Chapter 63

This is a detailed and lengthy text, which I will translate to English while maintaining the original structure and tone:

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**Welcome to the House of Lord Demetrius.**

As always, the powerful Jibril. Mikaelis is being dragged around by his overly energetic sister.

Since Mikaelis is so reliable, Jibril flaps her wings energetically today as well, scattering those around her. But sometimes she does give way to her brother.

The sound of a clock chiming somewhere.

The slight rustle of clothing and a small metallic sound. Then a small sigh was heard.

"Brother, it's about time..."

"...Yes. It's a shame, but let's call it a day for today."

Mikaelis slowly pulled away from me.

Perhaps my hair was disheveled; it was combed with a hand comb. My hair is long and slightly wavy, so it tangles more easily than straight hair. It's also a bit fine, like a cat's fur.

When I looked at Jibril, she looked very bitter. That's not good. Mikaelis is Jibril's brother, so I shouldn't monopolize him too much.

"Ugh... It's very painful for me to interrupt such rare moments with my obsessive sister and my scheming glasses-wearing brother, but as they say, 'He who chases two rabbits catches neither.'

Let's call it a day for today."

"...Jibril, why do you look more disappointed than I do?"

"You wouldn't understand, Brother! You've already had your fill of Sister!

I'll let you have your turn today! But I wanted to have my turn with Sister too!"

It wasn't jealousy towards me, but towards Mikaelis.

Is it really okay to be liked so much? I love Jibril, but I don't want her to fight with Mikaelis because of me.

But, do Mikaelis and Jibril really enjoy indulging in such a clumsy person? Is there really a demand for it?

Jibril's face, filled with bitter frustration, made Mikaelis chuckle.

"I'm sorry."

"It's a debt you owe me!"

"I'll remember that."

Even when she's pouting, Jibril is cute. Mikaelis raised his hands in surrender, as if giving in to such a sister.

The scene of the affectionate siblings made me smile. The playful bickering of the beautiful siblings is a delight to watch.

When Mikaelis turned his gaze back to me, his eyes softened.

"I'll definitely come again. Please don't forget the words I said earlier."

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As they walked down the carpeted corridor, Mikaelis and Jibril were in better spirits than when they arrived.

Still, they were cautious of their surroundings.

They had to be careful not to be caught if they wanted to return here.

They had to choose paths that couldn't be seen from the outside.

"As always, Sister looked well. She had lost a little weight, but it wasn't as bad as I feared, so I was relieved."

"Yes."

"Even when she was embraced and looked at so passionately by her brother, she remained as steadfast as ever."

"...Yes."

"A formidable opponent. In a different way from Duke Latizche."

"Exactly. It's clear that she trusts and relies on him so easily, but as a man, it's a complex feeling."

Despite saying that, Mikaelis's expression was gentle and soft. His eyes were full of affection. He knew very well that Albertina was not the type to entrust herself to just anyone.

Especially not to men of her own age.

As the daughter of a great noble family, and now being targeted from all sides, her vulnerability is a concern.

—If only she could be close to someone with such extreme social anxiety.

Without a father, an innocent girl could be manipulated in any way. No doubt some noble sons with good looks and family backgrounds are trying to get close to Albertina and talk her into things.

But Albertina is an extremely discerning young lady.

She avoids both marriage and romance.

The fate of any man who tries to force his way into her life is rejection and disdain.

However, there are many who ignore this and try to force a relationship with her.

Albertina has become a young lady of equal or greater value than the crown.

While King Lauses is trying to keep her under control, the Council of Elders is strongly advocating for her integration into the royal family.

In contrast to the king's insistence on following proper procedures, the Council is openly rebelling, demanding immediate action. One reason for this is the extreme lack of royal family members recognized by the Council.

Mikaelis has no interest in royal power, but he doesn't want Albertina to be hurt or suffer. She is a gentle and kind woman. She would rather avoid political intrigue and power struggles.

