The Adored Daughter of the Disliked Duke's House: My Magic Power Increases Every Time I'm Praised, So I've Been Perfecting Cuteness Since Infancy! - Episode 28

Today, I was invited by Floria to visit her dormitory.

When the other students saw me, they whispered among themselves from a distance. However, Floria didn’t seem to care at all and guided me around the dormitory.

She glared at the students watching us and huffed.

“If you’re curious, just come and talk! This is why I don’t like city kids!”

She pouted angrily.

“I understand, you know! I know that Lilietta is actually a kind girl!”

It seemed that Floria had completely forgotten how she once accused me while acting like a tragic heroine.

(Well, she was tricked too, so it’s understandable.)

Floria was just a five-year-old child. It was only natural for her emotions and thoughts to change as she was caught up in the situation.

Right now, she was convinced that she had to protect the “poor girl who was unfairly hated.”

Her pure-heartedness was almost endearing.

(…That’s exactly why I need to end this soon.)

The enemy hiding in this school had no qualms about manipulating, deceiving, and hurting children.

More children like Floria—those with insecurities or a strong sense of justice—would likely fall victim to them.

(I hope I can find some clues today.)

While I was lost in thought, Floria led me into the dormitory’s common room.

The spacious room had several sofas, where students were spending their time as they pleased.

Some were playing board games, some upperclassmen were huddled together working on assignments, and others were quietly reading alone.

“Let’s finish our homework first!”

“Good idea.”

“Oh, be careful. Magic is forbidden in this room.”

Floria spread out her homework on an empty table and pointed above the fireplace.

There, a goat skull with impressive horns was displayed.

“A protective charm?”

“No, a watchman. They say it’s enchanted with ancient magic.”

“I see.”

Indeed.

As I focused on it, I noticed a strange mist shimmering within its hollow eye sockets.

It was a color I had never seen before—something truly mysterious.

And then, I locked eyes with it.

(Uh… pardon the intrusion.)

I greeted it in my mind.

—And then, it grinned.

Or at least, it felt like it did.

A shiver ran down my spine at the eerie sensation.

(…This school’s fifteen-hundred-year history is no joke.)

Arkanaris Primary Magic School was said to have been founded over fifteen hundred years ago. Even the royal family didn’t have an exact record of when it was established.

The campus contained multiple buildings, including dormitories, lecture halls, and research facilities. However, very few people knew exactly when each building had been constructed.

It was even rumored that no accurate map of the school existed, which spoke to how ancient and complex its history was.

That goat skull must have been a magical relic from those long centuries.

And then.

I was caught in Barzemir’s barrier—right in the middle of doing my homework under the watchful eyes of the goat skull.

“…Magic is forbidden in the common room, isn’t it?”

When I asked, Barzemir shrugged and glanced at the goat skull.

It seemed the ancient magic had failed to notice the barrier’s presence.

“My barrier magic completely seals off all magical energy. Even ancient magic cannot perceive it.”

Barzemir had set up two barriers—one to conceal his magic and another to trap me.

Outside the barrier, Floria continued her homework as if nothing had happened.

She was probably seeing an illusion of me still sitting there, focused on my work.

“What do you want?”

Barzemir shrugged again.

“Do you have no sense of emotion?”

“Emotion?”

“It’s been a while since we last met. You could at least be happy.”

“Why would I be?”

There was no way I’d be happy to reunite with the monster who had tried to kill me.

“Just get to the point.

…You’re not here to kill me, are you?”

If his goal was to kill me, there was no need for such a roundabout approach.

With my magic sealed in the barrier, he could have silently snuck up and slit my throat before I noticed.

But he didn’t. Instead, he used a barrier just to contact me.

Either he had a reason—or he simply couldn’t do it.

“…Wait. Can you only use barrier magic?”

I deliberately taunted him.

Barzemir’s presence wavered, and the air around us tensed.

Bullseye.

“So that’s why you had to use that other monster, Mukrain, that night.”

Barzemir’s only magic was barriers.

He didn’t have any spells to kill.

“Hmph. Insolent girl.”

He didn’t deny it.

That made me tilt my head in confusion.

(Why would he reveal his weakness?)

This only made his motives even more unclear.

Why was he taking such a risk just to contact me here?

“I don’t like your arrogance, but I’ll admit that you’re skilled in magic and quite intelligent.”

“Why are you talking like you’re above me?”

Barzemir snorted and raised a single finger.

Then, he pointed at my chest.

“…What?”

“That’s quite a charming pendant you have there.”

He was pointing at the opal pendant hidden beneath my uniform.

It was a magical artifact passed down in the Duke’s family, capable of housing a spirit.

“How do you know about this?”

It wasn’t something just anyone would recognize.

“I saw it long ago—when I crossed paths with a previous Duke of Rosenford.”

I knew Barzemir was a high-ranking monster, but it seemed he had lived for an exceptionally long time.

I instinctively grabbed the pendant through my clothes.

(Could this be what he’s after?)

If he demanded the pendant in exchange for sparing Floria and the other students, it would be difficult to refuse.

Even if he could only use barrier magic, he wouldn’t have approached me without a plan.

As I braced myself, Barzemir smirked.

“I’ll teach you how to properly use that magic artifact.”

The moment he said that—
With a loud snap, his barrier vanished.

“…Huh?”

It all happened in an instant.

I was in the exact same position as before, doing my homework.

Floria blinked at me in confusion as I let out a startled sound.

“What’s wrong?”

The goat skull, of course, remained still.

Everything had returned to normal.

—Except for one thing.

The presence of my pendant.

“…Hmm. Not a bad place to stay.”

Barzemir’s voice and presence were now coming from the pendant—transmitted directly through my skin and bones.

In other words…

(He went inside!?)

Unbelievable.

A sacred pendant meant for spirits—now housing a monster.

(Get out of there!)

“No.”

(Why not!?)

“I have my reasons.”

(I don’t care!)

“Just finish your homework.”

(Don’t order me around!)

“What, do you not even understand these simple problems? Shall I teach you?”

(Why are you acting superior!?)

“Respect your elders.”

(No way!)

As we bickered in our minds, I tried using magic to force him out—but nothing worked.

This pendant wasn’t something human magic could interfere with.

Meanwhile, the spirit Elpine, who also resided in the pendant, was trembling in fear.

(Seriously, what is happening!?)

I couldn’t see him, but I could feel Barzemir smirking.

“If you want me to leave… we’ll have to make a deal.”

It seemed I had no choice in the matter.