Chapter 28
Liriope, who had asked Gemma to bring her a map of the area where the hunting festival would be held, unfolded the map she brought and began scanning it with her eyes.
Then she picked up a pen and carefully recalled the events of the original story.
“Here and here, I think.”
She circled the areas where high-level monsters that should not appear were supposed to show up.
The hunting festival was held in a monster habitat called Trowen.
Mostly low-level monsters dwelled there, so for nobles who could wield elemental magic, it wasn’t a particularly dangerous place.
The Gardeya Empire held a hunting festival in Trowen once every year, awarding a prize and reward to the one who caught the most monsters.
This was partly to reduce the monster population that occasionally raided commoners’ lands, and partly to make commoners, who could not use elemental magic, witness the spectacle and revere the nobles.
On the day of the hunting festival—right at the start of the original story—high-level monsters appeared in Trowen, where they should never have been.
They tended to show up along Theo’s path, but Carden, who wanted to surpass Theo, happened to head there first and ended up facing the high-level monsters’ attacks.
Carden had exceptional elemental abilities and could easily handle one or two high-level monsters, but when four or more appeared, he found himself in danger.
Caught off guard, he sustained a critical injury, yet even while bleeding, he managed to defeat the remaining high-level monsters before collapsing himself.
And it was Rose Arin who happened to discover the fallen Carden. She devotedly treated his wounds, and that was where their relationship began.
“Carden had liked Rose since the academy days, but that day made him fall for her completely.”
Liriope tapped the pen on the paper as she thought.
The monsters that attacked Carden had been part of the empress’s scheme—she couldn’t stand the idea of her son Theo losing. But the dark sorcerer she had ordered to orchestrate things acted on his own greed, going so far as to attack nobles inside the pavilion.
“Because the souls of those killed by monsters could be used as materials for dark magic, that was the reason.”
In any case, Liriope couldn’t allow the empress’s selfishness to result in innocent nobles—and especially children who came to watch the festival—dying. She resolved to prepare as best she could.
If the empire’s greatest swordmaster, Grey, were present, her preparations would be much easier, but unfortunately Grey was only set to return the day after the hunting festival ended.
“If I told other nobles the truth and asked for help, they’d just think I’d gone insane.”
After all, who would believe her if she said high-level monsters would appear in the pavilion?
And even if they did believe her and fought alongside her, the question of how she knew would quickly turn every suspicious eye on her.
“So I’ll just have to handle it myself.”
Liriope spread her hands and looked down at them, thinking of the fire attribute she possessed.
Since coming into this body, she had never once used fire magic.
She had sometimes wondered if, like the body’s original owner, she could use fire magic—after all, she had created Lynix. But she had never dared to try.
She didn’t even know how to cast fire magic, so she had to start by studying the theory.
With that thought, Liriope pulled down an academy textbook from the top shelf of the library and opened it.
“Why are you reading an academy textbook?”
Gemma, who had brought tea and cookies, looked puzzled at the sight of Liriope focused on the book.
“Reviewing.”
Without glancing up, Liriope answered flatly, her eyes fixed on the pages.
Gemma shook her head in disbelief.
“You graduated years ago, and you’re reviewing?”
When Liriope gave a half-hearted laugh in reply, Gemma shook her head again—twice this time.
Then, brightening suddenly, she continued cheerfully.
“Today, tea leaves as white as snow arrived.”
They were from Theo, who never failed to send new and rare tea leaves.
The tea box Gemma suddenly pushed in front of Liriope made her lose track of the passage she’d been reading.
Liriope sighed briefly and looked up.
“Gemma.”
“Try this first, I’m telling you!”
With her face flushed in excitement, Gemma urged her. Liriope frowned, displeased, and glanced at the teacup.
At that moment—
“Wow.”
Liriope’s eyes widened, and a natural exclamation slipped from her lips.
Floating atop the teacup were tiny tea leaves that looked as though snowflakes were clinging to them.
It was truly beautiful, and her eyes sparkled at the sight.
“Today’s tea seems especially rare.”
“Yes, it really does.”
“I brewed it quickly because the message said you must drink it immediately.”
“…From Lord Theo?”
“Yes, he said you’d particularly enjoy this one, and insisted you drink it right away.”
