IJWQLBIV 18

Chapter 18 – Ah, Forget It

2022.01.01

Once Ascan’s condition improved, I threw myself into solving the homework Varnen had assigned me. The method to unlock—or rather, imprint—a Magitech weapon was simple: you had to drop the caster’s blood onto the magic stone so it recognized them as the owner. Of course, resetting it wasn’t impossible, but it required the original owner of the weapon or the person who had made it. I stared intently at the magic stone bracelet on my wrist, lost in thought.

“Was this originally owned by someone else, or am I the first to imprint it?”

If it were the first imprint, I could just drop my blood onto it right now. But if it had a previous owner, the moment a stranger’s blood touched it, it would likely self-destruct. My life wasn’t something to gamble with. Even if Varnen was eccentric, I doubted he would deliberately put my life at risk—but he certainly didn’t assign the homework to test my luck on a fifty-fifty chance.

“What exactly does Master expect from me?”

I had buried myself in books, studying Magitech closely. Ever since receiving this assignment, I’d been paying extra attention to the careful handling of magic stones when crafting weapons. I hadn’t yet made a weapon myself, but through self-study, I had gained a decent understanding of how Magitech weapons were built. The bracelet I wore looked intricately crafted, but inside, invisible to the eye, were complex magical formulas.

“The reason this bracelet is made from cheap silver is probably because it needs a cold property.”

If I was right, the yellow stone likely meant it was of the light element, and making the bracelet from silver—a naturally cooling material—would help maintain the energy longer. My conclusion was simple:

“This bracelet probably uses light magic.”

“Light” meant emitting bright beams. It could be useful in darkness where nothing could be seen, or as self-defense: a sudden burst of light to escape danger.

“I’m confident in my calculations, but I can’t be one hundred percent sure.”

Everything was just a hypothesis. I couldn’t be certain until I actually dropped blood onto it to see it in action. Somehow, I felt Varnen must have anticipated I’d figure this much out. If I reported the homework done using only guesses, he might be disappointed—but I wasn’t reckless enough to drop blood on a potentially self-destructing bracelet.

“No matter how I think about it, this must be exactly what Master wants.”

After pondering, I finally picked up a tool capable of disassembling the bracelet. It was tiny, like an ear pick, used for inscribing or dismantling Magitech weapons. If I avoided imprinting it with blood, there was only one remaining option: only the weapon’s creator could change its owner.

“He wants me to try changing the owner of this bracelet myself.”

Changing ownership without being the creator was extremely difficult. If my guess was correct and the bracelet really held light magic, it wasn’t overly dangerous, so its lock mechanism wouldn’t be severe—but reversing it would still be a task even experts avoided. Yet there was no other way to know the bracelet’s true abilities.

“Alright. Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean I can give up without trying.”

I carefully peeled away the bracelet’s surface and studied the magic formulas inside. Over time, the finished piece became a bare framework. With steady hands, I erased the imprinting mechanism and began inscribing new formulas one by one. At first, I was so tense sweat poured like rain—but soon, I started to enjoy the process.

Time flew as I concentrated, unaware of anything else, until a knock came at the door along with Ascan’s voice.

“Miss, are you not coming out today either?”

I realized I hadn’t left the room since confirming Ascan’s health and had been entirely absorbed in the bracelet. Unsure how much time had passed, I checked the clock. I had entered in the evening, and it was still evening—so at least a full day had gone by. Before I could answer, Ascan’s voice came again.

“All the meals I left outside the door are still untouched. The butler says if you don’t eat this time, he’ll have no choice but to report it to the young lady. What will you do?”

Naturally, my thoughts turned to my father, Orland. If he heard this, it could cause unnecessary trouble. I glanced down at the nearly completed Magitech bracelet. I wanted to finish it, but eating first seemed more important. Reluctantly, I paused my work and stood.

Creak—rather than answer, I opened the door. Ascan stood there. After staying inside so long with the curtains drawn, the outside light was blinding.

“Bring me inside for the meal.”

Ascan silently observed my disheveled state and replied in a slightly calmer tone than before.

“…Yes.”

As I agreed to eat, Jerin, who had been turned away all this time, rushed in and began noisily preparing the meal. I barely had time to appreciate the bountiful spread before Jerin’s nagging started.

“Miss, you’ll collapse if you keep going like this!”
“Yes.”
“Nothing’s wrong, right?”
“No.”
“You’ve stayed in your room so long, you could be in serious trouble.”

Today, the contrast between Ascan, who spoke only when necessary, and Jerin, who rambled with worry, was striking. I felt distracted and told Jerin:

“Jerin.”
“Yes, what do you need?”
“I want to eat. Go wait outside.”
“Ah, Miss!”
“You’re too distracting to eat.”
“Oh, sorry! I’ll wait outside. Call me if you need anything.”
“Good.”

Finally, quiet returned, and I began my meal. Across from me sat Ascan. Over time, we’d started eating together, so I always requested two portions from the chef. Thanks to that, even without specifying, two full meals were always prepared. I realized I had no idea how Ascan had been managing his meals before, but I wanted him to be well-fed.

