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"To be more precise, it felt like she was acting out emotions."
Charles's words made Iana understand Riel more clearly.
'Someone without emotions. That's what it was.'
"Riel, aren't you going to ask if I'm okay? Carrion almost pushed me earlier."
Riel especially lacked empathy for other people's emotions.
Charles continued, his face thoughtful.
"It seems like she's appealing to emotions, but in reality, she's trying to logically persuade by stimulating the other person's guilt."
"That's right. Guilt."
Iana murmured softly.
Planting guilt in the other person and shaking them was Riel's method.
Though it was a short time, Charles seemed to have accurately grasped Riel.
"That's why I picked a flower and handed it to her. I wanted to see how she would express her emotions."
"Ah... So, that's why you gave me the flower."
She felt embarrassed, and her cheeks flushed.
Charles looked her in the eye with a serious expression and urged her.
"If you ever have to clash with Lady Riel again."
"..."
"Don't confront her emotionally, respond only with logic."
"...Yes."
Iana nodded in response.
"Wait, come over here."
Charles looked around, then took Iana's hand and approached the flower bed.
Colorful flowers bloomed in the flower bed. Perhaps because of Krikan's attack yesterday, about half of the flowers in the flower bed were broken and trampled.
Iana realized his intention and stood her ground.
"I don't want to!"
"How do you know what I'm going to do?"
Charles smiled, bewildered.
"You're going to pick the flowers, aren't you?"
She grumbled in a barely audible voice.
She didn't want to be forced to accept a favor, and she didn't want the flowers that had barely survived to be picked just to make her feel better.
"Iana, you really lack creativity."
"You're teasing me again, aren't you?"
"I'm not teasing you, come over here."
Charles knelt in front of the flower bed. She had no choice but to crouch next to him and sit side by side.
"There's a saying in Ervin."
"What saying?"
"The day after a war, look at the flowers and the sky. Then a peaceful life will come."
Charles, who had been staring at the flowers, then raised his head to look at the sky.
Warm sunlight fell on his face.
He squinted one eye because of the bright sunlight and looked at her, saying.
"I am giving you a peaceful life right now."
His words echoed deeply in Iana's heart.
A peaceful life.
It was the life she desperately dreamed of in both her past and present lives.
Iana followed Charles and looked at the pretty flowers blooming in the flower bed, then raised her head.
It was a clear, cloudless sky.
It was as if the fierce battle with the swarm of Krikan that had darkened the sky yesterday had happened a long time ago.
It was a peaceful morning.
✦ ✦ ✦
About an hour later, a long line of the investigation team returning to the capital was lined up in front of the Ducal Palace's main castle.
Unlike the day the investigation team arrived, everyone except the minimum number of soldiers to escort them was deployed elsewhere to prepare for monster attacks.
Charles also came out early today to see off the investigation team.
However, Rosso, who was supposed to escort the investigation team to the outer castle, had not returned from the intermediate fortress, so the nobles of the investigation team were anxious.
"Why isn't the mage coming? We need to leave quickly before the monsters attack..."
The nobles of the investigation team, unable to bear it any longer, complained one after another.
"Then let's call the Archmage."
"The Archmage has gone down to the village to protect the people of the territory."
Iana stood among the scribes, quietly watching the situation unfold.
Carrion, who was standing in front of the carriage, glared at Iana to an embarrassing extent.
'Why is he staring like that?'
Just as she was about to turn her head away with a displeased expression.
Charles pretended to look at the castle gate and moved, blocking Carrion's gaze.
Iana chuckled at his playful behavior.
At that moment, she met Riel's eyes.
"If you ever have to clash with Lady Riel again. Don't confront her emotionally."
Iana recalled what Charles had said in the morning. She then looked at Riel and showed a relaxed smile.
"The mage is coming!"
The faces of the investigation team and the Imperial Army brightened at the guard's shout.
Charles reached out his hand to Carrion and shook it.
"It's a pity that you're returning without completing the schedule, but please return safely."
"It can't be helped. The unfinished investigation will probably be carried out by the Imperial Family. I'll see you at the Imperial Palace soon, Your Highness."
