~Chapter 97~
Amel looked at Kiara, feeling a little awkward. She had asked all those questions on purpose, but Kiara’s strong reaction was a bit much.
‘Maybe I went too far.’
But she got the truth she wanted, so she was glad. Even she thought her method was a bit much.
“Thank you for telling me. And I’m sorry for asking such rude questions.”
“It’s fine. You must have had something you really wanted to know.”
“That’s right.”
Amel smiled a little as she answered.
She was curious if Kiara liked Christan, but more importantly, she wanted to know if Kiara was working together with the Marquis. But Kiara seemed upset about her father’s marriage plans, and it looked like the two of them weren’t on the same side at all.
‘Now I can ask her without worry.’
Amel asked,
“Don’t you resent the Marquis? If my father tried to arrange my marriage however he wanted, especially in such an embarrassing way, I’d hate it.”
Of course, Amel would happily propose every other day if it was Christan, but she didn’t show it.
“Of course I resent him. But I don’t have a choice. My mother died a long time ago, and even though Her Majesty the Empress supports me, she can’t always be there for me, right? …Haha.”
Kiara, sounding resigned, looked quietly at Amel.
“Sometimes, I envy you, Amelie.”
“…Me?”
“Yes.”
Amel was surprised by Kiara’s sudden words, but Kiara nodded.
“You can protect yourself. The Esmeraldas are a famous mage family, but I don’t have the right to be their heir. My last name is Esmeralda, but it’s just a name. I could be replaced at any time. I wish I were a witch instead.”
Kiara quickly covered her mouth, realizing what she’d said.
“S-sorry, Amelie. That was rude to say to you…”
“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”
Amel calmly leaned her chin on her hand.
“Everyone’s life is different, so it’s pointless to compare. It’s not worth fighting over who has it better.”
“Thank you for being so understanding.”
“If you hadn’t told me your story, I would have been angry. But now that I know, I’m not.”
Then Amel looked straight at Kiara.
“But Kiara, your actions are different from your words.”
“What?”
“You say you’re not fit to be the Marquis’s heir, but you were looking into him. You even asked me about the red magic circle.”
“…Well, whether I can be the Marquis or not, if someone is doing something wrong, I have to stop it…”
Amel smiled softly, then took some documents out of her pocket and put them on the table.
“I don’t show this to just anyone, but I’ll let you see it.”
Kiara picked up the papers, as if drawn to them. They were copies of the evidence Amel collected from White Rock Mountain.
“I begged His Grace for copies. Please return them after you’re done—they have to be given back.”
“…Okay.”
Kiara quickly compared the info in the papers with what she knew. Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
“This is the exact magic circle I was looking for!”
“Really?”
“Yes. My father doesn’t stop me from going into his lab, so sometimes I go there. I saw these strange red magic circles drawn all over papers and remembered them…”
Kiara kept reading, but then her face turned to shock.
“Wait, this magic circle actually makes rifts?!”
“So you already guessed what it was for?”
“I can’t use magic, but I can read some of the symbols. My father doesn’t know I understand, though. But is it really a rift-creating spell?”
“Yes, everything points to that.”
Kiara turned pale with shock. Amel gently turned the rest of the pages for her and explained.
“Look. The Leopolds’ mage interpreted it. These two magic circles look similar, but when activated, they create rifts and change the area so monsters can live there…”
“And we have plenty of physical evidence and witness statements. You might not believe it, but it’s true.”
“No, I believe you.”
Kiara shook her head, finally coming back to her senses. Her eyes grew cold as she muttered,
“The Marquis of Esmeralda is crazy. He’s definitely capable of this.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Amel noticed that Kiara was now talking about the Marquis differently. Amel put the papers back into her pocket.
“But this isn’t enough to connect the Marquis directly. The mage who cast the spell was from Siad.”
“But the developer is still my father.”
Amel smiled brightly.
“That’s your job now, Kiara—to gather evidence.”
“Is there really any point in me risking myself?”
“You said you wanted to stop bad things, right?”
“That was just talk. I wish someone else could do it.”
“If you want to inherit the title, you have to do it yourself.”
Kiara didn’t argue much, knowing Amel was right. She sighed and said,
“I can get into the lab, but I can’t bring in recording devices or take anything out. There are security spells.”
“Ah, I have a way.”
Kiara looked up as Amel took off her necklace. Only then did Kiara notice the pendant.
“What’s this…?”
“It’s not a normal necklace. It’s a witch’s tool.”
The silver chain had a tiny hand mirror as a pendant. When Amel pressed the handle, Kiara’s face appeared in the mirror.
I can get into the lab, but I can’t bring in recording devices or take anything out. There are security spells.
“I just recorded you saying that. Witch tools don’t set off security spells. This should work.”
Even the magic at Bellerophon Castle hadn’t noticed Amel’s invisibility potion. It would be the same with the Marquis’s spells.
“Thank you for something like this.”
“It can record for five minutes max. You can only store one recording at a time—if you start a new one, the old one is erased.”
“Got it. I’ll remember.”
Kiara nodded as she thought about it. She started to put the necklace on, but Amel quickly stood up.
“I’ll help you.”
“Huh? Oh… okay, thank you.”
Amel pushed aside Kiara’s thick, honey-blonde hair and put the necklace around her neck.
Every time Amel’s hand brushed her skin while closing the clasp, Kiara felt her whole body tense up.
‘…What is this?’
