bowing to her.

“Whaaat?!” Mer exclaimed, looking displeased.

“I’ll see you later,” my mother replied, and she sent me off with a smile.

◇

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting,” I said as I entered the drawing room.

Kris, the beautiful elf with golden-blonde hair, had been waiting for me. I might be mistaken, but it seemed like she was more cheerful than the last time I’d seen her.

When she saw me, Kris smiled. “No, no. Thank you for taking the time to see me today.”

Kris was the representative of the Kristie Trading Company, a business operating in the Valdia Mark.

The drawing room had two couches that faced each other with a coffee table in between them. I gently invited her to sit, and she obliged, sitting across from me. During our last meeting, I’d brought my prototypes for conditioner and lotion so that we could discuss potentially selling them. Following that, we’d begun corresponding by mail.

I’d left the conditioner with her during our last meeting, and several days later I’d received a letter that said, “This is an amazing product! We absolutely must commercialize it!!!” After that, I’d invited her over several times to discuss commercializing the prototypes. We now had some prospects for manufacturing, which was the topic of today’s meeting. Kris had worked swiftly to set up an aloe farm for the lotion and factories to produce both products.

“I’ve been incredibly impressed with your work, Kris. I never would’ve been able to take care of things so quickly without your help.”

“Thank you very much. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the funding you provided, Sir Reid.”

I’d left most of the money I’d gotten from my father in her hands. While I had the money to start the business, I didn’t have any connections, experience, or business skills to participate in any dealings. Knowing that I would get in my own way, I thought it was best to give Kris my money along with my ideas and knowledge from my previous life. She had been surprised at first, but at the end of the day, I was basically acting as an investor. I’d told her that I’d be happy to recover my investment and then some after we succeeded, which had convinced her to agree to the plan.

Kris cleared her throat and proceeded to explain. “The raw materials needed to manufacture the conditioner can be gathered within the Valdia Mark. As for the lotion, aloe isn’t too difficult to cultivate, so we can start small and increase production in the future.”

“Right. What’s left is spreading the knowledge of how to use conditioner and lotion, along with general skincare knowledge. Also, we need to have some countermeasures ready in case other businesses try to copy our products.”

“I understand needing to share knowledge about the products and preparing for copycats, but what was that other thing? Skincare knowledge?”

Since lotion didn’t exist in this world, people didn’t really know that their skin could be incompatible with certain types of products. Our lotion wasn’t going to work for everyone—in fact, it could even have different effects on nonhuman races.

Once I explained all of that to Kris, she seemed stunned. “You have some very impressive knowledge. What kinds of books do you read?!”

Moving on, one of the most important things we had to do was to prepare for imitation products. By putting out a brand-new product that could have a high demand, there would naturally be copycats popping up. That wasn’t a bad thing in itself, but I didn’t want anyone to suffer adverse effects after using an inferior product. Health scares caused by counterfeit products could destroy the public’s trust in conditioners and lotions as a whole, so it was best to be prepared for such scenarios. I’d jotted down some ideas ahead of our meeting, and I now shared them with Kris.

“I think this is a great plan,” she said, giving her seal of approval.

My plan consisted of four main pillars: customer service, branding, distribution, and a face. My plan for the first item—customer service—was to imitate what I’d learned during my previous life. It had been common practice for skincare companies to give people refunds if a product didn’t work for them, even if the product had already been used. Having proper customer service would also allow us to teach our customers how to use our products.

The second pillar, branding, could be boiled down to adding a logo of some sort to all of our products. My plan was to use the Valdia family crest as our brand logo. This would make it immediately clear to customers that a noble family stood behind the products. It would also make it easier to punish anyone who tried to use our logo, since it would belong to a noble family.

The third part of my plan was establishing a distributor. We’d gotten the ball rolling with Kris’s family business, the Saffron Trading Company. All we had to do was find the employees with the best teaching skills and train them in how our products were used. In regard to doing business in the imperial capital, Kristie was planning to eventually open up a storefront there, but the Saffron Trading Company already had several locations in the capital.

It was a big city, so rather than trying to open up a new store with our small numbers, it would be much faster to rely on the Saffron Trading Company to distribute our products. Not only was it more efficient, but Kristie wasn’t on bad terms with her family or anything of the sort, so it wasn’t a difficult option. She had sent a letter to her brother, both to catch up with him and to bring up signing a distribution contract with her company for a new product. Immediately after her brother had received the letter, the top brass from the Saffron Trading Company’s imperial capital locations had come to Valdia to meet with Kris.

“Your products are going to shock women all over the world, Sir Reid,” she remarked. “Your ideas are a gold mine that will generate a significant amount of business. There isn’t a single merchant who wouldn’t want in on these products.”

I’d never intended to make such impressive products, but according to Kris, they were quite ingenious inventions.

“I’d like you to be the poster girl for the brand,” I said. “Are you all right to move forward with what we discussed?”

“Well, I’m not very confident that I’ll do well, but I will do my best,” she replied with a nervous smile, bashful about becoming our poster girl.

That was the final part of my plan. Kris was an incredibly classy and beautiful woman. She was also an elf, which made it difficult for nobles in the capital to openly resent her. If Kris were to claim that conditioner and lotion helped her achieve an even higher level of beauty, it would be very persuasive. Also, even I could see that her hair had become silky, shiny, and smooth after she’d started using the conditioner. While looking through documents, she would sometimes tuck some of her hair behind her ear, which made my heart race quite a bit.

“Next on the list is reporting to my father, followed by inviting people from the Saffron Trading Company to do a training session on conditioner and lotion. Also, there’s the gifting of items to the emperor and empress. I’ll be leaving that to you, Kris.”

“Are you sure I should go?” she asked. “Even when I was at the Saffron Trading Company, I never had an audience with the imperial court...”

“Don’t worry, the visit has been approved by my father.”

“Well, I will definitely give it my best effort...”

Kris seemed both excited and nervous to be discussing business with the imperial family.

◇

I had been discussing my business dealings with both Garren and my father, and I had also reported any updates to them as they occurred. What stood out the most from our meetings was how they were always so surprised that their eyes were as wide as I’d ever seen them.

During one of my meetings with my father, he’d pointed something out to me. “If your cosmetic products are as incredible as they seem to be, you should gift them to the emperor and empress. It will also serve as a countermeasure against any imitations. If your product gets the imperial family’s approval, everyone in the capital will be talking about it.”

“Understood, sir. In that case, I will have some prepared before your next trip to the capital. On that note, I’d like to ask the representative of the Kristie Trading Company to travel with you, so that she may explain what the products are and how they are used.”

A stern look washed over my father’s face. “Why are you leaving it to the trading company instead of handling it yourself?”

“That is an excellent question, sir. First, having the representative there will be more persuasive. I don’t believe most people would take the word of a small child such as me on topics relating to women’s beauty. On the other hand, Kris is an elegant, beautiful woman. If she were to explain how these products helped her polish her looks, I believe most people would wish to do the same.”

“I see,” my father curtly replied.

I looked up and was relieved to find that he was reacting positively, so I decided to push a little more. “Noble men will surely see her beauty and wish to have the product for their wives and daughters. That may be especially true for men with young wives. I believe that by enticing men of the nobility to want the product for the women in their lives, we can deter them from resenting the Valdia family for trying to make a profit.”

My father silently listened to my explanation while seated at his desk, and once I was finished, he let out a sigh.

Shoot. Did I mess up somehow?

“‘That may be especially true for men with young wives,’ you say? Reid, do you understand the meaning of those words? You’re still quite young, but if you truly know what you are saying, then that would mean I have an incredibly precocious son.”

Garren, who was standing beside my father and also listening, was covering his mouth with his hand and shaking as he looked away.

I definitely said too much. How am I going to get out of this?

“Regardless, that’s fine. I understand what you are trying to say. A young child like you wouldn’t be very persuasive, and if it got out that you were the one behind these products, it might create some unnecessary enemies. Your plan is fine. I will travel to the capital with the representative of the Kristie Trading Company.”

My father seemed a bit stunned to see me flustered, and he quickly approved of my request to have Kris go in my place.

Some time after I had that discussion with my father, I told Kris that she would be giving a presentation of our products to the imperial court. She responded with complete shock, saying, “What? I’m going to have an audience with the imperial family?!”

Even the Saffron Trading Company, which was one of the biggest businesses in this world, couldn’t easily obtain an audience with the emperor. Kris had explained to me that though the purpose of the audience was to merely provide a presentation on a gift, a nonhuman representative of a business having an audience with the imperial court was quite the historical achievement.

“I was truly surprised when I’d first heard about it,” Kris remarked. “Everyone at the Saffron Trading Company is talking about it as well. They say that we’re paving the way for other races to do business in the same regions as humans.”

“Well, things won’t be getting any easier from here, so we can’t celebrate just yet,” I cautioned her.

Once our meeting was wrapping up, Kris pulled something out of her bag and said, “Oh, I almost forgot about this.”

She pulled out a familiar item, and I was completely shocked. I shot up from my seat and leaned forward to get a better look.

“I believe this is the moonflower that you asked for, Sir Reid. Do you agree?”

“Yes, I believe this is it. Thank you. I’m truly grateful.”

In the game, moonflowers could be used to make mana recovery potions. It could also be used in its raw form, but processing it made it more effective. By using this herb, there was a chance that I could slow the progression of my mother’s disease. That thought made my eyes grow hot, and tears streamed down my face. Kris began to panic as she saw me cry, so I quickly sniffled and wiped my tears away with my sleeve.

“I’m truly, deeply, thankful,” I said, bowing my head.

“There’s no need for that! Please, lift your head! Also, I haven’t been able to find rute yet. I’m going to keep looking for it, so please give me some more time.”

“Yes, thank you. I know this is asking a lot of you, but please try to hurry as much as you can. I’m counting on you.”

“Of course. I will do my best to work quickly.”

I had no idea how the future would turn out, but I knew that I was slowly making progress—at least, that was the main feeling I took away from my meeting with Kris.

Moonflowers and Mana Potions

Several days after I had my respective meetings with my father and Kris, the two of them set out for the imperial capital in order to give the emperor and empress our conditioner and lotion. We’d decided to keep my role as the original developer of these products under wraps and present them as items that were created through a joint effort between the Kristie Trading Company and the Valdia Mark.

We’d also decided that Kris’s company would be taking the lead on production and sales moving forward. Thanks to that, I didn’t really have to do anything. The Valdia Mark would cultivate the ingredients needed for the products—aloe and olives—and the trading company would get priority in purchasing the raw materials. From there, the trading company would process, manufacture, and package the items. Shipping, sales, delivery, and customer service would be handled by the Saffron Trading Company, whom we’d signed on as our distributor.

I still held the sales and manufacturing rights to the beauty products, so I would be receiving a portion of the sales from those items moving forward. Not only had I created and provided the recipe for making them, but I’d also given permission for my family’s crest to be used as our brand logo. The latter was particularly significant, because unauthorized use of a noble family’s crest was a punishable offense. I was grateful that Kris had been understanding of everything, but she’d also gently suggested that perhaps I’d been overstepping when it came to holding the rights.

In response to that, I’d said, “Is it really an issue, considering both your business and Saffron Trading Company will have a monopoly on this market for a while? Why should I sell myself short when this is the period when we’re going to make the most money?”

Kris had just let out a heavy sigh in response. And so, matters regarding the beauty products were out of my hand for now. Since I had some free time, I was planning to move on to developing a new product: a mana potion. That needed to be completed as soon as possible, since it would help with my mother’s disorder. It wasn’t a solution to the root problem, but mana potions could serve as a stopgap while we worked on a cure.

I was highly motivated to jump right into this endeavor, but unfortunately, I knew nothing about medicine. I had the raw material, but I couldn’t process it in a useful way.

“It seems like it can be a little effective when eaten raw, but I can’t just feed this herb to my mother,” I mumbled to myself.

As soon as Kris had given me the moonflowers, I had used magic to intentionally decrease my mana stores, then eaten some of the herb. It was only by a small amount, but I had sensed that some of my mana had been restored. However, ingesting raw moonflower was like eating grass. It had a strong, acrid bitterness and earthiness that made it a struggle to consume. If the situation was truly dire, I would just have my mother force it down, but there was still time before her condition reached that point.

I wanted to find a way to utilize the herb quickly, and after racking my brain, I decided to ask Garren to introduce me to someone who was well-versed in medicine. His answer wasn’t what I’d expected.

“Medicine, my lord? I suggest that you speak to your tutor, Lady Sandra. Though she is a skilled mage, she is also very knowledgeable about medicine. In fact, research has always been her main focus rather than teaching.”

“What? In that case, why did she agree to tutor me?”

My response seemed to have made Garren realize he’d misspoken, and he gasped before clasping his hand over his mouth. There was no way I was going to pretend that I hadn’t caught that. I put on my most innocent smile, which was the complete opposite of the devilish grin I wore internally, and pressed Garren to explain further.

“What have I done?” Garren mumbled to himself, then let out a heavy sigh. He fell silent for a moment, as though in deep thought, after which he finally gave in and began to speak.

I learned that Sandra had originally been working at an imperial research facility in the capital but had been unable to produce results for a long time. On top of that, there had been nobles who didn’t approve of her, and they’d pressured the imperial court to slash her budget. As a result, she was no longer able to properly conduct research. It was around that time that my father had reached out to her, asking her if she would be interested in tutoring his son. Sandra had been fed up with both her lack of results and dealing with nobles, so she’d decided to come to the Valdia Mark.

“Does she enjoy me calling her ‘professor’ because she wasn’t treated very kindly in the capital?” I mused aloud.

Regardless of what kind of research she had been doing, this meant that I had access to a mage who was familiar with medicine. It was essential that I use it to my advantage. The next time I had a lesson with Sandra, I was going to ask for her help.

◇

Today was my long-awaited day of magic lessons with Sandra. I wanted to ask her about the things I’d heard from Garren several days ago, but I decided to finish the lesson first. Our focus was on practicing mana conversion and spell activation through repeated drills. In the short term, our goal was to increase my mana stores through this repetitive practice.

“Keep casting spells until you can’t cast anymore!” Sandra loudly instructed. She stood tall with her right hand on her hip and her left arm raised, her pointer-finger aiming for the sky.

I let out a small sigh as I began doing as she said.

According to Garren, she’s actually a researcher, not a teacher. Is that why her practice methods feel more like workouts than lessons? It’s fine. At the end of the day, all I care about is being able to use magic.

Such thoughts ran through my mind as I continued practicing, and I eventually finished my drills for the day.

“Professor Sandra, do you have some time after this?” I asked. “There’s something I wanted to discuss with you.”

“Sure, I don’t have any plans today,” she replied.

“Thank you very much. I’m going to get changed first, so please wait in the drawing room for me.”

A maid nearby heard my request and led Sandra to the drawing room. I returned to my chambers and got changed before heading to the drawing room, where I found her waiting, drinking some tea that a maid had prepared for her.

Hmm... Now that I’ve gotten another look at her, Sandra’s actually quite beautiful when she’s just sitting quietly like this.

“I feel like you were thinking something rude just now,” Sandra said with a suspicious tone.

“N-No, not at all. I was just lost in admiration, Professor Sandra.”

“My, is that so? That would be quite nice if it were the truth,” she replied with a smile.

She’s so sharp!

Though Sandra was smiling, I could tell that she wasn’t buying my words. While she was a bit of an eccentric woman, she was incredibly astute. I was further convinced of that after having heard about her background from Garren. Perhaps her usual eccentricities had always been calculated.

No, no. That’s not possible.

“You’re thinking something rude again, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not,” I insisted. “Anyway, I would like to get to the topic I wanted to discuss.”

I turned to the maids who were in the room with us and asked them to leave because we would be having an important discussion. Then I sat across from Sandra and placed a moonflower on the table between us.

“Hm? What is this?”

“I can’t tell you what it is or where I got it from, but this plant can restore mana.”

The moment she’d heard those words, Sandra shot up from her seat, and the force of her sudden movement shook the table with a loud clang, making her teacup rattle loudly. That didn’t seem to bother her at all.

“This is a moonflower, isn’t it?” she asked, both of her hands balled tightly into fists. “I knew it. It really does exist!”

“Like I said, I can’t share its name or where I got it. I hope you understand,” I said, bowing my head apologetically. I hadn’t expected her to have such a strong reaction to the herb. It was also a surprise that she actually knew its name.

I guess she wasn’t an imperial researcher for nothing, I thought, impressed by her knowledge.

Sandra pressed a hand against her forehead and let out a sigh, then sat back down. “I apologize for losing my composure. The truth is, before I became your tutor, I was working as the chief of a research facility in the imperial capital, where I was researching mana potions.”

“I see. In that case, I think you have an idea of what I’d like to discuss.”

I was doing my best to appear calm, but internally I was utterly flabbergasted. I’d known that she’d worked at an imperial research facility in the capital, but I’d never imagined that she’d been researching mana potions in particular. With her assistance, I would probably get pretty close to making a mana potion, and I really wanted her on my team.

“I’m guessing you want to create mana potions,” she replied. “I’m a bit afraid of your incredible potential, Sir Reid. You have no idea how long it took me to even learn about moonflowers. Not only that, but I was only able to find out that they exist. I couldn’t actually get my hands on any.”

Sandra was always bursting with confidence during our lessons, but right now, she wore a slightly sorrowful look as she sat with her hands on her lap, still balled into tight fists. It felt like it was best to give her some time, so I waited for her to speak.

A few moments of silence passed before she began to detail what had happened at the capital. In an effort to create mana potions, the best magicians from across the empire had been gathered, regardless of their status, and Sandra’s research facility had been given a considerable budget. However, there was a group of nobles who had been displeased with the fact that such a large sum of money had been indiscriminately allocated to a group with such varying levels of status.

At some point, the mages began suffering from indirect mistreatment on a daily basis. The nobles found underhanded ways to hinder the researchers’ abilities to obtain materials needed for their work, and as a result, the mages fell far behind schedule. They had all arrived in the capital highly motivated to work on their research, but after facing countless issues, they had begun to grow discouraged. One after another, they’d begun quitting. As a result, Sandra had had to take responsibility as the chief and resign.

According to her, her replacement was one of the nobles who’d pushed for her resignation. Several nobles, including the emperor, had known about the group that had forced her out of her position. Unfortunately, there had been no evidence of their plans, so no one had been able to question their actions.

Regardless of the way things had played out, it was also true that the research facility hadn’t produced any results. Sandra had been deemed responsible for the lack of staff and the facility’s inability to keep their work going, and as a result, she’d had no choice but to leave. She was one of the mages who did come from a noble family and had feared that her resignation would bring harm to them, so to avoid any backlash, she had convinced her family to disown her.

Sandra explained that the most painful part of the whole situation was the upset she’d caused her family. She was the youngest of four siblings, with two older brothers and one older sister. Normally, someone in her position would have had to marry into another noble family, but Sandra’s parents and siblings had seen how much she loved magic and research and had decided that the youngest, at least, could do as she pleased, so they’d never pressured her to get married.

As she grew older, Sandra had begun publishing research papers, and both her work and expertise in magic had been acknowledged by the empire. Eventually, her efforts had led to an opportunity to work on a government research project on mana potions. Not only would she be working on an official project, but she would get to be the chief of the research facility. There was no greater honor.

Sandra had believed this would help her become someone her family could be proud of, and she’d secretly cried tears of joy over receiving such an opportunity. Unfortunately for her, her hopes had ultimately been crushed horribly. She’d been incredibly frustrated with how things had gone.

Some nobles had suggested that she should be executed or exiled for failing to fulfill orders from the empire and emperor himself, but a group of nobles led by Margrave Reiner had stopped that from happening. Since Sandra had already been disowned by the Ernest family, the emperor had agreed with my father and his cohorts, saying that her resignation was enough. After that, when she had been at her wits’ end, my father had come to her rescue.

“You’re much more brilliant than you give yourself credit for,” he’d said to her. “I would be honored to have you tutor my son.”

Upon hearing those words, something had broken inside of Sandra, and she’d bawled into his arms.

Sandra let out a bashful chuckle as she spoke of the past. “And now, I’m here,” she said, concluding her tale.

What was I to say to her? Her family had given her the chance to pursue her interest, and just when she’d thought she would have the chance to repay them for their kindness, she’d been treated cruelly and forced to take responsibility for the consequences of her own mistreatment. As a result, she’d had to break off ties with her dear family, and now she was here.

Researching mana potions had been at the center of her misfortune, yet I was trying to get her to engage with it again. Perhaps I was asking her to do something that would cause her a lot of pain. Still, I wanted to save my mother. That was something I would never give up on.

“I understand. I want you to know that I promised myself that I’m going to save my family. That’s why I need your help, no matter what.”

“Your family?” she repeated. Tears had begun to form in her eyes, and she stared at me with a puzzled look.

“I hope you’ll keep what I’m about to share to yourself,” I said as I began to explain. “My mother is suffering from mana depletion disorder. If things continue as they have been, she’s going to die in the near future. So, I’m going to make a cure, but that’s going to take some time. I want to make mana potions so my mother can live for even just the slightest bit longer, to buy some time.”

Sandra silently listened to what I had to say, and I wasn’t going to leave it at just that.

“Please, Sandra. I need your help. I’ve learned that moonflowers will help me make a mana potion, but I don’t know how to actually turn them into one. If we succeed, we’ll announce that it was a joint effort between you and the Valdia Mark and that you are the inventor.”

“That would be...” She trailed off.

There’d been a flicker in her eye when I’d said she would be named the inventor. I couldn’t back down after coming this far.

“I’m currently working with a trading company to find another herb that will be used in the cure for mana depletion syndrome. Once I get my hands on it, I should be able to create a cure, and I’ll definitely need your help when that time comes. Please, Sandra. I need your help.”

Once I finished pleading my case, I bowed my head to her.

“I understand. Please raise your head, Sir Reid. I would be happy to help you. I’d also like to return the favor of Sir Reiner’s help. I will do my best to help save Lady Nanalie.”

“Thank you! I’m beyond grateful! Thank you!!!”

I firmly grasped her hand with both of mine. Once we both managed to regain our composure, I felt a little embarrassed and sensed that my cheeks had flushed pink.

“I must say, the way that the nobles in the capital treated you sounds like it should be considered malfeasance...” I remarked.

“Well, at the time, we hadn’t discovered what ingredients could be used in the creation of a mana potion as you have done, Sir Reid. I think that some people believed that a large sum of funds was being put into researching something that would be impossible to make, which didn’t please them.”

Now that we’d both calmed down, we decided to formally discuss how we wanted to proceed. According to Sandra, there had been no information regarding moonflowers left at the imperial research facility. She’d wanted to fight back in any way she could, so she hadn’t handed over any of her research that seemed like it might be useful. She seemed quite pleased as she spoke of this.

“I believe that the current research facility is nothing more than a money sink,” she said.

“You won’t be accused of withholding information, right? You won’t get into trouble?” I was grateful to have Sandra on my side, but it would be a problem if we were accused of stealing the imperial facility’s research down the line.

“Everything will be fine,” she insisted. “First of all, I only wrote about moonflowers in my personal journals. They actually handed me all of my belongings without inspecting them, as if they were trying to say, ‘Take it and go.’ I don’t think they even know any such information exists.”

Those nobles really screwed themselves over. From the bottom of my heart, I’m grateful to those who let go of the gold mine they had their hands on.

“Got it. In that case, the next thing to sort out is a lab for our research. Where do you currently live, Sandra?”

“Sir Reiner found a place for me in town, so I currently live there. It isn’t set up for research, so it would be helpful for us to have a proper lab.”

“I think we should discuss that with the trading company. Once my father and the others are back from the capital, we can talk it over.”

“Sir Reid, I would also like to ask that you prepare as many moonflowers as possible, as well as some other medicinal herbs.”

“Okay, we can discuss that with the trading company as well. I’ll introduce you to Kris, and you can ask her for anything you need. You can have all the bills sent to me.”

“Thank you very much! I promise I’ll do my best!”

Sandra and I continued making plans after that, and it wasn’t until Garren knocked on the door that we stopped talking. Once we wrapped up our discussion, Sandra turned to me with a mischievous grin.

“By the way, you may call me ‘Sandra’ during our discussions, but during lessons, I will remain ‘Professor Sandra.’ Understood, Sir Reid?”

I found myself powerless against her fierce expression and words.

The Magnolian Empire

“We’re almost at the imperial capital,” Reiner remarked. “Are you mentally prepared for our meeting?”

“Yes,” Kris replied. “This is such a rare opportunity. I need to put my best foot forward.”

They were headed for the imperial capital and had currently stopped to rest. Traveling by horse-drawn carriage meant that stops were required every so often to give the horses a chance to recover. While the horses enjoyed their break, the travelers and their accompanying servants also relaxed.

Kris and Reiner were in separate carriages, so every time they stopped for a break, they would get together and discuss their plans. Though their audience was with the emperor and empress, they would also be surrounded by knavish nobles.

“The capital is a hotbed of corruption,” Reiner warned the elf. “Because of my position, I may not be able to take your side on every matter. You should be careful with your words and actions.”

“Yes, I am thoroughly aware of how things are in the capital,” Kris replied. “I believe excessive caution would be for the best.”

“I agree. You can never be too careful. I am as helpless as an infant when it comes to the turmoil there. I’m lucky to be a margrave, living near the borders and far from all that.”

Kris let out a wry chuckle. She truly believed that an extreme level of caution was the minimum required to survive this trip. The Magnolian Empire was perhaps the country with the longest history not only on this continent, but in the entire world. Their empire’s military strength wasn’t the sole reason for its continued rule. Their force was accompanied by reliable political strength, and both were necessary for a successful country.

Magnolia’s prowess could be seen in the way that all the neighboring countries were so careful in their affairs with them. The empire’s political and military force was so significant that their neighbors preferred to marry their royals to Magnolian nobles over royals from other countries.

Kris had heard rumors about the empire, but she’d never been fully convinced that it was such a mighty country. It was only after arriving in the Valdia Mark that she began to feel the rumors were perhaps not far off from the truth. Reid was still a very young child, and he often said outlandish things, so he wouldn’t make a suitable point of reference. However, his father Reiner was a truly brilliant man. Reiner did not judge people based on their race or status, and he did his best to ascertain their strengths.

Kris wasn’t under any delusion that every noble in the empire was like Reiner, but the fact that he was a margrave meant that he stood above almost every other noble. She believed that having such an open-minded individual with such a high status was the sort of thing that made this empire strong.

“Lady Kris, we will be departing soon,” a servant reported.

“Thank you, Emma.”

The girl was a beastkin who served the elven merchant. As a cat beastkin, she had cat ears and a tail, with black hair and distinctive feline pupils in the center of her dark-brown doe eyes. Emma was not just Kris’s attendant—she also served as her guard. She’d been serving Kris since her days at the Saffron Trading Company.

◇

“You can do this, Lady Kris!” Emma exclaimed. “I’ll support you as best I can too!”

“Yes, let’s prove our mettle to the Magnolian Empire,” Kris replied enthusiastically.

The two women were back aboard their carriage, and they looked at each other with eyes full of hope.

“The capital is coming into view,” Kris remarked.

The imperial capital of Magnolia was a fortified city. At its center was the imperial castle, which was surrounded by the aristocratic quarter, as well as the secondary residences of important members of the nobility. The aristocratic quarter was surrounded by ramparts that were roughly five meters in height, and those ramparts were surrounded by a moat. This fortification meant that one had to cross a bridge to enter the aristocratic quarter.

Across the moat was an ordinary town filled with all sorts of people coming and going, and open-air stalls and various shops lined the streets. The town was also surrounded by ramparts that were roughly four meters in height, which contributed to the sturdy fortification of the capital.

“These ramparts are so impressive no matter how many times I see them,” Kris remarked.

“They sure are,” Emma agreed. “Even the walls surrounding the royal capital of the elven territory aren’t this tall.”

From outside the capital, the ramparts were quite imposing. The downside to this impressive fortification was that it made entering the city a bit cumbersome, and it could take a while for some visitors to actually get inside.

Once the carriage was near the city gates, one of Reiner’s servants went ahead to speak to the guards. Soon after, the servant returned with the guard, and the guard looked at Kris and the other travelers.

“Your party has been authorized to proceed. Please go on ahead.”

To Kris’s surprise, both their carriages were able to enter the capital with no trouble whatsoever. “It must be nice to be a noble,” she commented.

“You said it, my lady,” Emma agreed.

It usually wasn’t this easy to enter the city. There were lots of steps before you could enter, like providing proof of travel authorization, passing a cargo inspection, and confirmation that you were traveling with the approved number of people. All of that made it a struggle just to get inside. Perhaps this was further proof of the margrave’s influence.

Once the carriages passed through the gates, a lively townscape came into view. There was a wide variety of people among the bustling crowd of travelers, merchants, and adventurers.

The carriages continued forward until at last they reached the aristocratic quarter, where entrance required another inspection. Once again, the carriages were able to easily move on thanks to Reiner. Kris was already trembling with excitement. Even the major figures in the world of trade and commerce couldn’t enter this area without connections to a noble.

Upon entering the aristocratic quarter for the first time, Kris was greeted with a luxurious and magnificent view. Everything in this part of the capital had been crafted with meticulous detail, including the buildings and the stone-paved streets. There were no stalls out on the streets, and though there were people coming and going, they were all dressed in premium garments.

“It really is a place for nobles,” Kris remarked.

From the aristocratic quarter, it didn’t take long to arrive at the castle. Reiner went ahead to arrange their entrance, while Kris’s carriage had to be inspected. This part of the process turned out to be quite stringent, and it was taking a while for Kris to pass.

Eventually, Reiner returned and told the guards, “They are trustworthy guests of mine. You understand, don’t you?”

The soldiers who had been inspecting Kris gave her nervous smiles and bowed before responding in an automatic manner.

“Please, go on ahead.”

Once inside the castle walls, Kris exited her carriage and was instructed to head to the drawing room with the margrave. So she followed Reiner with Emma by her side.

After walking for a bit, Reiner stopped and surveyed his surroundings. After confirming there was no one nearby, he leaned into Kris’s ear. “Those soldiers inspecting you outside the castle were probably working for Count Roland. I believe he’s trying to get information about the products we’re presenting to the emperor and empress. There is someone who is designated to confirm the details of our gifts to the imperial family. Don’t let your guard down.”

Kris gasped and replied, “My apologies. I will be sure to keep that in mind moving forward.”

“There’s no need to apologize,” Reiner reassured her. “I wasn’t thorough enough before coming here. I never thought we’d be under attack while going through security.”

Kris began to brace herself. She thought back to the soldiers at the entrance who’d been inspecting her carriage and what they’d said to her.

“We’ve been informed that you will be presenting merchandise to His and Her Imperial Majesties. You must show us the contents of these items so we may confirm they are safe.”

It would have been difficult to glean any information from Reiner, so it was possible that they had targeted Kris instead.

“Wouldn’t it be considered irreverent to inspect items meant for the imperial family without permission?” Emma asked with a dubious expression. She seemed equally curious about the incident.

“They would likely push the blame onto Lady Kris by insisting that she went out of her way to show off the merchandise,” Reiner explained. “If it came to it, the count wouldn’t hesitate to get rid of those soldiers.”

“That’s truly despicable,” Emma mumbled, deeply disgusted.

Though the men at the castle entrance may have been simple foot soldiers, it was nonetheless disturbing to hear that someone could toss them aside so easily.

“However, His Imperial Majesty wouldn’t consider something so trivial to be an act of irreverence,” Reiner clarified. “He might actually find fault with the other party for failing to navigate such machinations.”

Reiner seemed at once familiar with and tired of dealing with nobles. In fact, he appeared quite fed up with everything.

“All right. It’s time to steel myself,” Kris murmured in an effort to raise her spirits as she walked through the castle halls.

The group reached a door where a maid was waiting outside.

“Please wait here,” the maid instructed. “You will be summoned once Their Imperial Majesties are ready to see you.”

The room she was standing in front of appeared to be the drawing room Kris’s group had been heading for.

“My, my! Why, if it isn’t Margrave Reiner. What a coincidence it is, seeing you here.”

Reiner found the source of the voice calling out to him, and his brows furrowed ever so slightly. “Well, if it isn’t Count Roland. My apologies; it’s been a while.”

“No apology necessary,” the count replied. “You do live quite far from the capital. I’m incredibly grateful for the chance to see you. By the way, who is that beautiful lady with you?”

Count Roland was a man of average build and height. He sported brown hair and dark-brown eyes, and from the way he was looking at Kris and Emma, it was clear that he was assessing her. The most surprising part was the fact that he didn’t seem to be trying to hide his judgment of the elf and her companion, which the women found incredibly unpleasant.

Kris politely greeted him. “It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Kristie Saffron.”

“Oh, so you’re Kristie Saffron. I’ve heard rumors about you—the unruly girl who was disowned from her family after a quarrel with her older brother and fled the Saffron Trading Company.”

Kris couldn’t believe how rude the count was being to someone he’d only just met, but she wasn’t going to fall for his cheap shots. “I wasn’t aware there were such rumors going around in the capital,” she replied, still maintaining her smile. “While those rumors are completely unfounded, I’m quite curious as to how such stories could have started.”

She was desperately trying to suppress the explosive anger inside her, but Roland wasn’t going to stop provoking her.

“Hm? Just as the rumors say, that is indeed a beastkin behind you. They claim you’re as unruly as a restive horse, and it seems the rumors of two ‘animals’ getting along is true.”

Excuse me? Kris thought. She hadn’t expected him to also insult Emma. It took a moment longer for her to process what he had said, given the sudden attack on her companion, and she let out a bit of a pathetic gasp. Referring to beastkin as animals was the worst insult someone could direct at them. Roland had done so while being aware of that and flashing a vulgar grin. Kris knew that he was doing so just to upset her, and she didn’t care about insults thrown her way. But she couldn’t forgive him for insulting Emma.

Emma, for her part, was trembling with anger and sorrow, enduring the count’s horrible words. She likely believed that it was her own fault Kris had been insulted, and seeing her so hurt made Kris’s blood boil. But the moment she opened her mouth to voice her anger, Reiner stopped her.

“Count Roland, I believe that is more than enough jesting. I am unaware of such rumors. And these women are guests of the Valdia family who have accompanied me here for an audience with Their Imperial Majesties. I believe insulting guests of the imperial family is a bit imprudent even for you, sir.”

They glared at each other for a moment before Roland averted his gaze and scoffed.

“Well then, please excuse my behavior. All the rumors I’ve heard about your guests were along the lines of what I shared. It was indeed thoughtless of me to believe such gossip, Margrave Reiner.” The count then turned to Kris and Emma. “Lady Kristie, Lady Emma, I’m terribly sorry for my lack of manners. Please accept my apology.” With that, Roland bowed to them. “Well then, I have somewhere to be. Please excuse me.” He gave Reiner one final look before lightly bowing his head and heading down the hall.

“Hmph. What a boorish, deceitful man,” Reiner mumbled under his breath.

“Um, Sir Reiner, what was that about?” Kris hesitantly asked.

“That was Count Roland,” Reiner grumbled, staring in the direction the count had gone in. “He’s a man who loves power and money.”

Kris had been on the verge of falling for Roland’s cheap attempts at goading her, and Reiner had saved her from doing so.

“I’m so sorry I put you in that position, Lady Kris,” Emma said, looking as though she were about to cry.

“Don’t worry, Emma. You have nothing to apologize for,” Kris said, comforting her. Although she maintained composure, she was fuming inside.

I will never forgive that man. Count Roland and his family are officially on the Kristie Trading Company’s blacklist, where they’ll remain for eternity, along with every descendant of his.

“He was likely hoping to upset you and use that to cause further commotion in order to cancel our presentation,” Reiner suggested. “Don’t think too deeply about what he said. You’ll eventually get used to this sort of thing. Letting someone like him get to you will only make you more susceptible to manipulation.”

“You’re right. I’ll do my best.”

“Don’t worry, Their Imperial Majesties are quite normal and reasonable people.”

Kris had never been so relieved to hear that someone was “normal and reasonable.”

After the kerfuffle with Roland, the three visitors finally entered the drawing room. Reiner sat on the couch and rested while Kris and Emma inspected the chamber. Being in such a lavish room was a rare opportunity for them, and their eyes sparkled as they happily discussed the architecture and furnishings.

Some time passed before there was a knock on the door. Reiner responded, and a maid entered.

“Excuse me,” she said, bowing her head as she walked in. “His Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty are ready to see you. Please follow me.”

“It’s finally time,” Kris muttered to herself.

She followed Reiner, her chest swelling with nervousness and excitement.

Elemental Magic

“Everything is so peaceful,” I mumbled, leisurely staring up at the blue sky.

I’d left the visit to the capital in my father’s and Kris’s hands—or rather, I should say in Kris’s, since she was carrying out what would’ve been my duties.

They’re probably dealing with a lot right now.

I’d previously asked my father and Garren what the capital was like so that I could factor it into my future plans. My father had been in a surprisingly good mood, and he’d shared a lot with me. Perhaps he’d been wanting to tell someone about his experiences for a while.

I’d learned that a man named Count Roland bothered him the most. As a margrave, my father was of a higher status, but the dukes trusted Count Roland, and he was quite the scheming man, so no good could come from getting involved with him. My father was doing everything in his power to distance himself from the count.

Roland was surprisingly well-connected, and I remembered my father saying, “He’s not well-liked, but he knows a lot of people. They’re all monetary connections. Perhaps you could call them ‘coin-nections.’” Then he’d turned to me and said, “Pretty good, right?” I’d just ignored that last bit.

Anyway, since then, whenever I gave my father a status update on how things were going with the beauty products, he would tell me about his dealings in the capital.

“It’s best you learn about these things early,” he’d said, but I believed he’d just wanted to vent to me.

“After hearing all those complaints, there’s no way I’d want to go,” I mumbled aloud, thinking back to all the things my father had told me. “Yeah, definitely not.”

Even if I had been willing to go myself, it was for the best that Kris was accompanying him on this visit. When presenting our products to the imperial family, it would be important to have the perspective and opinions of a woman who had actually used the products herself. That was why my father had left me behind and traveled to the capital with her.

“I pray that they return home safely,” I muttered.

Maybe I should thank Kris somehow when she returns. I wonder if she likes sweets. I should think of what I could make and prepare it for her.

I switched gears from such thoughts and began practicing magic. Sandra wouldn’t be coming over today, which was for the best. Truthfully, I didn’t want anyone to see what I was about to do. That was why I’d made my way to an isolated area behind the mansion.

“All right, then. Let’s see if my elemental potential is actually the same as in the game.”

I was currently living in this world as Reid, and the world bore a striking resemblance to an otome game from my previous life, TokiRella! The reason I described it as being similar rather than the world of the game was because of how it felt to be here—living in this world did not feel like I was inside a video game.

Perhaps events similar to those in the game would take place here, but nothing was guaranteed. Reid, the character I’d been reincarnated as, was barely relevant to the main story, and he only ever saw the light of day if you played through the bonus content. After I’d been reincarnated and began taking action, his presence in this world had begun to change.

Though my goal was to make money so that I could live an honest life, I had developed beauty products, and now those products were going to be presented as gifts to the imperial family. That was something that never would have happened in the original game. In other words, if I treated my life in this world as a path of my own choosing, I could pave the way to a happy future. I’d confirmed it was possible through this merchandising endeavor, so I was quite motivated to pursue my goals.

“I already know I can use fire magic, so I should try water and ice next.”

There were a total of ten elements in TokiRella!: fire, water, ice, wind, earth, plant, thunder, light, dark, and nonelemental. There was also specialized magic, which I’d learned about from Sandra, but that was something I wanted to look into later.

I immediately began the process of mana conversion and built a clear image of the elements I wanted to test in my head.

◇

“Whoa, Reid’s got way better stats than I thought,” I mumbled to myself.

After some testing, I’d learned that I was proficient in every element of magic. I had to visualize ten different types of spells, which had been surprisingly difficult, so I now understood why it was helpful to have the name of a spell during that process. After all, there were ten different elements that your magic could fall under.

For example, if you wanted to cast an ice spell, thinking of the spell’s name would immediately bring the image of that spell to your mind. Without names, you would have to work backward, forming an image of the magic you wanted to cast every time.

I don’t have to shout it when I’m casting these spells, but I should come up with names for them, just for myself.

