Chapter 17 · The Taboo (1)

“Next year, I will definitely be promoted.”

Rizen declared in a blazing voice. It had been weeks since the Ars Confelo ended, and he was still saying that.

“Wizen is only twelve. It’s fine to take it swow.”

“But I heard the Commander was formally knighted at ten! And that was only half a year after joining as an apprentice!”

“What?!”

I was so startled that I dropped the book I was reading.

“What on earth did he do to get promoted that fast? Is he a monster?”

I recalled his appearance at the Confelo. He really did look like a terrifying monster. A divine beast the size of a house! Could anyone in the world even defeat something like that?

“I don’t know that either. As you know, he’s not the kind of person who talks about his past.”

I closed the book and fell into thought. Paeon’s past… Come to think of it, I had never once thought about it. I couldn’t easily picture him as a child. As if he had been born expressionless, sword in hand.

“Didn’t you hear anything from your father?”

Rizen glanced at Ark, who was groaning over the homework I had assigned, and asked.

“Judging by how much he especially hates them, he probably isn’t of noble birth.”

Was that why those nobles glared at him so during the grand prayer meeting, because of his origins? Anyway, the nobles of this country were absurdly obsessed with that damn birth status. In the end, I too had been persecuted so terribly in my past lives because of my origins.

Still, my life these days was very peaceful. On weekdays I trained with Rizen and Ark at the training grounds from morning till evening, and on holidays we gathered in the royal garden like today and studied together.

And like a proper child, I slept twelve hours a day and was growing steadily. My weight had increased noticeably over the past month, and I could feel Paeon putting a little more effort into lifting me.

Paeon had become somewhat strange since the Confelo. His prickliness had lessened, but it was as if his soul had vanished. He treated me so businesslike that I actually found myself missing the old Paeon. The nervous Paeon who nagged me, furrowed his brow, and snapped at me.

‘…Well, this is what I wanted, isn’t it.’

To have him in my daily life, to be protected within his domain while I built up my strength. That was enough.

‘Were you hoping he’d act like a real father?’

In my sixth life, I sold flowers. They wouldn’t sell at all in the market, so I went to a wealthy neighborhood and went from house to house, begging people to please buy just one. But everyone slammed the door in my face, or shouted at me to get lost and kicked me away.

Only one house—a beautiful house with hyacinths blooming all over the yard—had a gentleman who bought all my flowers. The moment he bought them, he smiled brightly and ran to his daughter to give them to her, and the daughter kissed her father’s cheek in gratitude. It was a scene so full of affection you’d only see it in a fairy tale.

For a moment I tried to imagine that scene with me and Paeon, but my brain violently rejected it. Mm, I suppose it’s healthier to imagine things that at least make a little sense…

“Princess, what are you reading?”

Rizen, apparently bored studying prana transformation, asked abruptly, and I handed him the book without a word.

“‘The Islands and Shores of Eldina.’ Are you interested in Eldina?”

‘Yeah. Because I’m going to bolt there.’

Lately I had started reading this book, afraid I might forget my goal while lulled by the comfort I’d been given.

Santra was exclusionary not only toward its enemy Kalisa but toward other nations as well. Because it believed that only Santra was the nation chosen by the god Lux. That was why there weren’t many books about foreign lands.

But this book, which I had stumbled upon in my second life and taken a liking to, was about a small island nation called ‘Eldina,’ surrounded by an emerald sea that you reach after a long, long voyage by ship. That country accepted anyone as long as they paid, without asking who they were, and its people were said to be warm and easygoing, seeking peace.

‘Perfect for defecting to.’

But the residency fee was six thousand arum. Understandable—if they took in just anyone, they’d collapse in no time. Still, six thousand arum was enough to buy ten mansions in Santra’s capital.

‘Can I skim that much off within eight years?’

Once I passed twelve, a future I didn’t know would descend upon me, so I absolutely had to leave before then.

In eight years, these boys would be adults too. As expected, I should keep my attachments moderate. Otherwise it would only make parting harder.

I was gazing at them wistfully when they began squirming and groaning, ruining the mood. Haa… Like the hot-blooded apprentice knights they were, they simply couldn’t sit still.

“Wizen, Awk! We agweed to finish aww of this today.”

I put on a stern face and pounded the table with my small fist.

“Being stwong awone doesn’t make you a fine knight. You need intewwect and cuwtivation. You need to be able to wead and anawyze things wike twactics books.”

“But… it’s so boring.”

“Especiawwy Awk, if you want to understand magic books on your own, you need to wowk ten times hawdew than now!”

“You could just teach me, Princess. Rather than spending time reading and understanding this stuff, learning directly from you is ten times faster.”

“I can’t teach you fowevew, Awk.”

“You really talk like someone who’s going to leave someday.”

Why on earth are you hitting the mark all of a sudden?! I flinched and shot back.

“I’m… busy, that’s what I’m saying. Do you have any idea how busy a pwincess is?!”

“Snack time!”

At Rosa’s bright voice, both their faces lit up instantly. They dashed to the basket Rosa had brought like eager puppies and pulled out the snacks.

“Ugh, what is this? I knew it. Princess, how can someone like you eat things like this every day?”

Ark grumbled, holding up a piece of bread studded with beans.

“Even the servants at my house won’t eat this.”

“If you don’t want it, don’t eat it.”

When I tried to snatch the bread away, apparently he was still hungry, because he whisked his hand away.

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t eat it… Next time I come, I’ll bring a special snack set from my house. The chef will be thrilled at the chance to present something to the princess.”

