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Chapter 97
What the… Don’t tell me everyone already knew?
If they knew about Finn’s situation or abilities, and still let this incident slide, then…
Could it be they actually want Finn’s identity to be revealed?
At least the Imperial family or the temple might. It would be for their own benefit, of course. But in the Duke’s case—
That seems more ambiguous…
He did warn her to be careful about getting close to Finn, but he never seemed openly hostile. Maybe it’s because Finn had once treated and helped Elizia.
“Anyway.”
If that was the case, then maybe there was a way to turn things around. Elizia looked at Finn and brought up the words she had prepared.
“There’s something I want to try at tomorrow’s re-examination. Something I can do myself.”
She clenched her fist tightly as she went on.
“So please, let me be there for the re-exam.”
Finn hesitated, as if wanting to stop her, but seeing the firm look on Elizia’s face, he reluctantly added:
“…It should be possible. Plenty of outsiders will be attending anyway.”
“That’s good.”
Elizia studied Finn’s expression. Since he had wanted to dissuade her from the start, he was probably curious about what she was planning. She wanted to explain, but with others nearby, she couldn’t risk it. Someone might overhear and try to sabotage her plan.
So Elizia quickly added:
“I’ll give you a hint tomorrow morning about what I’m going to do. If you really think it’s no good, you can stop me then. Until then, let’s just act normal.”
“Very well. In that case…”
Finn accepted her words without protest. Perhaps conscious of the watching eyes around them, he kept his tone casual, as if he’d heard nothing unusual.
“Is there anywhere you’d like to visit, my lady?”
Elizia perked up, answering without hesitation.
“Yes! My quarters!”
She exclaimed, unable to hide her excitement.
The Tower’s lodgings had never once been shown in the game. If she saw them now, Elizia would be the first.
The first-ever reveal of the dorms, huh.
The viewers would definitely love this.
And honestly, she was excited herself. Quarters for mages? Just the thought was fascinating.
Elizia followed behind Finn with sparkling eyes.
“Your room is at the very top floor of the tower.”
“Oh…”
“You don’t need to worry about climbing. We have a lift powered by mana.”
He led her to a wooden contraption shaped like an elevator. Glass panels set between the wood let her see inside, where a glowing yellow magic orb gave off light.
Finn placed his hand on the orb.
Wait—that wasn’t just for lighting?
So it was the control mechanism. As Finn touched it, the orb flared, and the platform moved smoothly upward.
“Place your hand here and your identity will be recognized automatically. I believe you’re already registered, so don’t worry. You can also use it to visit other floors if you like.”
As he explained, the lift rose in no time to the very top. For something made of wood, it was surprisingly stable—no creaking, no shaking.
Ding!
The bell chimed as they arrived. Elizia stepped out and was greeted by a massive door.
“This door also has the recognition system. It’ll only open if you turn the handle yourself.”
“Wow, convenient… Huh?”
She froze as she opened the door.
“…!”
Meow! Meeeeow! (Wow, I even have my own spot!)
While Elizia stood speechless, her snow leopard leapt from her arms and dashed happily into the room. Finn asked cautiously:
“Do you not like it? If you’d prefer, we can arrange another room—”
“No, I love it!”
Elizia shouted, turning to Finn with excitement.
“Wait, do all mages really live in places this gorgeous? This is amazing!”
She couldn’t hold back her admiration.
By now, night had fallen. Through the wide windows, the moon and stars glittered in the sky. Strangely, even with the room brightly lit, the night sky outside was crystal clear—as if magic itself had sharpened the view. The twinkling city lights below completed the breathtaking scene.
Inside, the room was just as charming. The high ceiling revealed the roof beams, making the space airy and open. Decorative windows sat far out of reach, casting soft glows. A warm carpet spread across the floor, and the bedding looked plush and new.
Despite the wide windows, the air inside was pleasantly cozy, not at all chilly—surely another magical effect.
“I really love it. The view is incredible…”
As Elizia gazed at the window in awe, Finn spoke quietly.
“By the way, the Duke did leave us a message regarding your stay here.”
“My father?”
Finn looked away, unsure if he should say it.
“He mentioned that… you sometimes go out through windows.”
“….”
An awkward silence fell. Elizia cried out, scandalized.
“Why would Dad say that! Now the Tower people will think I’m weird!”
“They won’t. Some do leave through flight magic. But so it’s true, then.”
Caught off guard, Elizia froze at Finn’s musing. But instead of scolding her, he spoke kindly:
“This room is quite high up. Please be careful.”
“….”
Wait, that’s it? You’re not going to stop me?
At this height, anyone would worry! The Duke had always threatened to seal her windows shut or punish her for it. This was… disorienting.
Finn continued:
“Still, the lift out front is nearly as fast as jumping down. You should use it instead, especially if you’re with your snow leopard.”
“Meow! Meow-meow! (Yes! I could never jump from here!)”
