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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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The raven reminded me of Tia.
She was known for dispatching ravens to gather information.
Fans even joked about “Tia is watching you.”
But right now, it wasn’t a laughing matter.
“I’ll ask you one last time: who’s your master?”
“Caw―”
Sepia’s gaze was icy.
I had noticed she was unusually quiet today.
If Sepia broke the wings of Tia’s raven, it could lead to a conflict between the Logness and Erze families. I had to prevent that.
“Caw! Caw―!”
The raven’s legs were slowly bending backward.
“Lady Sepia! Please stop!”
I grabbed her wrist.
Sepia glared at me.
“Let go. While I’m still asking nicely.”
“My lady, please.”
The raven struggled to break free from Sepia’s grasp.
But a mere raven couldn’t possibly escape her telekinetic grip.
“I said let go.”
“I refuse.”
“Refuse? You refuse?”
Sepia tried to shake off my hand.
“Are you crazy? Refuse? You’re refusing me?”
“I apologize.”
“This raven was spying on us, you know?”
“I didn’t know. But please, let it go.”
I racked my brain for a solution.
What could I say to defuse the situation?
Should I tell her it belonged to the Erze Trading Company?
That harming it could lead to a conflict between the two families?
This wasn’t in the original story.
My head throbbed.
There had never been any friction between the Logness and Erze families in the original story.
I had no idea how things would unfold if they became enemies.
“It’s related to her, isn’t it…?”
“Huh?”
“This raven belongs to the Erze family, right?”
Sepia’s eyes narrowed, her gaze sharp and accusatory.
I was speechless.
“……”
“…So it is.”
Sepia’s hand dropped.
The raven took flight,
Feathers dancing in the air.
“Move.”
Sepia lowered her head.
“Lady Sepia.”
“I said move.”
I held onto her wrist, refusing to let go.
There was no need to reveal the raven’s connection to the Erze Trading Company.
Why should the Logness family be concerned about the Erze family?
“Let go! I said let go!”
“My lady, please listen…”
We struggled.
A green light flashed.
Something slammed into my chest.
It felt like I had been punched in the ribs.
Thud!
I crashed into a wall, shopping bags scattering around me.
Something rose in my throat.
“I… I told you to let go….”
Sepia’s hand trembled, her voice shaky with shock.
People on the street stared.
Like they were watching a lovers’ quarrel.
“…So annoying.”
Sepia bit her lower lip.
“Looks like a lover’s spat.”
“Ah, young love.”
I wanted to give up.
A lover’s spat? Give me a break.
Let the Erze and Logness families fight it out.
Why did I have to be the one getting beaten up by a heroine?
Butterfly effect?
Screw it.
Sepia turned and fled.
I slowly got to my feet.
A sigh escaped my lips.
The umbrella lay on the ground, bent and broken.
I coughed, a metallic taste filling my mouth.
My ribs ached with every breath.
Maybe I had a cracked rib.
I kicked the umbrella aside.
“Damn it.”
Sepia’s attack had been fueled by rage.
It wouldn’t be surprising if I had a broken rib after taking a full-powered magic blast at point-blank range.
Damn that raven.
I was going to confront Tia Erze.
I had planned to secure a cushy job at the Erze Trading Company, but now I was too pissed off.
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Thud.
Sepia returned to her dormitory.
It was unusually quiet.
She prepared some tea, then sat at the table.
She took a deep breath, trying to relax. But the memories of what had just transpired flooded back.
It was supposed to be a pleasant outing.
She had even bought some magic tools for Ethan as a gift.
She had planned to casually hand him one of the shopping bags.
Magic tools were expensive.
It would be difficult for a servant like Ethan to afford them.
And if he asked why, she would simply say, “Because I’m your master.”
She had imagined Ethan’s surprised expression.
That’s what she had planned.
“So annoying.”
Everything had gone wrong.
It was supposed to be a date, of sorts.
She had planned to have dinner with him after shopping, to talk and clear the air.
She had even prepared a brief apology for her past harsh treatment.
Breaking the wings of a stalking raven?
What was the big deal?
She had been furious when she discovered it belonged to the Erze family.
How dare they spy on a noble like her?
If they had been caught, they wouldn’t have gotten off so lightly.
She had intended to break its legs as a warning.
Wasn’t that a reasonable response?
But Ethan had sided with Erze.
He had dared to betray his master.
The Logness family had treated him well.
He should have been on her side.
He should have.
Sepia abandoned her tea and collapsed onto her bed.
She placed a hand on her forehead, staring at the ceiling.
The events of the day replayed in her mind.
‘I said let go.’
‘I refuse.’
‘Refuse? You refuse?’
How dare he say those words?
He had forgotten his place.
