BVWG 40

After training, he seemed unusually worried about my terrible physical stamina — and I couldn’t even deny it.

This body had never done a single workout before, after all.

“I know someone who could help you with that, my lady. May I send him to you soon?”

Back then, I was curious about who this person he mentioned might be, but exhaustion beat out curiosity.
Besides, knowing Mor, he’d surely send someone competent.

“Thank you for your concern.”

While I was recalling that conversation, there was a gentle knock on my door.
Still lying on the bed, I only moved my lips.

“Come in.”

With a click, the door cracked open, and a small golden head peeked through.

She came again today with a ribbon as big as her face — this time a blue one.

I couldn’t help smiling at Dalia’s cuteness.

“Big sister, you’re back? Are you very tired?”

“A bit tired today.”

“Q said you’d be tired today!”

Q? Since when did those two get so close?

I forced myself upright, despite my fatigue. If Dalia came all the way here after hearing that, she probably had something important to say.

“What is it?”

Dalia fidgeted shyly before parting her small pink lips.

“…I just wanted to see you.”

Right. I’d forgotten — no matter how much she remembered from her past life, her mental age was still five.

I couldn’t exactly send her away, so I opened my arms reluctantly.

“Come here. I’ll give you a hug.”

Her face brightened instantly as she ran over on her tiny feet and threw herself into my arms.

Come to think of it, we hadn’t talked much lately. I’d been so busy that I hadn’t even told her I’d met the final candidate, Klepta.

She was so happy from just one hug — maybe I should indulge her a bit more.

“Dalia, shall we play house?”

Her eyes lit up, and she darted off to fetch her toy tea set.

I naturally took a seat at the little tea table.

Dalia bustled around, pretending to brew something in her bunny-shaped teapot.

Soon, two teddy bear cups filled with imaginary tea were set out. She carefully placed one in front of me.

I slipped right into the act.

“Lady Dalia, thank you for the tea.”

“Lady Asha, how have you been lately?”

“I made my debut in society, hunted incubi, and started taking magic lessons.”

“Oh my, you must have been quite busy.”

“Yes. And at the Founding Festival Ball, I met Klepta Desdemota.”

Dalia froze mid-sip of her teddy bear teacup.

“What was he like?”

“Well… he suddenly declared interest in me and then proposed a business idea. He seemed confident and bold — quite the spirited young noble. And very striking in appearance.”

“I see. Then which of the three candidates do you plan to pursue, Lady Asha?”

“I’m not sure yet. I’ll try getting closer to all three for now.”

I mimed sipping my tea before continuing.

“But Klepta does seem the easiest to approach. He showed the most obvious interest in me.”

Dalia suddenly set down her cup, her tone turning serious — clearly dropping the act.

“What about your heart, big sister? Which of them draws you the most?”

I set my cup down too, thinking hard.

“…I haven’t really thought about that.”

Dalia scrunched up her now slightly chubbier cheeks.

“Sis, how can you not think about that? You’re totally clueless about love, aren’t you?”

I blinked in disbelief.

“Where did you even learn the phrase ‘clueless about love,’ Dalia?”

“I lived until twenty-seven in my past life, remember? I probably know more about romance than you do.”

So she knew that term from her past life?
I take back what I said about her mental age being five.

“You should think carefully about your feelings.”

“In a game, feelings don’t matter. You just target the one who’s easiest to win over. If you fail, there’s a penalty.”

“What kind of penalty?”

“That’s the thing… I can’t remember. I just know it was terrible.”

Whenever I tried to recall it, a strange fog clouded my mind.

I still felt a desperate urge to “play the game,” but I had no idea why.

“I just want you to be happy, no matter who you choose. That’s why you should listen to your heart, don’t you think?”

Hearing that from a five-year-old made my chest tighten. To break the mood, I steered us back into play.

“Lady Dalia, shall we have dessert now?”

She perked up immediately.

“What kind of dessert?”

“I’ll serve you some ice cream.”

