Chapter 2
“…Yes.”
Hamiel’s face stiffened slightly, but Lisa didn’t notice and continued speaking brightly.
“Isn’t it amazing? Completing a continent-wide crossing in just two months! I’d heard the new Melteor engine had good performance, but I didn’t know it was that good. It’s a good thing you were smart enough to apply for that research in advance, Master! Now, with the Melteor production and everything, you’ll be sitting on a goldmine!”
Instead of answering, Hamiel gave a faint, bitter smile.
There was no point in telling her now that she herself had designed the drive mechanism for the Melteor engine, and that her one and only brother, Halo, had stolen the blueprints and secretly patented them. Especially not when she had only found out a week ago.
“If only the late master were still here, he would have been so proud…”
“Lisa.”
Finally, Hamiel cut Lisa off first. Lisa blinked and looked at her.
Hamiel forced a smile.
“I’m going to stop by the lab. I’ll be back by lunchtime, so don’t wait for me. Go ahead.”
“…Are you starting a new study?”
Lisa asked cautiously. Hamiel shook her head.
“No. I just remembered something I need to do.”
“…Alright, I’ll go ahead then. If you need anything, just call.”
Finally sensing Hamiel’s gloomy mood, Lisa disappeared into the mansion without another word.
Once Lisa was gone, Hamiel headed to the garden house in the corner of the garden.
She wanted to be alone as soon as possible. And there was no better place to sit quietly and sort out her thoughts than her lab.
The moment she opened the door, the familiar smells and air gently enveloped her. The large desk in the center was cluttered with glass flasks and small lamps, arranged in neat rows. On one wall, books and notebooks were sorted by height, size, and subject. The reagents on the shelf next to the bookcase stood in orderly rows, color-coded, as if watching her.
Hamiel placed one hand on her hip and looked around the lab with a satisfied expression.
This was the only space that bore her touch. Even a single sheet of paper stayed in its place, under the order and control she had created.
This room had become her lab when she first entered the Pellea Imperial Academy. Her father had built it for her, because she loved experiments. For eight years, it had been her sanctuary.
‘But…’
The satisfied smile slowly faded from Hamiel’s lips.
She approached the desk and looked down at the old, thick notebook lying on it.
It was more precious and important to her than her own life. Everything she had discovered, learned, and accomplished in her life was in there.
Perhaps it was her life itself. It was proof that she was alive, and a record of it.
But precisely because of that, it was also all too easy to steal.
‘I let my guard down.’
Flipping through the pages of the notebook slowly, Hamiel traced her memories.
When she first succeeded in extracting pure magical power from Melteor, the person who was happier than anyone was Halo.
“We can patent this right away! Mia, you’re amazing!”
Unlike the quiet, bookish Hamiel, Halo was cheerful, handsome, and excelled in both studies and sports. He was the pride of the Valtur Count’s family. Even at the academy, people were always surprised to learn that Hamiel and Halo were siblings.
But that had never bothered Hamiel.
No matter how brilliant Halo was, it had nothing to do with her. What mattered to her was her own research and studies, not outshining Halo. If anything, she was grateful to him for handling all the external matters.
Even so, Hamiel didn’t dislike Halo’s praise. To her, he was a kind and proud older brother, and she was happy if her research could benefit the family.
But the results of their first patent application were devastating.
‘We regret to inform you that your application is not eligible for review due to overlapping with an existing patent.’
The response from the patent office was firm and cold. Flustered, Hamiel looked up the existing patents related to Melteor and learned that an identical recipe had been patented just two days before hers.
The patent had been filed by the Price Magic Guild. It was a well-known guild sponsored by the Restvin Marquis family, so Hamiel swallowed her first failure bitterly.
Over the next three years, she experienced six failures. Her recipes were excellent and flawless, but the Price Guild always managed to patent them one step ahead of her.
Exactly one week ago was the day of her sixth failure.
‘What went wrong?’
Was it because she couldn’t bear missing her father that day and went to see Halo? Because she hesitated outside his lit room, unsure whether to knock? Or because she overheard his telepin conversation?
“Once the Premiere arrives, we’ll be rich. The engine’s performance is guaranteed. It was designed by my own sister, after all. …Right? From the Melteor crystallization to now, has it ever disappointed you?”
Her stomach dropped. Her heart seemed to slow in an instant. Her hands and feet grew cold, her breath stopped.
She wanted to throw open the door and demand to know what he was doing, but her limbs felt weak and useless. All she could do was stand there, trembling, and listen to Halo’s voice.
