“The cornerstone of this proposal is to create a sustainable economic cycle while making magic more accessible, allowing its convenience to become available to everyone. Magic should never be the exclusive privilege of a single class, especially practical magic used in everyday life. For example, imagine how much would change if people who still rely on flint to start fires were instead given devices containing a simple Fireball spell. Granted, there might be more accidental fires, but the benefits that convenience brings would more than outweigh those drawbacks.”

The audience chamber remained utterly silent. The nobles simply stared at me.

Some looked surprised while others looked downright stunned.

“I’ll now take questions.”

I was flustered because no one raised their hand. This shouldn’t be happening.

How I plan to distribute the magic devices, how I’ll lower the price, whether there are plans to reduce the negative effects…

Come on, you old men… aren’t you curious about any of that?

‘Could it be that they’re too scared to ask me?’

I smiled as gently as possible and asked again.

“It’s alright, so please feel free to ask if you have any questions.”

“…….”

Strange.

If anything, the atmosphere seemed to grow even more frozen.

No, this won’t tell me how much they actually understood.

Should I call on someone directly? I considered it for a moment, then decided against it.

Ever since meeting Ruspell and Owen, I’d been feeling worse and worse.

My body tingled, and even breathing had become a little difficult.

It looked like I needed to get back to the manor as soon as possible.

I only hoped it wasn’t because they understood absolutely nothing and thus couldn’t ask any questions.

“Then I’ll take questions individually afterward. That concludes my presentation.”

Clap! clap! clap!

Every noble in the room rose to their feet in a standing ovation.

I could only stare blankly, completely dumbfounded.

“A magnificent presentation, Your Grace!”

“Your Grace, however did you come up with such an idea? It’s truly inspiring!”

“My family’s mines will supply the metals needed for the devices!”

“Then my merchant guild will handle the distribution!”

Why were all the people who’d kept their mouths shut the entire time suddenly acting like this?

‘I’m glad it seems they didn’t fail to understand, but…’

Most of the nobles gathered here supported Leonhart, so they weren’t on good terms with me.

Yet here they were, showering me with praise.

It didn’t make me happy.

It didn’t even surprise me.

It only made me uneasy.

I stole a glance at Leonhart.

Sure enough, he was staring at me with blazing eyes.

He didn’t even respond to Ruspell and Owen, who were whispering something to him from the side.

‘It’s not like I’m trying to steal your people, you know? Could you please stop getting the wrong idea?’

…He’s glaring even harder. Let’s just go home.

I neatly gathered the proposal documents I’d spread out during the presentation.

“Your Grace, I’d like a word with you.”

“Yes?”

The moment I looked up at the sound of Leonhart’s voice, the room spun.

“Uh…”

My body swayed on its own.

I reached out to steady myself against the podium, but my hand grasped nothing but empty air.

As I stumbled forward, Leonhart hurriedly caught me.

“Your Grace!”

“Ah…”

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, I’m just… a little dizzy.”

“Where is a chair…”

Leonhart effortlessly lifted a heavy single-seat sofa with one hand and set it down behind me.

“Please, have a seat.”

‘Hmph, as if I’ll be grateful just because of this…’

The resentment I held toward Leonhart seemed to subside just a tiny bit. JJust as I was about to sit down with feigned indifference-

[Level 2: (Jerking your arm free) I think it would be wiser to wrap things up quickly and head home.]

As expected, that hack author refused to allow even the slightest warmth between us.

I left my arm where it was and simply followed the command. After all, the same words could sound completely different depending on how you said them.

“I think it would be wiser to wrap things up quickly and head home..”

“Please, have a seat.”

Leonhart pointed to the sofa again with his eyes.

[Level 2: (In an irritated tone) Your Highness, do you wish to argue with me in front of all these people?]

“Your Highness, aren’t there too many eyes watching for us to argue?”

Indeed, the nobles were watching us.

They all looked visibly intrigued. Though they quickly turned their heads the moment Leonhart looked back.

“Wait here.”

Leonhart walked over to Ruspell and Owen, exchanged a few brief words with them, then returned.

“I’ll take you somewhere you can rest.”

“I’ll pass. If you could just call a carriage so I can return…”

“In your condition, do you think you can even get into a carriage?”

“…….”

Honestly, I wasn’t confident I could make it back on my own.

‘I shouldn’t have sent Luna back.’

I wasn’t sure how to explain it, but this felt different from simply being sick.

It was like my blood was suddenly racing through my body…

Or as if my life force were draining away.

My heart was pounding so violently that I could barely think straight.

“If I send you back like this and you collapse, rumors will spread that I did something to you. Just do as I say.”

“…Then I’ll trouble you, Your Highness.”

Supporting myself against the wall, I slowly felt my way forward.

Seeing this, Leonhart frowned and suddenly grabbed my forearm, pulling me along.

“Let’s go.”

“Y-Your Highness?”

His strides were far too long.

Meanwhile, I was wearing a form-fitting dress and high heels.