After that, I began trying all sorts of things, but it was quite difficult to come up with spell names. I decided to try thinking of some attack spells that were all based on spears. It was quite simple: The spells would just be a combination of the element and the word “spear.” For example, if I cast it as a fire spell, it would be Fire Spear, and if I cast it as a thunder spell, it would be Thunder Spear. As the name suggested, it produced an elemental spear that flew toward its target.

“All right, I’m going to try running through them all.”

I cast every elemental variation of my spear spell, checking each one as I went. Testing out every element eventually left me exhausted, and I collapsed on the spot, my limbs spread out like a starfish as I faced the sky.

“For now, I think I passed and met my goal,” I mumbled between gasps.

I enjoyed the pleasant feeling of having worked hard and was satisfied with my results. Then, there suddenly came the rustle of someone’s footsteps. Surprised, I sat up and found Mer standing there, her eyes sparkling with excitement for some unknown reason.

“Brother, you’re... You’re so amazing!!! Do it again!!!”

“Mer?! How long have you been there?”

“Ummm, well, since you made the fire come out of your hand.”

That means she saw everything. Hrm, that’s not good. I want to keep the fact that I can use every element a secret, at least for a while. I don’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to myself.

With those thoughts in mind, I decided to try to appease my sister. “You see, Mer, the spells I was using just now were different types,” I explained. “You saw all the colors, right?”

“Yeah! It was so pretty and cool!!!”

“Thanks, but I want you to keep it a secret between us.”

“Whaaat?! But it was so pretty and cool!” Mer really wanted to see me cast magic again, and she shrank with disappointment.

“Well, if you keep it a secret, I’ll read you all the picture books you want today. How does that sound?”

“Ummm, what if you do story time today and tomorrow?”

I’m impressed! I didn’t think she’d have a counteroffer! She’s so smart and cute.

“Okay, deal. I promise I’ll read to you.”

Mer seemed very pleased with my response. That day, I read to her until she fell asleep.

It wasn’t until the next day that I learned why she wanted me to read to her the following day as well. Mer had asked our mother and Garren for more picture books, and the mountain of books they’d ordered for her had arrived. Mer insisted on character voices, so after spending the entire day reading to her, my voice grew quite hoarse. It was as if I’d gone to karaoke and spent the night belting out tunes.

The following day, Mer heard my hoarse voice and brought over a picture book with a familiar title, The Four Goats Gruff.

“I think your voice would fit this story today!”

Her eyes glimmered with innocent excitement.

Their Imperial Majesties

“This lotion is absolutely lovely. Would you consider selling the recipe and production rights to the Magnolian Empire?”

In the very court where nobles from all across the empire gathered, Kris had waited patiently for the empress to open her mouth, and what came out left the elf speechless. A storm of panic began brewing within her chest. All the nervousness and excitement Kris had initially felt morphed into fear and regret.

Remind me again—who is it that said Their Imperial Majesties are normal and reasonable people?! Kris thought as she shot Reiner a resentful glare.

Reiner perhaps had noticed this, but he neither said anything nor looked Kris’s way. The elven merchant began to wonder if she was allowed to get upset...and how they’d ended up in this situation in the first place.

◇

The visitors were led out of the drawing room and into the audience chamber, where Magnolian nobles had been gathered. The atmosphere was overwhelmingly intimidating, but Reiner seemed completely unbothered, which was his default demeanor. The margrave walked forward until he was standing in front of the empty thrones and knelt.

Kris followed his example and walked up to the thrones before kneeling. She was nervous, so her movements were perhaps a bit awkward. This was the first time she had ever been in the presence of such devastating intimidation, and for some strange reason, it was exhilarating. The elf reflexively clenched her fist with a new sense of confidence.

Emma had also followed suit, but what stood out about her the most was that all the color had drained from her face. She had no idea how long she’d been kneeling for—even a short moment felt like eternity in this chamber.

From behind the group of visitors, a soldier called out, “Their Imperial Majesties have arrived!” His voice was followed by two sets of footsteps.

“Oh no, did we make you wait? My apologies,” a gallant voice said as heavy footsteps passed the group and headed for the thrones.

The second set of footsteps was much lighter and more rhythmic. After the two figures reached the thrones, they sat down with a respective thud and rustle. If the tension in the air had been fabric, it would have been pulled even more taut at this moment.

“Well met, everyone,” the emperor greeted them. “At ease.”

“It is an honor to be in your presence, Your Imperial Majesties,” Reiner immediately responded.

Since she’d simply been told to be “at ease,” Kris lifted her head but remained kneeling.

“Thank you for always traveling so far to be here,” the emperor replied. “Well then, why don’t you go ahead and introduce your guest to us?”

“Of course. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Kristie, the representative of the Kristie Trading Company, which operates within my home mark, Valdia. I have brought her with me today to present products that were made through the collaborative efforts of the Valdias and the Kristie Trading Company. I humbly request that she be allowed to speak, Your Majesty.”

“Very well, she may speak,” the emperor said. “Kristie, is it? Raise your head.”

Now that she’d received orders to do so, Kris finally looked up. The emperor sported golden-blond hair that was similar to her own, and his light-blue eyes stared at her with a powerful, dauntless gaze. The empress had pale-pink hair, and her adorable eyes were also pink. She maintained a smile and gave the impression of a very kind person. Several months ago, Kris would have never imagined greeting Their Imperial Majesties up close.

I’ve finally made it, Kris thought. The corners of her eyes grew hot as she began to feel tears forming.

“Hm? Is something the matter? Are you too nervous to speak?”

“N-Not at all,” Kris responded. “My apologies, Your Imperial Majesties. I never would have dreamed that a mere merchant such as me would have the honor of greeting Your Majesties like this, and I was overcome with emotion. I would like to formally introduce myself. I am Kristie Saffron, the daughter of Baron Martin Saffron from the Kingdom of Astoria. I currently reside in the mark of Margrave Valdia, where I operate the Kristie Trading Company. It is a pleasure to be in your presence, Your Imperial Majesties.”

Upon hearing her introduction, the emperor appeared surprised for a moment, then quickly returned to his original countenance.

“I’d heard you were previously with the Saffron Trading Company, but I had no idea that your father was ennobled.”

“My father was only bestowed a peerage very recently,” Kris explained. “It is no surprise that you were not made aware, Your Majesty. Additionally, the Saffron Trading Company hasn’t spread the news of my father’s ennoblement beyond Astoria.”

“I see. However, if you are a lady of the nobility, it is possible that we made some mistakes in how we received you.” A mean-spirited and knowing smile spread over the emperor’s face, and he glanced at Roland for just a moment.

The count took notice of the emperor’s gaze and turned bright red. Even his ears were flushed. Roland had thought that Kris was just some lowly merchant, but she’d actually been a member of another kingdom’s nobility. His behavior toward her could have caused an issue between their two countries, but as long as Kris didn’t pursue the matter, Roland would be safe. In a sense, Kris now had a card to play against the count.

Reiner had been aware of Kris’s status, but he’d thought that it could be used as a weapon, so he’d kept it to himself. That was also why he’d waited as long as possible before stepping into Roland’s and Kris’s conversation.

The empress had been sitting silently until then, and the air around her began to feel dark. “I believe that is enough, Your Majesty,” she chimed in. “I would rather see these new products already.”

“Of course!” the emperor replied. “That is indeed the purpose of this meeting. Please proceed with your presentation, Lady Kristie.”

The emperor seemed flustered by the empress’s words as he urged Kris to start her presentation. The interaction gave Kris the sense that wives were a force to be reckoned with even across borders.

“As you wish,” she replied and began her presentation.

The men in the chamber, including the emperor, had a tepid reaction to the products. In contrast, the empress, her lady-in-waiting, and the maids who’d been standing by were listening intently. They were hanging on Kris’s every word, and soon enough, every woman in the chamber had a look of awe on her face.

“The thought of having a beauty tool to heal skin that has been damaged by makeup is something that had escaped my notice,” the empress said. “You have my utmost admiration for not only coming up with such a concept but for also creating these products.”

“Thank you very much, Your Majesty,” Kris replied. “I would also like to mention that I use both the lotion and conditioner myself. I am confident that it will make Your Majesty’s hair even more beautiful than it already is.”

The empress visibly reacted to Kris’s comment that she used the products herself, and she began staring at the elf’s hair. “Would it be all right if I touched your hair?” she asked.

“Yes, of course,” Kris replied. Her hair had indeed become much smoother and more lustrous once she’d begun using the conditioner. She hadn’t noticed it herself, but some of her gestures would call attention to just how silky it was, which led to moments of increased allure. When Sir Reid had pointed it out to her, she’d gotten quite flustered for someone her age.

“Your hair is lovely,” the empress remarked. “I’ve never seen such smooth and shiny hair before. I don’t know if a man would be able to see the true value of this product.”

“Would Your Majesty be interested in trying the lotion?” Kris asked.

“Yes, I would love to.”

As Kris had expected, the empress enthusiastically agreed to try the product out, but Roland decided to interrupt.

“Your Majesty, please excuse my interruption, but I believe that from a safety standpoint, you may be putting yourself at risk by trying the product.”

There was a loud crack, and it sounded as if something had been stepped on. The emperor pressed his hand against his forehead and shook his head.

“Count Roland,” the empress began. “I believe I was speaking to Lady Kristie. Tell me, at what point did I seek your opinion?”

Count Roland had intended to lodge a complaint against Kris’s product by associating even a small possibility of danger with it, but instead he had put himself in danger. It appeared that he’d struck a nerve with the empress—and she’d only gotten started.

“It seems that you do not see the true value hidden within this product,” she lectured him. “To think that such a foolish vassal holds the title of ‘count’... Perhaps His Grace is too lenient when it comes to his vassals.”

The emperor became the collateral damage of Roland’s blunder. Everyone in the audience chamber could tell that the look on His Imperial Majesty’s face said, You’ve really done it this time, you idiot! The emperor tightly gripped the armrest of his throne, his hand shaking, and cleared his throat.

“Yes, I agree. Count Roland, you do not possess any knowledge of cosmetics. Therefore, I believe there is no opinion you can provide on this matter. You shall not interject on this matter. Understood?” The emperor spoke in a low, displeased voice, and he sounded as though he was warning the count.

All of the color drained from Roland’s face, and he gave a half-hearted nod before returning to his original position. Reiner placed a hand over his mouth and turned away from the royals before him, his shoulders trembling slightly. He probably thought Roland had gotten what he’d deserved. In fact, looking at the faces in the room would show that many of the nobles there thought the same thing. It seemed that Roland was disliked by a lot of his peers.

Once things had settled down, the subject returned to sampling the lotion. Though there was nothing dangerous about the product, it was possible that some people would find that the formula irritated their skin. Kris explained that in the event of irritation, it would unfortunately mean that person wouldn’t be able to use the lotion.

“Just to be safe, I will test it,” the empress’s lady-in-waiting volunteered, holding her hand out to Kris. The woman’s eyes were glimmering with anticipation.

The empress seemed disappointed, but her position made it difficult for her to be the first to try the product, so she stood back and watched as her lady-in-waiting tested the lotion.

“This is very good for those with dry skin, as well as those who are prone to getting cracks on their hands,” Kris remarked.

The elven merchant felt the stares of the other maids grow more intense.

“Are you trying to win the favor of every woman in this castle?” the empress asked.

“I have no such intention, Your Majesty,” Kris replied, “though, I will say that even setting aside anything I stand to gain from these products, I genuinely believe that every woman should try them at least once.”

The empress’s lady-in-waiting had finished testing the lotion during their discussion, and she began inspecting the hand that she’d used it on. Kris thought that she was perhaps imagining it, but the lady-in-waiting almost seemed like she was in a trance.

“With that, I shall proceed,” Kris said and poured some of the lotion onto the empress’s hand, instructing her to thoroughly massage it across both of her hands.

The empress followed her instructions, and after she finished massaging the product into her skin, she held a hand up toward the ceiling. “This is amazing,” she marveled. “It’s absolutely incredible. In fact, it may even be the best gift I’ve ever received.”

“I am honored, Your Majesty,” Kris replied.

The empress stared up at her hand, completely dazzled by the effects of the lotion. The very next moment, an unsettling smile replaced her look of amazement as she asked something that completely took the elven merchant by surprise.

“This lotion is absolutely lovely. Would you consider selling the recipe and production rights to the Magnolian Empire?”

And with that, we return to the present.

“Lady Kristie? Can you hear me?”

The empress’s voice brought Kris back to reality. Her mind had been wandering through the events that had led up to this moment, but now she had to steel herself and face Her Imperial Majesty.

Kris made up her mind and spoke. “Your Majesty, I am terribly sorry to say that it would be difficult to consider such a proposal. I must also note that Margrave Reiner played a role in the development of these products, so regardless of what I think, it is not a decision I can make on my own.”

“You’re wrong,” the empress replied, completely crushing Kris’s desperate attempt at a response. “Margrave Reiner is a subject of the Magnolian Empire. Therefore, the margrave must obey any command from his emperor or empress. This is your decision, Lady Kristie. So, what do you say? Will you sell the recipe and production rights to me?”

This empress is terrifying! Kris thought. She felt the strong thumps of her heart racing and glanced at Reiner for help, but he turned the other way in a very obvious manner. You useless man! She cursed the margrave internally, then let out a deep sigh and thought, I’m sorry if this doesn’t go well, Sir Reid.

She mustered the courage to speak again, carefully choosing every world. “Regarding whether I will sell the recipe and the rights, I am afraid I cannot sell them,” she said, clearly stating her refusal of the empress’s offer.

The nobles in attendance were audibly disgruntled, shouting things such as, “What a display of arrogance!” and “This is blatant disrespect!” Kris thought she heard Roland’s voice among those who had voiced their displeasure.

“My business has staked its fate on developing and selling these products. If Your Majesty intends to exploit the power of the imperial throne to take them from us, we will have no choice but to leave Magnolia. Even if I were to agree to such an offer, I would likely be expected to offer the throne the rights to any other product I develop in the future. I don’t believe I would be able to do business under such circumstances, Your Majesty.”

“Is that so...?” the empress said, trailing off as she seemed to ponder something.

Kris didn’t want the empress to repeat what she’d considered an unreasonable demand, so she came up with a compromise. “While I cannot sell the recipe or production rights to either the lotion or the conditioner, it would be my pleasure to fulfill Your Majesty’s orders with the utmost priority. Of course, we will also do everything in our power to ensure that there are no defects. This right to priority supply will be exclusive to Your Majesty. I humbly ask that this may suffice.”

Kris had always intended to prioritize any orders from the empress, but such consideration carried more weight as an actual verbal contract than an unspoken agreement. Now that she had made this promise, her business had a public responsibility to ensure that the empress always had the highest priority when it came to fulfilling orders.

After hearing Kris’s suggestion, the empress stared right into the elf’s eyes for a few moments. Eventually, a cheerful smile appeared on her face. “Very well. It is indeed unfortunate, but I will accept this ‘right to priority supply.’”

Despite stating that the merchant’s response was unfortunate, the empress seemed thoroughly pleased with the outcome of their negotiations. The nobles in the chamber voiced their disbelief at the empress’s reaction, crying, “Your Majesty!” and “Are you quite sure?!”

In contrast to the shock on display, the empress remained dignified as her voice resonated through the chamber. “All is well. Nothing that Lady Kristie said is untrue. If royals begin stripping the people of their rights, this empire will be forsaken by its subjects and make its way toward destruction. We should use this opportunity to stringently reassess matters of rights and privileges, both for the sake of those affected by such matters and any wonderful products that may be created in the future.” She slowly turned to the emperor and gave him a meaningful look. “Do you agree, Your Grace?”

“The empress is right,” His Imperial Majesty announced to the chambers, standing up as if he had been waiting for her signal. “Moving forward, we will be more rigorous when reviewing matters of rights and privileges. Naturally, the production rights of conditioner and lotion, as well as any associated privileges, will belong to the Kristie Trading Company and the Valdia Mark. Are we in agreement?”

The nobles gathered in the chamber all silently bowed their heads in agreement with the emperor’s words. After the emperor finished his declaration, the empress turned to Kris and gave her a playful wink as if to say Sorry about that!

Kris scowled as she slowly turned to face Reiner, but he looked away again, not trying in the slightest to hide that he was avoiding her gaze.

Were Reiner, the emperor, and the empress working together this whole time? Kris wondered. Did the empress only make such an unreasonable request so they could set this precedent?

As that thought crossed her mind, she remembered the satisfied look on Her Imperial Majesty’s face after they had come to an agreement and realized that the empress had never wanted the recipe or the rights to the production of her products. She had simply wanted to secure priority rights to those products, or some other proportional benefit.

Kris slowly looked back at the empress to confirm whether her suspicions were correct. The monarch was hiding her mouth with a fan, but it was clear from her eyes that she was smiling. After looking back at the events of that day, Kris figured that she was the only one who hadn’t been privy to this plan and that she’d been dancing in Their Majesties palms. The empress had not only got what she’d wanted, but they had succeeded in using Kris to rein in the behavior of the other nobles.

Kris thought back to what Reiner had said on their journey: “The capital is a hotbed of corruption.”

Upon realizing that she’d been fooled by this whole charade, Kris’s pride as an experienced merchant was slightly injured.

I never want to come to this castle again, she thought sincerely.

◇

Kris was beyond exhausted after the events that had taken place. The group had returned to the drawing room, and she was now sitting on a couch. All the color had drained from her face as she sat with her head hanging.

“Are you all right, Lady Kris?”

The elf’s experience in the audience chamber had been a series of shocking events. She’d had to stand in the middle of the room, surrounded by the most prominent nobles in the empire, and greet Their Imperial Majesties. After that, she had given a presentation on the products they’d brought as gifts, which had led to some stressful negotiations. At the end of it all, she’d realized that the entire situation had been planned from the start and that she had been the only actor in that performance who hadn’t been aware of the scheme. Some may say that in order to deceive your enemies, you must first deceive your allies.

“You did very well, Kristie,” Reiner said, but Kris just shot him a resentful glare. “That’s why I warned you of the dangers in the capital and to not let your guard down.”

Kris just internally complained, You just got to sit back and enjoy the show. That wasn’t a matter of keeping my guard up. It was foul play!

The elf let out a deep sigh and said in an exasperated tone, “I think that was the most exhausting day of my life.”

The moment she finally relaxed, there was a sudden knock on the door.

“Their Imperial Majesties have arrived,” a maid announced.

Kris immediately shot up from the couch and faced the door with her head lowered as she began panicking. What’s going on? I thought we were done talking!

The door opened, and Kris heard the emperor.

“As you were,” he said in a kind voice. “I’m sorry for bothering you while you are resting.” His tone was completely different from how he’d spoken in the audience chamber. “I’d like some privacy.”

With that, he excused everyone aside from Kris, Emma, and Reiner. The only people remaining in the drawing room were the three visitors and Their Imperial Majesties.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to properly introduce myself earlier,” the emperor said. “I’m Arwin Magnolia. It’s a pleasure to properly meet you.”

“I’m his wife, Matilda Magnolia.”

After elegantly introducing themselves to Kris, the expressions on their faces relaxed. Even after they had excused the staff, Kris never imagined that they would formally greet her, which left her flustered.

“Why don’t we sit down for now, so we can talk?” the emperor suggested.

His imposing presence had dissipated, and his sternness transformed into cheerfulness. Reiner and Kris did as the emperor suggested and sat on the couch, and Emma stood behind them by the wall. The imperial couple sat across from their visitors and proceeded to speak.

“Lady Kristie, I would like to apologize for involving you in our plans today,” the emperor said.

“There is no need for any apologies, Your Majesty,” Kris replied. “I assure you that I am all right. Also, if you would like, please feel free to refer to me as ‘Kris.’ The results of our discussion today are favorable to me as well. If anything, I should be offering you my gratitude.”

“Oh?” the emperor replied, intrigued by her statement.

The elf was correct that their negotiations had been set up for her own benefit and that of the Valdia Mark. The emperor and empress had publicly acknowledged and protected their production rights to the two products. Thanks to their plan, it would be difficult for other nobles to meddle with Kris’s and the Valdias’ business. Some of the nobles, including Count Roland, would have wanted privileges as well, so if such a discussion hadn’t taken place, there was no telling what sort of machinations those nobles would be brewing already. Just imagining the schemes they would’ve come up with made Kris’s head ache.

“I knew you would understand the intention behind that performance,” the empress praised her. “It really helped that you were able to properly answer my questions. Your resolve and courage were quite impressive, Kris. I would love to have you as a lady-in-waiting. What do you think of that? Would you consider it?”

“While I deeply appreciate your kind words, I’ve become quite indebted to Margrave Reiner. I also have my business, for which I am the representative. Therefore, I must regretfully decline your generous offer.”

Though a life in the imperial castle would be one of luxury and splendor, Kris felt much more at home as a merchant than participating in such politics, so she did her best to gently turn down the empress.

“My, my. After what you saw in the audience chamber today, you must already know that I am not one who would back down that easily.”

“You have quite the sense of humor, Your Majesty.”

The empress just giggled, seeming to enjoy the banter. For the merchant, this interaction was draining what remained of her mental energy. After some lighthearted conversation, the royals proceeded to explain the events that had led up to that day in detail:

When the Kristie Trading Company first completed their prototypes of the lotion and conditioner, Reiner secretly gifted samples to the imperial couple. Arwin, the emperor, wasn’t convinced of their worth, but as soon as Matilda, the empress, used them, she saw the incredible value of the products and immediately ordered all of her ladies-in-waiting, as well as anyone who was aware of them, to keep silent. Despite her efforts to keep things quiet, the information made it to the ears of some nobles. A rumor that the gifts from Valdia Mark were quite valuable began to spread.

Some nobles were quite sensitive to matters of privilege. They knew that being even the slightest bit privileged to any enterprises would allow them to earn profits without lifting a finger. However, the more people who gained from the profits and benefits earned by a business, the more expensive the products became. One wrong move could negatively affect the spread of a potentially successful item.

Matilda thought about how she should navigate the situation and settled on acknowledging the production rights and privileges of the Kristie Trading Company and the Valdia Mark in a setting where the empire’s nobles would be gathered. She also wanted to establish a relationship with the Kristie Trading Company so that they could build new distribution channels.

As for the issue of privileges, other nobles had been trying to intervene for a while, so the imperials wanted to kill two birds with one stone by using this incident as a precedent to be stricter moving forward. The royals got Reiner involved in their plan, and together they set the stage for their performance. The emperor and Reiner were initially troubled, unable to understand the reason the empress was so persistent in pursuing this matter. However, after giving it some more thought, they realized that these products were quite incredible, considering how excited they’d made the empress and her ladies-in-waiting, though they acknowledged that they could never understand just how valuable these products were. Little did they know that the empress and her ladies-in-waiting were working so hard because they wanted to secure lotion and conditioner for their own use.

It was clear to the empress that the moment the incredible properties of this product became public knowledge, royals, duchesses, and countesses would all be fighting to get their hands on them. Being the empress put Matilda in a difficult position. She wasn’t able to move freely around the empire. If the lotion and conditioner went to market in a standard fashion, the duchesses and countesses who had the best access to shops would buy out all the available stock. In order for her to secure a guaranteed supply for herself, she had to come to an agreement with Kris on the day of the presentation.

Still, simply demanding that she receive priority treatment with regard to the beauty products would be an abuse of her authority and set a bad example for the other nobles. That was why she had driven Kris into a corner and gotten her to commit to prioritizing delivery of the products to her. The truth was, out of everyone who had been in attendance at today’s presentation, Matilda was the one who’d most strongly wanted it to succeed. Aside from the empress’s ladies-in-waiting, no one could have known about her desire.

“I see,” Kris replied upon hearing details from the imperials. “It is a relief to know that the situation was what I expected.”

She felt at ease knowing that her reading of the situation had been nearly spot-on. Now that Kris understood the reasons for their scheming, an adorable smile that was unexpected from a force like the empress appeared on Matilda’s face, softening the atmosphere in the drawing room. It was only then that Kris remembered something she’d been curious about.

“While I understand the reasons for the events that took place today, what was Your Majesty planning to do if I had agreed to sell the recipe and production rights?”

“Why, I would have naturally purchased them at a price they deserved. In fact, I’d be happy to buy them right now if you’ve changed your mind.” The empress pressed her hands together in front of her face and gave Kris a beaming smile.

I think she’s dangerous after all, Kris thought.

“Well then, that seems to settle the matter of the gifts,” the emperor said. “I have some things to discuss alone with Reiner. You still have things you’d like to discuss with Kris, don’t you, Matilda?”

“Yes, I would very much like to discuss the ‘right to priority supply’ that came up in the audience chamber,” the empress replied.

Kris had been taking a sip of tea, which she choked on and began coughing. The emperor and Reiner smiled wryly in response, then left the drawing room. Now, the only people present were Kris, Emma, Matilda, and Matilda’s lady-in-waiting.

“My, Kris. You haven’t forgotten about what you said in the audience chamber, have you? Or perhaps you haven’t forgotten, but it wasn’t a serious offer?”

“No, no. I have no such intentions,” Kris reassured her. “I simply did not expect that Your Majesty would want to discuss the details today.”

“I apologize. As the empress, I don’t have a lot of free time. That’s why I’d like to finalize things right away. Melia, please prepare some paper and ink.”

The empress’s lady-in-waiting immediately produced some ink and paper and placed them on the table that was between the two couches.

How long has she had those ready? Kris wondered.

The empress’s claim that she didn’t have much availability was partially true, but it was also partially a lie that she was using to finalize a contract with Kris on the spot. Kris was aware of that, but she was overwhelmed by how quickly the empress had taken action.

I would never want to be business competitors with her, Kris thought.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” the empress suddenly exclaimed. “I have something important I wanted to say to you, Kris. When we’re alone, you should refer to me as ‘Matilda.’”

The empress’s suggestion made Kris break out in a cold sweat, and she desperately tried to find the words to politely decline. “We are in the company of your lady-in-waiting, as well as my attendant. I wouldn’t dare refer to Your Majesty with such informality.”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about Melia. Also, I’d like to get to know your attendant as well.” The empress then turned to face Emma. “You should call me ‘Matilda’ as well. Understood?”

“Yes, Lady Matilda,” Emma hesitantly responded.

The fact that the empress had spoken directly to her was nerve-racking enough for Emma, and now she had been ordered to casually refer to the empress by her first name. Emma had turned completely pale. The intensity hidden behind the smiling empress’s eyes made her freeze up like a frog being hunted by a snake, and the great serpent quickly swallowed her whole.

“Very well then, Lady Matilda...” Kris hesitantly conceded. “I must insist that this only be in situations where we are truly alone.”

“Of course,” Matilda agreed. “Thank you.”

She gave Kris and Emma a carefree and adorable smile, but all the two of them could see before them was a menacing serpent.

They proceeded to discuss the details of the contract to guarantee priority delivery of the beauty products to Matilda, and Kris was completely at the mercy of the empress. By the time they finished negotiating, Kris had been entirely drained of energy, and her soul was on the verge of leaving her body.

The Emperor and the Margrave

“Phew, today sure was exhausting, Reiner,” Arwin said upon entering the drawing room.

“It was indeed,” Reiner replied. “However, the reactions from the nobles here in the capital were quite entertaining. I was especially amused by the comical expressions on Count Roland’s face.”

“I didn’t expect Matilda to be so aggressive in her approach,” the emperor admitted. “But as a result, we now have established rules about the interference of nobles in matters of privilege. In terms of being able to rein in the behavior of nobles, the performance today was a great success.”

Arwin and Reiner were in a drawing room separate from the one they’d been in with Kris and Matilda. The castle was equipped with several drawing rooms to accommodate multiple guests and different uses. The room the two men were currently in was under strict guard to ensure that their voices wouldn’t be heard by anyone outside.

The two men sat on sofas across from each other, a table between them. On the table were two cups of freshly poured tea, with steam wafting up from them.

“I have to ask, what’s going on in your mark? I doubt just anyone could come up with products like lotion and conditioner. You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”

“Who knows,” the margrave replied. “Even if I was hiding something, I wouldn’t dare share the secrets of my own mark.”

“That’s understandable,” the emperor said with a chuckle.

Arwin and Reiner were old friends who had known each other since early childhood. They now had appearances to keep up, so they only had limited amounts of time available to get together. Even so, they continued to make time for each other so they could let off some steam.

“I think that’s enough small talk,” Reiner said. “I’m guessing you have another troublesome matter to deal with?”

“That’s right,” the emperor said with a sigh. He let out a wry chuckle before continuing. “A certain kingdom has approached us regarding marrying one of their own into either the imperial family or a noble family of the second-highest status.”

“Your eldest son is around the same age as Reid, right? And you’ve also got a younger son.”

“Yes. Under normal circumstances, they would be the candidates for such an arrangement, but the nobles who want their own daughters to become the princess won’t stand for that. The sons of all the dukes have also declined such a marriage proposal.”

“In that case, the remaining candidates are Margrave Glade’s family and mine.”

There were two territories that were designated as marks within the Magnolian Empire. The land under the rule of Magnolia spanned from east to west of the continent, so the marks were on the eastern and western borders of the empire and other neighboring countries.

“Margrave Glade is also unable to accept this offer,” Arwin revealed.

“What do you mean by that?” Reiner said, anger faintly apparent in his tone. He could accept that it was difficult for someone from a foreign kingdom to marry into the imperial family. Arwin had to consider the succession of the throne, as a princess would be the future empress. It wasn’t a decision that could be made lightly. However, what reason could the dukes and Margrave Glade have to refuse such a proposal? Did they not understand their responsibilities as nobility of this empire?

Arwin sensed the frustration in Reiner’s tone and continued speaking in a solemn voice. “Margrave Glade is much too old to accept the offer himself, and it would be equally difficult for his sons, considering their ages. The proposal is regarding the princess of Lenarute, who is still a young child.” The emperor sighed as he pressed his hand against his forehead and shook his head.

“That sounds like quite a difficult problem,” Reiner remarked.

The Kingdom of Lenarute was a neighboring country that bordered the Valdia Mark. It was a kingdom with a unique culture that was not only prone to cultivating all varieties of plants, including medicinal herbs, but had also developed advanced farming technologies. Lenarute bordered both Magnolia and the kingdom of Valst.

The reason Arwin was facing such a dilemma could be traced back to the Valst Incident, which had taken place several years ago. At the time, there had been some trouble between the kingdoms of Lenarute and Valst. Lenarute was a country that was surrounded by mountains and forests, which had resulted in the development of their unique culture. In terms of their military strength, each member of the army boasted incredible combat abilities, making them a formidable opponent even in the face of the powerful Magnolian Imperial Army.

The most notable skill of the Lenarute army was their thorough knowledge of the mountains and forests. Fighting in an environment favorable to them could lead to unimaginable numbers of casualties. On the other hand, Valst was a kingdom that bordered the coast, which provided trade opportunities. This led to Valst obtaining incredible economic power and allowed them to trade with a large portion of the world. Valst utilized this financial advantage to strengthen their army, and these days, the nation was known for having had a sudden spike in growth.

On top of their growing power, Valst was a kingdom where it was legal to sell and buy nonhuman races as slaves. As a result, the population was quite diverse. This slave trade was the reason for the problems that had occurred between Lenarute and Valst.

Lenarute was a kingdom ruled by dark elves, and there were a considerable number of kidnappings carried out by malicious traffickers from Valst. The government of Lenarute naturally lodged complaints with the government of Valst, but all they were offered was a promise to strengthen their regulations regarding the slave trade, and they took no action toward resolving the matter.

Valst was reluctant to aid Lenarute’s efforts because dark elves were extremely valuable slaves. After Lenarute’s government made an official complaint, dark elves were no longer publicly sold as slaves, but they continued to be traded in backroom deals, which only worsened the relationship between the two kingdoms. Eventually, things had gotten so volatile that the kingdoms had reached a breaking point.

However, if the situation were to devolve into war, Lenarute would be at a military disadvantage, and they could not invade Valst. Similarly, if Valst were to invade Lenarute, they would have to fight in the mountains or forests that would surely be full of local soldiers ready to battle. Therefore, the two nations remained in a deadlock.

Despite the standstill, traffickers from Valst continued their illicit kidnapping of dark elves. The government of Lenarute was at a complete loss, so they reached out to Magnolia for aid. The request for help led to heated debates within Magnolia over which kingdom to side with.

In the end, Magnolia decided to side with Lenarute when Lenarute agreed to become a vassal state, which gave the empire power over not only its territory, but also its technology and people. Lenarute, in turn, had agreed to such terms due to its geography. Since it was surrounded by mountains and forests, the kingdom had no access to coastlines and was thus unable to manufacture salt. They therefore had to rely on exports out of Valst or Magnolia. Once the relationship between Valst and Lenarute had grown contentious, Valst had stopped exporting salt to Lenarute—in other words, they’d placed an embargo on the salt trade there. As a result, the cost of salt in Lenarute had soared. During this turmoil, a confidential missive from Magnolia had arrived in Lenarute, which shared that Valst had approached them in an attempt to stop them from exporting salt to Lenarute too.

The Magnolian Empire was in a position of strength, and they used the opportunity to offer their full support to Lenarute on condition that the elven kingdom agreed to become a vassal state. Magnolia also notified Lenarute that if the kingdom were to decline this offer, they would give in to Valst’s demands and stop exporting salt. As a result, Lenarute agreed to all of Magnolia’s terms. To the public, the two kingdoms had formed an alliance, but secretly, Lenarute had become a vassal state of the empire.

The only people in Magnolia who knew the true nature of the countries’ relationship were members of the royal family and nobles with the title of duke or margrave. Leaking such classified information would undoubtedly be punished by execution. Magnolia publicly announced that they had formed an alliance with Lenarute, and the empire immediately began pressuring Valst to solve all issues plaguing the other kingdom, including the malicious kidnappings carried out by traffickers.

The kingdom of Valst knew that they couldn’t take on both Magnolia and Lenarute, and dark elves were finally prohibited from being traded as slaves. All of the dark elves who had been kidnapped into Valst’s slave trade were subsequently freed.

After this incident, the relationship between Magnolia and Lenarute greatly improved. Because they had formed an alliance, Magnolia was able to avoid any criticism regarding their interference in a matter between other nations. Valst and Lenarute had been fish in troubled waters, and Magnolia was the fisherman that had benefited from their struggle.

Additionally, despite the fact that Lenarute was a vassal state, Magnolia allowed the elven kingdom to maintain its autonomy. The empire only maintained the right to review and receive reports on any final decisions regarding administration of the state. As a result, Lenarute continued to publicly operate in the same way it always had, while the royal family were puppets of the Magnolian Empire.

The current issue was a proposal of marriage between the king’s daughter and a high-ranking noble from Magnolia in the name of strengthening their alliance. In actuality, the Magnolian who agreed to the proposal would be accepting a hostage from Lenarute. This had actually been something agreed upon in the secret contract between the two countries.

The proposal also offered benefits to Magnolia. If the empire succeeded in adding the royal bloodline of Lenarute to one of its own noble families, they would likely be able to have a say in future matters of succession within the other nation. Because of that, Arwin had originally thought to marry his younger son, the second prince, to the princess of Lenarute, but the dukes who were aware of the classified agreement opposed the decision.

Things would have been different if the second prince were to take a Magnolian noble as his wife and the princess as his concubine, but the dukes argued that there was no benefit to the second prince taking the princess of a vassal state as his lawful wife. They likely argued this out of a desire to have one of their own daughters marry into the royal family, but regardless of their motives, their logic was sound. That didn’t resolve anything though, because none of the dukes wished for their sons to marry the princess of Lenarute either.

The emperor could indeed force one of them to allow the princess to marry one of their sons, but that would make the nobles antagonize him. Arwin also realized that a child who had the blood of both the royal family of Lenarute and a prominent family in Magnolia could pose a danger. If things weren’t handled properly, the child’s claims to power could cause new factions to form within the central government.

“In other words, your son is the only appropriate candidate to marry the princess, Reiner.”

Arwin had first explained the surrounding circumstances of the empire’s relationship to Lenarute. He’d cut off any exit routes before delivering the news to Reiner. As he’d been listening to the emperor, Reiner’s brows had gradually furrowed into a proper scowl. Now, having heard everything, the margrave simply looked up at the ceiling and exhaled. Seeing his reaction, Arwin was confident that his dear friend could successfully solve the issue. Satisfied that this weight was off his shoulders, he took a sip of his tea.

“You could just take the princess as your concubine,” Reiner remarked.

The emperor choked on his tea.

“What part of our conversation just now led you to think that?!”

Arwin hadn’t expected those words from his friend, and after choking on his tea, he was now having a coughing fit.

Reiner continued, his anger now obvious. “You already have Matilda as the empress consort, so you could solve this by taking the princess from Lenarute as your concubine. Just watch over her until the time is right. Yes, that is good. This is what you should do.”

“You’re provoking me on purpose, aren’t you? Besides, I could never take such a young girl as a concubine. She’s similar in age to my own children. Even if I were to do something like that, Matilda would likely have me assassinated.”

Reiner chuckled. “‘Even if’ you did? Does that mean you do have an interest in child brides?”

“Watch yourself, Reiner,” Arwin said, furrowing his brows. “You know that disrespecting the emperor is a punishable offense.”

“In that case, go ahead and punish me. I understand the relationship you have with Lenarute and the prominent noble families in the empire. I may be your friend, but I am also a margrave responsible for protecting the borders of this kingdom. You’ve made a decision on this matter without so much as a single consultation and brought it to me, a noble with a vital role in this empire. What is the meaning of this? People often forget that manners are important, even between good friends. However, in this matter, you should have discussed this with me much sooner—not as a conversation between friends, but as a formal discussion between the emperor and a margrave. Am I wrong?”

Being a noble, Reiner understood why the emperor had said what he’d said. However, from his perspective as a parent, he was being told that a decision had been made to force his child into a marriage that was guaranteed to be a difficult relationship to navigate. Reiner was offended that Arwin was naive enough to think that he would accept such terms simply because they were friends. That was why he had to speak candidly to the emperor—not just as his friend, but also as a parent and a noble in his court.

The emperor fell silent for a moment before he responded. “No, you’re not. This is indeed something I should’ve brought to you as a formal discussion. I apologize.”

As Arwin had admitted, Reiner’s assertions were correct. Dukes and margraves differed in title and roles, but they were of equal standing in Magnolia. It was only natural for Reiner to feel that he was being disrespected as a margrave if the emperor had made a decision with the dukes’ input, but not the margraves’.

“Next time, make sure to discuss things with me before making a decision,” Reiner huffed. “I have to put my life on the line just to complain to His Majesty.”

The emperor chuckled. “Got it. I’ll do that from now on.”

After he finished speaking, a look of exhaustion appeared on Reiner’s face, and he let out a heavy sigh. Arwin saw how exasperated his friend was and simply laughed.

Specialized Magic

Several days had passed since my father and Kris had left for their presentation to the emperor and empress, and I received a letter from each of them. I immediately headed to my room to read them. As far as I could tell, the presentation had been a success.

Kris’s letter was mostly filled with complaints about how I’d off-loaded my responsibilities onto her. There were also some extreme statements sprinkled throughout.

“Count Roland has been banned from my shop,” her letter read.

This count, whom I’d never even met before, had suddenly been banned from the Kristie Trading Company. My father’s letter contained plenty of complaints about Count Roland as well.

Just what kind of trouble is this guy getting himself into?

“Empress Matilda is terrifying,” Kris’s letter said. “She’s dangerous.”

Such a statement on its own could lead to Kris being charged with insolence toward the throne. I hadn’t heard much about Empress Matilda from my father, but perhaps I could ask Kris to tell me about her once she was back.

“Margrave Reiner kept looking the other way the whole time,” the letter detailed. “Also, I was the victim of a surprise attack.”

What does any of that mean?! My father was looking away? A surprise attack? None of that makes sense!

“Before she left, Kris seemed pretty excited about visiting the capital,” I remarked. “I wonder what happened.”

She had been happy about the opportunity after members of the Saffron Trading Company had told her that she was “paving the way to do business in the same region as humans.” That enthusiasm was nowhere to be found in her letter, which instead emitted a dark and menacing aura.

She definitely wasn’t of sound mind when she wrote this.

The Kris I knew was a much more intelligent person. I decided not to think about it much longer.

My father’s letter discussed the following: the presentation was a success, the empress had taken a liking to Kris, and the Kristie Trading Company and Valdia Mark had secured the privileges to the profits from the presented products. There was one line at the end of his letter that was slightly concerning.

“When I return, there is something important we must discuss.”

Just as I finished reading both letters, there was a knock on my door. I answered, and Garren entered.

