URL~05

Chapter~05

You’re making what?”

“I was trying… to make some medicine.”

Sanna looked at me with an expression that clearly said, There you go again, wasting your time on something pointless.

Several days had passed since Sanna had stormed into the townhouse in the capital.

It had already been over two weeks since I met Kiara.

Thankfully, the medicine finally seemed to be taking effect, and Kiara was slowly recovering.

That was a relief.

If there had still been no improvement, I would have marched straight to the Imperial Palace and demanded an audience with the Emperor’s personal physician.

At the moment, I was sitting on the sofa in the library, surrounded by books, reading a research paper about DNA.

The scientists in this world were remarkably brilliant.

The moment I introduced the concept of DNA, papers on the subject began pouring out like a waterfall.

As a result, I would likely be consumed by nothing but DNA research for quite some time.

Sanna pulled a book from the shelf and grumbled,

“I didn’t realize you were this dense.

You’re a biologist, not a pharmacist.

You should’ve gone to an actual apothecary from the beginning.”

“I already summoned the best physicians in the capital and bought the finest medicine money could buy.

None of it worked.

I couldn’t just sit there doing nothing.”

Sanna looked at me as though I were hopeless.

“No matter how much of a genius you are, some things are simply impossible.”

I fell silent.

A genius?

As if.

I’m just someone who reincarnated with memories from another life.

“Sanna, you don’t know this, but I’m actually not a genius.”

She let out a scoff.

“Go say that at an academic conference.

See if anyone believes you.”

Fair point.

Everything I’d accomplished had only been possible because I’d carried over knowledge from my previous life.

Even if I explained that, nobody would believe me.

Still…

I rather liked being called a genius.

“Maybe I’m just not suited to making medicine.

I managed to extract compounds from an artichoke, but after that I couldn’t understand a single thing.”

“Exactly.

So stick to staring into microscopes.”

“But I bought every medicinal herb sample and textbook I could find.”

Sanna gave me a chilling look.

Fine.

I avoided her gaze, absentmindedly lifting my teacup before setting it back down.

In other words, she was telling me to stop wasting my time and go read another research paper instead.

After being scolded that thoroughly, what else could I do?

I had no choice but to listen to the real genius.

I always thought the same thing.

If I hadn’t been reincarnated, Sanna would have been the one known as the genius.

Her talent had stood out from the day we entered Romen University.

She’d spent her entire academic career losing to someone who already held a master’s degree in another lifetime.

Throughout our years at the university, Sanna had always ranked second, right behind me.

Once, I intentionally lowered my own score so she could take first place.

I still remembered her reaction.

“Don’t ever do something like that again.

Did you think I wouldn’t notice?

There’s no way you’d score lower than me!”

College-age Sanna had exploded in outrage.

I thought she looked rather cool.

After that, I ended up following her around everywhere.

“Why is Fidelia always following Sanna around?

Is she trying to distract her with a love confession so she’ll get worse grades?”

“Shouldn’t the second-place student be the one doing that?

Why would Fidelia need to?”

People said all sorts of ridiculous things back then.

Even now, I still couldn’t understand why Sanna insisted on becoming my assistant.

She’d already made quite a name for herself in the scientific community.

She could have found work anywhere.

She could have opened her own laboratory.

She could even have earned a doctorate at Romen University and become a professor.

If she stayed because of friendship…

Then she was almost as foolish as I was.

Though, naturally, not foolish enough to spend three years chasing after Hernan.

Just then, the library door burst open.

“Sanna!”

Kiara rushed inside and threw herself at Sanna in excitement.

“Kiara?”

“Come on!

Right now!”

I blinked in confusion.

Go out?

I’d never seen Kiara this excited before.

Sometime along the way, she and Sanna had become close enough to call each other best friends.

So much for saying you didn’t like children.

You were lying through your teeth, Lady Sanna.

“There’s a festival outside!”

At Kiara’s shout, I instinctively checked the calendar.

Ah.

Right.

It was festival season.

The celebration honored the birthday of one of the Four Saints recorded in the holy scriptures.

Since the Corvaliu Empire enforced the state religion, everyone knew about the festival, and everyone participated.

It usually lasted about three days.

The maid who had followed Kiara bowed apologetically, sweat dripping down her forehead.

She must have been the one who told her.

She probably hadn’t expected Kiara to get this excited.

Judging by the date, today was the Saint’s actual birthday.

The busiest day of the festival.

After chattering endlessly to Sanna, Kiara suddenly turned to me.

Her golden eyes sparkled.

Oh no.

“Fidelia, I want to go.”

But I should be preparing to leave for the Jonas territory.

