Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Sponsorship - [3]
📜 Official Invitation 📜 Sender: Imperial Arts Institute
Recipient: Composer and Performer Aiman
The content was exceedingly polite. Overly so.
"There is immense interest within the Imperial Family regarding the instrument you showcased, the piano."
"Accordingly, we formally invite you to the upcoming Imperial Autumn Concert hosted by the palace..."
An Imperial concert? Was this for real?
The Emperor of the Empire, the Empress, and all sorts of high-ranking nobles gathered to sip wine and critique art!
A commoner like me could lose their head just for making eye contact with a noble there!
This couldn't possibly be reality! Right?
"This.... someone's pranking us, right?"
It had to be Hans pulling a stunt. His handwriting was usually a mess, but if he put his mind to it, he could probably manage something like this.
With that guy's skills, it was entirely possible. He'd forged official documents a few times before, after all. Haha.
Serika had a similar reaction. Meaning her face had gone completely pale as she stared at the wax seal on the envelope.
Her finger carefully traced over the seal.
"Brother..."
Serika called out to me in a trembling voice. Haha. Why was her voice shaking? It was scary as hell.
"This isn't a joke."
"Nah, no way. Something like this couldn't be real..."
"No. It's genuine. And this magic engraved on the envelope."
Serika swallowed dryly.
"At least 7th Circle magic. I can't even imagine how expensive this envelope must be... And it seems to recognize you as its owner...?"
To think I'd live to hear that an envelope had recognized its owner. What, was it some kind of envelope spirit now?
I just sat there dumbfounded, while Serika kept talking.
"7th Circle magic is a realm that even grand mages or Magic Tower Lords can't touch. No one on the market could put high-level magic like this on a prank toy. In other words..."
Serika looked me straight in the eye.
"It's real. From the Imperial Palace."
My vision went dark. 7th Circle? Magic Tower Lord? And that insane magic was on a single letter envelope?
I'd bullshitted about it being a princess dedication piece... Wait, was it bullshit?
Either way, it looked like I was really getting dragged to the palace!
'Hold on, does that mean Ria and Anna are from there? Nobles from the Imperial Family?'
Considering their reaction to Für Elise... Nah, no way. Definitely not.
"And Brother. There's... something else here."
Serika pulled something else from the envelope. A small box.
Opening the velvet-wrapped luxury box revealed a thumb-sized golden seal inside.
The enclosed note had a concise message.
🏆 Special Grant Item 🏆 "Recognizing your sister Serika's talent, we bestow this seal upon her in the name of the Imperial Family. Inject mana into the enclosed seal." The golden seal's surface was etched with geometric patterns that writhed like living things, emitting a faint glow.
"...This has to be the joke, right?"
As I muttered stupidly, Serika shook her head.
"I can feel an enormous mana density... My skin's tingling just being near it."
"Is this thing safe?"
"It's not harmful. If anything... it's pleasant?"
Serika hesitated. But it was an Imperial command. 'Inject mana' wasn't a suggestion—it was an order.
Refusing could lead to who-knows-what.
"I'll do it."
Serika placed her trembling fingertip on the seal.
"I-Injecting it now..."
Woooong—
A strange vibration hummed as the seal began to tremble. And then.
✨ ARTIFACT AWAKENED ✨ Flash—!!! A dazzling golden light exploded, filling the room.
Fuck! Flashbang!
The light burst outward like an explosion, then coiled up Serika's arm like a living serpent.
It burrowed into her chest near her heart in an instant, then surged up to her face.
"Serika!"
Before I could finish, the light was sucked into her pupils...? Was I really seeing this?
Shooo...
Incredibly, the light vanished. The room returned to darkness and silence.
Serika slumped to the floor, gasping for breath. She clutched her face with both hands.
"S-Serika? You okay? Hurt anywhere?"
Serika slowly raised her head. She lowered her hands and opened her eyes.
"...!"
Her right eye. The once-clear emerald iris had changed.
A thin, vivid golden ring, like sprinkled gold dust, encircled her pupil.
It was so mystical it bordered on holy. Like Saturn's rings.
