The sky was an unknown world to me. While she had invited me to fly with her several times before, I had never had a chance to experience it on such a close, intimate level. The feeling of the wind on my cheeks, the floaty sensation of being high above the ground—it all made me realize just how much I still didn’t know. I was flying with her. Then, her platinum blond hair flowing like sunlight in the wind, she turned to me with a joyful look. “We’re almost there, Euphie!” she called. Anisphia Wynn Palettia was First Princess of the Kingdom of Palettia, a nation that thrived on the use of magic and its abundance of spirit resources. She hailed from a land that valued magical abilities above all else, but she was born with no natural talent for it whatsoever. She remained undaunted by this adversity, though, and eventually, her innovative ideas and dedicated research enabled her to harness the power of magic in the form of tools. I—Euphyllia Magenta, the daughter of Duke Magenta—was currently living in Lady Anis’s detached palace, where I served as her assistant. So, why was I soaring through the sky here with her? It all started earlier this morning… I, Anisphia Wynn Palettia, wake at the same time every morning—not because I have pressing business to attend to, but because of the schedule of my personal maid, Ilia. Lately, however, I had been seeing to my own morning preparations. The detached palace, which had been home only to Ilia and me for some time, had welcomed a new resident. Her name was Euphyllia Magenta. She was the daughter of the illustrious Duke Magenta—the head of the foremost noble family in the entire kingdom—and she was currently serving as my assistant. Euphie was a talented young lady, which was why she had been chosen as the consort to the future king. I, meanwhile, had a reputation as a troublemaker. For instance, I was incapable of using magic, despite being royalty. And my strange inventions had caused quite a few disturbances throughout the capital. …I will admit, I was a little out of control! Unlike me, a royal misfit, Euphie was a proper lady, so her morning preparations took some time. For that reason, I had asked Ilia to look after her in the mornings. But that meant I had to take care of myself, of course… “…Huh?” While I was busy tidying myself up, a certain tool caught my attention—my Hair Dryer. I carried a secret with me that I couldn’t share with anyone—that I had been reincarnated, and that I had memories of a past life growing up in a country called Japan. It was because of this knowledge and experience that I was something of a mischief-maker. The Hair Dryer was one of many tools I had recreated based on knowledge from my past life. But while it shared the same name, this tool was no simple electrical appliance. In this world where I had been reborn as Anisphia, magic was part of everyday life. This place had a different history from the world of my past life, and it was governed by different laws of nature. That was why I was captivated by magic, a force that simply didn’t exist in my past life—but at the same time, I never would have even remembered my past life without that fascination for magic. There was no denying it—I was hopelessly obsessed. In this world, science and technology hadn’t advanced as far as they had in my past life, since magic had served the same purpose. But I still recalled the perfected versions of tools I had once used effortlessly, so I set about recreating them with the system of magic I had. And that was how I invented my magical tools. I called the technology I had developed using knowledge from my past life magical science, or magicology. “…Is it broken? Hmm?” My Hair Dryer had become an essential tool for my morning routine, but it wasn’t blowing any hot air. I turned it upside down to take a closer look, but I couldn’t see anything wrong with it. “…So basically…” I would have to take it apart. My hair, however, had a mind of its own, and if I neglected it for even a few hours, it would bounce all over the place! I let out a sigh and tried to smooth down my damp hair. At that moment, a knock sounded at my door. Only a few people visited my personal chambers, so I didn’t hesitate before calling out, “You can come in!” “Good morning, Princess.” “Morning, Ilia. Is Euphie with you?” “Yes, I’m here. Good morning, Lady Anis.” The two of them stepped into the room. Euphie gave a respectful nod, her light silver hair swaying as she walked. When her rose-colored