ILSMT 08

Chapter 8

Just as Roakin was about to knock, he suddenly stopped and lowered his hand.

Moonlight was softly shining down over his head.

“…What time is it?”

A full moon hung high in the middle of the dark sky.

It was probably around ten at night.

Maybe a little later.

Seeing that every light inside the house was out, Roakin ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

He had rushed here without thinking, driven only by the desire to see her immediately.

Unable to decide what to do, he wandered around like a lost dog for a long while before finally making up his mind.

Knock. Knock.

The wooden door rattled loudly beneath his fist.

“…”

But no matter how long he waited, there was no response from inside.

Glancing up at the bright moon, an uneasy thought crossed his mind.

It was still a little early for Serphine to be asleep.

…Is she even inside?

The moment that thought occurred to him, Roakin grabbed the doorknob.

The lock, which had been firmly securing the house, broke apart easily in his hand.

He stepped inside and searched the house.

There was no doubt that Serphine had been here.

The blanket she always used was neatly folded on the sofa in the living room.

Her traces were everywhere.

Yet Serphine herself was nowhere to be found.

She’s gone.

For an instant, it felt as though icy water had been poured over him.

His eyes turned cold.

Just as his mind froze in confusion, he noticed the staircase leading upstairs.

Taking long strides up the stairs, Roakin gradually slowed down.

A familiar scent grew stronger with every step.

He was certain the person he was looking for was up there.

Finally, he saw Serphine sleeping peacefully.

Roakin let out a long sigh and rubbed his face.

“Ha… Seriously, Serphine Mirabel.”

It wasn’t easy to make someone this anxious.

Even though the spacious first floor was available, she had chosen to use the cramped attic as her bedroom.

Still…

She was safe.

That alone was enough.

He turned to leave, but his feet refused to move.

“You really sleep without a care in the world.”

Serphine didn’t even notice someone had entered her room.

She lay perfectly still, breathing softly.

Her tightly closed eyes looked as though they had no intention of opening, like someone in hibernation.

Looking at her sleeping so defenselessly, Roakin sighed again.

“How am I supposed to leave without worrying when you’re like this, Serphine?”

The only answer was the sound of her steady breathing.

There had been so many things he wanted to ask her once they met again.

Swallowing every word that had risen to the tip of his tongue, Roakin sat on the windowsill.

What exactly are you trying to do?

And what was this house?

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand what was going on inside that small head of hers.

Since she had already decided not to tell him herself…

There was only one thing left to do.

I’ll just have to watch.

Roakin silently looked down at the sleeping Serphine.

His gaze was so persistent that it seemed unwilling to miss even a single breath.

As dawn gradually brightened the once-dark sky, and the morning sun finally rose above the horizon…

Only the lingering warmth remained on the empty windowsill.

* * *

This week’s goal was simple.

Do absolutely nothing.

I spent every day eating, sleeping, and enjoying complete freedom.

But after living such a busy life for so long, laziness started making me restless.

“Maybe I should go outside for a change.”

And so…

On the third day of my unemployed life,

I prepared for my first outing.

Sitting in front of the vanity, I let down my hair.

My silver hair fell over my shoulders.

At first, this silver hair had felt incredibly awkward.

Now, I had grown used to it as I calmly brushed it.

How come I don’t even have a maid to brush my hair?

Everyone else gets reincarnated as a rich noble lady and has people taking care of them from head to toe…

Only after possessing Serphine did I learn the sad truth behind her life.

She had been left at an orphanage as a baby and had grown up without a family.

During her Academy years, she had at least lived in the dormitories.

But after graduation, she had nowhere to go and wandered from place to place, earning enough just to survive.

There really was no such thing as a villain without a tragic past.

Serphine’s life had been pitiful.

I didn’t want to know all these details…

Of all people, I had possessed someone with such a miserable life.

Forget being a noble.

I should just be grateful that I finally had a place I could call home.

After finishing my hair, I tied it up neatly.

As I tucked away a few loose strands, a forgotten thought suddenly crossed my mind.

“…I wonder if he’s read it by now.”

By now, the Tower Master should be returning from Valdeas.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious how he’d react after reading my letter.

Of course he’d be angry.

But that should be the end of it.

The terrifying image of Roakin showing up here suddenly flashed through my mind.

I immediately shook my head.

“No way.”

How would he even find this place?

And even if he somehow did, why would the second male lead leave the heroine when the original story was about to begin?

Even if I begged him to come, he wouldn’t.

Pushing away my uneasiness, I pulled my robe over my head.

Silver hair stood out even in this world.

It was better to stay hidden.

As soon as I stepped outside, warm sunlight poured over my face.

It’s been so long since I’ve enjoyed an afternoon like this!

