CH 176

T/N: Thank you for your patience and understanding while I was away.

In the end, she didn’t even speak a word of it until the day she left the capital.

Zeke came to the gate to see her off, looking very uncomfortable.

And he noticed that his sister’s expression was not as bright as it was when she went on a trip.

Zeke: “…You don’t look happy to hear ‘Have a safe trip.'”

Keira: “Ah, I didn’t sleep well last night.”

She answered lightly, but it didn’t sound that way to others who heard her.

Everything had been sorted out, so what did Keira have to worry about all night long?

Did she run into another problem? Zeke turned serious.

Zeke: “Are you sure you’re going on your own?”

Keira: “Yes, this is something I have to do on my own.”

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It was something she must consider and decide on her own so she wouldn’t regret it in the future.

Zeke: “…That means something is wrong. You said a few days ago that everything was alright. So you won’t even tell me anymore?”

Keira: “Sorry. I would like to make my own decisions on this matter.”

“…”

Zeke was silent for a moment before speaking again.

Zeke: “It’s not dangerous, is it?”

Keira: “Of course not.”

Zeke: “Then that’s fine.”

Only then did a faint smile appear on his face.

Zeke: “Then I will support Noonim in whatever decision you make.”

“…”

Keira felt like choking up at his words.

Whatever decision she made… She might regret it one day.

When learning magic, telekinesis was the first skill taught.

If a person were talented enough to have a lab in the tower, levitating was a piece of cake.

Keira went up the stairs again, realizing why this uncomfortable structure had been maintained for nearly a thousand years.

The walls were randomly scattered with doors leading to classrooms and labs.

Erez’s lab was one of them.

「Never come in.」

It was written in red letters in front of the door. The servant carefully knocked on the door.

“You have a guest.”

Burst–!

The door opened suddenly, and when Keira looked, no one was there to actually open it.

Since it was a regular occurrence, the servant didn’t even blink.

“They’re telling you to come in. Go ahead, Your Ladyship. I should get going now. Oh, when you go back, you can go the way you came.”

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After all, the only path was a long staircase. She wouldn’t get lost even without a guide.

After letting the servant go, she went inside.

The room was dark and smelled bad. It was probably from the medicine. This really further strengthened her prejudice against magicians.

Then, a voice came from over the pile of books–it was the owner of this lab.

Erez: “What’s going on? It seems like we see each other often.”

Keira cleared away the books and stacks of paper and took a seat. Erez still had his eyes fixed on the book.

She coughed to catch his attention then said.

Keira: “I have one more question for you.”

Erez: “Answering a question with a question is not a good way to have a conversation, but if you have any questions, ask.”

Keira: “Why are you doing this, staying away from your hometown? There is a risk of being identified, and isn’t it uncomfortable in many ways?”

Erez: “All you have to do is shut up.”

Keira: “Now that I have no regrets, I might accuse you.”

Erez: “You won’t.”

He wasn’t worried at all. Well, Keira didn’t have a choice but to keep quiet about it anyway.

Keira: “…Anyway, even if there’s no risk, you must have a reason to live here, pretending to be human, right? Even if I don’t accuse you, it would still be a little troublesome at home.”

He sighed deeply at her persistence and closed his book. And as if he had given up, he confessed.

Erez: “I don’t have a reason. It’s just that the environment here and the one in the Demon Realm are different. The experimental results are also different; different spells can be cast even with the same formula. Rather, I don’t think you came all the way here just to ask that.”

In fact, Keira’s question was spontaneous. 

The level of magic that Keira saw in the Demon Realm was far beyond human understanding.

No matter how much Keira thought about it, it would be more beneficial to do research in the Demon Realm, so it was strange that he was holding on here, enduring such a troublesome task.

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But now, it was enough that she had heard the reason. So she finally went straight to the point.

Keira: “Do you remember the bet we made before?”

Erez: “Bet?”

Erez’s eyes narrowed as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

Erez: “I’m sorry, but can you elaborate more? I tend to bet a lot.”

Keira: “I told you before that Father was acting a little strange. And it raised the question of whether the memories of the past remain partially.”

Erez: “Ah.”

He clapped his hands as if he had just remembered.

Erez: “And I said there was nothing wrong with my magic.”

Keira: “Right. You were very confident.”

Erez: “…Could it be.”

A dark cloud appeared on his face.

Keira: “You lost.”

Erez: “That’s a lie!”

Erez jumped up from his seat and screamed, the materials on his lap falling.

Erez: “You must be mistaken! It cannot be.”

Keira: “You dropped me in a strange place when you sent me to the Demon Realm. What confidence do you have in your magic? Why do you think there won’t be any mistakes?”

Still looking adamant, he insisted.

Erez: “That wasn’t a mistake but an error. Do you think it’s easy to go through the barrier in the first place?”

‘He’ll never understand unless I show him the evidence.’

With that thought in mind, Keira pulled out a wad of paper from her handbag and placed it on his desk.

Erez: “This is…”

Keira: “Read it.”

Erez chewed his lips and picked it up.

Upon closer inspection, it was multiple ripped envelopes with letters inside, all sent by Ludwig Parvis to Keira Parvis. The only difference was the address for each date.

Keira: “Those are letters I received from my father while traveling. You can check with your magic whether it’s fake or not.”

Erez: “No, that’s absurd…”

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Blood drained from his face as he scanned the contents of the letter.

It was the exact opposite of the satisfied smile on Keira’s face.

The letter’s contents were so valuable that it overshadowed Keira’s surprise when she first received it.

Erez: “That’s absurd!”

Keira: “Stop denying it. Can’t you see if it’s manipulated or not?”

Here’s a brief summary of the exhaustive letter:

My old memories came back. I’m not forcing you to forgive me, but give me a chance to ask for it.

To put it more simply, it was a request to return home. Perhaps he was worried that Keira might never return.

‘Zeke and other people are in the capital, so there’s no way that’s going to happen.’

Although it didn’t go exactly as she wished, the letter was useful in a different sense.

Keira: “As you can see from the date, Father remembered it right after you did. That is, on the day the contract was signed in the past.” 

Erez: “Ugh…”

Keira: “You said that only one person would get their memory back after the date they turned back time, right? I don’t believe you’re going to change your words now.”

A bet she took as a joke would be quite beneficial.

She smiled faintly as she looked at Erez with his head bowed.

In any case, Keira got to make one of her wishes to him.

The person who should grant her wish… No, it’s difficult for demons to be so down like that.

After clearing her throat, she continued.

Keira: “Of course, I know you’re a great wizard.”

Erez: “Huh?”

Keira: “Is this the first time you went back in time in this world?”

Erez: “Uh… that’s right.”

Keira: “Then, unexpected things may happen. That’s what I think.”

Then Erez’s expression brightened a little.

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Considering he was at least several hundred years old, Keira thought he was quite simple. 

Keira: “But the truth remains. You have to pay for the bet.”

Erez: “…I was wondering why a hard woman like you would say something nice to hear.”

He sighed as if he had given up, and answered.

Erez: “So what do you want to do? If you’ve come this far, you’ve decided what to get from me.”

Keira: “I thought so, too.”

Erez: “What do you mean?”

Keira laughed bitterly.

Keira: “The part where you said I would have decided what to get.”

“?”

What was she talking about? Erez’s eyebrow raised in confusion.

Keira: “I thought and thought about it during the week I came from the capital to here.”

Erez: “And?”

Keira: “I came to the conclusion that I didn’t know how I felt yet.”

Erez seemed like he still didn’t understand, but he decided to wait a little longer for her.

He would live long enough for Keira to die anyway.