Chapter 123
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A villainess locked away in a desolate tower—I had possessed her body.
Chapter 123
The mages of the Magic Tower had encountered Lemeia four days ago.
Moreover, it wasn't that the mages discovered Lemeia while tracking dark magic—rather, Lemeia had come to the Magic Tower of her own volition.
"Master, there's a customer here to purchase magical potions."
At her disciple mage Lillia's report, the Tower Master looked at her with puzzlement.
"If they came to purchase potions, shouldn't you simply direct them to Sirius, who handles sales?"
"Well... I thought this customer was someone you should meet personally, Master."
Though he had been devoting himself to developing a beam projector for some time, when his disciple interrupted his research with such insistence, there was always a reason.
The Tower Master rose to his feet and followed Lillia. As they made their way to meet this mysterious customer, he learned the following.
The customer who had come to purchase potions was emanating dark magic.
The Magic Tower was currently on high alert due to the resurgence of dark magic, and the Tower Master had installed dark magic detectors around the tower's perimeter as a precaution against potential infiltration by dark mages.
Yet someone had triggered the detection so quickly.
And that person was...
"The Princess of Salt?"
It was utterly unexpected.
However, upon reflection, both the discovery of the dark magic altar and the dark magic currently being tracked in the Imperial Capital had occurred only after Lemeia entered Cletan.
'Could the Princess be the source of the dark magic?'
He paused briefly before the Reception Room entrance, mentally preparing himself for the possibility of an intense battle, then stepped inside.
But what greeted the Tower Master was Lemeia with a radiant smile.
"Ah, are you the mage who handles sales? You seem older than I expected."
"Hmm."
He concentrated his full magical perception to examine her, but he could not detect the characteristic sinister aura that emanated from dark mages.
More importantly, her demeanor did not suggest someone who had come to fight.
Rather...
"But why are you empty-handed? Didn't you bring the item I came looking for?"
"An item you came looking for...?"
Confused by her cryptic words, he turned back to see Lillia opening her mouth with an awkward smile.
"Your Highness, I apologize, but our Magic Tower doesn't carry anything like a 'love potion.'"
"A love potion?"
The Tower Master's expression became strange.
A love potion—it was a substance mentioned only in legends and fairy tales.
Though magic was a discipline with boundless possibilities, nothing yet existed that could arbitrarily manipulate human emotions.
The dark mages who conducted forbidden research during the era of dark magic's prevalence might have discovered clues... but truthfully, even that was an absurd notion.
"Such a thing couldn't possibly exist. Heh heh."
Yet at Lemeia's response that followed, the Tower Master was left dumbfounded.
"What do you mean? You're saying a love potion doesn't exist?"
The beautiful Princess opened her eyes wide, and then proceeded to interrogate them.
"This is the Magic Tower where the greatest mages gather, isn't it? Then naturally, a love potion should exist here, shouldn't it?"
"...Pardon?"
What kind of logic is this?
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, but unfortunately, the Princess before me seemed oblivious to it.
"A love potion is... a basic necessity, isn't it? Could it be that they've already sold out?"
"No, it's not that they've sold out—they were never in stock to begin with."
Lillia answered respectfully in place of the Tower Master, who had been rendered speechless.
But Lemeia refused to relent and asked again.
"Never in stock?"
"Never."
"...Never in stock?"
"No, never!"
"Oh, but there was?"
"No, there wasn't, just...!"
A being capable of driving even Lillia—who possessed the greatest patience in this entire Magic Tower and could thus become the Tower Master's disciple—to madness.
While the Tower Master was internally marveling at this, Lemeia's expression crumpled.
"Why... why don't you have it? Could it be that you simply refuse to sell it to me?"
"Why would we do such a thing to Your Highness?"
"I don't know. If I had to guess... perhaps you believe I'm so beautiful that I can captivate everyone without a love potion, and that's why you won't sell it to me?"
What nonsense is this?
At that same moment, the Tower Master and Lillia's pupils trembled uncontrollably.
"Of course, I understand too. A love potion would be necessary for those unfortunate souls whose appearance or personality makes love difficult to achieve—more so than for me. But even though I may seem perfect, I'm still human, you mages!"
Sniffle.
Finally, tears began to appear in Lemeia's eyes.
'What is this.'
I came out to find the source of the dark magic, but was this trip pointless?
As the wrinkles between the Tower Master's brows deepened further, Lemeia lamented in an even more pitiful voice.