I pulled both teddy bear cups in front of me and whispered a spell.

“Frigus.”

Then I handed one cup and a teaspoon to Dalia.

She accepted it with curious eyes.

“Thank you for the treat, Lady Asha.”

She scooped the empty cup with the spoon and pretended to taste it — then her big pink eyes went wide.

“Sis! It’s really cold and sweet!”

I hadn’t actually made real ice cream — but thanks to Mor’s lesson today, I could manage magic like this now.

Feeling proud, I watched Dalia dig happily into her “ice cream.” Her joy was so pure that it made me smile too.

Then suddenly, light flared from my hand, and the magic mirror appeared. Its surface turned white, and pink letters emerged.

<Sub-Mission 5>
Awaken the Guide of the Game.

Hint: When darkness and light resonate, a new light shall be born to lift the veil.

Reward: ??? / Failure: ???

Both Dalia and I froze, startled by the sudden message.

We sat in silence for a moment before I finally spoke.

“Dalia, it says you’re supposed to awaken.”

“What kind of power do you think I’ll get if I do?”

“How should I know? You’re the one who’s played this game before. Any ideas?”

“Hmm… no, I don’t remember anything like this. There wasn’t even a ‘Guide’ role when I played.”

I thought for a moment before cautiously suggesting,

“Last time, when I got a similar hint, ‘darkness’ referred to the area swarming with incubi. Maybe it’s the same idea this time.”

Dalia, ever quick-witted, caught on immediately.

“You mean you want me to go with you to the border?”

“Yeah. A few weeks from now, when I head north, come with me.”

“Will it be all right if I go? You said you’re going with imperial knights.”

“I’ll ask His Majesty for permission. Let’s see if we can clear the sub-mission together.”

I did feel a twinge of worry about what dangers might await there.

Still, with imperial soldiers and my newly learned attack magic, I should be able to protect Dalia.

She nodded her little golden head in agreement.

The next day, I finally decided to meet Klepta — something I’d been putting off.

I sent him a letter that morning, and he responded immediately, saying he’d come to my estate that very afternoon.
Apparently, he wouldn’t be bringing the Desdemota family jewels to show me this time.

Thanks to that, my nanny and Mercy were suddenly busy dressing me up.

Dalia had stayed up late talking with me last night and was now sleeping in — something a proper noble maid would never do.
But since she was still a child and I openly favored her, everyone just accepted it.

“My lady, how beautiful shall we make you today? Pretty enough to dazzle him a little, or enough to make him fall head over heels?”

Mercy was in high spirits.

Word that Klepta was coming had set the household buzzing with gossip about my relationship with him.

Some even placed bets on whether he would formally court me. I knew about it but turned a blind eye.

Mercy had definitely bet that he would.

“Our lady will make him fall hopelessly in love no matter what she wears.”

My nanny chimed in, fanning the flames.

“He already saw me all dressed up at the debut, so keep it moderate this time,” I said dryly.

The two women bickered over whether to dress me in violet or sky blue.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

Our butler entered, bowing politely.

“My lady, pardon the interruption. Lord Desdemota has just arrived.”

“Already?”

“Yes, my lady. Shall I show him to the parlor?”

“Yes. Please serve him some tea while he waits.”

I still had plenty left to prepare — if he came early, he could wait a bit.

The moment word spread that he’d arrived, my attendants worked even faster.
They finally settled on a light sky-blue dress for me.

When I descended to the reception room, Klepta was standing there.

With his dark green hair slicked back and wearing a neat three-piece suit, he stared at me blankly for a moment, golden eyes unfocused.

“Lord Desdemota, may the blessings of the White Dragon have kept you well.”

I spoke louder on purpose, snapping him out of it.

He flushed briefly before regaining his composure and smiling charmingly.

“And may the Lady Esperanza also have been well under the White Dragon’s grace. Forgive me — your beauty stunned me for a moment.”

Even his greeting was overly dramatic, yet it suited him somehow.

Yes — Klepta Desdemota was, without question, a dazzling man.