What good would it do him to curry favor with the Erze family?
She sighed.
And then the final scene flashed through her mind.
The video rewound, replaying the moment over and over again.
The final scene was always the same.
Ethan, struck by her magic, crashing into a wall.
His eyes, filled with shock and disbelief, looking up at her.
She couldn’t bear to look at him.
‘I… I told you to let go….’
She was terrified.
She had never attacked her servants with magic before.
She had lost control.
A mage should always maintain a calm and rational mind.
They should be able to make the best decisions, even in dangerous situations.
Sepia had fled.
She felt guilty.
And angry.
Her head throbbed, as if she had come down with a fever.
She wanted to apologize.
To apologize for attacking him with magic.
To tell him she hadn’t meant to do it.
Why should I apologize to him?
He should be the one apologizing to me!
I might have been wrong, but he was more wrong.
But I shouldn’t have used magic… Sigh.
Conflicting emotions tugged at her heart.
“Lady Sepia?”
Huh?
Sepia sat up.
It was dark.
Had she fallen asleep?
She had no recollection of falling asleep on her bed.
“Lady Sepia, are you alright?”
Vivian was looking down at her, her hands clasped together.
“I told you to knock….”
She wasn’t even angry anymore.
“I’m sorry. I knocked several times, but you didn’t answer….”
“I see.”
Sepia got out of bed.
Her shoulders slumped.
Thankfully, Vivian didn’t ask any insensitive questions about her “date.”
“Have you had dinner?”
“I’m not hungry….”
“You should eat something. You haven’t eaten anything all day.”
Vivian placed a bowl of soup on the table.
Steam rose from the warm broth.
Sepia sat down at the table.
“Hey, Vivian….”
“Yes?”
“Never mind.”
Sepia shook her head.
She took a spoonful of soup.
Vivian knew she had something to say.
“What is it?”
“Sigh… I’m so annoyed.”
“It seems your date didn’t go well.”
“Date? It was just a walk.”
Vivian nodded.
She suppressed a smile.
Sepia pouted, her appetite gone.
The soup tasted bland, like hospital food.
“Bring me some tea.”
“Yes, of course.”
Vivian brought her a cup of warm tea.
It was almost midnight.
Sepia felt like she wouldn’t be able to sleep unless she confided in someone. She told Vivian everything.
“Vivian, was I wrong?”
“Lady Sepia.”
“I forgave Ethan for his insolence. But why is he acting like this? He’s been so strange lately. Be honest: was I wrong?”
Vivian remained silent.
“Attacking the Erze Trading Company’s raven could lead to a conflict between the two families.”
“I know. But the Logness family is a viscount family.”
“That’s true. You have every right to be angry at the Erze Trading Company’s actions. But Ethan is a commoner.”
“……”
Sepia’s hand, holding the teacup, froze.
“Perhaps you should try to see things from Ethan’s perspective. He wouldn’t want to see the Logness and Erze families clash.”
“I don’t know. I’m just so annoyed. Stupid Ethan.”
Ethan couldn’t remain a servant of the Logness family forever.
Vivian swallowed the words.
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The next day, I hesitated for a moment, then sent a message to Tia.
―Me: When are you free?
The moment I sent the message, the “Read” notification popped up.
But there was no reply.
I lay back on my bed, waiting.
The academy dormitory beds were top-notch.
I sank into the soft mattress, feeling sleepy.
Buzz.
Five minutes later, Tia’s reply arrived.
―Tia: 6:00 PM, Erze Hotel Room 203. Does that work for you?
―Me: Yes, that works.
I checked the time on my communication crystal.
It was before 6:30 PM.
Erze Hotel, huh…
I grabbed the shopping bag and headed out.
Erze Hotel, as its name suggested, was a massive hotel owned by the Erze Trading Company.
It was known for its dominance in the eastern region, including Eastvan.
I knocked on the door of Room 203, holding the bag.
The door opened immediately.
Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me inside.
It was Tia.
The door locked behind me.
“You brought the items, I presume?”
I nodded.
Tia took the bag and glanced inside.
“They’re all here, as promised. And of excellent quality.”
She transferred the books from the shopping bag to a black suitcase on the bed. It felt like a drug deal.
Tia handed me another suitcase.
“This contains the necklace contract. You can review it back at your dormitory. I’ll send a raven to collect it. Alright, you can leave now. I’ll be out in five minutes….”
“Hey, Tia.”
“Yes?”
Tia, dressed in a black suit, looked like a mafia boss.
“Stop spying on me.”
Tia froze.
There was no point in pretending.
She would have already heard about what happened to her raven yesterday.
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“treated him well” didn’t she just think about how she used to use him as a test subject for various potions some time ago? This b…