Chapter 6

I answered energetically. Hiding it now didn’t mean it would be hidden forever. It was information that Kaichen would find out right away if he looked at my body with even a little bit of his mana. Dalia in the original novel also helped with the study of forbidden magic in that way. Of course, because she was crazy, she was quite uncooperative, and as a result, Kaichen, holding back his irritation, had to touch Dalia several times to release his mana.

‘He really hated it.’

When reading that episode, even readers could feel Kaichen’s annoyance and displeasure. However, he did not treat Dahlia harshly. The development was slow due to Kaichen’s humane attitude, but gradually, his popularity grew.

“Can you cooperate with magic research?”

Harsh tone and displeased emotion. However, as a magic nerd, rather than feelings, he put rationality first and asked for my cooperation.

I guess I piqued his curiosity by being alive despite the manifestation of prohibited magic in Acrab and becoming its medium.

Being honest was also a way to get his attention. I nodded my head in delight. “As much as you want. But I have a condition. Will it be okay?”

“This is a cooperation request from his highness,” he rebutted. 

“…….”

“You have the choice, but if you refuse, you will be placed under suspicion; that  you have a relationship with a wizard dabbling in forbidden magic.”

I could feel sweat forming on  my temples. “Isn’t that… a threat?”

“Even if you cooperate, you’ll be suspected, so don’t worry.”

What does he mean? I’m the victim of this cruel magic! I mean how could he ever suspect that I am on the same side of a vicious wizard who has locked me up for a hundred years?

“Who refused? Of course, I will cooperate!” I raised my hand and stepped forward enthusiastically. “I’ll tell you everything I know. So, if you are curious about something, ask me!”

I flipped my wet, drooping hair over.

While doing so, I studied his face, but Kaichen’s expression did not change at all, even though I looked at his complexion so openly.

Kaichen looked pale. Is it because he got rained on? Or is it because he breathed in the filthy air of my dirty house?

“I’ll come back tomorrow,” he said, his face scrunched up.

“What? But you can ask me now.”

“…….” 

Sure enough. The frown on his face seemed to say that if he stayed here a little longer, he would become infected by some disease. Kaichen looked at me and then turned his head away.

Without another word,  he scattered golden magic around him in haste and disappeared. It seemed like he teleported somewhere nearby.

I stared blankly at the place where he disappeared and spat out the first thing that came to mind.

“Argh! He is so rude!”

However, whether he was rude or hateful, Kaichen was undeniably handsome. Soft blonde hair and cold gold eyes. In general, wizards are described to look particularly weak, but his bronze skin and strong, overall features didn’t give that impression at all. In fact, he looked like he would have looked much better with a sword rather than magic.

Even though I was quite tall for a woman, I had to look up, and even though he was wearing a loose robe, his shoulders were so broad. It was only for a brief moment, but I had that kind of thought.

I’ve never seen someone as handsome as Kaichen in my life.

“However, I won’t fall for his looks!” But my sly smile probably didn’t match the words I spat out.

As I filled the bath with hot water, I thought about Kaichen’s appearance over and over again. Because I have to get used to it in order to stay with him in the future. 

Being an avid reader of fiction, I was sure of something. Usually, after possessing someone’s body, there were many cases of the transmigrator being charmed by the handsome faces in the world and becoming shackled because of it.

I have to get used to Kaichen’s appearance completely and help him spread his wings to his liking without showing the least self-interest. Only after gaining his trust could he become a strong shield; I could hide in his shadow.

Looking at the bathtub being filled with water, I threw my clothes away and jumped in delight. This body was filthy for the longest time, but I didn’t have a choice because of the time magic. Satisfied how the water cleansed my skin of dirt, I thought that I must clean this damn dirty house first thing in the morning.

“I have a lot of work to do. First of all, I should save Mimi’s younger sibling, Mickey. And I should give money to the boy who sells newspapers, right? How much money do I have left….”

Over the past hundred years, I have traveled to every corner of the Acrab and closely observed people of this territory one by one.

I even went and talked to them, but how many people would deal seriously with a drunken lady? So I pretended to be drunk, approached them while talking nonsense, and even watched them secretly. 

It’s not like I only lived doing honorable things. When people are lonely, they behave like stalkers…

“Ah, Dalia you drunkard. It’s because of you that Acrab became like this.”

Dalia, who inherited the title and became the new Lord of Acrab, lived her life gambling and drinking alcohol for three years without working.

Isn’t it obvious then what state her territory would be in?

Formerly, Acrab was a promising industrial city with great, skilled craftsmen, but since the Dalia did not properly manage the merchants groups, the economy went sour.

“After I take care of the most urgent problem, I have to get Acrab back on its feet…”