Chapter 9

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Dizark returned to his palace after several days, accompanied by Saya and Alno.

This is the first time he has ever brought a woman other than his sister into this palace.

As Saya got out of the carriage and looked up at the palace, she exclaimed, "Wow...!"

"It's a real palace...!"

Her pale cheeks were slightly flushed with excitement.

As they entered, the servants, who seemed to have been waiting, welcomed them all together, saying, "Welcome back, sir."

Even though Dizark always told them that such a welcome would interfere with his work and was unnecessary, they never stopped.

Saya's eyes sparkled at the sight.

"From today, this will be your home."

At these words, Saya turned around.

"It looks like a princess's place."

"Something like that."

As Dizark and Saya were talking, Regis approached.

"Welcome back, Master Dizark. And, Miss, I am Regis Moriarty, the head butler."

Regis is one of the servants who has served Dizark since he was a child.

He seems calm, but he can be quite frightening when angry.

Saya bowed slightly.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Saya Shinoyama. Shinoyama is my family name, and Saya is my given name. Please call me Saya."

"Saya, there's no need to use formal language with us servants. Please speak freely."

"Huh? Ah, um, I can't change it right away, so can I do it gradually? Or, is it okay?"

Despite her confusion, Saya tried to respond to Regis, who smiled gently and said, "Yes, thank you."

"Please show her to her room."

Before leaving, Dizark had informed the senior servants that he might have a fiancée, and if the engagement was accepted, she would be brought here. A room should have been prepared for her.

"Understood," Regis nodded.

"Saya."

"Yes, what is it?"

At the sound of her name, Saya responded immediately.

"From now on, call me Dizark. And since you're my fiancée, there's no need for formal language. If we're going to spend time together, I want us to be able to speak openly."

Saya's black eyes blinked twice.

Then she smiled.

"Okay, I'll call you Dizark from now on."

It was a smile that no noble lady would ever show, but seeing her genuinely happy face made him a bit uneasy. He averted his gaze.

"Yeah, if you need anything, don't hesitate to say it."

"Got it."

Regis then called out two names. They were probably the maids who would serve Saya. If Regis chose them, they would be reliable.

"...By the way, I've called a doctor to examine you."

As Saya's small back was about to leave, she responded, "Okay," with a curious look.

He watched her go, and once she was out of sight, he turned back.

"How was everything while I was away?"

"Everything went well."

"I see, thank you for your hard work."

It would take Saya some time to settle in.

...Maybe I should take a short break.

Waving the servants away, he headed to his room.

Alno would be discussing Dizark's schedule with Regis, so there was no need to worry about him.

Once in his room, he took off his coat and sat in a chair.

He then lay down on the sofa.

Tomorrow would be busy with the backlog of work.

...But for a while, I'll bring my work here.

It would be better to stay close until Saya gets used to the place.

As he was thinking this, he must have dozed off, as he was startled by a knock on the door.

Getting up, he said, "Come in," and Regis entered.

He probably came to report on Saya's examination results.

"How is Saya's condition?"

"She has mild malnutrition and is underweight. The doctor said to ensure she eats properly and gets enough rest. ...It seems she lost weight rapidly, which is common for beginners in magic."

"Hmm."

Saya can use magic to some extent even without being taught.

The first time they met, she produced fire.

...Is she using it in secret to avoid being seen?

If so, it would be better to get her a teacher soon.

Using magic drains physical strength.

If someone who is not used to it uses magic frequently, they can exceed their physical limits and lose weight as a result.

If left unchecked, it can even lead to death.

"I'll have to warn Saya."

It's unlikely she would die unless she pushed herself to the extreme, but since Saya has a small appetite, it's understandable that she would lose weight if she used magic multiple times.

If she insists on using magic, it would be better to start by increasing her food intake.

"What about dinner?"

"From now on, I'll have meals in the dining room in the morning and evening."

"Understood."

Until now, he had prioritized work, coming home late and eating a light meal in his room because it was too much trouble. But with Saya here, things are different.

Given his busy schedule, it's important to have regular meals and face-to-face conversations.

"Is Alno still here?"

As he put on his coat, he asked Regis.

"Yes, he is still here."

"I'll be working at the palace for a while. Tell him to bring the documents here."

Regis smiled.

"I'll pass that on."

"Also, can you arrange for a discreet visit to a reliable tailor tomorrow afternoon?"

"Yes, it's already arranged."

Nodding, he left the room.

As he walked to the dining room, he spotted Saya's back.

"Saya."

At the sound of her name, Saya turned around quickly.

"Dizark."

Even though she could have waited, she came over to him.

A maid from the kingdom was with her.

...No, from now on, she would be a lady-in-waiting.

She was young and somewhat timid, but her dedication to serving Saya was strong.

When he inquired about Saya's situation through a knight, she had pleaded for better treatment for Saya.

It must have taken courage to come to a foreign country.

After observing her for a few days, he could see that she and Saya got along well, so he allowed her to come.

Saya must feel lonely in a foreign land, and having someone she trusts is important.

"If you're heading to the dining room, let's go together."

"Sure, let's go."

Saya gently touched his outstretched left arm.

Her touch was so light that it always made him feel a bit ticklish.

It wouldn't be a problem if she applied more pressure.

He escorted her and started walking slowly.

"By the way, you've been secretly practicing magic, haven't you?"

At this, Saya looked up, surprised.

