Chapter 93
Chapter 93
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: Peace Has Been Shattered
-----------------------------------------------------------------
‘Refined mana stone’ contract wrapped up quickly and smoothly.
Even if only in tiny numbers, marketing it as a heartwarming tale of donation to the Imperial Children’s Academy, polishing the ad visuals just right—it was sure to kick up a storm.
But……
‘And after touching it, you felt strange memories?’
‘Yes. Weird, right?’
‘The refined mana stone is also a tool that tracks the user’s mana flow. Those memories are probably ones that suppress the flow of your mana, Lady Sien.’
It was different from what Principal Hepsiba had said, yet somehow similar.
In fact, combining what both of them said led to just one inevitable conclusion.
‘Did I exhaust all the mana in this body when I reincarnated?’
But during the time I heard Uella’s voice, I looked at least six months old after birth.
The refined mana stone tracks mana flow, and Principal Hepsiba said my mana flow was suppressed because of the memories shown in the refined mana stone.
‘Then it’s not because of reincarnation.’
If the body’s mana was depleted due to reincarnation, it should have shown memories right after reincarnation.
Plus, the ‘reincarnator penalty’ I knew of didn’t include mana depletion.
‘Did Uella steal my mana? Come to think of it, the pattern she carved into my hand is awfully suspicious too…….’
It even made me think that pattern might be forcibly draining my body’s mana.
There were all sorts of lingering aftertastes that felt oddly off.
Deep in thought, I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them again. I couldn’t figure out the reason right now, but someday, I hoped to uncover the secret behind all this.
‘Uella. If I ask about Mom…… maybe I’ll find out?’
Uella.
I didn’t know if she was a good person or a bad one, but at least the voice calling to me had been warm.
I’d never thought to ask Dad about Mom. I’d always said I only needed him. But maybe……
‘Is Mom a good memory for Dad too?’
……Dad might be waiting for me to ask about her. The thought suddenly struck me. Next time I saw him, I’d ask about Mom.
I resolved myself firmly.
***
A few days later. The hesitation over whether to ask Dad about Mom felt like a past-life memory.
I’d just finished the Academy’s final graduation hurdle, the ‘Etiquette Graduation Exam,’ and was utterly wrecked.
“Seriously, I feel like I’m gonna die…….”
“You won’t die.”
“People don’t die that easily.”
“My heart’s gonna burst from etiquette!”
“It won’t burst.”
“Hearts don’t burst that easily.”
Not even time to explain it was a metaphor.
Deadri sis and Bench sis next to me fussed over me, pouring water into my mouth. But no joke—I didn’t even have the strength to swallow.
Supported by my maid sisters like that, staggering toward the carriage, that’s when a familiar voice called my name.
“Sien!”
Too drained to turn my head, I leaned against Deadri sis’s solid, muscled frame and rolled my eyes sideways. Martin looked at me like a corpse, then spoke.
“Sien, something weird’s going on.”
“Weird thing?”
I tilted my head. The words sparked a bad premonition flooding in. But no chills down my spine. My energy was all sucked out by etiquette training—no strength left even for goosebumps……
“Liena’s dropping out, they say?”
“Huh? Liena’s suddenly dropping out……?”
At that, I blinked in confusion, eyebrows twitching.
“Huh? Suddenly? Isn’t she in the graduating class too?”
Unlike me, Liena had repeated a few years, delaying her graduation.
But quitting the Academy after over five years? That couldn’t be an easy call.
“Yeah. Some say she couldn’t take the bullying and is quitting…….”
“……If that were it, she’d have quit ages ago.”
Ever since getting blisters from Burger’s handiwork back then, Liena hadn’t hung out with friends. She’d endured endless whispers calling her a noble lady who’d nearly harmed the Empire.
But she’d seemed diligent in classes, so it was odd.
‘Would she really drop out suddenly this late just because she couldn’t hang with friends?’
Tilting my head, Martin lowered his voice further.
“Yeah. But it’s not just Liena. Burger too…….”
At the name Burger, I scowled and shot back.
“Huh? Burger? He’s sponsored by our family—why quit?”
“Oh, no. Calm down, Sien. It’s not that Burger’s quitting—he got advised to.”
“……Advised to quit? By who?”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Liena and Burger are in the same class, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Teacher Chris in that class told Burger too. Said his talent’s wasted here, so why not quit and aim for bigger waters.”
“Bigger waters…….”
