Translator: Yonnee

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Chapter 12

Karmen’s expression grew stiff at the mention of ‘medicine’, however, Sievian thought that he might just be assuming that she would use the wrong medicine.

‘You’re a good guy, Karmen.’

Siervian understood his concern.

The Cassia flower’s true effects would only be revealed a few years from now.

“It’s used as a fever reducer, but…”

“Right!”

[ Favorability: +100 ]

Just as he said, the flower was used often as a remedy for fevers, but it wasn’t widely used for this reason because its effects were minimal.

There were other herbs that worked better for fevers than the Cassia flower, especially since Cassia needed to be raised with mana.

‘That’s how it was, at least.’

A few years later, the real effects of the flower would be revealed. It was only a fever reducer for adults, but for children, the effects were more beneficial.

In particular, it was effective for a fever of unknown causes, which was known as ‘childhood fever’.

“Well, it’s not toxic, I guess. Here you go.”

“Thanks!”

[ Favorability: +100 ]

“…It’s nothing.”

She quickly took the five uprooted Cassia flowers in her arms. Ellie would be disappointed that her clothes got dirty, but Siervian didn’t mind that for now.

She just hoped that this would be enough to help her younger sibling.

‘…I think Ellie’s sibling has that fever.’

Siervian clearly remembered Ellie talking to another maid on the day that the flower’s effects were revealed.

It was a fever that would either be just like a cold for children, but it was deadly to others. That’s why it took a while for this disease to be recognized.

[ Karmen Kasselov ]Thoughts: Crap, your clothes got dirty. I should’ve wrapped the flowers with the robe first.

But the Karmen who was worrying about her clothes was in an even worse state since he was the one who dug out the roots.

Reading his thoughts, Siervian broke out in cold sweat. It would have been worse than sitting on his robe. A mage’s robe was really precious.

It crossed her mind that Karmen, during this time in his childhood, must have been a really good-natured kid.

“But why aren’t you taking magic lessons? Your mana’s fragrance is this strong. It’s such a waste.”

As Karmen said this, Siervian just stared blankly at him, then asked.

“Huh? Fragwance?”

[ Favorability: +100 ]

“Yeah, the scent’s really strong, and it seems like you have a high affinity for it. Didn’t you know?”

She had been distracted by Karmen’s thick eyelashes at this moment, but she couldn’t hide her astonishment when he said this.

Even though she was an Imperial family member, Siervian didn’t have any magical abilities. If she didn’t have the same eye color as the Emperor, people might have misunderstood her as not being his child.

“But that can’t be twue…”

[ Favorability: +100 ]

If she had excellent abilities, she wouldn’t have been so neglected. At the very least, she could have been useful and got rid of the snow monsters that kept threatening the Empire’s mana circle.

[ Karmen Kasselov ]Thoughts: If Siervian learns magic, maybe I can see her again?

Even as Siervian could see his thoughts and his favorability rising, she still couldn’t believe any of it, thinking what he just said was a lie.

“What? It’s true. Do you think I’m lying?”

[ Karmen Kasselov ]Thoughts: It’s even more fragrant than that old man’s.. Maybe you can be that old man’s student, too?

But after seeing his thoughts again, she got flustered when she realized that Karmen was being serious.

“Really? Really weally?”

[ Favorability: +100 ]

“Yup. Really, really.”

Apart from becoming the youngest lord of the tower, Karmen was known for many other abilities. One of them was that he had an excellent sense of smell when it came to mana.

The more mana a person had, the stronger their scent was.

‘But that can’t be true.’

All her life, she thought that she had no affinity for magic. But out of the blue, someone was telling her that the scent of her mana was stronger than the current lord of the tower.

“You’re done getting what you need, right? It’s time for the guards to do their rounds here.”

Karmen looked around as he said this, and Siervian reflexively looked around as well as she held the flowers in her arms.

The only thing left for tonight was the food waste incident.

Could Karmen keep a secret?

“If… If maybe…”

[ Favorability: +100 ]

“…If what?”

Karmen knew more about the palace grounds than she did… But she was afraid that she might be misunderstood again because of the food waste in this life as well.

Even as she was afraid, Siervian managed to ask him.

“I wanna know where the twash of the Pwincess’ Palace goes. Where is it?”

[ Favorability: +100 ]

“Trash?”

“Yeah.”

[ Favorability: +100 ]

At the unexpected question, Karmen raised an eyebrow.

“They probably gather it somewhere before sending it out. Maybe at the south gate that’s closest to the slums.”

“Closest?”

