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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Hiding behind the scenes and devising schemes was Elena’s forte.
Of course, it didn’t mean that Elena was such an extraordinary genius who came up with clever moves that others couldn’t think of, setting her apart from ordinary people.
However, the reason why it was Elena’s specialty and forte was simple.
Elena could utilize the given situation better than anyone else, and her ability to grasp the situation was exceptional compared to others.
Just like now.
“…So that’s how it is,” Elena muttered as she reviewed the mountain of documents piled up in front of her.
In fact, the areas where she could be involved in state affairs like this were not as extensive as they appeared.
After all, Elena was the Second Princess, treated as a mere accessory to prepare for an emergency involving her older sister, the Crown Princess.
Even though she held many grand titles such as a duchess from somewhere, a marquis from somewhere else, and a countess from yet another place, she had almost no territory or real power, which was proof of that.
However, the timing was just right now.
“It’s truly a perfect opportunity.”
Elena grumbled as she picked out only the necessary documents from the pile that covered her desk.
Her mother, the Empress of the empire, had recently fallen ill.
And the Crown Princess had been away from the capital for several weeks to resolve a disturbance that had occurred near the border.
Naturally, some of the pending state affairs that should have been handled by the Empress or the Crown Princess had fallen into Elena’s hands.
It didn’t mean that she had the authority to make decisions on sensitive issues related to military or diplomatic matters, but even with this level of decision-making power, it was enough for Elena to steadily formulate her plans.
Elena’s gaze turned to the documents in front of her after she grumbled to herself.
It was a plan from the working-level staff on how to proceed with the festival and ball commemorating the upcoming birthday of the Empress.
‘Originally, since the Empress is ill, they would have wanted to keep it simple and end it quickly… But now that things have turned out this way, we can’t do that.’
As it was an occasion where the noblest individuals in the empire gathered to foster friendship and solidarity, they couldn’t not hold it at all, and the inclination was to keep it as minimal as possible, which had been Elena’s thinking.
However, that exceptional judgment began to race in a slightly dangerous direction.
The decision on how to hold the Empress’ birthday commemoration festival and the accompanying ball was entirely in Elena’s hands.
As it was no exaggeration to say that it was the largest-scale event in the empire for a year, if she utilized this situation well, achieving Elena’s grand ambitions would be a piece of cake.
Grin.
The picture instantly formed in her mind, and naturally, the corners of Elena’s lips curled up.
How she could steer this situation in a way that would be most advantageous to her.
Thanks to the calculation being completed in an instant.
Elena, who had chosen the plan to hold it lavishly like in previous years and stamped it with an approval seal, summoned the working-level staff.
“Did you call for me, Your Highness?”
“I heard that you, Kyung, proposed Plan No. 3. Is that true?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
As the staff member who had rushed over at Elena’s summons bowed his head, the corners of Elena’s mouth rose even higher, forming a peculiar arc.
And with her lips still curled up, Elena leisurely added as she handed over the stamped plan.
“I’ve decided to adopt your plan, Kyung. It had the best structure.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. I’m at a loss for words as you praise my lacking plan.”
“However, there is a part that needs to be supplemented…”
“I’m all ears.”
Elena wore a victor’s smile.
With that smile that seemed evil at a glance, Elena whispered like the irresistible temptation of the devil in a subtle voice.
“I’d like to make it as grand as possible compared to the original plan. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Yes.”
“I believe in your ability to make it sufficiently possible.”
Everything was going according to plan.
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The best thing about coming to the capital was that, first of all, the infrastructure itself was solid, so there was a lot to do.
In other words, there was no time to feel bored.
If you say that a mage is too busy learning magic to have time to play, there was nothing to refute.
But there’s also a saying that a genius can’t beat a hard worker, and a hard worker can’t beat someone who enjoys what they do.
Then, since I’m a genius, even if I don’t work hard, I should become a genius who enjoys it, right?
Thoughts that might be considered pathetic if someone heard them were running rampant in my mind without restraint.
That’s because nothing much had happened for a few days after the drunken incident, and I was just spending my days devouring every magic book I could get my hands on.
I simply went to my mentor and asked whenever I was stuck, or if my mentor seemed busy, I asked Sylphia, and that was it.
In fact, if we only considered magical abilities, no matter how much of a great mage my mentor was, Sylphia was a dragon, so how could he compare?