"Yeah, I have... How did you know?"

"I had you examined by a doctor earlier. Beginners who use magic beyond their physical limits tend to lose weight rapidly."

"Oh, so that's why I lost weight after coming to this world."

Saya nodded in understanding.

"Losing weight means your body is in a state of starvation. If you keep pushing yourself, you could die. ...Don't use magic until you have a proper tutor."

"Okay."

"Also, if you want to use magic, increase your food intake. If you can replenish the energy you use, you won't lose weight."

"So, are all mages big eaters?"

Saya's question made him stop in his tracks.

He had never thought about mages being big eaters.

Realizing he was laughing, he stopped.

Her sudden laughter must have surprised her, but she didn't get angry, just tilted her head in curiosity.

"...Maybe, they are big eaters."

Now that he thought about it, the dining room where court mages ate did serve large portions.

Eating to replenish the energy used in magic was normal, so he had never questioned it. But Saya, coming from a different world, didn't know this.

He started walking again.

"But there's a limit to how much you can eat, right? What do you do if you have to use more magic than your physical limits allow?"

"There's a method to temporarily transfer magic power from someone else. The first time we met, you transferred magic power to me. That's what it's called."

As he said this, he suddenly realized something.

"You have a fair amount of magic power, don't you? How much magic have you been using?"

"How do you know my magic power?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but when you transferred magic power to me, a lot came through, and you seemed fine. So, I assumed you have a decent amount of magic power."

They reached the dining room, and Saya's lady-in-waiting opened the door.

Inside, he helped Saya sit down and took a seat diagonally across from her.

Drinks and food were brought to the table.

Saya's dining etiquette was a bit different from this world's, but it wasn't crude or dirty.

She must have received some education in her original world.

With this, he thought she wouldn't have too much trouble adapting to this world's etiquette.

"About what we were talking about earlier, I practice magic for about five hours a day. I protect the room so it doesn't get damaged and try different things inside."

"Protect?"

"Yeah, like this."

Saya put her hands together and spread them, and a translucent sphere appeared in her hands.

Dizark was taken aback.

"You can use holy magic!?"

Saya looked confused.

"Yeah, I can use most magic."

"Wait, what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing much, I just read about magic in books in the kingdom and could use all of it..."

"What!?"

He stood up without thinking, and Saya looked bewildered.

The servants, including Regis, remained quiet, but their expressions were shocked.

In this world, not everyone can use magic. You need magic power and the right attribute to use it.

Even if you have magic power, you can't use magic of an attribute you don't have.

...You can use all the magic in the books?

"By the way, was there any magic you couldn't use?"

"No, there wasn't. Attributes are fire, wind, water, earth, darkness, and holy, right? I can use all of them, and I have a fair amount of magic power, so I can even use some stronger effects."

The dining room fell silent.

Saya seemed to be the only one who didn't understand the situation.

He took a deep breath and sat back down.

"...Is something wrong?"

She asked hesitantly, and he snapped back to reality.

"No, I'm sorry, I was just surprised. You know that magic has attributes, right? But do you understand that people have different attribute affinities?"

"Like, the attributes they're good at?"

"Yes. Generally, people can only use magic of the attributes they have an affinity for. I have affinities for fire, wind, and earth, so I can only use magic of those three attributes."

"......Huh?"

Saya froze.

"...You mean, you can't use any magic of attributes you don't have an affinity for...?"

"Right. If you don't have an affinity for an attribute, you can't use its magic."

Saya fell silent.

If she could use all the magic in the books, it means she can use all attributes.

The holy maiden summoned by the Kingdom of Dunié had five attributes.

...Saya, who is not a holy maiden, has all attributes...?

Thinking about this, he recalled how Saya was treated in the kingdom.

"Saya, did you take an attribute test in the kingdom?"

"Like, to check which attributes I have? No, I didn't. I was thrown into that guest room right after being summoned."

If that's the case, he had a terrible thought.

Saya had no magic leakage from the start.

She could transfer magic power, so he assumed she was familiar with manipulating magic power, but now it seemed odd.

"Did your world have magic?"

"No, it didn't."

Despite coming from a world without magic, she was skilled at manipulating magic power...

Realizing that she could use magic after only three weeks in this world was strange.

"...Regis, change my schedule for tomorrow. Tell my brother that Saya needs an attribute test and magic power measurement as soon as possible. Include our conversation here."

"Understood."

Regis left, leaving the other butlers to take over.

Saya looked down.

"Um, I'm sorry."

"As I said, it's not a bad thing, but it is unexpected. Saya, having all attributes is extremely rare. It's as rare as a saint or a holy maiden."

Saya's eyes widened, then she laughed.

"I guess it was a good idea to keep my magic a secret."

...That's not the issue right now.

But her smile made Dizark smile too.

If this is true, Saya would become the most important person in the empire.

It's unexpected, but it could be beneficial for the empire.

For now, he finished his meal and escorted Saya to her room.

"I'll go with you tomorrow."

Saya, who was about to enter her room, turned around.

"Really? I was a bit nervous about going alone, so that's a huge help. Thank you."

"Don't worry about it. See you tomorrow."

Saya smiled.

"Okay, see you tomorrow. Good night, Dizark."

"...Yeah, have a good night."

Saya waved and the door closed.

...Good night, indeed.

The servants also wished him a good night, but Saya's words had a different, pleasant feeling to them.

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