Chapter 53

In the king's office, the king, the prime minister, the foreign minister, the home minister, and Markus were gathered to discuss the letter from Faril.

"Can we interview the person responsible for the damage?"

"No. It seems that the person died after being interrogated due to injuries sustained in the battle with Faril."

"Dead men can't speak, and they probably piled on a mountain of additional charges. It's even suspicious whether the weaving was really stolen."

Voices of argument could be heard from outside the door. The home minister stood up and opened the door, asking, "What's going on?" before Princess Edna slipped in.

"Father! You won't hand over Alesia, will you?"

"Edna, this is a restricted area. Go back to your room."

"I'll give up all my jewels to protect Alesia. Please, don't hand her over."

King Isaiah's expression softened as he said,

"Don't worry. Alesia is a mage protected by the state. We won't hand her over."

" Mage? Alesia is a mage?"

"Yes. Therefore, the Kingdom of Raminb will not hand over Alesia. There's no need for you to give up your jewels. Go back to your room and relax."

"...Yes. Yes! I apologize for my outburst."

On the corridor leading back to Edna's room:

(Alesia is a mage. Alesia is a mage. Alesia... Hehehe. That's right. Amazing. She's amazing. I wonder what kind of magic she can do. Can I see it next time?)

Her turquoise eyes, which had been wide with alarm, returned to their usual droopy state, and her steps were almost dance-like. The maid who had been following her, wiping cold sweat, thought to herself, (She likes her so much. From now on, I must treat Alesia more respectfully.)

In the king's office, the home minister was explaining the financial situation, sweating profusely.

"This year, the reserve funds are already allocated. There's a disease caused by the medfly spreading in the south. It's expected that a large number of infants will go blind. Supporting these children will require a significant amount of money for over ten years."

"Medfly, huh..."

Bitter voices could be heard from various corners.

The medfly is a fly that lives in the desert, laying eggs in the eyes of animals while flying. If the eggs are not noticed in time, they can cause blindness. Infants, who cannot verbally express discomfort in their eyes, are particularly at risk. This year, the flies have proliferated.

"Also, three wells in the eastern district of the capital are drying up. We have plans to divert water from the river as a countermeasure."

"What's the budget for these?"

"Combined, it will cost about three hundred gold coins."

The king and Prince Markus exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.

"Perhaps Alesia can solve these two issues."

"But, three thousand people use those three wells. Can that girl produce that much water? I've heard that mages who overuse their magic have their lifespans shortened."

"We don't know yet, but we should ask her."

The prime minister frowned and spoke up.

"Your Majesty, even if we postpone the waterway expansion, what about the medfly?"

"Alesia's water has healing properties. While we can't guarantee a complete cure, it might be more effective than the current ineffective medicine. We should ask her about that too."

The home minister, suddenly inspired, suggested,

"If we distribute water instead of using the wells, we'll need a large number of barrels. We need to arrange for them."

"Yes, that's right. We need to do it urgently. Even if we assume Alesia can help, the remaining budget will be two hundred gold coins. If it can't be managed, the royal family will cover the cost. It's still better than handing over Alesia."

The home minister, relieved, inadvertently revealed his true thoughts.

"The value of that girl is truly immeasurable. I understand why her parents hid her so desperately... Ah, no, that's not what I meant! Your Majesty! I apologize!"

King Isaiah, looking at everyone present, spoke solemnly.

"Yes. Alesia's value is immeasurable. Our country has the potential to produce more mages in the future. However, we must eliminate the notion that 'our children will be taken by the state and overworked.' Mages must be treated as the country's treasures. Otherwise, valuable mage children will continue to be hidden, and in the worst case, they might flee to other countries. From now on, we must always keep this in mind when dealing with Alesia."

Markus nodded vigorously, and the prime minister and ministers took his words to heart.

"Treating Alesia with care" was engraved in the hearts of everyone present.

...

"Water for five thousand people, you say. I think I can do it. We should try it, right? Also, for the medfly disease, using that silk, my water can heal the eyes without washing them. The silk will be disposable, but I have a considerable amount stored, so it should be enough."

Gill let out a breathless "Wow." Only the king and queen, Prince Markus, and Gill knew about the silk. That's why Gill was chosen as the liaison.

He couldn't quite grasp the fact that Alesia could easily do the work worth three hundred gold coins alone. But there was something he had to say, so Gill looked into Alesia's face.

"Alesia, when you try to produce water, put it in barrels, okay? We'll prepare them properly. Don't just dump it in the wasteland. It would be such a waste! We'll make sure not to waste a single drop. Really, I'm counting on you!"