NOVEL NEXT Chapter 46
Chapter 46: Suspicion and Affection (4)
「Father, although the leave is for one month, it takes two weeks just for the round trip, so I’ve decided not to return to the Miterien territory this time. Instead, since Ashray is here, I plan to spend some enjoyable time with my brother.
Additionally, I’ve obtained permission to use the Imperial Library this time. As the proud daughter of the Miterien Ducal Family, the Frozen Shield of the northernmost part of the Everlasting Einthafen Empire, I, Astrid, am tirelessly striving to cultivate knowledge even from distant Persangte. So, Father, please do not worry and—」
【Why write a letter like that? Just say you don’t want to go because it’s bothersome.】
‘…That’s why you… No, no. Forget it.’
【What’s that supposed to mean?】
‘Nothing at all.’
Astrid folded the neatly written letter and placed it in an envelope. She attached the sealing wax to the flap of the envelope and pressed the preheated signet firmly onto it, imprinting the Miterien Ducal Family’s crest.
“Ashray, send this to Father.”
“He’s just going to think you’re not coming if you don’t show up. Why even send a letter?”
“Why do you keep talking back? Is it because we’re only a year apart that you’re acting so insolently?”
When Astrid’s eyes narrowed as if to scold him, Ashray scratched his head awkwardly. No matter how big Ashray’s build was, he wasn’t stronger than Astrid.
In terms of physical strength or combat prowess, there was nothing in which Ashray could claim superiority over her.
“Alright, alright. I’ll do it, Sister. No need to glare at me like that.”
“Glare? I’m just looking at you.”
Astrid had no idea how intimidating her sharp gaze appeared to others. Ashray reflected on the look she had given him just moments earlier. It had been the gaze of a predator locking onto its prey.
Astrid had already been in the north long before Ashray arrived. Ever since she could barely walk, she had received not one but two blessings of the stars. Thanks to that, she started living in the barracks at the age of seven.
Their mother passed away shortly after giving birth to Astrid. A nanny took care of her, but once she received the star’s blessings, Wolfgang took her to the battlefield.
Since that time, stories of her wielding a bastard sword bigger than her own body and moving through the battlefield had already begun circulating—unbelievable tales, yet undeniably true.
There was no one who wouldn’t be unsettled by a gaze like that.
“Are you going to the library again tomorrow?”
“Of course.”
“What are you looking for so diligently?”
“…It’s something. There’s something I’m searching for.”
“Well, maybe I can help you with it.”
“Hmmm…”
She pondered for a moment. She had already asked the real Astrid residing within her body, but she didn’t seem to know much about it either. It was related to the shamanic sorcery of the northern barbarians.
Could there be sorcery that prevents someone from speaking certain truths?
When she tried to tell Leopold the truth—that she wasn’t actually Astrid—her voice failed her.
No matter what other truths she spoke, just that one fact refused to leave her lips. Her throat would tighten, and she’d be unable to utter a sound.
The same happened when she tried to write it down. Her fingers wouldn’t move as she intended, and her hand wouldn’t cooperate. She had even snapped a desk clean in half while trying to forcefully write it down, only to give up in frustration.
“Ashray.”
“Yes?”
“You’re somewhat familiar with the shamanic sorcery of the northern barbarians, right?”
“Well, somewhat. We’ve been fighting them for a while, after all.”
“Hmm… then, about words or actions, like…”
‘How do I explain this?’
【Switch with me for a moment.】
‘What are you going to do?’
【I’m not going to do anything weird. Just switch with me for a second.】
She relaxed her body, and her vision shifted.
Astrid, now fully in control, crossed her legs in the same sitting position. The hem of her dress crumpled between her legs, but she didn’t seem to care.
She furrowed her brow and rubbed her temples—a habit she had whenever she felt something was off.
“Ashray.”
“Yes, Sister.”
“Why aren’t you answering faster?”
“Sorry.”
“Do you remember the Baikanteira Canyon incident? The altar, I mean.”
“Baikanteira… you mean that…”
The narrow canyon nestled between the twin Galaticon Mountains—Baikanteira. It was the site where twenty soldiers from the Miterien Ducal Family’s private army were isolated due to the schemes of the Galategia Tribe.
“You mean when we were trapped with ten… no, more than ten people, right?”
“Yeah, that time. You remember, don’t you? You’d better remember.”
“Yes, yes, of course. I remember it vividly.”
