Chapter 16
The Lycoris Connection
The novel’s cover had featured a white lycoris flower edged in red, used as its main motif.
And there was also the golden lycoris, a flower said to possess the power to cure magic overload.
In the novel Grand Avelle, lycoris flowers appeared everywhere as a recurring symbol.
That’s why it seemed highly likely that the drug Miranda was using had been made from lycoris.
“Lycoris… I’ve never heard of that flower before,” my brother said.
“It’s the flower from the bookmark Lady Elle gave me today.”
“Ah, that one.”
Of course, I knew about it because of my memories from my past life—but if I told my brother that, he’d probably go off on another passionate “praise-my-brother” rant, and honestly, that scared me.
So instead, I claimed that the idea had come from the bookmark I received today.
“Lycoris only grows in the royal palace gardens,” I explained. “I’d mentioned to Lady Elle once that I wanted to see it, so I think she made it into a bookmark for me.”
“Then how did you figure out that Miranda’s perfume was made from lycoris?”
“Because she mentioned it was a rare flower with white petals and red edges…”
That conversation had never actually happened, but I needed an excuse that made sense.
“It does match the flower on your bookmark,” my brother admitted.
There might be other flowers with red-edged white petals, but since even my knowledgeable brother didn’t recognize it, that narrowed the possibilities.
Apparently, not even he knew about lycoris—since it only bloomed within the palace grounds.
“Where exactly does that flower grow?”
“Lady Elle said it’s in the Queen’s private garden.”
“I see. Then that explains how Miranda got her hands on lycoris perfume. But how did she learn about its effects?”
That was a good question.
There’s no way the Queen would be producing something as suspicious as that drug. If she were, they wouldn’t be growing the flower openly in the palace gardens.
“Maybe lycoris also grows on Miranda’s estate,” I suggested.
Miranda’s lands were far from the royal capital. If it only bloomed there, that would explain why she knew so much about its properties.
In fan discussions from my previous life, people had theorized that the golden lycoris was created when the holy sword’s magic interacted with ordinary lycoris.
If that were true, then somewhere on Miranda’s estate, there might be a cave containing the Holy Sword.
I tried to recall the cave’s surroundings.
In the novel, there had been a large cliff north of Abel’s village—and when the hero stood atop it, he was transported directly into the cave.
(Hey, Holy Sword… hypothetically speaking, if someone stood above your cave, could you teleport them to your location?)
“Hmm. That much would be simple,” the sword’s voice answered within me.
(Then… I might be able to reach you!)
“Oh! That is splendid news. When? When will you come?”
(I’m not sure yet, but… soon, I think.)
Just imagining it filled me with excitement. I might finally be able to find the Holy Sword’s resting place.
If I could narrow it down to “a cliff somewhere on Miranda’s lands,” then finding the cave would be possible. I could even walk along the cliffs until I stumbled upon it—better than searching blindly.
Once I formed a contract with the Holy Sword, my magic overload would stop spiraling out of control.
That would erase the first step of my death flag—the event that would turn my brother into the final boss.
It wasn’t time to celebrate yet… but I couldn’t help feeling happy.
Every time I had an attack, I’d feared that I might never wake up again… that my brother might lose his smile forever.
Because of the memories from my past life, I’d gotten too excited around my “favorite”—my brother—and ended up having more near-death incidents than in the original story.
What if I died earlier than in the novel?
I wouldn’t be able to save my brother, nor preserve the story’s future. Worse, because of my interference, he might not even become the final boss—or defeat the Demon King at all. That fear had haunted me.
But if I could find that cave, I could finally breathe easy.
And with the golden lycoris, we could create a special medicine to cure magic overload.
If I placed the Holy Sword in the center of our family’s greenhouse, we might even be able to cultivate the golden lycoris ourselves.
In the novel, even the hero Abel completely recovered from his magic overload after drinking a potion made from it—so once I bonded with the Holy Sword, my life would no longer be in danger.
The only remaining problem… was how to get to Miranda’s estate.
I needed a good excuse—something that would convince both my father and my brother.
