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Chapter : 10
“Bringing up something like that at the table while Lady Eani is eating! That’s terribly rude—apologize at once!”
That was Elin speaking.
“And do you have any idea how much money we spent on that?! That infuriating mage practically bankrupted the inn!”
That was Bellin.
After being scolded one after another by her two older sisters, Selin shrank back and hurriedly apologized.
“I’m sorry, Lady Eani…….”
I brushed it off lightly and took a sip of my coffee.
‘Well, this villa itself runs entirely on magic, so it’s practically essential if you want a comfortable life.’
Despite being in an environment similar to medieval Europe, I was living almost exactly the same kind of life as in modern times.
It was all thanks to magic.
‘In some ways, it’s even more impressive than science.’
The fact that not a single bug could get into this villa was genuinely amazing.
And without air conditioning, the temperature and humidity were perfectly controlled.
Magic had penetrated deeply into everyday life.
However, it had been thirty years since the number of mages being born began to drop sharply.
The nobility barely managed to maintain such conveniences through the Mage Tower, but it was obvious that those below them were living very uncomfortable daily lives.
‘Upgrading is easy, but downgrading is always hard.’
In a situation like this, the Quend Hotel had played its cards well.
Magic, as their selling point, was an attractive draw for every social class.
‘In that case…….’
As I was organizing my thoughts, my gaze met that of Birt, who had been watching me closely.
As if he had been waiting for this moment, he pushed up his glasses and spoke.
“Since the topic of magic has come up, there’s something I wanted to ask you, Lady Eani. First, I’d like to share the conclusion I reached after deeply pondering how your ankle was completely healed.”
“Mm, go on.”
“If my hypothesis is correct, then there’s no doubt that Lady Eani possesses the power of ‘magic.’”
“Oh my~. Really?”
“Yes! There’s a high probability that a power which had never manifested before awakened when you were on the brink of death! If that’s the case, it would also explain how tendons that were beyond recovery healed in an instant.”
“But I’ve always been just like any ordinary person?”
“Lady Eani, you are a Nasel, are you not! Though its former glory has faded, the Nasel family was once famous for magic. Given your lineage, it wouldn’t be strange at all for dormant magical power to awaken!”
Perhaps he had been thinking about this on his own for quite some time—Birt’s eyes were practically sparkling.
“Of course, while it’s not impossible, it is an extremely rare case! Therefore, if this is reported to the Mage Tower, there’s a high chance that the current Archmage would come to meet you personally! This is my first time encountering such a case as well, so my curiosity is quite piqued. What do you think, Lady Eani?”
At that point, I couldn’t help but ask.
“That Archmage… is he a man?”
For the record, there was a very good reason I asked such an out-of-the-blue question.
‘Of course I’d welcome meeting the Archmage…….’
I was very interested in magic, after all.
The problem was that in the original story, the Archmage was only mentioned occasionally and never once appeared in person.
So a verification step was essential.
At my question, Birt looked puzzled as he replied.
“I’m not sure what prompted the question, but if you’re asking about biological sex, then yes, he is male. Hm, when you put it that way, Lady Eani’s case becomes even rarer! Typically, the gender ratio among mages is about seven men to three women.”
“It is interesting. But Birt, are you really sure this is okay?”
I tilted my head slightly.
“Do you think Harten would just sit back and allow me to come into contact with another man?”
The dining room froze instantly at those words.
Well, that reaction was understandable.
‘Because of Harten’s possessiveness, quite a few men who approached Eani without knowing better ended up ruining their lives.’
Birt was only allowed to remain by my side because he was a physician from the Duke of Seind’s household with a solid background, because Harten’s feelings toward Eani had been gradually cooling at the time, and because his skills were exceptional.
‘Other than that, there’s no way Harten would ever allow it.’
When I reminded them of a fact they’d forgotten during this brief period of peace, everyone’s faces began to turn pale.
Especially Birt—the person directly involved—was shaking so badly that the glasses he was wearing slid right down his nose.
“I-If you would kindly forget the rash words I just spoke, Lady Eani, I will repay this debt of gratitude for the rest of my life.”
“Hehe, nothing has happened yet~.”
Click.