eyes met mine, a puzzled look crossed her face. “Why haven’t you dried your hair, Your Highness?” Ilia asked disapprovingly. Her blue eyes betrayed no emotion, but I could still sense her disapproval. I pointed to the broken Hair Dryer. Ilia tilted her head to one side, her reddish-brown hair bouncing with the motion, and clapped her hands together in understanding. “Did the Hair Dryer malfunction?” “So it seems.” “That explains it… In that case, if you’ll excuse me…” She nodded, gently reaching out to pat my head. Ilia possessed an aptitude for fire magic, and after taking care of me for as long as she had, she had a fair amount of knowledge about my magicology. Ilia combed her fingers through my hair—the sensation was more like a hair straightener than a dryer—and my hair was dried and styled in no time. “This is just a temporary fix, but it should do the trick.” “It’s fine. Thank you, Ilia.” She gave a slight bow, then stepped back. Her expression was still neutral. “Is your Hair Dryer broken, Lady Anis?” Euphie asked. “Maybe? I won’t know for sure until I take it apart. But I think the spirit stone has worn out.” “The spirit stone…?” The hearts, or cores, that powered my magical tools were spirit stones. In the Kingdom of Palettia, these precious stones were a vital export. They also allowed the common folk who couldn’t use magic themselves to experience a small touch of it. My magical tools were built around these spirit stones, which meant they were absolutely essential. “I was running a test to see how long it would last. I think the stone has reached its natural lifespan; once I’ve made sure the other parts are working fine and there aren’t any other problems, we should just be able to replace it. Then, the dryer will be as good as new.” Yes, spirit stones were a lot like the batteries from my past life. Euphie nodded in understanding. “Why don’t you come to my workshop?” I invited her with a smile. “We can open up the Hair Dryer together and see what’s going on.” “In that case, I’ll be happy to join you.” “Thanks, Euphie.” Euphie was here as my assistant, so I was eager to show her more about magical tools and hear her opinions of them. “It is the spirit stone. Look at that! There’s a crack running right down the middle of it.” “…So there is.” After disassembling the Hair Dryer, we discovered that the spirit stone was indeed broken. “The wind stone is fine… I suppose it must place a heavier burden on the fire stone?” I said, thinking aloud. Under another lid was a green crystal—a wind-type spirit stone. There were no problems with that one. The Hair Dryer combined a fire-type spirit stone with a wind-type one, and the reason it had stopped working was because the fire stone had cracked, rendering it unusable. “So this is what a Hair Dryer looks like on the inside…!” Euphie exclaimed as she watched me work. While these tools were familiar to me, they must have seemed mysterious and unusual to her. “Hmm. After they lose their original attributes, the neutral spirit stones must be what’s left…” In this world, spirit stones could be categorized into six types: the primordial elements of light and darkness, along with the elements that comprised the building blocks of phenomena: fire, earth, water, and wind. There were too many subtypes and variants to count, but I mainly used the six primary elements. Fire spirit stones looked like red gemstones—but the one in question had faded after cracking down the middle. Spirit stones were imbued with the attributes of their corresponding spirit, but one could also find neutral spirit stones in nature. Frankly, they were a bit of a mystery. They didn’t do a whole lot other than store magical energy. Unlike other spirit stones, neutral ones exhibited no effects whatsoever. One possible explanation, which seemed the most plausible to me, was that they were shells that had been used up. What stages did a spirit have to go through to become a spirit stone? The mechanics of the process remained unclear. Through my research, I was able to deduce that spirits were essentially nonphysical, ethereal beings, and they tended to be drawn toward those who possessed a high amount of magical energy. My theory was that spirit stones were essentially crystallized fossils that came into being when spirits, originally formless beings, clustered together. Ultimately, however, this was still just a hypothesis. I needed to gather more information if I hoped to confirm it. “Let’s fix the Hair Dryer first, I