“Huh? Why?”
“You don’t look well... your complexion seems a little off...”
“It’s nothing. Just feeling a bit bloated.”
Kibon’s brow furrowed slightly at my response.
But before we could even finish entering the Minister’s office—
Bang!
The door to the Scroll Departnt flew open.
“Namiaaaaaa! It’s finally tomorrow!”
It was Jaden, who had been coming to the Scroll Departnt office every day lately. His round eyes landed on Kibon, who was standing a little too close to —then instantly narrowed with irritation.
“Hey.”
Jaden looked up at Kibon and picked a fight, clearly dissatisfied.
“You’re not sick or anything?”
“No.”
“You’re not scared or nervous about attending the banquet all of a sudden?”
“No.”
“Ha, wow. So you’re really planning to go with her, huh?”
“Yes.”
“Soone like you is Namia’s partner? Pff...”
Kibon kept his answers curt, clearly unwilling to engage in conversation. Victor, watching beside us, chuckled kindly.
He lowered himself to Jaden’s eye level and said:
“I understand how upset you must be, Your Highness. You care about our Minister a great deal, after all.”
Of course, the ever-amiable Victor was even kind to children.
Especially children—he smiled warmly, as if this was his specialty, and tried to soothe him gently.
“I was disappointed too, you know. I was hoping to be Namia’s partner myself. I was even waiting in line. But... it was her choice, so I’ll accept it graciously.”
He even had a knack for softening tense situations. But...
“And who are you? Who told you to talk to like that? What line were you even in?”
Jaden, however, wasn’t the kind of child you could easily placate.
“You think smiling like an idiot is enough? Huh? How dare you say you were in line? You look like so giant bear... Get lost. Get away from Namia.”
“Y-Your Highness? Um...”
“I’m going to make every man around Namia miserable until she officially becos my sister-in-law. Just so you know. But hey, I am still a minor, so none of you can treat recklessly. Got it?”
Victor’s smile twitched involuntarily.
Having thoroughly irritated the mature adults in the room, Jaden finally turned his attention back to .
“During the Saint Cairo banquet, Her Majesty and I are going to stay right next to Namia the entire ti. Just so you know.”
Watching Jaden speak so pompously made stifle a laugh.
And I replied politely.
“Yes, I’m really looking forward to the banquet too.”
And of course I was.
Because I was going to make sure Jaden’s special ability manifested during it.
Jaden still hadn’t awakened his special ability. It usually erged naturally at a younger age, but not in his case.
According to the original story, it wouldn’t manifest until adulthood—but I fully intended to make it happen tomorrow.
It’s a power I absolutely need to ss with the people working behind the scenes.
This banquet was important in more ways than one.
Ever since I suddenly gained knowledge of the future, this banquet would be the first ti I truly demonstrated my abilities in front of others.
I suppressed the nausea welling up in my chest as best I could.
Later that day, near closing ti—after checking the scrolls in the storage one last ti, I returned to an empty Scroll Departnt office.
On my desk, there was a note.
If symptoms worsen, please go to the hospital.
It was a neat little mo from Kibon—and beside it, bottles of digestive dicine filled my desk.
“...What the heck...”
I didn’t know when he got them, but it looked like nearly every type of digestive aid available in the entire Empire had been laid out on my desk.
***
That night, deep within the imperial palace.
Kiaros followed his aide down into the underground prison.
“Creeeak... screeeeech...”
A newborn demonic beast thrashed inside its cage. A Crow agent stood at attention before Kiaros.
“Greeting the Crown Prince.”
“...Is this the newly born subject?”
“Yes, Your Highness. No unusual traits were found in the mother despite experintation, /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ but a unique magical signature was detected in the offspring.”
Kiaros stared at the newborn beast with a blank expression.
“Additionally, after administering a special drug to the mother, the offspring responded. It seems that even after physical separation, they remain connected in terms of experintal feedback.”
