IMIS 07

Chapter 07…

She was having a private audience with Wilhelm.

“What…? Why is she here?”

Eve Maria jumped up from her seat. Her eyes were wide, finger wagging aggressively at me—she must still be fuming over the recent incident.

“Why is she in Grandfather’s office?”

“Levita is older than you, so you should call her ‘older sister,’ shouldn’t you?”

“We weren’t even adopted under Dad, so what kind of ‘older sister’ is that?!”

Ouch, my ears.

I treated Eve Maria like an invisible person and spoke to Wilhelm.

“You called for me, Master?”

“Yes. I called you because I have something to ask. Don’t just stand there; come and sit here. Eve Maria, you should make room so Levita can sit.”

He meant for her to scoot over. But she instantly erupted as if she’d been hit by a sudden curse.

“Why? I came first! Why should I move?”

“If you refuse, then stay where you are.”

Wilhelm shifted to the corner of the sofa, giving her seat beside him.

“It’s early, but I’ll serve some tea.”

“Oh, then I’ll have coffee, please.”

While Wilhelm gave instructions to Sevek, I was taking Eve Maria’s piercing glare head-on.

Hmm. Let’s pretend it’s just UV rays!

“I had a feeling you’d call me.”

“Oh? You anticipated it. Can you guess why I called?”

Sneakily, I glanced at the old books on the table and changed my answer.

“You want me to interpret the ancient runes, right?”

“Correct. The books are quite damaged, but take a look.”

“Yes, I will.”

He seemed genuinely pleased with my response.

“I’ll give you enough time. And the reward for your contribution won’t be lacking…”

“Liar!”

A sudden silence fell. Eve Maria jabbed her finger at me and grumbled loudly.

“How would I know if you’re saying the wrong thing? You’re lying because if you’re useless, you’ll be thrown out!”

By discovering the secret location, I had already proven my worth.

I should have been more proactive that day. Why did she have to barge in late and cause such a scene? The rolling stone here isn’t me—it’s her.

Wilhelm frowned slightly in annoyance.

“That’s unpleasant. Will you leave so Levita can focus? This isn’t a request—it’s an order.”

“…Grandfather would never say that to me. Something’s wrong.”

Denying reality, Eve Maria whipped her head around and glared at me.

“You did it, didn’t you?”

“Did what?”

“You used magic to brainwash Grandfather, didn’t you?”

“What… is this now…”

Nonsense.

She must be talking about mind-control magic, but trying that on someone as mentally strong as Wilhelm would backfire.

If misfired magic shattered his finely tuned mind, the mage would immediately become incapacitated. That’s a thing only someone ignorant would even suggest… hmm?

My left hand, marked with a sigil, itched. As if someone were poking the back of my hand and laughing.

Come to think of it… what is this? I didn’t have it before my return. A mark of the one who’s returned?

I’d figure that out later. For now, I needed to deal with the one in front of me.

“Magic spells are like recipes in cooking. Without a teacher, how could I have learned such advanced magic?”

In my past life, drained by Eve Maria’s presence, I was like an empty pantry—unable to study magic properly.

While Eve Maria displayed magnificent magic and received praise, I had felt pathetic, unable to even use simple spells, unaware of my own potential.

Recalling that deep despair, I couldn’t resist teasing her a little.

“You might have learned some magic. You seem keen on reading old books.”

“Are you jealous of me, a true magician?”

“What?”

“Even if you lack talent, it’s fine. You’ve inherited a great lineage, so no worries about marriage prospects.”

For Eve Maria, who firmly believed she would become a mage and marry the first prince, nothing could have stung more.

“Shut up!”

Eve Maria’s face flushed red as she yelled.

Shut up, huh? That would be you.

Sigh.

Wilhelm sighed and gestured.

“Excuse us, young lady.”

Understanding the order, Sevek lifted Eve Maria and took her outside.

“What are you doing? Let go!”

“The order came from Your Excellency.”

Once the door closed, the noise stopped. On the table, my coffee had been prepared.

Slurp.

