Chapter 3.1

If Moniasha was a leisurely, peaceful, and cozy city, then Rivai was a busy, huge city with lots of everything—facilities, people, you name it. The scenery was completely different, but it felt a lot like Seoul, which was both interesting and fascinating. And with so many facilities, there was a lot to see.

The problem was that I wasn’t alone.

Contrary to my worries, my family was spending their time in the Duchy. They would send someone through the magic circle to ask about my well-being and exchange letters in the morning, afternoon, and evening, but that was fine. It was much better than my plan falling apart.

‘At least my family is much easier to handle.’

I rested my chin in my hands and stared out the window. Knights in magnificent uniforms on white horses surrounded my carriage.

The sun and eagle crests on the knights’ cloaks were the symbol of the Borrestian Empire. This meant that the people who were encircling my carriage and restricting my freedom weren’t knights of the Duchy but rather of the Imperial Guard.

‘Even though he seems so careless, he’s actually a very thorough person…’

Not long after my family returned to the Duchy, the Imperial Guard showed up at the ducal residence. I was getting ready to go out for some sightseeing when they suddenly appeared, and I was taken by surprise.

I was on edge, thinking they had found out about my unauthorized entry into the palace, but a knight who seemed to be of a high rank said, “At the request of the Grand Duke of Kilmaria, the Imperial Guard will be in charge of escorting the Princess during her stay in the Empire. We will do our best to ensure your comfort, Princess.”

Of course. The Grand Duke wasn’t the type to just leave me in Rivai and step aside so easily.

It was baffling when he had made the request and what he had said to get the Imperial Guard involved.

I was secretly pleased to be receiving such a lavish welcome, but three days was my limit. It was all because the Imperial Guard would rush to surround me the moment I left the ducal residence. Just like right now.

I wouldn’t care if they followed me secretly. So secretly that even I wouldn’t know. The Imperial Guard is skilled enough for that!

But they would ride on their conspicuous white horses and surround my carriage, and when I got out, they would form a perimeter around me as if the Emperor himself had arrived. If there were any assassins targeting me, it would be easy to find me anywhere in the capital. How is this any different from the Imperial Guard advertising to the entire city, “There is an important person here!”?

It was as if they were telling me not to go out without actually saying it.

I can understand the Imperial Guard’s position. If something were to happen to me, their reputation would be tarnished, and they would be severely punished. It could even escalate into a conflict between the Duchy and the Empire.

I get that, but this is too much!

I came to Rivai to save Sion, but I didn’t want to be cooped up in the mansion, tiptoeing around the Imperial Guard. I didn’t want to live a life where I couldn’t even go out for a simple walk or a stroll.

“Ugh… huh?”

Amidst the people who were curiously watching the spectacle around me, I saw a familiar face. It was Jeras.

Jeras was chewing on an apple, his expression apathetic. But then, as our eyes met, one corner of his mouth twitched and rose. My face flushed with anger at his obvious mockery.

“Stop! Stop! Wait a minute!”

I flung the carriage window open and yelled. The knight closest to me looked a little flustered and raised his hand to halt the procession. I got out of the carriage and walked resolutely toward Jeras.

Jeras saw me coming but pretended not to and turned to walk away. You annoying brat! Just stand still!

I practically ran and grabbed a corner of his clothes.

“Oh, Your Highness Jeras! I had a feeling from a distance, and I wasn’t wrong. Hello?”

“I was wondering who was causing this commotion with this flamboyant procession, and it was the Princess.”

Yeah, talk all you want. All I need is you as a justification, not your kindness.

I stood close to Jeras, aware of the eyes on us. Jeras raised an eyebrow.

“What’s this? Did you suddenly fall for me? Are you regretting your decision?”

What is this guy talking about now? His delusions of grandeur are on another level.

“What are you talking about? Your Highness, that’s an incurable disease. What a shame. Just play along with me.”

“No. Why should I?”

“Oh, really? Then I have no choice. I’ll just have to scatter flyers across the Empire with the big news that you, who went so far as to get a Jewel Tree, were rejected by me.”

Jeras gritted his teeth. I smiled sweetly and linked my arm with his. A shiver went down my arm where we touched. I was doing this to look close to him, but my body was rejecting him completely.

But my plan seemed to work, as the eyes of the knights watching us widened.