Kiara’s injuries haven’t even fully healed yet.

I should say no.

“Of course.

Go get ready.”

…My mouth had betrayed me.

The best place to enjoy a festival in the Corvaliu Empire was the third busiest district in the center of the capital.

The luxurious neighborhoods filled with wealthy nobles weren’t lively at all.

There were no fanfares or bustling crowds.

Juil Street, beside the Jonas townhouse, was a perfect example.

Having learned from past experience, I instructed the coachman to take us to Renton Street instead.

We also wore ordinary clothes rather than expensive ones.

Renton Street valued equality above all else.

“I want to go over there.”

“Be careful.

Don’t get lost.”

“Fidelia, you’re way too overprotective.”

Where did she even learn the word ‘overprotective’?

“Ah!

I want to see that!”

The moment we stepped out of the carriage, Kiara lit up with excitement.

Paper confetti fluttered through the streets.

Food stalls lined the roads.

A grand statue of Saint Imber stood proudly in the center of the plaza.

Children ran everywhere while adults laughed happily.

Although the initial excitement had settled a little, Kiara’s shining eyes still darted from place to place as she dragged Sanna and me all over the festival.

The weather cleared up after all.

The gloomy morning sky had become perfectly clear by noon.

Early winter, just before the first snowfall, marked Saint Imber’s birthday.

Legend said Saint Imber had been granted dominion over rain by the gods, so rain often fell around this time of year.

Even in the freezing weather, the festival’s energy never faded.

“Fidelia, I want that.”

“Okay.

I’ll buy it.”

“That too.”

“Sure.”

“What about that?”

“Let’s get it.”

“Enough already!”

Sanna finally shouted and dragged us somewhere else.

I supposed I was just as excited as Kiara.

I’m spending money like water.

But every time I bought something, Kiara smiled so brightly that I couldn’t stop.

Hair ornaments.

Beautiful patterned fabric.

Snacks.

Even frozen fish.

“Why on earth did you buy fish?”

“It’s in season?”

“You’ve completely lost your mind.”

Even then, Kiara couldn’t tear her eyes away from the lively festival.

And I couldn’t take my eyes off her shining golden gaze.

Why did the original Fidelia never pay attention to Kiara?

Still gazing around in wonder, Kiara quietly said,

“I’ve never been somewhere like this before.”

“Why… Ah.”

Of course.

She’d spent her life in the slums.

Sometimes I really wanted to smack my own mouth.

Think before you speak.

Sanna glared at me as though I were the worst person alive and gently pulled Kiara closer to her.

I had no defense.

Then we discovered just how terrifying a growing child’s stamina could be.

Sanna and I had spent nearly our entire lives sitting behind desks reading books.

“Kiara…

Let’s rest for a little while.”

“You’re tired already, Fidelia?

Why?”

“Because…

I’m tired.”

The stamina of two adult women disappeared in no time.

We collapsed onto a bench surrounding the plaza’s fountain.

I should’ve exercised.

I worked myself to death without exercising in my previous life too.

Still, we couldn’t let Kiara wander around alone.

“Sanna.”

After staring blankly at the sky for a moment, I held out my fist.

“Rock…

Paper…

Scissors…”

Sanna instantly threw paper.

Ah.

I had chosen rock.

Smiling victoriously, she grabbed my arm.

“You lost.

Take your time.”

“Take your time.

Really take your time.”

I gave her a suspicious look before standing up.

She said Kiara liked me best.

So I guess I have no choice.

I told Sanna to rest and turned to call Kiara.

Or rather, I was about to.

“Come on, Kia—”

…?!

I looked around frantically.

Nothing.

She wasn’t there.

Nowhere.

“…Sanna.”

“…Yes?”

“What do we do?”

Kiara had disappeared.

Kiara believed she had been born unlucky.

She had never known happiness.

Nor had fortune ever smiled on her.

Her earliest memory was of the slums.

She wandered from place to place as an orphan until she was finally taken into an orphanage.

Only to discover that the director and the staff were obsessed with abusing the children.

From time to time, prospective adoptive families would visit.

Most of them were nobles.

They adopted or sponsored commoner children to polish their public image, though Kiara knew nothing of such things.

Fortunately, she wasn’t stupid.

Before she had even turned ten, she’d realized that crying and struggling solved nothing.

So she simply waited.

Watching other children get adopted, she believed her turn would come someday.

Even when the director beat her, she never thought of running away.

The orphanage was still warmer than the freezing streets.

But then…

“Ginger hair?

No… she doesn’t even have freckles.”

“Her hair color is far too flashy.

Do you have a child with a more ordinary appearance?”