"Why does everyone discriminate against me when it comes to love? I'm just the same as anyone else... *sniff*..."
Please, stop!
The Tower Master barely swallowed the words that had risen to his throat, and he felt an unwelcome suspicion creeping in.
'Could the Princess be a puppet sent by the Dark Mages to attack our minds?'
That's right. If anything, it seemed more likely that the Dark Mages had sent her for the purpose of mental disruption, but the Princess herself didn't seem to be a Dark Mage.
Or perhaps...
'She stumbled upon dark magic by accident while searching for a love potion or something like that.'
Given that abnormal obsession with love potions, this possibility seemed quite plausible.
After barely composing himself and organizing his thoughts, the Tower Master spoke calmly.
"First, we will make an effort to create a love potion specifically for Your Highness at our Magic Tower."
"Really, truly!?"
"Truly. However... since a love potion must be precisely tailored to its user, a detailed examination of Your Highness is necessary."
"Yes, that's fine. I think I know what you mean."
You know what it is? What exactly?
As if answering that question, Lemeia smiled gently.
"It's the same as taking measurements to ensure a dress fits your body perfectly."
"Yes, yes. That's... not incorrect, I suppose."
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Whether by coincidence or not, Lemeia had summarized his explanation in a single sentence.
'Is she clever? Or what exactly...?'
The Tower Master, unable to read the woman before him, stared at her with a bewildered expression.
* * *
"Your Highness, you seem troubled."
At the Blaire Grand Duke's voice, I lifted my head abruptly.
"Yes, well... she is my half-sister, after all."
I truly couldn't help but be troubled.
Lemeia practicing dark magic?
Though I wasn't certain whether Lemeia was the one casting the dark magic or its victim, such thoughts were unavoidable.
'There's no way Lemeia could cast dark magic with that mind of hers.'
It wasn't criticism or contempt—it was pure sincerity.
I was certain Lemeia didn't even know why dark magic was forbidden.
In fact, I couldn't even guarantee she knew dark magic was a prohibited discipline.
Moreover, considering her personality, it seemed impossible that Lemeia could commit something as cruel as dark magic.
Of course, she had treated me harshly, but...
'The truth is, she wasn't even aware she was doing anything wrong to me.'
Rather, Lemeia had consistently shown me a patronizing attitude.
What did that mean? It meant Lemeia wasn't inherently wicked—she was the type who unintentionally tormented others through her self-centered way of thinking.
For example...
"Um, Your Highness. I've finished all the tasks you assigned. Now I really need to go eat..."
"What? April, what are you saying? It's already past nine o'clock, and you want to eat? You're not going to manage your figure at all? You see my perfect body and feel nothing?"
"What? Um, I don't..."
"You can't feel nothing! April, let's diet together. You need to cultivate your beauty too!"
"I haven't eaten anything all day."
"Really? Even better!"
Things like that.
Lemeia believed I genuinely wanted to work, so she kept me locked in the office the entire time.
Then, just as I managed to escape, she forced me to starve, saying I needed a diet.
Of course... she seemed to think she was taking the time to manage my meals for my own good.
That wasn't all.
"Wake up, April! Hurry!"
"No... I only slept three hours..."
"April! The saying that beauties need their sleep is outdated. For figure management, taking dance lessons on an empty stomach is the most effective method."
"I'm fine... really, I'm fine..."
"Don't be shy. Madam Ilera is the finest dance instructor in the entire Empire, difficult even to hire, and I'm specially allowing you to learn alongside her. How is it? Aren't you thrilled?"
"P-please... save me."
Yes. As if tormenting me while I was sleep-deprived wasn't cruel enough...
"Your Highness, I worked so hard this month. Could I perhaps receive a bonus with my wages?"
"A bonus? Oh, Amber! Give April Salt some of those dresses and jewels that were fashionable last season. She'll be far happier with those than pocket change, don't you think? Hehehehe!"
She dumped items that belonged to the Royal Family and couldn't even be disposed of freely onto me, and had the audacity to feel pleased about it.
I had to live in a cramped room barely scraped together near the Royal Palace, stuffed to the brim with Lemeia's dresses and jewels I couldn't even throw away.
Eventually, there wasn't even space to set foot in the room.
'Ah, thinking about it again, tears cloud my vision.'
Anyway, this was what I wanted to say.
'She's simply pure-hearted, that's all.'
She wasn't the type of wicked person who would harbor malice toward someone and harm their life.
Of that much, I could be absolutely certain.
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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