TCHB 42

Chapter 42

“Uh, Mom. I’ll talk to her.”

She’s going to have a stroke from high blood pressure…

I didn’t dare say that out loud.

I grabbed Rachel’s sleeve with a face that clearly said I didn’t want to. I had turned my back on Mom, so I didn’t have to hide my face.

“But Shuri, she’s a stranger,” Mom said worriedly.

Right, in Mom’s eyes, we were meeting for the first time. I was about to explain to calm her, but Rachel beat me to it.

“Gasp. You don’t know Shuri? That can’t be, Heliara. Even though, um…”

“Ha ha. Mom, see you later!”

I quickly used magic to seal Rachel’s lips and pulled her into my room.

Good, my instant reaction skills aren’t dead yet. If I hadn’t stopped her, she’d probably call us friends. Then Mom would have grilled me.

Just imagining that made me shiver. I mustn’t let Mom find out about last night’s chaos.

“What do you want?”

She brought up magic yesterday, and she had deliberately delayed leaving until I used my magic. She definitely had a purpose.

I gave her a sharp look, telling her to answer clearly.

“Hmm, Shuri’s friend?”

My friend?

Rachel twisted her long tied-up hair and smiled, and I frowned. Then a loud voice rang in my mind.

―Huh? Shuri has no friends?

I was so shocked I couldn’t even get angry. I didn’t plan to talk anyway, but now I didn’t even have the energy to.

Ventus exists… right?

―Shuri, you’re not thinking of Ventus, are you? He’s a dragon. Not included!

Apart from him, friends… I don’t have any, right?

Rachel seemed to notice my thoughts. I couldn’t argue—it was true.

“…I don’t have any friends.”

Embarrassed and ashamed, my voice dropped.

No, it’s not that I don’t want them; I’ve just lived away for five years.

No one had said anything, but I felt guilty anyway.

Why am I digging my own grave!

“Aw… it’s okay! If you visit my house, that means we’re close, so just be friends with me!”

I don’t need a friend like you!

I couldn’t say it out loud, but I quietly got worked up inside.

How did a mage like her end up in the Duke’s house? And she’s not even in the original story, but her personality and presence make her more than a background character.

“And Shuri’s friend, the one you’re connected to right now. You’re bonded through heart magic!”

“What?”

Rachel pointed at my heart.

Just hearing “connected,” I was sure she meant Ventus. But by saying “bond,” she clearly knew more about me and Ventus.

To be clear, Rachel knew Ventus was a dragon.

“Hah. You’re talking casually with me? We’re really close now, huh? Wow, I’m happy.”

I was serious, but she was smiling while covering her mouth. I couldn’t help but relax.

If this was meant to make me lower my guard, she’s really a genius at acting. How can someone behave so naturally?

“Don’t you see? My magic feels blocked and weird.”

Rachel started talking again without warning. I half gave up listening. She didn’t seem like she would hurt me, and after all, I have a dragon contract.

“Yes. Weird.”

Her existence itself felt strange.

She’s not just an extra, she’s clearly an important character despite not being in the story.

I spoke casually, partly because she was thrilled with casual speech. I usually respect manners, but her carefree attitude made that impossible.

“Yes yes. I’m a top mage in the Mage Tower. I tried an experiment I invented on myself, but the formula went wrong, and a curse hit me! That’s why about five circles of my power were sealed. Shuri knows I’m 11th circle, right?”

I wasn’t shocked that she’s a top mage. What shocked me was that she experimented on herself!

“…Are you crazy? How can you experiment on yourself!”

Of course she’s crazy. That’s why she experiments on herself, not others! She’s not Dr. Jekyll.

I just stood there, mouth open, in shock.

“But experimenting on others is bad, right? Better to do it on myself! Plus, this happened because I didn’t properly cover the magic this time. It’s not usually like this!”

Yes, experimenting on others is bad. But doing it on yourself isn’t exactly okay either!

She repeated “it’s not usually like this” many times. I closed my eyes, held her hand, and let my magic flow.

A thin stream of magic reached around her heart. Her circles were sealed from the curse’s effect.

“To remove this curse, I need to meet the Fire Dragon. That’s why I came to ask Shuri! Friends are supposed to help friends who are in trouble. We’re friends, so lend me that dragon!”

I laughed at her boldness. I thought she was a real-life crazy mage from the self-experiment, but now her confidence was something else.

“First, as you said, the dragon is my friend, not property. So you can’t say ‘lend me.’ Second, we’re not friends.”

“Why? Books say casual speech shows closeness!”

“…Casual speech with someone you just met is rude, not friendly. And even if I let you meet the dragon, it doesn’t benefit me.”

Logical enough. You give something, you get something. I got nothing from her.

“Friends don’t care about that! The book said so!”

“Books lie. In real life, it’s about money.”

True. Life is money. It’s harsh, but it’s true.

“No problem. I’ll let you use my library with my dark magic books. I experimented on them before because I was curious.”

Experiment? Wait, how does Rachel know I’m interested in dark magic?

While I thought about it, Rachel laughed. Her loud laughter broke the quiet. It was eerie.

“I’m a rare top mage. I’m friends with the Mage Tower Master!”

I felt drained. She used power and connections to know things.

