17 – Vines

Even if you are the princess of the empire that unified the continent. Living in a dormitory was the rule at Transcendence Academy.

However, as Bella became the head of the Faculty of Magic with her exceptional wisdom, she obtained her own private laboratory to study magic. She moved out of the dormitory and she was living there alone.

Befitting her status as a princess, the mediocre laboratory was enlarged with expansion magic and turned into a place where all kinds of magical tools were displayed.

Stepping into Bella’s lab for the first time, Rosalynn opened her big eyes even wider, observing here and there with her curious eyes.

She doesn’t know if it’s gilded gold or pure gold, so she sits down on a shiny golden chair. Bella swung her wand and held out a cup of hot tea.

Most of the prices in her room were unimaginable for Rosalyn, a commoner, so she just shrugged her shoulders and held the cup of tea in her hands.

On the table Bella placed the report she had brought from somewhere.

“This is information about Ross that my attendant knight obtained from the Information Guild and the Imperial Survey Corps.”

At Bella’s nod, Rosalyn picked up a report in front of her and read it.

Where Ross was born. Her relationship with her brother, her life so far, and the reputation of the people around her were written.

“Ross lived his whole life feeling inferior to his older brother Roel. Even Roel’s life-changing offer of special admission to the principal as a reward for becoming the top of the first year Ross initially rejected it because of his inferiority complex.”

Rosalyn bit her lip at Bella’s words. For a commoner, entering Transcendence Academy was a flower path in her life.

It was not difficult for a commoner to find a job in the capital simply by graduating. Of course, getting into the academy is really hard and requires luck.

Special admission was admission at the discretion of the principal without an exam. Did Ross really turn down such a perfect opportunity because he was blinded by an inferiority complex?

“Ross has lived in the shadows all his life, overshadowed by Roel, who shines beside him. Ross, who kept away from his brother because he wanted to get out of the shadows, suddenly came up with a reason and headed to the town of Destin with his brother.”

After drinking tea for a while, Bella said.

“The town was not a special place. It was a village that could be seen everywhere. The connection between that village and Ross was when I left home three days ago to attend the academy. Ross says that for some reason he strayed from the road to the academy and ended up in Destin.”

Bella, who was flipping through the reports on the table, held out a report.

“This is the contents of the investigation by the Imperial Investigation Team.”

Receiving it, Rosalyn checked the contents of the report.

The day before the academy’s entrance ceremony. Arrive in Destin town in the morning, sleep at the inn and late at night. It was about carrying a torch and heading for the mountain.

“There was an orc raid around Moonlight Mountain. And the place Ross headed was Moonlight Mountain. Isn’t it strange Ross, who left three days ago, was late for the entrance ceremony. Even though he came on foot, he had plenty of time to get to the capital. Ross veers off course and ends up in the town of Destin. He headed for Moonlight Mountain and was late. What do you think is the reason?”

Bella hit her table with her finger.

Barrel, barrel, barrel.

A regular sound made Rosalyn clear her complicated mind.

Certainly, as Bella said, Ross’ behavior was strange. It was the entrance ceremony of Transcendence Academy. It was impossible for him to perceive it with his common sense, and he did not understand why he had strayed from the road to the capital and arrived at Destin.

“One thing makes sense.”

Looking at the troubled Rosalyn, Bella whispered in a sinister voice.

“It was to make contact with the warlock at Moonlight Mountain.”

At that, Rosalyn swallowed her dry saliva.

“If that’s the case, all hungry spirits will be right.”

Rosalyn, who was fiddling with the cup of tea in Bella’s confident voice, thought of her words to refute.

“It could just be a coincidence, right? It’s not that I strayed too far, it could be that I’ve arrived to rest for a bit.”

“Then why did you head to Moonlight Mountain instead of the academy late at night?”

Bella, who took Rosalyn’s retort lightly, pushed her upper body out onto the table as if asking for an answer.

