Chapter 12 – Magic Battle (4)

The most secure place at Parenzia Academy was not the female students’ dormitory or the director’s office, but the library.
There, where tens of thousands of books were stored, a special magic was placed on the place, inspired by the burning of the Royal Library during the Great War.

All materials were linked to the library rebuilt in the royal capital through magic.
Two libraries that exist in different spaces at the same time have the same status, so even if a book disappears in either one, a copy of it can be preserved.
Conversely, the same applies if an unauthorized person attempts to steal a book. If a theft occurs in either Thessalon or Parenzia, the seven magic towers that manage the ancient books are put on alert.

The reason the library was managed so thoroughly was because the books inside were not just scraps of paper.
A grimoire containing forbidden magic, a few scrolls containing ancient magic that has been lost, and confidential documents that even the royal family cannot open.
In a library that even professors used, the range of books that students could access was extremely limited.

After applying for a book loan, Erzsebet was guided by the librarian and entered a narrow room less than 1 pyeong in size.
As she closed her eyes and waited, her entire room began to float and one wall opened to reveal the booklet she had requested.

[Parencia Academy Construction Design]
[Security level: B]

Because there was a threat of terrorism if the exact structure inside the academy was known, the grade was quite high even though it was a simple blueprint.
A bird’s eye view of the pentagon seen from the sky. The concession stand was located right in the center.
Ergébet, who couldn’t find anything special in that alone, put her book back after a while and grabbed the doorknob to leave the room.

Slam!

“Uh?”

But the other side of the room was a completely different space than before.
It looked like a single room at an inn, not inside a library.

“Welcome. “Princess.”

And in front of him, Lehel was sitting with an irritated expression.

“I think you have something to talk about with me.”

***

The Archduke’s position in Penheim is absolute. Creating a unique magic means establishing a world in one’s own way.
For Erzsebet, who had not yet succeeded to the throne, Duke Yunhoe’s visit was a painful mistake.

“Why did you offend Lewis?”
“That…”
“Did you try to float while you were still there?”
“… Yes.”

Why did things end up like this? Erzsebet belatedly realized that the incident had expanded beyond her expectations.

Politics is about putting down one of the apples in both hands and taking a bigger advantage instead.
To compare it to the current situation, she doesn’t know what she was trying to hold. Her wrist was cut off.
And the result she got instead was in some ways insignificant, even though it met the purpose she wanted to achieve.

Terra Ernesten said to use the concession stand. Her father told her to watch her stall. And the store owner told me to get out of my house. So she tried to bring a stall.
But–

“The important thing is… “It wasn’t a concession stand.”

The words that came from the chairman’s mouth became clear. The construction plan that Erzsebet was looking at was wrong in its cause and effect.
Being at the center of the academy is not important. The academy is important because ‘he’ exists.

“Then… “Who is the owner of the store?”
“Ask me directly if you want.”
“He didn’t tell me.”
“Then you have to find it yourself. Instead, don’t mess with the concession stand like you did this time.”
“…”

Lehel was lost in her thoughts as she looked at Erzébet, who knew she had made a mistake but still wanted to know that much.
The value of magic comes from the pursuit of the unknown.
It’s a great mindset for a wizard, but it’s still too young for politics.

And as a leader——

‘The kingdom is not ready for war.’

If Lewis’s existence is revealed to the world once again, then a real war with the Holy Kingdom will begin, not a ‘small war’ that was close to the Cold War.
Lehel said she didn’t want to see Fenheim transformed into Helzeb the next time she woke up. Whether the cause was war or Lewis’s reckless behavior.

“Do you really want to know?”
“Yes…”

Therefore, there was only one thing she could say to her Erzébet:
It was a rather light expectation that if she at least said this, Erzsebet would no longer offend Louise.

“Lewis… “He is your fiancé.”
“Yes… ?”
“P-i—?”

Erzebet’s gaze, which had been keeping her head down the whole time, landed on Lehel.
Head tilts slightly. Her expression was one of confusion as too much incomprehensible information had been injected into her brain.

“Oh, my ex-fiancé, to be exact. When I was in the castle, I heard that King Baor told Louis that he would marry you. “That’s the national rule or something.”
“Oh, no. For a moment… ! What does that mean… !”
“It’s been so long that it’s hard to tell, but were you 6 years old at the time? “I guess the moment she said something, she was slapped and slapped, and she was taken away with a fractured cervical vertebrae?”

As the startled Pii flapped her wings, Hergé Bett’s blonde hair was thrown about. Either that or she was left with her mouth wide open and couldn’t believe her own ears.

“Really. Should I at least take the Mana Oath? Can you take a picture of my armpits? I swear in the name of Yun Hoe-gong that what I said just now is not a single lie…”
“Ah, ah, ah, don’t do it! Please!! Then, it becomes real!”

Ergébet, who had been maintaining her truth-seeking stance just a moment ago, immediately turned her eyes away from her truth.
Lehel clicked her tongue and opened the 〈 transfer door 〉 again.

“Anyway, princess, have a good night. “Don’t forget my warning.”

The original truth is a cruel law.
If you want to know about Lewis, you must also know the truth about him.
Of course, Lehel didn’t necessarily want to know what happened in the heart of Hel Zeb, who disgusted even her.

