Chapter 10
But the young master only grinned widely.
The round eyes of the child—who was a full head taller than me—curved shamelessly as he smiled.
“Alright, that’s enough greetings. Let’s go inside. The sun’s setting, and the wind’s getting chilly.”
The man gently placed a hand on both my head and Void’s.
Then he suddenly frowned.
“The height difference…”
It’s huge.
That seemed to be what he muttered, but I was too busy observing Void to pay much attention.
“What about the old duke?”
At the man’s question, the elderly butler with elegant monocle-style glasses stepped forward.
“The old master hasn’t been feeling well lately and has been staying in the northern annex…”
It was said in a hushed voice.
The man gave a short nod.
“I see. I’ll visit him later, then.”
His tone sounded practiced—familiar.
“For now, it’d be best to wash them up and get some food in them. The road here was rough.”
“Yes, I’ll see to it.”
The butler bowed respectfully.
“Um… Father. May I come visit you in your office later?”
Void fidgeted shyly, rocking on his heels.
In his eyes, as he looked at his father for the first time in a while, admiration and fear coexisted.
“Of course.”
Void beamed, then bolted up the stairs.
“Elto! Where’s my perfect-score test paper? What about my sword training records?!”
“Oh dear, young master! Don’t run! And there is no perfect-score test!”
Truly—what incredible energy.
“You’ve grown quite close to the young master.”
The butler remarked with a smile in his voice.
Leviathan scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
“Well… yeah.”
“Huh? Weren’t you two close before?”
I couldn’t resist asking.
“Not close—or distant, really.”
“Then…?”
“Well, you see.”
The butler bent down to meet my eye level.
“It was more that the lord avoided Young Master Void. The boy would burst into tears whenever he saw him, so His Grace tried to be considerate…”
“Ahh.”
“Well, truthfully, that’s entirely His Grace’s fault. When a huge adult opens his eyes like this—who wouldn’t be scared?”
The butler lifted both index fingers and exaggeratedly widened his eyes.
“Right?”
With his gentle, kind smile, I nodded vigorously.
Absolutely. Totally.
I knew exactly how cranky that personality could be.
“They’ve only just grown past that awkwardness. Her Grace worked very hard mediating between them.”
“…Adolf. You’re unusually talkative today.”
The man said with mild irritation.
Inside, the warmth wrapped around us, making my body feel toasty.
The butler carefully removed my cloak and smiled.
“That’s why everyone is so surprised.”
“Huh?”
“It’s the first time we’ve seen a child come in calmly, carried in the lord’s arms.”
“Ah… It was more comfortable than I expected…”
—Oh.
I suddenly realized something.
Should I have walked in on my own?!
I was supposed to look dignified in the North!
“Is ‘comfortable’ all? You’re also awfully good at talking back.”
The man rubbed my head until static made my hair puff up like a lion’s mane.
“Stop that!”
“See? A ferocious beast.”
He laughed mischievously like a villain.
Annoying.
Even the butler adjusted his glasses and laughed along.
“Shall we have you bathed and fed, then? Hazel.”
A brown-haired maid stepped forward.
“Lady Rubian, would you like to bathe first?”
‘A bath!’
It was a very welcome suggestion—but I hesitated.
Seeing me frozen in indecision, Leviathan added,
“Bathing or dressing assistance—only if Rubian agrees.”
The servants exchanged glances.
He emphasized it again, firmly.
“Don’t force her.”
Moments like this made him seem a little less prickly.
“Yes, my lord.”
I sniffed once and took the maid’s hand.
Slowly, we climbed the stairs to the second floor.
Despite its rigid exterior, Castle Gebert was bright and warm inside.
Golden light from ornate chandeliers illuminated the halls, while well-kept carpets and softly polished marble corridors stretched on.
“This way, Lady Rubian.”
Looking at the Gebert ducal crest embroidered everywhere…
My feelings turned strange.
Did I really make it safely into House Gebert?
‘Now I have to find out why Uncle dies.’
This was where the real game began.
“Then… shall we wait outside?”
I nodded obediently.
“If you need anything, please ring the bell.”
The maids looked back at me repeatedly, faces full of worry.
‘I get that I look young, but…’
Between my past and present lives, I’d bathed alone countless times.
Honestly, this was more comfortable.
‘Smells nice.’
The bathroom was filled with white steam and pleasant fragrances.
I undressed and stepped into the tub.
The thick foam was incredibly soft.
Leaning back, my body slowly relaxed.
“Ahh… this is great…”
As I soaked, Khalid suddenly came to mind.
Since I was alone, I pressed my earlobe and tried calling him—but still no response.
‘He really did block me.’
I was starting to get genuinely annoyed.
Honestly, what scared me most was him suddenly popping up out of nowhere.
That guy was impossible to predict…
I soaked a bit longer, then stood.
My reflection appeared in the large mirror.
A scrawny, unimpressive body—and the scar cutting across my right side.
‘It’s not a complete lie, at least.’
I had minor scrapes, but this was the biggest wound.
I wasn’t even sure where I’d gotten it.
‘Must’ve hurt a lot…’
Maybe it was a good thing I didn’t remember.
I turned slowly to check my back.
“But this is the real problem.”
A small brand—emblem of the Mage Kingdom—was etched there.
‘I have to deal with this somehow.’
I needed to prepare for the worst.