Taking a deep breath of the fresh forest air, I headed straight for the marketplace.

As I wandered around getting familiar with the town, a merchant’s loud voice caught my attention.

“Brand-new plants just arrived! Come take a look!”

[Gardener]

Judging from the green sign painted with trees and grass, it was a plant shop.

“…Maybe I’ll just have a quick look.”

The shop was so full of plants that there was barely room to walk.

Instead of browsing the ordinary plants, I headed straight for the seed section.

“Hmm… Which one should I choose?”

I was thinking about starting a potion business.

Potion-making relied on the power of ingredients rather than magical ability.

Even someone without mana could do it.

In order to survive among mages, Serphine had poured her heart and soul into studying potion theory.

Thanks to that, I had inherited an enormous amount of knowledge.

And if I combined that with modern business knowledge…

There was definitely a chance.

The very first potion I planned to develop was—

A plant-growth potion.

If I could improve it enough to greatly increase crop yields…

Making a fortune would only be a matter of time.

As I was deciding which seeds to use for my experiments, a middle-aged woman, who appeared to be the shop owner, approached me.

“Miss, are you looking for something?”

My attention was immediately drawn to her eyes.

…Pink.

In this world, red-colored eyes were a symbol of mages.

Most had crimson eyes.

Those with exceptionally powerful mana had darker, almost purple eyes.

Like Roakin.

On the other hand, pink eyes represented very weak magical power.

They were usually seen among half-blood mages.

It was an uncommon eye color that normally attracted attention.

Yet since coming into this world, this was the first time I’d seen so many people with eyes like mine.

Not only the shop owner.

I’d already passed several people with pink eyes on my way here.

This is exactly why I chose Erden Village.

Erden Village had a remarkably diverse population.

Mages.

Humans.

Half-bloods.

With so many different eye colors mixed together here, I wouldn’t stand out much.

Feeling myself relax a little, I asked,

“What’s the fastest-growing plant you sell?”

The faster it grew, the sooner I could confirm whether my potion worked.

“Hmm? The fastest-growing plant?”

The woman looked surprised by the unusual question.

“Well… Let’s see. There’s a tree called Crown. It sprouts only half a day after planting. How about that?”

“Sounds perfect. I’ll take it. How much is it?”

“It isn’t useful for much, so twenty silver will do.”

After I paid, the shopkeeper placed the Crown tree seeds into a small box.

Then she looked at me curiously.

“Miss, your face seems familiar. Have you always lived in this village?”

“No. I only moved here yesterday.”

“Oh dear, my mistake.”

She laughed awkwardly.

“Well, now that we’ve met, come visit often. Next time I’ll throw in some freebies.”

“I will.”

I was just about to leave with the box of seeds when she hurriedly called after me.

“Wait! My name’s Mary. What’s yours?”

“Ser—”

I caught myself just in time.

“…Sara.”

“Sarah? That’s a beautiful name. Come again, Miss Sara!”

Mary waved cheerfully.

Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, I left the shop.

Thankfully she hadn’t thought much of my slip.

Serphine wasn’t exactly a common name.

That had been close.

Get a grip. If the Empress hears about you, you’re finished!

Even though I’d escaped from the original story, it was still too early to relax.

I still had no idea how the Empress would react once she realized I’d disappeared.

Forget the potion business.

If I couldn’t survive, none of it would matter.

I just need to hold out a little longer.

There wasn’t even a week left until Founding Day.

I pulled my hood lower over my face.

* * *

Sitting alone in the old cabin, stirring the steaming cauldron, I felt like a real witch.

“The color isn’t bad.”

A thick green potion bubbled inside the pot.

I took out the Crown tree seed I’d bought at the shop.

After placing it into a flowerpot and covering it with soil, I poured the completed green potion over it.

Leaving the pot on the balcony, I stretched my sore shoulders.

“Ugh… I’m exhausted.”

I’d spent the entire day making potions.

My wrists ached, and my eyes burned as though they were about to fall out.

I decided to leave the cleanup for tomorrow’s me and headed straight upstairs to my bedroom.

The room had become chilly because I’d left the windows open to let the potion smell out.

I stuffed several magic stones into the fireplace and threw myself onto the bed.

Magic stone fuel burned hotter and lasted much longer than firewood.

It was also far more expensive.

But after working so hard, I deserved this much.

Money really is the best.

The room warmed up almost immediately.

Wrapping myself tightly in the blankets, I drifted peacefully off to sleep.

Being able to sleep comfortably in a soft bed instead of at a desk…

I couldn’t describe how happy that made me.

Yes… I really was comfortable and happy…

…right up until I opened my eyes in the middle of the night and found the Master of the Magic Tower sitting on my bedroom windowsill.