Ah. This is it. I hadn’t been able to drink because of Gilbert blocking the way.

The caffeine coursing through my body left me feeling pleasantly drowsy.

“You’re young and reckless. I’ll apologize for your granddaughter’s rudeness.”

“No need to worry. I’m fine.”

The words sounded more like a reference to Eve Maria than an apology.

I had grown a little closer to Wilhelm over the vase incident, but he still didn’t consider me his granddaughter. Of course—he hadn’t been persuaded that I was Gilbert’s child. Still, it left a hollow feeling inside.

Only Eve Maria could stay in this house while showing a pathetic side…

I decided to focus on reading!

“The title is Record of the Abyss.”

Huh? That’s the famous book. A grand mage’s interpretation that became a standard textbook for mages.

“Um, Master. This book already has an existing interpretation.”

“That’s impossible. Ancient runes are a lost language no one has deciphered.”

“But there are those well-versed in magic who could read it.”

“Who are you talking about?”

She must be joking.

The national MC? That person.

A volleyball player? That person.

A mage? That person.

“The Grand Mage Zerodines.”

“I’ve never heard of him.”

Goosebumps ran over me.

There was a commotion when someone collapsed from the shock.

They weren’t unconscious, but it took repeated assurances of safety before the doctor let them escape Wilhelm’s questioning.

Gilbert, called to the scene, carried me back to my room. Now, I lay alone on the large bed, under Gilbert’s care (and scolding).

“Serves you right, fool. You went to pay respects and ended up poking me like a snowball? Forcing me to bring up the story of Dad splitting a sword with his bare hands?”

“Calling me a fool makes you the bigger fool. And don’t lie—how could anyone split a sword with bare hands?”

He laughed.

“Ever heard of the ‘Indestructible Body’? It’s a martial arts level used in the Eastern Continent. Ah… I couldn’t show Dad by swinging a sword myself—so frustrating.”

That’s not respecting an elder; that’s attacking one.

“No need to demonstrate. I didn’t touch your shoulder.”

“Then what did you do?”

“Just… read a book.”

“Books? About animal friends? Or a prince marrying someone? Don’t even think about royal stories—those would tire you out.”

“Oh, please. Who would like someone like me? Don’t worry.”

“Someone might like you.”

Gilbert refuted my self-deprecating remark.

Worried about this?

“If five people gather, there’s trouble. With twelve princes, you think one bruised eye wouldn’t happen?”

Right. I was the fool for expecting otherwise.

“Thirteen, not twelve.”

“The youngest doesn’t make a difference anyway.”

His reaction was natural—he barely noticed the youngest prince. But I shouldn’t underestimate him.

The youngest prince is, in fact, the main character.

“Ah! If you keep being noisy, get out! I just felt dizzy from drinking coffee after a long time, not sick!”

“Drinking coffee after a long time?”

Oops! I spoke in irritation.

Gilbert narrowed his eyes.

“You had a drink without me knowing.”

“Eh… someone might think I drank beer. But honestly, it’s no different from black tea, right?”

I laughed awkwardly, but his expression didn’t change.

“If you come in the middle of the night because you can’t sleep, you’ll get scolded.”

“Yawn. Huh? What? I didn’t hear that—I was yawning. So sleepy.”

“Alright. Rest.”

Gilbert blew out the candle and left the room.

The moonlight was bright; no need to light the lamp. I muttered with a serious expression.

“…This isn’t just returning to the past. Something’s changed since before the return.”

I realized the truth.

“This is a world where the Grand Mage has vanished.”

Otherwise, no one would fail to recognize the name of a person more famous than the Emperor.

I’d heard it countless times—met him even.

“…It wasn’t a pleasant meeting, though.”

How did it come to this?

Was it because the Grand Mage was sealed as a sacrifice for the country?

Did a vengeful Grand Mage cast some strange spell on me?!

“Unfair! It was all the main villainess’s scheme!”

Whatever the reason, this return was clearly deeply connected to the Grand Mage.

I closed my eyes slowly and recalled the moment I had died.