Chapter 21
Chapter 21
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: First Spark
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Hmph. After going out of his way to help me, too.”
Returning to her bedroom after leaving the library, Lucillea plopped down on the sofa.
Mei came over and sat beside her.
“Who? Did something happen at the library?”
“Hm? Oh, I was talking about Serdian.”
“The Young Lord?”
“Yes.”
Mei recalled the sight of Serdian storming off just a moment ago after leaving the library.
Mei said indignantly.
“Why? Did the Young Lord say something hurtful to you again?!”
Lucillea chuckled and shook her head.
“No, it wasn't like that. It’s just…”
After a moment of thought, Lucillea continued as if it were no big deal.
“Well, he helped me with something in the library, right? So I thought, since fate brought us together, I’d take the chance to ask him to be friends.”
“And?”
Hehe. Lucillea let out a small, bright laugh and said cheerfully.
“He told me to get lost.”
“...Pardon?”
One of Mei’s eyebrows twitched.
Lucillea giggled, finding Serdian’s reaction rather cute.
“Anyway, he’s not an easy one, that’s for sure.”
Mei then placed her hand on the back of Lucillea’s and spoke in a gentle voice.
“He’s probably just acting that way because it’s unfamiliar to him.”
“Hm? Unfamiliar?”
Mei continued.
“I’m willing to bet you’re the first person to ever approach the Young Lord and ask to be his friend.”
“...”
Lucillea raised an eyebrow.
The first, huh…
True, with that cold, fierce aura of his, approaching him wouldn’t be easy.
Mei said, her voice laced with suppressed laughter.
“To be honest, I’ve never seen anyone invite the Young Lord to a meal before.”
Lucillea scratched her cheek in embarrassment.
“Well, it’s only natural for family to eat together… And I felt like I might have interrupted the meal between His Highness and Serdian.”
Mei gave a faint smile at Lucillea’s words.
“The two of them don’t eat together anyway.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Yes. So I wanted to tell you not to be too disheartened. The Young Lord’s attitude is likely just because he finds you unfamiliar.”
“...I see.”
Unfamiliar…
‘That’s right. Serdian has always been alone.’
Aside from his aide, he was destined to live a lonely life until he met the female lead, Cynthia.
‘It’s hitting me all over again, but the original Cynthia seems pretty amazing.’
How on earth did she win the heart of that blunt, cold boy?
I’m sure Cynthia had her own share of troubles.
But.
‘What was the event that made Cynthia win Serdian’s heart again?’
Ah… I remember now…
‘In the original story, Serdian almost died because of the assassins I sent…’
It was Cynthia who saved Serdian with her divine power as he lay dying in a dark, narrow alley.
Like any female protagonist, Cynthia was incredibly righteous. That’s why she couldn’t have just left Serdian to die.
‘That must be why she became a saintess.’
Cynthia was born to a courtesan who had been used and abandoned by some nobleman. Despite a miserable childhood that could have easily made her go astray, she grew up to be good and kind-hearted.
Just like a protagonist.
‘But the current me isn’t going to send assassins after Serdian.’
So how will those two meet?
Lucillea shrugged.
Who cares.
‘I don’t even know what my own fate will be tomorrow, how am I supposed to know the protagonists’ future?’
If they’re truly fated to meet, they’ll meet someday, somehow.
‘Just worrying about and protecting my own life is more than enough for me.’
For now, I have to befriend Serdian by any means necessary and prevent his descent into darkness.
I might have impulsively asked him to be friends in the library, but if we could really become friends!
That might just be the answer.
A boy with the character of a male lead wouldn’t recklessly kill someone who became his friend.
‘If Serdian gets used to hanging out with me, making friends will probably become a little easier for him.’
Then, when Cynthia shows up later, the two of them will be able to get close more quickly and naturally.
Lucillea nodded, having come to her own realization.
To make the unfamiliar familiar, the best way is...
“To show my face often!”
“...”
Lucillea beamed and squeezed Mei’s hand tightly.
“Mei! Can you tell me Serdian’s daily schedule?!”
***
As night deepened, hazy gray clouds drifted before the moonlight in the skies of the Grand Duchy.
“Good night, Lady Lucillea.”
“You too, Mei!”
“Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Good night, Mei! Lucillea waved enthusiastically at Mei as she left the bedroom.
Thump. The door closed, and a few moments passed.
“...”
Lucillea, who had been sitting in silent darkness, stealthily rose and watched the door.
‘She’s gone, right?’
At that, Cookie, who had been pretending to sleep in his cage with his eyes closed, snapped them open.
[She’s gone! I can’t hear her footsteps anymore, Lucy!]
‘Good.’
Lucillea got out of bed, lit the lamp on the bedside table, and carried it over to her desk.
Watching her, Cookie grabbed the metal door of his cage with his beak.
Clank, clank. Cookie shook his head a few times, opened the door, and came out.
Lucillea turned to Cookie and let out a small, incredulous laugh.
“What in the world? You know how to open that?”