guess. We need to make sure there aren’t any other problems…,” I mused. “How will you do that?” Euphie asked. “The quickest way would be to replace the spirit stone and put it back together… But what’s our stock looking like?” With all my research projects, I tended to burn through my inventory fairly quickly. I ended up breaking spirit stones during my experiments more times than I care to count. “Hmm… Looks like our stock isn’t empty, but we haven’t gathered any new resources in a while, either. It won’t be long until we run out…” It had been a while since I had done any intensive research that would warrant restocking. What should I do? I had enough for the time being, but not if I wanted to engage in any deep research down the road. That posed a bit of a conundrum. “You have a stock of spirit stones?” Euphie asked. “Yeah. I’ve collected them on my own. My research doesn’t get any official support, you know?” My research hadn’t won over many nobles. In fact, they thought it was just a hobby of mine. Given their opposition, I couldn’t use national funds to procure spirit stones. That meant I had to gather them by myself. Not that I minded collecting them, however. “Ah, right!” I exclaimed. “…? What is it?” Euphie asked. “I was thinking this might be an opportunity to get more spirit stones, since I haven’t been in a while. Do you want to come with me?” “…Outside the royal capital, you mean?” she asked with a frown. Naturally, foraging would mean leaving the city. I guess she’s worried about me… In this world, leaving urban areas meant stepping into danger. Bandits roamed the countryside—but more worrying than them were the monsters. Here, one wrong step could mean death. Of course, I was only suggesting this because I had the skills to defend myself, as Euphie well knew. Yet I noticed her exasperated sigh. “Well… Knowing you, Lady Anis, I’m sure it will be fine.” She knew exactly what I was capable of. I would never fall prey to some wild monster. I couldn’t help smiling at the sight of her troubled expression, and her gaze turned sharp. Apparently, I had only added oil to the fire. “Sorry. Let’s leave tonight then, okay?” “…Tonight? Why nighttime?” “I thought I could show you something interesting while we’re out,” I said, grinning at her bewilderment. We asked Ilia to take care of the detached palace while we took to the sky on my Witch’s Broom, watching the colors of sunset fade into night. Back when I had regained the memories of my past life, the first thing I wanted to do was fly atop a broomstick—and so my Witch’s Broom was born. With Euphie holding on behind me, we glided smoothly through the sky. Sarlatellia, the capital of the Kingdom of Palettia, was nestled in a serene plain. The city was surrounded by sturdy walls, and within the city lay a bustling castle town. And within that town was the detached palace where Euphie and I resided. There was a lake beside the royal capital, but it was actually a manmade reservoir specifically created to prevent water shortages. Its water level was regularly adjusted using water-spirit stones. It also served as a retreat of sorts, and it wasn’t unusual to find people stopping by during the day to enjoy the scenery. By now, I had grown accustomed to this aerial view of the city. If we had set out earlier in the day, we might have spotted people outside waving to me as we took off. But at this hour, approaching dusk, there wasn’t anyone else around. “It’s been a long time since I’ve flown this slowly. Are you used to flying by now, Euphie?” I asked. “…We aren’t going as fast as last time, so I’m all right,” she answered, holding tight to my waist. It seemed flying didn’t bother her as much as it once did. Hopefully she would come to appreciate the joy of soaring through the skies sooner rather than later. “We’re almost there!” I called. We landed in a forest on the outskirts of the royal capital of Sarlatellia. “We’re going to collect spirit stones here?” she asked. “Yes. They aren’t great quality here, but it’s an easy place to get to.” “Right. I don’t sense any monsters around…” “There will be some, so we can’t let our guard down completely. Anyway, let’s have a look!” The Witch’s Broom was certainly a convenient mode of transportation, but it was a hassle to carry around when you just wanted to go for a walk. Maybe I could devise one that could be disassembled for portability? That might not be very durable, though, and it would require considerable skill to build. I would have