“It seems His Highness will be giving me a tour of the capital himself today. You can all go back.”

“Did His Highness say so? But we should accompany you…”

“Wow! You’re saying it’s fine because he’s the best swordsman in the Empire? You’re right. His Highness’s swordsmanship is known to the heavens and the earth! What’s that building over there? The roof is golden! I’m so, so curious! Let’s go, Your Highness Jeras!”

I had asked him to play along, but Jeras’s lips were sealed. Is he rebelling?

I put on a one-man show, dragging Jeras along. I felt like an old man leading a stubborn ox.

Jeras looked at me with a face like he was chewing on a bug and said to the knights, “Go on. I’ll take care of this foal-like Princess.”

‘Who are you calling a foal? If I’m a foal, you’re a ruffian.’

“Yes, understood.”

The knights looked reluctant but reluctantly turned their horses and rode away. Finally, I had my freedom. It felt as if my suffocating lungs could finally breathe.

I let out a big sigh and tried to unlink my arm from his, but Jeras tensed his arm.

“You’re going to use me and then run away? Not a chance, Princess.”

Jeras looked down at me, his eyes crinkling into a smile. It was a wicked grin that would make a demon run away crying. I whined and tried to pull my arm away, but there was no way I could win against Jeras.

“Just… let me go! You don’t want to be with me, anyway.”

“Then you should find a way to get out of my grasp yourself.”

“Why do you keep tormenting me?”

“If I was really tormenting you, you’d be crying right now.”

Jeras’s fingertips lightly touched the corner of my eye, as if wiping away tears.

“You always just yell at me. I’d like to see you cry.”

Oh, you have got to be kidding me.

I turned my head away from him, but Jeras’s face immediately followed. The face that was hovering in front of me was just so smug.

Ugh. But since he helped me, I’ll play along this once.

“Sob.”

“…What are you doing?”

“I’m crying. You said you wanted to see me cry. Sob, sob, sob.”

As I sobbed without any emotion, Jeras looked at me with a bewildered expression.

Stop looking. You’re going to wear me out.

“Can you please stop looking? I know I’m pretty, but this is too much.”

“I was just curious. Your affliction is an incurable disease, Princess. What a shame.”

“Oh, yeah! I must have caught it from you, Your Highness!”

I couldn’t hold it in any longer and yelled at him, and Jeras chuckled. I wanted to kill him.

I was dragged along by Jeras like a criminal being taken away by the police.

 

***

 

Jeras led me to a building with a golden roof, which I had just pointed to on a whim.

Up close, the building with the golden roof was even bigger and more extravagant than I had imagined. It seemed to be carved from white marble, and an elegant, old-fashioned building was topped with a golden roof. The white outer wall was elaborately decorated with gold.

Compared to its size, there was only one entrance in the center, and four armed guards, two on each side, were standing guard.

The guards didn’t just let people enter. It seemed they were checking their identities. The guards were startled when they saw Jeras and immediately opened the way for him.

They didn’t even ask me anything. It was as if I was with a guaranteed pass.

As it turned out, this place was the biggest casino in Rivai. The entire seven-story building was a casino, with different games on each floor. The second floor was a lounge, the fourth was for slot machines, and the fifth was for card games. A ball was being held on the top floor

I thought a casino was just a gambling hall, but it felt more like a social club for nobles. The reason they were checking people’s identities at the entrance seemed to be for that reason.

I glanced over at Jeras, who was sitting at a distance.

Jeras was talking with a group of people who had recognized him and approached him as soon as he entered the casino. Judging by their luxurious clothing and arrogant manner of speaking, they seemed to be high-ranking nobles.

Given the place and the fact that I was with Jeras, I made it obvious that I felt uncomfortable. Jeras, in turn, hid me behind him and whispered in a low voice, “Just sit somewhere where I can see you. If you run away, I’ll tie you up.”

‘How long am I supposed to wait? I want to look around, too.’

One of the group members leaned forward and wedged himself between Jeras and me. It was a godsend. I quietly got up and slipped away like an eel. I went to the reception counter at the entrance, wrote a note, and asked them to give it to Jeras. The note said that I would be on the fifth floor and asked him not to make a fuss looking for me.

“Phew…”

I finally caught my breath when I reached the fifth floor. After a moment, I looked around.

Card tables were set up at regular intervals under the much dimmer lighting than on the second floor. Dealers and players were seated at the tables.

