MMLP 07

Chapter 7

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She was in a private audience with Wilhelm.

“What? Why is she here?”

Eve Maria shot up from her seat, glaring at me with wide eyes and pointing her finger as if she were ready to stab me with it. Looked like she was still fuming over what happened not long ago.

“Why is she coming into Grandfather’s study?”

“Levietta is older than you. Shouldn’t you call her ‘sister’?”

“She wasn’t even adopted by my father. How is she my sister?!”

Oh my, how cute.

I ignored Eve Maria like she was invisible and addressed Wilhelm instead.

“You called for me, Lord Patriarch?”

“Yes. I had something to ask you. Don’t just stand there—come sit. Eve Maria, make room for Levietta to sit.”

He meant for her to scoot over, but Eve Maria flared up as if she had just been ordered to leave.

“Why? Eve was here first. Why should I move?”

“If you don’t want to, then stay put.”

Wilhelm shifted to the corner of the sofa and offered the space beside him.

“It’s a little early, but let’s have some tea served.”

“Oh! Then I’ll have coffee, please.”

While Wilhelm gave the order to Sebek, I was taking the full brunt of Eve Maria’s sharp glare.

Hmm. Let’s just pretend it’s ultraviolet rays!

“I figured you’d call for me sooner or later.”

“Oh? Then can you also guess why I summoned you?”

I stole a glance at the table and spotted an old tome. Quickly, I changed my answer.

“You want me to interpret the ancient runes, don’t you?”

“Correct. The book is badly damaged, but I’d like you to try reading it.”

“Yes, of course.”

When I answered without hesitation, his face lit up with joy.

“I’ll give you plenty of time, and I’ll make sure you are well rewarded for your contribution…”

“Liar!”

Silence fell at once. Eve Maria jabbed her finger at me, shrieking.

“She can’t even understand it! Who knows if she’ll just spout nonsense? She’s lying because she knows she’ll be thrown away if she’s useless!”

But I had already proven my worth by finding the hidden location.

She should’ve acted fast if she wanted the credit—why jump in late and make a fuss? The “intruder” here wasn’t me, it was her.

Wilhelm frowned, displeased.

“Your words grate on the ear. Leave us now, so Levietta can concentrate. That is an order, not a request.”

“…Grandfather would never say something like that to me. Something’s wrong.”

Refusing to accept reality, Eve Maria snapped her head toward me and glared.

“It’s you, isn’t it?”

“What about me?”

“You used magic to brainwash Grandfather, didn’t you?”

“What nonsense…”

Ridiculous.

She must mean mind-control magic. But trying that on someone as mentally strong as Wilhelm? The spell would backfire instantly. If the rebound shattered a mage’s mind, they’d be ruined on the spot. She could only spout that kind of thing because she had no clue… huh?

The hand with the mark started itching, as if someone were tickling the back of it.

Come to think of it, what was this? It hadn’t existed before my regression. Was it some kind of mark of a regressor?

I’d have to look into it later. For now, let’s deal with the brat in front of me.

“Magic spells are like recipes for cooking. Without a teacher, where would I have learned such high-level magic?”

In my past life, after Eve Maria stole my power, I was left like an empty granary and never got to formally study magic.

While she showed off powerful spells and was showered with praise, I could barely cast even the simplest spells and blamed myself, not knowing that power was originally mine.

Remembering that deep despair, I couldn’t resist the urge to mock her a little.

“Then again, maybe I could have learned. I do read old books, after all.”

“…Are you jealous of me because I’m a mage?”

“What?”

“Even if you weren’t born with talent, it’s fine. You inherited a noble bloodline, so you’ll have no trouble finding a marriage partner.”

For Eve Maria, who firmly believed she would become a mage and marry the First Prince, there was no greater insult.

“Shut up!”

Her face flushed red as she screamed.

I think you’re the noisy one here.

“Haa.”

Wilhelm sighed and gestured.

“Pardon me, young lady.”

Sebek understood immediately, picked her up, and carried her out.

“What are you doing?! Put me down!”

“It is the lord’s order.”

The door closed, and at last the noise ceased. A cup of coffee had been placed before me.

Slurp.

Ahh, yes. That’s the stuff. I’d been deprived of it thanks to Gilbert constantly getting in the way.

Warm caffeine spread through my body, leaving me relaxed.

“She’s still immature. I apologize for my granddaughter’s rudeness on her behalf.”