to consult with the craftsmen about that… “Lady Anis?” “Ah, sorry! I was lost in thought. It’s almost nightfall, so let’s head into the woods once the sun goes down.” “Why wait until night before going in?” she asked dubiously. “There are things you can only find in a peaceful forest like this one. Come on, you’ll be amazed!” I said with a grin before taking a look around. It didn’t take me long to spot a rock that was just the right size to take a seat on. “Why don’t we sit down, Euphie? There’s still a bit of time before the sun fully sets, and Ilia made us some tea. Let’s have a drink.” “…” “Hmm? What’s wrong?” “No, I shouldn’t say anything… Ugh… It’s just that a royal princess really shouldn’t be sitting on a rock…” “Don’t worry about it,” I laughed. “There’s no one around to see us.” “You do realize I can see you?” she said dully—but that didn’t stop her from sitting down on the rock beside me. Once she was properly situated, I brought out my water bottle and opened the lid. I would have drunk straight from the bottle if I were alone, but since I wasn’t, I had brought a couple of cups to use. I poured one and handed it to her. When she brought it to her lips, her eyes widened in surprise. “It’s warm… Is that water bottle like your Thermal Pot?” “Yes. It doesn’t hold much, though… It’s still just a prototype, and I’m thinking of changing it to a boiling temperature so I can sterilize water. I’m having a hard time building it, though, and I’m not sure what to do with the design of the exterior…” “It can be tricky to shrink a magical tool or add extra functions due to the capacity of the spirit stones. Am I understanding correctly?” “Yes. So we need to find a balance between what features to include and the overall size. That’s always a problem.” The sun set while the two of us discussed magical tools, and our surroundings were covered in darkness. We had finished our tea by then, so we decided to venture into the forest. The air was filled with the sounds of insects, the rustling of the trees in the night breeze, and the calls of nocturnal birds. We made it about halfway through the forest, but even then, Euphie remained tense and guarded. “It’s a good night for this, with all this moonlight. It would be more difficult to navigate without it,” I pointed out. “…So what are we doing here?” Euphie asked. “Looking for spirit stones?” “…I mean after dark,” she said, concerned. I glanced around. Even with the moonlight, it was still somewhat difficult to see clearly. “You can’t see anything? Don’t worry. I know a little trick to help.” “You do?” “Yes. Just watch me.” I reached into my skirt, pulling out a magical tool from the holder attached to my thigh. This was my Mana Blade. At first glance, it might look like a regular sword hilt. If you had never seen it before, you might wonder why it didn’t have a blade. But this blade was created by channeling magical energy. Thanks to that, it was highly portable and could be used by anyone with magical energy of their own. I liked to think of it as one of my masterpieces. “Your Mana Blade? What are you going to do with that?” Euphie asked. “You can do this with other magical tools, too, but basically, the Mana Blade can double as a wand.” Many mages used a wand when they cast magic—objects inlaid with spirit stones of the same type the mage specialized in. The Mana Blade similarly had a spirit-stone core embedded in its hilt, making it useful both as a weapon and a tool for channeling magic. As magical energy flowed through the hilt, it started emitting a brilliant light, like it was drawing a magic circle through the air. “I would normally deploy the blade, but let me show you another way of using it,” I said. Indeed, the blade failed to take on a clear form. Instead, it manifested as a thin mist giving off a pale blue light—the color of my magical energy. As I gave the Mana Blade a wave to dispel the mist, soft light flickered into being all around us. Red, blue, green, yellow, white, purple—flowing lights spread across the forest floor. “Are those…spirit stones…?” “That’s right. You can normally find them just by keeping a careful eye out, but one time, I wondered what would happen if I filled the area with magical energy. Turns out, they light up and reveal themselves. Letting your magical energy out at night when visibility is low tends to attract monsters, so I guess no one had ever considered that before… But as you can see…” I gave the Mana Blade a swing, scattering another