“How would you explain that?”

Rosalynn, who lowered her gaze at Bella’s words and looked at her report again, saw one of her writings and hurriedly refuted.

“Hey, if you look here, it says that I asked the innkeeper where the herbalists go. She went to get herbs….”

“Late at night, holding a torch, gathered herbs. Now I want to ask if you really are the head of the pension department.”

At Bella’s reproachful words. Rosalyn lowered her gaze again, regretting her own impatience.

There was no stupid herbalist gathering herbs late at night. Wild monsters could appear by looking at the light, and above all, there was no way to see herbs at night because visibility was not secured.

As Rosalyn, who was speechless, looked at her as she sipped her tea, Bella sneered at her.

“After that, Ross took Roel to the town of Destin as a ‘promise’ that the innkeeper used to tell any guest to come back.”

I remembered the day Roel said he was going to Destin. During a meal together, Ross appears and opposes the marriage to Flavia! Exclaiming, because it was the day she said that their marriage was her sincere blessing.

Rosalind avoided Flavia for a while when Roel said that she would break her promise with Flavia and go to help Ross.

She fell into a rage, and she had to hide herself until Roel returned, lest sparks be sparked by Flavia’s mischief and slander of those around her.

“However, a variable appears here. Ross tried to use the warlock to deal with Roel, the object of inferiority in the town of Destin. My childhood friend, Ellie, followed me.”

If it was Ellie, Rosalyn knew too. She is a first year student with very pretty black hair. She was told that she was so talented that she was expected to make it to the first year’s Ministry of Magic, she was told.

“Ross refused to take her Ellie away, but her cunning Ellie begged her Roel to take her too, and she went to town with them. Then, at Ross’s request, she suddenly ended up sleeping out. Roel contacted me with her crystal ball.”

Bella continued.

“And that night. By chance, the black magician attacked the village, and Roel was in danger due to a pincer attack, but with Ellie’s help, he was able to escape the danger. What if Roel was alone as planned? What if Ellie, whom Ross was trying to get away with, didn’t join?”

Bella’s words brought the worst to Rosalyn’s mind. Roel risked his life to protect the village while being attacked by Orcs and Warlocks.

If she was the Roel she knew, she wasn’t one to turn her back on dangerous people. She would not have given up even in a dangerous and difficult situation.

As Bella said, without Ellie, Roel’s life would really be in danger….

Bella handed out the report to Rosalyn, who was lost in thought.

“This is a report conducted by the Imperial Investigation Team. There is something odd about Ellie’s statement.”

“Strange… ?”

After receiving the report, Rosalyn quickly read what was written. Is there something strange about Ellie’s statement about the battle with the orcs that day?

For a long time, Rosalyn looked at the report, trying to find out what Bella said was strange. He let out a sound.

– Thanks to Ross’ magic, I was able to attack the black mage with synthesis magic.

Rosalyn hurriedly checked Ross’s report on the table. Unlike Ellie, who has been gifted since childhood and became a witch’s apprentice….

There was no record of Ross ever learning magic.

As Rosalyn held on to the report with trembling hands, she heard Bella’s voice.

“When I was questioned again by Ellie. Ellie has something to say to me. She says, ‘Nice magic.'”

Bella continued her words in a whisper.

“It is no longer strange for combatants to use magic. But the Ministry of Magic uses magic that has never been seen before? Is there anyone who has no record of learning magic at all?”

Bella’s confident voice prompted Rosalyn to ask questions in her head.

“Then why did you and Ellie attack the warlock? Ross even gave Roel the potion I gave him as a gift!”

“Because a variable called Ellie appeared. I told you, without Ellie, Roel would have been in danger. But Ellie shows up and things change, and she changes her plans. By building Roel’s trust.”

“The reason….”

Rosalyn, who was about to retort, muttered at her thoughts.

“Ha, the sewer….”