“Then suddenly he went pale and backed out, they say. Wouldn’t say what ‘bigger waters’ meant, no matter what.”
“Guess Teacher Chris forgot the rumors about Burger getting Mirmod sponsorship…….”
My gut was telling me. This is definitely shady.
A teacher pushing students to quit a perfectly fine Academy.
The true nature of those ‘bigger waters.’
And……
“Smells suspicious.”
I sniffed and wrinkled my nose.
Definitely a rotten stench. The smell of long peace ending too.
***
At the same time, in the Crown Prince’s Palace.
“Did it go off properly?”
“Yes, properly…….”
Crown Prince Baal chewed his lips raw, then gnawed his nails frantically before snapping irritably.
“Find me something else I can score merits on.”
“Well, the budget allotted to the Crown Prince’s Palace has been shrinking every year…….”
With trembling hands—after several failed grabs—Baal seized his aide by the collar. Ignoring the aide’s choking gasps, he yelled sinisterly.
“Grand Duke Sebastian has the Emperor’s favor. That means we’re being pushed back.”
The Emperor treated his sons like chess pieces, so ‘favor’ might be too grand a word.
But as the Crown Prince’s Palace budget dwindled, Grand Duke Sebastian—who’d had no mansion in the capital—rose dazzlingly.
Over the past five years, colluding with Mirmod, Grand Duke Sebastian had successfully earned a sliver of the Emperor’s trust. Now he flaunted wealth with Mirmod to build political connections.
Compared to that, Baal had nothing. Ever since that ‘paternity test’ humiliation with Mirmod’s little daughter……
“That bastard spawn piece of shit is stealing my place…… and all you’ve got is that?”
The aide trembled without a peep. Baal flung his neck away mercilessly and said.
“Don’t come starting tomorrow. No need for trash in my aide spot.”
Sadly, this aide had lasted exactly one day.
Over a dozen limbs cut off daily as the Crown Prince’s anger outlets.
Teeth clenched so hard they clacked, he watched the crawling, stumbling ex-aide slink away on the floor—cold-eyed.
The spot left by the idiot posing as aide felt chillingly empty. Gazing out the window, he smiled faintly.
“I need Melodia’s stratagems.”
Melodia’s stratagems had captivated Crown Prince Baal at once.
And rightly so—Melodia had driven Grand Duke Sebastian from the capital, bolstering Baal’s position. During their romance, Baal had risen steadily in his father’s eyes.
Until the ‘paternity test’ incident.
‘I still believe in you, Melodia. But where are you now?’
Sadly, Melodia had already gone down the ‘Path of Light,’ cutting off contact.
He’d given up expecting letters. Pressured to marry from all sides, he still held pure devotion to Melodia.
‘Melodia, when you return, give me the temple’s power. Lowly idiot noble ladies don’t catch my eye.’
He believed that with her return, he could easily crush Grand Duke Sebastian and Mirmod alike.
But she hadn’t returned, and five long years had passed.
Clenching his fist, he squeezed until blood trickled from his palm.
And……
Like an illusion, a small, beautiful bluebird appeared at the window he glared at.
Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, he looked again.
No illusion.
A bluebird with pure white paper in its beak fluttered before the window.
A fledgling with such vivid blue feathers—he’d never seen one in five years……!
“Melodia!”
The bluebird had been the messenger for letters from Melodia during their long romance.
Even the yellow beak and half-bent feathers matched.
Overwhelmed with emotion, he flung the window open and snatched the bird’s wing.
The bird’s beak held a note clearly from Melodia. He tossed the bird to the floor like trash and snatched the note.
The note contained exactly what he’d hoped for, astonishingly.
[My love, Baal.
I’ll return soon. Wait just a bit. Oh, and…… I’m gathering children through the priests. They say the Imperial Academy is tainted by Mirmod.
So I’m picking the finest ones separately to do something wonderful.
It’s too much for our power alone, so help a little with gathering the children.
Ahh, my beloved Baal!
I’m preparing something truly splendid. I want to see you soon. I pray you’re well.
P.S. I’ll be back in a few months—can you gather lots of splendid children by then?
Then, Baal, the day you crush Sebastian won’t be far off.]
Reading her note, the Crown Prince soon smirked wickedly.
“Of course, Melodia.”
He folded the note preciously in his hand.
“What’s that to me? You and I will be Emperor and Empress.”
Crown Prince Baal had no need to think twice.
The woman he loved, Melodia, would dirty her hands with blood for him.