“Haha, I’m the one who should be thankful. My sister is a brilliant researcher, but she’s very shy and hesitates to file patents in her own name. This research could have gone to waste, so we’re even more grateful that you’re putting it to such good use. …By the way, how is Lady Alicia?”
Alicia.
Hearing that name, everything made sense.
Alicia Bambina Restvin was the only daughter of the Marquis of Restvin.
No matter how much money the Valtur Count’s family made from Melteor, as nouveau nobility, they would at best be treated as parvenus in high society. The fastest way to greater honor and a political career was marriage, and Halo had chosen to secure a connection with the Price Guild.
By using Hamiel’s research.
While listening to Halo ask about and talk about Alicia, Hamiel’s soul grew darker. Even after he finally ended the telepin call and went to bed, she stood in the dark hallway, staring into an ever-deepening abyss.
It was strange.
The deeper the night grew, the quieter the surroundings became, the clearer her vision seemed to get. It was as if she had been in a deep sleep and had just woken up. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling, but Hamiel knew that this was exactly the moment she needed.
Ironically, what she felt then wasn’t anger toward Halo. It was a threat to her survival.
Until now, she had lived as the daughter of the Count Valtur and the sister of Halo. But the father who had protected her died five years ago, and Halo would marry into a family that would bring him even greater honor.
So what would become of Hamiel?
If Halo had used her for marriage, he could keep using her even after he was married. As long as he coveted the results of her future research, he would never let her marry into another family; he would keep her as his own cash cow.
And if she grew old or became useless, he could just marry her off to some suitable family. Whether any family would want an aging inventor with not a single patent to her name was doubtful, but if one did, they probably weren’t normal.
‘I have to survive.’
This was not the time to hate Halo or lament her lost patent rights.
She had to survive. To live in this world, in her own name, she needed to protect herself.
A week had passed since the moment she crept away from Halo’s door as quietly as possible. And this morning, her preparations were finally complete.
“What are you doing?”
Startled by the sudden voice behind her, Hamiel whipped her head around.
At the entrance to the lab, silhouetted against the sunlight, stood Halo.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
He was a dazzling person, no matter when you saw him.
His glossy red hair, his healthy, smooth skin, his sharp, clear features—even Hamiel had to admit he was handsome. His tall stature and broad shoulders took after their father, sometimes even surprising her.
Of course, he was very popular. Regardless of the Valtur family’s status as nouveau nobility, they owned the empire’s largest Melteor mine, and Halo was a cheerful, intelligent heir. If he entered high society, he would surely captivate the public.
‘…So why did he do it?’
“Mia?”
When Hamiel didn’t answer, Halo tilted his head in puzzlement and waved his hand. He was still standing at the door.
Come to think of it, Halo had never once stepped into Hamiel’s lab without permission. Whenever he came to call her when she was absorbed in her research, he always stood at the threshold and never entered without her consent.
That was his own way of showing affection. It meant he respected her research and acknowledged her space.
And yet, he had crossed that threshold. Without her permission, solely to steal her research.
“Mia, why aren’t you saying anything? Is it because I’m too handsome all of a sudden?”
Halo joked lightly and laughed. But Hamiel did not laugh.
“I’m tired. I got up early this morning.”
“Why? Did you get a good idea?”
Halo’s eyes sparkled.
In that moment, Hamiel felt as if she had woken from a dream again.
It was true that Halo had cared for her. It was also true that he had respected her research.
But at least, not anymore.
“…No.”
Hamiel shook her head and looked down at the notebook. The pages, stained with her hand oils, were swollen from so much handling.
“I’m thinking I might have to quit my research.”
“What?”
Halo’s voice rose. Hamiel didn’t lift her head, just stroked the notebook quietly.
Her thoughts, her dreams, her life, her soul—everything was in there.
‘And everything was stolen.’
“What are you talking about? If you’re joking, stop it. That’s not funny.”
“It’s not a joke.”
Hamiel raised her head.
Halo’s face was twisted with emotion. An expression she had never seen on him before.
‘So he can make a face like that.’
Hamiel let out a short laugh.
Not because she felt vindicated. She was just dumbfounded.
He was so transparent, and yet she had been oblivious—or rather, she hadn’t even tried to see. She had thought she didn’t need anything other than her research, but that wasn’t true.
“I’ve failed to get six patents already. Maybe I just don’t have a talent for research.”
“What are you saying, Mia? Don’t talk like that.”
Halo tried to soothe her, his face contorted.
“What happened? You look really unwell today.”
What happened?
She wanted to say, “You know damn well what happened,” but she just shook her head. Growing anxious, Halo unconsciously stepped over the threshold.
“Don’t come in!”
“!”
Startled by Hamiel’s sudden shout, Halo froze in his tracks.
