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CHAPTER 12 –
“Every Dish I Glance At Appears in Front of Me”
Every single dish Piace even glanced at was promptly moved in front of her.
And any food she didn’t want to eat vanished as if by magic.
It was as though someone desperately wanted her to keep eating.
Of course, it was just a coincidence.
The Duke would never do such a thing—for her.
He had only ever mentioned it when he disliked something’s smell or taste…
Still, Piace stifled her excitement and finished her meal quietly.
Once again, the maid sisters efficiently cleared away all the dishes and reset the table.
Piace watched in sudden astonishment.
“Oh no! I should’ve eaten more slowly—I look like a glutton! Director’s rule: children who eat too openly don’t get loved!”
She stared at the spotless carpet with a pout.
The Duke’s sharp gaze landed on her round little forehead.
“Piace, remember when I was sick a few days ago?”
“Yes!”
“Do you remember who healed me?”
Piace recalled the family physician of the Ibrante household—a bearded grandfather, though his name slipped her mind.
“Ah… Al-behr… the doctor–grandfather…”
“I see.”
The Duke murmured to himself, his eyes distant.
“Anyway, have you heard of the Academy?”
“No…”
“The Academy is where children study with friends, and you can meet others your age. Would you like to go?”
Friends? Yes, she wanted to go—desperately! But—
“You don’t want to?”
“No! That’s not it…”
“Then?”
“If… I go there, can I still come back here?”
“…”
The Duke looked at Piace for a long moment before answering.
“That’s a strange question. Your home isn’t the Academy; it’s the Ibrante Villa. Of course you’ll come back.”
“Th-then I want to go! Yes, I want to go!”
“Understood.”
With that, the Duke stood. Was he really going to take her there now?
Startled, Piace rose, and a maid handed her a small decorative box.
“Miss Piace, please take this. A gift to celebrate your recovery.”
“Oh…?”
Cookies!
Piace’s face lit up.
Their chef never made desserts, so seeing cookies in the villa was extremely rare.
“Did the Duke prepare these for me?”
She looked up expectantly, but the Duke had already turned and left the bedroom without saying a word.
The maid seemed indifferent to what she’d given Piace.
“Maybe butler did it?”
Once, the butler had passed cookies via a maid. Could it be the same now…?
On reflection, Piace realized the Duke probably didn’t prepare cookies for her.
Her imagination must have run wild. She felt foolish.
“But then… why did I feel like he was being kind?”
His usual cold eyes and prickly tone—nothing had changed.
So why did it feel different?
She tried to figure it out, but no answer came.
Two Days Later
Two more days passed, and Piace had fully recovered.
From watching her over the past few days, she had no idea about her own powers.
She didn’t even know what it meant to be a saint.
“Then my awakening won’t happen until after I make friends at the Academy.”
Like the story: after building strong friendships, a crisis forces the heroine to awaken, and she and her friends save the world.
“Ugh, how cliché.”
I let out a sigh and summoned the water spirit.
“Undine.”
Her mood didn’t bode well—she glared at me, arms folded, clearly upset.
“Why the pout?”
— You only call me when you need me. When you don’t, you just ignore me. I’m not good enough for you?
I wanted to explain that I’d been busy—first Piace got sick, then everything was chaotic—but it was too long and complicated, so I said nothing.
— You only summon me when it’s convenient. That’s so calculating!
I tapped her plump cheeks gently.
“I’ve been busy. If I kept summoning you without playing, you’d be bored.”
— Play? I don’t need playing—summon me whenever, I’m not a boring spirit! I’ll amuse myself; you just do it!
“Alright, alright. You win.”
— This is your one and only chance—I can be scary when I’m mad!
“I know—you’re the strongest water spirit in the world. Thanks for cooling down.”
— Well… that’s fine, I guess.
Her pale cheeks relaxed.
“By the way, can you hide when we’re around others?”
Undine’s face lost its glow immediately.
— Why? Am I embarrassing you?
“No…”
Just then, a knock.
“Master, it’s time to prepare for the Academy visit.”
“Ah…”
I’d forgotten we were scheduled to observe a class there today.
“Undine, we’ll talk later—can you hide now?”
— What? No! Talk now! Am I embarrassing you?
“Sorry.”
I severed the bond—I’d end the summoning and she dissolves in a splash.
“Come in.”
The maids arrived and I received a prompt:
[Step 3: (Stand before the full-length mirror) Tell Piace to prepare to go out.]
“Tell Piace to get ready to go out.”
“Yes, Master.”
I finished dressing and checked the mirror.
A gold gown, form-fitting and flowing to the floor, trimmed with layers of intricate gold lace—it had to be expensive.
My hair was loosely pinned to match the dress, with dangling gold earrings and a golden-branch hair ornament.
I sighed when I noticed the eighteen bracelets piled on my arm. The maids had tried to make it suit the Academy—but it was blindingly dazzling.
I might be the world’s most beautiful woman… but I’m such a foolish flirt.
“Everyone, take your leave.”
Waiting for the sound of retreating footsteps, I summoned Undine again.
“Undine.”
— …
“Undine!”
— Why summon me? I thought I was embarrassing you…
“Why hide? How could you ever embarrass me?”
— Then why did you keep telling me to hide?
“Because no one must know I’m Adela. If people like Leonhart, Owen, or Lusfel see you repeatedly, the secret’s out. That’s why I need you to stay hidden.”
When a spirit contracts with their master, their souls remain bound forever—unless the spirit vanishes or the master dies.
But if spirits identical to mine start appearing around Adrian? Leonhart, Owen, and Lusfel would suspect immediately.
Undine cocked her head.
— But… you heard how crazy they got when they thought I died, right? Drinking, crying, threatening to kill themselves—I’ve never seen anything like it.
They cried over me? My heart twisted strangely with sorrow and confusion.
Lusfel… I could believe him being dramatic. He hides nothing and feels everything.
But Owen and Leonhart… hard to imagine.
— If I were alive, they’d be overjoyed. Let’s tell them—even if it’s a secret to the others. They’re just pitiable.
They would indeed be upset if someone found out. Which is why these three would have to know.
I thought fast and came up with the closest possible lie.
“I’d like that too. But I told you—no one may know.”
— That’s a secret? Why?
“If they learn… the soul link ends.”
— What? But all the spirits already know who you are…and it didn’t break anything.
I nearly gasped as Undine’s eyes narrowed.
— Are you hiding something from me?
“No.”
— If you’re hiding something, just tell me before it gets worse.
“What spirit are you, paranoid much? If you doubt me, go leak my identity and see what happens.”
— …Really no secrets? Is it just about the soul link?
“Yes, exactly. I’m not joking—tell the others I said so.”
Undine glowered at me, but as I kept my shameless poker face, her shoulders dropped.
— Fine, day’s ruined… I’m in a good mood today.
“Remember: if you sense anything strange while we’re out, telepath it to me. And especially watch for anyone approaching Piace. Understood?”
Undine, fond of Piace, answered brightly:
— Piace? That sweet girl with warm energy? You bet—I’ll keep her safe!