From the outside, it looked exactly like I was being dragged away by Leonhart, a perfect situation for misunderstanding.

Sure enough, the nobles buzzed with expressions that suggested something big was happening.

They seemed to misunderstand that we were going outside to have a showdown.

‘Hey, you jerk! Who grabs a woman like this? Have you seriously never escorted a lady before? At least call for a maid!’

Fortunately, the place Leonhart led me to was not far from the audience chamber.

‘Is this a guest bedroom?’

I could see the interior through the gap in the open door.

The bedroom was elegant yet tastefully understated.

It looked like the perfect place to rest.

“It hurts, Your Highness.”

“What did you say?”

“My arm. You’re gripping it too tightly.”

“Ah…”

Only then did Leonhart let go of my arm.

I quickly glanced down at the spot, which had already turned red.

‘Hmm, it’ll be bruised tomorrow.’

Without letting it show, I looked back at Leonhart.

He was looking down at his own hand with a bewildered expression.

‘What’s with him? Did he not even realize he was grabbing my arm that hard?’

“Thank you, Your Highness. Since you’ve already gone to the trouble of helping me, could you call a maid for me?”

“……Go inside and wait.”

Leonhart hurried away, and I staggered into the bedroom.

Moonlight from the full moon streamed in through the half-open terrace doors.

It was a romantic atmosphere, but I was in no position to enjoy it.

“Ugh…”

As soon as I collapsed onto the bed, the spirits revealed themselves.

• Rianne! What’s wrong with you? Are you sick again?
• To have such a weak body… this is truly a disaster.
• Seriously, why does she always end up sick every damn time…? You useless water spirit, this won’t do. I don’t care if you have to swipe it or steal it…go get that Dragon Heart already.

Gnome stepped down onto the bed and looked up at me with eyes full of worry.

I wanted to reassure him, but I couldn’t manage a smile.

“……Haa, haa, lower your voices… they’ll hear you outside… ugh!”

Clutching my chest, I collapsed forward.

My heart was pounding as though it were about to burst.

The spirits rushed to my side.

• Gasp! Wake up, Rianne!
• Miss Rianne! Are you alright?
• W-what should we do? Shouldn’t we call a human?

Summoning every last bit of strength, I forced my head up.

“……D-Don’t… call… anyone…”

The spirits, who had been in a panic, froze instantly.

• Oh my! What’s wrong with her face!
• Huh? This is…
• Ack, fuck! What is this!!

The spirits were shouting in horror, but I could barely make out what they were saying.

I hadn’t completely lost consciousness.

My body simply refused to move.

My mind was hazy and lightheaded, as though I were suspended between a dream and reality just before waking.

After lying there for a while, I slowly pushed myself upright. Bracing myself with one hand on the floor, I vigorously shook my head.

Only then did my thoughts begin to clear. My heartbeat had finally settled as well.

‘What’s wrong with my body…? Huh?’

It was as though someone had switched on a light before my eyes.

Everything was astonishingly clear.

I could even make out the weave of the bedsheets in perfect detail.

‘What…?’

It wasn’t as if my eyesight had suddenly improved. Unable to believe it, I tried to rub my eyes.

‘What’s going on?’

My arms wouldn’t move.

My whole body felt unfamiliar.

Light enough that I felt as though I could float into the sky…

Yet too heavy to take even a single step.

It made no sense, but that was the only way I could describe it.

There was definitely something wrong with my body.

A sudden wave of unease washed over me, and I looked toward the spirits.

For some reason, they had climbed down onto the bed and were standing in a circle around me.

They simply stared at me in stunned silence.

‘Why are they looking at me like that?’

The moment the thought crossed my mind, I realized something impossible.

‘Why… are we at eye level?’

The spirits were no bigger than the palm of my hand.There was no way we’d be looking each other straight in the eye while they stood on the bed.

And yet… we were. Unable to bear it any longer, I opened my mouth.

‘Guys, what’s going on?’

“Caw, caw, kwee-ak?”

‘Huh?’

“Caw! Caw-caw!”

‘W-what!’

What came out of my mouth wasn’t speech. It was the bizarre cry of a bird.

I stared blankly at the spirits before slowly turning my head.

The instant I looked into the vanity mirror across the room, my breath caught.

‘A-a crow?’

What the spirits were surrounding wasn’t me, but a crow.

It was about 50cm in size. Its eyes were a clear crimson, like transparent amethysts set into its face.

Its jet-black feathers glowed with a violet sheen whenever the light caught them.

At a glance, it was obvious this wasn’t an ordinary crow.

It even carried itself with an elegant, noble grace.

I might’ve admired it…

If it weren’t for one tiny problem.

‘Don’t tell me… I turned into a crow. That’s what’s happened, isn’t it?’

The spirits and I froze together.

“Surprised” didn’t even begin to cover it. I couldn’t make sense of what was happening at all.

The next moment.

Knock, knock.

“Your Grace, may I come in?”

Leonhart?!

< To be continued in Volume 2 >

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