thin, misty cloud of magical energy, and the spirit stones shone even brighter. “You can only see them like this at night. It’s amazing, don’t you think? Though doing it out here is basically a beacon to any nearby monsters.” “…Yes, I see. The theory follows the same reasoning as some rituals performed during festivals and the like…,” Euphie said with a sigh. “But the only reason to do it is because it looks nice…” She pressed a hand to her head in disbelief. When she lifted her gaze, however, her voice softened. “I understand how you feel, though… And it is a beautiful way to find spirit stones,” she whispered, with a hint of admiration. “Right?” I chuckled. “I can’t feel the presence of spirits, because I can’t use magic. I’ve always wanted to, you know? I tried everything I could think of, and sometimes it led to something beautiful.” After a moment, Euphie turned away from the enchanting scenery to face me. She looked worried. I flashed her a smile, hoping to ease her mind. “Don’t look at me like that. That just means I’ve got to keep working harder. Sure, I can’t use regular magic, but that’s why I’ve been trying so many other things, learning as much as I can to create something new. It’s nice, in its own way.” “…Yes. I don’t doubt you. It’s just…” “Just what?” “You’re incredible.” Under the moonlight, with the glow of the spirit stones twinkling like holiday lights, Euphie’s smile was almost too mesmerizing to put into words. I was embarrassed trying to tell her how beautiful she looked. Honestly, I thought she was incredible. I didn’t quite understand how anyone could use that word for me. “All right, then. Let’s get some spirit stones to take back. Can you give me a hand, Euphie?” “Of course, Lady Anis.” Our late-night spirit stone foraging passed without incident. We only collected a small amount, enough for personal use. The main reason for going was that I wanted to show Euphie the glowing spirit stones. “Shall we head back?” I asked. “Yes… The weather is looking like it might turn.” “Huh? Seriously?!” I glanced up and saw thick clouds covering the sky in the direction of the royal capital. The moon was almost completely obscured, but we were so deep in the woods that I hadn’t noticed. “We should hurry. I’m going to lower our altitude and increase our speed. Is that okay, Euphie?” “Yes. It will still be better than last time, right? Do you need any help?” “If I do, I’ll let you know! Let’s go!” Euphie sat behind me, like before, with her arms wrapped around my waist. I sped up and began flying back toward the capital at a comfortable speed. As we approached the capital, the air grew heavier, and the clouds thickened and began turning darker. This wasn’t good. There was a flash in the sky ahead of me that was followed by a booming thud a few seconds later—a lightning strike somewhere far ahead. In the next moment, we were in a heavy downpour. “Ngh, come on! We’re nearly home!” It was only a little ways back to the royal capital, but by the time Euphie and I stumbled into the detached palace, we were completely drenched. “Whew… We’re soaking wet…,” I muttered, shaking my head to dry off. “Welcome back, Your Highness, Lady Euphyllia… I see you caught the rain,” Ilia said, letting out a small sigh. “I’ve prepared a bath for you, so please go ahead and warm yourselves. I’ll take care of your clothes.” “Huh?” I murmured. “You got the bath ready?” “When I saw rain coming, something told me you would end up in it on the way back. Sure enough, that’s exactly what happened.” “That’s great! Come on, Euphie! We don’t want to catch colds!” “Huh?! W-wait! L-Lady Anis?! Please don’t pull me like that!” Euphie resisted at first, but she must have realized it would get her nowhere, and she reluctantly allowed me to lead her to the detached palace’s bathhouse. “Ah… This is so nice…” I sighed, leaning against the wall of the bath with the water up to my shoulders. Baths were simply the best. Perhaps it was because of my memories from my past life, but I really enjoyed taking baths. In fact, I had meticulously designed the large bathhouse in the detached palace myself. It was the stuff of dreams, large enough that you could even take a little swim, and I could indulge in it all by myself if I wanted. “…You really do love soaking in hot water, don’t you, Lady Anis?” Euphie asked in a whisper, submerged only up to her waist. Her silvery hair was neatly tied up in a bun to keep it from getting wet. “Do you not, Euphie?” I asked. “Hot baths