“Right. Having built up her trust, Ross informs Roel that there is a hatchery in the sewers. In fact, she said that she accidentally overheard the warlock’s plans.”

“Ooh, no coincidence…. That was the plan.”

Bella nodded her head at Rosalyn’s words.

“Roel, who believed Ross, told Professor Leora that we should send soldiers to the sewers. Ross told Roel to go to the sewer together, but Roel refused, saying it was dangerous and leaving it to the knights.”

Rosalyn also knew about it from Roel. She was worried that perhaps she would disappoint her brother in her actions.

“Let the capital guards and academy guard knights head to the sewers. The academy’s defenses are weak.”

“But I heard that hatcheries really existed. Then Ross wasn’t lying….”

When Rosalyn retorted, Bella cut her off with a wave of her hand.

“The guards escaped, but the magic installed on the main gate and outer wall was enough to block the enemy. But for some reason, the black magician attacked through the secret passage of the academy that no one knew about.”

Bella smiled like a snake, she asked Rosalyn.

“Roel didn’t go to the sewers. What if Ross opened a secret passageway and let the warlocks raid the academy?”

“But that is just a doubt.”

“No, I have solid evidence. There were traces left in the aisle as if something had been stepped on. Through magic, the soles and even the size of the shoes were investigated. Everyone is the same as Ross.”

As Bella checked her report, Rosalyn felt the pressure of a huge boulder on her chest.

Could it be that all the words she said to herself and the trustworthy behavior were all acting? Did Ross really endanger his family, Roel, because of his inferiority complex?

“All of this could be a coincidence and conjecture. But isn’t it the job of the Inquisitor to uncover the truth, be it coincidence or conjecture?”

“Ha, but the interrogation of the church creates even no sins….”

“Are you questioning the church in front of me?”

Realizing her mistake at Bella’s cool voice, Rosalyn hurriedly shook her hand.

“Sure, it was a mistake….”

The bewildered Rosalyn bit her lip and lowered her gaze. Bella reached out and patted Rosalyn’s chubby cheek.

“Stupid Rosalyn. You know why I keep you by Roel’s side? I think you’ll get in the way of Roel if you continue to be stupid.”

Rozalyn, horrified by Bella’s snake smile, murmured as if to make an excuse.

“Oh no! I’m really for Roel….”

“I know, I’m doing this for Roel too. Even if Roel hated me for this, I had to make sure that Ross would become a danger and obstacle to Roel.”

As Bella said, Ross had more than one or two suspicious things. If he had known this first, wouldn’t he have suspected Ross himself?

“I heard from Ilya a while ago. She said Ross used unknown magic while fighting a strange troll inside the diner.”

Rosalyn involuntarily flinched at Bella’s words. Could it be that Ross really learned black magic?

“I’m not sure the magic won’t be directed at Roel. How about you, Rosalind?”

“That, that….”

Rosalyn couldn’t answer. Already in her head, her faith in Ross was gone, and only her doubts remained.

“Trust me Rosalyn. This way, the truth about Ross and Roel’s safety can be guaranteed. If only you shut your mouth to Roel, everyone can be happy. Even if things go wrong, Roel’s hatred is only for me.”

At Bella’s sweet temptation, Rosalyn drank the cold tea. Remembering the bitter taste of tea and sweet cocoa, Rosalyn said anxiously.

“But can Ross stand up to church interrogation… ?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Uh… ?”

At Bella’s cold immediate reply, Rosalyn asked stupidly.

“Ross is just an obstacle to Roel. He is nothing more than a vine that holds Roel’s steps ahead of anyone else. I want to kill you right now, but….”

As she said that, Bella smiled strangely, and Rosalind felt fear. She heard rumors and knew why her fourth princess, Bella, became the heir to the throne.

“Then Roel will be sad…. It would be best to find a good cause and kill it.”

Rosalind was terrified to see Bella smile as she muttered to herself, and she was unable to say anything.

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