It's Convenient to Finish Early
Morgan opened her eyes.
“…Haaam.”
She had fallen asleep after reading until late into the night, and now her neck felt stiff. “Ugh…”
The area in front of the bed was a complete mess. What filled her vision were books stacked haphazardly and luxurious alchemy tools scattered everywhere. It was a chaotic room, but it was nothing compared to that dusty storage shed she used to live in.
Morgan lifted her head and looked toward the table. There sat a mana stone that could heat reagents without fire, and atop it rested a brass cauldron used for alchemy. Inside, her final exam assignment was bubbling away.
She checked the contents.
Bubble, bubble—
“…”
…It’s done.
The final exam assignment—manufacturing a reagent that included elemental mana reactions—was complete. She had simply thrown in the exact measured ingredients and boiled them, and it was finished. Morgan spoke with a hollow voice.
“What the hell? This is disgustingly easy.”
At this level, even an eight-year-old could do it. Damn that old man Edmond. He had threatened them that the assignment would be difficult when he handed it out.
Those who cannot read the flow of mana will not even be qualified to witness the completion of the reagent. Furthermore, those who cannot see the true nature of the ingredients will be unable to understand the numbers written on paper.
“…”
Just skim through it, figure out which properties each ingredient has when it feels right, and you’re done. What’s the big deal…
It seemed like nothing more than nonsense meant to keep the freshmen in line. Acting all petty at his age. Hmph.
“…”
While grumbling inwardly, Morgan ran a wooden comb through her hair with quick strokes. With a pleasant scratch scratch sound, her red locks flowed like a river.
Hmph, I don’t want to look disheveled in front of that guy. This is a genius’s pride.
With that thought, she elegantly straightened the wrinkles in her pajamas. Just as she was about to head outside—
“!”
Oh right. Eye crust…
Morgan spun around in a hurry. She fumbled across the bed, which was covered in all sorts of books, searching for a mirror. Found it!
She wiped the mirror with her sleeve and slowly examined her face.
“…”
Hmm. Hmmm…
There was no eye crust. Did I gain weight?
Something felt off. Her cheekbones seemed rounder than before. And strangely, her red eyes—which used to gleam in the dark—now only sparkled a little.
I swear they used to shine like a cat’s.
Still, not all the changes were bad.
My mouth doesn’t hurt anymore, my skin has a pink glow and feels smooth, and my nails and hair are growing incredibly fast.
It had been two months since she started living with Lydia. She felt like she had changed in many ways.
I wonder if Lydia will think it’s weird when she comes back from her dawn training…
“…”
…Hmph. Whatever. So annoying.
Hmph. What, me? Did you think I’d change? Huh? What, me? Did you think I’d care about you?
You think I’ll follow you every time you leave at dawn? You think I’ll be anxiously waiting, wondering when you’ll come back? I’m a busy person too. I don’t care about that stuff.
“Hmph.”
Morgan tossed the mirror onto the bed. Today as well, she was an elegant and neat genius witch. She had only checked to confirm that fact. She definitely hadn’t been checking anything else.
“…Hmph.”
She flung the door open and stepped out. In the hallway, a black-haired middle-aged woman—Lydia’s maid, Mirian—was passing by. She smiled gently and greeted her.
“Good morning, Lady Morgan. Shall I prepare breakfast for you?”
“…”
“Ah, Her Highness the Princess said she would return after finishing her dawn training. She should be back soon.”
“…”
“Would you like to eat first?”
“…I-I’ll take a bath first.”
“Understood.”
Her short legs moved hurriedly. Tap tap tap!
“F-Faster…!”
Morgan hastily gathered her school uniform to change into. In her head, she calculated the shortest route. If she took a bath and then dried her hair with a towel, it would take too much time.
If I combine wind and flame magic to create hot air… since wind and fire attributes are in a mutually reinforcing relationship, I can reduce the number of activation words…
In front of the bathtub filled with warm water, she stripped off her pajamas in a flurry while designing an application of basic magic. It was a level of talent that had transcended calculation and reached pure instinct. A realm only possible by resonating with mana as naturally as breathing. And she was using that terrifying genius solely to save a bit of time.
Splash!
Morgan’s smooth body sank into the tub. She rubbed her small palms vigorously, washing her face, shampooing her hair, and scrubbing her body all at once.
Swoosh, swoosh…
Mirian listened to the sounds with a bitter smile.
“…It’s way too obvious.”
*
When Lydia returned, she smiled brightly. Across the table sat Morgan, perfectly composed and neatly dressed, eating her breakfast with a prim expression.
“To take care of cleanliness the moment you wake up—you really are a meticulous one.”
“Hmph, I’m a genius witch. I must maintain perfect condition from the moment I open my eyes.”
“What remarkable logic. I was planning to eat first and wash afterward… but it seems better to wash before eating. It’s more rational from a hygiene standpoint.”