There were many more tables with people than without. Looking at the serious and relaxed faces of the players made my hands itch. I wanted to feel the thrill I had experienced at the ducal residence again.

‘And when will I ever get a chance to come to a place like this?’

A moment later, I found myself sitting at a table and joining a game as if possessed. My opponents were a middle-aged man, a lady with a fan, and a young man with glasses. The middle-aged man’s face was consistently scrunched up in a frown, while the man with glasses had a faint smile, making it hard to read his expression.

‘First place is all mine.’

My hand was an Ace of Clubs and an Ace of Hearts. These two cards alone were a great hand, and considering the cards on the table and the other players’ cards, victory was almost certain.

I said “almost” because of the man with glasses. If his hand was an Ace of Spades and a 5, he would have a straight flush, which would be the only hand that was better than mine. This also meant that if the man with glasses didn’t have an Ace of Spades and a 5, no one could beat me.

I looked at the small mountain of chips in the center of the table and pondered. The probability of that mountain becoming my grave was less than 10%.

In the end, all the players, including me, made their final bets. After the betting ended, the lady was handed a cocktail, but she spilled it on the man with glasses. She used her handkerchief to wipe his coat.

“Oh dear, what a mess. My hand slipped because of my gloves. I’m so sorry.”

‘Your hand slipping? It looked more like you were splashing cold water on an ex-boyfriend who was trying to get back together with you.’

“No, it’s alright.”

After a brief commotion, it was time to reveal our hands. It was the middle-aged man’s turn, then the lady’s, then mine, and finally, the man with glasses. The man with glasses, after seeing my hand, adjusted his glasses with his middle finger. A confident smile lingered on his lips as he revealed his cards.

His hand was an Ace of Spades and a 5. It was a straight flush.

Silence fell over the table. The dealer, who had neatly arranged the chips, handed them to the man with glasses, congratulating him on his victory. I grabbed the wrist of the man with glasses, who was smiling and about to take the chips.

“Hold it right there.”

“…Why is that?”

The man with glasses asked without a single change in his expression. You’re going to play this shamelessly, are you? Well, you do need courage and acting skills to swap cards.

I could feel a stiff card inside the sleeve of the man with glasses. This guy has some nerve. I won’t let this go.

I stretched my lips into an exaggerated grin that reached my cheeks. Then, as if I knew nothing, I looked at the lady next to me, who had her eyes wide.

“Why were you two sitting separately? You were exchanging cards with each other. Aren’t you two very close?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I met this gentleman for the first time today. And exchanging cards? I understand that you’re angry because you lost even with a good hand, but please don’t pick a fight for no reason.”

The lady’s expression was a mix of haughtiness and denial as she fanned herself. Her fan was studded with jewels that glittered as they reflected the light. I had thought it was unusually extravagant compared to her dress, but it all made sense now. It was to distract people’s eyes. To make it easier to swap cards.

Of course, this time they had used a different trick instead of the fan.

“That Ace of Spades he had, wasn’t that your card, madam?”

The moment they swapped the cards was when the lady had spilled the cocktail on the man with glasses and wiped his coat with her handkerchief.

He had acted so coolly, as if it was no big deal that his coat was soaked, which was so out of character for his fussy-looking self that I kept watching them. And then, the Ace of Spades was sucked into his sleeve as if it were a vacuum.

It was an unbelievable sight. It happened so fast and naturally that I thought there was a vacuum cleaner attached to his sleeve.

“And you, madam, you went all-in on this round, didn’t you? Your hand was a Jack of Clubs and a 3 of Diamonds. A three of a kind at best, but you went all-in. That’s strange, wouldn’t you say? But if your original card was the Ace of Spades instead of the Jack, that would have made a full house… It wouldn’t have been a hopeless battle.”

But if she had given the Ace to the man with glasses, he would have had a straight flush, guaranteeing a win. The two of them had probably planned the cocktail as a signal to swap cards from the very beginning.

“Anyone can make such a claim. If you’re going to make a claim, you need evidence, right? If you can’t provide any, you will pay a steep price for insulting me, my lady.”

“There’s nail polish on it.”

I picked up the Ace of Spades from the table and held it vertically. The side of the card was colored orange, the same as the lady’s nail polish.

