Volume 1 Chapter 12 Mean Villainess, Heart On The Verge Of Breaking
Born into the upper-class Count family and raised without any hardship, I might give off a slightly tough impression, but I was blessed with a lovely appearance, ranking top in my school and possessing plenty of magical power.
Furthermore, I've even reached the point where I can learn the coveted art of crystal divination.
Having received a bonus of experience points from my memories of my previous life, I felt like I should have started my life at level one, but instead, I started around level 70.
I thought life was on easy mode.
However, it seems that just because I had the experience points bonus, things aren't as simple as they seem.
That's what life is like.
"Lady Elena, it's so dazzling!"
"I'm so sorry!!"
I was experiencing my first setback since coming here.
Unable to find a way out, all I could do was keep apologizing.
"I heard crystal divination was difficult, but it looks really tough."
As I said this, Leve beside me was laughing heartily.
It was rude.
"It's so difficult... the gems that should be sparkling are shining so blindingly instead."
Yes, the source of the setback I experienced for the first time was the gemstones used in crystal divination.
In crystal divination, you draw a magic circle on the table with various branching points for the past, present, and future, and roll the gems into it.
Then, you interpret the rolled position, the type of gem, and how it shines.
If a rose quartz rolls into the future position and shines brightly, it means you'll meet a wonderful partner in the future, and so on.
Simply put, the gemstone should shine brightly if the fortune is good and dimly if it's bad, but the gemstone I have in my possession is sparkling brilliantly.
And yet, I haven't even done the reading yet.
If I truly mastered it, I could read more specifically, and I heard that the ways it shines could vary, like producing beams of light or bursting like fireworks, but I can't even reach the stage of divination.
It's a sad thing.
"I never thought the gemstones would be this dazzling."
I murmured as I put the gemstones back into the leather pouch without looking directly at them.
Because if I looked directly at them, they would shine so bright they'd pierce my retina.
They're almost at the level of being a weapon.
Leve, who was still smiling, was effortlessly handling the introductory level of Weather Divination Magic.
Rudger also seemed to be fine, and in fact, he finished the assignment given by the teacher quickly and was reading a history book.
I'm jealous.
"Lady Elena, look!"
Approaching me while saying that was Ms. Natalia.
In her palm was a small bead of light green.
When she concentrated her magic and said "Ei," a cute sound followed by the appearance of a small sprout occurred.
The sprout gradually stretched out, eventually blooming into a lovely pink flower.
"Well, how adorable!"
Compared to the weapon I have, how lovely it is.
"This flower was inspired by Lady Elena."
Oh, the flower was cute, but Ms. Natalia was cute too.
"I'm so happy, thank you. ...Would you like to see my gemstones too?"
"No... I still want to take care of my eyesight..."
That's right.
I hung my head while stroking the leather pouch in my hands.
"Well, I'll lend you this book, so cheer up, Elena. As for the teacher, there's nothing they can do about it for now, right?"
As Rudger placed a thick book in my hands, he pointed to the leather pouch.
According to him, it seems that even the teacher does not know how to deal with it at this point.
There are precedents for not being able to make it shine, but there are no precedents for making it shine too much.
"The teacher initially said, 'The stone is happy,' but it turned out to be a wild dance of joy."
If this is truly happiness, then it is completely overjoyed.
Sighing deeply, Rudger, feeling pity, patted my shoulder and comforted me.
"Do not be too downcast. I will tell you something interesting."
Saying this, Rudger began to flip through the book he had just placed in my hands.
"Here it is, here. Look, Elena. Basically, the causes of death for past kings are clearly stated, but only the fifth king... whoops, from here, you should read it yourself."
"What!"
Why would you stop at such an interesting part!
I wanted to protest, but just then, the Divination Magic class ended.
"Could you not share strange stories about my childhood friend?"
Leve, looking exasperated, was complaining to Rudger, but Rudger was smiling cheerfully, seemingly unconcerned.
"If she doesn't want to hear it, I won't tell her, but Elena enjoys it very much."
Fair enough.
"Yes, it's fun. How about Leve?"
"Isn't it just a bit too complicated?"
Seeing Leve sulking at that, I couldn't help but laugh this time.
I was feeling down from my first setback, but thanks to everyone, by the time I was heading home, my spirits had completely lifted.
* * *
"Lady... Excuse me."
"Hmm? It's fine. What's wrong?"
As I stood still in the hallway in front of my room, engrossed in a book, Rolus called out to me.
Rolus seemed surprised to see me reading a book in the hallway, as he never expected it.
As soon as I got home, I started reading the book that Rudger lent me during Divination Magic class, and it was quite intriguing.
"Lady... A letter from the master."
"...Huh? From Father? I wonder what it is."
Since I didn't have a bookmark, I closed the book I was reading by pinching it with my fingers and received the letter from Rolus.
