Press—

Even as I stamped the seal onto the contract, a nagging unease made me glance at Ascan and Dekain, but neither showed the slightest change from their usual selves.

Ascan remained expressionless and taciturn, while Dekain simply grinned and cracked jokes.

Fortunately, both quickly dried their tears, allowing us to finalize the distribution agreement with Igtheon Trading House as planned—but just in case, I ordered servants to fling open the windows and ventilate the laboratory thoroughly.

Dekain handed me one copy of the contract bearing both our seals, kept the other for himself, and smiled with evident satisfaction.

“Now that the contract is sealed, we’ll be seeing much more of each other, won’t we?”

“Well, yes.”

I glanced up, sensing a sudden chill—and saw Ascan staring at Dekain with unmistakable displeasure.

Yet Ascan’s expression remained so unchanged it could easily have been my imagination, leaving me even more puzzled.

Dekain smiled gently and said,

“As I mentioned earlier, you’ll show me around the laboratory, right?”

It wasn’t a difficult request, so I nodded and began to rise from my seat—but Ascan spoke faster than I did.

“If it’s acceptable, my lady, I’ll show him around the laboratory in your stead.”

“You?”

“Yes. You’ve been terribly busy lately. Please leave this small task to me.”

He wasn’t wrong.

There was no need for me to personally escort Dekain around the laboratory—Ascan would explain everything perfectly well.

Especially now, with so many thoughts swirling in my head about the new magic stone, his offer was particularly tempting.

“Then shall we do that?”

At my words, Ascan nodded with a satisfied expression—while Dekain’s face, somehow, seemed slightly darker than before.

I’d worried their relationship was strained, but since Dekain himself had proposed this, perhaps things weren’t as bad as I’d thought.

Just to be sure, I turned to Dekain and asked again,

“Are you really okay with that?”

At my question, Dekain beamed as if nothing had happened and nodded brightly.

“Of course. I didn’t realize how busy you’ve been—are you working on some new research lately?”

“Yeah. I’m pondering something… I’ll tell you once I have more concrete results.”

“Alright, I’ll wait.”

Dekain’s tone and attitude radiated support for my research. It felt unexpectedly encouraging, as though I’d received unanticipated backing.

Perhaps sensing my emotion, Dekain’s smile deepened.

Ascan turned to leave the reception room first and said,

“Shall we go? I’ll guide you to the laboratory.”

“Suddenly hearing you use formal speech feels strange.”

Huh? What did he mean?

It was a remark I might have overlooked, but the more I thought about it, the less sense it made.

Did he mean it felt odd to hear stiff, formal speech from Ascan after casually speaking with me?

Feeling unsettled, I looked between Ascan and Dekain—but they merely exchanged silent glances across the air.

Just as I was about to ask what they meant, Dekain turned toward me first and spoke.

“By the way, Tanashia.”

“Hmm?”

“I mentioned I planned to stay here a few days. Would it be alright if I stayed in the laboratory?”

“Here?”

It was such an unexpected request I couldn’t help but be startled.

Before I could even reply, Ascan objected as if the idea were absurd.

“My lady, the laboratory has very limited space for sleeping. The shower facilities are also inadequate. It’s hardly suitable for hosting guests.”

Dekain smiled lightly, as if it were no concern.

“It’s fine. Believe it or not, I run a trading house—I’m used to sleeping wherever I end up, not always in comfortable beds. Since I’m already here, can’t I just relax and look around?”

“Are you sure it’s really okay?”

Ascan was right—there was space to sleep, but since the laboratory was designed for research, it wasn’t nearly as comfortable as a regular mansion.

Dekain shrugged carelessly and said,

“Of course. When else would I get to come all the way here from the Lazent Empire? I want to learn more about magical engineering while I have the chance.”

True—as someone active in the Lazent Empire, Dekain wouldn’t often visit my laboratory.

Though he claimed he came to see me, he’d ultimately come to seal the contract—sending him away like this felt far too dismissive.

After a brief moment of hesitation, I nodded.

“Alright, if you’re fine with it, you can stay in the laboratory. I’ll tell the maids to minimize discomfort, but if it becomes too inconvenient, feel free to move to another lodging anytime.”

At my permission, Dekain—oddly enough—stared straight at Ascan and smiled gently.

“Thank you, Tanashia. And I won’t be moving to another lodging.”

As he spoke, he slowly turned his gaze—and soon, his crimson eyes locked precisely onto mine.

“I want to get closer to you while I have this chance.”

I roughly guessed his intentions were impure—I’d read the novel, after all—but I didn’t entirely dislike someone so openly showing me favor.

I chuckled softly and gave Dekain a light wave.

“Then enjoy your tour of the laboratory—see you later.”

At my words, Dekain grinned cheerfully and followed Ascan out of the reception room.

Just before the door closed behind them, I heard Dekain’s low murmur.

“One to one, huh?”

Huh?

One lost, one won?

So… a draw?

It wasn’t a sports score—I had no idea what he meant by it.

I briefly pondered the cryptic phrase, then dismissed it from my mind.

Perhaps, after all, Ascan and Dekain’s relationship wasn’t as bad as I’d thought.

I received the notebook and belongings Jerin had brought from the Brellof estate.

I was carefully reviewing the original Tanashia’s research notes on Ascan, preparing to study the new magic stone.

『I want an ability too.』

Suddenly, memories belonging to the original Tanashia flashed through my mind.

It felt entirely different from merely reading the novel . It was vivid—as if recalling something I myself had done in the past.

『If only I had something special… How wonderful it would be if everyone looked up to me.』

I felt Tanashia’s emotions from that time as if they were my own.

Resentment, anger, and the desperate desire for recognition.

