IBSGAD 20

Episode 20:A Picnic, Would You Like to Come With Me?

The Iter mansion was as wide as you’d expect from a ducal estate. Even after wandering around for several days, there were still more unexplored areas than known ones. Of course, that might just be because I was *short*. And maybe because the mansion was full of suspicious magical fog, there were places you couldn’t enter depending on the season. For example, when the fog thickened, the entire forest wing became strictly off-limits. On the other hand, some areas were forbidden *365 days a year*.

“A sanctuary?”

“Mmm. A place one must not step into lightly.”

A sanctuary, huh. I looked toward where Azelta pointed.

“Oh…”

Come to think of it, my previous life had families with things like that too. Usually they hid their clan treasures or forbidden tomes there. Hmmm… my eyes sparkled. My curiosity… was boiling over…! A magician *must* follow their curiosity, right? The instincts I failed to discard from my past life were reacting strongly. A family’s sanctuary—obviously a place where entering without permission would not end well.

Which meant, of course…
I should sneak in.

“…”

I glanced up at Sir Rotia, who guarded me like an impenetrable fortress. He’d said he’d help me sneak out of the mansion, but a sanctuary? No way he’d help with that. So I’d need to plan how to go alone—when suddenly—

“Would you like to go?”

Azelta asked out of nowhere. I blinked.

“Huh?”

When I turned again, Rotia was examining the direction of the sanctuary. With those crimson eyes—his Mystic Sight—he’d be able to pierce the fog and see it clearly. And he was staring quite seriously.

He absolutely looked like someone *very prepared* to go.

“Are… are we allowed to go?”

I asked carefully. I mean, it was the sanctuary.

“Of course,” Azelta said lightly.

…Was the meaning of “sanctuary” different from my previous life? Was it some kind of holy place that anyone could enter? That didn’t make sense.

“Will His Grace allow it?”

I asked again. Azelta answered immediately:

“His Grace said: *‘Since the young lady bears the Iter name, there is nothing in this mansion she is forbidden from enjoying.’* That is the message I was to relay.”

My eyes widened a little.

“The sanctuary isn’t somewhere just anyone can go.”

“In this mansion, my lady is *not* ‘just anyone.’”

Azelta smiled. I blinked. The Duke of Iter had given such detailed instructions…?

“…”

I looked back toward where the duke would be. So thorough with his orders…
*‘Ain von Iter is Nasia von Iter’s father.’*
…Then what on earth was that stiff, awkward letter he sent me?

“What’s inside the sanctuary? Is it big?”

I shook off my embarrassing thoughts. Azelta shook her head.

“I’ve never been inside, so I cannot say.”

Well, it *was* a sanctuary. A maid—though she didn’t feel like a normal maid—would have no access. Then what about Sir Rotia? One look at him, still studying the sanctuary, gave me the answer. A knight who was basically the embodiment of rules? No way he’d gone inside—

“It’s larger than it appears. The buildings inside are connected through underground halls, but there’s no precise map.”

…Huh? Mystic Sight couldn’t see underground. Which meant Rotia actually *knew* this.

“Have you… been inside?” I asked suspiciously.

Rotia paused, then looked down at me.

“Once.”

He hesitated. No way—

“You snuck in?”

Did he have a rebellious phase?! But my fantasy was crushed in one second.

“I entered with the previous lord.”

The previous lord—that meant the current Duke. I looked toward the mansion again, surprised. Those two had gone in together? Why?

Ain had inherited the ducal title instead of his older brother, Cassian. Cassian hated that. Actually, he never liked Ain since childhood. But Ain had been recognized for his talent and chosen by the former duke…

“…”

Could it be there was something *inside that sanctuary*? Something that strengthened Ain’s control over the Mist Sea? Strange items from the mist… they were likely magical artifacts or something similar. And with treasures left by previous dukes? Rotia knowing the underground structure meant they spent quite a while inside.

“Wasn’t it dangerous?”

“There were rumors, but when I explored it with the lord, nothing appeared.”

Well, if something were inside, the sanctuary wouldn’t be so quiet.

All that remained was curiosity. My eyes gleamed.

“Then I want to go too!”

And I had the perfect guide: Sir Rotia. The only problem was that the place seemed too big to explore in one day.

“I’ll prepare thoroughly and go in a few days.”

When I put my hands on my hips, Azelta and Rotia exchanged glances.

“Prepare… meaning?” Azelta asked seriously.

I grabbed her hands.

A place full of mana fog! Strange relics from the Mist Sea! For a mage, that was the perfect—

“Picnic!”

“…Pardon?”

A picnic spot!
A perfect picnic spot for magical researchers! Azelta’s expression went blank.

“You wish to… picnic in the sanctuary…?”

Was that weird? I scratched my head. But I couldn’t contain my excitement. And I couldn’t exactly say *I’m going there to investigate*. So I nodded firmly.

“Yup! Let’s go have fun together!”

This whole region was full of magical materials—sand, seaweed, elixir grasses—just lying everywhere. I could grab some and bring them into the sanctuary, see what reactions they made with the artifacts…! Just thinking about it was thrilling.