I couldn't very well read the letter in the hallway, so I decided to go into my room right in front of me.
"Lady, I will hold onto your book."
"Ah, thank you. Oh, um, could you hold it with your finger for a moment since I don't have a bookmark? Sorry, I'm doing some research."
"Research?"
"Yes. I'm looking into the causes of death of past kings."
"Causes of death?"
"Yes. The bookmark should be on the desk, so please go ahead and come in. Just sit on that chair."
When I said that, Rolus made a puzzled face but sat down obediently.
I can't tell whether it was the word "cause of death" that shocked him, or if he was dissatisfied with being told to sit, but even after sitting down, he maintains a look of confusion.
"Um, it's a bookmark. And... oh, it's an invitation to dinner from Father."
Looking over the letter from Father, it contained a light greeting and an invitation to go out for a meal.
"It seems Father wants to have dinner with me and Rolus."
"Me too?"
Although he looks like he wants to say he can't believe it, it's clearly written that Rolus is also invited, so it can't be a lie.
"Rolus too."
When I showed him the letter, it seems he was somewhat convinced.
However, judging by the furrow in his brow, he didn't seem completely satisfied.
"I wonder if he's going to ask Rolus about how I'm doing at school. Well, that's fine. Let's eat something delicious. They say food tastes better when it's on someone else's dime."
"They don't say that."
They say it.
"Well, whatever. Dinner is on the weekend. I'll go report to Mother, so Rolus, please check if there's anything written about the cause of death of the fifth king in the books on that desk."
"Cause of death."
"Right, cause of death."
When I tried to read about the cause of death of the fifth king as Rudger mentioned, it wasn't included there.
No, it was included, but it may be more accurate to say it wasn't written in detail.
The first king was said to have died of illness with his heartbeat stopping, and the second also died of illness, having succumbed to coughing up blood.
Both the third and 4th generations died in battle, and many references go into detail about the battlefields where they fell.
Even though it's mentioned that the 7th generation and onward died of illness or old age, for some reason, the fifth and 6th generations are not documented... It makes you curious, doesn't it?
While I was pondering such things, I happened to spot my mother, who was drinking tea.
"Ah, Mother. I received an invitation from Father to have a meal this weekend."
"Oh, is that so? Well then, I can't go this weekend, so you should go by yourself"
"Okay, understood."
Come to think of it, Mother hadn't actually been invited, but oh well, no need to mention it.
What you don't know won't hurt you.
Thinking that, I quickly returned to my room.
"Rolus, did you find something?"
As soon as I opened the door to my room and asked this, Rolus gently handed me the book I had left with him earlier.
"This, right?"
"You found it! As expected of Rolus. Uh, wait? Missing...?"
Not only was the detail unknown, the whereabouts were missing as well.
To summarize, it was written that he disappeared suddenly with no witnesses.
Since there was no body, it seems no details were written in any of the books.
This means that any books I search in the future may never reveal any details.
"If I may be so bold, Lady, why are you investigating the causes of death of the past kings?"
"Rudger told me about it. I have been curious about the cause of death of the 6th king for some time now because he is said to have lived for 160 years."
If he has lived far beyond the average human lifespan, I thought perhaps the 6th king was a non-human, but well, it was not written.
However, while I thought the 6th king was a mystery, it turns out the fifth king was also a mystery.
I should look into this a bit more myself.
"Ah, that's right, Rolus, I've reported properly to Mother."
"Yes."
"...You, when it's an invitation from Father, you don't fuss too much, do you?"
When I say, "Let's go eat," he always respond with something like, "I am not worthy to stand beside the Lady."
"Because it's none other than the master's command."
"You are not the one to decline my invitation."
"I have also been ordered by the master not to spoil the Lady."
"Really?"
When I tilted my head, Rolus turned away with a pout.
Is that a lie?
"...The master is my benefactor who took me in. Therefore,"
"You cannot refuse Father's request. Well, I'll let it slide this time. But, it was Father who took you in, huh? That's new to me. I thought it was Mother who..."
I thought Mother brought him in because he was a character from an otome game.
I almost slipped and said it.
"I thought it was Mother who picked you up. It was Mother who brought you here, right?"
"Yes. I was picked up by the master and handed over to the lady to be her attendant."
My father has never shown any signs of knowing about otome games, so Rolus probably just picked it up.
Probably.
I originally thought that based on my mother's attitude, Rolus might not be connected to the otome game, but now the possibility that he is just a complete mob has emerged.
"I didn't know that. Rolus never talks to me about himself."
"My stories are nothing interesting."
"Oh, I can find any story interesting, you know. Like, the cause of the king's death, for instance."
"Cause of death."
If he doesn't want to talk about it, I won't press him, so I ended the conversation.
Speaking of cause of death... I wonder how I died in my past life.
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