Being around her sucked my energy…

“Anyway, I can’t ignore what happened at the Mage Tower. Shuri, you destroyed the door.”

“Wait, then other top mages or the Master know too?”

“No? I fixed everyone’s memories so friends wouldn’t be in trouble!”

I had a lot to say, but didn’t. Rachel’s behavior was so absurd, I couldn’t respond.

She casually altered memories. That’s insane morally and logically.

After repeating that I didn’t want her to do it again, we finally returned to the main topic.

“Come back tomorrow.”

“Huh? Why?”

“The dragon isn’t mine. Like you said, he’s your friend.”

We had a little argument, but that was it.

She smiled slightly, disappointed, and spoke.

“You’re not telling the dragon’s name. Too bad! We talked and I visited, so we’re really friends, right?”

Her eyes sparkled.

I understood the answer she wanted, but I was too tired and annoyed to confirm.

“I won’t tell.”

I kicked Rachel out. Watching her leave lightly, I felt unsettled.

How can someone be so cheerful after tiring me out so much?

I shook my head and laughed a little. She was like a mad scientist in a non-magic, scientific world—but in a fun way.

She drains energy but is amusing in her own way!

“Uh, Ven‑Ventus?”

I stuttered seeing Ventus standing in the hallway.

“Why are you surprised? I was on my way to you.”

I was on my way to find him, yes…

“Wait, how do you know?”

“I heard everything. I’ll go see that red-haired genius.”

“Huh? Really?”

Even after yesterday’s life-contract fight, everything felt normal. No awkwardness.

“Something about responsibility. You need dark magic, right? Also, I need to cool my overheated head.”

Before I could think, he flicked my forehead.

“Hey.”

“I don’t need it tomorrow. I’m leaving now.”

“…Are you crazy?”

He changed completely in a day.

I held my temples in disbelief as he approached.

“Why? Worried?”

“Always. And the contract—”

“Can’t cancel it. Even if I could, I won’t. No regrets.”

So firm, it left me defeated. The contract couldn’t be undone.

“Be careful. I’ll be careful too.”

“Yeah. And do you like that Richard prince?”

“Cough! Cough!”

“Even if you don’t answer, I know.”

“No, I don’t!”

“Hmm, right.”

“No!”

“Right!”

After several rounds of yes and no, I finally won. Not that it felt like a victory.

“Take care. And being with Rachel won’t give you low blood pressure.”

High blood pressure maybe.

Ventus frowned at my sudden comment, nodded, and left the mansion.

Finally, I was alone…

―Wow! Just me and Shuri!

…Nope.

Rachel looked excited, and anxiety crept over me.

―Uh oh. Shuri’s all mine now?

I looked at her with an annoyed face.

Who wouldn’t feel that way seeing this? Maybe a few, but very few.

I sat down in my room, pulling a chair out.

So far, the only things outside the story were dark magic and Rachel.

As mentioned, Rachel wasn’t a minor extra. Her presence and craziness were undeniable.

So I had to figure out how to link Rachel to the story, like I did with dark magic and the Emperor.

I grabbed a paper and pen, noting what I knew about Rachel:

• Staying at the Duke’s house

• One of the top mages

• 11th circle

• Currently under a dragon’s curse

“Hmm.”

That was all I knew. Very little.

Why?

I thought deeply and let out a small sigh.

It’s only been two days since I met Rachel. Technically, half a day!

And she already felt like an old friend. How much had I suffered in that short time?

“First, I’ll ask why Rachel is staying at the Duke’s house.”

I went to where Mom was to gather information. After asking the staff, I found her in the garden, drinking tea.

She looked unusually relaxed and happy.

Was it because Rachel had gone? What had she done to Mom…

“Mom.”

I approached my unusually calm mother. She had a gentle smile.

“Do you know why Rachel is staying at the Duke’s house?”

No preamble. Straight to the point.

Mom didn’t seem bothered by my question. Her calm face was reassuring, but my lips pressed into a line.

It must be because of Rachel. Just her name gave such influence…

I felt her presence again. She really spread herself everywhere.

“Hmm, I don’t know why you ask, Shuri, but I heard she wants to teach the prince. She said he seems to have magical talent. Rachel is a distant branch of the Duke Richard family.”

The prince? She wants to teach Kiel?

Pieces of the puzzle started fitting. When I hugged Mom, saying I loved her, I ran back to my room.

Rachel was definitely the one improving Kiel’s magic—someone omitted from the story.

Honestly, even when Kiel got better at magic, I only briefly mentioned it. I never went in-depth.

Kiel is 15 years old. In the original story, the Duke couple had died, and he was obsessed with Lotte, planning revenge.

Kiel is 15, and now he has a disciple.

“Perfect.”

But it’s still just a hypothesis. Hmm. I wanted to check, but last time things ended weirdly, and visiting silently after five years was complicated…

Too many issues. After much thought, I went to the Duke’s house to confirm.

But the one I was going to see was Kiel… it had to be Kiel…

“Shuri?”

Why is our little Lotte here…?

Lotte looked at me, eyes wide in surprise. I wiped the fake sweat from her face, ignoring her gaze naturally.

Lo-Lotte, it’s not that I forgot you and didn’t visit all this time. I really didn’t!

A pathetic excuse that the person concerned would never hear.