The little beast clung to her clothes, shaking its head wildly after peeking outside. Elizia sighed.
“I’m not jumping. I won’t jump, okay? Back at the mansion, the floors were lower so it was fine, but here… I’d die!”
“I see. Well, we did prepare safety measures just in case. There’s also a flight artifact by the window for emergencies. Please keep that in mind.”
At his words, Elizia glanced over. Hanging by the curtain tie was a small silver ornament shaped like wings. She picked it up curiously.
A special flight item?
Ding!
Item discovered!
Item: Iris’s Wings (Rare)
It has a time limit, but this should let me fly for a short while.
It must have been prepared as an emergency escape option.
“Thank you. I heard these are really hard to find.”
“…You recognized it right away. That’s unusual for a noble lady.”
“Oh.”
Normally, someone in her position would ask how it works instead of identifying it instantly. Realizing she had slipped, Elizia gave an awkward laugh.
“I’m just… really interested in items like these.”
Well, in the game she had been. She quickly changed the subject.
“Are there other items here? I heard you can even order food straight to the room.”
“Yes. Write your order on this magic paper and ring the bell. A magic tray will deliver your meal here. And…”
Finn went on, explaining the various magical devices around the room.
“The ornament by your bedside, with the rosemary design, is famous for giving good dreams.”
“Good dreams?”
“Strictly speaking, ‘good’ for mages. It’s said to inspire forgotten ideas or grant prophetic dreams.”
“That sounds amazing.”
If only it could tell me tomorrow’s lottery numbers… oh wait, no lottery here.
At the very least, it might inspire an idea for escaping this world.
Mages really did have incredible items. Some she hadn’t even seen in the Seiros family’s possession.
After listening with fascination, Elizia thanked him.
“Thank you so much for showing me all this, Finn. I hope I haven’t kept you too long—you must need rest. Tomorrow’s an important day.”
It was the day of Finn’s mana re-examination. Holding him up too long might hinder him.
Finn nodded, preparing to leave. Elizia quickly added:
“Oh, and don’t forget. I said I’ll step in tomorrow. I don’t want your identity exposed!”
If his secret came out because of her, it would be awful—and the quest demanded his information remain hidden from others.
But Finn raised a curious brow.
“And what do you think my identity is?”
“…A super-powerful mage? The Tower’s secret weapon?”
Her answer made him chuckle softly.
“Not entirely wrong. But is that really your guess?”
Wait, is there more?
“Shall I tell you?”
“…!”
Elizia jerked her head up in shock.
Is he actually going to reveal it?
She almost said yes, but something about Finn’s solemn face made her stop. A shiver ran down her spine. If she heard it now, she felt she might regret it forever.
“N-no, it’s fine. Really. You don’t need to tell me.”
She shook her head earnestly.
“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. Everyone has things they can’t talk about.”
Like her own secret—that she was a transmigrator.
Whether by choice or not, some things had to stay hidden. If not for her, Finn would have lived quietly. She was the intruder here.
…Besides, the quest said no one but the palace, temple, or Duke could know. Maybe even I’m not supposed to.
For safety’s sake, it was better not to know.
“So don’t say it! And don’t even think of telling anyone tomorrow either! Leave it to me, okay?”
She clenched her fist as if to assure him.
“And don’t you dare sneak off and face the re-exam alone, or trick me. If you do, I won’t forgive you…!”
…Oops, maybe too harsh?
Used to her father and Howell always leaving her behind for banquets or monster hunts, the words slipped out like a half-threat. She scrambled to soften it.
“I mean… not forgive as in… not too badly, at least…”
“I understand.”
Wait, did he just laugh?
When Finn replied, he covered his mouth slightly, eyes creasing. But in a blink, he wore his calm, poker face again.
Elizia pouted and added sharply:
“Anyway, just don’t sneak off!”
“Understood. I’ll remember.”
With a faintly amused tone, Finn said:
“See you tomorrow.”
“….”
He understood me, right?
From the look of things, it seemed he really would go with her tomorrow. Relieved, Elizia saw him off and closed the door.
“…Phew. I should rest now.”
Though before resting, she had to update her viewers about today and plan for tomorrow. Still, her body felt unbearably heavy.
Just a short rest won’t hurt…
Yawning, Elizia lay down on the bed.
…Ah.
…Wake up. Are you asleep?
Who knew how much time had passed. As she slept soundly, a familiar voice called to her. Irritated by the persistent noise, Elizia frowned.
“Mmm… Mom, five more minutes…”
She muttered in her sleep.
“Yes, it’s Mom. Honestly, who did you inherit this drowsiness from? Not me—it must be your father.”
Huh?
Her eyes shot open wide.
She said… Mom?
But wasn’t she trapped in the world of Lady Marigold? She had fallen asleep in the Tower’s dormitory…
Then how—how could her mother be here?
“If you don’t get up, Mom’s leaving.”
“W-wait! Wait a second!”
Elizia shouted, springing upright in panic.