tend to make me dizzy…,” she murmured. Indeed, there was a slight pink flush to her skin, giving a different impression from usual. The nape of her neck, which she usually kept covered, was absolutely stunning. By any definition, she was beautiful. It was almost unfair. That was probably the result of her upbringing as the daughter of a duke, too. She was so slender, I couldn’t help but sigh. What kind of diet did she follow to maintain such a figure? For my part, I wished I was a little taller. I was tired of people telling me I still looked like a child. “…You’re so slender, Euphie. It’s nice.” I didn’t particularly care whether others found me attractive, but that didn’t mean I was oblivious to appearances. Euphie gave me a dubious look. “Oh? I don’t really give it much thought.” “So you’re one of those!” “People say I’m beautiful, but I believe the important thing is how you use that beauty. A great first impression is also about how you carry yourself. It’s always important to be mindful of that.” “Huh…” This wasn’t the kind of girls’ talk I wanted with her. Wasn’t it supposed to be bubblier and more fun? Why were we talking so seriously about achieving some objective with our looks? But this turn of the conversation was awfully like her. “…I’m not very charming, if you ask me,” she said. “You’re charming enough from what I’ve seen,” I answered. “You are, too, Lady Anis. Like a cute little animal.” “An animal?!” “The way you’re constantly on the move. I don’t know… It’s hard for me to take my eyes off you.” “No one’s ever said that to me before.” Was I really that busy? Hmm… If I had to compare myself to an animal, what would I be? …Nothing came to mind. It was hard to get a sense of how others saw you… Euphie was rather puppylike. Maybe that was because the Magenta family was known for their loyalty? And I got the impression she never forgot when someone did her a favor. “What kind of small animal did you have in mind?” I asked. “…You mean, what kind are you like?” Euphie asked, brushing her hair away from her face. She briefly tilted her head to one side in consternation. “A sheep…?” she said at last. “A sheep?! Those aren’t little!” There were sheep in this world, too. Then again, while they looked similar, they were actually an entirely different kind of creature. But still—why a sheep, of all things? “Um… Because you’re adorable, Lady Anis.” And so Euphie began to explain, stumbling over her words. I gave her a stern glare. “…Isn’t that just a roundabout way of saying I’m short?” “…” “Hey! Don’t look away from me!” And she thought I was childish, too?! Ugh! At least I had more of a chest! Though hers did have a wonderful shape, without being too large… “But really, why a sheep?” I insisted. “How am I like a sheep?” “Well, your hair curls in a very unique way. It’s impressive. That must be the main reason.” “…Maybe I should baa for you, then?” Honestly, what kind of analogy was that? I had never been called sheeplike before. I would have to ask Ilia what she thought. Ilia, by the way, was like a cat—aloof and clearheaded. “Ah, baths are amazing for melting away your stress… They’re so relaxing,” I said, leaning back. “…I feel like I’m about to collapse.” In the middle of our relaxing, casual chat, Euphie stepped out of the water and sat down on the edge of the tub. Her skin had a faint red hue, and she wore a dazed and frankly alluring look. For some reason, I felt like she had defeated me. No. To be honest, I doubted I could win against her in the first place. I didn’t really care about that sort of thing, but the other noble ladies must have felt a ton of pressure trying to keep up with her. “Shall we get out?” I suggested. “…Yes.” I felt bad making her keep me company here, especially when she was trying so hard to be considerate of my feelings. Though I would have liked to stay a little longer. We climbed out of the bathtub and made for the changing room. All that was left was our loungewear, so it seemed Ilia had already collected our wet clothes. “Do you need help getting dressed?” I asked teasingly. “I can handle it myself,” she answered with a shake of her head as she did just that. I got dressed quickly so she wouldn’t finish without me. “I’ll dry your hair, Lady Anis.” “Hmm?” “I’ve never used a Hair Dryer on anyone else before…” Seeing her blushing slightly, I had to smile. I was so used to these magical tools that it was easy to forget they weren’t commonplace. “Please.” “All right, then.” The changing room