It was impossible, absolutely impossible.
“…Why don’t we try calculating the spell formula a bit differently? There are unnecessary details when learning just from the book, and above all, getting a feel for it is a matter that varies for each individual mage, so it can’t be helped.”
“Can I just change the spell formula and substitute it?”
“For now, that’s the case, but it’s something you need to get a feel for by doing it yourself, Rudrick. I can’t teach you how to do that since it’s different for everyone.”
“Aha.”
So even now, I was asking Sylphia about the parts where I was stuck.
It was still a bit hard to get used to her blushing occasionally when she saw me after the drunken incident, but I had to ask what I didn’t know.
I had been trying to twist the usage formula of the recovery magic I had learned before to turn it into an area-of-effect magic, but it wasn’t working out as well as I thought.
Anyway, the world was all about connections.
The fact that it was immediately resolved when I asked Sylphia was proof of that.
I didn’t know what kind of things I had done before the regression that made five women fall for me, but thanks to that, I was even getting one-on-one private lessons from a dragon in my life.
…On the other hand, it could be that I was punished by the heavens for chasing after five women and died early.
Hmm, I should be careful in this life.
I returned to my seat and was lost in idle thoughts for a moment.
After a few trials and errors, I tried doing it as Sylphia had instructed, and I succeeded right away.
Certainly, when I forcibly twisted the spell formula to modify it, I felt a sensation in my fingertips as if the magic wasn’t flowing smoothly and was somewhat forcibly distorted when I cast it.
This must have been what Sylphia meant.
Anyway, seeing this being resolved so easily, I was once again realizing the truth of the world that it revolves around school ties, regional ties, and blood ties.
Bang!
The door to my mentor’s research lab opened, and my mentor came out with an excited expression and shouted.
“Rudrick! I have good news!”
“Good news all of a sudden?”
“The schedule for your field training, which I had requested to Her Highness the Princess, has been set. My old self’s nagging to the knight commander has paid off!”
“Ah.”
I had forgotten.
Come to think of it, there was a time when it was mentioned that I needed to experience actual combat, so I would accompany the Imperial Knights as a mage when they went out to exterminate magical beasts as part of their regular training.
I had forgotten about it since there had been no progress on that matter, but I clearly remembered such a conversation taking place.
If I thought of it as just training, I didn’t particularly dread it.
I hadn’t used magic in actual combat yet either.
I thought it wouldn’t be too bad to experience actual combat this time.
Suddenly, Sylphia, who was next to me, asked with sparkling eyes.
“Mentor, am I included too?”
“I thought it would be good for you to experience actual combat as well, Sylphia, so I made a request to Her Highness to include you…”
My mentor trailed off, hesitating, and then continued.
“To quote Her Highness’s words directly, she said there’s no need for you to find an excuse to tag along. I’m not quite sure what she meant by that.”
“…Tsk.”
Sylphia, whose expression darkened rapidly, frowned.
Well, why would a dragon need to experience actual combat to accompany the extermination of magical beasts?
It didn’t make sense as a justification.
After a brief moment of silent condolences for Sylphia, who had been cut off right at the entrance, I asked my mentor.
“So when is the departure scheduled for?”
“Tomorrow.”
“…Pardon?”
I asked again, doubting my ears, wondering if I had misheard.
“It’s tomorrow. There will be a big festival soon to commemorate Her Majesty the Empress’ birthday. At that time, the Imperial Knights will be mobilized in large numbers to serve as security, so it would be best to get it done quickly beforehand in terms of scheduling.”
“So suddenly…?”
Even military training wasn’t announced suddenly the day before. This place was indeed strange in some way.
“Then shouldn’t I be packing my luggage and preparing right now instead of being here? I might not have enough time even if I start right away…”
“Haha, you guessed it!”
As if waiting for those words, my mentor pushed my back.
It was a gesture telling me to hurry upstairs and prepare.
Bewildered and pushed out of the research lab, I looked at my mentor with a dumbfounded expression, but he smiled gently and said.
“By the way, it’s not that I forgot and informed you late, Rudrick. The official document for cooperation and mobilization regarding this matter only arrived this morning.”
“…Then you could have told me in the morning.”
“I only saw the document now because I was focused on research. I’m sorry about that.”
And with those words, the door to the research lab closed.
“……”
For a long time, I stared at the closed door, having many things I wanted to say but had no choice but to hold back.
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