Chapter 1

Starting without a clear plan,

This is a new ramen dish made with the usual secret soup.

"…Ah, everyone, those eyes of yours."

The adventurer who introduced herself as Reina gently shook her beautiful silver hair and looked around. She shifted her gaze from the pile of unconscious men on the cart she had been pulling down the road with her slender arms, and fixed her eyes on the man standing in front of her, who was grimacing.

"Did I do something wrong again?"

Like a child innocently asking a question, she tilted her head slightly. Her expression and gestures were so adorable that they could charm anyone, regardless of age or gender. Even dressed in the typical adventurer's gear, her beauty as an angel was not diminished. In fact, her tall but slender and delicate figure, combined with her boyish short hair, created a precarious and unbalanced cuteness.

Her appearance gave no hint of how she managed to pull a cart piled high with about ten men.

"What did I do wrong this time?"

"Something, you say… huh?"

The man standing in front of her sighed and scratched his head. The woman standing next to him poked his sleeve and scolded, "Guild Master!" Her eyes said, "Say it for her."

"Miss Reina… did you handle this all by yourself again…?"

"Yes."

"Should I commend you or say I didn't expect you to go that far…? I thought it was a joint request for multiple parties, and when you took it on alone, I was surprised."

"No, I didn't do anything special. I just stormed the hideout I found and captured them."

The girl, with a perfect and graceful smile, genuinely believed what she said, without any hint of modesty. Standing at the center of the crowd that had gathered in front of the Adventurer's Guild, Reina showed no pride or embarrassment.

"It's only been three days since the request was posted…? The hideout hadn't even been found yet. How did you manage it?"

"I just set up tracking spells on the 37 locations along the road where there were eyewitness reports… Oh, were you worried about any of them escaping? Don't worry. After locating the hideout, I spent a whole day monitoring it and confirmed the number of people and the residual magic traces inside before capturing them. No one escaped."

Reina's casual words caused a murmur among the crowd. How she obtained the eyewitness reports that even the Adventurer's Guild hadn't fully grasped, her specialized training in intelligence gathering, and her ability to deploy tracking spells for people at 37 locations simultaneously—she must be a top-tier mage. Not only did she infiltrate the hideout and bring back information, but she also completed the request alone.

Indeed, someone sighed in admiration, "No wonder Reina is the most talked-about adventurer in Lindemen right now." Upon hearing this praise, Reina denied it.

"No."

"I didn't do anything worthy of praise… I mean, isn't this something anyone should be able to do normally…? The tracking spells and other magic I used are things any mage can handle, and defeating thugs without specialized combat training isn't particularly difficult. I think many people can do the same. There's nothing to praise… please reserve those words for truly excellent people."

Reina's denial, claiming she was not "excellent," made many of the ordinary adventurers around her, who recognized they couldn't even match her, inwardly bow their heads and look up at the sky in despair.

Ordinary mages can't deploy spells over such a wide area, let alone 37 locations. The advanced use of tracking spells to trace people to a hideout is even more challenging. The crowd swallowed their words, realizing that while tracking spells are common, the ability to collect information, infiltrate, analyze residual magic, and match numbers is something only specialized investigators can do. And to be so skilled in combat that she could defeat and capture this many people in a surprise attack, yet still claim it was nothing…

Each step, when listed individually, might not seem extraordinary, but how many people can execute them all at the same level? Moreover, the rarity of mastering such a wide range of skills in different fields was completely overlooked.

Worse still, Reina genuinely believed that many people could do what she did, without any hint of modesty. This made some people, who couldn't even match her, feel a mix of admiration and frustration. A few people, with unimpressed faces, turned away from the scene, not joining in the praise from the townspeople.

"…Is it different? I was always told by my family that I should be able to do this normally…"

Reina's words, whispered amidst the noise, went unheard by those who sent her mixed gazes of awe, hatred, and envy.

---

When Reina lived with her family as Lilianna Kirk Agette,

she was known as the youngest daughter of the famous Agette Duke's family, recognized by all the nobility in the social circles.

Among the family, who were all blessed with overflowing talents, she stood out even more. It wasn't just her shining silver hair and doll-like appearance that drew attention. She was a prodigy, already recognized by experts in various fields at the age of 15, just like her siblings who had inherited the talents of their parents.

In the noble academy, she was naturally the top student, excelling in both academics and martial arts. No one of her age could match her in magic or swordsmanship. She had published papers in specialized magic journals before entering the academy. She held multiple patents in alchemy and successfully managed a store that primarily sold products she developed, with plans to open a fifth branch soon.

