Chapter 19

I've never felt like this in my entire life.

The dizziness hit me very hard and the feeling of tiredness invaded my entire being, causing my limbs to feel very weak even though I barely made any physical effort.

It was surprising how mana depletion affected you like this, not that I appreciated the feeling, but I guess it was good to know from experience that I should avoid depleting the mana contained in my magic circuits like this as much as possible next time...

This sensation is extremely unpleasant, and falling to the ground like a puppet whose strings have been cut is quite painful. I'm also not interested in feeling my magic circuits "twist" again from overwork and loss of energy...

"Ekaterina-sama!"

Jessica quickly appeared beside me with a speed impossible for a normal human – obviously using an Arcane Art to strengthen herself – and lifted me into her arms with a look full of concern.

"Are you okay? Does anything hurt?"

—Yeah? I mean, I'm fine, nothing hurts.

I responded with a weak smile, which somehow worried him even more. He asked me why...?

"Ekaterina-sama, what were you thinking?" Arthur arrived at our side a few seconds later, looking at her with annoyance and concern. "Why did you so recklessly use almost all of your mana to cast this spell? Shouldn't you have been content with the normal method?"

“I just wanted to see if it would work... and it did!” I said, looking into his eyes while cheerfully clenching my fists to look adorable, or at least that’s what I wanted to believe, even though I obviously sounded a little weak as I spoke. My eyes felt a little heavy... I think I was sleepy.

Was she that tired?

"Seriously... although no one has ever thought of something like that, but I really don't feel like I can praise her for this..." Arthur shook his head with a helpless smile at the reckless actions of his cute student (me) as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "I guess she'll need to rest after all that... Okay, since she already managed to cast a third-class spell and is obviously exhausted, let's finish magic practice for today, and next time, we'll practice her internal mana control... Also, don't do something reckless like that again, okay?"

"Y-yes!" I exclaimed, startled at being scolded like that, while Jessica carried me like a princess, ready to take me to my room without another word.

I suppose they won't congratulate me on my success... Although they probably think that would only encourage my reckless behavior, so it can't be helped.—See you later!

I greeted Arturo as I was led away with a cute smile and he gave me a weak, wry smile in return.

<System Notice: You have successfully completed the secondary objective [Becoming a Third-Class Mage], allowing you to continue progressing in the chain quest [Heart of Magic 2]. Rewards: Treasure Map (Senoria), Magic Gauntlet, Advanced Mana Potion. Rewards will be stored in the system inventory for later retrieval.>

<Arthur the Great von Jairus's affection has increased by 2 points. Current affection level: 34/100 (Mutual Friends)>

<You have performed a new type of spellcasting by activating a magic formula with your internal mana. Although the process is quite simple when you hear it and doesn't seem particularly important, it's things like this that prove you must think outside the box to change the world. The system congratulates you on your small but significant achievement in the world of magic.>

<You have obtained the [Magical Explorer] achievement. The following effects (Accelerated Growth in Magical Knowledge Acquisition) are applied immediately upon the achievement action>

<Your constant contributions to the development of combat magic will help increase Arthur's influence and, in turn, strengthen the Hazar Empire. Keep working hard, player, for your achievements will be your strength.>

I smiled at the multiple notifications, the lovely system rewards, and the slight but still significant growth in Arthur's affection for me. At this rate, I'll definitely have a powerful ally for the future!

Plus, I got an achievement, which means I've done something really important. And it's an achievement with a really cool effect!

Wasn't magical explorer an achievement earned by conducting an experiment that changed the paradigms of the world? While Arthur didn't seem too impressed by my seemingly small accomplishment, knowing him, he must have controlled his surprise to avoid encouraging inappropriate behavior like that... hehe, even though I know the truth!

Since we can accumulate an enormous density of mana within our magic circuits with training, this casting method that uses external mana as a catalyst and external mana as fuel could very well improve the efficiency of all magic.

This is no small thing!