“Lady Sandra is waiting for you at the training grounds,” Garren announced. “What would you like to do?”

“Oh, please tell her that I’m getting ready and will be there right away!”

“Very well,” Garren replied and left the room.

I put away the letters and changed into clothes that would be more comfortable to move around in, then I headed for the training grounds.

“You’re late, Sir Reid!” Sandra pointed a stern finger at me with her left hand, her right sharply pressed against her hip.

It’s impolite to point at people.

“I apologize for my tardiness, Professor Sandra.”

“There’s no need to apologize,” she reassured me. “I’m just going to make your training that much harder.”

Why is there always the tiniest bit of poison in her words?

Although that thought was on my mind, I actually didn’t mind it. After hearing about what Sandra’s time in the capital had been like and asking for her help in making a mana healing potion, it felt like we’d grown a bit closer—like we were siblings, which I found quite fun.

Our lesson today began with me practicing mana conversion under her guidance. In order to cast spells, I needed to increase my mana capacity, so I was doing my conversion drills every day. When Sandra was here, she would check whether I was effectively performing mana conversion and correct any mistakes I was making, so I improved a lot when she was supervising me.

Once we were done with the drills, I told her that I wanted to learn more about specialized magic.

“It’s normally a bit soon for that, but I think you may be all right, Sir Reid.”

We moved to one of the training ground rooms that was equipped with a blackboard, and Sandra began her lecture.

“The main prerequisite for casting elemental magic is having elemental potential. Currently, there have not been any people confirmed to have absolutely no elemental potential. Everyone has at least some. This is the most up-to-date understanding of magic theory. Even if you didn’t have any elemental potential, theoretically you should still be able to cast nonelemental spells. Anyone can cast magic as long as they practice. Any questions so far?”

Sandra was wearing glasses right now even though she normally didn’t. They really suited her.

I swiftly raised my arm to ask a question. “Professor Sandra, why don’t you normally wear glasses?”

“What? Because...well, Sir Reiner saw me remove my glasses once and said, ‘You look better without them.’ Wait, what are you making me say?! This is a lecture on magic theory! Keep your questions on the topic of magic!”

“Okaaay,” I replied.

She had unintentionally answered my question, and her face had gotten bright red with embarrassment.

Is my father aware of the effects of his words?

Sandra cleared her throat before continuing the lecture. “Elemental potential is necessary to cast elemental magic. In that case, does specialized magic require a special type of potential? Please answer, Sir Reid!”

“Erm...I don’t know!” I answered honestly.

I knew about elemental magic from the game I’d played during my previous life, but specialized magic was something I had only learned about after coming to this world. I had no better response than to honestly say that I didn’t know.

“It’s important to be able to admit when you don’t know something,” Sandra praised me. “In that case, I will tell you the answer: You don’t need anything. There’s no special potential required.”

“What? So anyone can use specialized magic?”

“Well, not exactly. In order to do so, you must go through countless hours of practice. After that, you can cast either a spell you made yourself or one that someone has imparted to you.”

I can make up my own spells?

As soon as I learned of that possibility, I grew incredibly excited. I’d already come up with my own attack spells, but the thought of creating even more specialized magic really tickled me.

“When casting attack spells, it’s necessary to have a clear image of the spell in your mind. Does the same apply to specialized magic?” I asked.

“Yes, it does,” Sandra replied. “However, compared to attack spells, specialized magic requires an even clearer image and more mana. Even if you have a strong image of the spell you’d like to cast, if you don’t have enough mana, you won’t be able to do it. The same goes for having enough mana but not a clear enough image.”

“So attack spells can be cast with proper mana conversion and a clear image,” I summarized. “Specialized magic requires mana conversion, a high mana capacity, and an extremely clear image of the spell. Is that correct?”

“That’s exactly right. As I expected, you grasp concepts quite quickly, Sir Reid.”

In that case, I should be able to come up with all the spells I want as long as I have the mana capacity to cast them.

My heart was racing with excitement, but before I could get too carried away, I realized that I didn’t know how much mana would be required for specialized magic.

It might be nice to come up with a spell or tool that measures someone’s mana.

“Finally, we’ll discuss the imparting of specialized magic to others. By passing down the details needed to cast a specialized spell, it will be relatively easier for the learner to cast it.”

“Huh?”

I’d unintentionally let out quite the pathetic sound. I trusted Sandra’s knowledge, so her explanation was likely correct, but the term “impart” felt a bit too strong to describe the scenario she had detailed.

In other words, anyone can cast a spell I’ve made up if I tell them how.

Sandra seemed to pick up on what I was thinking, and she resumed her lecture. “Of course, imparting spells isn’t a foolproof method,” she explained. “The person doing so must have a substantial mana capacity, and so must the learner. Even if the spell has been shared correctly, if the learner doesn’t have enough mana, they won’t be able to cast it. Also, only the creator of a spell can impart it to others.”

“So, if I were to create a spell, I could impart it onto you,” I said. “However, you wouldn’t be able to impart that spell to anyone else?”

“That’s exactly right,” Sandra replied. “For example, the spell I cast on you during our first lesson was something that I created, so I could impart it to you.”

I see. I wonder if it’s only specialized magic that can be shared with others. I feel like attack spells should work, so long as the learner has the appropriate elemental potential.

“I should mention that when it comes to the scope of specialized magic that can be created, we don’t know the limits of what is possible,” Sandra explained. “Since the limits are unknown, creating specialized magic is a process of using mana to test whether a spell is possible. Is that clear so far?”

Sandra seemed to get to a stopping point in her lecture, and she pushed her glasses up while wearing a smirk.

“I have a question!” I said, shooting my arm into the air.

“Go ahead, Sir Reid,” she said in an amused tone.

“I understand how to impart specialized magic to others. Your explanation suggests that elemental magic can also be imparted. Is that correct?”

“Good catch, Sir Reid,” Sandra said. “That’s correct—elemental magic can also be imparted to others. However, the learner must have an appropriate amount of mana in order to cast the spell. That means that they must have gone through proper training. Also, imparting a spell uses an exorbitant amount of mana each time, so it isn’t a very effective method to learn magic. If I were to impart specialized magic to you right now, I would probably be so exhausted that I’d have to be on bed rest for the remainder of the day.”

Sandra never seemed to break a sweat, no matter how many spells she cast. For her to be completely drained after imparting a spell meant that rather than the imparter needing a large mana capacity, it would perhaps be more correct to say that imparting a spell used up all of one’s remaining mana.

“That brings us to the end of my explanation of specialized magic. Do you have any other questions?”

I began going over the explanation in my mind once more, and Sandra seemed incredibly pleased to see that. She had mentioned before that it was rare for someone to be as passionate about magic as I was, so she looked after me as if I were an apprentice of hers, in a lot of ways.

“No, I’m all right. Thank you very much,” I said, bowing my head to her.

“A noble’s son shouldn’t bow his head so thoughtlessly,” Sandra warned me, but on her face was a beaming smile.

“Professor Sandra, I’d like to change the subject,” I said. I was cleaning up the materials we’d used for the lesson, and I’d decided to just jump right into the next topic on my mind. “How is the development of the mana potion going?”

I’d handed off the moonflowers to her several days ago, and Sandra had requested that I prepare a research lab. She’d also said that until the lab was ready, she would do what was possible with her current means.

“I’ve done what research I can,” she replied. “I was able to confirm that the moonflowers do indeed have mana-restoring properties. The next step is to figure out how to extract the restorative component of the herbs, and how that can be concentrated. Those will be difficult without the proper facilities and tools.”

“I understand. By the way, what is the final form of the potion going to be? Will it be a standard liquid, or will it instead be powdered or in a capsule?”

I’m assuming it’ll either be like a nutritional drink or some kind of capsule supplement.

I’d tried eating the raw moonflower once, and it had made me feel as if some of my mana had been replenished. However, the flavor was intensely acrid and gave me the feeling that I was eating pure grass, so I never wanted to eat it raw again. Because of that experience, I personally wanted to avoid the standard liquid potion and have it in a different form.

Sandra gasped as if she’d just realized something and said, “I’d completely overlooked that... In order to suppress Lady Nanalie’s symptoms, it may be best to make capsules or a powdered medicine over a potion. I apologize. I’d only been thinking about what processing methods might produce the most effective medicine.”

Sandra apologetically bowed her head, which made me flustered.

“I-I didn’t mean to criticize your process at all. There’s no need to apologize. Please, raise your head.”

Upon hearing my words, a roaring fire of motivation began burning in Sandra’s eyes.

“Thank you very much!!! I’m going to start working on a prototype drug right away!!! I’m going to head home immediately and start my research!!!”

After enthusiastically announcing her plans, Sandra briskly ran off.

“What?! What about the rest of our lesson?!” I called out to her back.

“I’m sorry!!! Please keep studying on your own!!!” she yelled, her voice growing more distant.

Studying...on my own? Oh, also, isn’t the way her voice sounds an example of the doppler effect?

That was the thought in my mind as I watched Sandra disappear into the distance.

A Day in Reid’s Life

The Valdia family governed a territory that shared borders with other countries. This territory was a mark—it was quite far from the imperial capital, and it came with a certain level of authoritative power. The mark was ruled by a margrave, and I was that lord’s son, Reid Valdia.

I started every morning with a visit from a certain little devil.

“Big Brooother!!! It’s morniiiing!!!”

I let out a grunt before replying, “M-Morning, Mer...”

“Good morning, brother!” she responded with a cheerful giggle.

This little girl was Meredy Valdia. She was my adorable little sister, but in the mornings, she transformed into a menacing little devil. She seemed to have fun waking me up, and at some point she’d begun waking me up every morning. Being woken was fine in theory, but she enjoyed doing it by jumping on top of me while I was still lying in my bed. It was similar to the wrestling maneuver from my previous life known as a body press. She would get upset if she couldn’t wake me up like this, but I was keeping it a secret that I’d become a bit scared of mornings.

One time, I’d started waking up early, afraid of suffering Mer’s body press, simply waiting for her arrival. She’d gotten upset and whined, “Ugh! It’s my job to wake you up, brother! I hate you!!! Hmph!!!”

Her complaint had been quite adorable. Even Danae, the maid who attended to her, was smitten by her cuteness.

Though we’d been amused by it, Mer had been genuinely upset, and she’d avoided speaking to me for the rest of the day. The following day, I’d waited up for her in a similar manner, and she’d ended up bursting into tears. Garren the butler had run in, wondering what the issue was, and the maids all just turned to me with a bitter look. Danae was the only one who appeared to feel some sympathy for me. After that day, I’d decided to steel myself and let Mer perform her body presses on me.

Since she was only a four-year-old girl, my father didn’t say much about this behavior. Garren and Danae just smiled as they watched over her. Had everyone forgotten about me? I recalled a saying from my previous life: The greatest hate can spring from the greatest love. Perhaps that was actually a sentiment that showed how people felt about children. At the end of the day, Mer was indeed adorable, so I would always forgive her.

After waking up, it was time for breakfast. My mother, Nanalie, was ill, so she couldn’t leave her room. My father was currently away visiting the imperial capital, so Mer and I were the only ones sitting at the table. Accompanying us as we ate breakfast were Garren, Danae, and a handful of other members of the household staff. When my father was here, Garren would sometimes whisper things into his ear, but we’d spend most of the meal dining together as a happy family.

Our meals generally consisted of salad, bread, and soup. I had memories of rice and miso soup from my previous life, which I craved from time to time, but there was no point in thinking about what I couldn’t have. So, I’d given up on those foods—for now, at least.

Basic etiquette required making as little noise as possible while eating. Perhaps it was because I had memories of my previous life, but I’d been praised for having exceptionally good dining etiquette for my age. Mer’s etiquette was befitting of someone her age, but it was clear that she was the child of nobles. She ate with proper manners that wouldn’t normally be expected of a regular four-year-old. She still made mistakes from time to time, so Danae would step forward and show her how to handle any utensils she was having trouble with.

“See you later, brother!” Mer called out.

After breakfast, my sister returned to her room and studied. She was provided a special curriculum for gifted children. Though she might just seem like an adorable little girl, at the end of the day, she was the daughter of nobles. She had a mountain of things to study for her future, such as academic subjects, etiquette, speech, and dancing. She was only four, though, so she probably wanted to play more than anything else.

Mer would sometimes sneak out of her lessons, which was just another one of the many adorable things she did. I had a feeling that she insisted on waking me up every morning because it was one of the few moments in the day where she could get some physical contact with her family.

After saying goodbye to Mer, I always visited my mother to see how she was doing. I knocked on the door to her room and entered after she responded.

“Good morning, mother,” I greeted her.

“Good morning, Reid,” she replied. “I’m glad to see you’re doing well today, as always.”

I sat in a chair that was placed beside her bed. It hadn’t been there before—Garren and the maids had prepared it for me, since I was visiting my mother quite often. There was another chair here for Mer, of course.

As always, my mother was sitting up in bed and reading. She used to primarily lie in bed and would sometimes sit up once I’d arrived. Now that I was visiting her every day, she’d probably started sitting up in preparation for my arrival.

My mother, Nanalie Valdia, suffered from an incurable illness known as mana depletion disorder. However, there were only a handful of people even within our household who knew about her disease.

Does she know that she has mana depletion disorder?

I couldn’t ask her that question. Sometimes, I would catch her looking into the distance with a sorrowful expression, which made me feel as if she could sense that she was approaching death. Since she couldn’t leave this room, I did what I could by telling her about the events of the previous day and that morning. I told her about how Mer was waking me up every day with those body presses, and she seemed amused and laughed.

“My. I also did that to my family when I was a little girl,” she shared.

Though I had memories of my previous life, I also had the memories of the original Reid Valdia. My current personality seemed to be built on a foundation of my experiences from my previous life mixed with Reid’s past experiences. I tried not to think about it too much.

The original Reid had clear memories of Nanalie back when she was healthy. He’d started lashing out after his mother was put on bed rest because of her illness and had gone on to take out his anger on everyone around him, including his sister, the maids, and the butler.

There were a variety of complex emotions and pained questions swirling inside Reid’s heart: Why had this happened to his mother? Had he done something bad to cause this? Why was his mother sick and not the parent of some other child?

I had a strong desire to save my mother, no matter what, and that desire was likely driven by the powerful feelings within the original Reid.

“Are you all right, Reid?” my mother asked. “You have quite a stern look on your face.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was just thinking about the martial arts lesson I have later today.”

“Is that so? I guess that’s fine. Don’t push yourself too hard, all right?”

“Yes, mother.”

I spent some more time speaking with her, and eventually it was time for my martial arts lesson. It would also take some time to walk to the training grounds, so I had to leave now to make it there on time. I swiftly stood up from my chair and lightly bowed to her.

“I will be heading out to my martial arts lesson now,” I announced.

“Be careful not to get hurt,” she cautioned. “Also, say hello to Mer for me.”

“Yes, I definitely will!” I energetically replied before leaving the room.

◇

The training grounds were filled with the dull thwack of wood hitting wood.

“You’ve improved a lot, Sir Reid!”

“That’s because you’re a good teacher, Rubens!”

My martial arts lessons consisted of one-on-one training with Rubens. I always warmed up with radio calisthenics and running. On that note, I’d learned that radio calisthenics didn’t exist in this world, so I’d shared the benefits of such exercises with Rubens, detailing how stretches before more intense exercise could prevent injuries.

Rubens had initially been skeptical of such benefits, but after doing the calisthenics with me several times, he had been convinced.

He’d asked, “Can I implement this in the knight’s order?”

“Erm, well, I don’t mind that, but don’t tell anyone that you learned it from me,” I’d replied. “Just say that you came up with it.”

Several days later, it had become a hot topic among the household staff that the knights were moving their bodies in strange ways during their training. This wasn’t much of a surprise to me, because the order boasted over one hundred members. With that many people performing radio calisthenics completely in sync, it had become quite a sight to see for those in the upper levels of the Valdia mansion.

When I’d first seen it for myself, it had reminded me of videos I had seen of the Japanese Self-Defense Force, and I renamed the exercises to “defense force calisthenics.” I’d also noticed that some of the knights who weren’t moving in time to the others were getting some harsh words of “encouragement” from their superiors.

That’s not the kind of radio calisthenics I remember, I’d thought to myself, turning pale at the sight of the intense treatment of knights.

“Radio calisthenics not only help to prevent injuries, but they work well as a method of training to get the entire order moving in the same way,” Rubens reported to me some time later. “The commander praised me for coming up with something so incredible!”

Rubens had a demeanor similar to that of a friendly dog, and the way he’d reported this information back to me sounded like he was begging me to praise him more. If he had a tail, he definitely would have been wagging it.

“Oh, you mean the defense force calisthenics? Yeah, it looked really impressive when you were all doing it.”

“What was that? The fentsforth calisthenics?”

Rubens tilted his head in confusion. I almost heard the confused whine of a dog as well.

“Defense force,” I repeated. “How should I explain this... The exercises aren’t really something you do on your own, but rather are something done by an organization to maintain order among the members, right? In that case, the exercises have gone past the realm of radio calisthenics, so I’ve just been calling them defense force calisthenics.”

“I’d like to take that!” Rubens exclaimed.

“Huh?”

Before I even had a chance to reply, Rubens took off. Some time after that, the members of the household staff began talking about how the knights’ strange exercises were something called “fentsforth calisthenics,” which helped to both prevent injuries and synchronize their movements.

“The knights look so cool when they’re doing their fentsforth calisthenics!” the maids would say to each other.

It appeared they had become fans of the knight’s order. Since then, I began hearing squeals of adoration in the halls from time to time.

Every time I came across the knights, I just thought to myself, Those aren’t the radio calisthenics I know.

◇

Rubens was still quite young, and he was considered to be a promising newbie in the knight’s order. He was also the closest to me in age and had been welcomed into the order so young because of his exceptional abilities. Reid was also gifted with incredible athletic abilities, but Rubens had innate skills that made him as good, if not better. That was probably why he’d quickly come to realize the importance of warming up before exercising, but I’d never imagined it would become such a widespread phenomenon.

Maybe radio calisthenics are a bigger deal than I gave them credit for.

“You mustn’t think about other things during training, my lord!” Rubens called out.

“Whoa!”

A sharp thud different from the previous sounds filled the air. The moment my mind had drifted off to thoughts about radio calisthenics, Rubens had knocked my wooden sword out of my hand. I was so surprised that I fell to the ground. My hands were tingling and shaking.

“I guess I let my guard down a bit,” I said.

“You mustn’t do that, even if this is only a lesson,” Rubens warned. “In a real battle, such distraction could lead to death.”

A real battle, huh? Since the mark shared borders with neighboring countries, we had to prepare for the possibility of invasion. Would I be participating in a real battle one day?

“Well, in your case, I believe you will be training in a dungeon before heading out to fight, Sir Reid.”

“A dungeon?! They’re real?!”

In TokiRella!, the game from my previous life, there had been several high-difficulty dungeons that could be explored to gather materials, level up characters, and fight secret bosses. I’d been wondering if those dungeons existed in this world, and I never would’ve imagined Rubens had the answer to my question.

“Yes, dungeons are areas automatically designated for eradication. As soon as one appears, the knight’s order sets out to eradicate it.”

“What do you mean by eradicating them?” I asked.

Rubens explained that dungeons were seen as a type of—or something similar to—living creatures. They had cores deep inside them, which spent many months generating a large amount of mana deep underground. Once the core generated enough mana, the dungeon produced an aboveground entrance. The dungeon would use the generated mana to produce mana-filled creatures—in other words, monsters. It would also create treasures and riches that humans enjoyed. The dungeon would use that as bait to lure humans in, have the monsters kill the humans, then feed on the humans.

If left alone to gain enough mana, a dungeon would not only cause accidents but could also produce a swarm of monsters, which would come to the surface in search of prey. The more mana that was stored in the dungeon core, the stronger the monsters became. If monsters were strong enough to appear aboveground, they would be quite powerful. Those monsters could lead to the loss of many lives.

In order to eradicate the dungeon, one had to travel to the deepest levels of the dungeon and destroy the core. Once that was done, the dungeon would never appear again. However, destroying the core in the deepest level would cause the dungeon to deteriorate, and the people inside would be buried alive. Because of that, if the core was particularly difficult to destroy, the knights would simply damage it and weaken it as much as possible. The damaged core would bury itself underground once more to begin storing mana. The details of what caused a core to appear remained unknown.

The Order of Valdia regularly patrolled the areas within the mark where dungeons had previously spawned. They also investigated other areas to see whether dungeons had appeared. Different countries, and even different territories within the same country, had different methods of eradicating dungeons. Some chose to send their knights, while others would put out a job request to an Adventurer’s Guild. There were many ways of handling them.

“Dungeons sort of sound like anthills,” I remarked.

“Yes, I believe you could say that.”

The first word that had popped into my mind after hearing Rubens’s explanation was “anthill.” In my mind, the core was similar to the queen ant, while the monsters were the workers.

Maybe in the future I should look into efficient ways of discovering dungeons, as well as safe ways to destroy their cores.

“By the way, what’s an Adventurer’s Guild?” I asked.

“To put it simply, it’s an organization that will take any job,” Rubens explained.

That’s what I figured.

I was still curious about the guilds, so I decided to ask Rubens about it more. “Since we’re already talking about it, could you give me some more details?”

Rubens seemed bemused as he proceeded to tell me about Adventurer’s Guilds. I was excited to hear something familiar from works of fiction in my previous life.

There were two types of Adventurer’s Guilds. The first were public guilds, which were operated by the government of the countries they were located in. The second were private guilds, which were operated by private citizens. The Adventurer’s Guild in Magnolia was public. The headquarters were in the imperial capital, and there were branch offices all over the empire.

The guilds functioned by accepting job requests in the area, which were completed by freelance adventurers. There was a ranking system that ranked jobs based on the level of difficulty. The higher the difficulty of a job, the higher the payout.

Guilds imposed fees on both those who put in job requests and the adventurers who completed them. Most guilds operated using the money made from such fees. In Magnolia, there was a compensation system that adventurers could opt into. If they chose to opt into the system, a portion of any medical fees to treat injuries resulting from job requests would be covered by the guild.

In order to opt into this compensation system, an adventurer had to prepay ten percent of their rewards to the guild. The payment was required upfront in case the adventurer failed to complete an accepted job or fled without completing it.

The private guilds in other countries operated in a similar manner, but the cost of their fees differed quite a bit. Because of that, it was important to do your research before working with any guild—otherwise, you could end up in a world of hurt with all the fees you had to pay.

Once registered with a guild, an adventurer received a guild license, which also served as a form of identification, so some people registered just for that. Guilds didn’t share information across borders, so adventurers were required to register with the local guild in every country they visited. However, guilds would take into account an adventurer’s performance in other countries, so adventurers were usually able to maintain the same rank.

The Adventurer’s Guild of Magnolia had an office in the Valdia Mark, but the knights handled most hunting and extermination requests, leaving little for adventurers. On the other hand, that meant most of the jobs available at the Valdia guild were requests to forage materials and gather items, so it was a popular place for adventurers who wanted an easygoing life.

“That took some time to explain,” Rubens remarked at the end. “I think that covers it.”

“Hmm... According to what I’ve heard from you, it sounds like most adventurers would want to visit guilds. Are jobs from the guild profitable?”

“If the adventurer is talented and has access to dungeons, it can be quite lucrative,” Rubens replied. “Some countries even calculate the amount of damage they do to the core so that their dungeons are always available to explore. That isn’t done in Magnolia, probably because the empire feels the risks are too high.”

I see. Considering the possible dangers waiting for me, it might be good to register with a guild and raise my rank.

Such thoughts filled my mind as my training session with Rubens came to an end.

“Good job today, Sir Reid. You’re improving so much. I can’t wait to see the fighter you grow up to be.”

“Thank you, Rubens. I hope you marry Diana before I reach said future.”

“What?! I keep asking you not to discuss that, my lord!”

Rubens pined for someone named Diana. She was a beautiful woman who was his childhood friend and also a member of the same order. The last time I’d teased Rubens about his crush, Diana had found out and scolded me for it, but that was precisely why I continued to tease him. The two of them obviously had feelings for each other, yet they were going in circles, never reaching each other. It was the typical childhood friend trope I’d seen during my previous life.

“I don’t understand why you lack confidence,” I said. “Diana definitely has feelings for you, Rubens.”

“That’s not possible!” he exclaimed.

“Why not?”

“Well, I’m not a morning person, so Diana has to wake me up every morning. Every time she does, she always says, ‘Don’t expect me to do this forever. I’m going to be married and gone one day!’”

I was stunned by disbelief.

“Also, she always makes me lunch, but she always makes sure to say, ‘This is just practice for when I have a husband. I’m not making these for your sake!’”

I continued listening silently, at a total loss.

“You’re right that I like her, Sir Reid. I became a knight because I promised her that I would grow up to become one who could protect her. Sometimes, I have dinner with Diana and her parents, and they always say, ‘You two should get married already.’ But then Diana will say, ‘Rubens is just a friend! He’s only here because we made too much food.’ She always says that! That’s why it’s impossible that she would like me!”

What the heck am I listening to? The innocent ramblings of a man in love? I feel so bad for Diana. Actually, no—maybe Diana’s also at fault. She must know how her words would affect Rubens. Is she acting like that on purpose?

I was so shocked by the details that Rubens had shared that my mind was a total mess.

“Is there anywhere that holds special meaning for the two of you, Rubens?” I asked.

“Huh? Yes, there’s the place where I promised her that I would become a knight who could protect her.”

Is this some kind of curse that falls on childhood friends? I felt like I’d stepped onto some sort of land mine and couldn’t get out of the situation.

“Take Diana on a date there and tell her how you feel. You must, all right?”

“What?! Why are you deciding such a thing, Sir Reid?!” Rubens asked with tears in his eyes. He had quite a pretty face, so I could imagine some of the maids enjoying seeing him like this.

But I only had one thought: Why was I getting involved in this? The entire situation was starting to feel ridiculous. I couldn’t help but say exactly how I felt.

“Stop waffling! You’re a knight, aren’t you?! I feel bad for Diana! You need to properly tell her how you feel!”

“Huh?”

“You know Diana better than anyone, right? Why don’t you take a second to think about the true meaning behind her words?”

Rubens fell silent, and a look of deep thought came over his face.

Do I really need to spell this out for him?

“If any of what I’m saying rings a bell for you, then go on a date with Diana. Take her to that special place and tell her how you feel.”

“Understood, my lord...”

If Rubens didn’t tell Diana how he felt after all of this, I could see myself growing to hate him. Exhausted by the entire exchange, I dragged my sluggish body to my next lesson.

After martial arts was etiquette, followed by history, math, dancing, and other lessons. By the time I was done with everything, it was finally time for dinner, which I always made an effort to eat with Mer. It was part of our daily routine to discuss our days over dinner, but I decided to keep the stuff that had happened with Rubens to myself. Just talking about it would make me tired again.

After dinner, I often went to the study to do homework or research. Sometimes Mer would visit me there to ask me to read to her before bedtime and I would oblige.

Bathing in this world meant using a towel soaked in hot water to wipe your body. Money could buy a proper soaking tub, but I’d decided to wait on purchasing one for now. This was one area of my life that I would love to improve.

With that, my day came to an end. My father and Kris would be returning from the capital soon, so my days were going to get busier. With that thought in mind, I drifted off into sleep.

I also learned several days later that Rubens had successfully confessed his feelings to Diana and the two had officially begun dating.

They should just get married already.

Quantifying Mana

“Hmm... What should I do?”

I’d been spending the day staying out of sight from others behind the mansion, where I’d been racking my brain for a solution. So far, I’d shot down every idea that had popped into my head. The issue I was mulling over was the quantification of mana—in a video game, this would be a character’s MP.

There was one thing that was always on my mind during Sandra’s lessons: Whenever she spoke of mana in terms of amounts, it was always vague. Solving this issue would also help me discuss the new drug with my father. If we were going to be giving my mother a brand-new drug we’d created, we would first need to convince my father to let us do it. Having Sandra working with me on this added a lot of credibility to our efforts, but I wanted an additional element that could be used to ensure my father was on board.

As I continued to puzzle over the matter, I heard a rumbling in the sky as thunderclouds gathered.

“It looks like it’s going to rain,” I muttered to myself. “I guess I should head back inside.”

The moment those words left my mouth, torrential rains began pouring down. It was so sudden that I couldn’t even make it inside before it had begun, so I came back inside the mansion soaking wet. The maids all stared at me, their eyes wide with surprise.

“I’m a bit wet, ha ha...” I said with a wry smile.

One maid shrieked, “You will catch a cold if you do not change out of those clothes, Sir Reid! I will bring a towel right away. I shall also draw you a bath!”

The maids waiting inside all began running around, hurrying to dry me off. They finished drawing the bath while they were toweling me off, so I was immediately led to the bathroom.

“It’s been so long since I’ve taken a bath,” I remarked as I began soaking in the hot water. “Phew, that feels so good,” I mumbled, unable to help myself. “Baths are both uncommon and a luxury in this world, so I’ve been holding off on taking one...but man, this feels good.”

I enjoyed soaking in the tub and warming up my body, which had been chilled by the rain.

“This is such an impressive tub,” I mumbled to myself.

The bathtub I was currently soaking in had been prepared in my room. Usually we only washed ourselves with washcloths, so there wasn’t a specific room where the tub was stationary. Whenever someone needed to take a bath, the staff transported the tub to their room. Of course, they’d made efforts to ensure that using it didn’t create a mess in my room by doing things like laying down a bath mat.

“It’s really something else,” I remarked, still in awe of the tub. “I wonder how much hot water you need to fill this.”

I scooped up some of the water in my hands and rinsed off my face. As I was relaxing, I recalled something interesting that I’d learned: Units of measurement in this world were the same as in my previous life. Or perhaps I should say that was true here in Magnolia, since I wasn’t sure how things were done in other countries. At the very least, across all territories in Magnolia, units of length were measured in meters, and liquids were measured in liters.

“It’s a bit strange that it’s the same, but there’s no use thinking about it too deeply,” I told myself.

It was at that moment that a light bulb went off in my head.

“Wait, that might work!”

Once I finished my bath, I quickly dried myself off and got dressed. I continued moving about in a rush as I asked a maid where I could find Garren, and I took off to see him.

“You are the son of Sir Reiner. You will be succeeding Valdia Mark, Sir Reid. You may be as, if not more intelligent than, an adult, but you are still a young child. Please try to take better care of your body. Will you do that?”

“Yes, I will. I’m sorry...”

The first thing that Garren had said to me upon seeing my face was that he’d heard I’d gotten soaking wet, which had led to a scolding. Garren truly had a way with words.

“I actually have something that I’d like to try out right away, and I need your help,” I’d explained.

“Is that so? In that case, please first listen to what I have to say.”

“Sure. What is it?”

“Please listen quietly as this humble butler offers you some candid advice.”

And so, I was in the middle of being lectured.

I need his help to test out my idea. I can handle a little lecturing.

As that thought crossed my mind, Garren fell silent and stared at me with suspicion.

“Um...what’s wrong?” I asked.

“You weren’t listening to me, were you, Sir Reid? In that case, let me start from the beginning...”

Sacrebleu!

Garren’s lecturing continued for a bit longer. By the end, I’d vowed to never let myself get wet in the rain again.

As soon as he was done, I asked him for an important favor. “I’d like a container that has a capacity of exactly one liter!”

Garren looked puzzled, unsure what I’d want the container for, but he quickly returned to his usual countenance. “Very well. I believe we have such a container on the premises. Please wait in your room while we search for it.”

“Okay, thank you. I’ll be there waiting patiently.”

Garren smiled a bit at those words. Perhaps he thought that his speech had gotten through to me. He left to begin looking for the container, and I returned to my chambers, where I began reading while I waited.

After a short time, Garren arrived with a container that could hold exactly one liter’s worth of contents.

“Thank you. This really helps,” I said.

He simply bowed and exited my room.

“All right, let’s do this!”

Fired up, I headed outdoors, where it had stopped raining. Naturally, I picked a spot that allowed me to quickly take shelter if it was to start pouring again. I placed the container by my feet and began performing mana conversion to cast a spell. It was a simple spell that merely produced water. It required the caster to have elemental potential in water magic, but I had potential in every element, so that wasn’t an issue for me.

Once the container was filled, I reflected on the physical sensation of how much mana I had used. I wanted to repeat the process, so I dumped out all the water. This time, I was going to attach a name to the spell, which would help me to conjure a stronger visual of it being cast.

The name of the spell was One Liter. I practiced casting it over and over until I’d completed my spell, which produced exactly one liter of water. Though it might sound simple on paper, producing a specific amount of a substance was surprisingly difficult. It could be neither more nor less than the required amount. I kept practicing so that no matter how many times I cast it, my spell produced exactly one liter.

The sensation of casting it was similar to using a faucet, which didn’t exist in this world. It was like turning on a faucet to dispense water and turning it off right when one liter had been collected. Doing it yourself would surely make this clear, but it was incredibly difficult to do in a single attempt.

“Okay, my spell One Liter is complete. Next, I’m going to cast it ten times.”

I cast my new water spell ten times in a row. After doing so, I tried to focus on sensing how much mana I’d used up. I cast the spell another ten times, then checked to see how much mana was left again. I kept repeating those two steps until I was out of breath.

“I’ve used up quite a lot of mana,” I mumbled. “I think I’m starting to get a sense of my mana capacity.”

It was time to move on to the next step of this process—I was going to quantify the feeling of how much mana I had within me. I worked under the assumption that the amount of mana used to cast One Liter was one unit of mana. I’d been casting the spell ten times in a row, so the amount I’d used each round was ten units of mana.

With that decided, I thought back to the feeling of my mana decreasing. I’d cast the spell 980 times. According to my unit of measurement, my mana capacity was over ninety-eight. Also, the feeling of how much mana was being used each time never changed. That meant that spells likely had a set amount of mana they consumed, and there was some sort of rule to that.

I continued sharpening my focus on this sensation and began constructing it into specialized magic.

Spell Name: Measure Mana

Effect: Quantifying the amount of mana residing within oneself or others who are visible and within a certain range.

Seems awfully simple, but that should probably do it.

I thought back to the number of times I’d cast One Liter, and I focused on the sensation of my mana decreasing each time as I chanted, “Measure Mana.”

At first, it seemed like nothing had happened. But the very next moment, a voice announced a number inside my head.

Self: 80 MP

“Whoa!!! I heard something in my head!!! It said, ‘80 MP,’ right? Let’s try it again! Measure Mana!!!”

Self: 60 MP

“That’s incredible! I heard it again! The voice was clear both times. I think I can consider this spell a success. I guess you never really know if you can do something until you try!”

I’m glad it worked, but it’s a bit unfortunate that it costs 20 MP to cast. That means casting it uses up twenty liters of water’s worth of mana.

I couldn’t actually tell if that was a lot or not. I had plenty more things I wanted to try out, but I was reaching my physical limit.

“I might have worked a little too hard today,” I said with a deep sigh of exhaustion. “I’m at the end of my tether. I’m going back to my room so I can rest...”

Upon arriving at my room, I fell asleep before I could even register it was happening.

The Nonconventional Child Prodigy

“Could you please repeat that for me?” Sandra asked with a dubious look on her face.

Since I’d known she was coming today, I’d let her know that I wanted to speak with her about something in the training grounds room that was equipped with a blackboard. I’d told her about the spell I’d created the other day, Measure Mana, but I wasn’t getting through to her.

“Um, well, I wanted to look into how much mana you use when you cast a spell. So I used specialized magic to create a spell called Measure Mana. Does that make sense?”

“Your way of thinking seems to completely ignore any and all common sense,” Sandra said, shaking her head in a disapproving manner. She also began taking deep breaths, perhaps to calm herself down. “That doesn’t make sense, but I understand. So...a spell that can measure mana? How did you create it?”

“Well...”

I began to detail the steps I’d taken to create Measure Mana. I’d been inspired by the idea of measuring water, so I’d created a spell that produced a specific volume of water. I based my unit of measurement on the amount of mana it took to cast that spell, and with some strong focus, I’d been able to create the spell.

Of course, my spell had room for improvement, but it was good enough for the purpose of testing whether our new drug would be an effective treatment for mana depletion disorder.

Sandra’s brows were furrowed all the while. Once I finished my explanation, she covered her face with both of her hands. “You’re a genius, Sir Reid,” she remarked. “I never even thought of coming up with something like that. On a sidenote, I didn’t know that you also had elemental potential in water magic.”

“Um, yeah, it seems like I do. I just tried it out to see what would happen, and I was able to do it.”

“It’s not usually that easy...”

For now, I was keeping it a secret that I had potential in every element of magic, so this should’ve been a surprise to Sandra. Despite that, her reaction was underwhelming.

I wonder if something is wrong.

“Whew, all right. From now on, you are not to speak of that spell, Sir Reid. If it gets out that you can use such an extraordinary spell, you will likely be dragged away to the capital.”

“I wouldn’t want that! Why would the reaction be so extreme? The moment I thought of it, I was pretty surprised by the idea, but the actual spell seems easy enough for anyone to do.”

The specifics of what I’d been doing were quite simple, so any researcher with elemental potential could have done the same thing. I was curious about why she was so wary of it.

“Your idea of what is easy is quite skewed, Sir Reid,” Sandra said with a sigh. “Perhaps I am partially at fault for that, so I shall explain how things are for the average person.”

“You say that as if I’m not average.”

Sandra let out another sigh.

Isn’t it a little rude to sigh at someone when you’re right in front of them?

Sandra pulled out a case from her pocket and opened it up to take out her glasses. She put them on and switched to professor mode as she began to explain.

“First, we’ll start by defining average people as commoners. Most commoners cannot perform mana conversion. In other words, there are almost no commoners who are able to cast magic.”

“What? But during our first lesson, you said that everyone has mana and therefore, with practice, anyone can cast magic.”

“Yes, but that is only if they do practice. Only those who are familiar with combat—like adventurers, knights, and mages—actually know about mana conversion. Since that knowledge isn’t widespread, there are very few commoners who can cast magic. Any commoner who can use magic likely had a parent who knew how and passed it on to them. Otherwise, it would be difficult for someone to learn.”

What a waste! Here we are in a fantasy world and magic isn’t even being used by most people?

It was also possible that many people knew about magic and that it required lots of troublesome training to be able to use, which made them lose interest in learning. Humans tended to prefer the easy route in life, and it was our nature to avoid anything laborious. During my previous life, I’d tried weight lifting regularly but had quickly started skipping workouts.

“I guess I sort of understand,” I said. “Still, the people who research magic like you can all perform mana conversion, right, Professor Sandra? I thought there were lots of people with both the knowledge and skills needed to work on that project.”

“Since I am your teacher, I may have given you an inaccurate idea of what most people are like. As you suspect, being able to perform mana conversion is a minimum requirement of participating in such research. However, converting mana the way you do requires incredible skill. In other words, to be able to do what you accomplished, someone would have to be either a genius or diligent enough to spend decades polishing their skills.”

I was finally starting to understand. Magic wasn’t necessary for performing daily tasks. It was only used in situations such as adventuring, warfare, research, and combat.

“Even those who research magic aren’t required to perform mana conversion or manipulate their mana with the precision that you do,” Sandra continued to explain. “The very first spell I showed you is all that they need to know how to do.”

“I-I see.”

“It hurts to admit this, but I couldn’t create a spell that produced exactly one liter of water in an accurate manner, even if I wanted to. I don’t even have elemental potential in water magic. To have an accurate sense of how much mana you used, and to also be able to conjure a clear image of that, is something only a diligent genius could do, Sir Reid.”

Wow. I guess Reid also has some incredible stats when it comes to magic, not just for physical things.

My experiences had been in line with Sandra’s explanations. I’d never seen anyone use magic in the mansion. Now I understood: It wasn’t that they didn’t but rather that they couldn’t.

“I’ve always thought you were incredibly talented, but I didn’t think it was to this degree,” Sandra remarked. “You put in hard work to polish your innate abilities, and you also aren’t bound by conventional ways of thinking. You’re some sort of nonconventional child prodigy. So, do you have a better understanding now?”

“Setting aside the whole prodigy thing, I think I understand that magic isn’t really a part of daily life. In that case, what about you specifically, Professor Sandra? You can perform mana conversion much better than I can, and you can also manipulate that mana. I’m not the only special one here, right?”

If I was a “nonconventional child prodigy,” then Sandra would also have to be classified in a similar manner.

