Chapter 45
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: No Place for the Fake
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"It's perfect timing that two court mage positions just happened to open up."
"When I told them I'd set up the best research environment for them at the Magic Tower, they both packed their bags with joy."
"……."
"The court mage position comes with great honor and pay, but there are plenty of people who want to quit because of all the restrictions on their research."
It seemed there had been some behind-the-scenes maneuvering that Philomel wasn't aware of.
Tower Master Rguin asked Lexion,
"You were the one who packed up Phil's stuff, right? She was looking for it."
"I'll hand it over now."
Lexion pulled a familiar cloth bag from the backpack on the floor.
It was the bag Philomel had bought herself at the market. While inquiring about Philomel's whereabouts in Angelium, they had found it at an inn where he had left it for safekeeping.
As she reached for the bag he handed her and started to open it, Philomel paused.
"Did you check inside by any chance?"
"Of course not. I'm no thug who rummages through other people's belongings."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to suspect you."
"I understand."
She had grown sensitive because Princess Ellensia was inside. That book felt like a shameful secret she didn't want to show anyone.
She peeked inside the bag just enough to see, and a familiar brown cover came into view.
Thank goodness she hadn't lost it.
"Nothing's missing, right?"
"Yeah. Thanks for bringing it, Lexion."
Philomel closed the bag again and answered quietly.
"No problem."
"Eubububub!"
"He seems to want to say he was the one who brought it."
"Thanks, Cardin too."
"Eup!"
It was a bit funny how energetically he expressed himself even while tied up tight.
"Shut up. Too chatty for someone who's tied up."
Thwack!
"Eupeupeup!"
When Jeremiah kicked him in the butt, Cardin jumped.
"Pfft."
Philomel knew it was rude to laugh at someone getting hit, but she burst out laughing anyway.
Having the book back in her hands had eased her mind a bit too.
As Philomel laughed, the four men stopped what they were doing and looked at her.
"You look good when you smile like that."
"Yeah."
Rguin agreed with Lexion's words.
"Me? You must be seeing things."
Feeling a little embarrassed, Philomel wiped the smile from her face and played it cool.
Without taking his eyes off her, Rguin repeated the question he'd asked before.
"So, what are you going to do now? You've got your stuff back, so off to the Magic Tower?"
"……I do need to leave the palace at least."
She didn't particularly want to go to the Magic Tower, but Philomel had to leave. Leave this place with Ellensia, Nanny, Katrin, and Emperor Justis.
Surely a new life awaited her somewhere other than here. This wasn't a place for her.
At that moment, Lexion spoke up in a serious tone.
"Phil, what is it you really want to do?"
"Huh?"
"Your face right now doesn't look happy at all. It's like a kid staring down an unwanted chore."
"……No way. I want to leave."
"Really?"
Philomel couldn't respond.
"We don't want to drag you along against your will. If you don't want to go, just say so."
"I want to take her."
"……Tower Master Rguin, you're not going to ignore Phil's wishes again? Already forgotten what happened at the Magic Tower?"
"Ugh, why bring that up."
Rguin glanced at Philomel and ruffled his own hair wildly.
"Fine! People should do what they want. That's how I've lived, and that's what I taught my boys."
"You took that too far, and that's the problem."
"Eup!"
Jeremiah and Cardin, who had somehow returned to their spots, chimed in.
"Anyway, don't worry about us. No, forget anyone who might get in the way. Just think about what you want to do going forward."
Philomel blinked.
'……What I want?'
It confused her. Here, she should have immediately said, 'I want to leave this place.' But strangely, the words stuck in her throat.
'What do I want? Not what I have to do, but what I want.'
It had been so long since she'd asked herself that.
For years, whenever Philomel made big or small decisions, her pure desires had always taken a backseat.
Most of her actions weren't because she wanted to. She sought the emperor's approval to avoid death, and she ran to avoid death.
'And the reason it turned out that way…….'
Philomel ran her finger over the surface of the bag in her arms.
She could feel the outline of the leather cover beneath the thin cloth.
'It was all because of this book.'
