Chapter 10
“Honestly… I’m not sure this is the right thing to do.”
Bell Dio handed me the new identity documents, looking worried.
I ignored his expression and carefully read the papers.
[Name: Lillie Simon
Age: 20
Appearance: Brown hair, brown eyes
Traits: Newly graduated stabilization mage from the Academy. No family. Timid personality, almost no social connections.]
The real Lillie Simon had been sent abroad to the Eastern Continent for study—along with a generous sum to keep her quiet. I was borrowing her identity.
Bell still looked uneasy.
“I think it would be better if you just entered under your own name, Lady Sienna. Just hide part of your abilities.”
“I can’t use the Vuitri name.”
The Vuitri family had always led the noble faction and constantly opposed the Emperor.
Even if I passed with outstanding skills, I could be rejected simply because of my status.
Besides, the head of the Vuitri family applying to the Imperial Knights was absurd to begin with.
Bell sighed.
“So… you’re going to submit your resume now? To the Imperial Knights?”
“No. That’s what amateurs do. Experts create events.”
One day, a stabilization mage named Lillie Simon would fall from the sky.
And the Imperial Palace would have no choice but to recruit her.
I slipped the magical tool into my pocket and smiled.
***
I entered Shadow Street right after a rift had been resolved.
The old shops still carried the same atmosphere as when I first met Ppuppu.
The only difference was the knights filling the streets.
A minor rift must have occurred earlier.
‘Good. Perfect timing.’
At noon, the clock tower bell rang loudly.
Dong—
I perked up, scanning the area.
Then I heard footsteps approaching the clock tower.
A man walked forward, his eyes slowly turning blood-red.
The air around him boiled violently.
The veins on his temples bulged, and he groaned between clenched teeth.
Anyone could see it.
A textbook case of rampage.
“What’s happening?”
“Is he rampaging?”
“Where’s a stabilization mage?!”
“W-we don’t have one stationed here right now—”
“Damn it! Contact headquarters immediately!”
Civilians panicked. Knights rushed to evacuate them.
In the chaos—
I stepped forward calmly.
Yes. I had come here today to stabilize a rampaging knight.
In my previous life, this incident had shaken the entire Empire.
I would save a life.
Make a strong impression in front of the knights.
And use that as my ticket into the Imperial Palace.
Submitting paperwork and waiting for selection would take too long.
And I didn’t have much time left.
“Hello?”
“Ghk…!”
The man staggered, as if telling me to get away.
People backed off nervously.
“Don’t worry! I’m a stabilization mage. I’ll handle the rampage!”
“You can’t! You don’t even know if your affinity matches! Without testing, you could be caught in it too!”
Normally, that was true.
Affinity mattered.
‘Not for me.’
But I was tired of being used for my abilities.
So I put on a trembling act.
“But maybe our affinity matches! Let me try!”
“What kind of reckless self-sacrifice is that?!”
The knights groaned in disbelief.
Ignoring them, I placed my hand over the man’s heart.
“Ghk—”
“Calm down. Breathe.”
To stabilize a power wielder, one thing was essential.
Contact.
I gently laid my hand on him, gathering strength at my fingertips.
A small sphere began forming near his heart.
Silver threads spread from it like glowing silk.
I deliberately made a pained expression and grabbed the sphere tightly.
The murmurs grew louder.
“Oh no… Is she going to die?!”
“She’s sacrificing herself!”
I’m not dying.
“Should we prepare funeral rites already?”
Why are you killing me off already?
Sweating as if struggling, I pressed my hand to his chest again.
Gradually, stabilization magic spread through his body.
When stabilizing someone near rampage, you glimpse their deepest trauma.
Memories flowed into my mind.
“Lord… I want to save them. Even if I must give my life…”
I clenched the sphere again.
The red energy inside it burst apart.
Bang!
“Cough—!”
The man clutched his chest and collapsed.
But I knew.
His breathing had steadied.
Looking at the sleeping knight, I smiled lightly.
Just as I brushed off my hands—
A man in a formal knight uniform rushed toward me.
“Did you just calm Sir Rend’s rampage?”
“Yes.”
“May I ask who you are…?”
“Oh.”
I glanced down at the unconscious knight with a carefully crafted, gentle expression.
“Hello. I’m a stabilization mage. My name is Lillie Simon.”
No one would be foolish enough to let a stabilization mage who walked in and proved her skill slip away.
And I was right.
“Miss Lillie Simon… We must repay you!”
I smiled brightly.
Time for employment negotiations.
***
At the same time, Aldehyde was also in Shadow Street.
He sat atop the clock tower, the highest point, thinking.
A teddy bear rested in his arms.
“Bear, where’s my noona?”
“…”
He hugged the fluffy bear tightly.
“I miss her…”
While the knights handled the aftermath, Aldehyde stroked the black bear gently and checked his map.
“If I clear this one, seventy-nine remain.”
When peace finally comes, he will meet her again.
Just imagining acting cute in front of her made his chest ache warmly.
He waited patiently atop the tower.
‘There might be another rift.’
As the sky darkened toward evening—
‘Maybe it’s time to go.’
Then—
His sharp hearing caught faint noise.
He snapped his eyes open.
“Sir Rend!”
“Wake up! At this rate, we’ll all die!”
“Grrrgh…!”
The marketplace grew chaotic.
Aldehyde saw Rend, a promising young knight, rampaging.
No one could help him.
A power wielder like Rend required at least a mid-level stabilization mage.
‘Should I kill him painlessly?’
Then something unexpected happened.
“Don’t worry. I’m a stabilization mage. I’ll handle the rampage!”
A woman moved like a squirrel and reached Rend.
Small build. Delicate face.
Aldehyde’s instincts sharpened.
At the same time, he felt something familiar.
The vibration of her stabilization magic.
Days ago, he had seen a gray-robed figure cast stabilization magic over a poison butterfly rift.
The wave of magic was the same.
“Found you, gray robe.”
Interest flickered in his eyes.
The woman tilted her head slightly, eyes closed—
And the rampage completely subsided.
Rend awoke, fully restored, smiling clearly at her.
Aldehyde’s gaze followed the woman as she moved briskly.
“Could it be noona?”
But when he first met her, his wrist had burned.
Now, there was no reaction.
Still—
His heart was beating slightly faster than usual.
That alone was enough.
He leapt from the tower.
There was no reason to hesitate.
Even if the chance she was Noona was only 0.01%.
Even if she wasn’t human at all.
He had to meet her.