In that case, wouldn’t she have been taken away to the capita— Wait.

I had a terrifying realization. The color in my face drained, and I cautiously looked up at Sandra’s face. She wore a bright smile, but I could tell from her eyes that it wasn’t an innocent one. I reflexively backed away from her.

“That’s right...” she said, slowly closing the distance between us. She brought her face up to mine and whispered in my ear, “That is why I was handpicked to be the chief of a research facility in the imperial capital.”

I was so terrified that a shiver ran down my spine. Seeing my pale face made her smile grow wider, and she continued to speak in a lighthearted manner.

“Well, that all went away in a flash because of some annoyances and schemes. Despite what you may think, I was indeed summoned to the capital because of my genius.”

With that, Sandra placed her right hand on her head, which she tilted while sticking her tongue out in a cutesy manner. It was that pose known as tehepero in Japan.

The very next moment, something dawned on me. “Professor Sandra...you knew that I’d do something unconventional like this sooner or later, didn’t you?”

“To be honest, I thought it would happen much further in the future. If you continue to polish your skills, you will be able to do extraordinary things. Knowing that makes watching you grow so much fun. I was always planning to observe you as a research sub— I mean, watch over you by your side.”

She was totally about to call me a research subject.

Regardless of how she viewed me, she’d always known that I was a diamond in the rough and perhaps had taken extra care in how she taught me. I looked back at Sandra, who was smiling, seemingly enjoying our conversation.

“Don’t worry, Sir Reid! Stepping out of line only gets you into trouble if you don’t have a clear destination! Don’t let yourself be trapped by conventions! Break them all as you go forward!!!”

Sandra thrust her right arm into the air, pointing straight up. I thought I could see a spinning spiral behind her back, but I was probably just imagining things.

“I don’t think I need to go out of my way and break any conventions,” I said with a sigh. “But I will be careful about sharing information regarding the creation of any spells.”

“Yes, please do. If information gets out, even Sir Reiner may not be able to control what happens.”

To summarize what I’d learned from Sandra, I seemed to have abilities that made me a nonconventional child prodigy, but I was deeply against any such label. Additionally, others finding out about said abilities carried a high risk of getting me mixed up in some kind of trouble.

“I’m going to continue doing my best not to stand out unnecessarily,” I said, sighing again.

“Yes, I encourage you to keep your head down.”

Now that I finally understood just how much I’d broken the conventions of magic, Sandra seemed pleased and smiled.

Since she knew something like this might happen, couldn’t she have given me a heads-up?

I decided to keep that thought to myself. She’d probably just say she didn’t warn me because “it seemed fun.”

“That’s exactly right, Sir Reid,” Sandra said suddenly. “It’s because this is more fun.”

“You’re terrifying!” I exclaimed.

She giggled and replied, “You’re just very easy to read.”

She seemed to be reading my mind with a smile on her face, which just made me turn pale and shudder.

◇

Though Sandra had warned me to be careful about my spell Measure Mana, especially in terms of leaking information to others, she still understood its usefulness. We immediately began working to create powder and capsule forms of medicine to recover mana.

“We currently only have access to moonflowers, so we can’t try to combine it with other things to multiply its effectiveness,” Sandra said. “First, we’ll try ingesting raw moonflower, drying it out and turning it into a powder, and boiling it. We’ll determine which is the most effective out of those methods.”

“Got it. Let’s do this.”

Moonflowers were incredibly bitter and difficult to eat, but I told myself this was for my mother’s sake and dove into the experiments. After spending the entire day trying different methods, we learned the following:

Ingesting raw moonflower recovered 20 MP. The bitter flavor was much too intense raw, but it was nothing you couldn’t force down. You definitely wouldn’t be asking for seconds.

Boiled moonflower recovered 10 to 30 MP. This was the most difficult to ingest of all the preparation methods. Not only did boiling intensify the smell and bitter flavor, but it also left the herb wilted. You had to drink the water that the herb was boiled in too, since if you didn’t, it wasn’t as effective.

The powdered form of the dried moonflower recovered 50 MP. This was the easiest to ingest, and it was the most effective. It could be consumed in one gulp with the aid of water. If you were to let the powder sit in your mouth, the flavor would be worse than when eaten raw. Sandra had asked me to leave it in my mouth to see if the way it was ingested would change anything. I was sure that all the color in my face had drained at that moment.

◇

“For now, I think that turning the moonflower into a powder and putting it into a capsule will create something Lady Nanalie can consume,” Sandra said. “Thank you for all of your work, Sir Reid.”

“Professor Sandra, I will be forever grateful for and resentful about what you did today,” I said, gagging a little from all the moonflower I’d ingested.

Every time I’d swallow some form of it, Sandra’s eyes had glimmered with excitement. She would jokingly pester me about the flavor and insist that she’d “made it with love.” While she was having the time of her life, I was so pale from the awful flavor that I couldn’t even react. If it were to taste the same in potion form, this drug would definitely take away your health and motivation while restoring your MP, which would make it useless.

I’m going to tell her—no, order her—to prioritize the flavor, I vowed to myself.

“Wooow. If that’s how you’re going to behave, I’m not going to tell you.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, gagging again. “What won’t you tell me?”

In the end, she wouldn’t tell me what she was keeping from me. She said something about how I would find out later today or tomorrow and seemed very pleased with herself. I had a bad feeling about this secret, but I didn’t have the energy to press her any further. Seeing me so limp put a mischievous smile on her face, and she proceeded to offer me a hint.

“Let’s see... I think you can find out what it is from Lady Meredy. You should try speaking to her.”

“What? Mer knows? Even though she’s not here?”

“Yes. I believe Lady Meredy is the most knowledgeable about this.”

What’s something that I don’t know but Mer does?

As I continued to ponder that, Sandra took off. “That’s all for today. Goodbye, Sir Reid.”

What was that about? I thought as I left the training grounds.

Mer was waiting at the entrance for me. “I’m back, Mer,” I greeted, holding out my arms to hug her like I always did.

“Oh! Brother!!! Welcome ba— Huh?!” Mer had been running toward me, but she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

“Huh? Uh...Mer?”

I cautiously walked closer to her, but she kept backing away from me. Her eyes began to well up with tears, which were now streaming down her face, and her adorable face crumpled into a frown. I had no idea what was happening, and I was completely flustered.

Just then, she ran into the mansion and screamed in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, “You’re stinky, brother! My brother isn’t stinky! You’re not my brother!!!”

“What?!”

Mer turned her back to me and ran off. I watched as she disappeared into the distance. Danae had been standing by, and she let out a nervous chuckle before bowing to me and following my sister.

I was stunned for a moment before I finally snapped back to reality. I scanned my surroundings and saw that all the other maids were also keeping their distance, nervous smiles on all their faces.

Garren came up to me with a handkerchief around his mouth and nose.

“If I may be so brazen, Sir Reid, your scent may be a bit too strong. I believe it would be for the best if you rinsed off outdoors. After that, we shall draw you a bath.”

“Okay. I’ll go rinse off first, so please draw the bath while I do that...”

I headed outside, where I poured water all over myself. I was overcome with anger to the point that I didn’t care who heard me out here.

I let my emotions take over and screamed out, “Sandraaa!!!”

Father and Child

My father and Kris returned from the imperial capital today. My father seemed like his usual self, while Kris looked completely worn out.

“I gave it everything during that visit, Sir Reid...” Kris muttered quietly.

Though her voice was soft, I could tell from the look on her face that she was overflowing with confidence. Perhaps reporting back to me had put her mind at ease, because she immediately passed out after that. Everyone panicked at first, but we were eventually able to put her in a guest room and have a doctor come look at her. According to the doctor, she’d likely passed out from exhaustion and should be better after some rest.

“Her Majesty took quite a liking to her, so they were discussing business for a long time,” my father explained. “I’m sure my presence also kept her from relaxing while we were on the road. She should rest in our guest room for a while.”

After hearing the doctor’s diagnosis, my father let the maids know they should treat Kris as a guest. He also instructed Garren to contact the Kristie Trading Company and let them know the situation.

“I have something to discuss with you as well, Reid,” my father said. “After this, I want you to come to my office.”

“Understood. May I accompany you to your office now?”

“Sure. Let’s go.”

We exited the guest room, and Mer was waiting for us in the hallway.

“Welcome home, father!!!” Mer greeted him, bowing her head.

“Mm,” he simply responded. The look on his face hadn’t changed, but his ears had flushed bright red.

“Is the elf lady okay?” Mer asked.

“Yeah, she was just tired,” I reassured her. “She’s sound asleep in bed right now.”

“Oh. I wanted to talk to the elf lady.” Mer seemed disappointed that Kris was asleep.

“I’ll introduce you to her sometime,” I said.

“Really? Thank you, brother!!!”

My father cleared his throat and interrupted, saying, “We’re going now.”

He’d returned to his regular demeanor. Actually, no—he seemed like he was perhaps glaring at me slightly.

“Yes, father,” I responded. I turned to Mer and said, “I’ll see you later.”

My father and I finally made it to his office. It was furnished with a desk, which he used to handle paperwork, as well as couches and a table for receiving guests.

“Sit here for today,” he said, urging me to sit on a couch. He sat on the couch opposite me so that we were facing each other with a table between us.

“This trip to the capital was quite exhausting,” he shared.

“Thank you for all of your hard work, father.”

“Mm,” he responded affirmatively. “So, did you read my letter?”

“Yes. You mentioned that you had something important to discuss with me.”

He leaned back as he stared at me with an emotionless look.

Is he trying to study my expressions or something?

Just as I was about to say something, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” my father ordered.

Garren entered with some tea. “I’ve brought some tea, sir,” he announced.

Garren placed the tea in front of us, and steam wafted up from the teacups. He was completely silent as he served the tea, and he appeared to be observing me as well.

What’s going on?

Once tea was served, Garren turned around to leave, but my father stopped him.

“There’s something I’d like your opinion on, Garren. I’d like you to be here for what I’m about to discuss. Also, I’d like you to instruct the rest of the staff to stay away from my office for a while.”

“Very well, sir. I will let everyone know right away. I will return shortly.”

Garren left to carry out his instructions, leaving me alone with my father once more. The atmosphere in the room grew heavy.

“Reid,” my father said.

“Y-Yes?”

“Why has your personality changed so significantly?”

“Huh? I’m...not sure what you’re referring to, father.”

“Earlier, I was being quite menacing toward you. In fact, I haven’t stopped. Yet you seem completely unbothered as you continue to meet my gaze. That isn’t how most young children behave. There’s also the matter of the products we gifted to Their Majesties. Nowhere in this house is there a book that covers such knowledge. Can you explain these abnormalities?”

We’d never discussed such matters before. I hadn’t expected my father to point these things out. I desperately racked my brain for a response that would get me out of this situation.

After much thinking, I ultimately decided to give up. Coming up with a half-baked excuse for a man as stalwart as my father would only hurt me. It was possible that he might limit my ability to act freely.

I should just be honest.

As soon as I’d made up my mind, there was a knock on the door. Garren had returned.

“I’ve spread the word to the entire staff, Sir Reiner,” he reported.

“Understood.” My father turned back to me. “Go on, Reid. Continue.”

Garren was standing by the door with an emotionless look. I took a deep breath and decided to tell my father everything.

“I am prepared to share everything, as preposterous as some of it may sound. However, I would like to ask that Garren step out for this.”

“Why?”

“I am willing to tell you the truth, father. As for Garren, I would like to ask that you first hear my story, then decide whether to tell him. If that isn’t possible, then I won’t be able to speak on this matter.”

My current self was a mixture of my memories from my previous life and Reid’s experiences. There was no way he was going to believe I had memories from another life that could completely change this world. This ridiculous story was something I felt that I should share with him privately.

“Understood.” My father turned to the butler. “I’m sorry, Garren, but I’m going to ask that you step out. I’ll call for you when we’re ready.”

“Very well, sir,” Garren replied before bowing and leaving the room.

“Now that we have our privacy, I want you to talk,” my father said. “Tell me your secret.”

He picked up his teacup and took a sip, his eyes locked on me as he waited for me to speak. I carefully chose my words as I began to share my experiences with my father.

The day that I collapsed in the garden, I woke up in bed to find that I was harboring memories of what was likely a previous life that I’d lived in another world. Those memories mixed with my existing ones, which gave birth to a new Reid.

The previous life had had more experience and a fully formed personality, which made it the basis of the new Reid’s personality. However, it would be wrong to say that the original Reid’s memories and emotions weren’t carried over. There was guilt about Reid’s treatment of his younger sister, Meredy, as well as the way he’d treated the household staff. The strongest of them all were memories of days spent cursing how powerless he was to help his mother, who was just crawling closer toward death every day.

I told my father about how such memories gave me a strong urge to protect my mother and Mer, no matter the cost. I also told him about how Reid always respected his father. Looking back on the original Reid’s memories, there was a strong desire to be like Reiner and a vow to become like him. I explained that those strong feelings had led Reid to feel despair over how powerless he was, which had caused him to lash out and act in a self-destructive manner.

My father listened quietly as I spoke. After a long moment of silence, he finally replied.

“I’m sorry...”

My usually stern father was apologetically bowing his head to me. Seeing him like that was perplexing.

“Father...please raise your head!”

My father kept his head down as he spoke. “Nanalie’s illness made her bedridden, and I saw how that was affecting you. Despite that, I told myself that you were just of a violent disposition. I never knew that you felt such despair. No, I should say that I never tried to know what was going on. I should have confronted you about your feelings. I’ve failed as a father.”

“Father...”

For some reason, his response made me feel at ease. Perhaps these were the feelings of the original Reid. He now knew that his father had been paying attention to him and that he’d always loved him. Before I knew it, there were tears streaming down my face. As soon as I realized I was crying, I quickly wiped my tears away with my sleeve.

“Please raise your head, father. I am incredibly grateful that you feel that way. I, um, don’t know the proper way to say this, but I believe that I am quite blessed.”

My words got through to him, and he finally looked up. His usually expressionless countenance had been replaced by an uncharacteristically meek look. For some reason, the way he looked up at me reminded me of a parent playing peekaboo with their child, and I had to stifle a laugh.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his expression growing even more timid.

The less stern he looked, the bigger the gap was between his current and usual expression, which made the urge to laugh even stronger.

“Oh, nothing. I’m sorry. It’s just that, um, you usually maintain a neutral expression, so seeing such a look on your face is just, um... It’s quite different from your usual self, and, I...” I couldn’t take it anymore and burst into laughter.

My father seemed puzzled at first, but then he seemed to be imagining how he looked right now. “I see. I think I understand,” he said with a chuckle.

As if persuaded by my own laughter, he also began laughing. This was probably the first time we’d ever laughed together like this. Though it didn’t last for long, it sounded quite joyful.

“I apologize, father.”

“It’s fine. There’s no need to apologize. We should use this as an opportunity to relax a bit more when we’re speaking alone.”

After the hearty laughter we’d shared, the worries we’d had about each other now felt trivial. The atmosphere in the room had completely shifted—it was as if we were now speaking from the heart.

“Very well. I must ask, though, do you believe everything I said?”

Unexpectedly, Reiner hadn’t questioned any of my claims about having memories of a previous life.

“Judging from your recent behavior, your story makes a lot of sense. Actually, such an explanation is the only way I can understand your accomplishments. Your actions have been that far from the norm.”

“Far from the norm?” I repeated to myself.

“Is there anything else you haven’t told me yet?”

“There is one other thing. In my previous world, I had what seemed to be a simulated experience of this one.”

Since video games didn’t exist here, referring to the game as a simulation was the best way I could think of to explain it.

“A simulated experience? Was it like a dream? If I’m understanding correctly, during your previous life you experienced something very similar to this current world we are in.”

“Yes, that is right. It seems that the knowledge I gained through that simulation has remained consistent in this world.”

“I see. I assume that knowledge is the basis of your unconventional ideas.”

Reiner had taken me seriously the entire time as I’d told him a story that could have easily been considered the delusional ramblings of a young child. He simply sipped his tea as I spoke, and we looked like a perfectly close family.

“Yes, I believe that is the case. On that note, I have something to report to you. I apologize for informing you after the work was already done, but I have been secretly working on a medicine. I’d like to give that medicine to mother.”

“It would depend on the content of the medicine. What does it do?” The mention of Nanalie made Reiner furrow his brows, and he adopted his usual stern look.

“Um, well, it is a medicine that restores mana.”

He began choking on his tea. My response had been so unexpected that it seemed to have gone down the wrong way. “A medicine that restores mana?!”

As shocking as this news was, it was something that he had been seeking for a long time. This medicine meant that there was a chance we could save Nanalie.

“Yes. I obtained the raw materials and had Sandra create the medicine. As for its efficacy, I worked with Sandra to develop specialized magic, which we used to confirm that the medicine does indeed increase one’s mana.”

“A spell that can confirm an increase in the amount of mana?” He repeated in a dubious tone.

He probably wasn’t familiar with such terms, and his brows furrowed even more. In this world, there had been no way to quantify and measure mana. The fact that his son and a tutor had succeeded in accomplishing what had never been done before had left him completely stunned.

He finally opened his mouth and mumbled, “Sandra...?”

When Sandra had been run out of her research facility, my father had believed that her skills would be useful down the line and offered her a helping hand. He’d probably never imagined that making her his son’s tutor would lead to her helping him.

“I should be grateful. With a medicine that can restore mana, we can save Nanalie. Thank you, Reid.”

“Unfortunately, this medicine will not cure her illness,” I clarified. “It will only prolong her life. There will be a separate medicine to cure her illness.”

“What?!”

My father was taken aback. He’d been told that mana depletion disorder had no cure. Having a medicine that worked as a stopgap was a significant discovery in itself, but the fact that a cure existed was a whole different level of extraordinary. My father was completely astonished.

“Does your knowledge of this cure come from that simulation you spoke of?”

“That is correct, father.”

“I don’t think we can tell Garren about this...”

Garren was the most trusted butler in the Valdia household. It was nearly impossible that he would ever leak sensitive information to others, but there was no way to completely guarantee it. Sharing secrets always increased the risk of that information getting out. Since Reiner dealt with politics, he was well aware of that.

“The mana restoration medicine is made from an herb known as moonflower. However, the ways to obtain it are limited, and we haven’t been able to cultivate it. I personally am not planning to share this medicine with the public until either mother is better or the cure is complete.”

Reiner mulled over my words for a moment, thinking about any possible issues and solutions. He pressed his hand against his forehead as he finally answered.

“It’s true that this information getting out to the public may make people fight for the herb and cause the price to soar. In that case, we never discussed this medicine. You can work on it on your own. Just report to me when it’s done. However, I do want you to discuss anything you can with me beforehand, like cultivating herbs. I can approve most of such activities. One final question: Is Kris your source for the moonflowers?”

“Yes. She is currently my only source for obtaining the herbs.”

“I see. You should know that people on the inside aren’t the only sources of leaks. If someone learns that Valdia Mark is importing moonflowers, there will definitely be someone out there who will try to look into what is going on. It will likely be difficult for Kris to take precautions again such situations on her own. I will help as well.”

“Thank you very much. Also, I would like to ask for some time to work on the cure.”

“Very well. I am also willing to do everything within my power to help save Nanalie. I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, father! I believe that is all I have to share.”

I hadn’t expected our talk today, but I was deeply glad to have had this conversation with my father. I was overjoyed to have such a reliable ally. Not only that, but just like the original Reid, I felt myself admiring Reiner not just as a person, but also as a father.

◇

My father and I finished our discussion about moonflowers and medicine. We’d probably have to discuss these matters again in the future, but we’d talked about them enough for now. My father appeared to think the same thing, because he called Garren, who’d been waiting outside so we could talk in private, back into the room.

“Excuse me,” Garren said as he entered. “You called for me, Sir Reiner?”

“Yes. Could I trouble you for some more tea? When you return, I’d like you to stay in the room and participate in our discussion. Understood?”

“Yes, sir. Would you like some more tea as well, Sir Reid?”

“I’m all right,” I replied.

My teacup wasn’t empty yet. In my previous life, I’d liked my tea piping hot, but as Reid, I seemed to prefer it lukewarm.

“Very well,” Garren said, then he bowed and gracefully took my father’s teacup and left the room.

My father turned back to look at my face, but his eyes seemed as if he were staring into the distance. “We’ll have to tell Garren about you someday. Not telling him would keep the information from leaking, but it will prevent him from coordinating with us. Considering your future, you shouldn’t thoughtlessly go around telling people, but it will be good to have more allies on your side.”

Though my father had his usual emotionless expression, his tone sounded tinged with worry. Telling Garren about me likely referred to sharing the fact that I had memories from a previous life. However, I didn’t know what he meant when he mentioned my future.

That seems like an unnecessary concern.

“I think I would like to keep that information from Garren until the cure for mana depletion disorder is complete. Once it’s ready, I think it would be good to assess whether it is for the best to tell him.”

“That seems reasonable.”

There was very little information available about mana depletion disorder. I probably shouldn’t be sharing anything with Garren when we didn’t even have a prototype for the cure yet.

“I also believe that any questions from Garren can be solved if you simply inform him that we are discussing confidential information and trying to avoid any information leaking,” I suggested.

Garren was both trustworthy and intelligent. That would be enough for him to understand that we weren’t ready to share our discussions with him yet.

“I agree. If we ever need Garren’s help regarding the medicine, we can create some kind of code... Yes, that’s what we’ll do.”

The matter was settled, and we waited for a bit longer before Garren returned to the office with my father’s tea. Just as we had discussed, my father informed him about the confidential discussion that needed to be kept under wraps.

“I understand, sir,” Garren replied with a bow.

I might have imagined it, but I thought I saw him smile at me, as if he were happy on my behalf.

My father took a sip of his steaming-hot tea before he began to tell me what had happened in the capital. It was basically a rehash of everything he’d reported to me in his letters, except when he mentioned that he’d had to put on a performance without informing Kris of what was going on. That was when I remembered Kris’s letter and how she’d said she had been “the victim of a surprise attack.”

“So that’s what it was about...” I mumbled to myself.

My father gave me a suspicious look as he continued to speak. Apparently Roland had attacked Kris without knowing that she was a noble from another country, and the emperor had ordered him to pay her damages. However, Kris had refused to accept such a payment.

But she wasn’t so reserved that she would let Roland off that easily. Several days later, she was summoned to the audience chamber by Emperor Arwin to discuss Roland’s disrespectful behavior toward her. The emperor suggested she accept a payment of damages from the count, but Kris refused. The emperor then asked if she had any other wishes.

Kris remained undaunted among the crowd of nobles gathered in the audience chamber as she confidently declared, “In that case, there is something I would like to say. Would that be all right, Your Majesty?”

“Very well. I will vow on this empire that anything you say here will be pardoned. Go ahead and say anything you wish.”

Arwin seemed to pick up that Kris had something planned, which was why he’d gone out of his way to say that she would be pardoned for anything she said. Thanks to that guarantee, Kris was basically able to act as freely as the emperor could.

Matilda, the empress, was sitting beside Arwin through all of this, and her eyes were sparkling with excitement over what might happen next.

“In that case, I would like to say that everyone makes mistakes; therefore, I do not need damages paid to me. I do believe that it would be best if, moving forward, people were careful not to believe rumors and only speak about things based on confirmed information. If a noble of Magnolia and vassal of Your Imperial Majesty acted as they had in this situation in a diplomatic setting, they would be resented by other countries and stain this empire’s reputation. I humbly ask that the nobles of Magnolia all consider such consequences and that the members of the nobility use this incident as an opportunity to reflect on their behaviors.”

Kris’s words completely stunned the nobles of Magnolia, including the emperor himself. While everyone else had frozen up, Matilda was the only one moving, her shoulders trembling as she covered her mouth with her fan.

Kris had argued that Count Roland’s behavior was a result of an issue with the entire nobility of Magnolia. A man who was not only a vassal of the emperor, but also a count, had believed rumors that had led him to hurl unforgivably abusive and insulting words at her. Kris argued that this had happened because Roland wasn’t properly educated and that it was a problem among the entirety of the Magnolian nobility.

Under normal circumstances, Kris’s words would have been considered an insult toward the nobility of Magnolia, and it would have caused problems on an international scale. However, not only had Kris already refused to accept damages from Roland, but the emperor had also guaranteed that she would be pardoned no matter what she said.

Kris may have been merely a baron’s daughter and business owner, but at that moment, the members of the Magnolian nobility couldn’t argue with her. She had them all in the palm of her hand. Everyone there, from barons to dukes to even margraves, had been lumped into the same category as Count Roland and considered an incompetent noble.

Once they finally unfroze from their shock, the nobles started reacting in various ways. Some were shaking with anger. Some were holding back laughter. Some were impressed. Some were glaring at Count Roland.

Considering the status of these nobles, they would’ve considered Kris to be unimportant enough to be easily tossed aside. That very same, unimportant merchant now had an advantage over all these people, and Count Roland was to blame.

When he’d been ordered to pay damages, the count had turned bright red with anger. Now, all the color had drained from his face. Apparently, a majority of the nobles in attendance were in the “holding back laughter” camp.

“Ahem!!!” The emperor loudly cleared his throat, and everyone in the audience chamber turned to look at him. “I am grateful for your words of advice, Kris. I apologize for my vassals lacking education, as well as the pain you were put through due to such negligence. I would like to speak on behalf of everyone here and formally apologize to you. I am deeply sorry.”

Arwin got up from his throne and slowly walked toward Kris. He then lightly—no, deeply—bowed to her, his body nearly at a ninety-degree angle. It was a bit extreme.

The members of the nobility gathered in the audience chamber were all buzzing with shock. It was unprecedented for the emperor to bow his head in apology over a mistake made by a single noble. Kris was internally panicking over what was happening, but she quickly noticed something was off about the emperor’s demeanor. He was shaking and going, “Pffft,” as though desperately trying to hold something back, his face turning red as he did so. To some, it could have appeared as if he were trying to endure the humiliation he was currently facing. Those who were watching from a distance likely thought the same.

But Kris picked up that something was going on, so she immediately knelt before the emperor. She lowered her head enough that it was below his, which was quite low because of the right angle he was positioned in.

“I believe your joking has gone a bit too far, Your Majesty,” she whispered quietly so that only he could hear her.

“I’m sorry. Your actions have just been so entertaining that I’m struggling to not laugh. Forgive me.” After this exchange, the emperor lifted his head and returned to his usual stance. “As the emperor, I have already declared at the beginning of this exchange that anything said here will be pardoned,” Arwin said, his voice booming in a powerful tone. “If anyone wants to question or complain about my actions here, you should consider that a sign of fault within yourself and repent. Am I clear?!”

Every noble gathered in the audience chamber knelt and responded with a spirited, “Yes, Your Majesty!”

The emperor then scanned the room, found Roland, and began walking toward him. “Raise your head, Count Roland,” he commanded.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Roland scrambled to stand up, and Arwin gave him an unsettling smile. Roland felt strangely intimidated by it, and though he wanted to take a step back, he desperately fought that urge to avoid being disrespectful.

“Thanks to you, Count Roland, I have bowed my head to someone for the first time during my reign as emperor,” Arwin said. “I’ve learned how it feels to bow your head in front of such a large crowd. I must say, I still have much to learn. I’ve been bowed to plenty of times, but I’ve finally realized that I’ve never done it myself. I was able to learn that thanks to you. I’m grateful to you.”

“I-I am undeserving of your thanks, Your Majesty,” Roland replied, his entire body freezing up.

“So, what are you doing?”

“I’m sorry?”

“The emperor has bowed to Lady Kris, yet you, who created the need for an apology, won’t do the same?”

“O-Of course I will! I will apologize right away!!!”

Roland scrambled over to Kris, who was still kneeling, and tried to apologize to her. Kris, however, was merciless. She held her right hand out toward the count and signaled for him to stop.

“You mustn’t, Count Roland. I received a heartfelt apology from His Imperial Majesty that I am undeserving of. I apologize, but I would like to decline any apology from you.”

“You made your emperor bow his head, yet you cannot even apologize on your own behalf,” Arwin remarked. “It seems that you must face the music, Count Roland.”

“B-But I...” Count Roland lamented, turning into a pale mound of sand and crumbling to the ground.

In reality he’d simply fallen to his knees and hung his head.

Kris looked up at the emperor and flashed him a smile before she spoke again, still kneeling. “Your Majesty, I am sorry that this lowly daughter of a foreign baron spoke so impertinently in regard to the glorious members of the Magnolian nobility,” she said in a resonant voice. “I humbly ask for your forgiveness.”

“Very well. I forgive you!”

Emperor Arwin beamed with joy, as if he had finally gotten rid of his pent-up frustrations.

◇

My father spoke jovially of how Kris had the nobles from the capital dancing in the palm of her hand. He also mentioned that everyone in the nobility resented Count Roland’s behavior, so things would be calm for a while. He seemed glad that he would have one less thing in the capital to worry about.

Kris had charmed everyone, including the emperor, with her confident demeanor in the audience chamber, and several people had asked my father to act as an intermediary to discuss marriage with her. He’d told them all to do it themselves and turned them down. I would have expected nothing less.

Garren cleared his throat. “What about the main topic of this discussion, Sir Reiner?”

My father had gotten a bit excited while recounting the tale of Kris’s accomplishments, and he’d gotten slightly off track. Garren tried to nudge him back in the right direction.

“Oh, yes... I think I focused too much on the events that took place in the capital. Let’s move on to the main topic I wanted to discuss.”

Garren seemed relieved to hear that.

I also think the tangent went on for too long.

My father took a deep breath and stared at my face before he continued. “Your marriage has been decided, Reid,” he said in a somber tone.

“Huh?”

My father’s words were so unexpected that I’d let out a pathetic response. My brain quickly caught up to the situation, and I had a question for him.

“This is not a proposal or a prospective arrangement?”

“No, this is a marriage.”

“This isn’t some sort of agreement, like an engagement?”

“No, it is marriage.”

I fell silent for a moment before I responded. “When will this happen?”

“At the earliest, it will be in several months.”

After responding to my questions, my father reached for his tea and took another sip. The clink of his teacup being put down on the table resonated within the silent office.

“Father, this is the very first time I’m hearing of this,” I pointed out, my brows furrowed into a scowl.

This was real, actual marriage. Things might be different with nobles, but there were still steps that were usually taken, such as proposals and engagements. It was only after all arrangements were made that two people would have a wedding.

On top of that, I was still a young child. According to the laws of this empire, unless a special exception was made for me, I wasn’t old enough to be legally married. Despite that, I was apparently getting married in several months. I tried searching through Reid’s memories, but there was nothing in them about marriage.

“Yes, well, I’d only heard about it from His Majesty during this last trip to the capital, so there’s no way you could have known about it.”

“Huh?” The same pathetic sound left my mouth again.

He just heard about this too?

“You will be marrying the princess of our allied kingdom of Lenarute. In other words, your marriage will be granted special exception, as it is a political marriage intended to strengthen the relationship of our countries. After the wedding, the princess will move to the Valdia Mark.”

Why is a foreign princess being married off to a lower rank like a margrave instead of another royal? That was one of the many questions popping up in my mind.

“Garren, I’ll need you to immediately start the preparations to welcome Her Highness to our home. We may even need to build an annex for her.”

Garren thought to himself for a moment before responding, “If I may, I have a question. First, I believe that this mansion may not be spacious enough to welcome a princess into. Additionally, Lenarute has a very different culture from Magnolia, so their homes are built in vastly different ways as well. If I may be so bold, I would say that for a margrave of Magnolia to properly welcome a princess from a foreign country, it would indeed be best to prepare an annex for Her Highness.”

“Mm,” my father responded, placing his hand over his mouth as he mulled over Garren’s suggestion. “Very well. In that case, we shall prepare an annex for her. We’ll have the empire foot the bill. I apologize for the trouble, but I’d like you to gather the necessary information within the next few days. I’d also like you to send a messenger with a letter to the imperial capital stating that we will be building a new structure to welcome the princess and that we expect to be reimbursed once we have the final invoices.”

“Understood. I will begin preparations right away.”

“Thank you. I still have things to discuss with Reid, so you may be excused, Garren. Make sure no one comes into the office until I say they can.”

“Yes, sir. I will take my leave now.” Garren bowed, and with that, he left the office.

I was back to being alone with my father, and we both remained silent for a few moments. I took a sip of my lukewarm tea, trying to moisturize my throat, which had dried out from nervousness, before asking him a question.

“According to what you said, Magnolia aims to strengthen the relationship between the empire and Lenarute, and in order to do that, the princess of Lenarute will become my wife. Does the empire also intend to legally take the princess as a hostage by making her my wife?”

“That’s right. I’m glad to see you understanding so quickly. Also, I’ve heard that she is the same age as you.”

The same age as me?!

I’d maintained my composure on the outside, but internally, I was quite flustered. A marriage between two young children sounded like something that would’ve happened during the Sengoku period in Japan.

Is there some other kind of motivation behind this marriage, aside from taking the princess hostage and establishing a political marriage?

“Why is a member of our neighboring country’s royalty marrying below her rank to a Magnolian margrave? Aren’t our statuses quite different?”

My father let out a deep sigh. “What I’m about to tell you must not be repeated to anyone else. If this information gets out, we will be executed. You must be careful.”

What? This is that big of a deal? I-I don’t want to hear about it anymore! I should’ve just nodded along with what he was saying!

My father had already begun speaking, so it was too late to back out. He told me about both the publicly known and confidential truths behind the Valst Incident, which Lenarute, Magnolia, and Valst all played a part in. He even told me about the secret deals made. Welcoming the princess of Lenarute into the Magnolian imperial family would mean that the royalty of our vassal state would become a princess consort, which had no benefits for Magnolia. At the same time, the Lenarute princess marrying below her station into a noble family that was at the center of Magnolian politics could cause unnecessary conflict between factions within the empire. Because of that, margraves, who were quite far from central politics, were the ideal candidates for betrothal to the princess. As the person closest in age to her, I was the best fit for the job.

“I of course expressed my displeasure to the emperor,” my father remarked. “Making all of these decisions without informing me until after the fact was too far. However, at the end of the day, you are the son of a family that serves the empire. You would eventually have to get married. You’ll have to accept it as something that is simply happening sooner than expected.”

As he said that, there was a distant and sorrowful look in my father’s eyes. I thought about the princess of Lenarute, whom I’d never even seen before. Because of backroom deals made between countries, she had been destined to marry foreign royalty or nobility from the moment she was born. Since Lenarute was a vassal state, she couldn’t even become a princess consort and had to marry below her station into a margrave’s family. Fate was toying with this girl’s life.

“That seems much too cruel to the princess,” I remarked. “She’d already been destined to marry into a foreign country’s royal family since the moment she was born. Though the Valdias are a family of margraves, it seems wrong for her to have to marry below her station like this...”

A look of displeasure washed over my father’s face as he began to point out how naive my way of thinking was. “You cannot bring personal feelings into matters between two countries,” he said sternly. “Doing so will only ignite the flames of war. Also, the deal was to marry either a member of the imperial family or someone of the next-highest station. This doesn’t break that agreement. In Magnolia, the next-highest station applies to three titles: grand dukes, margraves, and dukes. There are currently no families that hold the title of grand duke. On top of that, if you compare the privileges that each title carries, margraves are technically above dukes in status. She is a member of the royal family, and you are a member of the nobility. You each have an obligation to protect your country by fulfilling your duty to it.”

My father’s words made me painfully aware of how little I’d understood about what it meant to be a noble in this empire and participate in politics. Unlike my previous world, this wasn’t a place where peace was guaranteed. In fact, even in my previous world, there were always deals made between nations that led to what seemed like peace. Even a small tip in the scales could cause wars—and that was even truer in this world.

I simply looked down as I processed his words. My hand had been resting on my thigh, and it was now balled into a tight fist. My father understood that his words had gotten through to me, and his stern expression faded into a gentle look.

“Still, it is indeed true that fate seems to be toying with the princess of Lenarute. If you feel sorry for Her Highness, you must care for her and love her more deeply than anyone else.”

I quickly looked back up, and my eyes met my father’s. He wasn’t looking at me as a noble with a duty but as a father who genuinely wished for his child’s happiness. There was that sort of kindness in his eyes.

“As members of the nobility, we have both a responsibility and a duty to do everything within our power to serve the empire. However, the princess is going to be your wife. You are the only one who can care for her and love her. Do not forget that. You will protect the princess. Are we clear?”

Unlike the strict tone he’d taken when he was pointing out how naive I was being, my father now sounded like a man trying to lead the way for his child. His tone was firm but kind. And he was right. I could sympathize with how cruel fate had been to the princess, but that wouldn’t solve anything. I had to think about protecting and loving her.

“Yes, father. Thank you for pointing out the errors in my way of thinking. I will do my best to make her happy.”

“Very well,” he said with a nod.

It was only then that I’d realized I hadn’t asked him an important question.

“Father, may I ask the name of the princess who will become my wife?”

“Oh, I haven’t told you yet. I apologize. You will be marrying the first princess of Lenarute, Farah Lenarute.”

Farah Lenarute, I repeated in my mind. I continued thinking about her name, trying to engrave it into my memories.

◇

My discussion with my father in his office had been one surprise after another. I’d learned that Kris had made a mark on the imperial capital in more ways than one. I’d also learned that I would be getting married soon, which I never would have imagined happening this early in life. In fact, I had never gotten married in my previous life.

I think I had a girlfriend at the very least. I did, right?

I felt like the answer to that question would only hurt me, so I decided to stop thinking about it.

I was still in my father’s office, alone with him. We’d finished discussing everything important, so we were now engaging in some friendly chitchat, during which he began to ask about my knowledge from my previous life.

Conditioner and lotion were both products that were unknown in this world. He asked if there were more useful products that still hadn’t been discovered. I wasn’t sure if it was for the best, but I decided to be honest.

“There are plenty. There are mountains of other products that could be made.”

My father furrowed his brows as he mumbled, “This is the biggest problem.” He sounded like he was struggling. “Reid, your knowledge is extremely dangerous. I’m sure you know things that could completely change the way this world works. If you ever want to use this knowledge from your previous life, you must speak to me first. Be careful not to consider what is normal to you as common sense for everyone else.”

“Yes, father,” I replied with a nod.

Even items as simple as conditioner and lotion had caused such a stir in the capital. I believed from the bottom of my heart that I needed to be more careful.

I actually have something I was wondering about regarding that annex he was talking about with Garren.

“You mentioned earlier that we will be building an annex,” I said. “Will Lady Farah and I be moving into that annex alone?”

“That’s right. Though we are welcoming her to the mark, she is a foreign royal and the empire’s hostage. The likelihood of her being a spy is very low, but there’s still a possibility that she is. When you consider all of those facts together, it is best that we build an annex for her.”

A spy, huh? I guess she’s coming from another country, so the chance isn’t zero. Also, the princess may be a child, but her servants probably won’t be. We’ll definitely have to watch out for them.

Though those thoughts were in my mind, I decided to ask my father about something else. “In that case, would it be possible for me to join in on the construction of the annex?”

“What?”

“My heart is racing thinking about building the place where I will live with my wife,” I said. “Also, when considering things I’d like to do in the future, I would like to include a research facility for Sandra, as well as an office for the Kristie Trading Company. Oh, I’d also like my own magic and martial arts training grounds, just like the ones on the main property.”

My father scowled upon hearing my words and sighed. “You fool... You know that we need to budget for the construction of the annex, right? We can’t build anything too complex.”

“I thought that the empire would be reimbursing for the construction costs.”

“That reimbursement comes from taxes. If we ask for too much, the central nobles are going to start reprimanding us. We must stay within our limits.”

Darn.

I’d wanted to get the empire to cover everything, but it didn’t look like that would be possible. For now, it was best that I backed down on this point.

“Understood. However, I would still like to be a part of the construction for the annex that I will be living in with my wife.”

“Very well,” my father said with a sigh. “I’ll make those arrangements. I think that’s enough for today.”

Though he wanted to wrap things up, I had one more thing to ask of him.

“Father, I have one final request.”

“You’re not done?” My father had started this long discussion with me as soon as he’d returned from the capital, so his exhaustion was starting to show.

“This will be quick: Please allow me to visit Lenarute.”

“What did you say?” His tired face quickly twisted into a scowl.

“You stated that I may participate in the construction of the annex, so I would like to see the culture of Lenarute for myself.”

“There’s no need for that. We can just call in a specialist who knows about their culture. You don’t have to go there.”

