Chapter 131

Chapter 131

Translator: Yonnee

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“You seem to have the basics down already, so let’s first look at the magic circles that you need.”

Albert opened a book and showed me the magic circles for one magic spell at a time. The round circles were chock-full of geometric patterns. Just looking at them made my head swirl.

“You can wield genuine power only after memorizing and drawing each stroke of the magic circle correctly. And the intensity of your power will depend on the mana that you already have.”

Albert emphasized that it’s not allowed to skip a single stroke or warp a single curve of the magic circle arbitrarily.

But they all look the same to me.

“They all look similar though…”

“The pattern to the west of the magic circle represents nature, and on the right side of that western pattern represents water. They have a completely different meaning. If you draw even one line wrong, you won’t be able to manifest the spell. And of course, there could be side effects too if it’s wrong. That’s why you have to memorize it all properly.”

It felt as if I was doing math and chemistry, not magic. My enthusiasm to learn, which had reared its head after a long while, blazed like fire.

“Wait a second, Prince.”

When trying to memorize something, it’s better to write it all down.

“Blanc, come over here!”

I called Blanc as he was reading a book from a distance away.

I took some books and stacked them side by side on the floor, then I placed a blanket atop it to successfully make a makeshift table. It’s a good thing I got some books again this time.

“Blanc, let’s sit here and study together.”

Running to my side, Blanc smiled broadly and sat down next to me. It’s cute how he was turning the pages carefully with his front paws.

Seeing the simple table that I made, Albert chuckled as though he couldn’t believe it. He then stood opposite the table where Blanc and I were sitting side by side.

“Why don’t you sit at the desk, Rosé?”

He tilted his head to the side when he saw me sitting cross-legged on the floor. It seemed like he couldn’t understand why I was sitting like this instead of with him at the desk.

I shook my head.

“No, it’s alright. It’s comfortable here, too.”

I didn’t say it because I thought Albert would be angry, but… It’s because I know Blanc wouldn’t be able to sit with me on the desk.

I immediately dipped the quill to the inkwell and started drawing the magic circle. I decided to memorize the circles that I think I’ll need the most.

With the mindset of the artistic kid I once was who had a good aesthetic sense, I soon started studying that magic circle.

I was staring hard at all the strokes of the magic circle I was drawing, and Albert guessed exactly which one it was.

“Forget… Not bad, but I don’t know how long that would last.”

Forget. It was an anesthetic spell to trick the mind to overcome unbearable pain. If you can’t get rid of the pain, then the next best thing is to forget it.

“But after my spell wears off, I know that you’ll be there to help me, Prince!”

I sneakily asked Albert.

“…Yes, I will.”

Albert stared at me for a moment, and the corners of his lips tugged up. I already thought I’ve built up some immunity to that face, but I was as mesmerized as ever when I saw his sincere expression.

“I always think that…”

“I believe I already know what you’re going to say.”

When I trailed off for a bit, Albert’s eyes curved as though he knew. The smile that graced his lips once more was as deep as the setting sun amidst the coming twilight.

I know what Albert meant here. But what I wanted to say wasn’t ‘you’re handsome’.

“I always think that your smiling face is really beautiful.”

Compared to a budding sprout coming up during spring, his smile was just so much brighter. I like it when he smiles. I like the genuine emotions that could rarely ever be seen on his face whenever he smiles.

“I hope that there can be more things that you can sincerely smile about, Prince.”

I know how, all his life, he had just been lifting the corners of his lips to pretend to laugh and smile with a seductive expression. He was in such a position that he couldn’t easily let himself be vulnerable and show his emotions to other people.

I’m not saying that I want him to smile even while he’s having a difficult time, but I don’t want him to ever lose this smile.

“Sincerely, you say.”

At the heartfelt words that knocked at his heart, Albert slowly opened his lips to say this. His eyes, as he stared at me, blinked unexpectedly. Then slowly, they curved into two crescent moons.

“…Isn’t that something I should say instead?”

He whispered with a deep voice, and with the smile that I liked.

“I have been sincere though,” I replied.

“Then to this person who already has, how much more are you going to make him fall for you?”

Sitting opposite me, Albert leaned down and propped his elbow on the table to cradle his chin. His languid eyes stared deep into mine.

“…Should I refrain from saying things like this?”

“No, don’t. I’ll punish you if you refrain from doing so.”

Albert answered right away. Hearing his determination in this, I felt relieved, and my heart skipped a beat as well.

I giggled.

“Prince, how can I stop praising you anyway? You’re so perfect.”

“Do I seem perfect to you?”

“Of all the people I know, you’re the one who fits the word ‘perfect’ the most.”

As he stared at me, Albert placed a hand over my head, and he soon gently patted me.

“Being a perfect person only in your eyes is already enough.”

And these words immediately became embedded straight to my heart.

As always, he made my heart flutter.

* * *

Unfortunately, the tower still had many restrictive binds on magic, so the only spells that could be performed with the wand was controlling Albert.

Like making him kneel, tying him up…

…At this point, I kinda got the gist of Rosé’s tastes from before I took over her body. I gave the wand to Albert right away back then, so I never found out that the only kinds of spells that had been pre-set in the wand were like this.

In any case, Albert handed the wand over to me.

I held the wand in my hand and swung it around as if I’d been possessed by the spirit of H*rry Potter. Having the weight of the thin wand in my hand felt a lot better than I first expected.

Although I didn’t go to a school of witchcraft and wizardry back when I was eleven years old, I managed to learn magic! As if I was transported back to my school days when I was an eager student, I studied diligently for a long while, which made me lose track of time.

When I then came to my senses, it was already evening and dusk had already settled outside. I forgot about lunch completely as I studied.

This was embarrassing. I shouldn’t have forgotten my duty as a maid.

“Prince, you should have told me…”

“I didn’t disturb you because you were so focused. I wasn’t that hungry either.”

Albert responded to my guilt-laden voice without even taking his eyes off the book he was reading. I couldn’t say anything back because he was being so considerate of me, and so I decided to whip something up right away.

Come to think of it, Blanc didn’t say anything either. As he was still reading, I whispered to him.

“Blanc, aren’t you hungry?”

Hearing this, Blanc also seemed to have come to his senses at last. He glanced up at me with round eyes.

“Uh… I forgot… Because this book is so fuuun…”

I was so touched to see Blanc changing right before my eyes. It seemed like entering the contract with me gave him more motivation to live.

“I’ll have our dinner ready soon.”

“There’s no need to rush.”

“I wanna watch beside youuu!”

When Albert saw Blanc jump straight into my arms, one of his eyebrows twitched. I pretended I didn’t see that and hurriedly went down to the kitchen.