Moreover, she was also blessed by the goddess of art, with her paintings, sculptures, singing, and musical skills widely praised. Her illustrated fairy tales, translated and compiled by herself, became bestsellers last year under the pen name "Annette J." The translation into foreign languages was also done by Annette J., known for her linguistic talents.

Her talents blossomed in a home filled with experts in various fields, but everyone acknowledged that she was exceptionally talented.

"Winner, Lilianna Kirk Agette!"

This swordsmanship tournament, which also had the royal family's patronage, was a well-known stepping stone for young knights. In the center of the arena, filled with the roar of the crowd, Lilianna, slightly out of breath, lowered her rapier from her opponent's throat.

"Truly impressive, Lilianna. I couldn't beat you again."

"Thank you for your kind words."

Lilianna, with her slender but feminine figure, bowed gracefully, not as a subject to Prince Reinold but as a knight showing gratitude to her opponent. Reinold, swallowing his frustration, smiled at the winner. Despite winning the final, Lilianna's beautiful hair was not a single strand out of place. Her androgynous beauty had even the noble ladies in the audience excited, some of them holding handkerchiefs in the color of her violet eyes, watching with tears of joy.

"Your Highness, you have worked hard."

"Wilfred, your sister is strong."

After leaving the arena, Wilfred, Lilianna's older brother and the country's strongest at 20, was waiting at the entrance of the stone corridor. He was a martial genius and Lilianna's mentor in swordsmanship. As a knight, he was not a participant in today's tournament but the security chief. No one in the military was unaware that Wilfred had been the champion every year when he participated.

Reinold, as a prince, praised the winner with a model smile, hiding his frustration. Wilfred, who was also his mentor, had trained him.

"Your words are too kind… Lilianna, you mismanaged your stamina again. Your sword techniques were sloppy because you rushed to win."

"I apologize."

"If that one strike hadn't landed, you would have been at a disadvantage. I never taught you to use such a risky technique."

Lilianna, who was physically weaker than the male Reinold, had to rely on her technique and quick attacks to win. Reinold had trained hard and felt his growth as he advanced through the tournament. Lilianna's sword techniques were faster, but he hadn't even noticed if they were sloppy.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Reinold listened to Wilfred's comments, knowing it was a common occurrence.

"Reflect on today's match after we return home. Prepare the training ground and wait for me."

"Understood, brother."

After this exchange, which resembled that of a superior and subordinate, Lilianna bowed to Reinold as a subject and left the arena. She needed to prepare for the simple award ceremony, and as a woman, her dressing room was in a different location.

When Lilianna was out of sight, Wilfred's face relaxed, and he said cheerfully, "Your Highness, Lilianna is truly impressive."

"Indeed, I thought I could have a good match this time, but I couldn't."

"Exactly, I can't give my dear Lili in marriage like this."

"I understand. But you did praise me for getting stronger."

"As you grow stronger, Lilianna grows stronger too. The gap hasn't narrowed."

"I suspect you're deliberately training Lilianna to make sure I can't win."

"That's part of it, but Lilianna is a genius, after all."

Reinold chuckled at Wilfred's unabashed praise for his sister. He felt no envy or jealousy, only admiration. Everyone knew she was a genius. The story of the handsome prince and the perfect genius girl's competition, which was kept secret by the prince to avoid revealing his feelings, had become a charming tale known by all the nobility after ten years. Hence, despite being in his late twenties, Reinold had no fiancée, but no one worried about the empty seat. Everyone was waiting for the day he would win against Lilianna, hoping for his first victory.

Reinold found it ticklish but appreciated the many people who wished him well. He made sure to convey his feelings to Lilianna, respecting her wishes. He was confident that she didn't dislike him, but he felt inadequate for making her wait. He was not inferior; rather, he was praised as an excellent prince with no flaws. It was just that Lilianna was even more outstanding.

Sometimes, Reinold wondered if this was more about pride and stubbornness. But he didn't want to break the promise he made as a child. He had decided not to compromise on Lilianna.

Thinking about what he could compete with Lilianna next, he recalled the hunting day at the academy, which also involved monster slaying. The second place he won in the swordsmanship tournament was not even in his mind.

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At the end of Chapter 8, "I Don't Want to Be Here Anymore," the story continues with a difficult tale of running away from home. If you enjoy it, please look forward to it.