was equipped with a mirror, a chair, and a Hair Dryer. It really did remind me of one of those public baths from my past life. I sat in the chair, and Euphie charged the Hair Dryer with her magical energy until the hot air started blowing out. She combed her delicate fingers through my hair as she dried it. It was kind of ticklish. “Your hair has a unique texture, Lady Anis…” “I know, right? I get terrible bedhead.” “I’m sure you do, Lady Anis.” “Huh?! What’s that supposed to mean?!” “It’s just like you—always bouncing all over the place.” Euphie giggled. In the mirror, I could see her face was lit up with joy—a sight that filled me with pleasure as well. This must mean she’s getting used to life here. Originally, there had been nothing to connect Euphie and me. She was my brother’s fiancée, of course, but he and I had become estranged long ago. Given the complications surrounding the royal succession, I had never imagined we might become close enough to have a casual chat like this. Euphie was a young prodigy, brimming with talent, and the admiration of nobles the kingdom over, and I had been following her rise long before I got to know her personally. Yes, that was partly because she had been my brother’s fiancée, but she was also the closest thing I had to an idol. I’m glad she’s feeling better. She was awfully depressed when she first came here. I had originally invited her to the detached palace in an effort to cheer her up. She had been attentive to my magicology explanations as my assistant ever since, and at her core, she was a good, hardworking person. The only hiccup with her personality was that she often came across as overly refined and distant—to the point she might seem to be lacking in human warmth. “We’re finished, Lady Anis.” “Y-yeah. Thanks, Euphie.” My hair was on the shorter side, so it didn’t take too long to dry. It wasn’t bad after having been given the proper treatment, but those pesky curls still had minds of their own, springing up in all the wrong places! I really do have stubborn hair! “My turn now. Sit down, Euphie. Let me dry your hair.” “…All right. Go ahead.” For a moment, I thought she would say no, but she must have realized I would insist. We changed places, and Euphie sat in front of me with an awkward smile. Her silvery hair, damp and glistening, was incredibly smooth and luxurious to the touch. I had to wonder if the Magenta family wasn’t holding on to a private trove of beauty secrets. “Your hair really is beautiful, Euphie. I’m jealous. And so soft and smooth as well.” “Really…?” she asked, visibly confused. I couldn’t help but chuckle. I wished she would embrace her feminine side more often. “I know we’re distantly related, but we’re far enough apart that our hair is completely different. I wish mine was like yours!” I murmured. “Distant is understating it a little. We Magentas have long since lost the royal hair color,” Euphie answered. “It’s amazing how it gets inherited, don’t you think? I wonder what causes that…?” My platinum blond hair was said to be the mark of the crown, passed down faithfully through the generations, but it was a bit of a mystery. There must have been some reason behind it. Maybe it was worth delving into sometime… Bards often sang praises of my hair, and I couldn’t say I minded. “People often say it’s the color of daylight. In that case, yours is like moonlight, Euphie. I really like it.” “…Like the moon? That’s quite an honor, if the royal color is that of the sun.” “…Yeah. Right.” “…What?” Honestly, why did she always have to take things so seriously? “…That wasn’t what I was trying to say, but it’s fine. Though I’m sure we would have been happy with matching colors.” “…” “…Huh?” She was making another strange face… Huh? Could it be she didn’t want to match?! “…What’s wrong?” I asked. “Um… I’m just trying to find the right words.” “You hate the idea that much?!” “It’s not that…! Er… I was just wondering why you think so highly of me…,” she said shyly. I felt a wave of affection washing through me. Euphie could be clumsy at times—or to put it another way, she struggled to accept kindness from others. Now that her hair was done, I turned off the Hair Dryer and wrapped my arms around her from behind. “It’s all right,” I whispered, gently patting her head. “L-Lady Anis…?” “I admire you so much, Euphie. So I wanted to tell you how much I like you. You should take more pride in yourself.” I had no talent for magic. Yet with magic being so deeply intertwined with