Slam!

“…”
“Pi—.”
“It’s noisy, P. Shut up.”
“Blood…”

The door closes and Erzébet returns to her original place.

‘Fiance… ‘What?’

She couldn’t move from her spot for a long time because the words she heard from her director didn’t leave her mind.

***

Parencia Academy’s Bayou Pavilion was famous even within the Kingdom of Fenheim for its antique and sophisticated design.
Inside the building, located on a low hill with the best view, there was a great hall where various fine dining and university-sponsored dances were held, and even lodging facilities and hot springs.
Among them, the third floor of the cafeteria, where the Gourmonde confectionery, the most famous in the capital, was located, could not be used even by people inside the academy without a special reservation.

6 o’clock is the golden hour when you can catch a glimpse of Parencia’s sunset view.
The most expensive Loge seats offer the best view of the sunset from the terrace.
Under a luxurious scenery that required more than 8 gold, half the price of a suburban townhouse, just to make a reservation, Hafen Zahar, Viscount Cloud’s legitimate son, greeted Viscount Ruhilen, who had invited him.

“I’m sorry I’m late. Lord Cloud.”
“Well, Viscount…”
“Something.”
“Are you okay? Even if someone attacks me…”

Hafen had no choice but to ask cautiously.
That’s because Viscount Ruhilen’s behavior was ridiculous. His clothes were a mess, as if he had rolled over in a carriage.
When I looked closely, both cheeks were swollen as if they had been pinched, and small tears were forming.

“It’s nothing… Wow! “I ran into him when I left the mansion, and I got scolded for a moment.”
“The soul… ?”

Is there anyone in this world who would scold the richest woman in Penheim?
Ruhilen’s former head of the family—I heard that Darling Tokarev’s parents passed away seven years ago.
First, he bowed his head and showed respect.

“I never thought the lord of Farencia would give me this kind of hospitality. I will keep it as an honor for my family.”
“Hospitality. I always drink tea only here. “Don’t worry too much about it.”

Indeed, since it is at the level of the Ruhilen family, these expensive things are no problem.

Who would have known that the Ruhilen family, which had been nothing more than a periphery until the end of the Great War, would become such a high-ranking entity?
Even though she was the same Viscountess, she could never say that even her interior was the same.
As soon as the two people sat down, a dessert tray and herbal tea were carefully placed on the seats.
Darling, holding a steaming teacup in his hand, took out the business first.

“The concession stand has been left out of this competition.”
“…”
“… “Heung!”
“Gwae, are you okay?”
“It’s okay. “Unless I postponed my graduation, this year was my last year, so it was a shame.”

Darling’s gaze rested for a moment on the Officer 4th class medal hanging on his chest.
The Ruhilen family was not a family with notable military achievements. Her magical achievements were only slightly better than others, but not representative of the class.
Therefore, Darling early on devised a way to solidify his position within his academy.
The goal was to recruit other nobles, especially families that had made contributions in the Great War.

“Still, I keep my promise to you. For the next two years, all fur produced in Cloud Viscounty will be traded in Parenzia. The transport route is also taken care of at the top here.”
“You didn’t receive anything, so you don’t have to go to that extent…”
“It’s okay. “If you win, you can freely request the library’s magic book or any other lot.”
“… Thank you.”

Hafen bowed deeply. The business was over, but I had something I wanted to ask, so I opened my mouth cautiously instead of leaving right away.

“Hey, Lady Ruhilen. “Can I ask you a question?”
“As long as it’s not a public complaint about marriage. However much.”

It was a warning expression, saying, ‘You’re not in a position to reach out,’ but Hafen wasn’t so stupid that he didn’t know his own worth. He was simply curious.

“Why do you want ownership of the store so badly? Of course, they are in the most advantageous position to do anything within the Academy, but aren’t many of the interests in the premises, including this Bayou Pavilion, already in the hands of the Ruhillen family?”
“Hmm…”

Darling looked down at the sunset and stepped down from the stand he had placed under his chair.
My cheekbones, which had been twisted before coming here, still tingled.

“How many people do you think have joined us so far?”
“I don’t think it’s that much.”
“I see. But after looking at this scenery, there are very few people who don’t want to come here again.”

Hafen also strongly sympathized.
Space has class characteristics. Although the value of people is equal, the gold standard is not the same.
He was only a little good at swords and magic, but he was far from power or capital, so the small colossus in front of him felt like a being in the sky.

“What you are interested in is not the canteen.”

However, that rule did not apply to everyone.
There is only one Darling so far. He thought of a man who never wavered even when he had this view he loved most at his feet.

“It’s definitely not the center of the academy.”

In the past, the amount he offered to resell the land he owned was a whopping 48,000 gold.
It was an amount close to five years’ worth of income from the Farencia estate, and it was exactly half of the wealth of Darling, who was in charge of managing all the Ruhilen family’s assets, including bills received from the royal family at the time.

When he heard the price, he snorted and went down.
Without even looking back, he told me to come buy some bread sometime.

And he never came up here again.

“There is only one thing Ruhilen wants.”

I couldn’t keep him by my side, not even with money or with the debt of my heart that made me condone his arrogant actions.

“It’s just something I don’t have yet.”

But she will never give up.