“There’s actually one other reason that I would like to visit the kingdom myself, and it’s something I can only tell you, father. I cannot share the details, but it has to do with my memories of my previous life and the simulation, as well as mother’s illness.”

My father’s eyebrows twitched. He maintained his scowl as he glared daggers at me, but I wasn’t going to back down. I fought back with a relentless smile. This staring contest might have looked comical to anyone watching. My father’s glare was powerful enough to send knights running, but I maintained a beaming smile in the face of it.

After a while, a deep sigh from my father filled the quiet office. “Fine. However, you must obviously travel with guards, and you may only stay in Lenarute for a few days. Your betrothal to the princess won’t be announced yet, but we can still say that we’re sending you there as a potential marriage candidate.”

I was planning on this being a casual visit, so my father’s response seemed blown out of proportion.

“In that case, what if I take a small group and travel under cover?”

“You idiot! If you were to do that and cause any trouble, not only will you personally be in hot water, but you’ll drag the entire mark into your mess. Depending on the issue, it could even cause a conflict between our countries! Don’t you dare do anything so careless!”

I’d never seen my father so upset before, and his booming voice of anger filled the room. I couldn’t help but shrink at my first experience with seeing him so upset.

“I-I apologize...”

“You are the heir to the Valdia Mark, and you will be marrying a princess. In the worst case, you could be assassinated. Lenarute may be an ally, but no country is a monolith. There are undoubtedly citizens of Lenarute who don’t think fondly of Magnolians. You must never utter something so thoughtless again. Am I clear?”

I could be assassinated? I definitely never considered that. I guess this marriage is basically reminding Lenarute that they’re a vassal state. Even if it’s not official, I’m going to be visiting as a margrave who wants to marry the princess, not a member of the Magnolian imperial family. I’m sure there are people in Lenarute who won’t take kindly to that.

“I understand, father. I apologize for my thoughtless remarks.”

“As long as you understand,” he said. “I will tell you the exact dates of your trip once they have been decided. Is there anything else?”

“No, that is all. Thank you very much.”

“Mm,” he said with a nod. “You may be excused. I am going to rest.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.”

I bowed and left the office. As I walked down the hallway, I heard someone call out my name.

“Sir Reid.”

I turned around and saw Garren smiling.

“I’m glad to see that you got to have a deep conversation with Sir Reiner,” he said.

“Y-Yeah. We had a lot to talk about today. Anyway, did you need something?”

What’s going on?

Garren took a deep breath before he responded. “Ever since Lady Nanalie fell ill, the members of the family began to grow apart and become low in spirits. Every member of the staff was quite worried about your family. However, your demeanor suddenly changed, Sir Reid, and now everyone is back to being their cheerful selves. On behalf of the staff, I would like to express how happy we are to see this.”

Garren continued to smile—it was the same look he’d given me in the office earlier. I now knew that he’d smiled because he was happy to see me being so friendly and chatting with my father. I also learned that everyone in the household had known about what was going on, and that they had been concerned. I couldn’t help but smile.

“Thank you for worrying about us,” I replied.

Garren cleared his throat before leaning down to whisper in my ear, “You will be all right, Sir Reid. I am confident that you will be able to make the princess of Lenarute happy. We will all help you as well. After all, she is going to be our young mistress.”

He had probably been waiting to tell me that. Garren seemed a bit embarrassed after saying that, and he bashfully scratched his cheek. I gave him the biggest smile I’d worn that day.

“Thanks, Garren!!! I’m going to do my best!!!”

“I am glad we can be of service.”

Though I was genuinely happy about his kind words, there was one thing bugging me.

“I have to say, Garren...”

“Yes, what is it?”

“The princess may be a child, but I think ‘young mistress’ is a little too matronly, no?”

“Pft!”

My comment seemed to have been quite funny to Garren, because he was uncharacteristically struggling to suppress his laughter.

Those Who Mustn’t Be Angered

After my conversation with my father wrapped up, I stopped by the guest room to see how Kris was doing. I knocked on the door, but there was no answer.

“Are you awake, Kris?” I asked as I cautiously opened the door and peeked inside.

Kris was lying in bed, sound asleep. I recalled how during my previous life, people sometimes pulled pranks on others while they were asleep. Feeling mischievous, I tiptoed to her bedside.

“Kriiis,” I called out in a hushed voice.

The only sounds she made were the quiet breaths of a person in slumber.

“Now that I think about it, I’ve never looked at Kris this closely before,” I mumbled to myself.

Unable to suppress my curiosity and desire for mischief, I couldn’t help but stare at her while she slept. The elf had clear, even-toned skin, and her hair was silky and smooth. Since she’d been using the conditioner, her long hair had gotten even more beautiful. She usually had it tied up in a ponytail, but it was currently down. Perhaps a maid had brushed through it when the staff was getting her set up in bed. Several strands were on her face.

Kris had prominent features and long eyelashes. Her lips were a soft shade of pink and looked quite plump. Anyone looking at her this close up would undoubtedly be charmed. The more I stared, the more I began to see that she was a rare beauty.

Everyone knew that she was beautiful, but it was possible that people hadn’t realized just how gorgeous she was. Kris was usually busy running all over the place taking care of business, so most people didn’t have a chance to get a good look at her. Perhaps that was why most hadn’t realized how mesmerizing she was.

“Mmm, no...” Kris muttered in her sleep, her tone unintentionally bewitching.

Her voice was more sensual than I would’ve expected, and I felt my face flushing bright red. My father had mentioned that some nobles had reached out to him hoping that he would help them ask for Kris’s hand.

They were probably charmed by her captivating beauty, on top of all the confidence and grace she showed in the audience chamber.

For some reason, that thought made me irritated.

“No, you mustn’t, Empress Matilda...” Kris mumbled.

What is she dreaming about?

I figured that there was no point in staying here for much longer, so I quietly made my way back to the door. I turned the doorknob, but...the door wouldn’t open.

No, it wasn’t that it wouldn’t open.

“Is there someone on the other side?” I wondered aloud.

I forcefully tugged on the door once again and got it slightly ajar. From the small opening I saw a pair of eyes, the same purple as my own.

“Hey, Mer,” I said. “Can you open the door?”

“What are you doing, brother?”

I’d never imagined that Mer would send such a chilling shiver down my spine. I felt myself begin to sweat with fear.

“You spent lots of time speaking to father,” she continued. “Then, you came to see the elf lady, even though I was waiting for you this whole time...”

“I-I’m sorry, Mer. I heard that Kris had passed out, so, um, yeah! That’s right! I was worried about her, so I came to check on her.”

I technically wasn’t lying, but for some reason I felt like I was trying to make excuses to cover up for cheating on my significant other. That was just how intimidating Mer was at the moment. I thought I could see a jet-black aura emanating from behind her.

“You were staring at her for a looong time, brother,” Mer pointed out.

“That was only because I was worried about her condition.”

“You know what else, brother?”

“Wh-What, Mer?”

A terrifying look appeared on her face as she said, “You went into a lady’s room on your own, while she was asleep. That means you already did a bad thing.”

“Yeah, you’re right...”

I deeply reflected on my actions and realized it was no good to cause mischief. But despite my lamenting, Mer still wouldn’t let me out.

“Can I come out now, Mer?”

“No. You have to wait a little longer.”

“Huh?”

As soon as I wondered what she meant by that, I heard a maid coming down the hallway.

“Lady Meredy!” a voice called out from a distance.

I completely froze up. Mer had no intention of forgiving me for this transgression. I continued trying to escape, but she wouldn’t let me.

“No!” she said in a firm tone.

Of course, if I truly wanted to, I could force the door open, but that could injure her, and causing such a commotion would only make matters worse.

Before I knew it, Danae had reached the door. I gave up on fleeing and stood there, frozen.

“What are you doing, Lady Meredy?” Danae asked.

“Um, I’m trapping a bad person,” Mer explained with an adorable smile. “You’re here now, so I’m going to open the door.”

“Excuse me?” Danae replied with a perplexed look.

The door opened, and Danae was met with a figure standing still before her. She froze up for a moment, then a stern look of disgust washed over her face.

“Sir Reid! What are you doing?”

“I heard that Kris passed out, so I came to check on her...”

“That’s not true!” Mer said. “You came here to stare at the elf lady while she was sleeping, right?”

I felt the air around me turn freezing cold, and Danae wore a terrifying look. But the scariest person here right now was still my little sister.

“What is the meaning of this, Sir Reid?”

“No, um, well, it’s true that I came here because I heard she wasn’t feeling well, but I was just feeling a little mischievous, and I...”

Danae let out a deep sigh. “So you entered a young woman’s room without permission, while she was asleep, and stared at her as she slept? That is an unforgivable thing for a young man to do, Sir Reid. That is absolutely horrible.”

“Urgh...”

“I agree,” Mer chimed in. “Let’s go see mother so she can scold brother!”

“That sounds wonderful, my lady.”

“W-Wait, hold on!” I pleaded. “Mother is sick, and she can’t get out of bed, so we mustn’t trouble her.” I couldn’t imagine how my mother would react upon hearing that I’d been staring at a woman as she slept.

“Let’s go see mother!” Mer announced, ignoring me.

My points were valid, but neither Mer nor Danae considered them. I soon found myself in my mother’s room.

“Did you two come to see me?” She greeted us with a smile as we entered her room.

Mer immediately dropped the bomb. “Mother! There’s an elf lady in the guest room right now. She’s sleeping because she’s tired, but brother just went into her room without asking! And...he was staring at her face! He’s the worst, right?”

My mother’s smile turned from cheerful to dark and twisted. “Is this true?”

Danae immediately responded, “Yes. Lady Meredy said there was a bad person in the guest room, so I checked for myself and saw Sir Reid standing still within.”

“I see. Mer and Danae, you may both be excused.”

As instructed by my mother, the two left the room. I can’t really recall what happened after that, but I learned one lesson that day that I would never forget.

I must never anger my mother or Mer.

In the Drawing Room with Kris

The day following my long discussion with my father, I was meeting with Kris in the drawing room. We were seated across from each other with a table between us. On the table were steaming-hot cups of tea that the maids had prepared for us before they’d left the room.

Right now, the two of us were alone in the drawing room. I’d wanted to speak with Kris yesterday when she’d returned from the capital, but she had been so exhausted that she’d passed out upon returning to Valdia. Out of consideration for her health, my father had set her up in our guest room last night, where she’d rested until today. She’d spent all of yesterday in bed and had woken up this morning a bit confused. Danae had been giggling as she told me that Kris had been “quite panicked.”

I figured it was a lot of work for a lady to get ready, so I’d asked several maids to help Kris once she woke up.

I wonder if that went all right.

I’d asked members of the household staff for two things. First, I wanted to be notified when Kris was ready to talk. Second, I wanted them to relay that I would like her to give a report about her trip to the capital. I was eventually notified that Kris was ready to meet, and now we were here in the drawing room.

Since we would be discussing events that had taken place in the capital, some of the information brought up would be confidential—that was what I’d told the maids when I’d asked them to leave the room. I thought that the maids had looked at me with suspicion as they left, but I’d like to believe I’d imagined that.

“I apologize, Sir Reid. I cannot believe I fell unconscious and remained asleep upon my return...”

“No, no. You have nothing to apologize for. I’m sure you were exhausted. I should be the one apologizing. I’m sorry for giving you such a difficult task.”

Kris seemed a bit dispirited. Perhaps she was disappointed that she’d made it all the way to the finish line, only to have fallen apart just before crossing it. I took a closer look at her face and saw that her eyes were glistening.

Should I try to cheer her up?

She was usually a much livelier woman, and her current teary-eyed expression and low spirits were making her charming in a different way. I also had a flashback to when I’d sneaked up on her to prank her while she was asleep, and I felt my face grow hot.

Kris seemed to notice that I was flushed and asked, “Are you all right?”

“Y-Yes, I’m fine,” I insisted.

“Excuse me,” Kris said as she leaned forward and placed her left hand on my forehead. She then placed her right hand on her own forehead. “I don’t believe you have a fever, but you mustn’t push yourself too hard, Sir Reid.”

She dropped her hands and leaned in a bit more. Our faces were unbelievably close as she gave me an adorable smile. I felt myself instantly turn bright red. It had happened so quickly that I thought I could hear the blood rushing to my face. At the same time, the events from yesterday replayed in my mind.

I thought back to the smiles on Mer’s and my mother’s faces. There was something terrifying emanating from behind them. Before I knew it, all the blood had left my face, leaving me pale.

“Now you’re looking pale, Sir Reid. Are you really all right? If you’re not feeling well, we should meet another day.”

“No, no! I’m really all right! See? I’m doing great!”

I quickly shot up from my seat and began moving my arms around, bending and stretching to show Kris that I was perfectly healthy.

“Well, as long as you’re all right...” Kris said, not looking convinced.

“More importantly, how was your meeting with the empress?” I asked. “I heard from my father that you officially got your rights to the products recognized and that you also managed to suppress interference from other nobles.”

I sat back down while forcing a change of topic. Kris’s expression brightened, and she began speaking with her usual lively and confident demeanor. I listened to her talk for a while.

1. Coordination between Kristie Trading Company and Saffron Trading Company.

2. Quarrel with Count Roland and Kris’s counterattack.

3. Contract with the empress granting her the rights to priority supply for lotion and conditioner.

4. Establishment of a path for direct sales from Kristie Trading Company to the empress.

Note: The empress has taken a liking to Kris.

5. Right to priority supply: a month’s supply of lotion and conditioner must be prepared with the highest priority for the empress. If the empress makes additional orders, those will be fulfilled using stock meant for standard consumers. Her Majesty’s right to priority does not apply to additional orders. The priority order must be paid for in full before delivery.

That basically summarized what Kris had told me. After that, we went over each point, making sure we were on the same page. I took a sip of tea to hydrate myself before moving on.

“Kris, I truly thank you for all your work in the capital.”

“There’s no need for thanks. I simply followed your instructions. I’ve also always wanted to raid the capital myself, so to speak.” She smiled bashfully, then the light behind her eyes disappeared. “But I won’t be going next time,” she muttered with resentment.

All I could do was let out a nervous chuckle and let that moment pass. To switch gears, I decided to ask her about Saffron Trading Company.

“I’m not trying to flatter you, but you are objectively incredible. I don’t think I could have settled matters so well. Am I correct in assuming that we’re all set to work with the Saffron Trading Company?”

“Yes, that’s correct. The Saffron Trading Company has gladly accepted our request to provide customer service for both the lotion and the conditioner. Also, Their Majesties have been filled in about our requests. I’ve asked that they ensure that those without the proper knowledge cannot sell such products, as they can affect people’s physical well-being. For now, the Saffron and Kristie Trading Companies will have a monopoly on this market.”

She gave me a smile before taking a sip of tea.

“Understood. I’d eventually like to visit the Saffron Trading Company.”

“I’ll make the introductions when the time comes,” Kris happily replied.

“You know, I had no idea that you were a noble lady from Astoria. I was surprised to learn about it from my father.”

Even Garren, who’d told me about the Kristie Trading Company, had made no mention of Kris being a baron’s daughter. Garren would definitely have shared that information had he known.

If Garren didn’t know, does that mean she didn’t tell anyone?

“The truth is, I wasn’t aware either...” Kris admitted.

“Huh?”

Her response was completely unexpected, so she proceeded to explain.

On her way to the capital from Valdia Mark, a messenger from the Saffron Trading Company had come to see her. That was when she’d learned that her father, Martin Saffron, had been recognized by the Kingdom of Astoria for his contribution to his country through his successful business and was being ennobled. Technically, Kris hadn’t officially become a noble yet when she was in the capital.

After checking with the company, it had been decided that introducing her to our emperor as the daughter of a baron was all right, given the timing. The company had worked things out with both Kris’s father and the Kingdom of Astoria so that if there were any inquiries from Magnolia, they would all be on the same page, so there was nothing to be concerned about.

“Astoria and Magnolia are in a cooperative relationship, and Astoria would never let an opportunity like this pass by,” Kris explained. “This is a chance for an Astorian business to have direct dealings with the imperial family of Magnolia. Astoria will undoubtedly back our claims. There is nothing to worry about.”

Kris stared into her teacup as she spoke and took a small sip when she finished before putting it back down. She remained confident, but I was trembling internally. She’d assured me that there wouldn’t be any issues, but that didn’t change the fact that she’d challenged imperial nobles with a bluff. Her courage was admirable.

“What a brave woman,” I mumbled, voicing what was on my mind without thinking.

“Hm? What was that?”

Kris hadn’t heard what I’d said, just that I’d muttered something, so I quickly changed the topic.

“Oh, um...nothing. Anyway, my father seemed quite excited that you’d launched a counterattack on Count Roland. Did you really need to go that far?”

“Oh, the count. Well...”

Roland was undoubtedly arrogant and disliked by many; however, he wasn’t a count just in name. Though they weren’t praiseworthy deeds, he was extremely skilled at scheming, policing businesses, and obtaining privileges that would benefit his interests. He was also good at hiding all of his machinations from the other nobles, including the emperor. In a way, he too was a skilled noble working in the capital.

As a result of Count Roland’s scheming, several foreign businesses had been barred from operating in the capital, including the Saffron Trading Company. In order to conduct business there and sell to the imperial family and other nobles, the foreign companies would eventually have to do something about Roland.

It was amid such troubles that Kris had visited the politics there. The events that had taken place in the audience chamber on the first day had been immediately relayed to top members of the Saffron Trading Company, and they’d come up with a plan to give Roland a scare.

“Count Roland may have gone a bit too far. A positive way to look at his actions would be to consider that he was simply trying to protect domestic businesses. However, such actions would only weaken Magnolian businesses when it comes to competing with foreign companies.”

When Kris was still working with the Saffron Trading Company, she had visited countries all over the world. It was natural for a country to give special treatment to local businesses, but overbearing policies would prevent them from competing with foreign businesses and leave them lacking the power to adapt to trends. Kris was well aware that such restrictions could cause domestic businesses to be swept up by the waves of change. Once that happened, it would take a while for them to get back on their feet.

In this case, the Kristie Trading Company was based in the Valdia Mark, which made it a Magnolian business. If Roland had been attacking a foreign business, that could have caused a lot of trouble for Magnolian trading.

Kris thought back to the face that Count Roland had made when she’d backed him into a corner, as well as the looks on Their Majesties’ and the other nobles’ faces, and giggled. “It seemed that he wasn’t very liked among the capital nobles, so I don’t think he’ll be showing his face for a while. I’m sure the foreign businesses will eventually purge the capital of all the corrupt companies that were under Count Roland’s protection.”

Kris mentioned this purge of corrupt companies with an incredible lack of concern, as if it had been no big deal.

“I’m so glad you’re an ally, Kris. I’m grateful to whatever fate led the Kristie Trading Company to the Valdia Mark.”

“That’s quite an honor, Sir Reid. I am also grateful for the wonderful fortune that led us to meet.” A distant look came over her face as she continued. “No matter how talented you are or how hard you work, sometimes your efforts bear no fruit. In my case, I was lucky to have met you.”

There was a sorrowful look in her eyes that suggested she was looking down on herself. She was likely thinking back to how she’d had no choice but to leave the Saffron Trading Company. Kris was a talented businesswoman, but I had no doubt it had been incredibly difficult for her to build the Kristie Trading Company from scratch here. It was after such a struggle that I’d appeared in her life. That was probably why she thought of herself as lucky.

I could understand her perspective, but I didn’t agree. I really hated to see her putting down her own talents. “That’s very true. No matter how talented or hardworking someone is, their efforts may never be recognized. They may never see any results. I think good fortune only comes to those who still continue to fight—the people who desperately continue forward until their skills are finally recognized. I believe you’ve worked that hard, Kris. If it wasn’t for your own hard work, our butler wouldn’t have recommended your business to me, and I wouldn’t be sitting here with you.”

After silently listening to what I had to say, Kris just looked down and mumbled, “Thank you...” Her voice was trembling as she spoke.

“Oh, um, we’re running out of tea! Why don’t we take a break?”

I was quite flustered by her reaction, but she only nodded silently in response to my panicked words.

◇

“I apologize for losing my composure, Sir Reid,” Kris said, her voice no longer trembling.

She’d probably faced all sorts of struggles to get to where she was now. She’d likely been thinking about how she’d succeeded in establishing a relationship with the imperial family to sell to them directly—something she hadn’t been able to accomplish even while at the powerhouse that was the Saffron Trading Company—and had gotten a bit overwhelmed.

“Don’t worry about it,” I assured her. “Besides, I got to see a different but equally cute side to you.”

“Wh—?!” Kris turned bright red, perhaps embarrassed that I’d seen her in such a dispirited state.

Everyone cries. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

“Excuse me,” a maid said, entering with the refill of tea that I’d asked for. She exchanged our old cups for fresh ones, then left the drawing room. By the time we were alone again, Kris’s face was no longer flushed.

I cleared my throat and resumed our discussion from earlier. “In the case of Count Roland, I think we’re fine to just see how things develop.”

“I agree,” she replied. “After this incident, Count Roland has lost his standing in the capital. There are people who like to benefit from the work of others—we can call them members of the Roland faction. That faction will be unable to make any big moves for a while.”

“The Roland faction? That’s a faction that would make my father grimace,” I said with a chuckle. “The next topic is the empress’s right to priority supply...” I never imagined Her Majesty would corner the market like this. “If I’m understanding correctly, we’ll be delivering a monthly supply of lotion and conditioner to her every month. Will we be okay in terms of stock? I’m sure we can get more of the oil used to make the conditioner from my father, but we only just started cultivating aloe.”

Our conditioner recipe required olive oil, so I would be able to get a decent quantity through my father. The potential problem here was acquiring aloe. We’d only just started cultivating our own aloe plants, so we didn’t have a lot of raw materials. Our original plan had been to produce only small batches of the products.

“I have some measures in place already,” Kris said with an undaunted chuckle.

She explained what she’d planned in detail. We weren’t currently growing enough aloe to sustain our production needs, so she had made use of her and the Saffron Trading Company’s business connections and found farmers who would grow aloe for us. She’d signed contracts with them guaranteeing that we’d pay a certain amount above market price to receive a monthly supply of aloe. She’d also set up job requests with various nations’ guilds to have adventurers forage the plant for us. That was how Kris was getting us all the aloe she could.

“You work terrifyingly quickly,” I remarked. “You truly are on top of things, Kris.”

“I’m sure that the price of aloe will surge, so we’ll need to buy as much as we can right now. Also, I’ve signed long-term contracts where I can. We’ll likely need to renegotiate prices in the future, but what’s most important is securing the raw ingredients to make our products.”

She did all of this to get ahead of any trouble, understanding what our priorities are. She really is an incredible businesswoman.

“Though we’ve secured materials, we’re going to be quite busy fulfilling Her Majesty’s monthly orders for now, so we won’t have very much product going to market,” she said.

“I see. Since you’re the face of our brand, you’re the next highest in priority. Make sure you get some of the products for yourself. It’s rare to find someone as beautiful as you, so people will definitely want our products after seeing what they’ve done for you.”

Kris gasped. “Sir Reid, you should think a bit more before you speak!” She averted her gaze, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Is something wrong?

“I definitely think before I speak,” I assured her. “It’s truly rare to come across someone as beautiful as you are, and using the conditioner and lotion will only make you more beautiful. Anyone who sees you will undoubtedly want to be like you.”

“Urgh, very well... I will make sure to prioritize getting myself some of the product, as well as securing some for anyone in the Valdia household who may want them.” Kris’s face was still red.

“Are you feeling all right? Maybe you’re still exhausted.”

“N-No, I’m all right!” she insisted. “Anyway, um, oh! Regarding what I said earlier about how we won’t have much stock available to sell because we’ll be busy supplying Her Majesty and ourselves...”

Kris forcibly changed the topic, but since she’d insisted she was feeling fine, I figured it was okay to move on.

“Yes. It’s unfortunate, but we’ll have to give up on selling to the public for now. We can revisit the issue once we’ve secured our access to raw materials.”

“I agree. Also, if we wait to make the product available to the public after it’s something only Her Majesty has had access to for a while, it will likely increase its popularity. We may even be able to raise the price a bit. Our lack of product may end up working in our favor.”

Kris was right. People were strange in that limited supply simply made them want it more. If a product that only the empress had access to were to become available to the public, it would cause quite a stir. And that wasn’t all she had thought of.

“Regarding our lotion, we should come up with a new name for it. Some of the Magnolian nobles know what goes into it because we’ve been calling it aloe lotion. If we change the name of our product, most people outside of the royal capital won’t know what the raw ingredients are.”

Despite the fact that we didn’t have enough raw materials, Kris was already thinking about exporting our product to other countries. I couldn’t help but be impressed by how merchants were always thinking of the next step.

Product names, huh?

Just then, a wonderful idea popped into my head. “Let’s call the lotion ‘Kristie.’”

“Huh?” She let out an uncharacteristically silly sound. “Sir Reid! Why my name, of all things?! We could simply ask Her Majesty to bestow her name on the product!”

Kris had likely never imagined that her name would be used for our products. She was bright red as she vehemently refused my idea, but I wasn’t going to back down either.

“It’s going to be a product of the Kristie Trading Company, and your beauty will be the face of our brand. Naming it after you will definitely be impactful, and it’ll help spread the name of your business!”

“But... Even so, I...”

Kris was still in disbelief that I’d proposed using her name. Though she wanted to refuse, changing the name of the product had been her idea, so she couldn’t say no that easily. She also understood that everything I said was true.

This product could be used all over the world. If it were to be named after a company, that automatically spread the name of the company in question. The Kristie Trading Company would become better known than even her family’s business. Becoming famous would lead to people wanting to do business with us in turn, and being a well-known brand would give Kris’s company an advantage. The more I thought about it, the more benefits there were to naming the lotion after her business. The only downside was that we’d be hearing her name mentioned all over the world.

Kris seemed to be struggling with what to do, so I decided to use the authority of the crown. “We couldn’t use such a revered name as Her Majesty’s. It’s decided—the lotion will be called ‘Kristie.’”

“Urgh, very well...” Kris hung her head, but I wasn’t done shocking her just yet.

“Next we have to come up with a name for the conditioner.”

“I’m sorry?”

“It’s no fun to just have our lotion get a fun name, so we should think of one for the conditioner.”

“I understand giving the lotion a new name, but couldn’t we simply call the conditioner, ‘conditioner’?”

I tilted my head, confused by Kris’s point, before I realized why she’d said that. “Oh, I see! I don’t think I explained this. A conditioner is simply a type of product. It refers to the entire group of products, so it’ll have to have its own name, like how our lotion is now called Kristie.”

“This is the first I’m hearing this. I didn’t realize that ‘conditioner’ was more than the name of the product.”

I proceeded to explain the difference between product names and product types, just like bread was a type of product that was available in a variety of styles.

I realized that she still didn’t seem convinced, so I added some additional information to my explanation. “Alsooo...” I began in a silly voice. “Conditioner can actually be made out of other oils, not just olive oil. In the future, we can do some research and make other kinds.”

“What?! Really?!”

Kris was flabbergasted by the news. The base recipe would be the same, and switching out the type of oil would simply change the aroma and effects. That was why we needed to keep ‘conditioner’ as the name of the type of product.

Since we would be able to develop new products while manufacturing our current ones, if we continued to produce high-quality conditioners, we could remain top players in this part of the market for many years to come. Kris’s business would no longer be a simple trading company but a giant manufacturer. They would no longer just be sellers but also making their own products for a completely new market. Kris seemed to be realizing all of this in complete shock as I decided to clarify one more thing.

“Lotion is also a product type and not the name of the specific product.”

“Your way of thinking truly defies convention, Sir Reid...”

“What?”

If we were to constantly be developing new products and selling both our conditioners and lotions, we could always be selling something. Our conversation today had affirmed what a force our products would be, which made her tremble.

“I understand now. We’ll have to consider developing new lotions and conditioners within the Kristie Trading Company in the future.”

“I’ll be counting on you. Also, going back to the name of the conditioner, I was thinking about adding in Emma’s name, since she helps you out so much. What if we call it ‘Kristie Emma?’ When we have a new type of conditioner, we can just swap Emma’s name with something else.”

I wore a beaming smile as I shared my idea with Kris, and she just seemed defeated at this point.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled to herself as she nodded in agreement.

With that, our new products had officially been born into this world. Over the next several years, the lotion “Kristie” and the conditioner “Kristie Emma” would go on to captivate women all over the world, but that was a story for another time.

◇

A significant amount of time had passed since Kris and I had begun our meeting in the drawing room. There were just that many things related to her trip to the capital that we had to go over.

“Also, we will begin deliveries to Her Majesty next month. Following our contract, there will be a payment from the royal capital made in Lady Matilda’s name to the Kristie Trading Company. What shall I do with your portion of the funds?”

“Hm... Would it be possible for you to keep the portion meant for me in a separate account within your company, under my name? I think I’ll be asking you for a lot of things, so it’ll be easier that way.”

This was half of the truth. I would indeed be asking Kris to handle certain things for me, so it would be easier if my money was already with her company. The other half of my reasoning was that I wanted some insurance for my future. I still didn’t know how things were going to turn out for me.

“Understood. I normally wouldn’t do such a thing, but you’re a special case, Sir Reid,” she said with a wry smile as she accepted my difficult request. The only stipulation she made was that she be able to meet with me if the account ever had too much money.

With that, our discussion was over, and we’d finished the confirmation portion of our meeting. It was then that I remembered I had one last thing to discuss with her.

“By the way, have you ever done any trading with Lenarute?” I asked.

“Lenarute? That kingdom is quite strict when it comes to foreign businesses, so I’ve rarely had dealings with them.”

I kept the part about my marriage a secret but told her that I would be visiting Lenarute soon and wanted to create some business contacts while I was there.

“Very well. I’ll make arrangements to join you, so please let me know when the date of your trip has been decided.”

“Thank you. I’ll be sure to let you know.”

As long as I had Kris with me, I would definitely be able to establish some business contacts in Lenarute. That would allow us to have a lot more freedom, and my heart was stirring with excitement.

“Whew, I think that’s about it,” I remarked.

“Yes, I believe I’ve also reported everything important to you. Now that we have direct business with Her Majesty, if there is anything you ever need from her, I can relay your request.”

When Kris said she could send a letter whenever with a wry smile, I bashfully replied, “Her Majesty must be quite the force, given that you were muttering her name in your sleep. I don’t think I want to interact with her unless I absolutely must.”

I thought back to how Kris seemed yesterday, troubled in her sleep by the empress. I didn’t want to deal with someone so terrifying. I nodded to myself with my arms folded across my chest.

Kris seemed to find something strange about what I’d said. “Sir Reid, how do you know that I was mumbling Her Majesty’s name in my sleep?” she asked with a look of suspicion.

“Huh? That’s because when you were sleeping, I... Oh.”

A wide smile spread across her face, and that same dark aura I’d seen from Mer and my mother began emanating from her. Though she was smiling, her eyes were filled with rage.

I heard a loud snap, and I realized that a hair accessory of hers had snapped off. It was as if her hair was moving in accordance with her anger, floating in the air. This was the most terrifying woman that I’d ever seen.

“Kris...? I-It wasn’t on purpose. I was just feeling a little mischievous, and I...”

Perhaps if I’d explained myself better, she would have been understanding, but I was too intimidated to speak properly. I couldn’t even understand what I was saying.

“So you admit it?” she asked with a chilling laugh.

“Urgh... Y-Yes, I admit it.”

The moment I gave in to her, the light in her eyes disappeared. Kris hung her head and began shaking.

“Kris!” I cried.

She lifted her head and glared at me, her face bright red. She looked to be experiencing a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

“How could you sneak a peek of a woman while she’s sleeping?! You’re the worst!!!”

With that, she stormed out of the room, her face red with rage. The force of her stomping caused the teacups on the table in front of me to spill onto my clothes.

“I feel bad about what I did to Kris...” I mumbled, staring at the door she had disappeared through. After snapping back to reality, I realized that my outfit had been drenched with tea. “What do I do about this? Maybe I should ask Danae for a change of clothes...”

I quickly summoned Danae to the drawing room and asked for a towel and a change of clothes. Upon arriving, a dubious look came over her face.

“What happened?” she asked.

“Kris found out about my mischief the other day...” I explained.

Danae stared at me coldly while handing me a towel. “Sounds like poetic justice,” she replied with a chilling smile.

I want to cry...

A Prototype Mana Restoration Drug

On this particular day, Nanalie’s condition was exceedingly awful. As always, she’d had trouble breathing when she’d first woken up, but today her palpitations wouldn’t subside.

She tried to focus on the sensation of drops spilling out of her, but it wasn’t helping her feel better like it usually did. Nanalie could feel that the end was near, and a stern look came across her face.

“Not yet...” she muttered to herself between pants. “Both as Reiner’s wife and a mother, I can’t lose just yet...”

As ill as she was, there was an unexpected light of hope and strength behind her eyes. She was determined to fight this sickness until the very end. Even her son, whose heart had been indirectly consumed by this illness, had gotten back on his feet. As his mother, Nanalie couldn’t dare complain and lose to her disease—her pride and dignity as a mother wouldn’t allow her to.

“I won’t lose, no matter what,” she said, hanging her head as she grasped her chest with pain. She stared into space as she spat out her determination. “Just you see... One day, I’m going to stand on my own two feet again.”

Some time passed, and her palpitations finally subsided, perhaps cowering in the face of her incredible will.

“Yes, that’s good,” Nanalie mumbled in a trembling voice as she tried to catch her breath. “Stay calm, just like that.”

Her shoulders heaved as she took deep breaths. There were no members of the household staff stationed in her room. She wanted it that way, because there was no medicine that helped with her sickness. Surviving each day was a fight that she had to face alone, and she didn’t want anyone to see her weak and struggling. It was another display of her pride and dignity as Reiner’s wife.

The very next moment, there was a sudden knock on her door. Nanalie caught her breath and composed herself as if nothing had happened before responding.

“Come in,” she said.

◇

My father knocked on the door of my mother’s room. He waited for her to respond before announcing that he was entering, his deep voice reverberating through the halls. Sandra and I followed my father inside, greeting her as we entered. As soon as my mother noticed my tutor, whom she’d never met before, she put on a kind smile.

“I apologize for having to meet you in such a state.” My mother’s graceful voice filled the room. She sat up in bed as she greeted Sandra. “I am Margrave Reiner’s wife, Nanalie Valdia. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

From her mannerisms, it was hard to believe that she was sick. Every movement she made was beautiful, and I was captivated.

I never knew my mother was such a graceful woman...

I only had memories of interacting with her around family. This was probably the first time I was seeing how she carried herself in front of company.

“I apologize for my sudden visit. My name is Sandra Ernest, and I work in the field of magic research.” Sandra greeted my mother as a fellow noble. Since she’d come from a noble family, she was aware of the customs.

Once they had exchanged greetings, my father cleared his throat and began to explain the reason for our visit.

“Nanalie...I’ve actually been keeping the name of your illness a secret,” he said with a somber expression. “I did so because there’s no cure for your illness, and it is terminal. You’re suffering from mana depletion disorder. I’m a coward who couldn’t tell you the truth. I’m sorry.”

Once he finished, he bowed his head in apology. My mother seemed a bit surprised to hear such words from my usually stern father, but it wasn’t long before she smiled again.

“I knew,” she admitted. “There’s no need for you to look so solemn.”

My father’s eyes widened with surprise. There were only a handful of people who knew what disease my mother was suffering from. Had someone from that small group told her?

Before he could ask, my mother giggled and revealed the answer. “Now you’re making a scary face. I know my own body best. Even if I didn’t know the name of the disease itself, judging from how I felt each day, I gathered that this was a terminal illness.”

I hadn’t expected to hear that from her, and I was completely shocked. My father now seemed frustrated. My mother had already accepted her predicament, but he had been a coward. He had been hiding from the truth of her situation.

“It is nice to finally know the name of this pesky disease,” my mother remarked. “Mana depletion disorder... I finally know your name now.” She grasped her chest, right around where her heart would be, and quietly addressed her illness. She then turned her attention to me and spoke with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, Reid. I’ve caused you to suffer the most. You realized early on that this disease was terminal, didn’t you?”

I quietly nodded. Judging from the memories I had, I’d likely known that my mother was dying even before gaining the memories of my previous life. I hadn’t known that it was mana depletion disorder, but I had suspected that whatever afflicted her was terminal. The original Reid had probably known for a long time that she couldn’t be saved. If my mother felt the same, then that was most likely what had happened.

I answered slowly. “Yes... At some point, I realized that your condition wasn’t getting any better, and it seemed that no medication was working. There was also always a new doctor here to see you, so I knew that you were suffering from a particularly troublesome disease.”

My mother looked saddened by my words. “I can’t believe I let my child notice what was happening and caused him to worry. I’ve failed as a mother.” She somberly hung her head.

“It is impossible for you to have failed as a mother!” I immediately exclaimed. “If anyone has failed as a parent here, it is father!”

“What was that?!” he boomed.

I immediately rounded on my father. “Just the other day, you yourself said, ‘I should have confronted you about your feelings. I’ve failed as a father!’”

“Wh—?! That... That isn’t something that needs to be brought up right now!” His face flushed bright red, which was a rare sight, and he was completely flustered.

This is my chance to win!

“You’re much too obtuse, father. There are times when you should simply stop thinking and do whatever it is that you want—especially when it comes to your family.”

He was still bright red as his temple twitched. It seemed like he was holding back what he wanted to say, perhaps because Sandra and my mother were there with us. Throughout our interaction, my mother had been watching, her eyes wide with surprise. Sandra, on the other hand, didn’t seem too interested in the whole situation.

“The same goes for how you treat Meredy,” I continued. “Who cares if you have a scary face? You should just go ahead and call her ‘Mer,’ father.”

It sounded as if something had suddenly snapped.

“That’s enough, Reid!!!” my father bellowed with anger.

“It isn’t! I will say my piece!!!” I yelled back.

I was scared of my father, but I was going to remain undaunted. My mother seemed both shocked by and worried upon seeing me talk back to my father.

“I could also say the same about how you’ve dealt with mother,” I continued. “Instead of running from reality because you couldn’t accept that her illness was terminal, you should have confronted it head-on. Do you know how lonely mother has been, fighting her illness all on her own?”

A look of realization washed over my father’s face. The redness faded, to the point where he was looking a bit blue. He then turned to my mother and apologized.

“Nanalie, I’ve made an unforgivable mistake...”

Until today, he had believed that she wasn’t aware that her disease was terminal, but she’d known this whole time. That meant she had spent every day struggling and fighting against the illness all on her own, which my father had been unaware of. That, in turn, meant that he couldn’t be by his wife’s side when she was in pain. My words had made that fact sink in.

“No, no. You haven’t made any such mistake,” my mother reassured him. “I never said anything because I didn’t want to burden you.”

My father had shrunk back dejectedly, which I couldn’t believe knowing how stark his usual demeanor was, and my mother simply smiled at him.

“I love you, Nanalie...”

“My dear...I love you as well.”

My parents gazed into each other’s eyes and began tearing up, eventually embracing each other. To my complete surprise, they were now in their own little world. A mere child like myself couldn’t burst their bubble of happiness. I turned to look at Sandra, who had also been left behind as the two had their moment. She just had a cold look on her face, and I made eye contact with her only for her to grimace in response.

Sandra sighed, then finally spoke up. “Sir Reiner, Lady Nanalie, I apologize for interrupting, but may we move on?”

Her voice finally made my parents snap back to reality. They both turned red and cleared their throats as they let go of each other. Once they stopped hugging, it was very obvious that they were giving each other looks that said, “Let us continue this later.”

“I apologize,” my father said. “Sandra, please explain the purpose of our visit today.”

Sandra proceeded with her explanation to my mother. Our goal today was to use the prototype of our mana restoration drug. As you could guess from its name, taking the drug restored a small amount of mana. We’d already confirmed that it worked by using my Measure Mana spell, which could be used to quantify the mana within a person. When using the spell, the amount of mana measured was announced in the caster’s mind. We’d used this spell to see whether taking the drug actually restored mana, so we had no doubt that it worked.

Although it was effective, the herb used to create the drug was possibly the most unpalatable thing in the world. I’d had to test all of our different prototypes, which had been unbelievably awful. Sandra could guarantee that the drug was effective, but we were still far from a cure. She made sure to explain that in order to actually cure my mother’s disease, we were planning on preparing a separate medicine.

For some reason, my mother’s behavior while she was listening was strange. She was smiling, but I thought I saw her sweating. Her shoulders also seemed to be heaving, and I became quite worried.