“Mm… then I should share it with Rose. Bring the communicator—”
“You’re to drink it alone.”
Gemma cut her off firmly.
“The Grand Duke said, if you try to invite the count’s daughter here, he’ll personally come and drink it with you himself. He told me to deliver that word exactly.”
Liriope’s eyes narrowed into slits at once.
That man always showed possessiveness in the strangest ways.
With a sigh, she lifted the cup.
The moment she took a sip, it reminded her of a winter forest.
A cold winter forest covered with snow.
Strangely, though the tea was hot, it evoked the image of a frigid forest.
“How is it?”
Gemma asked eagerly.
“Mm… taste it yourself. Hard to explain.”
“So it’s bad?”
“No, it’s fascinating.”
Still puzzled, Gemma poured herself a cup and cautiously inhaled the aroma before sipping.
“…Oh my goodness.”
Her eyes went wide in astonishment.
“Fascinating, isn’t it?”
Liriope chuckled at her reaction, and Gemma nodded, eyes still round.
“How can hot tea make you think of iced tea?”
“Exactly.”
“My word, what sort of tea is this…”
Liriope smiled faintly at Gemma’s wonder, then lowered her gaze back to the academy textbook.
Her body surely knew how to wield fire magic—it was just a matter of learning the method.
“I’ll have to practice when Gemma’s not around…”
“Gemma, could you clear these away?”
Liriope gestured toward the tea and cookies.
“You won’t have any more?”
“I’ll drink later.”
Gemma nodded, tidying the tray, and Liriope added,
“I’m going to focus for a while, so please don’t disturb me.”
Though she didn’t understand why Liriope was poring over an old textbook, Gemma finally accepted it and left the library.
As soon as Gemma was gone, Liriope followed the instructions written in the academy textbook and held her palm upward.
She concentrated all her senses, trying to locate the fire attribute within her body. Something flickered through her mind—“Ah, that must be it.”
She focused harder, searching for that feeling again.
When she finally thought she had it, she tried to draw it up into her palm.
“Mm, this is tough.”
Her body should be familiar with casting fire magic, but because she didn’t fully understand the method, she kept failing.
She read the textbook again, memorizing the instructions.
Once she’d located it the first time, it became easier to find her fire attribute.
It felt like pulling out the vivid red color from a tangled mass of hues inside her body and gathering it into her palm.
After a few failed attempts, she began to get the hang of it. Taking a deep breath, Liriope drew the fire attribute into her hand.
“O-oh…”
Suddenly, a dizzying, overwhelming sensation rose up—and a scarlet flame flared up in her palm.
“Eek!”
Startled, Liriope leapt up and frantically shook her hand.
It was instinctive, because the flame looked like it had latched onto her hand.
Fortunately, the fire soon went out.
Breathing heavily, she checked her palm.
No burns, no pain, no heat.
Relieved, she tried again.
This time, a flame sprang up in her palm with relative ease.
“Ohhh.”
She couldn’t help but marvel as she watched the flickering flame in wonder.
A human holding fire in her hand…
Liriope truly felt, once again, that she was living inside a romance-fantasy novel world.
Time passed, and the day of the hunting festival arrived.
Liriope and Rose Arin dressed in tailored riding outfits for the occasion.
The outfits made by Feroce were not only beautiful but also very comfortable.
At the festival, all young ladies, whether participating in the hunt or not, abandoned dresses and donned riding clothes, each vying for individuality. During the season of the hunt, ateliers were always overrun.
Especially the most popular atelier in the empire—Feroce—was so crowded with young ladies that there was barely space to stand.
Of course, as a duke’s daughter, Liriope and Rose Arin who accompanied her were able to order theirs without delay.
And, just like at the imperial ball when “friendship dresses” became a fad after theirs, several young ladies showed up in “friendship riding outfits.”
Among them was Marchioness Selzionel’s daughter, who in the original story had egged Liriope on in tormenting Rose Arin. She, along with a count’s daughter who followed her around, wore matching outfits.
As the count’s daughter gushed thanks, Selzionel smiled faintly—until she spotted Liriope with Rose Arin. Her face stiffened for an instant.
But she quickly smoothed her expression and strode toward Liriope, the count’s daughter hurrying behind her.
