Episode 12
Céline stared intently at the magic stone resting on Leonhardt’s large, solid hand.
“It’s beautiful…!”
The words slipped from her lips before she realized it.
The crimson stone was more stunning than any ruby, coral, or garnet she had ever seen.
It was, as he said, as beautiful as a gem—perhaps even more dazzling.
Drawn in, Céline lifted the magic stone onto her own palm. Whether from the warmth of her skin or something else, the gem began to glow even more vividly, as if releasing the brilliance it had been hiding.
Smiling like a fool at the radiant red light, Céline looked up to thank Leonhardt—
—and froze.
‘What’s wrong with him?’
A chill ran down her spine.
Leonhardt was deathly pale, staring fixedly at the stone as though frozen in place.
“What’s wrong?”
Her question was answered the moment she took a step closer to him.
The small magic stone blazed like dozens of lamps turning on at once, flooding the entire room with red light.
Startled, Céline tried to put the stone back into its box.
But—she couldn’t.
Before she even realized it, the magic stone had vanished from her palm.
“Céline.”
Leonhardt’s voice reached her. Céline blinked, her heart plummeting.
She could see nothing—not Leonhardt, not the room—only a sea of red light.
“Céline!”
“I… I can’t see! I can’t see anything…!”
Her head spun. A cold, dreadful thought crossed her mind.
‘I’m dying again.’
But strangely, she felt no pain. No fading consciousness.
Only light—and heat.
“I’m here.”
Leonhardt’s voice suddenly sounded right beside her ear. Céline gasped.
His hand found hers and gripped it firmly.
“Don’t panic. It’s fine.”
“How can this be fine?!”
For some reason, she suddenly wanted to laugh. A ticklish feeling bubbled up inside her, and Céline couldn’t help but let out a giggle.
Then Leonhardt’s calm voice spoke again.
“Walk slowly.”
“What?”
“Walk. This way.”
Céline didn’t ask further. She let him guide her, step by step.
The more they walked, the weaker the red glow became, until at last it vanished completely—revealing Leonhardt’s face again.
“W-what was that?”
She blinked, dazed. She hadn’t even experienced anything like this in the game.
In the game, magic stones were just currency—no player had ever actually held one.
Leonhardt answered softly, though his expression remained stiff.
“Congratulations. Seems you have a talent for magic.”
“Huh…?”
Céline looked down at the ground, only to be startled by the flickering afterimages beneath her feet. She shut her eyes, dizzy.
“I feel dizzy.”
“You would,” Leonhardt said, patting her back gently.
“You just absorbed a top-grade magic stone made from a demon’s horn.”
“I’m not… going to die again, am I?”
He sighed. “Not likely.”
“Whew…”
Relieved, Céline tried to take a step—and blinked in surprise.
Her steps felt impossibly light!
The air was fresh, sunlight gleamed brilliantly, and she could even hear birds chirping in the distance. When she looked at Leonhardt, his handsome face seemed to shine even more than usual.
Everything she saw, heard, and felt appeared more vivid, as though the world had shed a veil.
She giggled quietly at the sight of sunlight glinting off a bald statue’s head before blurting out without thinking:
“Is this because of the magic?”
“Probably.”
Leonhardt nodded immediately.
“It feels… nice. So this is what magic is like…”
He said nothing, but Céline didn’t notice. She was too absorbed in this new world that had opened before her.
“Céline.”
“Yes?”
Leonhardt looked into her smiling eyes, unease tightening in his chest.
A magician’s gift was one in hundreds. That Céline had such rare talent was something to celebrate.
It was fortunate—for her and for him. With the power of magic, Céline was now less likely to die.
But Leonhardt had not been close to any magician for years.
Not since nine years ago, when he killed the dark sorcerer he had once called his friend.
He clenched his jaw.
Céline would not end up like that.
Magicians were revered and powerful. In the North, her position would be secure, and her chances of dying would be far lower.
He should be happy.
But he couldn’t be.
“Leonhardt, you’re so handsome.”
“…What?”
“Oh, don’t worry. I always thought you were handsome. But right now, you’re even more so.”
Leonhardt froze, startled as Céline reached up as if to touch his cheek.
He remembered what he’d heard about first-time magic users: some grew ugly, some fell asleep, some talked nonsense, some became overly talkative—like they were drunk.
Céline clearly belonged to the last group.