I couldn’t let anyone find out that I was the runaway mage Arcadia was searching for.
I hadn’t even discovered Leviathan’s cause of death yet—nor changed the destruction ending.
I thought carefully.
‘Worst-case scenario is my identity as a mage being exposed.’
That would be a straight-up bad ending.
I’d be sent back to the Mage Kingdom and accomplish nothing.
The destruction would go unchecked.
‘Then what if my past participation in the human–demon war is revealed?’
I looked at the scar on my side again.
“Ugh.”
That would immediately imply I’d been a child soldier of Arcadia—raising the likelihood of my magic being discovered.
Same bad ending.
‘Then… what about being found out as a girl?’
That was the lightest secret I’d been hiding.
But since it was publicly known that the runaway mage from Arcadia was female, I didn’t need to invite suspicion.
‘And besides…’
I thought of Leviathan from the original story.
Truthfully—
‘I did consider telling Uncle everything.’
But I couldn’t.
Leviathan had lost a child due to a carriage accident caused by a runaway mage.
“A girl…”
To be precise, the child Rosetta had been carrying.
The duchess delivered a stillborn baby.
Every citizen of the Empire knew that.
‘I know how devastated Leviathan was in the original story.’
Better than anyone.
That was when they began adopting children.
‘But they were all boys.’
Both the eldest and the second son.
The meaning was obvious.
“…Sigh.”
I didn’t want to become his trauma.
I didn’t want to remind him of his dead daughter—of anything associated with her.
And because of that incident, not only Leviathan but all Northerners came to hate mages.
‘I don’t want to be hated…’
He was kind-hearted underneath, so he wouldn’t turn on me instantly.
But if he showed even a hint of avoidance…
‘I don’t think I could bear it.’
So at least while I’m here—
“I’ll be a normal child.”
I’d have to carry a few extra secrets.
But it couldn’t be helped.
Splash! I poured water over myself to clear my head.
‘Thankfully, magical density here isn’t as thin as in the capital.’
Maybe because this land had once been monster territory?
I’d been testing my magic little by little during the journey, and it wasn’t exhausting like in the capital.
‘That’s probably why I could contact Khalid again.’
Even though I was blocked. Damn it.
“Alright. First—concealment magic.”
I began circulating mana.
The blocked feeling inside my body remained, but using ambient mana made it far easier.
Besides, concealment magic was basic.
I formed a thin veil, close to my skin tone, and covered the mage brand and side scar.
‘I should be able to maintain this unless my condition worsens badly.’
I was, after all, a fairly capable mage.
Probably.
My head was filled with countless magical circles and circuits.
Though my innate mana reserves weren’t large, that knowledge had earned me recognition as a skilled mage in the Kingdom.
‘The downside is that I struggle when ambient mana is low…’
But as long as it’s not the imperial capital, I’ll be fine.
This is enough.
‘If I link a circuit that synchronizes my mana with the ambient flow…’
My thoughts accelerated.
When I glanced at the mirror, my eyes were swirling red.
That always happened when I borrowed knowledge stored in my mind instead of casting ordinary spells.
I didn’t know why.
Whirr.
A brief flash of magic appeared, then vanished.
Using ambient mana, I completed a new formation that would keep my concealment spell permanently active.
Now even if I suddenly had to undress, I’d be safe!
‘Though I still have to be careful… since you can’t attach what doesn’t exist.’
I glanced downward with a bit of embarrassment.
‘Anyway, thank goodness Northerners are clueless about magic.’
Using power without being discovered—best feeling ever.
“Lady Rubian? Haven’t you been in there a bit long?”
“I—I’m coming out!”
I answered hastily.
Don’t run! It’s dangerous!
Hearing the maids’ anxious voices, I hurried out of the bathroom.
It was a very meaningful first bath.
After I finished, Hazel was waiting.
“Lady Rubian, allow me to properly introduce myself. I’m Hazel, and I’ll be attending to you.”
“Yes! Nice to meet you, Hazel!”
“You may speak casually if you like.”
“Um… I’ll take my time with that.”
Hazel smiled and said she understood.
For some reason, characters who didn’t appear much in the original story made me nervous…
“Shall we go to dinner? The head chef put in extraordinary effort after hearing you’d arrived.”
Haha. No need to go that far.
As Hazel dried my arms and legs, she tilted her head.
“Hmm… The clothes are still far too big. I should’ve prepared smaller sizes.”
The other maids nodded in agreement.
None of the prepared clothes fit me.
“They’re based on Young Master Void’s size when he was younger… We’ll have to place a new order.”
“I’m fine. Like this—”
I rolled up the sleeves neatly.
“—it works!”
Ta-da!
“Ghh…!”
Hazel let out a strange groan, fingers twitching.
“You’re incredibly cute—but no! Clothes must fit properly. I must contact the boutique immediately!”
Her eyes burned with determination.
…Was this really such a serious issue?
I didn’t know, so I stayed quiet.
“Shall we head to the dining room, then?”
“Yes!”
I followed Hazel downstairs.
“But where’s Uncle?”
“His Grace has urgent matters to attend to, so he’ll dine separately.”
“Ah… okay.”
That made sense.
He’d just returned after a long absence—he must be swamped.
I sat down quietly.
After a moment in the vast, almost barren dining hall—
House Gebert’s second son appeared.
Void Gebert.
