~Chapter 17~
“SheâŠ?”
Frederick murmured the word that had caught his attention.
Was the mysterious guest in the royal room⊠a woman?
His eyes, which had once visited the Temple of Eros, briefly gleamed with interest. But Lukas ignored his gaze and continued.
“She wonât be given a noble title, but her status will be equal to that of the Chancellor and comparable to a Dukeâs. She must be treated with the proper respect.”
“B-But, Your Majesty! Didnât you say she was raised in the palace since childhood? That means sheâs a commoner! No one of low birth has ever held such an important position!”
“Exactly! And a woman at that! How can we treat a commoner woman like a Chancellor of the Empire?!”
“Silence.”
Lukasâs cold, deep voice quieted the room.
All those who had been shouting froze at his cold glare. Worried theyâd become targets, the nobles folded their hands and stepped back.
Lukas looked down at them and only spoke again once silence returned.
“If you object, then go find me a male magician of noble blood. Bring me someone who fits all the conditions.”
No one could answer.
There was no such person anymore. Finding any magician in this age was nearly impossible.
In this world, simply being a magician made one noble.
Even if Rosedale was a commoner or a woman, the fact that Lukas had found a magician should have earned him nothing but praise.
Still, many nobles looked uncomfortableâexcept for one: Frederick.
“Congratulations, Your Majesty,” he said sincerely, bowing with respect.
To think Lukasâwho had always seemed indifferent to womenânow had one at his side. And not just anyone, but the only magician in the world.
Frederick saw no reason to oppose this. Bloodline meant nothing in comparison.
“To have the worldâs only magician in Iberia is a blessing from Your Majesty. Congratulations.”
“C-Congratulations, Your Majesty,” the others echoed.
Though their voices were hesitant, they had no choice but to bow. Lukas smirked.
“Looks like Iâll have to introduce my magician to all of you directly.”
Lukas gave Cain a subtle glance.
Cain placed his hand over his heart, bowed, then announced:
“Presenting Her Majestyâs Magician: Lady Rosedale Bell.”
SLAM!
The tall, heavy doors swung open loudly in the grand hall.
Rosedale saw the humans lined up on both sidesâand felt a bit nervous.
âWhy am I nervous?â
“Maybe because hundreds of eyes are staring at me like they want to kill me.â
It felt like standing among a hundred peacocks glaring at her.
Even for Rosedale, a powerful fairy far stronger than any human, their hostility made her tense.
Then she spotted Lukas at the far end of the room.
Only she could see the kindness in his aura.
Seeing his sculpture-like face smiling faintly helped her relax again.
She stepped forward confidently onto the red carpet.
Even as she approached Lukas and gave her greeting, all eyes remained wary.
“I greet the noble Sun of Iberia. May your light never fade.”
Instead of a dress, Rosedale wore tightly-fitted uniform trousers.
She placed her right hand over her heart and bowed, not lifting a skirt like noble ladies would.
“T-Trousers?!”
Wearing pants, no corset, and no formal gown before the Emperor?
Gasps spread through the nobles. An old man nearly fainted.
âIf Iâd known theyâd freak out, I mightâve worn a dressâŠâ
She shook her head. Cain had taught her:
âIf you act meek, theyâll look down on you. You must be bold if youâre of low status.â
So Rosedale stood tall.
“Your Majesty. I know there are many here who donât welcome someone like me standing before you.”
Coughs echoed from the nobles, but she didnât stop.
“So, with your permission, Iâd like to show them that Iâm worthy of the honor youâve granted me.”
Rosedale smiled with her vivid red eyes. Her black hair tied high in a ponytail.
Lukas smiled too. A silent, playful understanding passed between them.
“Itâs stuffy in here. Iâd like some fresh air.”
“As you wish.”
Rosedale placed her hand on her chestâand in an instant, the world changed.
“What is this?! Where are we?!”
The ministers panicked. Some fell over in shock.
Even Cain looked stunned, while Lukas quietly chuckled.
“I just wanted to open a window, but it feels like weâve gone on a picnic.”
The somber palace had vanished. They now stood in a wide field of green grass.
Birds chirped in the sky, the wind was cool, and a sweet scent floated in the air.
“Aaaah! A bug!”
“Birds! Someone chase those birds away!”
Some nobles made a huge fuss.
“Itâs just illusion magic. No need to panic,” Rosedale said casually.
Then she looked at Lukas, who was smiling peacefully at the sky.
“Your Majesty. Do you like it?”
“Itâs perfect.”
“Iâm glad.”
She snapped her fingersâand they were back in the meeting hall.
Everyone was stunned. They looked dazed, as if the beautiful illusion still clung to their eyes.
One person muttered:
“But⊠I thought magic needed spells or circles⊔
And yet Rosedale had changed everything with a single gesture.
No one could deny her power now.
The ministers all bowed deeply.
“We greet the Emperorâs Magician!”
The room echoed with respect.
Rosedale and Lukas shared a smile.
The meeting ended early. Everyone was too dazed to continue.
No one mentioned her birth or status again.
“They say even 100 years ago, only the Magic Towerâs master could use illusion magic that affected all five senses⊔
Lukas approached her, amazed.
“Donât compare me to a human magician. That hurts my pride,” Rosedale pouted.
She wasnât like human mages, born with mana in their hearts.
She was manaâan elite fairy.
Though she got tired if she used too much magic, she was still the daughter of Elpis, the king of fairies.
Her power and essence were far beyond a humanâs.
Still, she remained polite in front of the knights.
“Sorry. I shouldnât have compared you to a Tower Master,” Lukas said gently.
The knights’ eyes bulged. Then he added:
“That outfit really suits you.”
They nearly fainted from surprise again.
Even those who had served him for years had never seen him act like this.
Rosedaleâs outfit was very different from noblewomen:
A sky-blue shirt, white high-waist trousers, black boots, and a navy jacket that flattered her figure.
Her high ponytail completed the look.
She stood outâbut in a way that drew admiration, not rejection.
She smiled as she touched the frills on her shirt.
âThis feels like Iâve joined the peacock club.â
âMaybe I look human enough now.â
She looked proud of herself.
Lukas smiled without realizing, then got back to business.
“Rosi. Sorry to ask, but can you start working today?”
“Of course.”
They didnât have much timeâonly six months.
Rosedale wanted to help Lukas as much as she could.
They started walking.
Behind them, Cain watched like a hawkâmaking sure Rosedale wasnât using casual speech.
She lazily waved her hand to signal “I know, I know” and kept walking with Lukas.
“Are we going to that magic research division you mentioned before?”
“Yes. The late Emperor created it to find ways to use magic without magiciansâbut they havenât had much success.”
“It must be inconvenient living without magic now.”
“Itâs like going back to the dark ages after living in a modern world.”
“There are many projects, but I want you to work on magic healing medicine first.”
Magic-based medicine was more effective than normal ones. It could help citizens still suffering from the war.
“Iâll do that.”
Rosedale walked faster to keep up, getting closer to Lukas.
She lowered her voice so Cain wouldnât hear.
“Donât worry, Lukas. Iâll bring back the world you once knew.”
Lukas stopped in his tracks.
He met her eyes.
She stood in the sunlight, smiling brightlyâlike sheâd been waiting to say those words.
And he simply looked at her, endlessly.
As if heâd been waiting his whole life to hear those exact words.