Serika patted her body. She gripped her left chest over her heart tightly, breathing raggedly in confusion.
"Brother... this is insane."
"W-What's wrong? Does it hurt?"
"No, it doesn't hurt. But..."
Serika's voice had shifted in tone. Overwhelmed with awe, perhaps?
"This... it's something from textbooks. A legendary ancient relic that only exists in myths."
"Ancient relic?"
"It's definitely the Eye of the Golden Age. Simply put, it lets you see the structure of mana? To think this actually existed..."
Serika reached out into empty air in disbelief.
"...Right now, the world looks like it's made of swirling clouds of magical power. Something like that."
Of course, I couldn't follow a word of it. Though Serika tried her best to explain.
All I got was, 'Anyway, they shoved an insanely OP item into her body.' That was it.
"Anyway, Brother. Keep that envelope safe, okay? It'll definitely help you out."
I could only nod dumbly at Serika's words.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A few days later, at the Imperial Academy.
The campus buzzed with energy as the fall semester began. Marble-paved corridors echoed with the laughter of nobles in splendid uniforms.
Serika walked among them.
'One goal.'
Serika clenched her fist. Head to the music hall. Meet the lute player 'Lucian' there.
She had to spark his interest in the piano—he was already slated for the academy banquet's opening stage.
That's when she entered the corridor leading to the music hall.
"Oh my, who do we have here?"
A sharp voice snagged Serika's ankle. Her brow furrowed slightly.
A familiar, yet most unwelcome voice.
Turning, she saw a group of girls in lace-trimmed dresses blocking the way.
At the center stood a red-haired girl. The daughter of a baron, second—or fifth?—in the academy's social club: Rozina von Bellua.
Rozina had always seen Serika as a thorn in her side. Just because a mere commoner outscored her, a noble.
"Haven't seen you around lately. Been out begging?"
Rozina fanned her nose mockingly. Her followers burst into giggles.
"Where's that... slum stench coming from? Hey, mind stepping aside? Smells like it's from you."
The old Serika would've wrinkled her nose and turned away the moment she saw them.
Out of fear. To avoid any trouble reaching her brother. But today's Serika was different.
She wasn't scared anymore! Serika didn't stop. She ignored Rozina and kept walking straight.
Their shoulders nearly brushed. Rozina assumed Serika would dodge, of course.
But Serika strode on rigidly, and the startled Rozina flinched back instead.
"...!"
Rozina's face flushed red. A commoner dared not yield to her, a noble.
Treated her like she was invisible! Her pride cracked, Rozina's eyes flashed with rage!
"Hey!!"
Rozina shouted. Students in the corridor turned to stare. She stormed forward and raised her hand high.
Slap—!!!
A sharp crack echoed down the hall. Serika's head snapped to the side. Her cheek stung.
Silence fell. Onlookers held their breath.
If it were before, Serika would've staggered and pretended to collapse.
Pretended it hurt, acted weak and scared.
That way, she'd satisfy their sadism and end it quicker.
But Serika didn't fall. She planted her feet firmly on the marble floor.
And slowly, very slowly, turned her head back to face forward. Her silver hair disheveled, revealing her face. Her cheek swollen red.
Serika stared straight at Rozina.
"...W-What?"
Rozina flinched. Why was she the scared one after landing the slap?
The commoner bitch who should be sobbing on the floor was glaring at her.
That gaze was so intense Rozina wanted to back away.
"H-How dare you! Who do you think you're looking at? Lower your eyes!"
To hide her fear, Rozina yelled louder and yanked Serika's face closer.
"Know your place! You bone-rattling gutter trash..."
That was the moment. Up close, Rozina's eyes met Serika's right pupil head-on.
"...Huh?"
Rozina's words cut off.
"Miss Rozina. I think I need help for my brother? Like buying some clothes? How about you play maid for him?"
Serika reached into her inner pocket and pulled out a gold coin. She injected it with mana.
For reference, Ria and Anna had told Serika to call if she needed help.
They'd assist once, no strings attached.
'Better use it now.'
Not too big a deal, not too trivial.
This seemed just right for a free favor.