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As the sunset began to set, Shione prepared for the calm night.

She believed that snacks eaten during the day and those consumed at night were entirely different matters.

During the day, she would eat, shoot her bow, and jog around, but night was a time when she locked herself in her room and did not move at all.

If she were to eat like she did during the day at night, she’d find herself back to how things were a year ago.

Thus, she decided to forgo eating and entered a state of meditation under her blanket on the bed.

Normally, she would lounge around on her bed and occasionally peek at the bookshelf, but tonight she was unusually busy.

“Right, I have a dinner scheduled with the elves tonight.”

Of course, the reason was the guests from the Great Forest.

Why the elves had come to the Count’s House and their hidden intentions were unclear.

However, considering the noble families involved and the friendly relations established with the Great Forest, she could not afford to neglect them.

“This one should do.”

Shione was checking her outfit in front of the full-length mirror in her room, turning and shifting poses.

Instead of her usual loose sleeping attire, she was dressed appropriately in formal wear.

I nodded slightly from behind the mirror, observing her reflection.

“Now that she’s dressed up a bit, she finally looks like a noble young lady.”

Once, when she was a wild beast, her long hair was as unruly as wild animals. But now, that was all in the past.

Her glossy hair was gradually recovering its previous length, moving away from a shoulder-length cut.

The hair that was starting to cover her collarbone would soon reach her back.

Not only was her hair in excellent condition, but her skin was also unblemished by the sun and showed not a single scar at this age.

Unlike the common folks who labored under the blazing sun day after day, she exuded an air of having been raised with privilege.

Though to an outsider, she seemed to have lived a much easier life than the common folk, she too had her worries.

“Ugh…”

Shione’s expression as she surveyed her formal attire was slightly crumpled.

“Honestly, dining with my mother and sister is the most comfortable.”

“Still, don’t you think dinner tonight will be more delicious than usual? The chefs seemed even more motivated than when Sion was around.”

Even when I popped into the kitchen to make sandwiches or while bringing dishes back, the chefs were tirelessly working to ensure a successful meal.

Especially when chopping onions, it was chaos with tears and runny noses.

The frantic movements of her disciples struggling under the chef’s booming orders remained fresh in my memory.

“What good is that? Just thinking about who I’ll be eating with makes me anxious.”

However, despite the chefs pouring their passion into the food, Shione’s expression wouldn’t lighten.

“Sion will be sitting next to me… and across from me, I’ll be facing the elves who came as guests. It’ll be too burdensome to really enjoy the meal.”

“Ah…”

One brother known for his biting tongue right beside her.

And across from her would be Friel and her equally prickly elf companions.

It would certainly be difficult to focus completely on the meal with such pressure.

Seeing her expression, I subtly nodded in agreement as Shione sighed deeply and shook her head.

“Well, I’ll be leaving now. Ray is waiting here.”

“Are you sure he’s alright waiting in front of the dining hall?”

“I can’t say when it’ll end, so why trouble him? Moreover—”

In that moment, Shione’s blue eyes sharpened.

I flinched.

She abruptly fell silent, her lips pressing tight.

“Moreover?”

“Um… it’s nothing.”

In an instant, Shione brightened her expression, hurried over, hugged me once, and without hesitation, opened her door and left.

Just before the door closed, she peeked her face through the small gap and smiled brightly.

“Well then, I’ll be off!”

Bang!

Ray gazed at the firmly closed door where his master had just been, looking somewhat deflated.

Shione walked away quietly, her expression cold once more.

“Hmm.”

Shione quietly spoke to herself as she recalled words she had heard in the past.

Her sister’s warning that hesitating with a half-hearted resolve could place Ray in danger or taken away.

“Shione, get a grip.”

Currently, her greatest enemy was Friel Arielte. As a woman of that noble race, both her appearance and abilities were extraordinary.

One could never show any indecisiveness in front of an enemy.

With beauty, lineage, and ability, she held many treasures, but I had one invaluable treasure that she did not possess.

As the sunset dimmed and the pale white light filled the corridor, Shione walked down the hall, acting with uncharacteristic noble elegance.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

“Shione… you’re the best…”

With the rather cheesy words she used to boost her confidence, her expression carried the determination of a woman heading to face her rival.

*

I wasted some time in Shione’s room.

With nothing to do, I found myself peeking at her bookshelf, checking the titles of the novels she had been reading.

“Hmm.”

While I had cleaned around here before, I was never quite close to books, so this was my first proper inspection.