The dark, gloomy feelings she once carried transmitted so clearly they gave me a dull headache.

‘Sigh… No matter how many times I experience this, I never get used to it.’

Memories of the original Tanashia kept surfacing abruptly, making me feel as if I were gradually merging with her.

At first, it felt like I’d entered the character Tanashia—but now, it felt as if my very existence was becoming Tanashia.

It was as if she was me, and I was her.

Memory was truly remarkable. Because I received not only her experiences but also her emotions exactly as they were, she no longer felt like a stranger.

It was like peering into another layer of myself within me.

‘You’re really foolish.’

Though I spoke to the original Tanashia, the words were also meant for myself.

She envied Noxia’s beautiful appearance and water-manipulating ability, yet placed zero value on her own talents.

Because she believed only what Noxia possessed was supreme, she obsessed over magical aptitude and easily dismissed her own genius.

But seeing my current situation, it was clear how mistaken the original Tanashia had been.

I was recognized as a prodigy in magical engineering, participated in academic conferences, and no longer compared myself to Noxia or walked through hell because of it.

‘You need to learn to cherish what you already have.’

It was a realization I’d only grasped after dying and waking up again—but life was given only once.

Time was too short even just to live for myself.

I didn’t need to remain trapped by others’ gazes and prejudices. I needed to listen to my own voice and strive to live as I wished.

‘I can’t forgive all the misdeeds you’ve committed, but from now on, let’s try hard to avoid the tragic ending described in the novel.’

As I scanned the original Tanashia’s written research notes on Ascan, I thought:

‘Let’s join forces and create a new ending.’

It felt strange, as if I were speaking to myself—but it was true that Tanashia now felt like part of me.

At that moment,

One particular passage in the notebook caught my eye.

Beneath it was written an ancient script.

I quickly unfolded the paper where I’d copied the same characters from Ascan’s back. The script matched exactly what was written in the notebook.

Interpreting the ancient script, its meaning was:

It felt as if something struck my head.

Magic stones, by definition, were naturally occurring stones imbued with mana.

My hypothesis was this: If we could artificially bestow mana onto ordinary stones—just as human weapons were artificially created—what would happen?

Ascan’s back bore countless ancient scripts and geometric magical patterns. I couldn’t possibly incorporate them all—but the ancient script left by the original Tanashia offered a vital clue.

‘Should I try engraving this ancient script onto a stone?’

I had no idea yet what phenomena might occur or how different it would be from ordinary magic stones.

But my heart raced with the thrill of potential discovery. Every time this happened, I was newly reminded I’d become a genius.

‘First, I need a stone.’

It had to be neither too small nor too large—just the right size.

For accurate future experiments, I’d eventually need to mount it onto magical engineering weapons—if the stone was too large, it wouldn’t fit into small devices like the K01.

Therefore, I needed to find a stone roughly the same size as a standard magic stone.

I hurriedly scanned the laboratory—but of course, ordinary stones rolling around in the forest wouldn’t be lying inside a lab.

I glanced absentmindedly at the clock—it was already late evening.

At this hour, Jerin and Ascan would likely be resting. It felt a bit awkward to summon them and abruptly order them to go find me a stone.

Moreover, since I needed a stone of very specific dimensions, even if someone else brought one, it probably wouldn’t satisfy me.

‘Looks like I’ll have to search for it myself.’

Fortunately, the laboratory was located in a remote, sparsely populated area.

Just a short walk away lay a densely forested hillside—finding a small stone shouldn’t be difficult.

Resolved, I hurried outside the laboratory. I couldn’t help but quicken my steps—I wanted to conduct the experiment as soon as possible.

But contrary to my expectations, finding a stone of suitable size proved difficult.

First, it was nighttime—the sun had already set.

The area was sparsely populated, and the farther I walked from the laboratory, the darker it became.

‘Ah, this one’s no good either.’

I examined the stone I’d barely found, disliked it, and tossed it aside.

‘I never thought finding a single stone would be this hard. I should’ve prepared some in advance.’

As I bent over, scouring the ground for fallen stones, I realized the laboratory’s lights had grown faint—I’d wandered quite far.

But since I’d come this far, I couldn’t return empty-handed.

‘Where is it…’

I was wandering through the woods, relying on the dim moonlight, when—

Far ahead, I spotted a cluster of stones exactly the size I wanted.

‘Found it!’

Overjoyed, I rushed forward and grabbed one stone in my hand.

At that moment—

Splash. My leg plunged into water.

‘Huh?’

Only then did I look around and realize I was standing beside a stream.

It was too dark at midnight to notice—but of course, stones were especially abundant near flowing water.

I’d found the size of stone I wanted—but now, drenched by accident, I stood dumbfounded, staring at the water.

“Tanashia?”

A familiar voice made me turn my head.

In the dim stream lit only by moonlight, I saw a figure standing. When I looked closely, I froze in shock.

It was Dekain.

Judging by his presence in the stream, Dekain must have been bathing—his upper body was bare as he looked at me from the water.

“You—you…!”

I couldn’t finish asking what he was doing here.

The mask that usually covered Dekain’s face was nowhere to be seen.

I knew from the novel he was described as more beautiful than any woman—but seeing his actual beauty in person was dazzling.

‘W, wait a second—’

─The Igtheon Trading House requires masks to protect personal safety and conceal identities during international trade.

─So you can’t show your face to anyone?

─No, only until you become an adult capable of protecting yourself. And you can show it to the woman you love—since she’ll become family anyway.

I didn’t know how the future might change, but in the original story, only Noxia had seen Dekain’s face before he reached adulthood.

Yet now—I was looking at Dekain’s uncovered face.

‘Isn’t this not supposed to happen?’