“Are you all right, mother?” I asked. “You look a bit pale.”

“I’m fine, Reid— Urgh?!”

“Mother?!”

Moments ago, my mother had been smiling and talking to us, but now she was in agony. She was breathing heavily while grasping her chest, and her nails had turned white. I immediately cast Measure Mana on her.

Nanalie: 8 MP

“What?!” I cried as I heard the announcement in my head. Mana depletion disorder would go after a person’s body until they were out of mana. At this very moment, my mother was approaching death.

“Sandra!!!” I yelled out. “My mother only has eight mana left! Giver her the drug before it drops to zero!!!”

“What?! Y-Yes, of course!!!”

Sandra immediately grabbed the prototype she’d prepared and moved to administer it to my mother, whose symptoms were getting worse before our eyes. She began panting as she loudly groaned in pain. She wrapped her arms around herself as she fell to her side. Her teeth began chattering and she whispered, “Reiner...”

It was clear that her condition was abnormal and dangerous.

“Please, take this medicine, Lady Nanalie!!!” Sandra was trying to give the medicine to my mother, but she wouldn’t open her mouth—or rather, she wasn’t able to open her mouth on her own. I climbed onto the bed and got as close as I could, calling out to her, trying to get her to take the medicine.

“You can’t lose, mother!!!”

She seemed to have heard me, because just for a moment, she smiled. At the same time, I saw the light in her eyes fade.

We’ve come so far! Is this really it?! What was all of our hard work for?!

All I could do was wail.

“Aaaaagh!!! Nooo!!! Mother!!! Mother!!! I don’t want you to gooo!!!”

The very next moment, I felt an impact. My father had pushed me to the side and embraced my mother in an attempt to hold her still. He immediately put his lips on hers. I was completely stunned by it at first, but I quickly noticed water the same color as our prototype drug peeking from between their mouths, and I realized what he was doing. My father was administering the drug by transferring it from his mouth to hers.

“Mnnngh?!”

A muffled sound escaped my mother’s mouth as he gave her the medicine, then there was a gulp. She had likely swallowed it, which Sandra also picked up on.

“Sir Reid, use Measure Mana!!!” Sandra exclaimed.

“On it!” I replied, and I immediately cast the spell.

Nanalie: 101 MP

“We... We did it! It worked, Sandra!!!”

I’d heard it clearly. Without a doubt, I’d heard that she had 101 MP. My father and Sandra both understood that the drug had worked, and we all called out to my mother for a response.

“Mnn, d-dear...” she mumbled. “Reid...”

She sounded fatigued, but she definitely responded to our voices. I was finally able to calm down, and I fell to the floor. As I sat there, tears and snot began pouring out, and I couldn’t stop sobbing.

“Let’s call for a doctor right away,” my father said. “I think we all know this, but no one says anything about the medicine.” He immediately left the room and shouted, “Call a doctor!!!”

My father had appeared composed when he’d departed, but he hadn’t been able to hide the tear that ran down his face. I used my sleeve to wipe away my own tears and snot and got back up to check on my mother.

“Are you all right, mother?”

“Yes... In fact, I’m doing better than usual. I won’t lose, no matter what.” She smiled at me, as though proud of her victory over the illness.

After that, the doctor my father had called for came to examine her, and he couldn’t find anything abnormal about her condition. Her sudden pain had likely been some sort of flare-up, and the matter was settled. In order to avoid causing any confusion, we’d kept what had happened in my mother’s room that day a secret between the four of us.

We then discussed how we should move forward, and it was decided that my mother would take the medicine three times a day: in the morning, at noon, and at night. Of course, we made sure to give her a stock of it so that she could take it whenever she needed to. We also decided to always have at least one maid stationed in her room to be there in case something happened to her. My father still had things to discuss with her, so once we had decided on all of that, Sandra and I left them alone.

“I have to say, our prototype was incredible,” I remarked. “I can’t believe her mana was restored to over a hundred.”

When I’d tested the drug, it had only restored fifty mana. Since my mother now had over 100 MP, it had had nearly twice the efficacy this time.

A look of deep reverence washed over Sandra’s face as she said, “That wasn’t our doing. It was thanks to Sir Reiner. He’d determined that Lady Nanalie was unable to open her mouth on her own, so he took a handful of the medicine, chewed it up, then took a swig of water before transferring it to Lady Nanalie’s mouth...”

My eyes widened in surprise. Looking back on it, my mother definitely could not have swallowed a pill at that moment. My father had made that assessment in an instant and broken down the medicine for her. He’d probably taken more than a pill or two—he’d chewed up a bunch of the pills so she would have more medicine to take, which was why her mana had recovered so quickly.

“My father really is incredible,” I muttered.

Unlike him, all I had been able to do was wail when I’d realized what was happening to her. I could never have thought of doing what he’d done. He hadn’t given up even when it seemed hopeless, which had saved my mother’s life. I was filled with admiration and respect for him and knew I had a long way to go to be any match for him.

I let out a deep sigh and said, “Thank you, Sandra. I’m really grateful.”

“No, no. This is the result of all of your hard work, Sir Reid. From obtaining the raw materials to coming up with Measure Mana, you prepared everything. All I did was use those tools.”

Several days ago, I’d passed on my Measure Mana spell to Sandra so that she could use it to make and test the prototype. I’d never expected to see the results of our work so soon.

“You really did help,” I insisted. “For a moment, I truly believed that today would be my mother’s last day.”

It was true that I’d been the one to prepare everything, but I definitely wouldn’t have gotten this far on my own. Just imagining how today would’ve gone if I hadn’t had Sandra’s knowledge sent a shiver down my spine.

“I thank you, from the bottom of my heart,” I said. “If you’re ever in any trouble, I’ll help you, so don’t hesitate to ask.”

“You’d better not forget those words, Sir Reid!”

The unsettling smile on her face was concerning, but it wasn’t anything unusual, so I just ignored it. It was time to move on to the next thing.

“Are you free for a bit longer, Sandra?”

“Yes, I am,” she replied, puzzled.

“In that case, I’m working on a new spell, and I’d like you there with me.”

“Excuse me?!” she exclaimed with disbelief.

◇

After things had settled down with my mother and the mana restoration drug, I spoke to Sandra about how I wanted to develop some specialized magic. We were now in the room with the blackboard on the training grounds.

“We just went through all of that with Lady Nanalie. Are you sure you want to be coming up with a new spell right now? Shouldn’t you be spending time with your family?”

“I appreciate your concern, but I think rather than family time, my parents should have some alone time as a couple.”

“Oh, I see...” Sandra seemed to understand, then she immediately frowned. “That isn’t something you should be saying at your age, Sir Reid! Talking about your parents as a couple... Judging from your usual behavior, it feels like, how do I say this...like your soul has matured before the rest of you!”

Sandra slapped one hand onto her hip as she pointed the other one right at me. As usual, she was terrifyingly sharp.

“How could something so ridiculous even happen?” I asked.

“You’re not wrong that it’s ridiculous, but you’re so unconventional that I feel like it has to be something like that.”

I did my best to maintain my composure and ignore her.

“Anyway, let’s get back to the spell I’m working on. I was hoping to turn remembering into a spell.”

“You just ignored me, didn’t you, Sir Reid?! Well, it’s fine. You do have some interesting ideas. You want to turn remembering into a spell?”

Sandra’s eyes began glittering with excitement. She’d originally been a researcher studying magic, so she loved discussing topics like this. I immediately began explaining the spell I wanted to create.

There was something about memory that I’d learned during my previous life: Any information you learned remained in your brain for the rest of your life. You might think that you forgot something, but it would still be there, just buried deep inside. Regardless of whether that was true or not, people usually wouldn’t forget their own experiences, at the very least.

I had been reincarnated into this world, and I had not only my memories of my previous life, but memories from this one as well. That led me to think that perhaps memories weren’t only stored in the brain, but they could also be stored in souls. If that were true, how could one go about digging out their memories?

My next thought was that I could perhaps do something about this with magic. Before I tried anything, I wanted to get Sandra’s opinion, and she was listening intently to my explanation. Of course, I kept the part about my memories from my previous life a secret. I simply shared that I thought it was possible for a person’s memories to be ingrained in not only their brain but also their soul. I asked her how—assuming that were true—one would see the memories stored in one’s soul.

Sandra furrowed her brows and replied, “It sounds similar to manatheism.”

“Manatheism?” I repeated.

I’d never heard of it. It had “ism” at the end, so it could be a religion. I was completely clueless, so Sandra proceeded to explain.

“Manatheism is a school of thinking within the study of magic. It’s a lesser-known concept. Most people haven’t heard much, if anything, about it.”

She began writing on the blackboard.

Manatheism

Life force is the source of mana.

It is the never-ending path that connects us to the gods.

“This is the core concept of manatheism, which is why it’s called that,” she explained.

“That’s pretty interesting,” I remarked.

Hm, I don’t remember anything like this from the game or from any of my other memories. I guess it’s a philosophy unique to this world, where magic has existed for a long time. What does this have to do with my spell, though?

Sandra noticed the confusion on my face, and she continued to explain. “All ways of thinking originated somewhere. Manatheism states that our life force, which is the source of our mana, is a path that connects us to gods. I thought this may be the closest magical concept to the type of soul you were talking about.”

“I see... In other words, you’re saying I should try to do the opposite process of mana conversion?”

“Yes, but since this isn’t something I’ve ever even considered doing, I’ve of course never done it,” she replied with a shrug.

If I were to convert my mana back into life force, where would that life force go? Perhaps that was where my soul was located.

“Let’s just try it out,” I said. “Let’s turn mana back into life force. You’re thinking that wherever that life force returns to is where the soul is located, right?”

“I can’t even imagine what the result will be...” Sandra mumbled. “Please don’t push yourself too hard.”

“I won’t,” I assured her.

It felt right for some reason, so I decided to sit on the ground in the lotus pose. Sandra grimaced in reaction, but I paid her no mind and performed mana conversion as usual. Once I felt the mana forming, I stored it deep inside me. In order to convert it back into life force, I tried to send it even deeper inside, but I didn’t feel any change. For now, I decided to just keep trying.

I kept my legs crossed, as if I were trying to meditate. I had no idea how much time had passed, but eventually, a change occurred. Until then, it had felt as if my mana had been bouncing off something, but now, it felt like my mana was finally going into a small hole.

Is this it?

I focused on the hole, and the next moment, I was overcome by what felt like my consciousness being sucked into my body.

This is bad!!!

Though my instincts told me I was in danger, I couldn’t do anything, and my consciousness was sucked into the hole.

◇

“Where am I?” I mumbled.

I’d regained my consciousness, and I began scanning my surroundings. Wherever I was, it was some kind of atrium, and I was completely surrounded by a circle of bookshelves. From the outside, it probably looked like some sort of round tower.

What is this place?

Just then, I felt a presence and turned around. Behind me was a young child with silver hair and purple eyes. He looked a little bit like Mer.

The child smiled and said, “Hey there.”

“H-Hello...” I carefully chose my words as I continued to speak, watching his reaction. “I’m...Reid. What’s your name?”

“Let’s see... Why don’t you call me ‘Memoria’? It means memory. I think it’s the perfect name for me.” The child who had named himself Memoria began to giggle.

“So, who are you, Memoria?”

“I’m the embodiment of your memories,” he replied. “You came here to draw out your memories from your previous life, right?”

I didn’t know why, but I felt incredibly close to Memoria. I felt nostalgic, like I was reuniting with a friend. I didn’t yet know what to think of him, but he seemed like he was going to help me, so I decided to rely on him.

“Yeah. I want to be able to recall memories on command. It would sort of be like searching for something on the internet in my previous life. How can I do that?”

It would be useful if I could go through my memories like it was a search engine. If Memoria had access to my memories from my previous life, then he would understand.

“It would be hard to make it work like an internet search, but you can search for things if you go through me.”

“What...?”

According to Memoria, I myself wasn’t supposed to be able to come into this world. However, I had coincidentally succeeded in recognizing his presence. Thanks to that, from now on, I could connect to this world by summoning him. In order to do that, as one might expect, I needed to use mana. By using mana to connect with Memoria, I could let him pass on information from this world to me.

“This world is inside your soul, Reid. It’s incredibly delicate, so you are to never come here again. If you ever need anything, just call my name like you’re casting a spell.” Memoria looked incredibly sincere.

“I understand. Thank you. I’d like to head back now, but I’m not sure how.”

I instinctively felt that Memoria was right—that I shouldn’t visit this world. He smiled at my response and then bid me farewell.

“See you,” he said.

The very next moment, I lost consciousness.

◇

“Aaaaagh!!!”

“Gaaaaagh?!”

“Wait, where am I?” I said between gasps.

I said goodbye to Memoria, then I lost consciousness...

I was confused about what had happened and looked up to find Sandra sprawled on the ground, her eyes wide with surprise.

“What’s wrong, Sandra?”

“What do you mean, what’s wrong?!” Sandra stood back up, her face flushed as she continued. “You went so quiet for a time, Sir Reid, so I started to get worried. I decided to check on you, then you suddenly screamed loudly and surprised me!!!”

“I-I see. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

Sandra inspected my face for a bit before saying in a worried tone, “Are you feeling all right? You were quietly concentrating for a while, so I didn’t say anything, but I was very concerned.”

“I see. I’m sorry about that. I unfortunately think this was a failure.”

I’d lied. I couldn’t really explain the experience I’d just had to her. Manatheism was perhaps a dangerous school of thought. If I looked more into it, it was possible that my consciousness wouldn’t be able to return to this world. The place I’d visited felt dangerous in that way.

“I see. I’m sorry that I couldn’t be of more help.”

“No, no! You don’t have to apologize! I was already considering the possibility that this wouldn’t work.”

Sandra shrank down dejectedly, and I thanked her before suggesting we end for the day.

◇

After my meeting with Sandra, I returned to my room. Alone now, I cast my new spell.

Memoria, I called out in my mind. A few moments later, a cheery, energetic voice resonated in my mind.

“Howdy, Reid! Looks like you were able to get home safe! I’m so glad!”

“I can’t believe I actually got through to you...”

Even though I’d just gone through that experience with him, I was surprised because I hadn’t expected to actually be able to summon him. I didn’t think it would be possible to speak to Memoria, the entity inside me.

“Wow, you didn’t trust me?” he said, sounding a bit offended. “It’s fine. So, you want to look something up?”

“No, I just wanted to see if I could actually reach you, so I’m good for today.”

“Got it. Well, call me if you ever need anything!”

Our “call” ended, and I let out a heavy sigh. I had a few thoughts about what Memoria might be, but I decided to keep those thoughts to myself.

And now, I secretly had access to new specialized magic, a spell by the name of Memoria, which allowed me to reference my memories on command.

Wife and Husband

Nanalie had suddenly taken a turn for the worse, and Reiner shouted, “Call a doctor!!!”

As Reiner’s voice resonated through the halls, the air in the mansion grew tense. The staff knew there were very few reasons for Reiner to raise his voice and demand a doctor that way. They began to wonder if the day they were all dreading had finally come. Anxiety and panic began to fill the air.

Garren the butler was the quickest to respond. “Send a messenger for the family doctor!” he instructed the staff. “Prepare a carriage! I will go find out what the situation is from Sir Reiner. Everyone else may continue handling their usual duties.”

Once he’d given those orders, Garren headed for Nanalie’s room, where his master was. On the way there, he ran into Reiner, who had been rushing down the hall from the other direction. Reiner appeared to be the same as always, wearing a stern expression while maintaining his composure, but he couldn’t hide the tears welling up in his eyes.

Garren remained levelheaded as he carefully but quickly chose his words. “Sir Reiner, I have sent a messenger to bring the doctor as quickly as possible.”

Reiner covered his eyes with his right hand and averted his gaze as he quietly replied, “Understood. Could I trouble you for some water?”

It was clear that the margrave was trying to suppress it, but a sob had slipped out between his words.

“Of course, my lord. I will have some water brought to you right away.” Garren fell silent for a moment before asking the question on everyone’s mind. “Sir Reiner, if it is all right for me to ask, how is the margravine?”

“She’s all right,” Reiner assured him, still covering his eyes.

Garren silently bowed his head and left. Now alone, Reiner leaned against the wall and quietly began crying.

“She’s okay,” he mumbled to himself. “I’m so glad she’s okay...”

Garren eventually returned with his master’s water, and Reiner was back to his usual stark self. He chugged the water, then instructed the butler to find him as soon as the doctor got there. With that, he returned to his wife’s room.

It wasn’t long before the doctor arrived. Nanalie was a bit exhausted from her flare-up earlier that day, but she wasn’t in critical condition. The doctor finished his exam, and he couldn’t find anything of note, so Nanalie’s symptoms earlier were considered a sudden fit and nothing of concern.

Once the doctor was gone, Reiner instructed Reid, Sandra, and Nanalie to all keep the events that had taken place in that room a secret. The four proceeded to discuss how they would handle Nanalie’s treatments moving forward, and it was decided that she would have a supply of the mana restoration drug so that she could take the medicine whenever she needed it. Sandra would also start monitoring Nanalie’s mana levels, and they decided to have a maid stationed in her room at all times in case she had another flare-up and wasn’t able to take her medicine on her own. Nanalie was visibly a bit upset about the last point, but Reiner absolutely refused to budge, so she agreed.

Once the general plan for Nanalie’s care had been decided, Reid and Sandra left the room. Nanalie and Reiner were now left alone. Nanalie was sitting up in her bed, while Reiner was standing by her side. Now that the two were alone, there seemed to be a sense of bashfulness between them. It had been a long time since they’d last been alone like this. The way they were a bit nervous about each other’s presence made them appear like a young, innocent couple.

Nanalie finally broke the silence by clearing her throat and saying, “Why don’t you sit down, dear?”

“Oh... Yes, I will...”

Nanalie had offered the chair beside her bed to Reiner, which was where Reid usually sat when visiting her. Reiner did as his wife suggested and took a seat.

“It’s a bit small,” he remarked.

“I’m not surprised, since Reid or Mer are usually in that chair,” she replied with a giggle. “I thought it might be a bit small for you.” She smiled at her husband, amused by his awkwardness.

The couple proceeded to spend their time together with some lighthearted conversation, as though making up for all their lost time.

As their conversation went on, Reiner’s demeanor began to change. He eventually lowered his head apologetically to Nanalie and said, “I’m sorry I left you to go through so much pain all alone. I failed to be by your side during the most difficult time in your life. No, rather, I wasn’t able to accept the fact that you might soon be gone, so I was running away. Reid was right. I’m truly, deeply sorry.”

Nanalie’s eyes widened in surprise. It was the first time she’d ever see her husband lower his head like that. At the same time, she found it incredibly endearing to see that her husband cared for her so deeply. She gently wrapped her arms around him, lightly patting the back of his head in the same way a mother would comfort her child. Reiner didn’t seem to dislike that—in fact, he seemed to be very relaxed.

“I was wrong too,” she said. “I should have complained sooner and relied on you...”

Once those words left her mouth, she began sobbing uncontrollably. Reiner’s head shot up, and he pulled his wife toward his chest, now embracing her instead. Nanalie stayed there for a while, crying in her husband’s arms.

As he held his wife, Reiner thought about how she was so much smaller and frailer than he imagined. He began to lament the fact that he hadn’t come to be by her side sooner, and he vowed to make sure he no longer had regrets when it came to his wife.

Nanalie eventually calmed down, and the two began to feel a bit embarrassed by the situation they were in. The couple’s faces turned red as they glanced at each other, and they began to giggle from both the embarrassment and silliness.

Just then, Nanalie noticed the medicine that had restored her mana. She picked up the medicine and said, “I must say, this medicine is truly incredible.” She sounded deeply moved by the effects that she’d witnessed earlier. “To tell you the truth, I thought that today might be my last...”

Her sudden fit earlier had terrified her. The sensation of the drops leaving her body had disappeared, and she had begun to feel something else enter. It was like her body had been trying to find something else to substitute for the missing drops. The moment that she felt something else being sucked inside, her instincts had told her that she was in danger.

It was at that very moment that Reiner had given her that medicine. It had seemed to fill the void left by the drops, making the sensation of something else being consumed disappear. At the same time, she’d felt that she was safe.

“Sandra was the one who made the medicine, but Reid actually found the main ingredient used in it,” Reiner explained.

“What? Reid possesses such knowledge?”

Nanalie didn’t know that her son had memories from a previous life. Reiner thought he should tell her one day, but this wasn’t the right moment, so he came up with a separate explanation.

“He does. He apparently found some book in the study about traditional medicinal herbs, and he asked a trading company to find the herb for him. I think he was ready to do anything to save you.”

“Oh my... I am so blessed to be so cared for by my husband and child,” Nanalie said, tears streaming down her face again.

“Sandra explained this already, but they’re also looking for a different herb to fully cure your mana depletion disorder. If we can find it, we’ll actually be able to save you. From now on, let’s fight this together.”

Reiner’s tone was firm but kind. He was going to be by his wife’s side and fight her illness with her, and that promise put a smile on Nanalie’s face.

“Yes, let’s,” she said, giggling. “We’ll work hard...together.”

The couple held hands and brought their faces closer to each other before exchanging a sweet and gentle kiss. In that moment, it was clear that they were a loving, happy couple.

Nanalie and Reiner spent some more time chatting with each other, spending leisurely time together in her room.

“From now on, I’ll have to be mindful about taking my medicine and caring for myself,” Nanalie remarked, her voice filled with a strength and determination that hadn’t been there before. She seemed incredibly bright and lively. This was likely her true self.

“Hm? What brought this up now?” Reiner replied, confused by her words.

“Well, that medicine is undoubtedly what saved me, and I’m incredibly grateful for that, but...once I came to, there was something terrible happening in my mouth!”

“Oh, that...”

Reiner agreed with his wife. The reason they’d experienced something so horrible was that he’d chewed up several tablets of the medicine, then transferred it to his wife’s mouth. Reiner was eternally grateful that Sandra had chosen to make the medicine, which his wife was going to take on a regular basis, as a tablet she could wash down with water. The taste in his mouth had been so awful that when he’d run out to call for a doctor, the first thing he’d asked Garren for was some water.

“Also, I understand that I didn’t really have a choice, but I can’t believe that Reid and Sandra saw us like that...” As Natalie trailed off, her face grew flushed. “Oh, but I am by no means saying I’m upset that you transferred the medicine by mouth! I wouldn’t trade my life to save myself from embarrassment, but it was still, um...”

Reiner found his bashful wife incredibly adorable and endearing. “I agree,” he said with a chuckle. “If you take away the taste of that medicine, I’m happy to do it again whenever you’d like...though doing it all the time may start to take a toll on my duties as a margrave.”

Nanalie gasped. “Don’t tease me, dear!”

Her husband’s words made her grow even redder. In that moment, they were both their true selves—something they could only be in front of each other.

The couple continued spending time together, laughing and smiling until the very end.

Side Story: Kris’s Reflections and Tribulations

It was the day following Kris’s return from the imperial capital. She’d initially planned to speak to Reid that same day but had passed out from exhaustion, forcing her to have her meeting with him the next day.

It went well until the very end when Reid mentioned something concerning. Kris pressed him about the matter, and his response left her completely stunned. She learned that in a bout of mischief, Reid had sneaked into her room and watched her sleep.

After learning about this incident, Kris was slightly embarrassed that Reid had looked at her sleeping face, but that wasn’t what flustered her the most—the fact that she’d been alone in a room and a male had come in shook her to the point that she’d fled home.

“Welcome back, Lady Kris.”

“Thank you, Emma.”

Upon Kris’s return to the Kristie Trading Company, Emma greeted her. Emma was an adorable servant of hers who sported black hair, black eyes, catlike ears, and a tail. She’d served Kris since Kris was still with the Saffron Trading Company. To Kris, she was more like family rather than a servant.

Emma had traveled to the capital with her, but she’d separated from her partway through their trip back to Valdia so that she could return to the Kristie Trading Company and handle paperwork that had piled up in their absence.

“I received a message from the Valdia home that you collapsed,” Emma said. “I was so shocked when I heard. Are you all right?”

“I’m sorry for worrying you,” Kris replied. “I’m fine now. I’m doing great.”

Emma had been staring at Kris with a look of worry, but seeing her doing well filled her with relief.

“I heard you stayed in the Valdias’ guest room. I hope you were able to recover from the exhaustion of our trip to the capital.”

The mention of the guest room reminded Kris of how Reid had watched her sleep, and she grew bright red and visibly flustered.

“What?! Oh, yes, I did...”

“Lady Kris? Is something wrong? You’re quite red.”

Emma began to worry that Kris was still feeling unwell, and she made her way closer to the elf. She proceeded to stare intently at Kris, inspecting her face.

“What... What is it?” Kris asked.

She didn’t want Emma to catch wind of the fact that she was ruffled and desperately averted her gaze. Unfortunately, the act of moving her eyes in a different direction had signaled to Emma that she was hiding something.

“Did something happen at the Valdia home, Lady Kris? Please tell me!”

“No, there’s nothing, just...”

“I won’t let you go until you tell me!”

“Urgh...”

Kris had spent enough years with Emma to know that she meant what she said. If Emma ever saw even the slightest amount of concern on Kris’s face, she truly would not let the elf free until she revealed what was troubling her.

Kris once asked why Emma was so concerned about her, and Emma had replied, “You tend to bottle your feelings up, Lady Kris. If I don’t ask you about them, you may explode one day.”

Kris appreciated the concern, but she wished that Emma would stop holding her hostage until she spilled what was on her mind. Now that Emma had noticed something was wrong, it was all over. She gave in and told the beastkin what had happened at the Valdia home. About how she’d been sleeping alone in the guest room, and Reid had sneaked in and watched her sleep. She also mentioned that when she’d learned about what he’d done, she’d become so embarrassed and anxious that she’d lost her temper.

Emma seemed amused while she was listening to the story until the part about Kris losing her temper, which she seemed exasperated by. Once Kris finished speaking, they both fell silent for a bit.

Emma finally broke the silence and said, “Why were you so upset by that, Lady Kris?”

“Huh?”

Kris was stunned by Emma’s question. Why had she gotten upset? The elf was confused about the intention behind such a question and proceeded to uncharacteristically say exactly what was on her mind.

“I mean, I, a woman, was sleeping in a room all on my own. For a male to come into that room all alone, without anyone by his side, is, um, improper according to the rules of society, no?”

Kris had carefully chosen her words, but she wasn’t sure if what she was saying was right. Emma just grew more visibly exasperated and let out a sigh.

“In other words, you have a problem with Sir Reid, who is male, having come into the guest room when you, a female, were sleeping alone?”

“Well, I also take issue with the fact that he stared at me while I was sleeping, but I suppose that sums it up...”

Kris herself had no idea why she was so thrown by this incident. Emma sighed again and shook her head as if to say, Good grief.

“Lady Kris, I apologize in advance for speaking so bluntly, but I must say this. We can certainly blame Sir Reid for his mischievous act of staring at you as you slept; however, I do not think this is an issue you need to be so concerned about.”

“What? Why is that?”

Kris was surprised by Emma’s words, but the other woman simply continued speaking. “Think about it, Lady Kris. Sir Reid is a very young child. Even someone experienced wouldn’t get so worked up about a child watching them sleep!”

Kris gasped. Emma had wanted to use stronger words than calling her mistress “inexperienced,” but she’d decided to choose her words carefully. Now that Kris understood Emma’s point, her whole body flushed with embarrassment as she buried her head in her hands.

Emma seemed amused seeing that Kris now realized how silly her behavior was, and she decided to keep pressing further. “I see now. If you think of Sir Reid as not merely a child but a member of the opposite sex, then your response would indeed have been appropriate,” Emma said, flashing Kris a big grin.

Kris felt strangely flustered by Emma’s teasing, and without thinking, she responded, “No, that’s not it! I don’t see Sir Reid as a member of the opposite sex! It’s just that, y-you know! When speaking to him, he seems so mature that I have moments where I nearly forget that he’s a child! That’s why I responded like that!”

“In other words, Sir Reid behaves like an adult, so after interacting with him multiple times, you briefly forgot he was a child and viewed him as you would a man?”

“What?!”

Kris realized that she’d only dug herself deeper into this hole, and she was at a loss for words. It was true that Reid would sometimes say and do things that were unimaginable coming from a child, and he respected her as not only a woman but an elf. No matter where you were, being a woman was tough, and to be a businesswoman of a minority race would normally garner most people’s contempt.

That was what Kris’s peers had feared the most when she’d left the Saffron Trading Company, but Reid paid no mind to such things and believed in her. He’d even given her the opportunity to have an audience with Their Imperial Majesties. It would be no exaggeration to say that her visit to the capital had secured the Kristie Trading Company’s place in the Magnolian Empire. Though her business still had a long way to go, the company had started a new chapter.

When speaking to Reid, who’d made all of this possible for her, how had she been viewing him? Kris asked herself that question, seemed to realize something, and then hung her head in shame.

“You’re right. After having so many business meetings with Sir Reid, I may have forgotten that he was a child. If I look back at the incident with that in mind, I can definitely understand why you would consider me inexperienced.”

“So you admit that you’re naive?”

“Wait, no, I didn’t say that!”

Kris hadn’t meant for Emma to hear her thoughts, but it was too late to take anything back.

Emma smiled as she continued to speak. “There are some adults out there who behave like children. I myself can see that Sir Reid carries himself in a mature way, so I can understand how you may forget that he is a child. However, though I understand why it happened, I do think your reaction was a bit extreme.”

“I agree,” Kris responded with a sigh. “How am I going to apologize to him?” Looking back on the incident with a calm mind, Kris now regretted her reaction. “It’s not good to let your emotions take over...”

She looked down with her hand pressed against her forehead as she began to think about how she would apologize to Reid. It was only then that she recalled something important that had come up during their meeting, which she needed to tell Emma about. She raised her head and looked at her companion.

“I forgot to mention this earlier, but the names of the conditioner and lotion are going to change.”

“The conditioner and lotion? Very well. What are their new names?” Emma immediately grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from the desk to take notes.

“The lotion will be called Kristie...”

“Pffft!”

The name was so unexpected that Emma almost burst into laughter. She never would’ve imagined that the lotion would be named after her mistress. Seeing Emma stifle her laughter made Kris visibly tense up.

“It wasn’t my idea, okay? Sir Reid decided it all on his own!”

“U-Understood,” Emma responded, giggles slipping out despite her attempts at keeping her laughter suppressed. “What will the name of the conditioner be?”

How will she react to the name of the conditioner? Kris wondered as she saw how amused Emma was by the name of the lotion. A mischievous smile spread across the elf’s face as she took her revenge.

“The conditioner will be called Kristie Emma.”

“Huh...?” Emma was immediately left dumbfounded.

“Isn’t it great, Emma? Just like mine, your name will now be known throughout the world.”

“I humbly decline the offer.”

Emma understood how Kris’s name being used for a product would serve as an advertisement for the trading company itself, but Emma was a mere servant. She had no idea why her name would be used. The thought of people she’d never met saying her name filled her with embarrassment. She desperately tried to decline, but Kris turned her down with a mean-spirited tone that seemed like payback for earlier.

“This was Sir Reid’s decision, Emma. You should know that you can’t decline.”

“I don’t want this...” Emma mumbled, her cat ears dejectedly drooping downward.

◇

Several days later, Kris was sitting in the drawing room of the Valdia house. Her usual energetic personality was nowhere to be seen. In fact, she seemed a bit low in spirit.

“What should I do?” she mumbled to herself with a sigh. “How do I make up for the other day?”

The day she was referring to was the day of the incident following her collapse from exhaustion and subsequent stay in the Valdias’ guest room. While she was resting, Reid had sneaked into her room in an act of mischief. Kris had fumed at him for his behavior, which she now regretted. After speaking to her servant, Emma, the elf had realized she’d been mistaken in her reaction. However, that realization wasn’t enough to erase what she’d done. She had to properly apologize for yelling at the young boy, and she’d been summoned to the Valdia home at the perfect time.

That was the reason for her visit today, so she was now sitting in the drawing room, taking deep breaths with a nervous look on her face. She kept going over her plan to apologize in her head.

First, I’ll apologize. I just need to bow my head and say that I’m sorry. I’m sure that will be enough to get Sir Reid to forgive me!

Kris repeated that thought in her head, over and over again, and eventually there was a knock on the door.

◇

I arrived at the drawing room where Kris was waiting and knocked on the door.

“May I come in, Kris?”

“Y-Yesh!”

Yesh? Did she misspeak?

Hearing her response, I sensed that something was off. I decided to wait a bit before opening the door and hesitantly asked her if I could enter again.

“Is it really all right for me to come in?”

“Please wait a moment!”

Did something happen?

Kris seemed a bit flustered, so even though I was confused, I decided to wait until she said she was ready.

“Um, okay, just let me know when I can come in,” I replied.

I could hear her taking deep breaths, and several moments later, she responded. “I apologize for the wait, Sir Reid. Please come in.”

“Thank you.”

I opened the door. Kris was standing in the drawing room, waiting for me. She had golden-blonde hair and green eyes, and she stood tall and composed.

Was she adjusting her appearance or something? I thought as I sat across from her as usual.

“I’m sorry for summoning you so suddenly,” I said with a smile. “Thank you for coming.”

Kris didn’t respond. She just stared at me, seeming a bit distracted. Then she seemed to snap back to reality and shook her head as though trying to get rid of said distracting thoughts.

Really, what’s going on with her? She’s acting different than usual.

Worried, I took a closer look at her face. “Is something wrong, Kris? Why are you shaking your head like that?”

“N-No, nothing is wrong.”

It was then that I realized I hadn’t properly apologized to her for the incident from the other day. Similar to pranks I’d seen in my previous life where people would barge into someone’s room while they were asleep and tease them for how they slept, I’d sneaked into her room and taken a peek at her while she was asleep.

In this world, it wasn’t appropriate for a man to enter a woman’s room alone without permission. Most children would be forgiven for such a thing, but I was the son of a noble, so I had to be careful. My mischief had immediately been reported to my mother by Mer and Danae, and she’d thoroughly scolded me for it. I shot up from my seat and locked eyes with Kris.

“I’m sorry. I haven’t properly apologized for what I did the other day...”

“What?!” Kris exclaimed. “Wait, no, that’s not...”

She seemed thrown off by my words, and her eyes were nervously darting around the room. I decided to give her a proper, heartfelt apology.

“I’m really sorry for my behavior the other day, Kris. No matter how worried I was, as the eldest son of a noble family, it was thoughtless of me to enter into your room, a woman’s room, without permission. You were right to be upset with me. I’m truly sorry.”

After saying what was in my heart, I bowed my head to her.

“No! Please, lift your head, Sir Reid!” she pleaded desperately. She stood up and nervously reached her hands out to me, signaling me to raise my head.

I did so and looked up at Kris, who was now staring at me with a determined look.

“I also let my emotions get the best of me. My reaction was a bit childish. I didn’t hear you out and instead got upset. I’m very sorry for that.”

After finishing, she bowed her head. I was surprised to hear her apologize, but I kept calm and spoke to her in a gentle voice.

“Please raise your head, Kris.”

Kris lifted her head and looked at me with a face full of regret. I gave her a kind, reassuring smile.

“I’m so glad you aren’t mad at me. I wouldn’t know what to do if you were still upset, so I’m really happy that you aren’t.”

“I was also worried,” Kris admitted. “I thought you might not forgive me for what I’d done.”

I was completely taken aback. How could I ever not forgive her?

I giggled a bit before continuing to smile as I said, “Of course I would, Kris. After all, I like you.”

“What?!” Kris bashfully turned red. Since I had this opportunity, I decided to thank her and tell her how I felt about her.

“When I first visited the Kristie Trading Company, you took me seriously. Part of that may be because I brought prototypes and prepared a presentation on my products, but the fact that you trusted a child like me meant a lot. I think you are an incredible person, and I really love you for that.”

After sharing what I’d been thinking, I gave her a big smile. Perhaps my feelings got through to her, because Kris no longer seemed flustered, and I could see her growing calm.

“I can’t believe I got worked up over something like that,” she mumbled to herself. “Just like Emma said, I must be naive and inexperienced.”

I couldn’t quite make out what she was mumbling, other than the fact that she’d mentioned Emma. “Hm? Did something happen to Emma?”

“Oh, no! I just remembered that Emma assured me you wouldn’t be upset!”

Unbeknownst to me, Emma had helped me out, which I was quite grateful for. “I see. Can you let her know that I’m sorry for making her worry about you?”

“Yes, of course,” Kris replied with a nod.

It was only then that I noticed we were both still standing, and I let out a wry chuckle as I encouraged her to take a seat, sitting back down myself. Once we were both seated, Kris looked down and thought silently for a moment, then shook her head again.

Kris is so expressive today.

Though I was entertained, it was time to move on to the topic I’d summoned her to address.

“Thank you. So, what I wanted to discuss today is something that must absolutely be kept a secret. Is that understood?”

“Yes. As a businesswoman, I can guarantee that I will protect your secrets.”

Her expression instantly transformed into a composed, serious look. Kris was truly someone I could rely on, which I felt grateful for as I continued.

“Thank you. I have some news. It’s been decided that I will soon be marrying the princess of Lenarute.”

“Huh?” My words were so far from anything she’d likely imagined I would say, and her eyes were round with surprise. It didn’t take long for her to process what I’d said, and even more surprise washed over her face. “Whaaat?!”

“You need to keep your voice down!” I cautioned her, pressing a finger to my mouth to signal her to stay quiet.

Is it really that surprising?

“Oh!” Kris realized what she’d done and covered her mouth with her hand. “My apologies...” She continued in a hushed voice. “I must say, isn’t it too soon for you to be married?”

“I think so. I only just heard about this from my father the other day. I can’t share the details, but it sounds like our situation qualifies us to receive a special exception.”

“A special exception...” Kris repeated with a dubious look on her face.

“I’m not supposed to be telling anyone, but since I need to ask you for a lot of help, I wanted to let you know ahead of time. You absolutely must keep this a secret.”

“Yes, this is definitely something that must stay absolutely secret.”

I’d said enough for Kris to understand what a big deal this was. To be getting a special exception to marry the princess of Lenarute suggested that there was something going on behind the scenes between the two countries. A leak of this information could cause security issues, so only those who could absolutely be trusted could know, and I wasn’t worried about Kris having this information.

“So, if you recall, I asked you to accompany me on a trip to Lenarute during our last meeting.”

“Yes, I remember. I’m currently coordinating with several businesses to potentially trade with them.”

“Thank you. There’s actually something I’d like to get my hands on during that trip.”

With that, we proceeded to discuss the item that I wanted her to look into in person during our trip to Lenarute.

◇

“Whew, I think that covers it.”

After discussing all the various items I wanted to request from Lenarute, quite a bit of time had gone by. I’d passed on the most necessary items, so the next step was to see whether we could actually establish trade with Lenaruten companies.

“You really are terrifyingly impressive, Sir Reid. I never knew that item had so much potential.”

What I wanted from Lenarute was a raw material that Kris would hopefully obtain for us to process. We would then sell the final product in Lenarute and the imperial capital. If my marriage to the princess of Lenarute went through, it would also make negotiating tariffs and tolls easier, as well as potentially getting us some special treatment. Considering that possibility, this was a good opportunity for us to establish business connections there.

I also wanted to bring over people who were trained in a certain craft from Lenarute to Magnolia. The Kristie Trading Company was handling the job of finding candidates, and the Valdia family would handle the rest.

“Even if this succeeds, we won’t see results right away,” I remarked. “But I think it could definitely be a draw for both the Kristie Trading Company and Valdia Mark in the future. By the way, do you know any skilled artisans here in Magnolia?”

“Artisans? Do you mean dwarves?”

The mention of dwarves got me a bit excited. When it came to works of fantasy, they were always the talented craftsmen. I hadn’t had any opportunities to encounter a dwarf, so it would be exciting to meet one.

“A dwarf would be great!” I replied, beaming.

Kris seemed a bit troubled as she replied, “Dwarves rarely leave their home country, so recruiting one may take some time. However...” She hesitated but then seemed to steel herself and proceeded. “We also have the option to search for a dwarven slave in Valst or some other country.”

“A slave, huh?”

In this world, there were several countries where slavery was legal. Valst bordered the coastline, which gave them access to the international slave trade. The profit and labor force gained through their participation in the trade had contributed to their recent rise in power. However, with their power came growing criticism of the country. Valst was in all sorts of quarrels with other nations, the worst conflict being with Lenarute.