The people of the Latizche family, starting with Kishteria, are in a very difficult situation.

They are being attacked from all sides to shake loose any means to advance against Grail.

When I last saw Kishteria, she showed no signs of such distress. Perhaps, having been raised by her famous stepfather, the Duke of Devils, such things are trivial to her.

Of course, she can't actually bind and torture a noble son.

Moreover, Kishteria is one of the few people close to Albertina. She is close to Grail and to Albertina. Given that Albertina is the daughter of the Duke of Latizche, it's a complicated position.

But the fact that Kishteria was sent to the Vayu Palace where Albertina is staying suggests that even the royal family and the Council have run out of options.

Albertina's magic is so strong that even the palace magicians can't break the barrier.

If they can't meet or talk to her, any manipulation of her status is meaningless. They must want to secure her at all costs.

For now, Albertina's peace is being maintained on the brink.

Feeling the calm before the storm, Mikaelis glared at the royal castle.

---

After Mikaelis and Jibril left, I resumed my barrier challenge.

For someone with few options, this siege should be the best attack.

If Father comes back, I win. That's why those around me are so eager to win me over before Father notices.

Mikaelis said he wants me to rely on him, but I can't just depend on others.

I need to think of something myself.

If the barrier breaks, things will move quickly from the current stalemate.

Chappy, perhaps aware that visitors came while she was napping, is wandering around the sofa where Mikaelis and the others sat.

"Who are you, really? My ally? Or a familiar of some bad noble?"

"Gi?"

"I don't understand fairies or spirits very well, but I'd be happy to be friends."

"Pi!"

I hugged Chappy, who was happily flailing her arms and legs, and squeezed her tightly.

Chappy hugged me back with her short arms and legs.

...By the way, this child seems to be a child, but where are her parents?

What if they're looking for her? What if her parents are as doting as mine? That could be very dangerous.

"Hey, Chappy. Where is your family?"

"Pi-gi?"

"You don't know?"

"Gi-gi?"

Hmm, does Chappy not understand?

Tilting her round head is so cute.

Or do fairies and spirits not have the concept of family?

I should have asked Kishteria or Julius when they were here. Those two are strangely rough with Chappy for some reason. They step on her and squeeze her right away, even though they just met. Maybe it's Chappy's fault for wandering around their feet, but still... But Chappy doesn't seem to be in much pain, so she doesn't seem to mind.

...I wonder how Chappy's durability works.

When I pinch her cheeks, the touch feels like a low-rebound pillow. It's not light like cotton or panya, but a unique, soft, and squishy texture.

There's no point in thinking about things that don't make sense, and Chappy doesn't have any ill intentions. The barrier doesn't react, and she seems to have taken a liking to me.

By the way, that day's barrier challenge also failed.

The information flowing in is overwhelming, and I was spinning on the sofa. The last thing I saw was Anna throwing Chappy out the window as she patted my forehead.

I analyze the barrier daily, but there's no progress.

Information comes through the barrier, but I can't fully grasp it. It passes by at an incredible speed and breaks down.

Anna tells me to stop being reckless, but I can't afford to be complacent in this place.

This accidental barrier is my lifeline. I must control it at all costs.

As I frowned at my still dizzy head, Anna looked at me with concern.

"Miss Albert, would you like to rest in bed?"

"...Yes, please. Anna."

With Anna's help, I moved to the bed.

Anna has made the bed so well that the sheets are clean and wrinkle-free.

Through repeated attempts, I have a vague understanding of the Vayu Palace.

I can say that I know its location in the royal castle and its design.

If something happens, I know I would run out of energy before I could escape, given its size.

And, as befitting a royal castle, there are secret passages. Probably for escape in case the castle is attacked, right?

However, even knowing there are such passages, I don't know how to access them. They lead to the throne room and outside, so they could be used for secret meetings.

If used properly, Kishteria and the others could easily come and go...

Yes, I would like to use them.

I want to see everyone more.

But I don't want to see other nobles, starting with Duke Fortuna.