I set down my empty coffee cup.
That signaled that the time I was willing to listen to them was over.
“But if word were to leak that I’m connected to magic, you can imagine what Harten would do to all of you… right?”
At that, the four of them nodded vigorously.
Judging by their expressions, it seemed they’d already resolved to keep their mouths shut.
Honestly, I wasn’t too worried.
‘In the original story, they were chosen as my personal attendants precisely because they were so good at keeping secrets.’
Smiling softly, I gave the instructions I had been considering.
“Then, Birt.”
“Yes, Lady Eani.”
“You keep mentioning the Mage Tower—do you have connections there?”
“Several of my academy classmates work there.”
“Good. Then discreetly procure a variety of books related to magic from there. The books here are too basic—I’ve already read them all~.”
Understanding my intent, Birt pushed his slipped glasses back into place.
“I will prepare verified learning materials so that you may acquire as broad a range of magical knowledge as possible!”
Satisfied with his answer, I smiled and then turned my gaze to the three sisters.
“And I’m sure there’s a Quend Hotel in this region as well.”
For people in the Empire who could afford it, the most popular vacation destination was, without question, the sea.
And since this southern region was renowned across the continent for its beautiful coral and ocean, there was no way a Quend Hotel wouldn’t be here.
Bellin agreed with my reasoning.
“There’s a Quend Hotel in the nearby port city of Weina! It’s a famous tourist destination!”
“Then that branch will be the biggest rival to our resort, won’t it?”
I asked in a relaxed tone.
“So~. Who wants to go scout just how strong our rival really is~?”
“Unni, hurry up!”
“Just a moment.”
Click.
As Bellin unlocked the door, Selin rushed inside excitedly.
And then—
“Kyaa! This bed is amazing!”
She jumped onto the large bed.
“Beds someone else washed are the best! So soft~.”
As Selin buried her face in the blanket and mumbled happily, Bellin placed the hat she had been wearing onto the table.
“We didn’t come here to play around, so don’t start lazing about already.”
Saying that, Bellin changed into slippers and quickly began inspecting the room.
The layout was ordinary.
When you opened the door, there was a short hallway and a bathroom, and beyond that, a combined bedroom and living area with a balcony.
However, the black marble interior—rarely used in everyday settings—added a sense of luxury and cleanliness to the room.
“By the way, Unni. Hasn’t Lady Eani changed way too much? Sending us to the Quend Hotel under the pretext of ‘scouting’! I seriously thought I was going to pass out!”
“That’s funny coming from someone who raised her hand first when she asked who wanted to go scouting.”
“Well, she said it was free! Of course I had to jump at the chance!”
“True…… it really was extremely generous.”
Naturally, the conversation from earlier that day with Eani came to mind.
“Let’s see~. Elin says she wants to stay by my side, and two is better than one…… Bellin, Selin. You two should experience as many different aspects of the Quend Hotel as possible.”
“B-But Lady Eani! Even so, covering all the lodging and meal expenses at the Quend Hotel is far too much! Wouldn’t it be better for you to go in person?!”
“You know I can’t leave this island freely~. The moment I do, Harten would be notified, right?”
“Eek! I don’t want that! I don’t want to die!”
“That’s why you’ll be my eyes. Go there and observe everything—the guests staying at the hotel, the staff working there, even the smallest services.”
She was supporting the trip expenses so they could organize all of that and report back to her.
When she said that, Eani smiled brightly.
A beautiful smile—but one that truly gave nothing away.
‘Even Father, who ran an inn himself, was never this generous….’
How could a person change so drastically?
Just a short while ago, she had been lying blankly in a pitch-dark room without even lighting a lamp.
She barely ate, and except when she sobbed, it was hard to hear her voice at all.
Now, that former 모습 felt strangely distant and unfamiliar.
The change was hard to believe even after witnessing it firsthand…… but Bellin decided to think simply.
‘Either way, Lady Eani is a new opportunity for me……!’
If she helped her, she could finally achieve her long-held dream of running an inn.
No—this could become something even bigger!
Lady Eani, owner of a magnificent resort on the beautiful island of Tadibna.
‘And me, becoming her reliable right-hand woman……!’