I noticed the novel that had been most frequently handled.

[Chronicles of Princess Prerancha]

It was a relatively normal title among those books reported to have strange seductive techniques.

Next, I read the title of the book right beside it.

[Reborn as a Young Lady of the Duke’s Family]

Finally, the concept of reincarnation made its appearance.

[The Knight Wrongfully Accused of Treason Becomes the Third Princess of a Debauched Empire]

With yet another suspiciously lengthy title.

[How to Live Like a Person, Volume 1 – Let’s Motivate Ourselves]

Out jumped a self-help book.

“…How to Live Like a Person? The existence of Volume 1 suggests…”

I skimmed down the side of the book.

[How to Live Like a Person, Volume 2 – A Happy Life Comes from Family]

[How to Live Like a Person, Volume 3 – For a Better Me]

“Ah…”

It seemed she must have read these quite dedicatedly, seeing the wear the other books did not show.

One could see her past efforts shining through.

I ignored the “How to Live Like a Person” series and captured the titles of other books in my sight.

[The Incident Where a Commoner Gave Food and Three Gold Coins to a Hungry Peasant During a Visit to the Territory, Who Later Swore Loyalty to Me as the Most Handsome Knight in the Continent After Seven Years.]

[I’ve Taken Over the Body of a Villainous Princess, but Unlike Her, I’m Striving to Live Kindly.]

[The Success Secrets of the Face Genius Young Lady! – Struggling for the Top Position at the Imperial Academy.]

“…”

Apparently, the continent’s absurdities were all gathered here.

That clumsy seductive technique probably originated from these books.

As I was overwhelmed by the lengthy titles in the sprawling universal tongue, I realized time had flown by.

Finally, I sensed a presence in front of the door.

Creak…

At last, Shione, the owner of these myriad novels, returned to her room.

She appeared utterly worn out, her eyes drooping and shoulders slumped.

“Ugh…”

The sound of her sigh, heavy with fatigue, was truly a masterpiece.

I redirected my focus from the books that had captured my attention and approached Shione.

She merely sat quietly, her energy drained as if she had eaten with all her senses but taste, far too exhausted.

“You look quite worn out… Did something happen?”

She nodded.

“Today, I felt like I poured all my nerves into maintaining decorum throughout the meal.”

Unexpectedly, Ainel, who had appeared just behind her, met my gaze and answered for her.

Ainel, looking as composed as usual, had her formal attire on but today, she carried a sword at her waist, unlike her usual self as a martial artist.

And that sword…

‘That sword…’

It radiated a familiar aura and was no ordinary piece.

As Ainel brought that peculiar sword while looking at Shione’s back, she slightly smiled.

“You looked the most noble you’ve ever been. That must have drained your energy.”

“Ainel?”

Even though Shione had managed to finish her meal, wasn’t it better to talk with Friel after it was done?

What on earth was Ainel doing here at such a time?

“May I ask why you’ve come here?”

At my question, Ainel wiped the smile off her face and fully stepped into the room.

Creak. Slam.

The moment the door closed, separating the corridor and the room, Ainel accounted for the matter.

“I have something important to discuss concerning the conversation between you, Ray, Shione, and Friel Arielte.”

The calm expression usually devoid of waves now wore a touch of irritation.

“It’s quite a serious matter, after all.”

*

Life is like archery.

An arrow propelled by the taut bowstring slices through the air towards its destination.

Along the way, it may deviate from turbulence or headwinds, potentially even being obstructed by obstacles and veering off course. Yet, pushing through and overcoming trials to strike the target—that’s the essence of it.

My arrow possesses the strength to pierce through the fiercest gusts, and I vowed to stand firm against whatever trials came my way in life. I had once thought so.

But this time, the trial that had come…

[Quest Created.]

“Rescue from the Great Forest”

“The High Elf of the Great Forest has foreseen the World Tree burning and the elves being slaughtered. The insane demons will seek to burn the World Tree of the Great Forest with the black flames of corruption as seen in her vision. Whether to stand by and accept that the World Tree, already significantly damaged, along with the weakened elves, falls into ruin, or to alter the flow of fate and confront this challenge is entirely up to your choice.”

“Reward: Transformation of History, Dependent on Contributions.”

“Failure: Extinction of the Elves, Weakening of Spirit Magic, Annihilation of the World Tree…”

‘What the hell, why is the World Tree suddenly set ablaze?’

It was a level of trial that called forth expletives I had never even thought to utter.

 

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