WHEN Daniel escorted us to the Magic Research Lab, I found it was very similar to Najir’s.
It was located in its own building, separate from the palace, and was equipped with rooms for the resident researchers to pursue their own fields of interest. It was a much smaller operation than Najir’s, probably because Sunruta had far fewer magic users than we did.
I wonder what was here in my old timeline?
I scoured through my memory banks, but nothing stood out to me.
“We’re researching ways to distribute the same Magic Sigils and other magical tools you use in Najir throughout the Sunruta Kingdom. We expect them to be available for our citizens’ convenient use at some point soon,” Daniel said, explaining their research as he looked around.
Daniel had invited some other visiting royals besides us, and they were all looking around with curiosity. But Daniel seemed more concerned with what my brother, Charles, thought. Najir is known throughout the world for its rich magic, so I guessed he wanted to get Charles’s take on things in particular.
“So you’re not working on developing any new forms of magic?” I looked around the lab as I posed this question.
The Najir lab was mainly focused on developing and testing new forms of magic. I’d assumed the Sunruta lab would’ve been used for the same purpose.
“As it happens, we are.”
“Like what?”
“Oh, this and that. We’re mostly focused on defensive magic.”
“Defensive?”
“Yes.”
Daniel stopped in front of one of the rooms as he led us down the corridor and addressed the man standing inside. The man was dressed in a black robe.
The man nodded and passed Daniel a Magic Crystal. It looked like a Magic Stone, but it couldn’t recharge itself like a real stone could. It was meant for storing magic, for the use of people with little magical power of their own. While holding the crystal, they could draw on the magical power already imbued inside it. The robed man then began chanting.
With a muted zinging sound, a defensive wall of magical power sprung up all around Daniel.
“Wow, that’s not half bad.” Charles rubbed his chin, looking on with interest.
“What? What’s not half bad?” Karina asked.
It seemed like she couldn’t see the magic wall, lacking any magical ability of her own. She didn’t even know what had happened. Most of the other royals seemed equally clueless.
“Want to try throwing a light attack my way?”
Daniel looked straight at Charles. Charles, in turn, looked at me.
It was like he was saying, “You’re up, Bel.”
“…Princess Annabel, you can use magic as well?”
Daniel was looking at me with surprise. It was clear he’d been aware of Charles’ magical prowess, but the fact that I could use magic too seemed to be news to him.
“A princess who can’t even use magic…” I could still hear that derogative voice in my head, spitting those words like venom. I found myself scowling.
“Of course I can,” I sniffed. “I’m the princess of Najir.”
“…I see. Of course. Well, Princess Annabel, will you take a shot at it?
I hesitated.
I could handle conjuring up a little light magical attack, for sure. But if Daniel’s defensive magic didn’t work for some reason, he could be hurt. That would cause a major diplomatic issue.
Daniel grinned wryly, immediately guessing the reason behind my hesitance.
“There’s no need to worry. The spell has been rigorously tested. As long as you don’t shoot to kill, I promise I won’t even feel a tickle.”
“I won’t.”
“Then why not try it? If you do somehow happen to injure me, I promise I won’t have you held accountable.”
Daniel chuckled. But I still hesitated and looked at Charles. He gave me a small nod. “Go ahead,” he seemed to say.
“Very well, then. If you’ll permit me…”
I gathered my magical energy within myself, then shot it through my hands.
“Ice Crystal Shower.”
A shower of sharp crystals shot through the air towards Daniel.
It was a light spell, and I was confident that, even if my magic made contact with Daniel, he’d only be scratched and bruised by the crystals’ impact.
But I needn’t have worried. The crystals bounced harmlessly off Daniel’s defensive wall without a single shard making contact.
The other royals in our party all gasped and stiffened in horror. It was only a light magic spell, but it did look quite impressive, as if a small blizzard had come swirling down the hallway.
“Impressive!”
Daniel grinned in triumph after deflecting my attack, and Charles gave him a round of applause.
“A little attack like that is nothing.”
“Then how about we see how strong of an attack that spell can actually manage to deflect? My sister isn’t really much of a specialist in offense magic. Me, on the other hand…”
“That sounds like fun. Let’s give it a go later on.”
Charles and Daniel laughed together.
Daniel handed the Magic Crystal back to the magician and started walking off with Charles, the two of them chatting away like old friends.
The others in our party still looked shaken and alarmed, though.
Daniel’s really good at getting Charles engaged with him…
They got along so well, it was almost hard to believe they’d never met before. I was secretly quite taken aback.
Now Charles was telling the other royals: “Magic on that level is nothing. Now the really serious attacks, though…our Magic Knights are all specialists in them.”
To that, Daniel responded: “Here in Sunruta, we’re aiming to bring our magic skills up to that level as soon as we can.”
They were both putting on a significant show of force.
After what they’d just witnessed, the royals present on this occasion would surely think twice about attacking either Najir or the Sunruta Kingdom in the future.
“Princess Annabel, that was very impressive! I’d no idea you could do that!”
As she walked along beside me, Karina’s cheeks were red with excitement. She’d clearly never seen magic like that before. Even though it really wasn’t that impressive of a spell.
“I heard that Nigren’s not a magic-oriented country,” I commented.
“You’re right. We’re mostly all non-magical folk. I can’t use it either, so I really envy you!”
Karina pouted. I knew how it felt to envy those who could use magic. After all, I couldn’t use magic myself for the longest time until my latent powers had finally emerged. Thanks to her…
I unconsciously balled my hands into fists.
“Once I get home, I’m going to tell Elena all about what I saw today!”
“Who’s Elena?”
“She’s the finest witch in all of Nigren! I wish I could’ve brought her along with me!”
Karina’s shoulders slumped a little bit dejectedly.
The finest witch in all of Nigren…now that rang a bell. A long time ago, Claude had told me about a strange breed of magicians—genetic mutations—that’d suddenly started appearing in Nigren. Elena had to be one of them.
“She’s amazing! She can replicate any spell, just by watching it being cast once!”
“Wow, that is amazing!”
I nodded along as Karina spoke.
I’d never heard of this Elena before, but it turned out that she was a magician about our age. Apparently, she was currently employed at the Nigren Palace.
“Oh, I know! If you’d be so kind as to invite me to your coming-of-age ceremony, Princess Annabel, then perhaps I could bring Elena along? Your country has tons more magic than Sunruta, right?”
“My coming-of-age ceremony?” I paused for a moment. “Oh, of course! Yes, please bring her.”
My ceremony was six months away.
Claude had said that the guest list was being drawn up still. In that case, it probably wasn’t finalized yet.
Up until yesterday, I would’ve been horrified at the prospect of inviting Karina. But this timeline’s Karina seemed nice. I didn’t mind trying to see if there was more to her than the Karina I knew before. As they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Karina beamed at me, her eyes sparkling as I said yes.