My Fiancé Fell in Love with My Older Sister. After Locking Myself in My Room for Five Days, 500 Years Had Passed. - Chapter 35

After returning to my room from the archive room, Prince Lian’s attendant came to visit me.

He said that his urgent business was finished and he wanted to continue our previous conversation.

Since I had no plans (a free person), I accepted Prince Lian’s invitation — and now, he’s showing me around the palace garden.

It seems I passed exactly five hundred years, and just like the Tsobellar kingdom, the Lumos Empire is also in the middle of changing from spring to early summer.

When we stepped into the garden, the scent of early summer was already in the air.

The fresh green leaves, lit by the evening sun, were soothing to the eyes.

When I reflexively raised my hand to shield my eyes, a maid handed me something that looked like a stone.

It was cold to the touch, like a cool crystal — a transparent stone.

Holding the round stone, I tilted my head.

“…What is this?”

The one who answered my question was Prince Lian.

“Please try pouring magic into that stone.”

He gently showed me a motion of placing a hand over the stone.

“Magic…”

I unintentionally repeated the word — but.

(I’ve never really thought about magic before~~…!!)

My special magic is always active.

I’ve basically never had to consciously use my magic.

I could say it’s almost zero.

No — actually, it is zero.

I’ve never had such a chance until now.

(So when someone tells me to pour magic in… it just doesn’t click.)

Still, since I was asked to, I had no choice but to try.

I can do this. I can do this.

If I put my mind to it, I should be able to do it!!

I’m a person who can do it if I try! (probably)

While clinging to that hope, I shouted “Eyahhh!!” and focused my strength.

Even though I was chanting it, I couldn’t help but feel that this wasn’t the right way to pour magic into something.

………………

No matter how long I waited, the stone didn’t change at all.

“Huh? Hmm… hmm?”

I tilted my head and, thinking this time for sure, I tried again.

“Seiyahh!!”

Still, I didn’t look like I was pouring magic into anything.

Maybe it looked like I was wrestling with something??

But in things like this, spirit is probably the most important. Probably. Maybe. I think!?

I closed my eyes and focused all my thoughts.

(Magic, oh magic, dear magic, please go into this thing, I beg you!?!?)

At this point, it was less like chanting and more like a desperate wish.

“…………”

Even so, the stone didn’t react.

Not even a little change.

A still and heavy silence fell.

I quietly removed my hand from the stone and realized something.

(Uhh… could it be I’m in trouble right now?)

Though I unwillingly hold the title of “Witch of Sorrow and Grief”…

If people think I don’t even have magic, that title might be taken from me too.

…Which would mean?

In that case, I’d really just be a weirdo.

A suspicious person.

(…A suspicious person?)

“─”

At that moment, something tugged at me.

A strange chill stirred deep in my chest.

“Lady Felicia, your hand please.”

Before I could figure out what that meant — before I could find the answer — Prince Lian spoke to me.

I looked up in surprise.

Prince Lian was reaching his hand toward me.

“Please lend me the stone. After five hundred years, your magic may have changed. I’ll show you how it’s done, so just watch.”

(So kind…!!)

I was deeply moved by his kindness.

Thankfully, it seems Prince Lian didn’t suspect me of having no magic at all.

That kindness and consideration made me feel like I could cry.

Honestly, my life here in the Lumos Empire is all thanks to him.

I must return his kindness somehow…

At that moment, I remembered our earlier conversation.

The one I had with Magnolia in the archive room.

When I asked her who Angela was, Magnolia replied.

She frowned and said with suspicion:

‘…You haven’t heard? Angela is… the daughter of a viscount who cast a charm spell on Prince Lian.’

The noble lady who cast a charm spell on Prince Lian…

“She was one of the last remaining Abercrombies. Their family’s power is charm. She tried to use that power to become my fiancée.”

Those were Prince Lian’s own words.

(So she was Prince Lian’s childhood friend — that girl!!)

I finally realized it.

‘A viscount house that inherited the name and power of Abercrombie?’

When I asked that, Magnolia nodded without hesitation.

Her expression said, You didn’t know that?

‘Yes. She cast her charm spell on His Highness, then got caught in a magic surge and died. Even though she was my cousin, she was such a nuisance.’

‘Cousin!?’

Magnolia… and that girl who cast the charm spell on Prince Lian!?

My eyes widened in shock, and Magnolia said with an exasperated look:

‘You didn’t even know that? …Well, to Prince Lian, that’s a past he wants to forget. Seeing how he doesn’t even say her name, I guess he hates even mentioning it.’

Shrugging her shoulders, she shook her long silver curls and continued:

‘That’s why I’ve been saying — I’ll take responsibility for my cousin Angela and become Prince Lian’s fiancée myself.’

‘Eh?’

Isn’t that a bit of a leap…?

Just as I was thinking that, Magnolia nodded deeply like she already knew.

‘His Highness suffered from that strange curse, right? He has trust issues with women. He said he’s not thinking of marriage at all.’

‘That’s just a polite way to reject you. Come on, get a clue already. You’re just bothering His Highness.’

─Of course, the one who cut in was Zachs.

After that, the two started arguing again, and the conversation about Prince Lian ended there.

I later found out that both Zachs and Magnolia come from distinguished ducal families.

They’ve known each other since childhood and seem to be old friends.

Zachs said it was like a “rotten bond.”

(Come to think of it, right before I returned to my room, he thanked me.)

‘Thank you for helping Magnolia. She’s still a duke’s daughter, after all. If she had been hurt, it would have caused trouble for you, Lady Witch.’

He bowed his head to me calmly.

His words didn’t sound like he was worried about Magnolia, but still—

“…………”

(Maybe… he just can’t be honest about his feelings…)

It made me wonder a bit, but outsiders shouldn’t meddle in other people’s relationships too easily.

So I just accepted his words quietly.

I was lost in thought, recalling all of this—

When suddenly, right in front of me, a pale blue light softly bloomed.

“…!!”

I gasped and looked over instinctively.

The one shining was the stone I had handed to Prince Lian earlier.

Bathed in the pale blue light, he gave a soft smile.

“This is how you use it.”

Right after he said that—

The pale blue light faded.

And what appeared in its place was…

“A parasol…!?”

A white sunshade.