CH 18

The weather was exceptionally clear and beautiful today. Cecile was squinting slightly under her glasses, as if the sun was too bright for her.

“The weather is really nice today. Other noble children would go out on a day like this, go on outings or play in the water. But here we are, willingly locking ourselves in our rooms.”

“So, are you jealous?”

“Well, maybe a little?”

“I’m not jealous at all.”

Cecile murmured quietly and took a bite of her sandwich.

Cecile Ohene, who entered the Palace Magic Department with me two years ago.

While I was already quite a bookworm from a young age and tended to hole up in my workshop for days on end once I got engrossed in something, Cecile took it to another level.

Her focus was 99 out of 100 on magic, to the point where it seemed impossible for her to handle everyday life on her own.

Just like today, if I hadn’t personally gone to find her and dragged her out, she would have skipped lunch again and immersed herself in research.

“But isn’t it boring to always lock yourself in the workshop and just read books? Don’t you want to go outside sometimes and get a change of scenery?”

“No, not really….”

Cecile shook her head without any hint of hesitation.

Within the Palace Magic Department, there were several divisions, and both Cecile and I were part of the Research Division.

Our main focus was researching ancient magic that had yet to be deciphered and developing new spells.

For Cecile, whose natural inclination was magic research, it was the perfect calling and joy in life, but it wasn’t the same for me.

Originally, I had applied to the Disaster Relief Division.

The division I applied to was responsible for overseeing incidents and accidents caused by magic within the empire’s territory.

It was also a department that my father, Julion, had passed through before he became Head of the Magic Department.

The reason I had been so focused on studying magic since I was young was not because I enjoyed studying itself, but rather to avoid the fate of being killed by Clyde.

Seven years ago, I succeeded in breaking Clyde out of my father’s laboratory as planned and changing the future of the original novel.

Now that I had accomplished that, I felt a strange sense of liberation, much like finishing the college entrance exam.

For the past thirteen years, I have been completely consumed with finding a way to survive, so I had no plans for what would come after.

For most noble daughters, the usual route was to enter society, seek a suitable husband, and become a lady of the house.

But I didn’t want to live that kind of life.

It would have been different if I had been a resident of this world from the beginning, but from my perspective of having lived in 21st-century South Korea for twenty years, it was difficult to accept.

That’s why I chose to follow in the footsteps of my father Julion and become a court mage.

Just as it was in the past on Earth, in this world too, women were rarely given opportunities for education or employment.

Fortunately, the Palma Empire staunchly advocated meritocracy, and with my high noble status and my father as my patron, it was possible.

The problem was that even though I had turned twenty, my father’s overprotectiveness showed no signs of easing.

Ignoring my desire to join the Disaster Relief Division, he placed me in the Research Division, where he could keep me in his sight and ensure my safety.

Having grown up confined to my home, I had always yearned for the outside world.

The reason I applied to the Disaster Relief Division was that, like my father in the past, I wanted to be able to travel across the empire and help people in real pain with the magic I had learned.

But as you can see, the reality was different.

The confinement space had changed, but in the end, I was still trapped, bound by the rules and obligations of noble status.

Independence was nothing but an unattainable dream.

‘Even at an age when most others are already married, I’ve never had a single marriage story…’

If someone were to ask me if I planned to spend my entire life without getting married, I’m afraid I might say yes.

“Can I eat this?”

As I unknowingly sighed, Cecile suddenly asked.

She was pointing at the peanut pumpkin pie I had personally made.

“Well, yeah. I brought it for you to eat in the first place.”

Cecile’s eyes lit up as she picked up a piece of pie.

It was one of the few foods she enjoyed, despite having a small appetite.

“It’s amazing. It doesn’t even have any extraordinary ingredients, but how is it so delicious? The crust is crispy, the filling is soft, and the whipped cream on top isn’t heavy at all; it’s so sweet.”

Even though she had it dozens of times before, Cecile never forgot to give compliments.

In this world, cooking was either the domain of commoners or servants.

It was generally unimaginable for a noble young lady like me to cook by herself.

The first time Cecile tasted the pie I made, her eyes widened, and she asked, “Who made this? It’s so delicious!” When I told her that I made it myself, her eyes, which were already large, grew even wider. I remembered that moment.

Originally, it started as a strange fascination after Clyde commented, “It’s not bad, but…” So over the course of seven years, it became an impressive hobby.

Even my family, who initially felt uneasy about my cooking, now acknowledged my skills when it came to peanut pumpkin pie.

‘I wonder how Clyde is doing….’

After Clyde escaped, I was concerned for a while, but I hadn’t heard any news of him being recaptured.

The torture that should have lasted for several years ended in just two weeks, and I firmly promised myself not to seek revenge.

It could be said that I had successfully prevented the horrific tragedy that occurred in the original work.

In reality, the fact that I, who should have been dead at Clyde’s hands at this point, was alive and well, was the greatest proof.

The Palm Empire was also maintaining its stability. The war with the Demon Realm was not yet over, but Clyde, who had become the new Demon King in the original story, had not led a large-scale military invasion.

There was only one thing bothering me.

It was the promise we made right before parting ways with Clyde.

‘We will definitely meet again within three years. If we break the promise, we will die. Both you and I.’

Now Clyde would also realize that the promise we made, which we staked our lives on, had no magical effect whatsoever.

And the fact that I had made that promise with the intention of deceiving him from the start.

‘….But it has been seven years now.’

Four years had passed since the promised three years.

It has been almost half my life since we separated.

Perhaps by now, he could have forgotten about my existence altogether.

‘I hope he lives a happy life. Regardless of my life or the development of the original story… Just that.’

I had dreamt of Clyde’s future multiple times over the seven years.

Among them, there were versions where Clyde lived an ordinary and happy life, but there were also versions where he turned to darkness and resent me, just like in the original.

On the day I dreamt of Clyde blaming me for not keeping the promise, my heart was restless for several days afterwards.

‘…Now, he will forget everything and live well, undoubtedly.’

By now, he must have grown into a splendid young man.

The only regret I had as an avid fan of the original was not being able to see how Clyde had grown.

Of course, such a thing would never happen, but if there was even a slight chance to meet again, I had the desire to let him taste the peanut pumpkin pie I had made.

I’m pretty confident in it now, but I wonder how it would compare to what his mother made.

By that time, Cecile had finished her second piece of pie.

I wrapped up the remaining pie and handed it to her.

“Have this later when you’re feeling a bit hungry.”

“Sure, thanks.”

Cecile said and smiled happily.

As I was starting to tidy up and get up from my seat, I noticed a group of people approaching from a distance.

About half of them were palace maids, and the other half were knights.

Among them, a woman at the front hurriedly walked towards us.

“Eila!”

“Your Highness, the Princess.”

I held onto the edge of my skirt and bowed my head.

Cecile, who was sitting next to me, also quickly stood up and bowed.

“There’s no need to get up. Weren’t you in the middle of a meal?”

Her smiling face, with the corners of her eyes creased, was truly angelic, to say the least. She had inherited the lovely charm of his older brother, Raphir, and the beauty of the Empress.

She was Sylphia, the original female protagonist, who had just turned eighteen this year.