Being an honest man, if it weren't for the fact that I did something he didn't approve of, Arthur would have congratulated me... No, he would have looked at me with sincere praise in those beautiful sapphire eyes, exclaiming that I was a true genius for thinking so outside the box and feeling proud because his student did something extraordinary in the middle of a magic practice table.

Fufufu, that would have been very gratifying~

Hahaha, no, I sound like my mom. Not that I'm wrong, but I don't want to sound like a carbon copy of her, not even in my personality. I love my mom, you know, but I'm also my own person, you know?

Well…although for now I'm lacking in the chest area compared to her or even my sister with her two ripe apples, but I'm still young and I…. No, that's not the problem….I mean….

Anyway!

I want to tell you that since I completed the first part of [Heart of Magic] a few months ago, I have received at least five side quest objectives so far that gave me wonderful rewards like this, which would be very useful for the future.

From training my ability to manipulate external mana more effectively, practicing to successfully form a mana field around my area of ​​perception perfectly, forming runes with a clear image in my head using the movement of my hands as a guide, and finally learning how to cast my first beginner spell….

I've worked very hard on my path as a mage, and of course, for the sake of the quest and its rewards!

Ah…yes, and for the sake of improving my relationship with Arthur; although I had the goal of becoming a cute little sister whom I would sincerely help as if I were her family, trying to win a boy's affection, whether romantic or not, is… Too embarrassing!

If it were my past self, I would have felt disgust, but because of the evil system, the feelings I felt were just shame. Talk about manipulating people.

<All he did was prevent you from swearing, arrange for you to not develop romantic feelings for women just in case, and alter your outward behavior a bit to prevent you from standing out by saying anything strange.>

Oh, shut up!

<…>

By the way, you're probably wondering when I received the second part of my first chain quest in this world, right?

Since you're curious, I'll tell you... It was as soon as Arthur's life was no longer in danger of being mercilessly extinguished that fateful day in the garden! My father reverted to Boss Mode in seconds at that moment and it was very dangerous!

Who would have thought Arthur's appearance would captivate my older sister so much that poor Ikemen would almost experience the Afterlife? How crazy! Although I can't deny he's quite attractive. But mind you, I'm not gay, okay?

And yes, as I just said, it was after the mess my dad made was resolved that the system finally sent me the next quest in the chain to look at.

You see, it seems the system had already factored into its calculations that my father would be a threat to Arthur's life, you see? And, as such, it couldn't send me on the next mission in the chain without me somehow managing to stop my father from killing him... Which I did with great difficulty!

It was a headache, but it was also gratifying to be able to continue the mission. I was already feeling anxious because he hadn't shown up.

Although a warning would have been great!

Anyway, as I was led to my room by a worried Jessica, I want to make special mention of the rewards for each of those secondary objectives I received after the second part of the chain quest aired, from the most basic to the most useful and one that even changed my life forever.

First, we have the reward obtained by successfully achieving fluid manipulation of mana, as if it were a limb… [Inventory Function]. The typical function of the game system that was missing at the beginning after being taken to the other world.

An extremely useful function, along with the [Identification Function] and the [Evaluation Function], two functions that provide a significant advantage when it comes to acquiring information. And do you know what common sense is in the High Society of this world?

Information is power!

Cough, I got sidetracked… Anyway, the inventory feature is really cool. Just like in the game, I can store a surprising amount of stuff in the system subspace, with a 2-kilo limit calculated by the total weight of the stored items, allowing me to carry a good amount of food if I need it for something. Not only that, I can also use it to put on clothes, just like I did in the game when I played as the heroine.

We can imagine the number of situations in which this would be very useful! Although most are quite problematic or unfortunate...

As for the reward for completing the second objective, it was a fairly simple necklace that speeds up mana recovery, which was replenishing my energy at the moment without anyone else noticing.

Quite useful.

By the way, it's a system item and appears to be invisible to both me and the natives of this world, even if I equip it from my inventory. It doesn't have a real name because of this, and since it doesn't technically exist, I can't study it to try to replicate its effects in the future.