[For a smart parrot like me, this is basic stuff.]
“...”
After a moment of bewilderment, Lucillea walked back to the desk, pulled out the chair, and sat down.
She then opened a drawer, took out paper and a pen, and began to write.
“Wake up at 4 AM for physical training, breakfast at 7, heir lessons from 9…”
Cookie flew onto the desk and hopped over to the paper Lucillea was scribbling on.
Looking at the words being scrawled onto the white paper, Cookie asked.
[What are you writing?]
“Serdian’s typical day.”
[...?”]
Cookie tilted his head to one side, as if he didn’t understand.
Lucillea continued writing.
‘Lunch at 12 followed by a short break, sword training from 2, dinner at 6 followed by more heir lessons…’
Wow… this is insane.
Lucillea muttered to herself.
‘This is the typical schedule for a thirteen-year-old?’
Of course, she’d been told the schedule wasn’t followed to the letter.
The plan was meticulous, but it could be adjusted flexibly depending on the situation.
But this schedule doesn’t look manageable even with a few adjustments…
‘Wow… He really lives a tiring life.’
The life of a male lead isn’t all that easy, I guess.
‘Then again, it’s standard for novel protagonists to struggle and struggle until they reach their happy ending.’
But.
‘Why am I so exhausted when I’m not even the protagonist?’
Lucillea let out a deep sigh and stared at Serdian’s schedule on the paper for a long time.
‘The problem is, I can’t see any opening to squeeze into Serdian’s life…’
His schedule was so packed there was hardly any room to wedge myself in.
Then, she vigorously circled the ‘7 AM Breakfast’ part with the tip of her pen.
“Yes. I’ll aim for the 7 AM breakfast time.”
Since Lucillea also had lessons starting at 9, they could spend about two hours together.
“It would be nice to have lunch together after our lessons, too. I’m curious to see Serdian training at the sparring grounds, so maybe I can ask to watch?”
Cookie then spoke in a disapproving tone.
[What about your homework? What about your training? What if you can’t finish your homework or training and get kicked out of the Grand Duke’s estate?!]
Lucillea scoffed at Cookie’s nagging.
“I have a plan, you know? I was just about to start my homework anyway.”
She then extended her arms forward while still sitting in the chair.
“I think this was the Master’s stance.”
[You need to bend your elbows a little more.]
“Like this?”
[Five more degrees!]
“About this much?”
[Hey, you bent them too much.]
“Like this?”
[Good! That’s perfect!]
“Okay!”
Recalling Noa’s posture, Lucillea got into position and then extended just her index finger.
She then stared at the tip of her finger.
-“Just remember three things.”
-“Just remember three things.”
-“Just remember three things.”
Lucillea recalled Noa’s words again.
“Recognition, concentration, acceptance.”
-“Recognize the magic within your body.”
-“Recognize the magic within your body.”
-“Recognize the magic within your body.”
Lucillea briefly closed her eyes. She focused her mind, chasing the energy that filled her body.
The moment she found and felt the energy pooled near her heart, she opened her eyes again.
-“Concentrate to control it.”
-“Concentrate to control it.”
-“Concentrate to control it.”
Recalling Noa’s teachings as best she could, Lucillea carefully began to move the energy inside her body toward her fingertip.
Vwooom—. As her mind, body, and energy interlocked like a single mass, a low hum vibrated from Lucillea’s body.
Perhaps because she was pouring out such immense concentration, she herself didn’t notice the change.
‘Recognition, concentration, acceptance, recognition, concentration, acceptance…!’
-“And understand the nature of your magic, then accept it. Once you’ve passed the recognition and concentration stages, acceptance will follow naturally.”
-“And understand the nature of your magic, then accept it. Once you’ve passed the recognition and concentration stages, acceptance will follow naturally.”
-“And understand the nature of your magic, then accept it. Once you’ve passed the recognition and concentration stages, acceptance will follow naturally.”
At that moment.
The air around her rippled gently.
And then, fwoosh—! A verdant spark, resembling the freshness of new leaves, blossomed at the tip of Lucillea’s index finger.
[Oh!]
“Oh!”
It was tiny and faint compared to Noa’s flame, but it was unmistakably a flame she had created herself.
[Lucy!! F-fire! There’s a fire!]
“Whoa!”
Cookie’s fuss made Lucillea excited as well.
‘I did it! I really did it!’
And on the first try!
‘This is different from before, when I struggled because I didn’t know how.’
So this is how you wield magic.
When I moved the energy filling and flowing through my body according to Noa’s teachings, drawing out the magic was easy.
It was a world of difference from when I had to force it out in the cabin or in front of Elbadin.
‘This wasn’t just some fluke!’
Am I not a total genius?!
‘Woooow!!! I did it!! I really did—!’
Just as Lucillea, unable to hide her excitement, was about to savor the joy of her success.
Fwoosh—!
“Gasp?!”
[Eek!]
The flame on her fingertip had spread to the window curtains.