“Do you know? I’m kind of happy. I heard becoming a magician is really hard.”
“Hard is an understatement—it’s impossible without talent.”
“Then I must be lucky. I’ll study really hard from now on.”
“It’s not something to take lightly.”
“I know.”
He sighed.
Know? She hadn’t even known last night that demon horns and teeth became magic stones!
Céline chattered endlessly all the way to Natasha’s tower.
“Leonhardt, you know what?”
“…What.”
“I’m not going to die anymore.”
“I certainly hope so.”
“No, I mean it.”
Her eyes sparkled with inexplicable certainty.
“I can feel it.”
Céline slept the entire day.
In her dreams, prisms scattered rainbow light and flowers bloomed in an instant—only to rot away grotesquely moments later.
From the decaying earth, maggots writhed.
It wasn’t a pleasant sight, yet she couldn’t look away.
That thought lasted only a moment before she found herself screaming.
Hundreds of snakes slithered around her feet, flames roared above her head, and thorny vines grew to bind her.
She screamed and screamed—
—until someone doused her with cold water.
“Ah!”
She jolted awake with a shriek—and screamed again.
A young man she’d never seen before stood before her.
His short, silvery hair was the most unusual color she’d ever seen, and she was certain she had never met him in her life.
“Wh-who are you?!”
He strode toward her and grabbed her wrist. Céline struggled to pull away.
“El!”
No one came. A dreadful thought flashed through her mind.
‘An assassin? Am I dying again? But why?’
But to her surprise, the man quickly released her wrist and bowed politely.
“My apologies. But I had to check if the magic stone caused any side effects.”
Still dizzy, Céline managed to stammer out, “…Who are you?”
“Karl Bühlant. The Grand Duke’s only magician.”
“…!”
Céline’s eyes widened.
She knew that name well.
Though his hair was shorter and there was no scar on his neck, she recognized him instantly—he resembled the game’s character.
In the game, Karl Bühlant was the protagonist’s sole ally.
He didn’t appear often, but he saved the protagonist’s life with his magic during key events, making him one of the most beloved characters among players.
And now, he stood before her.
Karl seemed to think her shock was simply because he was a magician and explained further.
“It’s an honor to meet you. I’ve just returned from a mission this morning. I heard you touched the magic stone without knowing you had potential.”
“Was… that dangerous?”
“No,” Karl said, shaking his head.
“But if you’d been unlucky, you would’ve needed a painful extraction ritual. Fortunately, you weren’t.”
Céline exhaled in relief. For once, luck had been on her side.
“I’ll call your attendants back in. We sent them away in case your power went out of control.”
As he turned to leave, Céline steadied her spinning head and asked carefully,
“Um… could I learn magic?”
If she could become a magician, she wanted to learn from Karl—the strong and kind sorcerer who had helped the heroine in the game.
“From me?”
He looked puzzled.
“I’m quite busy with missions. His Grace will likely find you a fine teacher. Magicians are treasures of the realm.”
“I see.”
Céline closed her eyes.
Her head still throbbed, and her thoughts were hazy, but one thing filled her with excitement—
A new world awaited her.
A world where she might not die anymore.
By the time Céline’s headache had subsided, a gentle knock sounded at her door. It must be one of the attendants Karl had sent for.
“Come in.”
“You feeling any better?”
Céline’s eyes widened. Instead of an attendant, Natasha entered, dressed casually.
“I’m perfectly fine,” Céline said quickly.
Natasha chuckled. “You’re soaking wet, Céline. But at least you don’t look sick.”
Only then did Céline notice the water still dripping from her hair.
“Ah…”
“Here.”
Natasha handed her a large towel from the chair, then sat down herself.
“What time is it?”
“Nine in the morning.”
Leonhardt had come to get her early yesterday morning, so Céline realized she had slept almost a full day.
“Everyone must’ve been worried.”
“Especially Karl Lüte. He said extracting a wrongly absorbed magic stone would’ve been a painful job.”
“Lüte?”
“Magicians are called Lüte. You’re Céline Lüte now.”
Natasha smiled warmly.
“Congratulations. You don’t even need to rely on us anymore. Magicians are welcomed everywhere.”
“…Where else would I go?”
“If a magician chooses to stay here, of course we’d welcome her.”
Natasha rang a bell, and attendants streamed in, each carrying a chest.
“Father sent these as gifts for our new magician.”