“Let’s go! We need to prepare!”

I dragged the two along. Whether investigation or picnic, there was much to do. I wanted to see it as soon as possible! A place full of magical items!

—

*(And so begins the chaos within the household…)*

The servants, who could never have imagined a “lady” living in this mansion thanks to the unmarried duke, often called Nasia “young lady” simply out of affection. And since no other noble girl would ever appear in the Iter household, she had the servants’ full attention.
…Though she herself had no idea.

“This too! And this! I’m bringing all of these!”

The lady preparing for her *picnic* began collecting Mist Sea materials instead of clothes.

“What exactly is the lady gathering these days?”

“Didn’t she take her jewelry box somewhere?”

The maids watched carefully as Nasia scooped sand into a jewelry box. Not just sand—nameless weeds, stones, anything she spotted.

“You may place them in here, my lady.”

Azelta happily assisted her, though she understood as little as the other maids. Why was the lady bringing *these*?

“The young lady is gathering things from the sandfield?”

“Yes. His Grace instructed us to ensure there is no issue with anything she collects.”

The research division in the annex went into chaos. They now had to re-examine every piece of weed and sand to make sure nothing posed danger to the lady. The military office and infirmary were no different.

“My lady! Please, allow *us* to dig that!”

The military office panicked seeing the lady—of all people—digging up rare soil.

“She’s going on a picnic where?”

The infirmary panicked for a different reason. Even Delfiro, the chief physician, was baffled as the medical deputy relayed the report.

“The sanctuary, apparently.”

“The sanctuary?”

Delfiro’s mind blanked. Why a picnic… in a restricted zone?
Then again—it *was* Lady Nasia.

“Strange, isn’t it? Maybe the report was wrong?”

The deputy held out her hands. Delfiro stayed silent, hands covering his face.

“Doctor?”

“No…”

He finally looked up, hiding a laugh.

“I knew it. I knew the lady was fearless from the very first day.”

“…Sorry?”

He pointed at the deputy.

“You remember that pizza-shaped candy you brought instead of me?”

“Yes?”

“When I first saw the lady, she was holding it like a shield.”

It was a wildly inaccurate memory, but Delfiro could not be stopped. In his mind, the lady—*so much like His Grace*—had stood gallantly with a candy-shield.

“Of course her first picnic would be somewhere extraordinary. We just need to ensure safety.”

“S-sir?”

He pointed at the next room.

“The military office is surveying already, right? Tell them to clear every loose stone. The lady could trip on an uneven path.”

Working closely with the military was normal for the infirmary.
But clearing pebbles… for a picnic… was new.

“Will… will the knights agree to that?”

They were men who swore to raise swords for their lord. Felt wrong to make them clean… debris.

But Delfiro was confident.

“Sir Rotia is going. What choice do they have?”

“But they don’t really follow Sir Rot—”

The deputy stopped mid-sentence when Delfiro shot her a look.

“The priority is ensuring the lady doesn’t get hurt. Move.”

“Yes, sir…”

She left, puzzled.

“Why… is she collecting dirt…?”

Meanwhile, the person who came closest to guessing correctly was, unexpectedly, the Duke himself.

Ain, who had never known such a list existed, looked at: *[Top 100 Gifts Noble Young Ladies Prefer]*—a promotional sheet sent by the toy maker who made the hedgehog plush.

[1. Parties]
[2. Playhouse toys]

Surprisingly, number one wasn’t an object. A party, huh…
When he muttered to himself—

“Your Grace.”

A knight entered with permission and reported Nasia’s actions. Ain’s conclusion was simple:

“She is gathering the things she likes.”

Maybe she intended to play house. Ain had never done such a thing, so he couldn’t imagine how those materials were used.

He recalled Nasia in the shellhouse.

—*shrrr…*
Piles of dirt, grass, and shells she had gathered.

*‘Because… it’s pretty.’*

Ain unknowingly smiled.

“Let her take whatever she wants. Make sure she is safe.”

A picnic in the sanctuary, though…

When he had gone there with Rotia—hiding from Cassian—the place was full of strange items but no monsters. Just lifeless relics. Rotia would surely only take her through the safe paths. In fact, compared to the mist-filled mansion, the fogless underground sanctuary might be safer.

At that moment—

“Young lady is arriving, Your Grace.”

She’d been busy scooping sand, yet she was on her way again? Azelta carried her often, but even so, her stamina must have improved.

“Let her in.”

Ain tugged the bell-cord lightly. The door opened and the child stepped inside.
—*Thok.*
Unlike her first visit, her steps were firmer. His gaze briefly dropped to her sky-blue squirrel slippers.

“What is it?” he asked, tilting his head slightly. Ain never asked first before a report—so this was his version of kindness. But Nasia froze.

“I’m asking what you wish to say.”

Was the wording too difficult? He asked again. Nasia stepped back half a step and then asked quietly:

“Um… picnic…”

Her eyes flicked to the pile of documents beside him.

“Picnic?” Ain repeated.

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, then—

“Would you… like to come with me?”

*Thud.*

The pen in Ain’s hand slipped and fell onto the desk.