The lady, without realizing it, looked down at her hands. There was a long vertical mark on her index finger. She flinched and hid her hands under the table.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? You would have no reason to touch someone else’s cards, would you?”

“That’s just speculation! Even if we planned it, how would we know which cards we would get?!”

“I’m sure you two were planning to do this if neither of you got a good hand.”

“Ugh…!”

I shook the sleeve of the man with glasses. Cards poured out. He had done something to his sleeve, and the cards came out like a waterfall. Wow, that’s amazing. Did you attach a magical pouch to your sleeve?

It was obvious that this duo had been scamming people like me who were naive and new to this. A fake trick like this would be easily exposed by a master gambler. Novices only focus on the cards on the table and don’t have the presence of mind to look at their surroundings calmly.

It was unfortunate for them that I was not a novice. You can’t underestimate the card skills I honed playing Go-Stop with my grandmother and aunts. The moment a game of Go-Stop began, my grandmother and aunts would see me as their rival and use every trick in the book to win. Cheating and pulling cards from the bottom of the deck were a regular occurrence.

I tasted the bitterness of an endlessly competitive society from a young age.

“How dare you… How dare you touch my body!”

And here we go, the classic drama trope number one. ‘Do you know who I am?’ Of course. It wouldn’t be a proper villain without this line. Why do bad people, regardless of era or location, all have the same pattern? The common trait of these people is that they are strong against the weak and weak against the strong.

I held up my pendant to the man with glasses, who was red in the face from yelling. An eye for an eye!

“I apologize for the late introduction. I am Eloered Shu Le kilmaria from the Kilmaria Duchy. So, is it okay to touch you now? How much can I touch you?”

“Kilmaria… Duchy…?”

The man with glasses mumbled, his expression one of disbelief. I held up his hand, from which no more cards came out.

“I just wanted to enjoy a pure game… I thought it would be a good memory, but all I’m left with is a deep wound. It seems this isn’t the first time you two have done this, is it?”

“N-no, it’s not. It’s not. This is our first time. That woman said she would share the money with me, so I had no choice.”

“Don’t lie! Princess, it was all his idea. I owed him a little money, and he used it to blackmail me! I’m only guilty of being threatened!”

“Ha… I can’t believe I was deceived by these worthless people.”

The two of them knelt and insisted on their innocence. The middle-aged man, realizing he had been tricked, mumbled in frustration and bit down on his pipe.

Spectators slowly gathered around us. I saw the bulky figures of the security guards running toward us from a distance and purposely spoke in a loud voice.

“What should we do so that victims like me don’t appear again? Hmm, maybe we should just break the wrists of those who cheat…”

“Princess! Please, forgive us! If you forgive us, we’ll do anything. We’ll do anything you say!”

“Excuse me. What’s the matter?”

One of the security guards cut through the panicked voice of the man with glasses and asked. The guard, who looked old and experienced, seemed to have guessed the situation just by looking at the cards scattered on the table.

He gestured with his chin, and the guards behind him dragged the lady and the man with glasses away.

“If you leave it to us, we will do our best to take care of it.”

“Yes. Please do.”

I wasn’t going to cut off their wrists anyway. I nodded, and the guard saluted crisply.

“Thank you for your understanding. Let’s go.”

“Princess! Princess!”

The guards took the two of them and quickly disappeared. Phew. It’s so hard to play a normal card game, really.

The dealer handed me a pouch full of chips. I felt it was time to go back to Jeras. Just as I took the pouch and turned around, “Princess.”

Did Jeras find me from the note? In any case, it’s perfect timing. Jeras is being quite helpful today. Right. Days like this have to happen. If he’s a main character, he can’t be so snarky all the time; he’d have no charm. Of course, no matter how charming he is, I’m not interested.

I looked in the direction of the voice with a happy expression but saw an unexpected sight.

“Oh… Your Highness?”

“I didn’t expect to see you here. Have you been well?”

Kieryk approached me, greeting me warmly. The knights who were escorting Kieryk and the guards who were intimidating me were all surprised by the sudden situation. But the most surprised of all was me.

I stared blankly at Kieryk for a moment, then I realized my mistake and quickly stood up. I lifted the hem of my dress and curtsied.

“Hello, Your Highness. Thanks to your help at the palace the other day, I was able to meet with His Majesty safely. Thank you.”

“I’m glad I could be of help. But Princess, you don’t have to be so formal. Please treat me at ease.”

