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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Hair-Pulling Confrontation
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"Let go right now?!"
"...Bella."
Why was that?
Roselia's voice had sunk unusually low. No, it wasn't just low—it carried a nuance of irritation mixed in.
The warm smile she'd worn just moments ago was completely gone. Now, she was simply fixing me with a stern, piercing gaze.
"Y-Yes...?"
"So, up until now, you've been making herbs like this and selling them?"
The interrogative atmosphere made dry saliva slide down my throat.
"Yes, but...?"
"..."
Roselia silently drummed her fingers on the table. She seemed deep in thought.
What on earth was the problem?
In the stifling silence, I racked my brain. Soon enough, I vaguely guessed the reason for Roselia's foul mood.
"I-It is a bit messy, I know..."
Roselia's shoulders trembled faintly. Her reaction suggested my guess wasn't off the mark.
"But it's not for eating, so it won't affect anyone's health...!"
"No, that's not the issue..."
Roselia, showing uncharacteristic fluster, soon squeezed her eyes shut and clutched her head.
"For now, I need a little time to sort this out on my own. Let's talk again at dinner tonight."
"Okay, then..."
"And... I don't want you doing business today."
"Huh?"
Her unexpected words made my heart sink.
"Why? I have to do business..."
Customers had only just started showing interest in my herbs. You strike while the iron is hot, and I didn't want to take a day off right now.
"Can't you just hold off for today?"
But under Roselia's cold gaze, I couldn't muster any more protests. I fidgeted with my lips before quietly nodding.
"Thank you for understanding. Oh, and Bella."
Roselia reached out as if to pat my head, then gazed at me with a faint smile once more.
"Promise me you won't tell anyone about your Divine Power from now on."
"...Huh?"
"Promise me."
It was a tone close to a command, firm and resolute. This was the first time Roselia—who always respected my choices—had pressured me like this.
"It's for your sake. Divine Power can sometimes bring danger."
And yet, strangely, her words didn't provoke any resistance. Unlike with the Director.
Had I somehow taken a liking to Roselia without realizing it?
"...Okay, I promise."
In the end, I had no choice but to accept her words.
※
Thud—thud—
The sound of kicking the blankets.
The only noise echoing in the bedroom was me venting my frustration on the bedding.
"Ugh..."
I knew this childish behavior wasn't befitting an adult. But this was the only way to quell the boiling shame inside me.
Thinking back, the exact moment Roselia's attitude shifted oddly was right after I'd shown her my Divine Power.
Precisely, from the instant I drooled on the flower.
Of course she wouldn't take it well.
Finding out that the herbs she'd been using all this time had someone else's saliva on them—how mortifying must that have been?
Her hardened expression and icy tone were surely all because of that.
She probably didn't even want to touch my herbs now.
"Still... at least I have this..."
I turned my still-burning face and gazed at the jar by the bedside.
Inside it, a small, sturdy potted plant had sprouted. A soft blue light spread, tinting the jar.
Looking at that light somehow calmed my heart a little.
Mana Herb.
I never imagined this precious item would end up in my hands like this. It was an unexpected windfall.
I wanted to pop the lid open right away and examine it closely, but now wasn't the time.
This plant was precisely packaged with preservation magic. The pot it was planted in was likely under similar protective spells.
If I opened the jar and exposed the plant to outside air, its preservation would start fading from that moment on.
"Not yet... can't do it yet."
One Mana Herb alone wouldn't let me do much right now.
Sure, I could sell it for ten runes. That alone would be quite valuable.
But considering my Divine Power, this was more than mere luck.
There had to be conditions to bloom this flower.
If I could sprout Mana Herbs from my hands every day, my life would change in an instant.
So, until I learned those special conditions, this Mana Herb would stay sealed for now.
I carefully lifted the glass jar and climbed onto the desk with both feet. Then I placed it on top of the wardrobe in the corner of the room and covered it with cloth.
It wasn't perfectly hidden, but it didn't matter. This was a gift Roselia had given me personally.
No one in the Rahel Tani household would dare steal it—unless they wanted Roselia's wrath.
"...There. No more thinking about it."
I pushed down the lingering shame and hopped down from under the desk.
The Mana Herb was important, but I had something else to focus on right now.
I pulled out the circuit diagram I'd made myself and the mana I'd bought earlier from my bag.
Sitting in the desk chair, I carefully cut away the unfinished part of the circuit diagram. The remaining rectangular paper was densely woven with intricate circuit lines.
It looked just like the talismans used by those wizards in movies.
"It failed yesterday, but... today, definitely..."
I cautiously opened the jar's lid and tilted the mana vial, dripping drops slowly onto the circuit's starting point.
When the blue mana droplets touched the paper, the black-drawn circuit lines briefly glowed before settling.
After about five drops, I closed the vial again.
It was a ridiculously small amount, but more than enough to activate this simple circuit.