Carrion said sarcastically as he took his hand, but he couldn't look Charles in the eye.
"Lady Riel, please return safely as well."
Charles was about to pass by after greeting her, but Riel called out to him.
"Your Highness."
"....?"
Charles turned around.
"People of low status often find that no one listens to their grievances."
"Is that so?"
"Please look kindly upon their grievances."
Riel bowed politely.
It was as if Charles had not listened to the grievances of people of low status.
"I will remember Lady Riel's good words."
Charles passed by with an indifferent expression, without any agitation.
Among the investigation team members who were hurriedly getting into the carriage, Iana saw Riel's face.
'That is...'
Iana caught a glimpse of Riel's subtle expression.
A sense of inferiority and a competitive spirit.
Riel was confident that she could captivate any man if she set her mind to it.
Because she had captivated the heart of a man like Carrion, who had despised her.
But she seemed to know instinctively.
Charles was a man who would not move as she wanted. This resulted in a sense of inferiority and a competitive spirit that made her want to challenge him, which were mixed on Riel's face.
Riel stared at Iana with a meaningful look, then finally got into the carriage.
"Let's go."
Rosso, who had returned from the intermediate fortress, shouted from the front.
Thud-.
The investigation team's procession began to move.
The procession picked up speed and rushed forward, creating a hazy cloud of dust.
Iana watched the scene and thought.
'Finally, the investigation team is returning. What will happen to us in the future?'
Iana looked at the sky as if wishing for a peaceful life.
The sky of Ervin was still clear and bright, just like when she looked up at it with Charles.
✦ ✦ ✦
After the investigation team left, the Ducal Palace was busy with repair work.
Iana was guarding the top of the Spire.
Thump, thump, thump.
Then, Mule and the magic trainee who had stayed in the intermediate fortress were riding into the castle gate.
'I have to tell the Archmage that I put up the barrier.'
Iana rushed down to the entrance of the Spire. The Ducal Palace would be safe with Mule here.
"Archmage!"
She greeted Mule, who had just entered the Spire. The magic trainee who had gone with him followed him in.
But they had fought so fiercely that their clothes were covered in dirt and torn in places.
"Archmage, I have something to tell you..."
"Iana, follow me."
Mule said briefly and ran up the stairs like a madman.
"Where are you going?"
Iana asked, but Mule didn't answer.
Mule kicked open the door to the library as if he were going to break it down.
He wandered around the bookshelves, frantically searching for something.
"Archmage, what are you looking for? If you tell me, I'll help you find it."
Iana said, chasing after Mule.
Then Mule took out a thick book from a bookshelf in the corner of the library.
『Ancient Magic Book』
The book, covered in dust, seemed to have not been touched by people for a long time.
Mule quickly flipped through the pages.
Iana approached him and asked with a questioning look.
"What are you looking for?"
"This is it!"
He pointed to the book and began to read a passage.
"Among the subjects of Combination Magic, there is something that is extremely polarized. The subjects of Combination Magic compete to absorb each other's magical power, and in the process, one may die."
"What does this mean?"
Iana tilted her head at the words that were both understandable and incomprehensible.
Mule approached the blackboard. Then, he drew a vine shape and a human shape on the blackboard and explained.
"If the Arika Vine is a plant that uses Combination Magic."
"..."
"You, who uses Combination Magic, and another Arika Vine that uses Combination Magic, compete to absorb magical power."
Iana paused for a moment and asked.
"Then, the fact that the Arika Vine died when I touched it..."
"Yes, everything is explained. Your magical power grew to win the competition. In the end, the weaker Arika lost the competition and burned to death."
Mule tapped his forehead with his finger and walked back and forth around the blackboard.
Iana asked with a sharp look.
"Then, could the Arika Vine be the one that increases the magical power of the monsters?"
Mule stopped in his tracks as if his thoughts had been organized.
"....!"
At the same time, Iana and Mule, feeling a sense of crisis, looked at each other.
Squeak-.
Then Charles opened the library door and came inside.
"Mule, I was waiting to ask what happened to the intermediate fortress..."
Mule interrupted Charles and spoke with bloodshot eyes.
"All the Arika Vine in Ervin must be burned. Right now."
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