I was troubled by this. I was going to be marrying the princess of Lenarute soon, and slaves were the cause of the Valst Incident, so it seemed dangerous to be buying a slave at this point in time, even if I were to do it indirectly. I decided this was something to speak to my father about.

“For now, let’s set aside the idea of getting a slave. Can you proceed with a regular recruitment?”

“Understood. If I may ask, what are you going to make?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m thinking of something related to board games.”

Perhaps my response was unexpected, because Kris was staring at me with a suspicious look.

“Board games? You mean those things nobles use for leisure activities, such as chess and playing cards?”

“Something like that,” I replied.

Simple games in this world included chess and playing cards. I had no idea why those two things existed here, but I decided not to think too much about it. Rather, since I had those games as a jumping-off point, I could make other similar but different games, which would most likely sell well. The various games I knew from my previous life would surely come in handy.

Kris looked down and thought for a moment before looking back up at me. “I’m not very familiar with board games, but I believe you won’t have a need for detailed craftsmanship on gemstones or weapons, correct?”

“That’s right. I don’t think it’ll be difficult work. I’ll come up with the actual idea, so the artisan just needs to make it.”

“In that case, I should be able to recruit skilled people of other races. What would you like to do?”

Hm. I’m so enticed by dwarves, but there’s no need to limit our scope if it’s hard to find them.

“You don’t have to limit your search to dwarves,” I said. “I just want them to be skilled.”

“Very well. I will proceed with the search under those terms.”

“Thank you. I think that’s enough for today, then.” I raised both my arms up and let out a groan as I stretched.

If we establish some business connections with Lenarute, I think we’ll be set to see some big profit and development in the future. I’m surprised to learn that dwarves don’t really leave their home country. I hope I can do something about that in the future.

As those thoughts ran through my mind, I noticed that Kris seemed a bit down.

“What’s wrong, Kris? Are you having a hard time with something?”

“What? Oh, no. Nothing is wrong!”

“I... If you say so...”

I couldn’t help but worry about her. As I sat there wondering what could be wrong, Kris bluntly asked the question on her mind.

“Um, how old is the princess of Lenarute?”

“What? Oh, I think she’s the same age as me. Six years old. Isn’t it crazy that we’re both kids and getting married? It’s the epitome of a political marriage.”

“You’re both the same age? That is truly something else...” Kris was smiling, but she still seemed a bit sad for some reason.

“Since she’s going to be my wife, I want us to eventually be the kind of couple that my parents are. I’ll introduce you to her when the time comes.”

“Yes, I will be looking forward to it.”

With that, our meeting came to an end.

Side Story: Farah Visits the Valdia Mark

“Farah, the topic of your marriage into the imperial family of Magnolia will come up soon. You must be ready.”

“Yes, mother,” I said, nodding in response.

Eltia, my mother, had informed me, Farah Lenarute, long ago that I would be marrying into the imperial family of Magnolia in order to strengthen the relationship between our kingdom and the empire. As a result, I seemed to be learning a lot more than others my age. I’d always had lots to study, so I wasn’t too bothered by it.

According to Asuna, my personal bodyguard, I was forced to do too much, and I appeared to be working too hard. I told her that it didn’t bother me, and she seemed a bit saddened by that. Rather than giving me some slack, I would have preferred that my mother and father praised me.

Today, I was in my mother’s room. She’d summoned me because she had something important to discuss.

“You will eventually move to the imperial capital, Farah. To prepare for your future, I think you should first visit the closest territory in the empire, the Valdia Mark. Make any preparations you need for the trip.”

“What? Understood, mother. I will speak to my ladies-in-waiting and pack what I need.”

I was hiding it, but I was shocked by this. I’d never visited the castle town, let alone another country. I never would have expected to be visiting the empire out of the blue.

“That is all I wanted to speak to you about,” she said. “You may be excused.”

“Very well,” I answered, bowing to her before leaving with Asuna.

We returned to my room, where I urged Asuna to take a seat and sat across from her. Asuna was an incredibly skilled swordswoman who’d agreed to become my personal bodyguard. Since I was little, everyone had known that I would eventually be marrying into a Magnolian family. I had memories of hearing someone say that they were having a hard time finding someone who would agree to be my bodyguard. As the person who’d accepted that role, Asuna was one of my very few allies.

“Have you ever been to the Valdia Mark, Asuna?”

“No, unfortunately I have not,” she replied apologetically. “I have traveled a bit within the kingdom, but I haven’t had many journeys beyond Lenarute.”

The Valdia Mark...

According to a lesson I’d had on the Magnolian Empire, the Valdia Mark was known as “the sword of the empire.” It was governed by Margrave Valdia, who was said to be one of the greatest warriors in the empire.

“Your Highness, I am sure you are quite curious about the Valdia Mark, but I have heard that long-distance travel by carriage requires a significant amount of stamina. If it is possible, it may be good for you to exercise a bit in preparation.”

“Is that so? Why would someone need stamina to simply ride in a carriage?”

Asuna let out a wry chuckle as she answered. “Apparently, the roads leading there aren’t well maintained, so the carriage will sway quite a bit and cause severe nausea.”

“That sounds terrible...”

I couldn’t imagine how bad the situation Asuna was describing might be. But despite her warnings, my heart was fluttering with excitement over my first foray into the outside world.

◇

Several days later, we secretly made our way to the Valdia Mark, visiting the empire just as my mother said we would. On the day of our departure, she and I traveled in the same carriage.

“The goal of this trip is to learn as much as you can about the atmosphere of Magnolia. You must keep that in mind.”

“I understand, mother,” I said, nodding.

Our carriage began moving. I’d barely ever stepped foot outside of the castle, so the view from the carriage window was all so new to me. I was completely enchanted by the view passing by, which seemed to protect me from the nausea that Asuna had warned me about.

◇

“We’ve arrived, Your Highness. We are in the Valdia Mark.”

“Thank you, Asuna.”

As I stepped out of the carriage, I found myself moved by the world around me. The buildings were completely different from those in the Lenarute castle town, and even the people walking through the streets were of a different race. My eyes were sparkling with excitement.

“I apologize, Your Highness, but you must hide your ears with this headscarf,” Asuna said, stepping behind me and wrapping a scarf around my head, making sure to cover my ears. “You should be all right now. Outside of Lenarute, being a dark elf may lead to being targeted by scoundrels. You must always cover your ears when traveling.”

“I will be careful,” I replied.

Once Asuna and I were ready, my mother, who’d been watching us, spoke up.

“If you’re ready now, you may go see the town. The imperial capital will be much grander, but make sure to get a good look at everything.”

“Understood,” I said.

With that, I began exploring the town with Asuna and several other bodyguards. This was my first time there, and my first outing in general. I couldn’t help but get excited and carried away. Everything was so new to me, and I kept running around. Before I knew it, everyone I was traveling with was gone.

“A-Asuna? Is everyone gone?”

No one was responding to my voice. Just then, I thought back to what Asuna had said about being targeted by scoundrels. I suddenly felt helpless, and my knees felt weak. I wanted to call out for someone but I was too scared to say anything.

What should I do?

I was about to be crushed by my anxiety, but the very next moment, a voice called out to me from behind.

“Are you all right?”

“Um...”

I turned around, surprised by the voice. Behind me was another child, who looked to be roughly the same age as me. He was very pretty, with silver hair and beautiful purple eyes. I first thought he might be a girl, but judging from his clothes, I could tell he was a boy. He also had two escorts with him, one man and one woman, so he was possibly a noble. Despite the lack of suspicious signs, it was so sudden that I probably seemed terrified. Seeing my reaction, he spoke to me in a gentle tone.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I probably scared you by coming up to you out of nowhere.”

“N-No, I’m fine...”

He was a kind boy. It seemed he’d noticed that I was in trouble from afar and had come over to help. He explained that I didn’t have to be suspicious of him because he was connected to the knights who served the margrave.

I struggled with what to do and ultimately decided to be honest and tell him that I was in trouble. He said that he couldn’t leave me on my own and would help me find the people I’d been separated from. The boy looked worried about me, but he still smiled as though trying to reassure me. At that moment, I felt my chest grow hot.

“Thank you very much...”

“There’s no need to thank me,” he said. “People are supposed to help each other out in times of trouble. Also, I couldn’t leave such a cute girl like you alone.”

Such a cute girl?

I’d never been told anything like that by a boy my age, and I felt my chest grow hot again.

Thanks to the boy and his escorts, I was quickly reunited with Asuna and the others. Asuna was incredibly mad at me. Once the boy saw that I was all right, he smiled.

“Well, I’ll be going then,” he said. “Be careful not to get lost again.”

With that, he left. For some reason, I couldn’t take my eyes off him as he disappeared into the distance.

Once we returned to my mother, I was scolded again. I’d never seen her so upset before. Her anger almost rained down on Asuna and the other bodyguards, but I desperately pleaded with her, insisting that I was at fault, and I managed to save them from her wrath.

The plan was to stay at an inn in town for one night. I was sharing my room with Asuna, and I told her about how I’d felt myself flush.

Asuna looked both happy and sad as she replied, “Your Highness, I believe those are romantic feelings you are having.”

“Romantic feelings?” I repeated.

“Yes, but if Lady Eltia is correct, you will eventually marry someone chosen for you due to the relationship between Lenarute and the empire. I believe it may be for the best to hide those feelings and forget about them, Your Highness.”

I silently nodded in response. I was well aware that I would eventually enter into a political marriage. Asuna was right—it would be for the best to forget these feelings.

“Oh, that reminds me. I heard that Margrave Valdia’s son is close in age to you. The boy that you met today might actually be his son.”

Asuna changed the subject as though trying to cheer me up.

The son of Margrave Valdia... He was traveling with servants, and he seemed like he might be a noble, but he probably isn’t. Also, if I really am married off, I’m going to be marrying into the imperial family, I thought, shaking my head.

“I think that may be a bit of a stretch,” I said with a giggle.

After that, I spent the night chatting with Asuna and decided to forget about the boy I’d met today. If that hot sensation in my chest really was from romantic feelings, then perhaps that boy was my first love. And that was the very reason I had to forget about him.

Though I’d made up my mind to move on, I couldn’t help but think about the one regret I had.

I should’ve at least asked his name...

Side Story: The Monsters in the Evil Forest

The Kingdom of Lenarute was home to not only dark elves, but also the Evil Forest, a vast wooded area in the eastern part of the kingdom that people steered clear of. It was unknown if this was because of a geographical issue, but the Evil Forest was a peculiar region with mana wafting through the air. It was said that the mana in the air had affected every living creature within the forest, making them incredibly strong, and anyone who carelessly stepped into the depths of the Evil Forest would end up being food for those monsters.

Despite the warnings, many people made their way into the Evil Forest. Not only was it undeveloped territory, but materials collected from monsters sold for high prices and could be used to create powerful weapons as well. As a result, there were always people who headed for the depths of the forest in search of making a quick and straightforward fortune. However, very few made it back. The deeper you went into the Evil Forest, the more powerful the monsters became, which was why not many people survived.

In contrast to the dangerous depths, the forest entrance connected to Lenarute was nearly devoid of monsters and was completely normal. The dark elves visiting the forest never traveled past that initial area.

Within the Evil Forest, the most common monsters were slimes, which were said to be at the bottom of the food chain. They reproduced by collecting a certain amount of mana in their bodies, at which point they would divide into more slimes. They collected mana by absorbing it from the air within the Evil Forest, as well as eating plants and monster carcasses. Because of their nature, slimes reproduced infinitely, though it was not an issue since the number of slimes being eaten and the number of those reproducing seemed to balance each other out. There were never abnormal swarms spawning, nor were there any rises or falls in the slime population. They were quite the strange monster.

There was no way for anyone to know that among these slimes emerged one particular slime that never divided and instead appeared to continuously absorb and store mana. Once this slime had stored a certain amount of mana, something that could be called a feeling emerged within it. The slime began to feel fear toward the predators that ate its kind. The slime watched as its fellow slimes did nothing when being eaten and began to tremble in fear.

I don’t want to be eaten! I don’t want to die!

That was the moment this slime truly began to harbor feelings, despite such a thing normally being impossible for the species. This was an incredibly cruel thing to happen. If the slime had never had any emotions, then it wouldn’t have feared death. It could have continued to live as part of the forest’s food chain. Unfortunately for the slime, it had developed feelings.

What made it even worse was the fact that slimes were at the bottom of the food chain within the Evil Forest’s ecosystem. All that awaited the awakened slime was a reality where it would be constantly afraid for its life.

Despite these circumstances, the slime was quite optimistic.

Hm... If I stay with everyone, I’ll probably get eaten. So I’ll find somewhere to have a quiet life.

With that thought in mind, it traveled through the forest, desperately searching for a hole it could hide in and make its home. Fortunately, it eventually found a great hole to do the job.

This is perfect. I’ll be a little lonely out here, but it’s better than being eaten.

The slime decided to stay hidden and live quietly in that hole. Slimes were omnivorous, so the mosses and weeds found in and around its home were enough to sustain it. The hole was also only big enough to fit a monster around the slime’s size, so it would be protected from predators. And in that way, there came to be a bit of a strange slime that lived on its own out in the Evil Forest.

◇

The slime continued its quiet life for a time, and on one particular day, the forest was quite noisy. That in itself wasn’t unusual—the forest was always stirring with the sound of some strong creature chasing around a weaker one in an attempt to hunt its prey. However, on this day, the slime that lived alone in the forest was the one being chased.

This is my fault! I totally let my guard down! I didn’t think that thing would be here!!!

The slime lamented its choices, taking peeks behind it as it ran. It had been carefully eating weeds outside of its hole as it often did when it had suddenly sensed an unsettling presence. The slime had turned around to find a monster known as a green snake. It wasn’t fully grown, but the serpent was plenty strong enough to be a threat to the slime.

The slime desperately ran for its life, and it eventually made it safely into the hole it called home.

I made it... I’m so glad...

Just as that thought crossed its mind, the green snake’s tongue slithered in from the opening of the hole and licked it.

Eek?!

The slime was taken by surprise and began trembling with fear. It tried to flee deeper into the hole, but unfortunately, the hole wasn’t very deep. All it could do was wait for the snake to leave. It continued to tremble and wait while holding its breath. Eventually, the green snake seemed to give up and left the hole.

Phew, I somehow managed to survive...

The very next moment, the dull sound of a wall crumbling filled the hole, and before it could process what was happening, the slime was bathed in sunlight.

O-Oh no...

The green snake hadn’t fled. It had simply slithered back to destroy the hole. It had its sights set on the slime, which was completely frozen. The slime sensed it was going to die, which overwhelmed it with despair and fear. The green snake licked its lips as it stared at the trembling creature, then opened its mouth wide, preparing to swallow the slime. With its mouth wide open, the snake lunged forward.

No! I don’t want to die!!!

The green snake failed to eat the slime. Just as it had lunged, something had attacked it from behind, dragging it away.

Huh?

The slime couldn’t comprehend what was going on, and it cautiously and hesitantly looked over at the spot where the green snake had been. It found the serpent and a giant cat menacing each other. The snake hissed loudly at the cat, and the cat growled back.

The snake no longer had the capacity to go after the slime. It was now in the same position as the slime: prey. It did its best to make itself look as big as possible, and it extended the flaps of skin around its neck while staring down the cat. Unfortunately for the snake, the cat seemed undaunted by the green snake’s threats, and it continued to glare. The green snake trembled when it realized that the large cat was unbothered by its threats. Despite its fear, it opened its mouth wide and launched an attack on the cat.

It all happened in the blink of an eye. The snake hissed and lunged forward, and the cat roared and dodged the attack. Then, the cat used the sharp claws on its front paw to tear open the green snake’s throat. Blood sprayed out of the snake’s neck, and it turned back and continued to maintain a battle stance, staring the cat down. However, it wasn’t long before the snake took its final breath and collapsed to the ground. The slime had watched all of this happen, and it was moved by the fight.

Th-That was amazing! That big cat is so cool!!!

◇

The large cat began to eat the snake as if nothing of significance had just happened, and as it was eating, it sensed something was watching. It scanned the area and saw the spot where the snake had previously stuck its head into, and found there was a slime there.

Why is there a slime out here all on its own? the cat wondered.

Slimes traveled in herds. It was unusual to find one all alone in this part of the forest. The cat felt that the slime seemed to want something, so it shared some of its kill with it. Though they were both monsters, they couldn’t communicate, so the cat simply tore off a piece of the snake and casually placed it in front of the slime as if to say, Eat it.

The slime was surprised by the gesture. It understood what the cat intended, and it happily munched on the snake’s flesh. That was how the two met.

◇

Ugh, why is it following me?

The large cat had a problem. Ever since it had unintentionally saved the slime, the slime had been following it around. Even if the cat threatened or menaced it, it wouldn’t leave. The cat couldn’t just leave the slime alone, because that would leave it susceptible to being preyed on by other creatures. This issue was weighing on the cat’s conscience, and it was at a loss for what to do.

The slime ended up following it all the way to its den: a spacious cave nestled at the base of a giant tree. The cat entered its den, and the slime stayed by the entrance, seemingly unsure whether it should go inside. The cat sighed and gestured with its neck as if to say, “Get in.” The slime immediately understood and happily dashed into the cave.

This was the beginning of the strange life the two came to share.

◇

The large cat decided to think of the slime, which it had felt compelled to invite to live with it, as emergency food. With that decided, the cat chose to no longer be bothered by it.

It was the next day, and the slime was still in the den. The cat was exasperated by the slime, but it was hungry, so it had to leave to hunt as always.

Hey, I don’t think you can understand me, but you better wait here if you don’t want to die. This area’s real dangerous, the cat grunted at the slime, then left to find food in the Evil Forest.

Perhaps the cat’s thoughts got through to the slime, because after seeing the cat off, the slime proceeded to have its own meal.

As the large cat was out hunting, it couldn’t help but think about the slime. The den was saturated with the large cat’s scent, so it was unlikely that predators would come around. However, there was also no guarantee that other monsters wouldn’t enter. There were plenty that went after young creatures, which is why you couldn’t let your guard down if you had offspring—that was something that the cat had heard from other feline monsters. As it continued to think, the large cat began to feel restless.

Ugh, what am I even doing?

It secured its prey, and instead of eating it all, it saved a piece and took it back to its den.

What?! Why is the den clean?! the cat thought.

Surprised, it dropped the food it had brought back. The sound of the monster flesh hitting the ground alerted the slime to the cat’s return, and it happily crawled out from the back of the den to greet it. The cat was still surprised that the slime had cleaned the den, and it bashfully offered the monster meat it had brought back to the slime with a gentle growl.

Don’t get ahead of yourself, the cat communicated. This is a reward for cleaning my den. I didn’t bring it back for you or anything, so don’t get the wrong idea!

The slime seemed a bit confused, but it understood that the food was meant for it to eat, and it happily consumed the prey that the cat had offered. The slime’s meal earlier in the day had been all of the scraps and bones left around in the den. The large cat preferred having a clean home, but it wasn’t very good at actually keeping it clean. It was quite impressed that the slime had cleaned its den, and it turned back to look at its guest.

You can live here, the cat growled. But, if you do, you have to keep the place clean. You got that?

The slime listened to the cat’s growl and seemed to nod. At least the cat thought it saw the slime nod.

Did that get through to it? Whatever. It probably did.

After it finished trying to communicate with the slime, the cat went to sleep. The slime also finished its meal, then settled near the cat to sleep.

From that day forward, the two monsters began living together. The large cat would go out and hunt their food, and the slime would keep the den clean. Though they couldn’t communicate, the monsters each managed to understand what the other was thinking. The cat was a bit sad that it couldn’t speak to the slime, but other than that, there were no issues with its roommate.

One morning, when the cat was asleep as always, it suddenly heard something.

Mister Cat! Mister Cat! You need to wake up! It’s time to go hunting! the voice said.

Huh? the cat responded. I only go hunting when I’m hungry...

As soon as it finished responding, the large cat realized whom it had responded to, and it shot up in surprise.

“Slime! You can talk?!”

“What?! You can understand me, Mister Cat?!”

The large cat and slime were both shocked by this revelation, and they just silently stared at each other.

◇

Once the two creatures calmed down, they decided to test out several things. They learned that they hadn’t managed to speak the same language but rather were able to understand each other thanks to the slime’s magic.

“You’re not just a slime, are you?” the cat said. “I’ve never heard of a slime that can use magic.”

“Really?” it responded. “Well, regardless, I’m happy that I can, because I get to talk to you!”

It was so straightforward with its feelings that it made the cat bashful. The large cat quickly got over its embarrassment and looked right at the slime.

“I’m glad to hear that. I know that you need a lot of mana to be able to use magic. Has there been anything else you’ve been thinking about or imagining?”

“Hm, well, I was thinking this whole time that it would be nice to talk to you.”

The cat nodded as if it understood something. “That must be the reason. I think your desire to do something caused you to use magic, which made us understand each other.”

“You think so? In that case, I wonder if I can make myself look like you.”

The slime seemed excited about the cat’s theory.

“I’m not sure about that. I don’t know a lot about magic, but thinking you can probably will make it possible rather than thinking you can’t.”

“I see... In that case, I’m going to do my best to become like you!”

The cat bashfully smiled in response. Though embarrassed, the feline monster seemed quite happy.

Side Story: How the Tale Began—The Meeting of Reiner Valdia and Nanalie Ronamis

The tale you are about to hear takes place long before Reid or Meredy were born. It begins several years in the past in the Valdia Mark...

On this particular day, a carriage was prepared to travel from the lord’s estate to the imperial capital, and members of the household staff gathered around to send someone off. Within the crowd, one man with slicked-back hair stood out. He was clearly the most dignified and polished person present and was speaking to a young man with an austere countenance.

“Your work in the capital will be tough, Reiner. That being said, you will eventually be responsible for the Valdia Mark. You must keep that in mind and learn everything that you can. Is that understood?”

“I understood the first time, father,” the young man replied. “There’s no need for you to repeat yourself so many times. Also, I’ve already spent three years living in the capital during my time at the academy, so you have nothing to worry about.”

Reiner seemed a bit annoyed by his father Aester’s words.

Aester stared at his son with a stern gaze before his face relaxed into a smile. “I see. That’s fine. You’ve only just graduated, and now with this recommendation from Prince Arwin, you’re going to be working in the capital for four years. As your father, I can’t help but be worried. Would you agree, Toulette?” he asked, looking over at the beautiful woman standing beside his son.

Toulette nodded and turned to face Reiner, her eyes filled with worry. “I do, Aester. We’re all just worried about Reiner.”

“Mother...there’s no need for you to worry. I will continue to regularly send letters like I’ve always done,” Reiner reassured. “Also, Prince Arwin and I have been friends since our time at the academy, so you have nothing to worry about in regard to His Highness.”

Reiner took his mother’s hands and gave them a firm squeeze as if to quell her worries, then he wrapped his arms around her, giving her a gentle hug.

“I’ll be off, then, mother.”

“Please take care of yourself, Reiner.” Toulette hugged her son back, and they finished saying their goodbyes.

Reiner had spent the past three years attending an academy in the capital. After graduating, his friend and crown prince Arwin had provided a recommendation and he’d been appointed to serve the prince for the next four years.

Reiner was the eldest son of the margrave, and he would eventually succeed his father’s title. Because of the position he was in, he’d initially politely turned down the job offer. In response, he’d been told that he could accept the position for just a few years. At that point, Aester had had no reason to disapprove, so he’d allowed his son to accept the job.

Reiner was still quite young. Aester decided to think of the job as an opportunity for Reiner to learn what it was like to work in the capital, as well as a chance to continue his networking efforts that he’d begun at the academy. When framed in such a way, this job appeared to be beneficial to his son’s future, so he’d decided to send his son to the capital alone.

Aester scanned the members of the knight’s order gathered to escort Reiner, then turned his attention to the man who appeared most dignified among the group.

“Please get my son to the capital safely, Commander Gauvain,” he said.

“Of course, my lord,” Gauvain replied. His words were courteous and polite. “We will do our best.” He quickly bowed. His movements were smooth and appeared very refined.

“Very well.” Aester then turned to another member of the order. The man had a shaved head and was extremely muscular, and he stood out among his fellow knights. “I expect you to properly guard my son in the capital, Dynus.”

Dynus immediately responded loudly, “Yes, sir! You can count on me!!!” He then bowed.

The overly enthusiastic response made Reiner press his hand against his forehead and sigh with an exasperated look on his face. “Why is Dynus my bodyguard?” he muttered under his breath. “I wanted it to be you, Gregory.”

He turned to look at the knight beside him, who had kind eyes and a friendly demeanor. Gregory looked surprised by Reiner’s mumblings and thought for a moment before responding.

“You did? Well, though it is unfortunate, I believe Dynus is better suited to be your bodyguard.”

“Why’s that?” Reiner asked with a grimace.

Gregory let out a wry chuckle and looked over at Dynus. “Well, for one thing, he looks like that. If someone was to approach you while you have a man with a shaved head and large muscles at your side, they must either really need to speak to you or they aren’t to be trusted. That is why I believe Dynus is best suited to be your bodyguard.”

Reiner could understand Gregory’s reasoning, but that didn’t mean that he was happy about it. An indescribable expression came over his face, then he let out a sigh.

“There’s nothing I can do about it anyway, since it was my father’s decision. I’ll just have to accept it.”

“Dynus is a good man. Once you get used to him, you won’t have any problems.”

Upon hearing that, Reiner pressed his hand against his forehead and looked down. He was by no means on bad terms with Dynus. In fact, Dynus and Gregory were the only ones who were skilled enough swordsmen to be worthy opponents for Reiner—aside from Gauvain, who was essentially the three men’s master in sword fighting.

Gregory laughed at Reiner’s reaction and continued. “Lord Aester actually wants to promote me to vice commander of the order, so unfortunately, I won’t be able to accompany you to the capital.”

“Really? That’s wonderful news,” Reiner replied, still hanging his head and speaking in a dejected tone.

Considering their skills, it had been clear that the position of vice commander would go to either Dynus or Gregory. Since Dynus was going to leave the mark, it was only natural for Gregory to receive the promotion. Though this was a joyous occasion, Reiner’s head was full of thoughts about his life in the capital with Dynus, so he continued to hang his head with a melancholic look on his face.

During all of this, Aester and Gauvain had been discussing something, and their conversation finally appeared to come to an end.

“Well then, it’s time,” Aester announced. “Safe travels, Reiner.”

Hearing his father’s words, Reiner quickly lifted his head. He scanned the crowd, then looked straight at his parents.

“Yes, sir. Well then, I’ll be off.”

With that, he departed the Valdia Mark and headed for the imperial capital.

◇

Upon their arrival at the capital, Reiner and Dynus parted ways with the rest of the order. Then, as had been planned, they made their way to greet Arwin. The prince gave the two an extremely warm welcome, and they enjoyed a grand feast. The following day, Reiner began his job as Arwin’s adviser, where he would go on to learn to handle a variety of tasks.

◇

Several years passed. One day, Reiner was working with the crown prince in his office. The two were alone, and Reiner passed documents to Arwin one after another in an experienced manner.

“Arwin, I’ll need you to look at this document next,” he said, placing some papers onto the prince’s desk.

Arwin looked at the mountain of paperwork in front of him and let out a deep sigh. “Why don’t we take a break? I’ve been drowning in documents all morning...”

“I understand how you feel, but we’re already behind. You must keep going.” Reiner smiled, trying to cheer him up.

The two had been friends since they were students, so when they were alone, they spoke to each other in a casual manner. Arwin saw the smile on Reiner’s face and hung his head to show that he’d given in. He quickly lifted his head and put his disdain behind him, then resumed his review of the papers.

Not long after he’d begun working again, Arwin said, “I just remembered, you’re returning to the Valdia Mark next year, right? I bet being my adviser has been a good experience for you.”

“It has indeed. You’ve given me a great opportunity.”

Though they were engaging in conversation, the men’s work continued uninterrupted. Hearing Reiner’s response, Arwin continued speaking.

“I’m sure Lord Aester and Lady Toulette can’t wait to have you home.”

“I’m not sure about my father, but I think you’re right about my mother. She seems excited about my return.”

Since he’d come to the capital, Reiner had made sure to write home every month, without fail. His letters served as a way to regularly keep his parents updated on his work and to simply maintain communication with his family. The letters he received from his mother showed that she was clearly concerned about his well-being.

Reiner’s last response made Arwin stop what he was doing and say, “So, I wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?” Reiner responded with a stern look, also pausing his work. “You’ve got a lot of questions today, Arwin.”

They were both the type to normally focus silently on their work, so it was rare for them to speak this much in the middle of handling tasks.

“Have you found someone good yet?”

“Excuse me?”

Arwin’s question was so unexpected that Reiner was perplexed—something that rarely happened.

Why must I be questioned about whether I’ve found someone? Reiner thought. He’d come to the capital to gain experience he could use when he became margrave, not to find a lover. As a noble, he also had a duty to be careful in choosing a partner. Arwin was surely aware of all that.

The crown prince seemed amused by the uncharacteristic confusion on his friend’s face and let out a wry chuckle. “I’m sorry. I seem to have surprised you, though your reaction tells me that the answer is no.”

“Of course not,” Reiner replied, slightly annoyed.

“Well, that makes things easy. To tell you the truth, both my wife, Matilda, and your parents have put in a good word about a marriage proposal to a certain noblewoman.”

This discussion seemed to come from nowhere, and Reiner’s mind froze for a moment. He quickly snapped back to reality and began speaking, his shock clear from his raised voice.

“What?! That’s absolutely ridiculous! I haven’t heard anything about this from my family!”

Arwin looked at him, suspicious. “Really, now? I’m sure they’ve at least pressed you about getting married. Also, I have the letter from Lord Aester accepting the marriage offer right here,” he said, pulling out an envelope from his desk.

Reiner took the letter and skimmed it. Then he sighed and replied, “This was definitely written by my father.”

Within the letter were the following words written by his father: Regarding the offer of marriage for Reiner, I would like you to continue discussions with the noblewoman recommended by Lady Matilda.

Thinking back to previous letters he’d received from his family, Reiner faintly recalled statements along the lines of Find someone good and Tell us if you meet someone you’re interested in. He’d paid no mind to them at the time, but it appeared they had been serious sentiments.

Still, why would these discussions proceed without any explanation or notice? he wondered with a grimace.

Arwin seemed to pick up on the question on his friend’s mind. “Lord Aester apparently struggled quite a bit to find a partner before his marriage to Lady Toulette was decided. From what I’ve heard, there were many women at the time who insisted they didn’t want to marry a margrave. Isn’t it possible that your parents also sent you here for the purpose of finding a wife?”

“I understand what you’re saying, but who I marry isn’t solely my decision.”

Reiner was finally processing the position he was in, and both acceptance and exasperation were clear on his face. Just as Arwin suspected, Reiner’s parents had probably thought that once their son was in the capital, he would find someone he liked and bring them home. However, once he had moved to the capital, they had never once heard anything about his love life. These discussions had likely proceeded in secret because his parents had lost their patience.

Reiner slightly shook his head and said, “So, may I ask the name of this noble lady I may be marrying?”

“Of course. Her name is Nanalie Ronamis, and she’s the daughter of Count Tristan Ronamis. I’m sure you’ve heard of her before. She’s quite beautiful, and many nobles have their sights set on her.”

“Nanalie Ronamis, the Crimson Lady, huh?”

He’d never met or even seen her, but Reiner knew the name of the woman in question. Working in the capital, he couldn’t avoid rumors about members of the nobility. One topic that stood out among the chatter was Nanalie Ronamis, the noblewoman whom every last single nobleman wanted to make his wife. She had beautiful crimson hair, which had earned her the epithet “the Crimson Lady.”

Though she was known for her beauty, the mention of a red-haired woman brought someone else to Reiner’s mind. He’d once accompanied Arwin, with Dynus guarding them, to the aristocratic quarter. During their visit, they’d come across a noblewoman who was being bothered by several young noblemen. If he recalled correctly, that noblewoman had also had red hair.

Reiner seemed to be lost in thought, and Arwin’s expression grew concerned.

“What’s wrong?” the prince asked. “Is something bothering you?”

“Hm? Oh, no. I was just thinking. I never thought that I’d be discussing my potential marriage to the Crimson Lady, so I’m shocked. She’s not anyone I would’ve expected to cross paths with.”

Reiner shrugged in a coy manner, while Arwin let out a wry chuckle. “That’s just how marriage discussions between nobles go,” he replied. “It’s nothing you need to think about too deeply.”

“I agree. Anyway, we should finish the rest of our work.”

Reiner picked up the documents he’d been looking through before their conversation and resumed his work.

Several days later, Reiner received a letter from Aester detailing his prospective marriage to Nanalie Ronamis. A date had been set for them to formally discuss the proposal. His father also shared that he and his mother would be visiting the capital to be present at the meeting. It was clear that Aester had put more pressure on his pen when writing the final line in his letter: You have no right to refuse.

◇

It was the day of Reiner’s meeting with Nanalie Ronamis, and he was in his room tidying up his appearance. There was a knock on the door, to which he responded, and Dynus entered.

“Pardon my intrusion, Sir Reiner,” Dynus said. “The carriage is ready. We should be heading out soon.”

“Understood. We can leave right away.”

Reiner was slightly nervous about today. Not only would he be meeting with a woman he’d never seen before, but they were meeting to discuss their potential marriage. It was natural for him to be anxious. He remained visibly nervous as he made his way to the entryway where Aester and Toulette already stood, waiting for him. His parents had arrived in the capital several days prior to attend this meeting.

During the margrave’s absence, the Valdia Mark was temporarily being managed by the family butler, Garren, and the knight’s order. Yesterday, Reiner had spent a pleasant night with his family, everyone enjoying food and wine while engaging in friendly conversation. At one point, his intoxicated parents had said, “We’re excited to have grandchildren,” which had made him choke and sent him into a coughing fit. He could understand why his mother would make such a comment, but he never would have imagined those words to come out of his father’s mouth, so it had been a genuine shock.

Getting married so they can become grandparents may be a way of repaying them for everything they’ve done for me, Reiner had thought as he watched his parents drunkenly ask for grandchildren.

Now that he knew how his parents felt, Reiner had decided to set aside his reluctance over discussions of marriage and step into the meeting with a positive outlook. Since he’d had this change of heart, he’d been thinking about how he would handle the meeting, which had led him to feeling nervous.

“What’s wrong, Reiner?” Aester called out. “It’s unusual for you to look so nervous.”

“Oh, I apologize. I was a bit lost in thought.”

“I see...” Aester scratched his cheek and looked slightly embarrassed. “By the way, I’m sorry about yesterday. I think I drank a bit too much wine, and I can’t seem to remember what I said. Do you, Toulette?”

“I could say the same about myself,” Toulette replied, nodding and blushing. “It’s been so long since I’ve gotten to have drinks with Reiner, and I got a bit carried away.”

Neither of them remember how they kept pestering me for grandkids? Reiner thought in disbelief, but he quickly changed his tune. Actually, it might be more embarrassing for them if they did have a clear memory of their drunken actions.

He smiled and said, “I see. You did both drink quite a bit. Next time, please be careful not to drink to the point where you cannot recall things.”

Aester and Toulette let out nervous chuckles.

“You’re right. I’ll be careful.”

“Absolutely, Reiner. I shall be more careful moving forward.”

Just then, Dynus’s voice reverberated throughout the entryway. “I apologize for interrupting, but the meeting is drawing near. I suggest we leave promptly.”

“You’re right, Dynus,” Reiner responded. “We got a little caught up chatting. Let’s hurry.”

With that, the three stepped outside and boarded the carriage, then departed for Count Ronamis’s home.

This was the beginning of Reiner’s marriage meeting.

◇

The carriage stopped in front of a mansion, and Dynus called out, “Sir Reiner, we have arrived at the home of Count Tristan Ronamis.”

“It’s finally time,” Reiner muttered to himself with a deep exhale. He swiftly stood up and stepped outside, and the first thing that came into view was a grand and brilliant mansion.

Reiner had never been nervous during the business meetings he participated in at work, nor during practice duels with the sword. However, on this day, his countenance had remained anxious since they’d boarded the carriage. Dynus seemed to pick up on this nervousness, and he looked worriedly at Reiner.

“Sir Reiner, are you all right? If you are interested, I have a technique I use for calming my nerves. Would you like to see it?”

Reiner seemed suspicious of the technique. He had a bad feeling about whatever this was going to be, but he knew that Dynus was just trying to be considerate.

“Well, why not? Let me see this technique of yours.”

“Understood!!! I will perform it for you!!!”

Dynus excitedly puffed his chest, which stretched out his shirt to be skintight. Then, he began moving his chest muscles up and down. Seeing all of this happen, Reiner was first completely stunned, then he pressed his hand against his forehead and looked down. Dynus paid Reiner’s reaction no mind and continued moving his muscles.

“What do you think, Sir Reiner? Don’t you feel more relaxed? This would be more entertaining if I had some fruits to use as props.”

Reiner was still hanging his head, and he let out a sigh before looking up. “I guess my nerves have indeed calmed... However, there’s no need to do this in front of me ever again.”

Dynus stopped flexing and tilted his head in confusion.

“What are you doing, Reiner?” Aester called out. “Lord Tristan is waiting for us. We must head inside right away.”

“Understood, father.”

Though it hadn’t worked as intended, Reiner’s interaction with Dynus did indeed help him calm down. Unfortunately, Reiner himself hadn’t noticed that his anxiety had lessened.

From there, the Valdias were led by butlers and maids of the Ronamis household to a room reserved for special guests, and they all had a seat. The Ronamis’ home was simple in decor, but each piece on display was of excellent quality, and their taste seemed incredibly refined. As Reiner inspected the room they were in, there was a knock on the door. Aester responded, the door opened, and a gentle and kindly man with brown hair and blue eyes entered, making his way toward them.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting. I am Tristan Ronamis. Thank you very much for accepting this meeting to discuss a prospective marriage between our families. I am looking forward to speaking with you.”

Tristan proceeded to shake hands with Aester, Toulette, and then Reiner. Before he took Reiner’s hand, he stared at the young man with more intensity than he had his parents.

“So, you are Sir Reiner. You have lovely eyes, just like your parents.”

“It is an honor to receive such kind words, my lord,” Reiner replied. “I am also incredibly grateful to have this opportunity to discuss marriage to a member of a family so storied in this empire.”

Tristan seemed a bit surprised by Reiner’s words. “My, I had no idea you knew about the history of our family within the empire, Sir Reiner. You’re quite the learned man.”

“I have been serving as Prince Arwin’s adviser for several years now, so I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to learn about the noble families in this empire,” Reiner shared with a smile. “Though it is only a bit, I have had the privilege of studying the Ronamis’ history.”

It was true that he’d gotten more opportunities to learn about Magnolian nobles by serving as Arwin’s adviser, but Reiner had only studied up on the Ronamis family in particular after learning that he might be marrying Nanalie. Prior to his research, he hadn’t known much about the family other than a vague understanding that they were of a venerable lineage.

Through his research, Reiner had learned that the Ronamis family was one of the very few noble families that had existed since the foundation of Magnolia. They were historically significant and truly of a venerable lineage. Their history and social standing had made them equals to the dukes and margraves in the empire, and though the family only held the title of count, they received special treatment. Despite their long history and high standing, they had never been bestowed a higher rank. This had caught Reiner’s attention, and he was sure there had to be some reason that their peerage hadn’t changed. He had even tried asking Arwin, but the crown prince hadn’t had an answer for him either.

Tristan nodded, satisfied by Reiner’s explanation. “I see, you are serving as the crown prince’s adviser. I’m sure it must be challenging to learn all about the history of this empire.”

“I actually consider this to be a wonderful opportunity I’ve been blessed with,” Reiner replied. “The Valdia Mark is quite far from the capital, so I don’t get many chances like this.”

Tristan smiled, seeming impressed by Reiner’s unwavering confidence.

“I am definitely looking forward to your future endeavors, Sir Reiner. I can see why Lord Aester is so proud of his son.”

Tristan turned to look at the margrave, who cleared his throat as though trying to mask his bashfulness.

“Anyway, Tristan, where is your daughter? It seems Lady Nanalie hasn’t joined us yet.”

Tristan let out a nervous chuckle and returned his gaze to Reiner, giving the young man a profound look.

“My apologies. She seems to be quite concerned with her appearance, and it’s taking her a bit to get ready. I’ve never seen my daughter put so much care into how she looks, so I’m surprised by this as well.”