“…Why don’t you just eat with me and wash after? You have to brush your teeth too.”
“Hehe, I see. Shortening the route. My thinking was shallow.”
Lydia nodded and began eating her breakfast. Her sweat-dampened golden hair swayed gently in the morning breeze.
“…”
Morgan let out a small chuckle. This eccentric royal would immediately try to copy any method of shortening routes she discovered, no matter how trivial.
She acts like not a single drop of blood would come out of her in public, but once you live with her, you realize she has quite a few loose screws.
For example…
The way she eats only with a knife to reduce the amount of dishes to wash.
Slice, slice. A single knife moved skillfully. In front of Lydia, various fruits and breads were being cut into perfect cubes. It was fascinating how dexterously she handled even a dull knife.
And then—
“Mmm.”
She put it in her mouth. Using the knife.
“…”
It was a truly barbaric way of eating, like the savages who lived clustered together in the northern continent. The nobles of Gallia or the Republic would probably be shocked if they saw it.
But she’s annoyingly beautiful, so even that bizarre behavior looks refined. It’s infuriating. It looks like some kind of religious ritual.
She did many other strange things too. Claiming it reduced laundry, she slept completely naked at night. Or she would wake up without leaving a single wrinkle on the bed… She did all sorts of things unbefitting of a princess.
Yet her naked body was as beautiful as a noble statue, and her perfectly organized room looked like a sacred space.
She’s just too damn pretty…
Saying that sounded stupid.
“…”
The scariest part was that she herself knew it wasn’t normal behavior.
“…”
Hmm. Hmmm… Was she just an extraordinary idiot?
Pursuing rationality is one thing, but rejecting the fact that irrational behavior can also align with social rationality is hilarious…
Even that was part of Lydia’s charm, wasn’t it?
Anyway. She was the kind of woman who lived wildly, believing that being pretty made everything okay.
“…”
Just as she was thinking that, Lydia tilted her head and spoke.
“Morgan, is something the matter? Your hand has stopped.”
“!”
“Does the food not suit your taste?”
“No, I was just lost in thought for a moment.”
“I see.”
“…”
That casually smiling face somehow irritated her.
…If you’re curious, just ask. Don’t just nod like you already know everything.
Hmph.
*
That concludes today’s lecture. The deadline for the final assignment will be strictly enforced, so make sure to submit it properly.
Old man Edmond exited the room with an arrogant stride.
“!”
Morgan lifted her head. Grayish time had passed. It had been a painful period of enduring stupid lessons among idiots.
She hurriedly stuffed her notebook and materials into her bag.
“…!”
She wanted to get out of here as fast as possible. Just hearing their voices made her nauseous.
“…”
What nonsense. It’s because you all have rocks for brains. I can do it with my eyes closed.
I just couldn’t before because I didn’t have money for the ingredients.
She no longer needed to worry about money. She didn’t need the Republic either. Idiots. Morons. She felt like throwing up.
Morgan quickly left her seat.
This isn’t where I belong.
Not a single one of the Magic Department freshmen noticed that she had disappeared.
*
“…Am I an idiot?”
She just felt depressed. It felt like she had run away from idiots. And the fact that she had run away in such a hurry made her feel like a real idiot.
“…”
Morgan was walking across the campus when she suddenly stopped.
“…Those damn mutts.”
Far below in the training grounds, a boy and a girl were running around like fools. The silver-haired girl in the lead shouted cheerfully. Her voice had been rising without limit lately.
In the end, Arty collapsed on the spot, gasping for breath. Aria hurriedly ran over to him.
“…”
Morgan understood.
Ah. They really are idiots.
Those two are the real idiots.
For some reason, her heart felt refreshed. If even those kinds of people could breathe and live under the sun, then she could surely do the same.
“…Let’s go back.”
Morgan quickened her steps. Then a welcome voice came from behind her.
“Are your classes over?”
“!”
She turned around. Under the sun, golden hair fluttered and sparkled like sunlight. Lydia approached with leisurely steps. She glanced at Aria, who was clinging to Arty and apologizing profusely.
“…Hehe. What lovable children.”
“Them? The ones who ran like idiots and then collapsed?”
“Isn’t that simply an act of affection only possible at that age? Quiet love can be done as much as one wants after becoming an adult. The memories that come to mind right before death are probably things like that.”
“…”
Her blue eyes gazed at the pair with gentle observation.
“…”
Sometimes… Lydia acted like she was twenty years older than she actually was.
And then—
“…”
Morgan quietly grabbed the hem of Lydia’s sleeve.
“?”
“…Let’s go.”
“Alright.”
The two walked quietly across the campus.
“Are you preparing well for the final exams?”
“…I already finished.”
“Really? That’s fast.”
“Yeah.”
Thanks to you. …She left those words unsaid.
“It’s convenient to finish early.”
“I see.”
“…”
She still didn’t want to say it.