Chapter 79
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: The Palace's Mage (1)
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"I hear the name of the one being appointed as Archmage this time is Lunaris Evermoon."
Duke Adrian's remark slipped out the moment the chef brought out the main dish.
A heavy silence settled over the long table beneath the glittering chandelier, where only two people sat.
The duke wiped the corner of his mouth with his napkin and continued in an indifferent tone.
"The top freshman at Elterion Academy this year is also Lunaris Evermoon. Are they the same person, Miriel?"
Miriel Adrian, having a rare one-on-one lunch with her father, quietly set down her utensils and smiled bitterly to herself.
Just as I thought.
'No wonder Father wanted to have lunch alone with me.'
The reason for summoning her—the 'ambiguous second child,' neither the family's pride and joy of an older sister nor the designated heir younger brother—was obvious.
To run some errand no better than menial labor.
Or to fetch information beneficial to the family.
"Yes, Father. She's enrolled in the Magic Engineering Department at Elterion Academy."
Her voice was so businesslike it was hard to believe they were father and daughter.
Since her father saw his daughter as a tool, she couldn't bring herself to grow attached to him either.
'Come to think of it, I heard that girl Lunaris recently got certified as an Archmage at the Mage Tower.'
It was a rumor anyone could pick up without even activating an intelligence network.
The birth of the youngest Archmage ever was the talk of the Belhart Empire.
'A first-year becoming an Archmage...'
Come to think of it, Raymond Cloud, head of the Magic Department, had said Lunaris had the talent to achieve Archmage status before graduating from the academy.
But graduation? She had been recognized by the magical world as an Archmage before even a year had passed since enrollment.
What a monstrous kid.
"I see. And since you're in the same Four Seasons Society, you must have some connection to Lunaris Evermoon."
His tone implied that his daughter topping her year was a given.
Duke Adrian sliced into the steak before him and continued.
"What kind of child is she?"
"Well..."
Miriel chose her words carefully for a moment.
If she stripped away the filters and spoke her mind raw... something like the incarnation of sloth, a ticking time bomb, and an incomprehensible monster.
But she couldn't utter undignified words in front of the duke.
"...She's a junior whose next move you can't predict. Her personality is quite unique too. However."
Miriel's eyes calmed steadily.
"Her magical prowess is the real deal."
"Hmm."
"She wields bizarre, overwhelming magic that's beyond my shallow understanding."
It was only natural for an Archmage candidate to be skilled in magic.
Yet Lunaris's magic existed on a whole other plane from other mages'.
Miriel tried to convey the shock she'd felt in as much detail as possible.
"I'm not asking about Lunaris Evermoon's magical skills."
Of course, for a duke who was noble and politician to the bone, a mage's qualifications meant little.
"What about her connections? I hear the vice-captain of the Imperial Mage Corps is her guardian."
"Well..."
"And lately, there are reports she's been close to the Third Princess. How true is that?"
What? He already knows everything.
Then why bother asking?
Miriel grumbled inwardly but opened her mouth.
"Given her personality, it's unlikely she'll join the Imperial Mage Corps. She hates being tied down anywhere."
"Is that so? That's valuable information."
"As for the Third Princess, it seems they started hanging out around the end of the semester, but it looks like one-sided pursuit from Her Highness."
Miriel drew a careful line.
She didn't want to admit that the Third Princess had succeeded in winning over Lunaris, whom she herself had failed to recruit.
"The Third Princess is desperate in her own way at the academy."
Duke Adrian stroked his chin, lost in thought for a moment.
"Actually, His Highness the Second Prince has taken an interest in Lunaris Evermoon."
"She's the youngest Archmage in Belhart Empire history. It's only natural he'd take interest."
"Indeed. However, other factions seem cautious about approaching her."
The duke emptied his wine glass and muttered as if to himself.
"More than anything, isn't she too young?"
Being young was a huge advantage in the magical world.
But in politics, youth was a fatal flaw.
"What the palace expects from a mage lacking political insight is the title of supreme or strongest. 'Youngest' holds no meaning."
"..."
"By the time that child is called the empire's greatest mage, the contest for the throne will already be over."
There was something Duke Adrian didn't know.
Lunaris was the highest-scoring entrant in Elterion Academy's entrance exam since its founding.
A title unattainable without talent not just in magic, but in economics and political acumen as well.
Hadn't she casually proposed brilliant solutions that cut straight to the core in the Four Seasons Society?
And another thing.
'Father's wrong.'
Too young? Still immature?
Far from it.
No one who'd witnessed Lunaris Evermoon's magic with their own eyes could make such a judgment.
Miriel recalled the overwhelming magic Lunaris had displayed during last semester's magic exchange tournament.
'How is that the magic of an immature mage?'
No need to look far.
With her current abilities and growth rate, Miriel was certain that by the time she graduated from Elterion Academy alongside the Third Princess, the title of empire's greatest mage would be Lunaris's.
"Well, His Highness the Second Prince isn't planning anything immediate... He just wants to at least meet her face once."
It never hurt to make a prior impression.
