Chapter 28.
“It’s only because you said you needed a maid with mage certification who could assist Lady Edel in case of emergency, that I was able to serve you! For reference, I’m a fire-type mage specializing in offensive spells.”
Haha, looks like I was running around looking for connections when I already had a real one standing right in front of me. Suddenly, it felt like a halo was shining behind Lellia. Instead of her helping me, wasn’t it I who should be grateful to her?
Let me remind you again—status within the Tower of Mages is determined by magical power. If she’s officially certified as a mid-level mage, then whether judged by social rank or by mage hierarchy, Lellia clearly stood above me!
‘Good thing I never spoke to her informally.’
Past me, the Confucian girl—well done! What a disaster that would’ve been. My heart, still startled, eased a little as I quickly tried to recall if I had ever slipped and said anything offensive to her.
It seemed Rihit had been paying far more attention to me than I’d thought. To think he intentionally assigned a mid-level mage like Lellia as my maid.
‘It’s a bit overwhelming, but… I’m grateful.’
Of course, he probably didn’t do it to help me find a job after graduation, but for me it was like a thirsty deer stumbling upon a fresh stream. And not only was she a mage—she was an Academy graduate!
“Oh my, I had no idea. I’ve always been so interested in the Academy!”
“Ah, is that so? So that’s why you… with Prince Cayden…?”
Lellia murmured quietly, then nodded as if she had come to some realization of her own. She suddenly broke into a much brighter smile than before.
“I graduated from the Imperial Academy of Akedonia, so I don’t know much about other schools, but if needed, it wouldn’t be hard to find someone to look into them. So if you ever have any questions, please ask me, Lady Edel.”
“Yes!”
Of course I was thankful! A whole list of questions was already scrolling through my mind. This was practically an exclusive meeting with an industry insider! And not just anyone—she was a powerful noblewoman, a Count’s daughter! Thanks to this unexpected discovery, even my steps back toward the Prince’s Palace felt lighter.
“Oh, by the way, Lellia. What was that afternoon schedule you mentioned?”
Usually in the morning, while I was having breakfast and tea, Lellia would brief me on the day’s plans. Since my routine mostly consisted of eating, strolling, lounging, and then dining with Rihit in the evening, I was curious about this “schedule” she had spoken of.
“Ah! That was just me getting mixed up, my mind’s been all over the place. Actually, there’s nothing until your dinner with His Highness Rihit. How about we go to the greenhouse and try out a new dessert instead?”
“Wow, there’s a new dessert again?”
Even thorough Lellia could make mistakes. It was… human. But more importantly—new dessert! My lips curled up in anticipation. Since arriving at the Prince’s Palace, tasting at least one dessert per day had become routine. Well, more like three desserts a day, really. Maybe I had been a little too excited the very first time?
Rihit himself wasn’t much of a sweets lover, so naturally the palace chef had started creating desserts specifically targeted at me. Which, honestly, I couldn’t be more thankful for!
It seemed the chef was working nonstop, because today there was yet another new menu item. Almost every two or three days, something fresh appeared, and they were clearly monitoring my every reaction.
‘I even saw the kitchen maid scribbling notes while watching my expressions. No wonder the desserts keep evolving to suit me so well.’
Indeed, it was the perfect environment… for gaining weight.
‘I wonder just how far my belly will start to stick out at this rate.’
But who knew how long I would even be able to enjoy the Palace’s sweets? If Sepina appeared, or if Lady Meliz found a way for me to leave safely, I might have to depart at a moment’s notice.
‘Speaking of which… when will I finally hear news of the Saintess? Why is there still nothing?’
In the original novel, she should’ve appeared long ago, yet there was still no sign of her. With Rihit already awake, the flow of events was diverging in many ways from the story I remembered.
But if the Saintess never appeared, things could get troublesome. What if the Apostles made a move in earnest? Or worse—what if the Empress herself decided to get rid of insignificant little me, just because she found me irritating?
‘Yikes. That’s terrifying.’
