Chapter 127
Srrrk—
The sound of pages turning was heard. It was the sound of Roina sitting and flipping through a book. The place she visited after refusing the Great Archmage for the first time was the library of the Magic Tower.
Though its purpose was different from that of a real library and the people who visited were limited, making it acceptable to simply call it a study, due to the vast collection and large space, everyone, including Roina, naturally referred to it as a library.
In the spacious area densely packed with books, the scent of old, familiar paper and a trace of dust filled the air. Roina was sitting in the center of it all, reading a book.
After pushing Lutan away, the heart that had pounded anxiously had settled at some point, leaving behind only a chilly and sharp pain. It hurt, but this was right. Even if the beginning of their relationship had been unavoidable, everything that came after was a matter of choice. The relationship between her and Lutan was almost entirely based on the past, and that past was one Roina couldn’t remember. In that case, the relationship had to be rebuilt from the beginning.
Perhaps that past was the reason for the unidentifiable emotions that were swaying her, but from the very beginning until now, she had tried to decide her own life for herself. Even if it meant being stubborn, there was no helping it. Being led around without knowing anything didn’t suit her personality.
She considered herself to be a gentle person, but on the other hand, she also thought that because of this side of her, her personality wasn’t all that nice.
“Master, are you not going to talk to Lutan anymore?”
“…Mm, no, it’s not like that. I just decided to stop sleeping with him unnecessarily.”
When Fides, who had the appearance of a child, asked like that, Roina was momentarily flustered, unsure of how to answer. She hesitated for a moment but decided to speak truthfully. Even though he looked like that, Fides was neither ignorant nor an innocent child.
“Why? Master, you like Lutan.”
For a moment, she was at a loss for words. It was true that she liked Lutan. Maybe she was overthinking it. But Roina wasn’t the kind of person to overturn a decision once she’d made it, even if the deliberation had been long.
“That’s right. I like him. But this relationship wasn’t built up in a normal way. If Lutan and I were truly in a romantic relationship, then even without that kind of reason, we could be together simply because we wanted to. But I don’t think Lutan and I are in a romantic relationship yet.”
And I still haven’t found the room in myself to accept someone.
She didn’t bother saying the last part. The fact that she needed time to reflect on herself was something only she thought about. Looking back on it, it was a rather one-sided and arrogant decision. It must have come as a shock to Lutan as well. But he, too, had been one-sided and arrogant, so he should accept at least this much. No matter how much he had done it for her sake. That was what Roina thought as she lowered her gaze back to the book she’d been reading.
The history, society, geography, and cultural aspects of this world were slowly beginning to take root in her mind. She was relatively quick to learn.
“Humans become lovers when they like each other, don’t they? Then why are you and Lutan different, Master?”
“Even among humans, not everyone becomes lovers just because they like each other. And even if most people are like that, that doesn’t mean each individual human thinks the same way. If there are a hundred people, then there are a hundred different thoughts. That’s how humans are—each with their own thoughts.”
Fides didn’t seem to fully understand what she was saying, but he nodded and went back to what he had been doing. He was always diligent in sweeping, cleaning, and tending to the Magic Tower.
Roina rested her chin on her hand again and continued her train of thought.
The book she had been reading was about the New Year’s Celebration.
The New Year’s Celebration of the Kailum Empire. It was not simply a national event or a party. It was a solemn religious ceremony hosted by the Imperial Family, and at the same time, a social battlefield between the nations and nobles surrounding the Empire.
As magic was considered a gift from the gods to mankind, the Great Archmage was invited every time, but the times he actually attended could be counted on one hand. All the more so because there was no reason for him to be bound to human society.
This time, however, Roina, who was publicly known as the disciple of the Great Archmage, would be accompanying him to such an event.
Roina had been steadily studying the books of the Magic Tower and building up her knowledge of the world, and for what was still lacking, she learned through Maili and Yoseph.
It seemed such help would be unavoidable this time as well. She would have to consult the Great Archmage too, but for now, she planned to learn what she could on her own. She closed the book and stood up.
Briefly, she recalled the Great Archmage’s request to allow him to follow her, but she left the library without a word.
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