the kingdom’s formation, magical skill was regarded as a necessity for someone in my position. When I first regained my memories of my past life, I was thrilled to find myself reborn into a world of magic—but that excitement was quickly dashed when I realized I had no innate ability to use it. “You’re so close to being the ideal magic user, Euphie. You’re everything I wanted to be. You have the power to make so many people happy, and you deserve to be happy yourself. I know living as a noble lady is important, but here, you can act more freely than that.” “…Lady Anis.” “That’s why I keep saying I like you. You’re too perfect at times, and at others, you’re awfully clumsy, but I’ll keep saying it again and again. Because to me, it’s the most natural thing in the world. I want you to know there are people who like you. So smile, Euphie! I love it when you smile!” I loosened my embrace, locking eyes with her in the mirror. Euphie’s naive nature and obliviousness to other people’s kindness were partly due to her personality, but they were also the result of the environment she was raised in, and the education she received to rule as the kingdom’s future queen consort. Circumstances had prevented that eventuality from happening, but that didn’t mean her accomplishments had been for nothing thus far. I wanted her to be more honest with herself, to live her life more joyfully—not for the country or her family, but for herself. “…I…” “Hmm?” “I think you’re a better magic user than I am, Lady Anis,” she said, turning to look directly at me. There was no mistaking the warmth and affection in her eyes. “Magic is all I can do,” she continued. “But you—even without the ability to use magic, you can still embody it… I think that’s what makes someone a true magic user.” “Huh… That’s a nice thought.” “Yes. Achieving something that once seemed unachievable, making the impossible possible. It’s because you can push yourself like that that I—” Before she could finish speaking, there was a knock at the door as Ilia let herself in. “Excuse me, Your Highness, Lady Euphyllia,” she said, with a polite bow. “Huh? Ilia? Has something happened?” “I prepared a meal, but I was starting to get a little concerned when you didn’t come back from your bath.” “Sorry, sorry! I lost track of time chatting with Euphie.” “It seems I’ve interrupted you. My apologies,” Ilia said with another bow. At that moment, my stomach let out a low growl. “…Lady Anis,” Euphie began. “Ha-ha… Maybe I am getting a little hungry. Shall we eat?” “I think that’s a good idea.” Euphie stood up from the seat, and the three of us made our way to the dining room. I was wondering what Ilia had prepared for us today when a thought occurred to me, and I turned to Euphie. “By the way, Euphie. What were you about to say a few minutes ago?” Ilia had interrupted us before she could finish, so I was wondering what she had meant to say. Euphie looked back at me, hesitating for a moment. Then, she flashed a bright smile at me and lifted a finger to her lips. “It’s a secret.” I—Euphyllia Magenta—sat down to reflect on the day’s events and jot them down in my journal. It was only recently that I had started keeping this diary. In the past, my diaries had been dry and bland affairs, almost report-like. Even now, I was only making basic comments. To be honest, it was hard to call it a proper diary. “…It’s starting to make sense now.” I started keeping a diary because I had noticed changes in myself since coming to the detached palace, and I wanted to capture them, so I could better understand them. First the Hair Dryer broke, then I checked its components with Lady Anis, then we went on an outing in search of spirit stones, where we witnessed that wonderful display. We shared a deep conversation after bathing together, then we took turns drying each other’s hair. …All of a sudden, my pen came to a stop, and my thoughts turned to Lady Anis’s question while we were on the way to the dining room. What had I been about to say back then? Pondering that question, I couldn’t help but smile. She called me her inspiration—yet I found myself admiring her as well. “I hold you in great esteem, Lady Anis.” I was still trying to figure out what these feelings meant. Never before had I felt this warm sensation in my chest, and I didn’t yet have a name for it. Here’s a question for my future self: Looking back, do you know the answer now? After penning that short line, I quietly closed my diary.
Chapter 138
33 min read