Astrid’s gaze grew even colder, and her stare dug deeper into him. Her fingers, which had been rubbing her temple, began lightly scratching the surface of the desk.
“Back then, when we tried to send a rescue signal with shouts or gestures, our voices got choked up, didn’t they? Do you remember that?”
“Ah, that’s right. That did happen.”
“What was the name of that tribe? Gal… Gal… Galik?”
“It was Galategia, I think.”
“Yeah… Capture their shaman for me.”
“Capture the shaman?” It was a simple command.
【Oh, impressive.】
Indeed, when it came to matters of battle, the charisma of the real Astrid was absolute. Her commanding presence overwhelmed Ashray, who was a head taller than her.
Her memory of each battle, her ability to calmly identify the essence of an issue, and her ability to propose a clear solution were undeniable.
“We can’t capture them, Sister.”
“What?”
Ashray, looking troubled, pressed his lips together tightly as Astrid’s sharp gaze pierced him once again. He finally responded.
“It’s you, Sister, who split that rude guy from head to groin because he almost got you killed and ruined your marriage prospects.”
“That was him?”
But that solution hadn’t exactly been helpful.
***
Nearly two weeks of leave had passed.
Each day followed the same pattern—mornings at the library, light sparring sessions with Ashray in the afternoons, then going out together for dinner before returning home.
【Not much different from academy life, huh?】
‘Yeah, not much of a break at all.’
If she’d known it would be like this, she might as well have returned to the north.
She’d browsed through most of the summoning magic and spatial magic books in the library.
None of them had been particularly useful.
Most of the content only scratched the surface, and she’d gotten so used to it that she could tell the general contents of a book just by skimming its preface.
“Huh?”
The librarian who usually managed the third floor was nowhere to be seen.
“Excuse me, but…”
“Yes?”
Come to think of it, she’d never asked for that librarian’s name. She’d just regarded them as “the librarian” because they were always there, day in and day out. But now, a different person was in their place.
“Where’s the librarian who’s usually here?”
The librarian gave her a puzzled look, tilting their head.
“Oh, that person retired yesterday.”
“All of a sudden?”
Hearing that the brown-haired librarian had quit, Astrid felt a bit taken aback. Do librarians usually quit so suddenly? Shouldn’t there be a notice period?
More than that, she’d thought they’d become somewhat familiar, but they’d quit without even giving her a heads-up.
‘I didn’t even get to say goodbye.’
【Librarians leave personnel records behind, so you can find out later and send them a thank-you note if you’d like.】
‘I guess so.’
It wasn’t that big of a deal. Astrid returned the books she’d borrowed to the librarian and wandered the aisles, searching for new ones.
Summoning magic, spatial magic.
She’d already scoured every shelf with those keywords. There weren’t any more books left to check. The selection of related materials was already sparse compared to other types of magic, and most of the content wasn’t particularly in-depth. Two weeks had been more than enough time to skim through it all.
‘Maybe there’s something on shamanic sorcery.’
But no answer came.
Every time she entered the library, the real Astrid, residing within her, seemed to fall into a deep sleep.
As she wandered around, she noticed an iron door stamped with the imperial crest. It wasn’t a particularly large door, but the emblem made it clear that this wasn’t a door just anyone could open.
“What’s this…?”
She’d never seen it before.
She must have missed it while focusing on the summoning and spatial magic shelves. It was located a fair distance away from those sections.
“Excuse me, librarian?”
“Yes?”
She called the librarian passing by and pointed to the iron door.
“What’s that reading room for?”
“Ah, that’s the restricted collection. It’s where the library’s restricted access books are kept.”
“How do I gain access to it?”
The librarian’s face lit up with a bright smile.
The unexpected sweetness of the smile caught Astrid off guard, and for a moment, she thought the librarian looked quite pretty.
“That’s a space even we librarians can’t enter. Only members of the imperial family are allowed access.”
“Members of the imperial family…?”
Members of the imperial family.
“But, since you’re the Lady of Miterien, you’ll probably be able to access it soon, right?”
“Pardon?”
With a smile full of certainty, the librarian spoke without the slightest hesitation.
“Since you’ll be the Crown Princess soon, you’ll become a member of the imperial family and be allowed in.”
For some reason, Astrid had a strong feeling that the clues she was searching for might be behind that door.
But to access it, she would have to become a member of the imperial family.
In other words, she would have to become the Crown Princess.
Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?
【Shouldn’t you rearrange your priorities? Going back to your original world should come before becoming a Crown Princess.】
‘This is driving me insane.’