It's a real shame... although that won't stop me from trying to develop something similar... once I get the skill at least (it's not procrastination!). On the downside, at least system items don't have any weight, so I can have as many system items as I want without any problem. I just have to earn them.

As for the rewards for objectives three, four, and five, most of them were equally useful system accessories for a mage like me, which would help me learn more magic quickly. I can only imagine the rewards I'll receive upon completing the next sub-objective... or even after completing the chain quest!

Oh. And the other reward that has nothing to do with accessories or anything like that? Hint: it has nothing to do with magic, so much so that it took me by surprise.

Huh? Are you too lazy to guess? Okay, okay... I'll say it, but don't be surprised... I'm physically developed for my age!

I've grown about 14 cm! I'm now about 160 cm tall! And in just two months! Although according to the system, this wonderful reward will never happen again, but I digress.

Hey, and before I forget... My breasts have grown thanks to the power of the system! They're now a little bigger than a lemon! I'm not flat-chested anymore!

Even though I shouldn't have, I'm very happy about it! It's the system's fault!

<¡No!>

Yes it is!

<Is this how you treat the system that gives you more useful gifts than dukes on your birthday?>

Since when are rewards birthday presents? Every time I complete one of my mission objectives, I get a birthday present! And besides, my parents gave me nice things, don't insult them!

<Are you referring to the giant stuffed bunny with horns and the other bunny accessories that, by the way, you yourself demanded as the only gifts you wanted from them?>

It's the thought that counts!

<…> (System: What a strange creature…)

You can't say anything, can you?

I was satisfied with the silence of the stupid system.

By the way, if you're wondering, I had a birthday party a few months ago, and it was my first experience with a high-class party. If you can call it that...

My birthday party was… well, grand, to the point where I felt dizzy from all the important guests who had arrived at the Grand Palace in an obvious attempt to use my special day to make connections with my father and other nobles, among other similar aristocratic plans.

–Of course, none of these people expected to see an elegant party, which, however, featured rabbits with horns and a room with pink carpets that my father had shamelessly arranged. Everyone was so taken aback by this that my sister and I couldn't help but laugh in their faces.

No, it's not like they put up absolutely childish decorations like the ones you see at normal parties on Earth or anything like that...

It's just that... yeah, I can't deny that much of what was seen at the party never appeared in the entire history of high-class parties in the Hazar Empire... or in this world, for that matter.

Was there a horned rabbit statue made of ice that I loved? Of course there was.

Foods whose main ingredient is carrots? It's obvious and the most common in the field.

Maids with bunny ears and horns?... I don't know who came up with that... seriously.

Two beautiful thrones, one for me, the birthday girl and star of the party, and the other for Drupi to sleep like a king at my request. It couldn't be more obvious!

At these things, the noble guests felt quite absurd inside, trying to hide their disbelief and possibly their disdain behind polite smiles in accordance with imperial etiquette.

But still...none of them were important compared to two unexpected guests who arrived that day...

You see, at my birthday party... Not only did another capture target appear, but a hidden boss appeared as well!

I was surprised when the future master blacksmith and the evil crown prince came to celebrate my birthday!

That last one in particular… scared the hell out of me!

Seriously, seriously!

What were you doing there, prince of evil?

To make matters worse, my careless actions ended up attracting quite a bit of attention from the madman, and it took me a while to dispel the inner fear that he was coming for me. It was horrible... and made it difficult for me to approach and make a good impression on that capture target!

Hmm? Are you confused?

Do you want to know what I'm talking about right now?

Are you curious about the purpose of the capture? Or are you interested in knowing why I speak as if the mere presence of that crown prince could cause me trauma…?

<Now that I think about it, have you gone crazy yet? Who are you talking to? I'm sure it's not this system…>

Well… you see, in order for you to fully understand what happened during the celebration, what happened to that capture target, and why I was afraid of the empire’s official crown prince, I would have to go back in time and tell things step by step while ignoring the insult and the system’s inquisitive question… (Vaguely remembering the past as my maid puts me back in my bed and pulls the blanket over me.)