Episode 13
Laria blinked slowly.
She’s not on the guest list?
“What do you mean by that?”
Before Laria could say anything, Rodite jumped in and shouted, “Look again with both your eyes wide open!”
The butler, startled by Rodite’s tone, nervously adjusted his glasses. He looked like he might get hit if he said no again.
“Ah! I apologize. There was a mistake,” the butler said, awkwardly mumbling that Laria’s name was at the very bottom of the list and he missed it.
Well, I did say I’d come at the last minute.
It seemed her attendance wasn’t properly communicated.
“I’ll guide you now,” the butler said.
Before following him, Laria turned to Rodite. “I have a favor to ask.”
“Anything!” Rodite’s eyes sparkled.
Laria took a letter from her bag and handed it to him. “Can you send this to the Duke of Kraseum’s mansion? Right now.”
“…Kraseum mansion?” Rodite asked hesitantly.
Laria nodded. “You’re the only one I trust to send this.”
That was all Rodite needed to hear. He nodded with determination. “I’m on it!”
Laria smiled slightly and then followed the butler into the garden.
After a short walk, the butler stopped and gestured ahead. “Just go straight from here.”
It was strange that he didn’t guide her all the way, but the path didn’t seem complicated, so Laria nodded and continued.
Red roses bloomed all around, covering the garden like a massive carpet.
With some time to spare, Laria strolled through the garden, but suddenly felt something was off.
Am I walking in circles?
The moment she realized it, the surroundings shimmered strangely, like a mirage.
Is this an illusion spell?
It was the first time she experienced an illusion made by someone else. Curious, Laria looked around carefully.
The roses looked lifeless, almost fake. The garden felt too still, with no wind or movement.
A good illusion should feel real. But this one felt more like a painted picture—sloppy and unrefined.
So I need to break through this to enter.
Maybe it was like a welcoming challenge for spellcasters.
Feeling a bit excited, Laria reached out her hand and disrupted the sloppy spell with her own power.
Then, like breaking a puzzle, the illusion shattered into pieces with a sharp sound.
“Ugh!!” someone groaned in pain.
Startled, Laria turned toward the voice.
There stood a man coughing violently, and others holding teacups, frozen in place.
Everyone’s already here?
I should’ve come out earlier, Laria thought to herself.
The others stared at her in surprise and started whispering.
“What happened? She should’ve been stuck in the illusion for a while.”
“She looks totally fine.”
“Was there something wrong with the spell?”
The coughing man shook his head. “No, she broke the illusion.”
He looked pale and scared, but no one believed him.
To break someone else’s spell, your power has to be far stronger than theirs.
But Laria Rohan had just recently awakened as a spellcaster. It didn’t make sense.
The man covered his mouth like he was about to vomit.
The others looked at him with quiet disgust.
He’d definitely be kicked out of this group after today.
While they whispered among themselves, Laria calmly observed their faces.
No familiar faces, as expected.
She hadn’t attended many fox tribe gatherings, so everyone was new.
Except for one.
Laria’s eyes landed on a woman seated at the head of the table.
With fiery red hair and glowing crimson eyes, it was obvious which family she came from.
Siena Hashur, the only daughter of the Marquis of Hashur—one of the Red Fox families.
It had been years since Laria saw her, but she recognized her instantly.
Siena’s eyes met Laria’s.
For a moment, their gazes locked in midair.
But the moment didn’t last long.
“Laria Rohan?” a voice called.
Laria turned her head toward the speaker.
The woman sitting next to Siena smiled politely.
“You’re early. Please, have a seat.”
Laria approached the round table and looked for an empty chair.
But there weren’t any.
“Oh my, looks like we’re short a chair,” the woman said, blinking as if truly troubled.
The butler’s half-hearted guidance, and now this? This group is poorly organized.
Still, since it was her first time here, Laria decided not to complain.
With a smile, she replied, “No worries. I’ll make my own seat.”
She took a seed from her bag, threw it on the ground, and it quickly grew into a sturdy chair-shaped plant.
Everyone watched in shock as Laria casually sat down on the wooden chair.
The room fell silent.
The woman who had spoken to her twitched her lips.
“So the rumors were true—you really did awaken as a spellcaster.”
It was clearly meant as a dig.
“Showing off with such silly magic,” she added.
“Enough,” Siena said, snapping her fan shut and glaring at the woman.
“Lunel, I told you not to bully the weak.”
“…I’m sorry, Lady Siena,” Lunel mumbled, backing down.
Siena glanced at Laria and flicked her fan.
Rose vines grew behind her, wrapping around her chair and turning it into a grand throne.
Now sitting in the most impressive seat, Siena smiled.
“You can use it like this too. Thanks for the idea.”
“You’re so talented and humble,” Lunel chimed in, flattering Siena.
Siena waved her hand gracefully. “Oh please, this is just basic spellwork. Anyone can do it.”
Then she looked at Laria and smiled sweetly.
“Right, Lady Rohan?”
Laria tilted her head. This kind of spell is super easy, though?
“Yes, it’s simple,” she replied gently.
She thought she was being polite, but Siena’s expression shifted strangely.
Siena opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but then looked away.
As more people joined, they began drinking tea and chatting.
They spoke seriously about the future of the fox tribe—as if they were the leaders.
At first, Laria listened with interest, but soon she found herself laughing inside.
They talked about how the fox tribe was superior to other races and how all royal officials should be fox people…
It was full of arrogant pride.
Everyone asked Siena for her opinion, and she always gave short answers that were immediately accepted as correct.
And every time, the group praised her endlessly.
Laria tried to speak up a few times, but she was completely ignored.
Did I do something wrong?
She reviewed her actions in her head, then noticed some people whispering and laughing while looking at her.
Oh. I’m being left out on purpose.
She finally realized it.
She had been too optimistic.
That illusion earlier wasn’t a “welcoming” challenge—it was meant to block me out.
Now everything made sense.
She had never been excluded like this before, so she didn’t catch on right away.
Well, no point forcing herself into conversations. She decided to sit quietly and leave later.
Her real goal was to meet Zenox anyway.
“If only we had the Fox Orb, we wouldn’t have to worry about any of this,” someone suddenly said.
Laria looked up, half-listening.
The others agreed and added their own thoughts.
“True, with the Fox Orb, we wouldn’t have to care what the other tribes think.”
The Fox Orb was a powerful treasure passed down through the fox tribe.
It held mysterious powers and could boost magical abilities to incredible levels.
One of the most powerful foxes in history was said to have used it.
“If we had it, the fox tribe would enter a golden age.”
“But it disappeared so long ago. Where could it be now?”
As they spoke, Laria casually took a sip of her tea.
Because she already knew where it was.
It was inside her.
Right in her belly.