“How have you been while I was in my room?” I asked.

Ascan’s golden eyes met mine. Today, strangely, I could barely read his emotions.

“The same as usual.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Meaning you’ve been well?”
“Yes.”

Ascan had always been taciturn, so these answers didn’t reassure me—but it wasn’t unusual. I still had some work left, and I might skip a few more meals. I asked out of concern:

“Should I prepare your meals separately?”

I knew he’d likely refuse, but to my surprise, he said:

“Thank you.”

His acceptance felt slightly odd, but I didn’t mind. At fifteen, he was still growing, and anyone would enjoy good food.

“Alright. I’ll tell the chef later, so make sure you eat well.”
“Yes, Miss.”

Nothing particularly unusual about Ascan’s behavior—but something felt off, though perhaps it was just my imagination. I focused on my meal. When he finished eating and left after bowing, I noticed nothing suspicious.

Late at night, I finally unlocked the Magitech bracelet and restored it to its original form. Excited, I grabbed it and left the mansion. Using its power carelessly might wake someone, so I wanted to test it alone in the dark garden.

“Who’s there? What are you doing here at this hour?”

A chilling voice cut through the night like a blade. I reflexively turned to the direction of the voice. At first, I was curious who it was. The person I saw appeared to be just twenty, tall and broad-shouldered, muscular yet agile, and exceptionally handsome. I felt like I recognized him.

‘That’s Zen.’

Zen was Orland’s bodyguard and a hidden expert of the Brellof mansion. Though unknown to the public, he was among the top three swordsmen in the Arwen Empire. He was also a supporting character in Beloved Saintess. Just as I was about to answer him, I realized he wasn’t looking at me.

‘Huh? Was that not directed at me?’

Curious, I followed his gaze and saw a silhouette in the darkness. A boy, not yet fully grown—Ascan. Though his face was obscured by shadows, I could recognize him by his figure. I didn’t understand why Ascan was there at such a late hour, but judging by the load he carried, he wasn’t out for a stroll. To Zen, this scene must have looked extremely suspicious. And Ascan certainly couldn’t defeat Zen—if they fought, the mansion would be destroyed.

‘What is happening here!’

My mind went blank, but I knew things could escalate badly if left unchecked.

“Answer me, or you die.”

Zen drew the sword at his waist. Ascan’s eyes hardened in response. The situation was tense. My mind raced. I could intervene, but if Ascan had a plan to escape, I would share the blame. I wasn’t sure acting was right either. Reflexively, I looked at the bracelet in my hand.

‘Ah, forget it!’

I pricked my finger with a needle and drew blood. Dropping it onto the magic stone, I raised the bracelet overhead and silently shouted:

“Activate!”

A blinding light shot from the bracelet. As I had calculated, its hidden ability was indeed light magic. But there was no time to rejoice. I dashed to Ascan, grabbed his hand, and whispered softly. He seemed blinded by the sudden light, but understood from my voice.

“Follow me.”

I held his hand and ran back toward the mansion.

“Sir!”

Despite the late hour, Matella didn’t intend to go home. Varnen glared at her, clearly annoyed.

“How long are you going to keep repeating yourself?”
“Really, you gave her such homework without explanation?”
“Yes. You wanted her as a disciple, didn’t you? That’s enough. How I teach her is my choice.”
“It’s a Magitech weapon! What if it self-destructs…?”
“Hah, you worry too much. Does she look that clumsy to you?”

Matella had no reply. A clever girl like Tanasia wouldn’t recklessly smear blood on a magic stone. Still, Matella tried again.

“But…!”
“Enough. At the very least, a disciple should guess the bracelet was made from a light-element magic stone.”
“You’re testing that?”
“To determine the type from the color, you need to know all magic elements. It’s not easy. Distinguishing dozens or hundreds of stones instantly is a world apart.”
“You could have just told us…”
“Of course, that’s not all I want. Proper homework requires knowing the bracelet’s power is light magic.”
“Isn’t that too much for a beginner?”
“Hmph.”

Varnen spun away, unwilling to hear any more complaints. Matella pressed on:

“To find out its true power, the only options are imprinting or disassembling it. What if she tries that?”
“That kind of behavior? You mean taking it apart to imprint it anew?”
“Yes.”
“Hahaha, no way. Her courage would be impressive, but success? Impossible.”

If Tanasia were as skilled as Varnen guessed, she might attempt it—but succeeding would be like expecting a baby to suddenly run. In fact, even more unlikely.

“Do you know how long it took me to disassemble another person’s weapon successfully? Ten years.”
“I mean, if she’s in danger…”
“Don’t worry. Even if she mishandles the lock, it won’t self-destruct. Light magic doesn’t require overly complex formulas.”
“Oh, then there’s still a chance she could succeed!”
Varnen couldn’t hide a snicker.
“If she does succeed, then I’ll accept you as my master.”

No matter how I thought about it, it was shocking. If Tanasia successfully disassembled the bracelet, she would be a once-in-a-lifetime genius in Magitech. Varnen shook his head, chuckling at the absurdity.

“Matella, stop this nonsense and just go home.”