Chapter 14
Chapter 14
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: When Your Choice Calls Me (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday after school.
That was two days before Irha heard the news of Mirha's terminal condition from the head nun at Livingston Orphanage.
Sharak—
The only sound was the soft, elegant rustle of turning pages. This was a quiet café.
In this old-fashioned, cozy café, only two people sat enjoying afternoon tea time.
"How is it? Does the new tea suit your taste, Rizli?"
The voice that broke the silence belonged to Leon.
Gone was the spine-chilling viper from Monday on the rooftop; now it was a gentle, sweet tone.
His somewhat overbearing, almost condescending speech had softened into a more equal footing since that day.
He had gripped Rizli by the nape and turned her into an obedient dog, but he was kind to his pets.
As long as they obeyed and didn't bare their teeth at him, he was a generous master who showered them with favor.
His attitude toward Rizli, marked by a thin but firm line, had completely changed since Monday.
"Ah... It's so comforting, Your Highness. Fragrant... and it feels like my fatigue is melting away?"
"I'm glad you're satisfied. I picked the leaves myself to suit your taste."
Of course, that's exactly why Rizli feared Leon even more.
She knew that the moment she disappointed him, this favor would turn into daggers and whips.
Rizli was wicked but also worldly-wise, so she felt Leon's nature deeply.
Having taken his outstretched hand, she knew there was no escaping his grasp now.
'If I've become his pet dog... yeah, I need to crawl all the way into the master's bedroom...'
Rizli had no intention of settling for this sneaky backroom affair.
She only pondered how to eliminate the obstacles Marisa and Ras in a way that would please her master.
However, unlike that terrifying Monday, Leon hadn't given her any orders since.
Rizli couldn't dare ask her master impertinent questions, so she stayed silent.
Yeah, it's only been two days. He must have plans... It was just as Rizli thought that.
"Recently... I happened to get my hands on a rather interesting paper. Want to take a look, Rizli?"
Leon elegantly handed the paper he was reading to Rizli.
It was a collection of theses on rare mana-related symptoms in individual cases.
Unlike ordinary papers, this was akin to classified research data, not obtainable through normal means.
It wasn't really a thesis but more like an experimental report written after mild clinical trials and sampling that wouldn't harm the subjects.
Those too poor for proper tests on rare diseases often provided personal info and participated in exams and experiments.
Of course, for Prince Leon, acquiring such material was effortless.
Rizli, receiving the rare document, skimmed it with mild interest.
Rizli was an exceptional mage for her age, with broad interests in magic.
The section Leon was reading wasn't unfamiliar to her, even if it was to others.
It described mana frozen and crystallized near a young girl's heart in ice crystal form.
There had been a similar case in Gracia family history—a head who miraculously survived.
She read and analyzed slowly, offering opinions on awkward parts.
"This covers quite a rare symptom? The case here is too young... 6 months? This is wrong. Should be max 3 months... Wait, why this...?"
Leon smiled and pointed to the title.
"Anyway, the title is very important. Even street novels flop without a good one."
"...?"
Rizli looked up to the title Leon indicated.
<Mana-Related Rare Symptom Research Report_Case098765-a6674_Research Subject Name: Mirha Livingston (Livingston Orphanage)>
"Doesn't that name ring a bell? Like, say, our classmate who loves weird foods."
"Irha... Irha Livingston...?"
Leon didn't answer directly but smiled faintly, pulling something from his inner pocket.
It was a transparent crystal vial filled with clear liquid.
"What's this?"
The liquid inside gleamed pristinely, like ultra-purified distilled water.
"Mongma's Tear. A very effective aphrodisiac. Pretty color for one, right?"
"Mongma's Tear...?"
Even Rizli, raised in nobility and well-versed in potions and poisons since childhood, had never heard of it.
"One vial turns even enemies at each other's throats into lovers for a night of ecstasy. Colorless, odorless elixir."
Leon uncorked it and held it briefly to Rizli's nose.
True to the description, the rippling liquid had no scent.
He recorked it and placed it in her hand.
"This is a secret imperial drug—no post-use detection issues. Use it freely."
A poor commoner's sister with a rare disease. And a traceless aphrodisiac.
Leon gently stroked the dazed Rizli's cheek as she held the vial.
To him, she still harbored venom but remained naive.
But a prince's—no, future emperor's—pet dog couldn't be naive or dumb.