[ Favorability: +100 ]

“Yeah… When I lived there, I saw that things always got sent out in batches.”

Karmen’s expression became dark when he mentioned his origins. Worried about the sudden change in atmosphere, Siervian hurriedly read his thoughts.

[ Karmen Kasselov ]Thoughts: You won’t like where I came from… But there’s nothing I can do about it.

Siervian’s eyes grew wide, not expecting what she read at all. Because even in her previous life, she always thought that Karmen was amazing.

Thinking that they wouldn’t meet again any time soon, Siervian suddenly burst out with the first thing she thought of.

“Karmen is amazing!”

[ Favorability: +100 ]

“…Yeah, I’m a little great, aren’t I.”

He shrugged and turned away, avoiding Siervian’s gaze.

Thinking that she had said what she needed to say, Siervian smiled faintly. Then, she suddenly reached out her hand with a pinky up.

“All the things we did twogether, it’s a secwet, okay?”

[ Favorability: +100 ]

Karmen was lost in thought as he stared at the little pinky outstretched in front of him.

Many nobles didn’t even want to touch him when his origins had been revealed, but it was amazing that this little kid was still being friendly to him.

It was making him feel greedy for more.

“Huh?”

“Then promise me you’ll learn magic in the future.”

[ Karmen Kasselov ]Thoughts: Then we can meet again.

Surprised, Siervian was at a loss for words.

She also wanted to learn magic, but knowing from the past that she didn’t have any capabilities for it, it might be difficult to keep this promise with him.

But Karmen seemed to believe that she really did have strong mana.

“What… what if I make mwistakes?”

Her expression became frightened, but Karmen quickly reassured her. He just wanted to see her again.

“You’ll do well. I know it. Then promise me you’ll at least try to learn magic. You can do that, right?”

“Okay.”

Siervian thought that she could try, so she nodded vigorously.

It hadn’t yet been revealed in this life that she didn’t have any affinity for magic, so she could probably have lessons this time.

“Promise?”

“Pwomise!”

[ Favorability: +100 ]

The two made a sincere promise with each other, intertwining their pinky fingers.

At that moment, Siervian saw his status window from her periphery again and thought that the surname ‘Kasselov’ kind of sounded familiar.

Where did she hear it?

“…cess!”

Someone could be heard shouting in the distance. She couldn’t hear what was said, but she recognized the voice immediately.

“Ah, it’s Eri.”

Ellie, who stepped out for a while because of something she had to do, found that Siervian was missing once she returned to the princess’ room.

Only then did Siervian realize that she had been away for a while now. The moon was already high up in the sky before she knew it.

“I gotta go now…”

There was an awkward silence between them because she didn’t know how to say bye before going back.

Then Karmen, who was also hesitating, said suddenly with a rough voice.

“You can come to my hideout again. I’ll give you special permission.”

[ Karmen Kasselov ]Thoughts: Can I see you again? I really want to.

In fact, Siervian thought that they wouldn’t meet again because Karmen would become a really great person in the future. She was sure that he’d forget her in no time.

But Karmen’s thoughts in his status window proved to be strange, even now. Thanks to that, she said yes as she was in a daze.

“Um, okayy, I’ll do that.”

[ Favorability: +100 ]

They might meet again since this was still inside the Princess’ Palace.

However, after that Siervian couldn’t take her eyes off Karmen for a while. He usually had a grumpy expression on his face all the time, but right now, he was smiling so brightly.

More brightly than the moon above their heads.

* * *

“Princess!”

“Eri!”

Siervian went back the same path and saw Ellie running towards her at the palace’s garden. The maid shouted in joy and hurried toward her.

“Your Highness, where have you been!”

“Um…”

Siervian tried to hold out the Cassia flowers in her arms, Ellie just stared in shock. As she lifted her arms, it became more apparent just how much mud there was on the princess.

“Goodness…! What happened, is Your Highness hurt? Did you fall?”

Ellie frantically inspected all over Siervian’s body, thinking that she had tripped somewhere.

Realizing how much worry she must have caused, Siervian’s complexion turned pale as well.

She should have let Ellie know before she went out.

The more she thought about it, the more it became clear to her that what she did was wrong.

Ellie’s rigid expression was scaring her. And now, she was conscious of the fact that her clothes were very dirty.

She shouldn’t be a fussy child. She didn’t want to be hated again.

“Please let me know if Your Highness wants to go out! Especially on such a dark night like this!”

“E, Eri… sowwy… hiic…”

Ellie’s stern voice was terrifying. It was obvious that she was really angry.

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