I poked the circuit's starting point precisely with my fingertip. A tiny hole pierced the paper.
In that instant, a small spark jumped briefly. Soon, the circuit lines began to glow with a soft blue light.
I carefully placed the paper on my palm.
And moments later, steam-like haze began rising from my palm.
Whoosh—!
The paper burned away, and a tiny ember flickered to life above my hand.
It floated gently, as if alive.
"I-I did it!!"
I stared at the ember with wide eyes, entranced.
It was a small, weak flame. But that little ember warmed my heart more than any grand magic ever could.
"I did it... I did it... I did it..."
My heart pounded. A smile crept onto my lips unbidden.
Since reincarnating, had there ever been a moment this joyful?
Even if I pretended not to care, feeling this happy over a single ember meant I hadn't truly let go of magic in my heart after all.
"Even Camilla will have to acknowledge this."
Humanity's greatness lies in knowing how to use tools.
Humans have no wings, so we built airplanes to fly.
Humans can't breathe underwater, so we built submarines to roam the seas.
No life on Earth could venture beyond the atmosphere into space. But humans turned even that impossibility into reality.
Nothing is impossible for humans. It was my creed, the desperate wish that drove me.
"So... I can do it too..."
I opened the vial again and carefully dripped mana onto a freshly drawn circuit diagram.
Clutching it to my chest with excitement, I burst out of the room.
I ran straight to Camilla's door and knocked.
Moments later, the door creaked open, and purple eyes floated up from the darkness.
Was she sleeping? Camilla's hair was a mess, her eyes half-closed.
"What are you doing?"
Her voice was still emptily grave-like.
But right now, I could face her more confidently than ever.
"I can make fire in my hand now."
Her half-lidded eyes slowly widened at my words.
I took out a sheet of paper, poked a hole at the circuit's start, and placed it on my palm.
Soon, smoke rose.
Whoosh—
A tiny ember flickered above my palm.
Camilla stared blankly at it. I added with a confident smile,
"I made the circuit myself, and I bought the mana with my own money."
"..."
"Doesn't this count as me conjuring fire with my own hands?"
I puffed out my chest, awaiting her acknowledgment.
"...Sigh."
But what came back wasn't approval—it was a deep sigh.
In that moment, the air around Camilla churned.
Embers sparked in midair, growing into vivid flames that spread everywhere.
The fires swirled through the air like living things before solidifying into cold ice crystals at her gesture and crashing to the floor.
Clunk—
The sound of ice hitting the ground.
I blinked, staring blankly at the overwhelming sight.
"Don't strain yourself. It's pathetic."
Her words stabbed sharper than thorns.
I clenched my fists instinctively and glared at her head-on.
"What's... so strained about it?"
"You know without me saying."
"It's a flame I made with my own power. I ignited it."
"So? You've given up on real magic and resorted to cheap tricks."
Camilla continued without blinking. Her gaze was merciless, her voice even colder.
"Give it up. You have no talent for magic—or anything else."
"..."
"All you're good for is putting Mother to sleep. That's it."
She glanced at the circuit diagram crumbling to ash in my hand.
Her eyes held no emotion. Yet it felt like she was mocking me.
"Just leech off Mother's grace here. That's your life."
With that, Camilla slowly turned her back to me.
I lowered my head and stared at the floor.
I have to endure it.
She's just a kid. No need to get shaken by words like that.
Endure.
I have to endure.
I can't.
My emotions wouldn't stay in check.
My mind tried to stay calm, but my small body trembled from toes to scalp.
In the end, I decided to just do what I wanted.
"Hey!!!"
My sharp yell made Camilla flinch and tense up.
I charged at her as she turned startled eyes on me.
And without thinking, I grabbed her hair.
"Eek?!"
"What do you know!"
"What...?!"
Camilla scowled and unhesitatingly grabbed my hair in return.
"Let go right now?!"
Camilla yanked my hair roughly.
A sharp pain spread from my scalp, but I'd endured worse from the Director countless times.
"You..."
Camilla's face twisted. Mana threaded from her fingertips like silk, lunging at me.
Black mana tendrils snaked around my body, yanking me toward the ceiling.
But I gripped Camilla's hair even tighter.
Every tug from the black threads made her head jerk too.
"Ugh! You... want to die?"
Camilla threatened me.
But I glared back with wide eyes and gritted teeth.
"Try it! I'm the one Madam Countess absolutely needs!"
"Y-You...!"
Unable to retort, Camilla irritably yanked my hair harder.
I yanked hers right back.
And so, we tussled, gripping each other's hair in a full-on brawl.
As if we'd both abandoned reason for a moment. It was a total mess.
How much time passed?
Just as the threads of rationality returned...
A chill ran down my spine.
Snapping to my senses, I looked around.
Roselia was gazing down at us with cold eyes.
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