The one I want to see most is Father, but the only information I have is about the Vayu Palace where the barrier is set. I don't know about the royal castle.

For now, I decided to draw a floor plan of the castle in my notebook.

When I can trust someone, I'll give it to them.

But, to be honest, the freehand floor plan I drew was not good. A floor plan drawn by a layperson is fine for simple things, but with hidden passages, it became a very flawed, detailed map.

Hmm, I need more practice.

The last time Julius came, he brought various items like food, fragrant oils, and tea leaves. He casually hid a magic bag in the wagon and sneaked past the guards. It was a double-layered board! Isn't that amazing? He said it was too big and too heavy, but I was surprised. A bag the size of a pony came out of a flat makeup pouch?

Truly a fantasy world... breaking the laws of physics and mass.

When I asked for hand cream because Anna's hands were rough, it didn't work...

It seems this world doesn't have hand cream.

There are beauty serums and moisturizing creams, but they are at the level of being newly developed by the Rose brand.

If your hands are rough, you apply diluted potions or ointments for cuts and bruises.

On the other hand, I, being a lady, have never had rough hands, so I always applied facial serums to my hands, feet, and arms, making my skin always soft and smooth.

When I explained what I wanted to Julius, he understood immediately. Truly an elite servant. He's too capable...

But Anna works hard for me, drawing water from the well and starting fires. She never complains and always prepares everything without fail.

I want to take care of her hands before they get rough and chapped. There are no rubber gloves in this world, so water work always roughens the hands.

I can't keep burdening Anna. Anna, my personal maid, has always been devoted to me, even in this dire situation, without a single complaint.

I can heal with magic, but prevention is important. Pain is something no one likes.

I offered to help, but Anna strongly refused, so I gave up. Am I that unreliable?

I might fail a little at first, but I can do it if I try! As they say, "Where you live is your home." I need to be prepared in case I'm thrown out of the castle due to a mistake!

I want to return to the Latizche family as soon as possible, but if the worst comes to the worst, using the secret passage to escape at night is not a bad option.

In that case, hiding in the city is also possible. Yes, I think it's good to learn a trade or housework.

In any case, while my plans to live as a commoner or in a convent have been stalled, I haven't given up.

It's important to prepare to live a modest life from now on.

Poverty is nothing to me.

When I declared my resolve to Anna, she took my work even more aggressively.

The only thing I could do was take care of Chappy. My job is to watch over Chappy so she doesn't fall, roll, or get stuck somewhere.

My main job is to watch her wobble and wander, pet her, and admire her.

...Ah, is this just playing with a pet? No, Chappy is a mysterious monster? A fairy? So she's not a pet, but it feels very close to that?

The Vayu Palace is so quiet that the only sound is the chirping of birds.

Is it okay for me to just play while Anna works diligently?

Anna says I can only do the barrier challenge once a day.

Is there anything else I can do?

With Anna's permission, I explored the Vayu Palace during the day and found a small study.

The books are luxurious and quite old. They are gilded and adorned with jewels. Are these more like decorative items than books?

When I opened them, they seemed to be myths and nursery rhymes. I had never seen them before, so I decided to read them.

But there was one problem.

The books are heavy.

They are large and heavily decorated. Some have spines made of gold or silver filigree, and some have large gems on the covers.

Not all of them, but some could be classified as jewelry rather than books.

But, those that are, are history books of the Sandis Kingdom.

Moreover! They are not in the Latizche family's collection! They must be quite rare! Are they exclusive to the royal castle?

I hope they contain information about barrier magic or hints.

But carrying three thick, luxurious books makes my arms tired.

This room is a bit dusty. It's not good to stay here for long. I'll have to move them to my room one by one.

Thank you for reading! (*- -)(*_ _) Bow

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I might have a cold. It's not the flu, and I don't think it's hay fever... or the rumored coronavirus... (;^ω^)

If updates stop for more than 10 days, assume I've succumbed to a virus or pollen.