“I’m quite at ease now.”

I smiled awkwardly and subtly avoided Kieryk’s gaze. Kieryk was kind and polite and treated me without any unnecessary fuss, but for some reason, I felt nervous in front of him.

Maybe it’s because of who he is. The Kieryk I know from the novel is the one who has lost his mind and become a demon, even though he’s fine now.

I couldn’t help but suspect that even his current pure appearance might be hiding something dark.

“Did you come alone?”

“Ah… well. I’m not sure if I should say I came alone…”

I felt a little uncomfortable saying I came with Jeras. As my voice trailed off, Kieryk tilted his head in confusion.

I shrugged my shoulders and slowly walked toward the entrance of the hall. Kieryk naturally walked beside me. He seemed to want to ask more questions, so I changed the subject.

“What brings you here, Your Highness?”

“I was just on my way to meet the manager. Where are your companions? It’s dangerous, so I’ll accompany you.”

Tch, he’s not falling for it.

“Oh, no, no. It’s alright. I can’t impose on you anymore. I’ll get there on my own.”

“I would feel uneasy sending you off alone. There was just a commotion, too. I would appreciate it if you didn’t refuse.”

“Did you cause trouble again, Princess?”

“Mother-!”

Jeras suddenly appeared from behind me, and I was so surprised that I stumbled over my own feet and accidentally stepped on the hem of my dress. I lost my balance and lurched forward. I’m going to fall!

“…Huh?”

I thought I was going to fall in a heap, but I was standing perfectly straight. My left arm was held by Jeras, and my right arm by Kieryk.

I looked at the two of them, and they looked at each other. An uncomfortable silence, hard to describe, hung in the air.

“Brother!”

Correction. It was only uncomfortable for me. Jeras let go of my arm the moment he saw Kieryk and went to him. Not only that, but he also pulled my arm away from Kieryk’s grip. His hands were firm, as if he were removing an impurity.

“You said you were busy with official duties, but you were here?”

“Yes. I’ve finished my work. More importantly, it was you who was her companion, Jeras. I was worried because she didn’t seem to have anyone with her.”

“It just happened that way. The Princess is very willful.”

“You shouldn’t be so rude to the Princess.”

Jeras and Kieryk started talking to each other as if I wasn’t even there.

Excuse me. It’s great that you two have such a close brotherly bond, but I’m standing right here. Am I invisible?

I’ll see how long they ignore me. I crossed my arms and stood with my weight on one leg, and Kieryk looked at me with a smiling face.

“It’s perfect, actually. I saw that your card skills are exceptional. I would like to ask you for a game. If you have the time.”

“Oh, really? I’d love to. My stakes are quite high.”

The more money, the better. I knew Jeras wouldn’t cheat, but Kieryk wouldn’t either, so it would be a fair game.

I shook the pouch full of chips. It made a loud rattling sound. Kieryk led Jeras, who looked clearly unwilling, to an empty table.

Hehe. I smiled cunningly to myself. My continued victories and the fact that I had exposed the cheaters made me feel incredibly confident.

I’ll take every single chip you have!

 

***

 

“Ah, that was fun.”

When we came out of the casino, the sunset was already painting the sky. It had been right after lunch when we went in. How had time passed so quickly?

I had been sitting in one position for so long that my body felt stiff. As I stretched, Jeras, still fuming, said, “Give back my brother’s money and my money, Princess.”

“Where is Your Highness’s money here? All I have is my money, which I won fair and square.”

“My brother is a very naive person, so he let it slide, but I’m not. What is it if not a trick when the cards line up perfectly five times in a row?”

“It’s not a trick, Your Highness. It’s just my good luck. And Your Highness, no matter how frustrated you are, you shouldn’t flip the table over.”

Jeras clamped his mouth shut, looking like he had a lot to say.

After losing five games in a row and a sixth one was confirmed, Jeras, who had completely lost it, flipped the card table over. The table toppled with a loud thump! that shook the floor, and everyone in the hall turned their heads to look at us. Even the manager ran over to ask what was going on.

The situation didn’t escalate only because Jeras was a prince; a normal noble would have been completely humiliated.

It was clear he was demanding his money back not because he cared about the money, but because he couldn’t accept the fact that he had been utterly defeated.

