Chapter 32

✿

“It’s almost time for dinner, so get ready and come out. I’ll be waiting for you.” Aaron said as we made eye contact.

After he left these words, he left the room.

“…I’m doomed.”

Then I sat down on the sofa like the world is about to end.

Thud~

Sitting still blankly, the door opened and Mary entered.

Glancing at her in dismay, Mary was smiling mischievously.

Mary must have had a harder time, when I became aware of the fact, I felt guilty.

“…Mary, I’m sorry.”

“No, let’s hurry and get ready. You have to go to dinner.”

It didn’t take long to change into indoor clothes with the help of Mary, who kept smiling as if she had lost her mind.

‘Haha! I’ll just eat and leave.’

Holding the doorknob I can’t help but let out a deep sigh.

‘After all, I was too impulsive to leave today.’

Of course, I didn’t regret going out. Thanks to you, I got an important clue.

“Mary, I’ll be back…”

“See you then, lady.”

I left the room after saying goodbye to Mary.

The road down to the restaurant was full of silence.

“It’s driving me crazy.”

Looking around, I could see Aaron with the same expression as usual.

But I never felt good seeing him say nothing.

If we ate like this, I wouldn’t know whether the food was going into my nose or my mouth.

But I’m glad that Aaron was alone.

“I’m sorry.”

“What?”

“I went out secretly…” Erita apologised.

Staring at the ground in a hurry after I felt his gaze.

Even if I pretend to be pitiful, I’d be less scolded. It’s a bit of a weak idea, but there’s no other way.

“Erita.”

Then, Aaron sighed and patted my head with a smile as if he couldn’t hold back the laughter.

“Don’t make Mary lie next time. I heard you were in the lab, so I went there, I was worried when you weren’t there.”

At Aarons words I nodded, feeling relieved.

“I won’t say anything about it. Instead, don’t lie again.”

After that, Aaron didn’t say much except for a few words of concern.

“So you’re not angry anymore, right?”

When I glanced and asked, Aaron nodded.

“I wasn’t angry in the first place. I was worried.”

“Hehe… I won’t do that again next time.”

Of course, I never intended to never leave again.

Next time, I’ll ask Mary to tell him I left.

✿

After taking a light bath, I sat down at the desk.

It’s not that I don’t want to lie down on the bed, but I have a book that I must read first. Picking up the book carefully.

“Way….”

As I went down line by line with the tip of my finger, I quickly found the part I was looking for.

「There are items needed before distinguishing black wizards. That’s…」

Having read the paragraph to the end in an instant, I pulled out a piece of paper.

“…I hope it’s not. I’m going to tear this book apart.”

It seems that my hand as I write the letter trembled for a moment, but I was mistaken.

Really…

After putting the completed letter aside for a while, I continued to read the book.

「…It’s going to need the help of an advanced wizard after that.

This is because of the level of magic that needs to be engraved.

There’s only one magic that needs to be engraved, but it must be engraved with a total of five stacks.

If the number of times is incorrect, the effect will never appear.」

When Erita saw the magic spell written below it, her expression crumpled by itself.

As shown in the book, I could tell them apart using artifacts.

The book explained the method and order of making the artifact.

“How did the person who wrote this discovered this method?”

I couldn’t stop and sigh one after another. What’s the level of difficulty of this heinous method?

From the beginning, the preparations were extravagant.

Jewelry… It’s also the most expensive diamond among jewels.

In order to engrave magic, it must not be of any size.

“People without money can’t even make it.”

Besides, even if one does have money, he won’t be able to even try without the help of a wizard.

Suddenly, my distrust of this book surged.

If it weren’t for a situation where even a little clue couldn’t be wasted, I wouldn’t have even thought of trying it.

“It’s a shame that the process was written in detail.”

Process gems and stack magic circles.

So it was fortunate that the method of engraving was described in detail among all the misfortunes in the book.

There won’t be any mistake if I simply follow the method as written. I sighed deeply and muttered to myself.

“It seems the hardest to follow along without making a mistake…”

It was difficult to complete within the next month, which required quite a lot of time.

“Ugh! I’ll have to work hard starting tomorrow.”

It was a really good choice to prepare for the debutante dance from the North.

Otherwise, I might have had to live like a zombie for a month. I got up from my seat and stretched out my stiff arms and legs.

“Who’s out there?”

“Lady, did you call me?”

It was Marilyn who opened the door and entered.

“Marilyn, could you deliver this letter to the top of Lagras tomorrow?”

“Top of Lagras?”

“Yeah. If you deliver the letter, I’ll give you a box there. I’d appreciate it if you could bring some of it.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Thank you!”

As Marilyn took my letter and left the room, I went straight to bed.

“Argh, I’m tired!”