“You don’t need to worry about me, I’m fine.”

What stuck with me wasn’t the apology—it was that he had called her his granddaughter.

After the incident with the illness, I thought we’d grown a bit closer. But he still didn’t see me as his granddaughter. Naturally so, since I hadn’t been able to convince him that I was Gilbert’s true child. Still, it left an empty ache in my chest.

The only reason I could remain in this household, no matter how pathetic I looked, was because of Eve Maria…

Well then, I should just focus on the book.

“The title is The Chronicle of the Abyss.”

Wait, I knew this one! A famous book, interpreted by the Archmage himself, that became a textbook for mages.

“Um, Lord Patriarch, this book already has an existing translation.”

“Impossible. Ancient runes are a dead language that no one can read.”

“Even if they can’t read it, there was someone who mastered magic enough to interpret it.”

“Who are you talking about?”

You’ve got to be kidding me.

Just like everyone knows the top TV host’s name.
Or the most famous volleyball player.
When it comes to mages, everyone knows this person.

“Archmage Zerodines.”

“…That name means nothing to me.”

Chills ran over my entire body.

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There was a commotion after I fainted from the shock.

I hadn’t lost consciousness, but it took the physician several reassurances that I was fine before he was released from Wilhelm’s interrogation.

Gilbert, summoned in a hurry, carried me straight to my room. And now I was lying alone on a huge bed, being “taken care of” (read: scolded) by him.

“Serves you right, idiot. You went to show respect to Grandfather, but what, did you massage his shoulders with ice-cold hands? You even made me bring up the story of Father breaking a sword with his bare hands.”

“The idiot is the one calling me an idiot. And stop lying. Who could break a sword barehanded?”

He laughed.

“Ever heard of Diamond Body? It’s a martial realm from the eastern continent. Ah, too bad I can’t just swing a sword at Father and show you. So unfair.”

That wouldn’t be respect for elders—it’d be assault.

“No need to demonstrate. I wasn’t massaging his shoulders anyway.”

“Then what were you doing?”

“Just… reading a book.”

“A book? You mean one with talking animals? Or about a princess marrying a prince? Just so you know, stay away from the imperial family. Royal sons-in-law are more trouble than they’re worth.”

“Come on, like anyone would ever like someone like me. Don’t worry for nothing.”

“Someone might.”

He shot back when I spoke so self-deprecatingly.

…Was he actually worried?

“Trouble starts when there are just five people gathered together. There are twelve princes. Don’t tell me not a single one of them has bad taste?”

Knew it. I was foolish to expect anything more.

“Isn’t it thirteen?”

“The youngest hardly counts. He’s practically nonexistent.”

Considering how invisible he was, Gilbert’s attitude made sense. Still, he shouldn’t dismiss him entirely.

Because that youngest prince… was actually the male lead.

“Ugh, seriously! If you’re going to keep hovering and nagging, just leave already! I told you, I’m not sick—I just got a little dizzy after finally having some coffee again!”

“…What did you just say you had?”

Uh oh. Slipped out in anger.

Gilbert narrowed his eyes.

“You drank that without telling me.”

“C-come on… If anyone heard, they’d think I was drinking beer or something. Coffee’s not that different from tea, right?”

Ha ha… I tried to laugh it off, but his expression didn’t soften.

“If you wake me up at night complaining you can’t sleep, you’re in trouble.”

“Yaaawn. Huh? What did you say? Sorry, didn’t hear, I was yawning. Ahh, so sleepy.”

“…Forget it. Rest.”

Gilbert blew out the candle and left the room.

The moonlight was bright enough that I didn’t bother relighting it. I whispered to myself, my expression serious.

“…So it wasn’t just that I came back to the past. Some things are different from before.”

I finally understood the mystery.

“This is a world where the Archmage no longer exists.”

Otherwise, there’s no way nobody in the empire would recognize the name of someone more famous than the emperor himself.

I’d heard that name until I was sick of it. I’d even met him in person.

…Though it hadn’t been a pleasant meeting.

How did things end up like this?

Was it because I’d been the sacrifice to seal the Archmage?

Did he cast some strange spell on me out of spite?!

Unfair! That had all been the main villainess’s scheme!

Whatever the cause, one thing was certain—this regression was deeply tied to the Archmage.

I slowly closed my eyes and recalled the moment of my death.