‘Jeras played terribly, and his cards were just bad. Is Eloe especially lucky? It was the same when I played with the family before.’

“Princess, are you returning to the ducal residence now? Then we will escort you to the mansion.”

Kieryk, who had told us to go ahead so he could take care of some things, had also come out. It was obvious that refusing would do no good.

I was about to reluctantly nod when a thought crossed my mind. Since I had a fun day thanks to the two of them, I should do something in return. After all, they were walking out of their way for me.

‘What should I give them as a thank-you? They are brothers who want for nothing, so a regular gift wouldn’t be enough.’

“And I would like to have a simple tea time with you. I’ve heard rumors that the tea at the ducal residence is excellent.”

Surprisingly, Kieryk was the one who suggested it first. I was completely on board with that! With both hands—no, with all four limbs—I welcomed the idea!

I didn’t know if our mansion’s tea was excellent, but who cares? I was just thankful for the opportunity to repay my debt.

But Jeras immediately tried to interfere. “Brother, the sun is setting soon. Let’s return to the palace.”

“If you’re busy, you can go back first. I’ll escort the Princess.”

Kieryk was surprisingly assertive. Jeras gritted his teeth and replied, “…No. If you go, I go too.”

“Don’t overdo it…”

“I’m going!”

“Alright, alright.”

Jeras glared at me with menacing eyes and stood close to Kieryk. He looked like a loyal hunting dog, with all his fur standing on end and his teeth bared, ready to protect his master. He looked like he would bark loudly if I took even a single step closer.

He’s so attached to his brother. So, so attached. And I’m not even interested in your brother.

‘I miss Sion. I have a brother too.’

Snap out of it. It’s only been a few days since I came to Rivai. If I said I missed them, my family would drop everything and rush here.

As if to push away the sudden feeling of longing, I gave them a little shove. “Come on, you said you’re busy, so let’s go.”

We all got into the carriage Kieryk had come in and headed for the ducal residence.

 

***

 

The butler of the ducal residence, Alberto, was surprised to see the Imperial carriage and lost his mind when I explained the situation.

But he was a professional. He perfectly and swiftly set up the drawing room and brought out fragrant black tea and light refreshments.

Is this the kind of experience that comes with a long career? Is this what it takes to be a butler of the ducal residence?

“Have you looked around Rivai a bit? What do you think?”

Kieryk spoke to me as I stirred my tea with a sugar cube. I replied with a slight grumble, “Looked around? The knights would follow me in a group whenever I went out, so I couldn’t get a good look at anything. All I’ve seen are the areas around the mansion and the market.”

“Oh, is that so? It seems today was an exception.”

“Rather than an exception…”

“It’s thanks to me, Princess.”

“Yes, yes. That’s right. Your Highness Jeras helped me. I’m so, so grateful.”

Here, have some praise. I reluctantly threw a compliment at Jeras, who had his chin up, and his shoulders rose to his ears. How simple.

“I’m sure you’d like many places, so it’s a shame. For example, the shops that are famous among women.”

“Oh, I’m not interested in things like dresses. I have so many already. I feel like I could wear them for the rest of my life and not wear them all. It would be a waste to buy more.”

“You are truly unique, Princess. I’ve never met a lady who prefers card games over dresses and accessories.”

Kieryk smiled at me. Well… isn’t that obvious? I’m a person from a modern, capitalist society. My values, actions, and even my way of speaking are fundamentally different from the people here.

I try to be careful, but I can’t control my subconscious completely. My best is just to try not to seem too out of place.

I just laughed awkwardly, not knowing what to say. Kieryk took a sip of his tea and spoke again.

“Then, shall I guess what your interests are?”

“What? How?”

Do they have personality tests in this world, too? I love those. I’ve taken every single one there is on the internet.

Filled with anticipation, I looked at Kieryk. He gave a faint smile.

“Please look into my eyes.”

I quietly looked into Kieryk’s eyes. Upon closer inspection, his eyes weren’t exactly the same as Jeras’s. They were a brighter shade of red.

How long had I been looking into Kieryk’s eyes? Something strange happened to my body. I felt a cold, yet hot, energy at my fingertips and toes, which slowly began to gather in my heart.

It’s not a hot iced Americano, so what is this cold and hot energy? But that’s exactly what it felt like. I was the most surprised to learn that cold and heat could be felt at the same time.