The Imperial Palace of Ludensa was luxurious and sweet, yet equally deadly. I couldn’t afford to relax completely in this peacefulness.
‘Still… she’ll show up soon, right?’
Climbing the palace stairs, I recalled my recent conversation with Lady Meliz. That day in the gardens with Rihit, I had resolved to somehow help this gentle male lead.
“Zen?”
“Yes, the one you always call upon when needed—that Zen.”
“Nothing’s wrong, is it, Edel?”
That day, I had activated the video crystal Lady Meliz had given me. I needed her help to prevent the upcoming terrorist incident. More specifically, I needed her long-time disciple and aide, Zen.
But just asking directly to meet Zen would sound strange. I racked my brain trying to invent a reason, but there was no logical way to explain how I knew of the Empress’s schemes or of Bastiue’s circumstances.
In the end, I chose the simplest method—clasping my hands together and pleading.
“There’s nothing wrong with me, but… someone else needs help, Lady Meliz.”
With watery eyes, I looked up at her. If I told her I wanted to stop a terrorist attack, wouldn’t she—who already adored me—come rushing to the capital, swearing she wouldn’t let me be in danger?
If it turned into that big a deal, I’d never be able to escape cleanly later. My real goal was to have everything handled smoothly, like coincidence. So, mustering my best pitiful expression, I endured her suspicious gaze.
“It’s really not anything bad… sniff.”
“Of course, I don’t think you’d ever be involved in anything wrong. But why won’t you just tell me clearly what this is about?”
“B-because I’ll explain everything properly when we meet in person!”
Lady Meliz folded her arms and continued watching me silently. Which, to be fair, was understandable—Zen out of nowhere? He usually spent his days locked away in the Tower research labs or traveling the Empire at Lady Meliz’s request.
He had been a childhood orphan, living off the forest, until he met Lady Meliz. Fate, perhaps, because he possessed a natural talent for magic. Before long, he was certified as a high-level mage.
Though he eventually left the Tower, his gratitude and affection for Lady Meliz never faded, so he always obeyed her requests without complaint.
But my reason for meeting him wasn’t his magical skill. In the novel, Zen first appeared not as a mage, but as a merchant. Specifically, he was the one distributing mana stones that Sepina had discovered in Bastiue.
And in the novel, it was Lady Meliz who had introduced Zen to Sepina. Overjoyed at the discovery of such pure mana stones, she had even helped with their distribution.
‘That kid seems to run a trading company—he might be useful.’
Then, when Lady Meliz suddenly summoned him, Zen grumbled, but the moment he saw the transparent mana stone placed before him, his eyes practically popped out. Well, not literally—but he was ecstatic. After all, being given rights to distribute an endless supply of golden eggs like that was like finding a goose that laid them.
And since he was a mage himself, he was naturally interested in the stones’ discovery.
“Very well. But whether Zen will actually listen to your request, I cannot promise. He’s always been one to grumble.”
“That’s okay—I’ll convince him! Thank you so much!”
In the end, my desperate pleading made Lady Meliz nod, and soon after I received word that Zen would be visiting the Prince’s Palace. At the latest, he should arrive this week. The exact date wasn’t fixed—he was, after all, an important figure—but even so, at least he was coming.
‘Well, at least he’s still obedient to Lady Meliz, huh?’
I hadn’t planned on meeting every single character personally, but life here was turning out to be full of unexpected encounters.
Sighing softly, I found myself once again before the now-familiar doors of the Prince’s Palace. Lellia had gone ahead to prepare for our picnic in the greenhouse, so I settled by the window table to wait.
The sky seemed especially high today. White clouds drifted slowly on a gentle breeze. I gazed absentmindedly at the scene—but my mind was still racing noisily.
How had I ended up in such a situation, staring at a gorgeous European view without being able to fully enjoy it? Truly lamentable. Back in my past life, I’d have had to pay dearly for such a sight!
“Honestly, once all this is over, I’m running away at once. If Sepina doesn’t show up—I’ll hunt her down myself!”
With that, I clenched my small fist tightly.