“Kyaaagh! Screee! Kyaaagh!”
The newborn beast let out a shrill, aggressive cry at Kiaros.
“And the other test subjects?”
“We weren’t able to obtain anything from the others. It’s as if this one was the only one deliberately discarded. Odd, really. It doesn’t seem like a failed specin...”
“Then there’s nothing more to be gained.”
After receiving the full report, Kiaros slowly pulled a dagger from his coat.
And without a shred of hesitation, he threw it into the cage.
The thrashing newborn beast died instantly without even a scream.
“Dispose of the mother as well.”
Kiaros gave the order with cold eyes.
“They’re too dangerous to keep alive.”
Then, without changing expression, he turned to leave—but paused and asked, as if he’d just rembered sothing:
“Oh. For light indigestion... is taking digestive dicine actually sufficient?”
“In most cases, yes.”
The Crow agent who’d been ordered to collect one of each digestive dicine from the palace dispensary that afternoon answered.
Kiaros mumbled with concern on his face.
“You don’t think this is a sign of a serious illness or sothing, do you? She’s been furrowing her brow every 2 hours and 10 minutes, and the corners of her mouth have been down by 0.2 degrees from her usual baseline.”
“......”
“Maybe I should have hospitalized her in the palace dical ward imdiately when she said she was feeling bloated... No, at the very least, I should send the palace physician to see her right now...”
“......”
“Answer honestly. This is an important and serious matter.”
“...In that case, Your Highness, I believe you should consult a palace physician.”
The Crow agent replied with utmost loyalty, a solemn and concerned expression on his face.
“For excessive health anxiety regarding soone else.”
“......”
***
The Next Day.
The day of the Saint Cairo banquet.
I left the final preparations to the team leaders and headed ho for a short while after the last checks.
“Minister! Hurry, please! You’re going to be late!”
Staff from the tailor shop were waiting at my house.
I didn’t have any maids to dress . There was only one housemaid who handled household chores, so I’d asked the tailor staff to help prepare.
“Are you doing so sort of experint with digestive dicine?”
One of the tailors asked curiously, eyeing my vanity table.
“I didn’t even know there were this many types of digestive aids...”
“Honestly? neither...”
I had brought ho every single bottle of digestive dicine Kibon had left on my desk.
I rembered once, at Baron Roafi’s estate—
I’d thrown up all night after eating stew for the first ti in ages. That night, I would’ve done anything for just one of those bottles.
Just looking at them made the little girl still living inside feel strangely comforted.
“Well, the fitting’s all done. It should suit you perfectly!”
Soon, the staff began prepping .
Given the price of the dress and jewelry, the staff were especially kind.
“Wow, to buy this with your salary... you’re honestly my new role model.”
“I thought people only got dresses like this through inheritance or as gifts...”
Apparently, I was the only person they knew who’d bought such a high-end dress with her own money. These were not items average workers could afford.
“You’re right. I wasn’t soone who could’ve worn sothing like this before.”
“Oh—if that was offensive, I’m so sorry...”
“No, not at all. I feel amazing. I’m so thrilled I got here without having to say ‘thank you’ to anyone.”
Truly, nothing feels freer than self-funded success.
As I admired my reflection in the mirror, I widened my eyes.
“Make look like a self-made, young, and rich woman. Put the most expensive gems up front.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
After a while, as one of the staff worked on my hair, she asked playfully:
“Do you have any stories to get us excited? Like... maybe an ex-lover showing up?”
“Ah... I don’t have an ex,” I said slowly, rolling my eyes thoughtfully.
“But a certain soone will be there today. Back when I really needed him, he shoved to the back of his priorities... Yet now, just because I’m partnering with soone else today, he’s suddenly feeling hurt.”
Just then—
My one housemaid rushed over and handed a letter.
“Miss! Urgent ssage just arrived!”
“Oh?”
The envelope was from Kibon.
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