The energy that had gathered in my heart slowly permeated deep into my body. It was already energy that was flowing in my body, so how could it permeate deeper? I don’t know how to explain it. It felt like there was another space inside my body. Like a matryoshka doll.

The sensation, which I had never felt before, continued without end. I suddenly became afraid of the strange energy that was endlessly surging into my heart. I didn’t know what it was, and I felt a vague anxiety that my heart might stop.

I put my hand on my chest and shook my head at Kieryk. After all, this phenomenon was clearly caused by him.

“Your Highness, I’m not sure what it is, but I’m getting a strange feeling. Please stop…”

“You said you were interested in magic, didn’t you?”

“What? Oh, yes. I did.”

Wait. Was this his way of guessing my interests? This is cheating. I glared at Kieryk, my eyes wide with annoyance.

Kieryk, ignoring my glare, smiled gently and brightly.

“Congratulations, Princess. You have been blessed with mana.”

 

***

 

The door closed and the carriage started moving as Jeras took the seat across from Kieryk. Kieryk stared out the window without a word.

The sun had set below the horizon, and the dark curtain of night was drawn across the sky. Darkness was slowly settling on Kieryk’s face.

The carriage quickly left the ducal residence and sped down the road. A faint smile touched Kieryk’s lips as he gazed at the ducal residence fading into the distance.

“You were right. She’s an interesting person.”

“Who?”

“The Princess of Kilmaria. She is a unique lady in many ways. You can never predict what she’ll do.”

Kieryk’s voice, as he began to speak, was a little higher than usual, as if he was genuinely amused. Jeras replied with a sullen expression.

“She’s more than unique. She’s a weird woman.”

“I told you not to speak so rudely, Jeras.”

“What does it matter? The Princess isn’t here.”

Jeras shrugged, not caring at all. Kieryk sighed, looking at his lighthearted demeanor.

“I don’t know why you deliberately pick fights with her. Did something happen between you two in the Duchy?”

“Nothing happened. I’m the one who is curious. Why do you keep helping her? You saw it for yourself today. She’s a squirrel-like princess who causes a commotion wherever she goes. Nothing good will come from you getting involved with her.”

“That’s a misunderstanding, Jeras. I’ve never helped her. She’s just so interesting that I want to get to know her better. I saw today that we have similar interests. I feel like we could have a good conversation.”

“What good would come from having a good conversation with a woman like that?”

Jeras retorted harshly, spitting out the words. Kieryk narrowed his eyes and gave him a reproachful look, but Jeras purposely turned his head away, ignoring the gaze. He folded his arms, his eyes fixed on the closed door.

He wasn’t in a good mood. He was in a very, very bad mood.

Kieryk, his brother, was the most important person in his life. He was his one and only brother and friend. Although he hadn’t taught him swordsmanship, he was his mentor and a kind supporter. In Jeras’s eyes, Kieryk was a perfect older brother, except for his poor health. In every aspect.

Jeras loved nothing more than Kieryk’s praise. The reason he trained his swordsmanship to become the best in the Empire, and the reason he stubbornly learned magic, was all because he wanted Kieryk’s recognition.

But Kieryk was showing interest in someone else, and of all people, it had to be Eloe. He absolutely hated it. Why did it have to be Eloe?

The feeling of burning rage and annoyance rising inside him must be for that reason. He couldn’t let Eloe steal Kieryk from him.

“And she’s also blessed with mana. If she’s guided well, she’ll become an excellent mage.”

The mana in this world is divided into four main attributes: water, fire, wind, and earth. The more talented a mage is, the more attributes they can use. A mage who can control all four attributes is said to be blessed with mana.

Naturally, the more attributes one can use, the more mana they have inherently. All the top mages of the time were blessed with mana, and Kieryk was also an incredibly skilled mage who was blessed with mana.

“Just because you have talent doesn’t mean you’ll become an excellent mage.”

Jeras shot back curtly. Kieryk shook his head, looking at his brother’s pouting face.

Without anyone starting it, both of them fell silent. Only the faint sound of horse hooves could be heard.

‘Is that why her soul looked so different to me? Because she’s blessed with mana?’

Jeras recalled Eloe’s aura, which had been so distinctly different from others’, and quickly pushed the thought away.

To hell with the mana blessing. He couldn’t leave Eloe be.

‘I have to keep her from meeting my brother.’