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Chapter 13
“Huh? Since when has he been here?”
I hurriedly threw a shawl over my shoulders and stepped out onto the balcony.
Shamal, who had been quietly looking up at the night sky, turned toward me as I entered.
Perhaps because of the night wind, his cheeks looked slightly flushed.
“Sorry, Shamal. I fell asleep without realizing… If you were here, you should’ve woken me.”
“I just… you were sleeping so deeply….”
Shamal’s gaze, which had been drifting across the night sky, landed on me.
His silver-gray eyes, shimmering under the moonlight, looked just like stars floating in the night sky.
I found myself staring into them absentmindedly, when suddenly his eyes trembled 크게.
“Your cheek….”
“Ah….”
Only then did I realize my cheek was badly swollen, and I quickly lowered my hair to hide it.
But Shamal gently pushed my hair aside and examined my face closely.
“W-why…?”
“…You were hit.”
I avoided his gaze and answered quietly.
His cold fingers, cooled by the night air, carefully brushed my cheek.
“By whom?”
“I don’t want to say.”
“Why?”
He kept pressing.
But Shamal was someone who, like me, had been hurt by family in the past.
I couldn’t bring myself to tell him that I was also being abused by my family.
As I pressed my lips shut, Shamal frowned in pain, as if recalling his own past.
“…The person who hit you. It was family, wasn’t it?”
How did he know?
My eyes widened as I looked at him, and Shamal answered calmly.
“Your cheek was recently injured, and you’re wearing sleepwear. If it happened at home, it’s probably family.”
So because he’s the male lead, he’s sharp.
After hesitating for a moment, I told him the truth.
“Maybe my older brother was in a bad mood.”
“People hit others just because they’re in a bad mood?”
“I’m that kind of existence.”
I gave a bitter smile, and Shamal frowned again.
“Does it hurt?”
“Yes.”
I looked straight into his eyes.
“But what can I do? Even if it hurts, I have to pretend it doesn’t. If I say it hurts, I’ll just get scolded even more.”
“I used to be the same….”
Shamal frowned painfully and continued carefully.
“But you should tell someone. Otherwise it festers inside you. Tell me, at least.”
Then he gently placed his hand on my cheek.
A blue light rose from his palm, wrapping my face in warmth.
Soon, the pain that had been tormenting me disappeared completely.
“Is this healing magic?”
“Yeah… it’s nothing special.”
Seeing him shy again, I felt like I should give him his daily compliment.
“Today’s compliment is decided. Shamal, you’re really kind. And you’re good at empathizing.”
“I… am I?”
He smiled shyly.
Still holding my cheek, Shamal suddenly lifted my face.
He looked down at me quietly.
“…If it gets too hard, you can run away.”
“Where to? Where would I even go?”
“Come to the Magic Tower.”
“Huh?”
I didn’t expect that.
Shamal looked down at me seriously.
He seemed completely sincere.
But the Magic Tower was reserved for a small number of mages. There was no way a normal person like me could enter it.
“But I’m not a mage.”
“You are.”
“Huh?”
“You have mana.”
What?
I stared at him with wide eyes.
I… have mana?
That can’t be. There was no such description in the original story.
Unlike my confusion, Shamal looked more serious than ever.
“You’re saying I have mana?”
“Yes. You definitely do. I can see it.”
I looked up at him, my thoughts in turmoil.
“That… can’t be…”
“Mage talent can awaken late. In my view, you’ve only recently awakened your mana.”
He gently tried to reassure me.
I calmed myself and quietly opened the system window without Shamal noticing.
[World Destruction: 8%]
Seeing that the destruction gauge hadn’t changed, it seemed that having mana was indeed part of the original setting.
Probably just an extra detail not mentioned because she was an extra character.
Feeling relieved, I asked again.
“Do I really have mana?”
“Yes. Just a little, though.”
Whatever mana was used for, it didn’t seem like a bad thing.
Who knows?
Maybe I could even use it to influence the male leads.
Excited, I grabbed Shamal’s hand tightly.
He blinked rapidly in surprise.
“Then can I become a great mage like you?”
“Y-yeah. Of course.”
I smiled brightly while holding both his hands.
The thought of achieving my goal made my smile genuine.
“I’m so happy!”
Shamal stared at me blankly, then quickly pulled his hands away.
Right—there was something I needed to ask him.
“Shamal, can you do me a favor?”
“F-first, tell me what it is.”
“I want to sneak into the First Princess’s palace. Do you have a magic tool that can hide me?”
His expression turned serious immediately.
“Why the First Princess’s palace? You could just go with an invitation.”
Sharp.
I hesitated, then pulled out my ultimate weapon.
“I can’t tell you. But it’s something to protect Beatrice.”
And also to protect this world.
I swallowed the rest and looked at him with pleading eyes.
Maybe the name Beatrice worked.
After thinking for a while, Shamal began pulling items from thin air.
“Well… I do have something like that….”
“Wow! How does that work?”
Rather than the magic tool, I was more amazed by him pulling things out of empty space.
“It’s just… from a subspace. It’s simple.”
“Then I can do that too if I become a mage?”
“Yes. You probably can.”
I clapped happily.
A free inventory? Amazing.
I could store jewels and money and run away so easily.
Shamal began pulling out so-called invisibility tools.
But…
“Is this really a magic tool?”
A dented kettle, a torn sock that looked like someone wore it, gloves with six fingers…
They looked more like trash than magical tools.
“I… I tried making them….”
So Shamal wasn’t good at crafting magic tools.
As I stood there awkwardly, he pulled out another item.
“T-this one looks ugly too, but want to see it?”
From his hand came—
“Wow!”
A bracelet embedded with a glowing pale blue gem.
“This makes me invisible, right?”
“Yes. And people won’t hear you either. But it only lasts one hour. After that, you have to recharge it in sunlight.”
“Shamal, can I have this? I’ll pay you anything.”
“N-no, it’s ugly anyway, just take it.”
He scratched the back of his neck repeatedly, blushing in embarrassment.
He really didn’t seem confident in his craftsmanship.
Now I could attend the First Princess’s tea party without issues.
Just as I was smiling in satisfaction, Shamal suddenly poured cold water on my excitement.
“But you can’t use magic tools inside the imperial palace.”
Ah!
Right—I had completely forgotten the most important part.
Even in the original story, only authorized magical tools were allowed inside the palace for security reasons.
I didn’t have connections with any other mage besides Shamal. What should I do?
As I was lost in thought, Shamal glanced at me carefully and spoke.