She needed to amuse her master with clever, vicious tricks even he might not think of.
If she couldn't set the stage with such perfect clues and props, she was disqualified.
"Rizli. The best actor crafts their own script from the props given. Consider this a test for my future partner. You've got all the clues and props."
"I get what you're saying. I'll do my best."
Her quick grasp showed the grace of a venomous viper... Rizli was Rizli indeed.
Leon swallowed his praise but anticipated her scheme.
"Don't dawdle too long, or the fun fades. Show me the play before May, at least?"
"Understood. Soon... as enjoyably as possible."
Rizli tucked the vial away, bowed to Leon, and left first.
Outside, she pulled out her communication magic tool, found the contact, and typed a message.
Recipient: Emma Agnelri.
[Emma, important talk. Very important, so come alone to Tellamine Salon by six.]
Amusingly, her first act as Leon's full pet was to create her own hunting dog.
Friday again.
Irha, who had received Mirha's terminal diagnosis that morning, couldn't remember a thing she'd done all day.
She forgot her daily voluntary bread tribute to Ras in the mornings, carefree snacking, even meals.
Ras and Marisa, who had started talking recently, sensed her mood and left her alone.
Two more in the classroom watched the pale, trembling Irha intently: Rizli and Emma, who had a long secret talk late Wednesday night in a sealed salon.
In that airtight space, Rizli and Emma forged a new, firm, secret lord-vassal pact.
Absolute loyalty exchanged for fitting rewards.
Confirming Irha's state, they nodded subtly to each other.
To one drowning in an endless swamp, even a murderer's hand would feel like salvation.
During homeroom, Tiriya, their professor, briefly explained next week's team evaluation.
"You know team evals start next Wednesday? This year's is Maugendorf Forest expedition."
Maugendorf Forest was a large woods not far from Leone Academy.
Managed by Leone and the Sephiros Empire for student training and evaluations.
Monsters controlled to non-explosive levels, traps with periodic magic installs and checks.
"Specific criteria given right before entry... Heaviest weight this semester, so discuss hard over the weekend. Dismissed!"
No specifics, but team forest expedition meant standard evals: teamwork, crisis response, finding hidden academy items, survival, etc.
Most students already pondered it mentally.
Groups formed early, heads together in discussion.
"Hey, Irha."
Ras poked the dazed Irha, still sitting blankly, not packing.
"Huh... huh? Ras. Yeah..."
"We're on the same team. Gotta meet up this weekend to prep."
Of course, it barely registered in Irha's head.
"Uh... yeah... eval... team..."
Their teammates had gathered around unnoticed.
Ras raised a hand to quiet their murmurs.
"Okay, as captain, I'll organize. Supplies? Most get rejected anyway. Surviving on standard gear is probably part of it..."
Ras roughly recalled his past life's forest eval, piecing it together.
He didn't remember fine details like content or process.
His mental state back then was too shredded to focus.
Just spewing vague atmosphere and remembered frames.
What concerned him more was Irha's state.
She'd clearly faced her tragedy...
And across, Rizli and Emma with their teams, watching Irha—like in his past life, hand in hand.
'What a mess. If they use Emma to approach Irha now, it'll mirror the past soon enough?'
To Ras, contact would happen today, putting Irha at a crossroads.
"Alright, that's it for today. Got somewhere urgent. Details tomorrow—lunch outside? Meet at main gate, 11:50."
Ras hastily wrapped up, packed, and stood.
Glancing at Irha, he left the classroom.
Confirming Ras gone, Rizli and Emma dismissed their teams casually.
Rizli packed and left; soon, only dazed Irha and approaching Emma remained.
"Irha Livingston. Want to make a deal?"
Emma's shrill, venomous voice made Irha look up blankly.
Her eyes were dull, like a gull swallowing stale bread crumbs.
"Deal...? With you? Who... are you again...?"
Kkak—
Irha truly didn't know Emma well, so it was thoughtless; but to Emma, infuriating.
Extreme classist, she loathed mixing words with a commoner—poorest of poor, sneakily called 'pleb scum'—and now dismissed as nobody? Double rage.
But she quelled it.
This was her glorious queen-making first step.
No ruining it with petty anger.
"Silly. Emma Agnelri. Forgetting a classmate? Too much."
"......"
Mentally exhausted, starved all day, dizzy—Irha couldn't respond.
