IBRIP l CH 112

Chapter 112

“Have you ever seen snow?”
The emperor picked me up in his arms. I shook my head slightly. With these pink eyes, I don’t remember ever seeing snow.

“It’s cold and sharp,” he said.
“If you step on it, it hurts. If you touch it, it gets cold.”
It felt like he was asking me, Do you really have to go?

“Of course, it’s not like it isn’t beautiful.”
Maybe he meant that if I really wanted to go, he wouldn’t stop me.

He added, “Let’s go inside. You exercised more than usual today, so you need to eat well.”
I sighed inside.

I knew it. I should never have acted like a proper emperor’s daughter.

I tried not to cry, pushing down the tears threatening to spill.

“…That wasn’t just exercise. It was training,” I mumbled.
“Training?”
“Sword training.”
“Ah, I heard you told Sir Rade that you want to become a Swordmaster.”
He laughed loudly.

“I’m serious!” I said, puffing up my chest.
The emperor just laughed even more.

“Well, if you start, keep trying. Persistence is important.”
“Do you think I can become a Swordmaster?”
“One thing is sure — only healthy people have a chance. And your health matters most.”

“Why does no one give me a straight answer? Someone even told me I can’t peel an apple with ten knives. Is that true?”

“That person wasn’t an adult. Real adults don’t make bold claims. Believe me — a real adult.”

“But sometimes it’s better to give up on things that are impossible.”

“True impossibility is very rare. Things that seem impossible… might not be.”

“That’s something you tell kids to make them feel better! Swordmastery is either possible or not — it’s black and white!”

“Just try first. Talking about talent before you even work hard is a bad habit.”

“I’m ten! It’s time for me to learn about efficiency and reality!”
He laughed again.

***

Later that night – around 11 PM

My maid, Loti, yawned.

“My lady… just how good is the Duke’s gift that you’re still waiting?”
I needed to dream — a lucid dream. But to do that, I needed the herbs Winter was bringing. He was late.

I clenched my teeth and forced my eyes to stay open.

My bracelet (a magical item) spoke:
[Master, if you’re not sleeping, let’s study magic!]

“No, if I study now, I’ll definitely fall asleep.”

Loti nodded. “Right? A pen is stronger than a sword? No way. But it’s definitely stronger than sleeping pills!”

I laughed. “That’s not true for me though.”

***

Magic isn’t waving wands and chanting spells.
It’s like coding — full of math.
And I’m sorry to say… I was a liberal arts student in my past life.

Still waiting for Winter, I decided to talk with Loti. I got off the bed and sat by the fireplace. Loti sat next to me, cheerful as always.

I held out my palm like a dog.
“Paw.”
She looked confused but playfully placed her hand on mine.

“I’m not a dog, you know!”

We laughed.
Then I asked, “Didn’t you recently start reading more? Even read Shuran from the emperor’s books?”

She smiled proudly.

“And got caught reading Rena’s books too?”

*“Hey! Do you know the title of her book? ‘The Crown Princess’s Secret’? Turns out she’s a man! How can you not read that?!”

I almost said “Let me read it too” but stopped myself.

Talking to Loti is always tricky — if I don’t focus, the conversation goes wild.

I stared at her and then gave strange commands to test something.

• “Loti, stand on your hands.”
  She tried. 
• “Never mind. Put your whole fist in your mouth.”
  She did it. 
• “Break that vase.”
  She threw it — and it shattered. 

She looked confused. “Did you hate the vase? I thought it was kind of pretty…”

I didn’t answer. I walked to the balcony door, opened it, and looked out.

Then I asked:
“Loti, can you jump from this window?”

She froze. “Why would you ask me that? I’m scared…”

She didn’t move. I relaxed a little.
“Sorry. I don’t mean to hurt you. I just wanted to confirm something.”

But to be sure, I gave the order again.
“Loti, jump out the window. Right now.”

Suddenly, I heard her gasp. She started moving.
I panicked and shouted:

“Raglia, catch her!”

My bracelet shot out and wrapped around her neck like a rope, stopping her.

She fell to the floor, choking. I ran over and grabbed her face.

“Loti! Cancel that order! Don’t ever listen to me if I say something like that again, okay?! Ever! No matter what!”

Loti’s body stopped struggling.

She lay there breathing heavily.

“My lady… what’s going on…?”
I hugged her tightly.

So that’s it.

She follows my orders no matter what… because she’s my holy relic.

When I realized that, I remembered the time I told her to stay hidden in a secret tunnel for hours — and she did, without complaint.

Loti isn’t some smart sidekick from a web novel.
But she isn’t stupid either.

She’s just… special.

“I don’t want to die, my lady…”

“You won’t. I won’t let you. I’ll make you marry Alfred, stop flirting, and have kids and live a happy life.”

“Wait, I don’t want kids…”
She sniffled. Her snot got on my clothes, but I didn’t mind.

“I can give you everything… except two things. One of them is my life. But I almost just jumped. It was like my body moved on its own.”

I took the bracelet off her neck gently and sat her by the fire.

**“Listen carefully, Loti. You’ve heard of the three saviors — [Igrio], [Materia], [Ampelos] — right?”
Each of them gets a relic.”

She nodded.

“Well, do you know what mine is?”

“Did you find it?”

“It’s you.”

“Huh?”

I repeated slowly:
“My relic… is you, Loti Hesward. That’s why you always obeyed me, even if it seemed strange.”

Her jaw dropped.

“What? Since when did you think that?”

“Since the moment you died.”

Then I held her hand and told her everything:

• How she died. 
• Why is she alive now? 
• What I saw inside her mind. 
• Why does she listen to my every command? 

Loti looked at me, eyes full of wonder, tilting her head like a confused bunny — trying hard to understand.