~Chapter 109~
“Dorothea, can you keep a secret?”
“Of course. I’ll even tell you one of mine.”
“…Then I’ll trust you and tell you my real name.”
“Your real name?”
“Yes.”
Just to be safe, Leah wrote it on a slip of paper and passed it to Dorothea.
[Alicia von Goldscheider]
“…Oh my goodness!”
Dorothea’s eyes widened, and she covered her mouth.
“Leah, you’re Professor Eleonore’s granddaughter…?”
“You knew my grandmother?”
“Of course! She was a professor of potion-making—and the person I admired and respected most in the world.”
Dorothea’s gaze turned misty.
“That mentor you once told me about… was that my grandmother?”
“Yes. Even though I’m a purification mage, I learned the most important lessons in life from Professor Eleonore.”
“I see… No wonder I kept feeling like your mentor and my grandmother overlapped somehow…”
“That’s because they’re the same person.”
Dorothea nodded.
“Leah, I’ll keep your secret no matter what. You don’t need to worry.”
“Thank you, Dorothea.”
“Later… will you tell me how all this happened?” Dorothea asked softly.
“Yes, I will.”
“Thanks, Leah.”
As Dorothea wiped the tears from her eyes, Leah recalled something her grandmother once said.
“I had a student—no, a junior—who I think you would have gotten along with very well.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You both have the same passion for learning. But more than that… you’re not like most mages.”
“What’s different about us?”
“Even though you’re both smart and talented, you’re still willing to listen to other people’s opinions. Most mages just assume they’re always right.”
Leah was certain now—that person had been Dorothea.
“Now… I’ll tell you why I disappeared after the Empress’s incident.”
Dorothea sipped her tea, wetting her throat before beginning.
She had been born with genius-level purification magic and a brilliant mind.
Even as a commoner, she won a scholarship and entered the Imperial Academy at the top of her class.
At first, she was looked down on because of her background.
But after taking classes together, the other students came to respect her talent.
The professors had liked her from the start.
As the youngest daughter in a large family, Dorothea had never received much attention.
At first, being in the spotlight felt awkward.
But soon she got used to it—and for her first three years at the academy, she walked with her head held high.
That changed when she took an elective in potion-making and met Leah’s grandmother, Professor Eleonore von Goldscheider.
“Professor, I’m sure I did everything perfectly. Why did I get an F?”
“Dorothea, do you really think you did it perfectly?”
“Yes, Professor.”
Her tone was a touch arrogant, but she had every reason to be confident—she had followed the textbook instructions exactly, down to the smallest fraction.
Eleonore looked at her, chin lifted in pride, and shook her head. She placed two potion bottles on the table.
“This one is yours, Dorothea. And this is the one I gave an A to.”
At first glance, they looked identical in color and texture.
Dorothea couldn’t see any difference.
“They may look the same, but watch.”
Eleonore brought out two wilted plants and poured one potion into each.
“…No way.”
Nothing happened to the plant given Dorothea’s potion.
The other plant’s leaves, however, perked up instantly, turning a healthy, glossy green.
“I followed the instructions exactly, Professor!”
She felt wronged—how could the results be so different?
“Yes, I’m sure you did. Your potion is perfect on the outside, Dorothea.”
“If it’s perfect, then why…?”
“It’s even more perfect than the one I gave an A to. But it’s missing one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Dorothea… your potion had no sincerity in it.”
“…Ah.”
“Potion-making is a simple craft—you can do it with just a little mana.”
Dorothea stayed silent.
Born with abundant mana, she had always found potion-making boring.
She’d even complained to friends about having to take such an easy class.
“But here’s what most people overlook: if you don’t put your heart into it, no matter how carefully you follow the process, the potion won’t work.”
It was true—she had only thought about making potions quickly, never carefully.
“Dorothea, I know you’re exceptionally talented. But just because everyone praises you and you can do most things easily doesn’t mean you should grow overconfident and treat everything lightly.”
Eleonore was the first person at the academy to give her honest advice instead of uncritical praise.
And it didn’t make her feel bad—it made her feel seen.
She had been feeling restless lately, wondering why she was even at the academy if everything came so easily.
From then on, even though her major was purification magic, Dorothea followed Eleonore like a disciple.
By her senior year, she discovered a talent beyond purification magic—something that only appeared once in a century: detection magic.
“Professor, is that coat made from monster hide?”
It was winter, and Eleonore had arrived in a thick fur coat.
“I got this from Duke Eisner. How did you know?”
Eleonore grabbed her shoulders in surprise.
“…I just saw it.”
The Eisner family in the north made their fortune from monster hide—it was tough, durable, and, when used for coats, could last for decades.
But it was difficult to process and very expensive.
Even nobles used it sparingly, and unless told, one would never notice.
Yet Dorothea spotted it instantly—by sensing the faint trace of magic in the leather.
“My goodness… you have detection magic.”
“Huh? You mean I have a detection ability?”
Mages were usually born with only one magical attribute—having two was rare.
“Yes. Has anyone else noticed?”
“No. I only realized it today, so you’re the only one who knows.”
“Then, Dorothea, until you’re strong enough to protect yourself—at least as influential as a Tower Master—you mustn’t tell anyone about this ability.”
“…Why? Wouldn’t it mean better pay and treatment at the Imperial Tower?”
“Dorothea, detection magic lets you see what others might want hidden. That’s a very tempting power.”
“Why is that a problem?”
“At first, everyone will admire you. Even the Emperor may invite you personally. But…”
Her eyes darkened.
“If you can’t protect yourself, those in power will use you for dangerous purposes.”
Dorothea hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“Understand?”
Eleonore truly cared for her.
“Dorothea, remember—never reveal your detection magic until the right time.”
“Yes, Professor.”
Dorothea nodded firmly.
Why would the gods give me such a dangerous gift?
Time passed, and she graduated top of her class, entering the Imperial Magic Tower.
Life there was good—plenty of work, but also ample funding for research.
But a few years later… she saw something she was never meant to see.
Since she had the Tower Master’s favor, she often worked in his office.
One day, the Empress herself came to see him—in secret.
“Your Majesty… what brings you here?”
“Shh.”
Her beautiful face was hidden under a veil as she pressed a finger to her lips.
“You’ve always said you wanted to repay me.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“The time has come.”
The Empress pulled a perfume bottle from her robes.
An ominous black aura swirled inside.
Dorothea didn’t know exactly what it was, but the killing intent emanating from it made her spine prickle.
Creak—
She stepped back without meaning to, bumping into a chair.
The sound made the Empress’s head snap toward her, eyes sharp and dangerous.
“Who’s this? I’ve never seen her before.”
