Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Do I Look Different Today?
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"Don't I look any different today?"
Refusing to go to Hegemonia didn't make Francesca vanish.
Instead, she made Laura an offer.
"Are you going to teach me?"
"Thank you!"
Laura expressed her gratitude in an excited voice.
It was because, to her, learning to control her own power was just as vital as finding someone who truly understood her.
Francesca replied with a light chuckle.
"Is there something I can offer you?"
"Something I can do for you..."
At those words, Laura flinched.
She hadn't meant to, but in the end, she'd essentially hijacked their artifact.
When Laura apologized for it, Francesca shook her head.
"Still..."
Either way, she'd taken something Francesca had left for her child.
Even if she made a new artifact and handed it over, it wouldn't be sufficient compensation for Rodwell Paella.
But as Laura kept expressing her guilt, Francesca tilted her head.
"No. My fiancé is from the Dominica family. I heard he showed me the artifact at Rodwell's request."
Francesca brushed it off lightly, as if it were no big deal.
Laura felt a strange sense of dissonance at her words.
'Francesca must have seen Leonardo's face clearly.'
So why does she think I'm Rodwell's fiancée?
Leonardo had explained that this artifact was a legacy left by Rodwell Paella's mother.
Which would mean Francesca was Rodwell's mother.
There was no reason for her to mistake her own child.
Laura pondered this doubt, but soon came up with her own answer.
'She must not have been paying much attention since she just emerged from the artifact.'
This version of Francesca was essentially an ether construct—a clone—so there could be issues with her perception.
Having settled it in her mind like that, Francesca spoke up.
"A pact?"
With that, Francesca drew a magic circle above her hand.
It had a slightly unique pattern, but it was the contract magic circle she'd learned in class.
Francesca explained the terms.
"Yes."
Laura extended her hand onto the magic circle, and as Francesca chanted the incantation, a soft light shimmered.
At the same moment, Laura felt a ring form within her.
It was the bond of the contract linking her to Francesca.
Confirming the pact was sealed, Francesca nodded.
"Yes. Francesca... or should I call you Master?"
But not in a bad way.
Francesca murmured to herself and smiled warmly.
And so, Laura gained her first true master.
Francesca proved to be an excellent master.
She had a knack for explaining things simply and was generous with her praise.
Laura was already a witch of outstanding talent, having learned ether usage from records alone.
With an excellent master and proper guidance added to the mix, she rapidly mastered the principles of ether.
And once she'd grasped the basics in just a few days, Francesca moved on to more advanced topics.
"The power to read memories."
Reading memories wasn't the core of her power?
It was a shocking revelation for Laura.
After all, the ability to read memories was what had dominated her life up until now—not some power to enchant others.
She knew she had enchantment, but it was something she'd only tried recently, still unfamiliar.
Her master explained it this way.
"My needs and desires?"
Laura nodded gravely at those words.
Memories of her childhood were a thorn she could never pull out.
But her master ignored Laura's reaction and dissected it thoroughly.
Laura was stunned by her master's words.
They pierced straight through her.
She didn't want to be hated. She wanted to be loved forever.
That was the fundamental desire driving Laura.
And by reading minds and acting accordingly, she could achieve it effortlessly.
Young Laura had been too honest and messed things up at times, though.
Francesca pointed that out.
"The power to change hearts..."
Laura shuddered at the whisper.
If she could wield it as described, it would bring consequences far more horrific than just "powerful."
Forcing everyone to love her unconditionally?
It was utterly tempting, yet terrifying.
Didn't that mean she could turn every human into her puppet?
Someone in love would do anything for their beloved.
Laura voiced her vague rejection.
"Isn't that... too dangerous?"
"Yes, once."
Laura nodded.
She had observed the reaction when she enchanted Leonardo's horse, Elcon.
[Master's scent!]
Elcon had mistaken Laura's scent for Leonardo's.
When she explained this, Francesca honed in on it.
Unable to touch emotions directly, it exploited the senses instead.
And by actively using this power to stimulate various senses, the enchantment would evolve further!
That was the explanation.
Francesca concluded:
"But..."
Laura couldn't quite agree.
The thought of arbitrarily toying with Leonardo's heart felt off-putting.
But her master persuaded her.
...Well, yeah.
Laura wavered under her master's persuasion.
Especially the part about Leonardo liking it struck home.
At those words, Laura unconsciously pictured Leonardo under her enchantment.
[You look especially beautiful today, Laura.]
Still gruff, but gazing at her with a softer expression than usual.
His eyes roamed her more passionately, filled with desire for her.
Imagining that made Laura's heart beat a little faster.
'Right, it's just like makeup.'
If used lightly, it should be fine.
Just a little.
Really just a little...
With that resolve, Laura nodded.
And the next day.
When she met Leonardo, Laura touched his sight with enchantment.
The power of enchantment seeped into his body.
Confirming it, Laura looked at him with a pounding heart.
And Leonardo, under the enchantment, spoke.
"Good morning. Nothing happen overnight?"
...What?
Exactly the same as always?
Flustered by Leonardo's utterly calm response, Laura blurted out without thinking.
"Leonardo, don't I look any different today?"
And at those words, Leonardo's expression stiffened slightly.