Miriel nodded slightly in agreement with her father's guess.
She appeared to concur outwardly, but her inner thoughts differed slightly.
Words rose to the tip of her tongue: You can't approach Lunaris with such a casual mindset.
But Miriel held them back.
This was something you had to experience firsthand to understand.
"I won't be able to attend the Archmage appointment ceremony this time."
Miriel refocused on Duke Adrian's voice.
"So, Miriel, attend in my stead."
"Yes. Understood, Father."
"When you go, introduce Lunaris Evermoon to His Highness the Second Prince naturally."
"...Pardon?"
"You've met through Four Seasons Society activities, so arranging a conversation shouldn't be hard, right?"
His casual tone carried an unmistakable command: Make it happen.
Miriel could only nod dazedly.
"Ah, understood, Father..."
"Finish your meal. I have another appointment, so I'll take my leave first."
Satisfied with her response, Duke Adrian rose from his seat.
Watching his receding back, Miriel belatedly grasped the reality.
'W-Wait a minute.'
Introduce her to His Highness the Second Prince?
Lunaris Evermoon?
...Me?
Cold sweat suddenly beaded on her forehead.
'I'm... not even that close to Lunaris...?'
Of course, they were in the same Four Seasons Society.
They'd chatted occasionally, and she'd played a few mischievous pranks when Lunaris was doing maid service.
But that was it.
Did they even greet each other in the hallways...?
She thought she had from her side, but had it been reciprocated?
She'd tried signaling interest in getting closer.
But Lunaris's walls were thick.
Come to think of it, they hardly ever had proper conversations.
She could count them on one hand: once in the Ghost Story Research Club room, twice in Linea Hall, three times in the Four Seasons Society. And that was it.
'This is just "know her face" level...!'
And she was supposed to introduce her to His Highness the Second Prince?
No one else, but that Lunaris?
"Th-This... this is bad... isn't it...?"
Miriel's face paled.
No matter how she thought about it, she saw no solution.
*
Back at my sweet home, Linea Hall, after the grueling schedule at the Mage Tower.
I sprawled on the bed, basking in the AC breeze.
"Haaah... this is the life..."
The problem was I could only enjoy this comfort and bliss for half a day before being dragged off somewhere again.
"Get up, Miss Lunaris."
The academy's absolute evil.
Worse than any Black Mage—the ultimate wicked witch.
Magic Department Head, the sleep-ruiner supreme, Raymond Cloud, had come to drag me out of bed.
"It's about time to go. The carriage from the palace is waiting."
"...Department Head."
I wrapped myself in the blanket and groaned pitifully.
"Can't I just say I'm sick and skip it?"
Like acute mana backlash erupting.
Or some mysterious incurable disease.
Or maybe I went mad from overdoing magic research!
"No. What happens if the star of the appointment ceremony is absent?"
"Can't someone stand in for me? It worked for the entrance ceremony."
"Is an appointment ceremony the same as an entrance ceremony? Besides, you shouldn't have skipped that either, Miss Lunaris!!"
Raymond, in his uniform, placed hands on his hips and raised his voice.
"You made a promise with Tower Master Eleanor too, didn't you? To definitely attend the ceremony!"
"Ugh, I did say that..."
"Oh, and the Tower Master told me this: if you keep throwing a fit about not going, she'll come fetch you herself."
"...!"
I let out a deep, earth-shattering sigh.
"Fine. I'll go, I'll go."
I groaned as I slowly hauled myself up.
"There, I'm up. Let's go now."
"..."
The department head gaped, scanning me up and down in disbelief.
"Miss Lunaris, you're not planning to go to the palace looking like that, are you?"
"...Huh? Why not?"
At my words, Raymond smacked his forehead in exasperation.
"Mirror... Look in the mirror first."
Led by his hand, I stood before the full-length mirror in the room.
A disheveled mess stared back at me.
My long hair stuck out wildly in a bird's nest, and my face bore clear sleep creases.
"Hmm, yeah, this is a bit much."
I rubbed my eyes to remove the crust.
Then I wetted my finger with spit and pressed down the jutting strands.
The stubborn spike on my crown... yeah, let's call it a charm point, idiot hair.
"This should do it, right?"
Raymond smacked his forehead again and staggered.
"In all my life... I've never seen someone try to go to the palace without even washing up."
Finally, he clapped decisively with a resolute expression.
"You called, Department Head Raymond?"
At that moment, the academy's second scourge, Odette, stormed into my room with her maid legion in tow.
As if she'd been waiting for the signal.
"...Wh-Wha?"
Before I could back away, the maids seized my limbs in an instant.
"Take all the time you need—just turn Miss Lunaris into a proper human being."
"Leave it to us. We'll reincarnate her fitting for the star of the ceremony."
"As expected of the head maid. I trust you."
W-Wait.
Didn't some scary word just pop out?!
"Reincarnate? You mean you're gonna kill me... Eek!"
"Miss Lunaris, stay still and it'll be over quicker."
"W-Wait... at least make it painless... GyaAaAaAaK!!"