“Obsessing over food is what pigs do. The princess and I have transcended such desires.”

“Then I’ll just eat with the princess without you. Happy?”

I watched Rizen and Ark bicker with resigned eyes when I sensed an unfamiliar mana presence again from somewhere.

“Ouch!”

As a stabbing headache drew a thin groan from me, the two of them flinched and stopped fighting.

“Princess, are you hurt?!”

“No… it’s fine.”

Fortunately, this time the pain vanished quickly.

‘No matter how I think about it, it must be the influence of that tower.’

“Wizen, Awk. Thewe’s a towew a wittle ways fwom the gweenhouse gawden. Do you know what’s in it?”

“You mean the tower on the west side of the royal palace? The one with the twelve divine beasts guarding Lord Lux carved into it…”

When I nodded, Ark leaned in and whispered cautiously.

“I heard from my father that prisoners of war are confined there.”

“Prisoners? Why would they lock prisoners in the palace?”

“Maybe the royal family manages them because they’re especially dangerous? I don’t know the details either.”

Hmm… So that’s why Paeon warned me with such a scary face. He must hate Kalisa terribly.

‘I’m curious about that unidentified mana, but if I go there again and collapse, that’ll be a problem, so I’ll follow Paeon’s words on this.’

“Wizen, Awk, Asha is going now. Finish evewything I asked you to do today and then go. I’ll come watew to check.”

“What?! Where are you going?”

“Starting today, I have magic wessons at Owentia Pawace.”

“Then I’ll escort you. I’ve been to that palace often.”

Ark sprang to his feet. Well, of course—he’s Stella’s betrothed, so he must have gone with his father. Leaving behind Rizen, who looked deflated at being left alone, I headed for Ollentia Palace, glancing from time to time at that tower that kept bothering me.

◇ ◆ ◇

“Why is the young lord coming with you—ah, no. Why are you and my niece coming together?”

Stella said in a fluster the moment she saw us.

“Princess Stella. How have you been?”

Ark greeted her with formal courtesy. Having only ever seen him as a mischievous boy, I nearly laughed at the sudden change. Bold of him, acting all proper in front of his betrothed… But Stella’s face had turned bright red. Huh, don’t tell me… she’s already serious about Ark?

“I-I’ve been well, Lord Ellenoa. B-but why are the two of you together…”

“Ah, Princess Anastasia and I have been especially close for some time now.”

Hey, you crazy fool! Why would you phrase it like that?!

“E-especially close?”

“Yes. Bound by an oath that even His Majesty the King has permitted—”

“A-Awk! We weally should go now! Cwass is about to start!”

I hurriedly shoved him out the door, and he went, “Wha—wait…?” without even getting to say goodbye.

“Hah, haha…”

The whole way to my seat, as I smiled awkwardly, Stella glared at me as if she wanted to kill me. Ah… damn it! I never intended to get along with her anyway, but now I’ve added a pointless misunderstanding!

“Welcome, Princess Anastasia. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Ruslan Roktania, dean of the Royal Magic Academy.”

A very short old man standing there greeted me with a smile, and I greeted him back politely. He gestured for me to sit. In my past lives, he and I had only exchanged greetings in passing; this was the first time we had faced each other like this.

“His Majesty the King told me that the princess already knows a few spells.”

He stood on tiptoe and wrote something on a blackboard hung higher than his own height.

“As you may know, but since this is our first magic lesson with the princess, let me briefly summarize the basic theory before we move on.”

Classification of Magic

1) Magic using runic script

Magic that uses spell formulas made by combining runes, specialized in techniques such as imagery, communication, teleportation, and refining

2) Magic using activation words

Magic specialized in elemental magic using water, fire, air, earth, etc., and in twisting physical laws such as vibration, pressure, and levitation

3) Magic using the power of mana itself

Mainly used for attacks such as aura, and its power increases when combined with 2)

“Are you familiar with the classifications?”

I nodded, trying my best not to look like a show-off. It was a theory I had seen hundreds of times already.

“Truly remarkable. Then is there anything in particular you’d like to learn first?”

That was a difficult question. What should I learn first to benefit my survival? Everything seemed necessary. But the thing I was most curious about, the thing I had been so curious about all those lives but could never dare to ask…

“Are you uncomfortable somewhere, Princess?”

Perhaps because my swallowing and cold sweat seemed strange, he asked with concern.

“Ah, Asha is…”

In my first life, I was branded a heretic and driven out of the royal family for falling into this magic. It was magic I had never seen or heard of, yet no one believed me.

“I’m cuwious about Kawisa’s magic.”

But this time, I decided to face it head-on. Before I could be framed, I needed to grasp what it really was.

A chilly silence fell over the room. I could feel Stella gaping at me. Kalisa’s magic was an absolute taboo in Santra. Not only practicing it but even mentioning it was forbidden.

After a moment, Roktania spoke with a somewhat bitter smile.

“…Seeing the princess really does remind me of Princess Beatrice.”

Again with the mother talk! I knew nothing about my mother, yet everyone made a fuss about how I reminded them of her whenever they saw me. Then tell me something about her, at least!

“She too asked me that same bold question just a few days into her lessons.”

“Mom was Woktania’s student too?”

“She was my student, but she soon surpassed me and became first in rank of Naritas.”

I hiccupped in surprise at his words. Naritas was the royal mage order that one could join by passing an exam after graduating from the academy.

Princess Beatrice was… first in rank among the royal mages?