My only goal is to change the ending of my family, and there are so many things I have to do for that.

First of all, the best ending is that Callion becomes the crown prince without any dispute.…

“…But will that work?”

I shook my head. If the Emperor appoints Callion as Crown Prince. So, will the first Prince’s faction just let it go like that?

“It can’t be.”

In the first place, according to the original, the Emperor condones the quarrel between the Princes.

It can’t be done either way. Then, the next method.

Help Callion become Crown Prince as hidden as possible.

Many of the things I have prepared so far are for this.

Even if my family goes somewhere, wouldn’t it be enough for Callion to become the next Emperor?

The most important point here is that my identity was not revealed.

“If I stand out in the eyes of the Empress, everything will be ruined.”

I borrowed a little knowledge of the original work for this.

To be precise, it would be right to borrow the achievements of the heroine, Ayla.

“…I’m sorry, but I had no choice because I had to live and save my family.”

In the novel, Ayla was very lucky, that the person who unintentionally saved her was a lumber that would become a sword master, or that an antique she accidentally bought was a relic of the past.

Anyway, things like that happened to her on a regular basis.

“As expected, it’s a world view for Ayla.”

For ordinary people, countless times of luck were given to her, whether once in a lifetime.

‘Well, I’ve only intercepted a few of the many.’

Two talented people and a few businesses that would hit the jackpot.

Of the dozens arranged for Ayla, even if I exclude them, there would be plenty left for her.

As a result, the same goes for me, and to help Callion.

‘So please don’t blame me too much!’

I tried so hard to rationalize it and hugged my soft pillow. Anyway, the original work has already been ruined.

Even the fact that the Queen died 8 years ago was not enough, so this time Callion was one year away, and Aaron came back to the capital city quickly.

Two things have already gone wrong in the overall framework of the original.

If this wasn’t ruined, what else?

“I won’t have to go through all this trouble if I’ve had a lot of details from the original!”

When I thought of the original, I felt angry for no reason.

All I needed to know was why my family was on the side of the first prince.

“How great would it be if the mighty author cared about other characters besides Ayla? Huh? That’s so cold!”

After being angry, I felt more tired and layed down on the bed.

The blinking speed of my eyelids finally slowed down. When I got angry, it seemed that I had lost energy.

It hasn’t even been a week since I came to the capital yet, but the ceiling already felt familiar.

“…Sigh.”

In this kind of situation anyone wouldn’t help but sigh automatically, and since it’s my choice to do this.

Besides, I have to focus on this starting tomorrow.

I breathed out slowly and closed my eyes…

✿

“Then, shall we wear these five dresses?”

At the words of the dressmaker, my father froze with his mouth agape.

“Fifty suits are fine….”

“Yes! I’ll do it with those five!”

I hurriedly cut off my father’s words.

Then I smiled at the woman looking at us awkwardly and spoke.

“Madame Derin, five suits, please.”

“Ho-ho! All right. I’ll finish it and bring it to you a week before the party.”

“Thank you!”

My father looked unhappy with what I said, but of course I pretended not to know his gaze.

What do you mean 50 suits? The Debutante Ball is in a week at the most.

Originally, I was only going to do three suits, but my father couldn’t handle it, so I ended up doing five.

And so far, dresses tailored one by one have filled the closet.

“Umm… Then all that was left was shoes and accessories. Would you like to take a look at the catalog first?”

“Was that so?”

Intently looking through the catalog Madame Derin opened in front of me, I wasn’t particularly interested in jewelry and accessories.

‘But if I don’t see it for myself, father will choose it!’

There was a reason behind my quick glance through the catalog.

It was very fortunate that Aaron was away because he had to go to the Imperial Palace.

If Aaron came with us, I would have at least ten dresses.

“Then the shoes would be good with this one.”

“That’s an excellent choice!”

Since then, in the process of choosing accessories, I have also struck numerous obstructions from my father.

While choosing one, my father tried to buy everything in the catalog.

I kept reducing it, but in the end I ended up buying twice as much as I expected.

“I’ll see you next time when you wear a dress.”

After Madame Derin returned to her usual wide smile, I stretched on the sofa like melted ice cream.

Buying many things at once must be this hard.

Until I had my clothes measured, I had no idea that it would be such a tough schedule.

“…Father, didn’t you buy too much?”

“I want to buy everything in the capital, but I put up with it because you don’t like it.”

When I spoke softly, my father smiled smoothly and then added scary remarks.

Right, I would really say what I want right away, so he wouldn’t have time to interfere.

“What I have now was enough. If I buy more, I won’t be able to wear them all until I die.”

In an awkward silence with only a nod from father, father answered…

“We’ll have another chance next time.”

Somehow, it seems that my father was more interested in my clothes than I am…