For the past seven years, her greatest wish had been to sleep peacefully somewhere without fear for her life.
But today, Philomel had glimpsed a possibility. That this book, which had dictated her life until now, might—might—be wrong.
It was a cruel possibility she'd sensed subconsciously but kept burying.
Without organizing her thoughts, Philomel impulsively spoke.
"I…… I might have been running away from some huge truth all this time."
Because admitting that possibility would mean the past seven years of effort were all for nothing.
That all the fear, resignation, and worries had been pointless.
That she had made the wrong choice by not opening her heart to those who approached her sincerely.
"But I don't want to run anymore. I want to know."
The true nature of this book that had controlled her for so long. Why it had come into her hands. What truth it hid.
She wanted to face it head-on, no more avoiding.
"……."
The four men said nothing.
Since maturing, Philomel had made a habit of mulling over her words several times before speaking.
Being the emperor's successor demanded it, and as the fake princess, she had to be even more cautious.
She felt embarrassed for blurting out whatever came to mind.
Especially since she'd skipped any mention of the book, it must have sounded like nonsense to them.
"I…… I must have said something weird, right? What I mean is……."
"It's fine. Rguin's always spouting nonsense."
"Thank you for being honest. To be frank, I didn't get all of it, but I can guess how you feel."
"Eubububub!"
Philomel looked at each of the three brothers in turn.
None of them looked puzzled or awkward. They had simply accepted her words as they were.
Rguin was the same.
"Alright. I don't get the details, but basically, to do what you want, you need to stay here?"
"……Probably."
All the keys likely lay with Ellensia.
At least, that's what Philomel thought.
Princess Ellensia—the protagonist of Princess Ellensia and the real princess.
But a girl who showed sides different from the countless mentions in the book.
Philomel's instincts whispered that to uncover the book's true nature, she needed to watch Ellensia closely.
"Then our plan going forward is set. I'll stick with Phil. The rest of you do whatever."
Philomel asked in surprise,
"You're staying here?"
"I told you. As long as you're here, I'm not going anywhere."
His grinning face looked surprisingly reliable.
If the Tower Master stayed with her, it would be a huge help.
Even if the emperor had no intention of killing her now, the future was uncertain. With Rguin, who could bypass barriers, he might be able to whisk her away with teleportation magic if things went south.
"Spend a little time with me, and you'll be dying to go to the Magic Tower."
But his overconfidence made her uneasy instead.
'……Can we really get along?'
Next were Lexion and Cardin.
"Guess I need to adapt to palace life ASAP."
"Eup eup!"
"You two as well? You really don't mind not going back to the Magic Tower?"
"We just started the job; can't quit now. We'll actively help with whatever Phil does."
"Eububub!"
A warm feeling welled up in Philomel's chest.
But Jeremiah's attitude was cold.
"Count me out. I'm heading back."
"He always pours cold water on things."
"You've seen the new little sister, done what you came for."
Dismissing his father's words, he turned toward the garden exit.
"Wait!"
When Philomel called, he looked back.
"No hard feelings against you. But group activities aren't my thing."
"That's not it…… There's something I want to ask."
Jeremiah nodded for her to go ahead.
Philomel hesitated a moment before asking what had been bothering her since earlier.
It had nagged her ever since he revealed his name.
"Jeremiah, is your nickname by any chance 'Young Noble of Frost'?"
Young Noble of Frost.
It was the epithet for a certain mage. In fact, Philomel had suspected it since hearing his name.
"……Ugh."
But Jeremiah's pale face flushed red in an instant. He pulled his hood down over his face and shouted,
"Don't call me by that name!"
"……Did I say something rude?"
Lexion stepped in, chuckling.
"He hates that nickname. Says it sounds too much like a pampered young master. Cardin's teased him about it a lot."
"What are you laughing at!"
Cardin smirked but wriggled away to dodge his approaching brother.
"Sorry. I had no idea……."
"Forget it!"
Her suspicion was confirmed—Jeremiah was the Young Noble of Frost.
'This is trouble.'
The situation was extremely awkward.
Because Jeremiah was another male lead from Princess Ellensia.