"Doesn't matter if you know me. Your sister's really sick now, right?"
Knowing to steer to what hooks interest, Emma went straight.
"How do you know that?"
She bit.
Seeing Irha's eyes widen with life and desperation, Emma smirked inwardly.
"My career goal's magical medicine. Saw it by chance in a new journal."
Blatant lie, but Irha couldn't tell.
"Ah... Then the deal...?"
Emma glanced around, elegantly tossing hair back.
"Hmm... Ears might be listening. Move spots? I'll buy tea."
Efficiently grabbing Irha's bag too, she arm-linked like besties and dragged her to a café.
In the quiet café with just them, Emma's tongue danced skillfully.
Last shift at 'Bald Man's Ecstasy'.
This odd restaurant was quieter midweek than fiery Fridays—ironically busier weekends.
Quiet Friday evening, a guest or two done eating and gone, lonely hush.
Irha wiped a table haphazardly, slumped in a chair anyhow.
Just before leaving work, café talk with Emma replayed panoramically.
"Not huge, but for next eval... Slip this to Ras at a good time?"
"What's this? Why give it to Ras...?"
The ultra-clear liquid looked like pure water.
"Family pressure's insane... Need good grades this test. My rival's Ras."
Academy ranks: top tiers fixed regardless of year.
Fluid zone: kids like Ras and Emma, the 'iffy middles'.
Emma tongue-lashed before Irha could probe properly.
"Normally too proud to ask, but Ras beat Blever somehow? Need him nerfed this test..."
No explanation on the mystery liquid yet, but Irha guessed.
No, even called dumb, she knew it wasn't tonic or elixir.
"Temporarily disrupts mana flow mildly. No side effects, self-resolves over time—not enough to fail him."
"B-but why me...?"
Emma sidled close, whispering intimately.
"You're on his team. And... desperate enough to keep secret? Paper says surgery essential—but no funds?"
Obviously Agnelri couldn't cover, but Irha didn't know.
In her narrow world, nobles were endlessly rich.
Mirha's surgery: impossible for poor her/orphanage even selling organs; easy for nobles.
Gulp!
Eyes grave in conflict, swallowing; Emma timed the wedge.
If hesitating on harm, ease the guilt.
"No biggie. I can drink it now, show effects."
Emma pulled an identical vial—actually water—gulped it.
"Mana'll glitch 2-3 hours, but... see? Still usable."
Smiling, sparking a tiny flame, her face impish.
"Think... sister's life on line? Secret guaranteed. You save her, I win... Deal?"
"But... Ras? He's innocent?"
Emma snuffed the flame, stroked Irha's head.
Irha's feeble morals amused her.
Choice predetermined, yet play-acting purity? Annoying.
"Ras is strong now, inherits merchant group—no grade obsession. Even if he finds out later, he'll forgive."
Done, Emma stood.
Innate villain, she knew to yield a step in negotiation.
"If too guilty, no choice. If you refuse, no one else to ask. Worst case, drop out and marry as Dad says..."
Regretful expression/tone, slipping her plight—masterful close.
"So, Irha. Decide by Tuesday. Hope positive. See next week?"
Her wavering eyes confirmed: dumb pleb would grab Emma's hand.
Her master's script was brilliant, she thought, sneering as she left without proper refusal.
Irha watched her go, devil from tales lingering.
'Yeah... resolve...!!! Irha...! Steel your heart!'
After agonies, Irha decided.
Now starving after day's fast, she headed kitchen to scavenge.
Then.
"Don't they take orders here? Food's great, bald shines, but server's bland. Change sign, prof?"
"Kkirruk!!!!"
Sudden voice: Irha jumped like thief gull spotting cucumber.
"Oh~ Be sweet to girls, Ras. You scared her with harsh words~"
Suddenly before her: Ras and Prof. Rozali.
Here for dinner together.
"Ras...!"
"Why....!"
Eyes squeezed shut, calling his name; Ras mirrored.
Opening, Irha's eyes brimmed tears, voice quivering.
"Buy... food...! Hungry... so hungry..!"
Ras smiled at her teary eyes, usual blank-but-now-sobbing voice.
Somehow... deeply relieved smile.
"Kids..! Not so loud in public..!"
Innocent Rozali just scolded the loud villains.
A Friday night where everything differed from ten years ago.