Aester picked up on the hidden meaning behind Tristan’s gaze and words, and a grin spread across his face. “Isn’t that wonderful, Reiner?” he said in a teasing manner.

“Please don’t poke fun at me, father,” Reiner responded bashfully. Though he only seemed slightly embarrassed, internally Reiner was indescribably flustered.

Toulette had been standing by, watching the men interact. Though she was smiling, there was something terrifying about her gaze. “You should all know that it is completely normal for a lady to be concerned with her appearance when meeting with a prospective marriage partner,” she gently scolded. “I think it is best that we don’t let our imaginations run wild.”

Unlike her usual demeanor, there was a chilling air to Toulette’s kind voice. The three men immediately froze in response. Once they had calmed down after getting carried away, they all looked a bit regretful of their behavior. Tristan proceeded to sit down and clear his throat as if to signal that he wanted to change the subject.

“Well, I’ve been raising my daughter all on my own, since my wife passed away quite some time ago. I believe she’s grown up to be quite a charming lady.”

Aester looked somewhat sorrowful. “That’s right. I’ve heard that your wife passed away when Lady Nanalie was still a young child...”

“Yes, she passed away when Nanalie was four years old. I do regret that my daughter had to experience such sadness...” Tristan’s expression clouded over for a moment, but then he quickly moved on and returned to his cheerful smile. “I hope my daughter will find happiness that makes up for the pain that she experienced. If I may be so bold, I’d like to express my gratitude to your family, including you, Sir Reiner, for having this meeting. I’m sure that our children will face some problems of their own, but I do hope you will look after my daughter.”

Tristan bowed his head, and Reiner was a bit troubled over what to do, since Nanalie still hadn’t arrived. He insisted that the count lift his head and smiled at him.

“Though I haven’t met her yet, judging from your wonderful character, I am confident that Lady Nanalie is an amazing person. I am also of the opinion that we would make a great match, so you have nothing to worry about.”

“I apologize. My emotions made me get ahead of myself. I am incredibly grateful to hear you say that, Sir Reiner,” Tristan replied, nodding along with Reiner’s words. He seemed a bit ashamed to have gotten emotional and bowed apologetically.

The very next moment, there was a knock on the door. “I am so sorry for keeping you waiting, father,” said a woman with a serene voice. “May I enter?”

“You’re here, Nanalie,” Tristan responded. “Come in. Everyone has been waiting for you.”

Reiner was suddenly overwhelmed with anxiety once more. His eyes were filled with anticipation as he stared at the door she would be entering from.

“Excuse me,” the woman said, opening the door, and Nanalie Ronamis appeared before him for the first time.

She was dressed in a gorgeous gown, and her hair was just as crimson as the rumors suggested. Her eyes were purple, just like Reiner’s, but they were a brighter shade than his. She quickly glanced at the Valdias, then made her way to the couches where everyone was seated. She quietly lifted the skirt of her gown and curtsied gracefully.

“I deeply apologize for my belated appearance. I am Nanalie Ronamis. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Nanalie then stood back up and gave the guests an adorable smile. All of her behavior, every small movement she made, was all incredibly elegant, and just a quick glance at her would leave a deep impression on anyone’s mind. Reiner hadn’t expected Nanalie to be this beautiful, and he was completely enchanted.

What’s wrong? Nanalie thought when she noticed he was staring. Was something about my greeting unsatisfactory?

“Um, was there anything about my words or actions that concerned you, Sir Reiner?”

Reiner finally realized that he’d been staring at Nanalie, and he let out a gasp as he snapped back to reality. He bashfully covered his mouth with his hand and averted his gaze for a moment before returning his attention to the young lady. Nanalie simply tilted her head, confused by his behavior, but their parents were all grinning at the innocent interaction between their children.

Reiner exhaled as if to calm his nerves, then replied, “If I may speak honestly, I was captivated by you, Lady Nanalie. I apologize if my behavior upset you in any way.” He bowed his head apologetically.

Nanalie hadn’t expected that response, and her face flushed bright red. “Oh, there’s no need for that, Sir Reiner! You haven’t upset me at all, so please raise your head!”

The innocent and flustered yet positive progression of their conversation put an amused smile on Aester’s face. “You’ve only just met, but you two seem to be getting along quite well already. I think we should give them some space,” he told Toulette and Tristan.

“Yes, I agree,” Tristan replied. “Nanalie, we will move to another guest parlor, so go ahead and speak to Sir Reiner about anything you’d like.”

Aester got up first, then his wife and Lord Tristan followed suit. Before they left, Toulette and Aester both walked up to Nanalie.

“Please take care of my son,” Aester said.

“I’d like to ask for the same,” Toulette chimed in. “Also, I must say, I’ve never seen Reiner like this before,” she added with a giggle. “I hope you two get to have a fruitful conversation.”

Nanalie was surprised by the Valdias’ words, but she took them to heart and nodded. “Yes, I’ve been looking forward to speaking to Sir Reiner about all sorts of things as well. I am truly fortunate to have been blessed with this opportunity.”

Aester and Toulette were both impressed by Nanalie’s response, and they turned their attention to their son and grinned.

“We’ll be leaving now. I know you’re nervous, but be careful not to say anything rude to Lady Nanalie.”

“Please don’t tease me, father,” Reiner replied, embarrassed by his father’s words.

Aester seemed amused by his son’s reaction, and he stifled a laugh as he left the room, followed by Toulette and Tristan. Reiner and Nanalie were now alone, and the room fell silent. After some time, Reiner finally spoke up.

“I’m sorry about my parents.”

“No, no. You have nothing to apologize for. Your parents seem like very warm, good people.”

She smiled, and Reiner’s heart skipped a beat. He tried to feign composure as he replied.

“I’m glad that you think that. I must say, I believe you have no shortage of choices when it comes to marriage. Why did you accept this meeting to discuss marriage with me?”

This was the first and biggest question he had about their prospective marriage. When he had researched the Ronamis family in preparation for this meeting, he’d learned that Nanalie had already accepted several proposals in the past, but they had all fallen through. Since then, she had continued to receive proposals, but she’d declined them all. Considering that history, Reiner found it strange that she had agreed to have this meeting. He was clearly confused, and Nanalie let out an amused laugh.

“Well, to tell you the truth, I’ve seen you around the aristocratic quarter and the castle several times. Also, it seems that you do not remember, but we’ve actually met before.”

“Really? I can’t imagine anyone forgetting you after meeting you once...”

Reiner couldn’t hide his shock. He had no recollection whatsoever of meeting Nanalie, and no matter how hard he tried to remember, nothing came to mind.

She seemed further amused by the sight of him racking his brain. “Let’s see... Why don’t I give you a hint? Several months ago, you saved a noblewoman who was being bothered by some young men in the aristocratic quarter. Do you remember now?”

“Several months ago... The aristocratic quarter... A noble lady...” Reiner repeated to himself, trying to trigger any relevant memories.

It was true that he’d accompanied Arwin to the aristocratic quarter several months ago, and Dynus had traveled with them. Reiner finally recalled an incident that had taken place during that visit, and he gasped and looked up at her.

“Could it be... Were you that noblewoman with the red hair?”

Nanalie seemed pleased that he remembered her and blushed. “That’s right. I am that noble lady with the red hair.”

The surprise on Reiner’s face was as clear as day. The young woman he’d met that day was completely different in demeanor to Nanalie, to the point that he’d automatically assumed they were separate people.

Reiner silently thought back to that day, recalling the events that had taken place.

◇

One day, several months prior to Reiner and Nanalie’s marriage meeting, Arwin, Reiner, and Dynus were out visiting the aristocratic quarter. Arwin had been wanting to see what life in the quarter was like, so the three had donned some basic disguises and set out for town.

Reiner stared at Arwin, who was walking in front of him and seemed to be enjoying himself, and felt a bit exasperated.

“I understand that proper surveys like this can lead to important discoveries and points of improvement, but is it really necessary for you to disguise yourself just so that you can survey the area?”

Arwin heard his adviser’s complaint and stopped in his tracks. He then turned around with a grin on his face. “Don’t be like that, Reiner. That outfit and those glasses look quite good on you. You always look more like a knight, but today you seem more like a civil servant.”

“You look completely different yourself, since you’ve changed your hair color and style with that wig,” Reiner replied. “Your clothes are much simpler than usual as well, so you look like you would at most be the son of a baron, or a profligate son of a businessman.”

They gave each other’s disguises another look and couldn’t help but chuckle. Just then, the man with the shaved head walking behind them jumped into the conversation.

“How do I look, young master?” Dynus asked.

Reiner looked visibly displeased to be referred to as “young master,” as that was usually a snooty-sounding title for young children of nobles, but he nonetheless turned around to face his guard. Dynus wasn’t in his usual knight’s armor but was dressed more casually like an adventurer might be with a sword hanging from his belt. Arwin seemed to find his adviser being called “young master” incredibly funny, and he was desperately holding his laughter back.

“Don’t call me that,” Reiner said. “Also, you look like either a hoodlum or some sort of rowdy adventurer.”

“So I’m a ruffian either way? I wonder what about me gives off that impression...” Dynus tilted his head and seemed to be deep in thought.

It’s your shaved head, along with your unnecessary and intimidating amount of muscle!!! Reiner nearly shouted, but he kept that thought to himself.

Arwin had been watching this exchange, and he now had tears welling up in his eyes, perhaps because he’d been holding in his laughter for so long.

“You two make a great pair,” he commented between stifled chuckles.

“Wow, what an honor it is for you to say that,” Reiner sarcastically replied.

Arwin paid no mind to his annoyance and resumed walking. “Come on, there’s no need to be so grumpy. I have real reasons for wanting to visit the town. The first one is what you pointed out: Seeing things for yourself is the ultimate way to learn. The second reason is that I want to buy a gift for my wife.”

“That second point is something you should most definitely have sent out a servant to handle. You could have even invited a merchant to the palace.”

Reiner understood the first reason, but the second perplexed him. He was visibly confused, which amused Arwin and made him chuckle.

“You’re not married, so you don’t understand. There’s something special when you secretly buy a gift for your wife—something that you’ve thought of, searched for, and picked out yourself. If you don’t understand the importance of doing all of that, then your future wife is going to suffer.”

“Well, I do agree that it is important to care for your significant other,” Reiner replied. “However, given your position, it seems a bit careless to take on such a task yourself.”

Reiner understood the prince’s point, but even with their disguises, it was risky for them to be visiting the town like this. Reiner was clearly displeased, which perhaps Arwin picked up on. He stopped and turned around, then spoke quietly so that only Reiner could hear him.

“The truth is, my father’s health isn’t in great condition,” Arwin revealed. “According to the doctor, it will be incredibly difficult for him to recover enough to get back to work.”

Reiner gasped. “I’d heard some ramblings about His Majesty feeling unwell, but I didn’t realize things had gotten so dire...” He maintained a composed expression so as to not arouse suspicion from anyone passing by, but internally, he was truly shocked by this news. Arwin’s father was the current emperor of Magnolia, which meant that his health deteriorating to the point that he was unable to work was highly classified information that could greatly sway the future of the empire.

Arwin somberly nodded in response. “Even at the latest, it will only be a few years before I succeed the throne. When that happens, I won’t be able to go out like this. Before that happens, I want to get a good look at the land I’m going to be protecting. That’s why I wanted to do this, even knowing I was asking for a lot.”

“I see... I’m sorry I didn’t realize sooner,” Reiner replied with an apologetic look.

Arwin shook his head, then smiled at his friend. “Don’t worry about it. This is my own issue. I’m just grateful that you came with me today.”

The two had been whispering to each other, but that quiet was disturbed by the distressed voice of a young woman.

“Please, let me go!!!” she yelled.

Reiner and Dynus were immediately on alert upon hearing the young woman’s voice. They both guarded Arwin while scanning their surroundings and found an isolated area where a young woman with red hair had been encircled by a group of men. The men all seemed to be well-off from the way they were dressed, and they’d grabbed the young woman’s arms and were dragging her off. The men were likely nobles, which was why no one who’d noticed the young woman’s cries had stepped in to help.

Reiner ordered Dynus to guard the prince, whom he then turned to and asked, “May I go?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Arwin replied. “Just don’t cause too much trouble, okay?”

Now that he had Arwin’s permission, Reiner looked at Dynus and said, “I’m counting on you to guard him.”

“Understood. I won’t let you down.”

With that, Reiner rushed over to the young woman being accosted by noblemen.

◇

One particularly well-dressed man and three brawny looking lackeys had dragged a red-haired young woman into an isolated corner of the aristocratic quarter. The men exuded haughty arrogance as they glared down at the young woman.

“I never thought that we’d be reunited like this,” the apparent leader said. “Come on, let’s continue our conversation from last time.”

The young woman had her back against a wall, and though she was terrified of the men, she didn’t let it show on her face. She bravely glared back as she unleashed her anger.

“I have absolutely nothing to say to an arrogant, stubborn, and selfish man like you!!! Regarding this conversation you speak of, I believe I have formally declined through my father! If you are behaving like this because you do not like my response, then you are no different from any other thug! You should be ashamed of yourself!!!”

Not only were the men undaunted by her insults, but their faces twisted into vulgar grins of amusement. They began leering at the young woman, ogling her from head to toe. The young woman felt a chill and began trembling in fear. This only seemed to please the most well-dressed man in the group.

“That’s good. That’s what I wanted to see—that scared look on your face. Do you know how much shame I’d had to face because of nobles? I think I should be paid damages for all the shame I’ve been forced to endure.”

“Wh-What are you talking about?!”

There was nowhere for the young woman to go, but every instinct in her was telling her to run, so she desperately continued pressing her back against the wall behind her. The mask of strength she’d initially worn was beginning to crack, and her fear was becoming apparent. The men all looked at each other, then their eyes filled with something dark.

“I’ve heard that you turned down every proposal you got,” the man said. “In that case, no one will want to give you the time of day anymore. I’m generously offering to give you some attention. Our ride will be here soon... Let’s have some fun together.”

Our ride? Fun together? The young woman thought about the man’s words, and once she realized what he’d meant, all the color drained from her face.

This unjustified resentment toward her was already more than excessive, but the men had proven themselves to be even more horrible than she’d initially thought, though there was no use in pointing that out since she was in a dire situation. The men had likely separated her from the servants she’d been traveling with, and they had targeted her when she was alone, which was when she’d been dragged to this isolated area.

At this rate, she would be facing a horrendous fate. She still fought to get away, swinging the bag she’d been carrying, but her desperate attempts to resist the men only seemed to amuse them.

She swung her right arm at the leader of the group, who grabbed it and forcibly pulled her closer, he then turned her around and grabbed her from behind, wrapping his arm around her throat to restrain her. He squeezed a little, and she tried to fight back by grabbing his arm with her left hand. She was struggling but still desperately tried to remain brave.

“If you’re going to violate me, you might as well kill me!!!”

All her words did was further please the men. The man restraining her flashed a vulgar smile in response to her valiant efforts to resist him, and he leaned in to whisper his intentions into her ear. Upon hearing what he planned to do to her, the young woman’s face clouded with despair.

The man appeared pleased by her reaction, and he began rubbing his cheek against hers. The young woman began trembling, her face frozen with disgust and fear.

“That’s really nice. I wanted to see that look of fear on your face and watch you tremble. This is all exactly what I wanted. Still, I can’t forgive you for humiliating me. Don’t worry, I won’t kill you. I’m just going to keep filling you with despair that’ll make you want to die. You’re going to live through hell.”

He pressed his body against hers, and she completely froze up, terrified out of her mind. There was nothing she could do, and she teared up as she prayed in her heart.

Please, someone, save me!!!

The very next moment, as if to answer her prayer, a sharp and heavy voice resonated from behind.

“What do you think you’re doing here?”

The voice belonged to a young man. He was wearing glasses and looked to be some sort of civil servant. Though he appeared mild-mannered at first glance, the sharpness in his gaze from behind his glasses and the air around him gave the impression of a knight who’d been through countless battles.

The group of men were visibly annoyed by the young man who’d interrupted them, and after getting a good look at him, the most well-dressed of the group answered as if to speak for his companions.

“This young woman is my lover. We were meeting in secret because we both have public appearances to keep up. I would appreciate it if you could mind your business.”

The young woman immediately wanted to scream out that he was lying, but the man had covered her mouth. The young man seemed suspicious of the man’s words and the group’s behavior. He turned his attention to the young woman and spoke in a gentle, reassuring tone.

“Is what this man saying true, my lady? You can be honest with me. If you are in trouble, I will do everything in my power to help you.”

The young man’s kind words and powerful gaze filled the young woman with bravery, and she bit down on the man’s hand covering her mouth.

“Agh! Damn you!” the man exclaimed from the sudden pain, flinching away.

She used the opportunity to shout with all the strength she had, “He’s lying! I’m not his or anyone else here’s lover! Please, help me!”

The young man nodded and smiled at her before replying in a soft voice, “Understood. Please stay still. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

She looked slightly relieved as she nodded in response. The men who were accosting her were all enraged and glaring at the young man. The best-dressed among them turned to face the newcomer.

“I have no idea who you are, but you should know that I’m the son of a count. I’m sure you know what’ll happen if you mess with me. This is all pissing me off, but I don’t want to turn it into a huge commotion. I’m willing to forgive you if you walk away now.”

A look of annoyance washed over the young man’s face, and he let out a wry chuckle.

“Wow... To think that some lowly scoundrels who would assault a lady would claim to be nobles simply because they’re dressed well. That isn’t something that can go unpunished. I should ask you the same question—do you understand what will happen to you for making such claims, sir?”

The young man’s challenging words only further angered the men.

“Forget it!” the leader of the group yelled out. “Let’s get him!”

At his signal, his three brawny lackeys charged at the young man, who seemed completely undaunted as he calmly took care of each thug attacking him.

The first man threw a punch at his head, but the young man tilted his head and purposefully positioned himself to just barely dodge the attack. As soon as he evaded the punch, he grabbed the man’s stretched out right arm to lock him into place, then wrapped his own arms around his adversary’s arm from the back, and in the blink of an eye, he’d grappled him at his shoulder joint. The young man then mercilessly squeezed the offender’s joint, and the dull sound of a shoulder dislocating filled the air along with the man’s pained scream.

The young man ignored the screams as he threw his opponent toward the second man, charging at him. All the intense movement had made his glasses fall to the ground, but he seemed unbothered as he continued fighting.

The second man had been thrown off-balance, and as he was regaining his footing, the third man launched a fist at the stranger, which was easily deflected. Now that he had an opening for an attack, the young man swiftly and fiercely thrust his hand at the third man’s throat. The move crushed the man’s throat, and he toppled to the ground in agony.

During that time, the second man had regained his footing and was now charging at the young man. He threw a punch, which the young man easily caught. This shocked him, but he immediately launched a second punch with his other hand. Once again, the young man easily caught his fist, glaring at his opponent as he slowly squeezed and crushed the second man’s fists. Unable to bear the pain, the second man began screaming before finally collapsing to his knees.

Still gripping his fists, the young man slammed his opponent onto his back so he was lying face up on the ground, then stomped on his stomach. The blow to the abdomen appeared to be too much to counter, and the second man remained on the ground, writhing in agony.

The young man had dealt with the three men in a matter of seconds. Anyone watching wouldn’t have even processed what was happening before he’d taken them all down. His opponents were now all on the ground, visibly and audibly in pain.

The leader’s eyes widened in shock at what had just happened. He was frozen as if he’d seen something unbelievable. On the other hand, the young man seemed composed as he picked up the glasses he’d dropped, wiped the lenses clean, and put them back on. He then gave the remaining man a sharp glare.

“I wouldn’t further sully myself by speaking to you again. Leave.”

The last member of his group standing, the leader shook with anger as he pulled out a dagger and charged at the young man.

“Who the hell do you think you are?! I’m a member of the nobility! I’m the son of Count Galliano! You’re not going to get away with this!!!”

The young man was completely undaunted by the man’s scream, and he dodged the attack with the dagger. As he did, he kicked the dagger out of his opponent’s hand. The man screamed in pain as his dagger flew through the air.

The young man’s movements were smooth as he quickly closed the distance between himself and his cowering opponent, and he grabbed the nobleman’s face with one hand. He then used the momentum he’d built up to throw him to the ground. With his adversary on his back, the young man crouched down beside him.

The impact of being slammed onto the ground had made the man scream in pain, and he was now drifting in and out of consciousness. The young man showed not even the slightest bit of concern toward his clearly outdone opponent and looked up at the dagger in the air. In an instant, he calculated where it would fall and grabbed it out of the air. He held the dagger in a reverse grip and swung it down at the man’s face.

Though the man’s consciousness was fading, he hadn’t passed out. The moment he woke up a bit, the first thing he saw was the young man swinging his own dagger at him. The man immediately understood that this was the closest he’d ever been to dying, and the fear of death made him pathetically cry out in a manner that belied his behavior until that moment.

“Aaaaagh! Don’t kill me!!! I’m the son of Count Galliano! I’m Rogus Gallianooooo!!!”

“Like I said earlier, I won’t sully myself by speaking to you!”

With the dagger in a reverse grip, the young man mercilessly swung down at Rogus, aiming for his face. The next moment, the metallic sound of a blade striking the ground resonated. The impact shattered the blade, and only the handle was left in the young man’s hand.

Rogus had broken down into a sobbing mess when faced with the fear of death, and he was now unconscious with a pathetic expression on his face. The young man had swung the dagger at the ground, just barely avoiding his face. Once he confirmed that Rogus had passed out, he stood up. With an exasperated expression, he tossed the handle of the dagger onto the man.

The young man tidied his appearance, which was in disarray from the intense action that had taken place. As he put himself back together, he glared at the three lackeys who were slowly getting back to their feet.

“Take this man and leave this place at once,” the young man ordered. “I won’t repeat myself.”

The brawny men had all lost the will to fight, and they were cowering in fear of the young man. One of them picked up the unconscious Rogus and swung him over his shoulder, then they left the young man and young woman, visibly terrified as they fled.

Once the men were completely out of view, the young man took a deep breath, turned to the young woman, and smiled.

“Phew... You no longer have anything to worry about, my lady. Were you hurt at all?”

“Oh, um, I...”

The young woman was having trouble responding. She was still trembling and looking down. It was only moments ago that she had been surrounded by brutish men attempting to assault her. She was surely still terrified of what had happened, so the young man remained gentle and kind in tone as he spoke to her once more.

“You’re all right now, my lady. I will continue protecting you until you are home safe. May I ask where your home is so I may prepare a carriage to take you there?”

The noblewoman still wouldn’t respond. Concerned, the young man attempted to get a look at her face. But before he could, she looked up, her eyes filled with tears, and she leaped into his arms.

“I was so scared,” she admitted between sobs. “It was so terrifying! I desperately tried to call for help, but no one was coming! I truly believed I wouldn’t be saved.”

“I see. You were incredibly brave, my lady. I was only able to come to your aid because you so gallantly faced your foes. You should most definitely praise your own efforts.”

She was listening to the young man’s words, but she didn’t respond and continued sobbing into his chest. Understanding that she must have been terrified out of her mind, he gently placed his hand on her shoulder and silently waited until she calmed down.

The woman sobbing in his arms had red hair that was tied up in a bun at the back of her head, and her bangs seemed to be purposefully long to hide her face. Her clothes also seemed quite simple for a young noblewoman.

Judging from her appearance, she might be the daughter of a baron, the young man thought. That Rogus guy probably used his higher status as the son of a count to force himself on her.

He was well aware that nobles were still humans, and that meant that some members of the nobility were scum. Though such occurrences were unavoidable, when he looked at the young woman crying in his arms, he found it completely unforgivable.

The young man felt rage swelling within him, but he kept his emotions inside and continued smiling softly at the young woman until she stopped crying.

◇

After some time, the noblewoman regained her composure and quickly pulled away from the young man. He felt slightly saddened by this but immediately set those feelings aside and smiled at her.

“I hope you are feeling better, my lady.”

“Yes, I am. Um, I must apologize for not thanking you after all that you did to help me. I’m truly grateful that you saved me. If I may ask, what is your na—”

Just as she was about to ask the young man’s name, a voice boomed from behind them.

“Sir Reiner!!! Are you all right?!”

Reiner, the young man, turned around and found Dynus, who looked worried, and Arwin, who was grinning for some reason.

“We’re supposed to be traveling incognito, Dynus,” he pointed out. “You shouldn’t be calling out my name.”

“But you said not to call you ‘young master,’ sir,” Dynus replied.

Reiner pressed his hand against his forehead as though exhausted by his bodyguard, then he remembered that the noblewoman was still with them.

“These people are my, um, friends, so you do not have to worry about them. I apologize if they scared you, my lady.”

At first, Dynus seemed to have reminded the young woman of the brutes from earlier and she’d seemed a bit afraid. However, once she saw his expressive nature and how he’d referred to Reiner as “young master,” she seemed to find him humorous and chuckled a bit.

“No, no. I’m all right. I must say, it’s hard to believe that someone as strong as you is called ‘young master’ by his friends.”

Reiner wasn’t sure what to say and simply looked embarrassed. Still, this had resulted in helping the young woman to smile again, so he decided not to fight it.

“Urgh...yes, it’s quite strange. I’m not very fond of being referred to that way, but if it puts a smile on your face, then perhaps ‘young master’ isn’t such a bad title...”

The woman seemed a bit surprised but pleased by his response. “Oh my, you say such nice things, my lord,” she responded with a giggle.

“Oh, what?! No, um, I didn’t mean anything by it, I just... I-I apologize.”

There was a slightly sweet air surrounding the two, and Arwin cleared his throat in an obvious manner to switch gears.

“I’m sorry to interrupt the fun, but can you explain the situation to me, young master?”

“Urgh, yes, I should have been doing so,” Reiner replied. “I apologize.”

With that, he returned to his usual self and explained to Arwin what had happened there. As Arwin listened, he furrowed his brows, then turned to face the noblewoman.

“My lady, for reasons I cannot divulge, we cannot reveal our names or titles, but I promise you that we will handle this matter appropriately. We will also prepare a carriage for you, so you should return home at once.”

“Oh...yes, I understand. However, I haven’t been able to thank you for your help. At the very least, may I ask the name of the young master?” she pleaded.

Arwin silently shook his head. “I apologize. Like I said earlier, that isn’t something I can share today. Hopefully there will be an opportunity for you two to meet again.”

“I understand...” The young woman nodded in disappointment.

The group then left the area and succeeded in reuniting the noblewoman with her servants, who were all overjoyed that their mistress had been found, and they showered Reiner and his companions with gratitude.

Several moments later, the carriage that Reiner had prepared on Arwin’s orders arrived. Reiner and his companions helped the noblewoman and her servants into the carriage and then sent them off.

◇

After the young woman had said goodbye to Reiner and his friends, her servant spoke up on the carriage ride home.

“I’m truly glad that you’re all right, Lady Nanalie,” she said. “I will be forever grateful to those men.”

“I feel the same,” Nanalie replied. “If those men—or rather, if Sir Reiner—hadn’t come to my aid... Just the thought of what would have happened terrifies me.”

She thought back to what had happened earlier and couldn’t help but tremble with fear. Rogus Galliano, the son of Count Galliano, was someone whose proposal she’d had to hear out due to his status within the nobility. She’d formally declined his proposal and had made sure to communicate that to his family through her father, Tristan. But despite her having taken the appropriate steps, Rogus had persisted in approaching her. His behavior had gradually gotten worse and eventually grown to something of an obsession that had made her fear for her safety. As a result, whenever she went out, Nanalie had made sure to creatively hide her identity.

Unfortunately, she’d been spotted by Rogus during her outing today. Not only had he seen through her disguise but he’d also managed to separate her from her servants, which had put her in a dire situation. It was common knowledge that he was a count’s son, so no one had immediately stepped in to help her, and she’d thought that she was done for. But it was at that moment that he had appeared—the young man who seemed to be a civil servant at first glance, yet stood with the might of a knight. He had taken down Rogus and his lackeys in the blink of an eye and saved Nanalie from the brink of despair.

Sir Reiner... Nanalie repeated in her mind. He was an incredibly lovely person.

Her face flushed as she thought back to the earlier events, and a servant looked at her in confusion.

“You referred to him as Sir Reiner, my lady. Did you know his name?”

“What? Oh, I only caught his name because his servant, Dynus, referred to him as such,” Nanalie explained. “But he scolded Dynus for calling him by his name,” she added with a giggle.

She couldn’t help but smile when she thought back on the interactions between Reiner and Dynus. The contrast between how well he’d carried himself in that fight and the indescribable expression on his face when referred to as “young master” made her laugh.

Nanalie looked out of the carriage window, enjoying the view with a smile on her face. She sounded a bit sad as she muttered to herself, “‘Hopefully there will be an opportunity for us to meet again,’ he said? I do wonder if we shall...”

◇

Reiner was looking down, recalling the events of that day. Nanalie indeed looked similar to the young woman she had been—well, it had been her, so it was natural that they would look similar.

Reiner looked up, moved the hand that had been covering his mouth, and looked Nanalie in the eyes as he spoke.

“Are you... Are you really the noble lady from that day?”

Nanalie smiled, seeing the shock on his face. “You finally remembered,” she replied with a giggle. “I was quite worried that you’d forgotten about me.”

“Urgh, I apologize. However, I can assure you that I did not forget. It’s just that you give off quite a different impression today than you did back then, Lady Nanalie...”

Reiner carefully chose his words as he took another look at her. When they’d met in the aristocratic quarter, she’d been covering her eyes with her bangs, and she’d had her hair tied up in a bun. Not only had her hair been different but she had also been dressed in understated clothing, so it was hard to believe that the same woman was sitting in front of him now.

Nanalie seemed pleased by his response and smiled. “Looking beautiful isn’t the only reason for a woman to adjust her appearance. At times, dressing a certain way may be used to deceive men.”

“I see. You must have had your reasons for appearing as you did that day.” Reiner nodded understandingly. She’d likely been disguising herself to avoid being accosted by men like Rogus Galliano. Looking back on how she’d been dressed that day, it would have been difficult for strangers to recognize her.

In that case, how did Rogus see through her disguise? Reiner wondered. Was it her voice?

Nanalie blushed a bit and met Reiner’s gaze with expectant eyes. “By the way, if I may ask, how do I appear to you now, Sir Reiner?”

“What?! Well, that is, um...”

Reiner was completely thrown by her question. Flustered, he bashfully averted his gaze. Nanalie also appeared a bit shy, but her excitement over his positive reaction toward her overcame any embarrassment she felt, and she was leaning forward, closer to him.

After a moment, Reiner seemed to give in and prepared to respond by clearing his throat. “I am completely moved to see that the rumors about the Crimson Lady are true,” he replied.

Reiner had meant that as a compliment, but Nanalie seemed to disagree. Her eyebrows furrowed as she silently thought for a moment, holding a hand up to her face. Several moments later, she spoke up.

“Sir Reiner, um, while it may be rude, may I ask what you meant by that?”

“What?! You want me to explain what I meant?!”

Reiner thought that he’d successfully navigated her question despite his embarrassment by mentioning her informal title, and he now felt troubled over what to do. Across from him, Nanalie sat looking a bit worried.

“I apologize for asking such a thing,” she said. “It may seem trivial, but it is important to me.”

“I understand... Um, well, I meant that you are just as beautiful as everyone claims the Crimson Lady to be,” he cautiously answered. “I apologize if that upset you in any way...”

“Huh?” she responded in a dumbfounded tone. As she processed what he’d said, her face grew bright red, to the point that it seemed like steam might rise from her head. She looked down and tried to hide her red face with both her hands but quickly looked back up and cleared her throat to move on. “I apologize for my behavior. I didn’t expect you to have meant something so wonderful.”

Reiner seemed confused by this, and he couldn’t help but clarify. “Is there some other meaning associated with the Crimson Lady?”

Nanalie seemed a bit uncomfortable, but she bashfully began to share the reason for her initial concern. “Well, the truth is, before our families began discussing our marriage, I’d received several proposals from other families in the nobility. All of those discussions fell through because of the so-called vitriol I’d directed at my prospective partners. Since then, rumors have been spread that I am a lady of red-hot temperament, dubbing me the Crimson Lady.”

“My, I had no idea such things were being said,” he replied, unable to hide his surprise.

Before Reiner had become a prospective partner, Nanalie had received several proposals from other nobles in the capital. To her, it had been clear that those nobles had been after her beauty and her family’s status. Since noble relationships were important, she’d had to decline their proposals carefully. So she had agreed to only decline after participating in the customary meeting of prospective suitors...or at least that had been the plan.

Nanalie had found all of her potential suitors to be not even worth speaking to, let alone discussing marriage with, and she’d thought they were all complete fools. She’d initially politely declined their proposals, but toward the end, she had lost her patience. Paired with her spirited personality, her annoyance had resulted in some bitter words directed at her suitors, which had swiftly ended her marriage meetings and successfully made men withdraw their proposals.

Rogus Galliano had been one of those men who’d faced her vitriol, and as a result, he’d gotten together with several other noblemen who’d felt burned by how Nanalie had treated them and spread the rumor about her being the Crimson Lady—a woman of red-hot temperament. Nanalie herself had found such rumors ridiculous and had them paid no mind.

Interestingly, the rumor had taken shape in a way that neither those noblemen nor Nanalie had foreseen. For some unknown reason, the Crimson Lady evolved into an epithet that referred to her beauty and grace, and rumors of a completely different nature had spread throughout the capital.

“I never thought you’d compliment me in such a way,” Nanalie said with a giggle. “I certainly enjoy your definition of the Crimson Lady, Sir Reiner.”

As he listened to her and watched her smile, Reiner finally realized that he was falling for her. The two continued to engage in friendly conversation, and after some time passed, the air around Reiner began to change. There was both determination and a bit of fear in his eyes. Nanalie noticed that something seemed different, and she began to feel nervous.

Reiner sat up straight and looked her right in the eyes as he carefully began to speak. “Lady Nanalie, I find myself incredibly drawn to you. If you would like— No, I should say, I would love to welcome you to the Valdia Mark as my wife.”

His gaze and words were both sincere, and she could sense a bit of fear as he waited for her response. Nanalie took a breath, and with her face flushed, she slowly offered her response.

“Yes, I have also been drawn to you, Sir Reiner. If you will have me, I will happily accept your proposal.”

Reiner gasped. “Thank you very much. I vow to protect you and to make you happy.”

A wave of relief washed over him upon hearing her response. Just as he’d said, he vowed in his heart to always protect her and to ensure her happiness.

◇

Once Reiner and Nanalie confirmed their intentions with his proposal, Nanalie summoned a maid and asked her to call for their parents, who had been waiting in a separate room.

Soon after, there was a knock on the door. Reiner responded, and their parents entered, all looking slightly worried. Both the young man and woman smiled upon seeing how nervous their parents were, then turned red.

Reiner finally cleared his throat and spoke up. “I would like you all to know that I have formally asked for Lady Nanalie’s hand in marriage.”

“I would like to accept Sir Reiner’s proposal,” Nanalie added.

At first, the prospective couple’s parents were shocked, but their initial reaction was soon washed away by beaming smiles.

“Well done, Reiner!” Aester exclaimed. “What a joyous occasion this is! Thank you for accepting as well, Lady Nanalie!”

“Yes, there’s nothing quite as exciting as a successful proposal,” Toulette added. “I truly thank you, Lady Nanalie.”

“There’s no need to thank me!” Nanalie replied. “I’m looking forward to being a part of your family.”

Aester and Toulette couldn’t stop smiling as they showered her with congratulations and blessings. As the three happily celebrated, Tristan walked up to Reiner with a somber look on his face.

“Sir Reiner, I hope you will take good care of Nanalie. Since she lost her mother at a young age, she’s had to endure much struggle. I want my daughter to experience enough happiness to make up for that pain.”

Reiner nodded and looked Tristan straight in the eyes. “I understand, my lord. I promise to make Lady Nanalie happy.”

Tristan smiled at Reiner’s words. Just then, a question popped into Reiner’s mind.

“Sir Tristan, if I may be so bold as to ask, with Lady Nanalie marrying into the Valdia family, will there be any issues with finding a successor to the Ronamis family?”

As far as Reiner was aware, Nanalie was the only child of Count Ronamis. If this marriage were to go through, Reiner would be bringing Nanalie back to the Valdia Mark, which meant that there wouldn’t be anyone to succeed Tristan.

Tristan answered his question with a smile. “I appreciate your concern, but it’s nothing you have to worry about, Sir Reiner. If it comes to it, one of your future children can be adopted into the Ronamis family to succeed my title.”

“I see. I apologize for prodding.”

Reiner felt that he’d overstepped, and he bowed his head in apology. But Tristan didn’t seem bothered by the question and was still smiling.

“There’s no need for that, Sir Reiner. You were just concerned about my family, were you not? Also, the Ronamis family will... Never mind. You can forget about that. I’ll tell you eventually.”

Tristan stopped himself from sharing something confidential, and though Reiner was curious, he already felt that he’d overstepped, so he decided not to pursue the matter.

The count gently patted Reiner on the shoulder and whispered quietly so that only his future son-in-law could hear, “I shall tell you one day.”

Reiner was confused, so he simply nodded and replied, “Understood.”

Tristan then turned his attention to everyone in the room and spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear. “Though no formal preparations have been made, neither I nor the Valdias have any qualms about this union. Isn’t that right, Sir Aester and Lady Toulette?”

“Indeed,” Aester replied. “I don’t think there is a better match out there for these two, right, Toulette?”

“I agree. I am overjoyed that Lady Nanalie has agreed to marry Reiner.”

Reiner and Nanalie both blushed in response to all of their blessings. After that, a celebration of their engagement was hosted at the Ronamis residence. Reiner was surprised to see how happy his parents were about the union, and at the same time, it began to sink in that Nanalie was going to be his wife. Perhaps it was this realization or the wine served during the celebration, but Reiner’s face was the reddest it had ever been in his entire life. On a sidenote, the day after the celebration, Reiner woke up hungover, which was unusual for him.

No one could have foreseen the misfortune they would come to face in the midst of such joy...

Afterword

Hello, everyone. I am the author, MIZUNA.

I know I’m jumping right into things, but I would like to thank you for reading The Petty Villain Plays by the Rules: Rewriting This Otome Game with Honest Work! I am truly grateful.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the various people who were involved in the novelization of this story. Thank you to TO Books, who awarded this story the Novel Prize during the Tenth Web Novel Contest; H, who managed this project; Ruki, who provided the wonderful illustrations for this book; and all of the lovely people who supported this novel online. I’m truly grateful to you all. It was thanks to all of you that I was able to come so far, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

I believe I started writing this story around February 23, 2022. I thought about entering the contest, and though I couldn’t tell left from right when it came to writing, I churned out the story I’d been building up in my head. I am truly shocked not only that my story was awarded the Novel Prize, but that it’s now become a proper novel.

I’ve always loved coming up with stories, but I’d never actually put my ideas onto a page before. I purchased a book filled with various quotes at a convenience store, which included the following quote from Richard Bach: “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” For some reason, that quote really stuck with me. I also realized that if I just kept writing, even I could succeed.

I should note that Richard Bach is also an author, but I must confess that I haven’t read any of his writing. I’d love to read his writing someday.

Moving on, this is my first time writing an afterword, and to be honest, I have no idea what to say. I’ve settled on talking a bit about the characters in this story.

Our protagonist, Reid, is an adorable little boy who could easily be mistaken for a girl. How Ruki drew him is exactly what I imagined. The bonus illustrations included in the digital edition are pretty much exactly what I pictured, so I hope you get the chance to look at them.

I’ve expanded a bit on this in the process of putting together this novel, but Reid was originally supposed to fall to the dark side. That was partially a result of how earnest he originally was. That very earnestness would have led him to curse his inability to do anything, and as a result, he summoned up his memories of a previous life.

Reid has plenty of struggles lying ahead, but his positive outlook, sincerity, mischievousness, and possible nefariousness will surely help him overcome any obstacles. I have a blast writing while picturing a troubled look on his face. That’s why putting Reid through misfortune and pain is one way I have fun.

Also, we are now diligently working on preparing a second volume of this series. There are plenty of charming new characters in volume 2, so please look forward to it.

I’ve come up with lots of fun ideas for future stories as well, so I hope you’ll look forward to those too.

Finally, this is only the beginning of Reid’s tale. I’m going to do my best to make sure you all enjoy reading, so I hope you’ll continue to support me.