Chapter 50
After a day filled with farcical events, Lisbeth finally returned to her room and collapsed onto her bed. It had undeniably been a terrible day; first, she had fought with Staros, then she had been lectured by Chris, and finally, she had even been thrown into a cell.
And the ordeal was far from over. The mere thought of having to help with the upcoming banquet made Lisbeth’s head throb with pain. Yet, before she could rest for long, Clotilde’s voice echoed in her mind.
“Alex, don’t rush to sleep. First, let’s figure out what Olivia’s message magic circle means.”
“Ah, you’re right.”
Prompted by Clotilde’s reminder, Lisbeth hastily flipped over and then cautiously surveyed her surroundings. Seeing this, Clotilde, utterly bewildered, asked, “Alex, what are you doing? Were you tormented so badly today that you’ve gone mad?”
“No, no, what are you talking about? I’m just checking if the eavesdropping stones were really removed. The old woman might have said so, but who knows if she actually took them out.”
“Ah, you’re right.”
Upon hearing Lisbeth’s words, Clotilde finally realized the significance of the matter. After a thorough search, Lisbeth nodded in satisfaction. “Hmm, excellent, excellent. She really did remove all the eavesdropping stones. Alright, now let’s listen to what Olivia left behind.”
With that declaration, Lisbeth immediately activated the magic circle engraved on her hand, and the next second, Olivia’s voice emanated from it.
“Lisbeth, I trust you’ve activated the magic circle I gave you by the time you hear this message. To keep it brief, no matter when you listen to this recording, come to my room the evening of the next day. I have something important to discuss with you. That will be all for now.”
The magic circle, which had just been etched onto Lisbeth’s hand, vanished without a trace the moment Olivia’s voice ceased. At this, Lisbeth gently shook her head.
“Hmm, as expected, she finally sought me out. However, I’m curious why she’s so eager to see me. I shouldn’t have had any prior dealings with her.”
“Indeed, and she not only concealed the matter of your magic power limit but also secretly helped you all this time. I don’t understand her intentions either.”
After listening to Olivia’s message, both Lisbeth and Clotilde were brimming with questions. Yet, they knew that aimless speculation was futile here. With this thought, Lisbeth shook her head.
“Never mind. Let’s just sleep for now. Whatever she wants with me, we won’t know until tomorrow. There’s no point in guessing aimlessly here.”
“Mm, you’re right. Lisbeth, quickly take a bath. After staying in the cell today, I feel utterly filthy.”
“Eh? Why are you saying the same thing as that old woman…?”
Despite Lisbeth’s reluctance, she shed her clothes and prepared to bathe. The following evening, Lisbeth made her way to Olivia’s room as promised.
****
“Hmm, this must be it.”
After a day of work, Lisbeth waited until everyone had fallen asleep before arriving at Olivia’s room. Fortunately, Olivia’s room was right next to her own laboratory, ensuring Lisbeth wouldn’t get lost. Gazing at the wooden door before her, Lisbeth took a deep breath and gently knocked.
“Thump, thump.”
“Please come in.”
Soon, after Lisbeth knocked, Olivia’s voice drifted from behind the door. Receiving the reply, Lisbeth gently pushed open Olivia’s door, revealing a small, single room.
“Eh? So your room isn’t much different from mine after all?”
Truth be told, Lisbeth had initially thought her room was small due to her being an outsider. However, seeing Olivia’s room was equally diminutive, Lisbeth instinctively voiced her curiosity. Hearing her words, Olivia simply offered a soft smile.
“What? Surprised? Don’t be fooled by the Demon Lord’s sharp tongue; she treats everyone fairly. Since you’re now one of the personal maids, your treatment won’t be any different.”
“Furthermore, in this Demon Lord’s Castle, ordinary maids typically share a room with five people. We, personal maids, should be grateful to have our own private rooms.”
“Huh… is that so…”
While Lisbeth still couldn’t fathom why such a vast Demon Lord’s Castle would cram rooms so tightly, she merely nodded gently. Then, she turned to Olivia and asked, “Well, let’s put aside the small talk. It’s about time you told me why you called me here, isn’t it? And please also tell me why you didn’t restrict my magic power limit.”
“Hmm, don’t rush. Come, have some tea first.”
However, Olivia did not immediately address the main topic. Instead, she pulled out a chair for Lisbeth to sit on and actually poured her a cup of tea. Lisbeth, having no urgent matters, graciously accepted the tea from Olivia and took a large gulp.
Seeing this, Olivia’s lips curved into a smile, then she asked playfully, “Oh? You drink so boldly? Aren’t you afraid I might have put something in the tea?”
“Why should I be afraid? If you wanted to get rid of me, you would have had countless ways long ago; there’s no need to offer me tainted tea here. But more importantly, shouldn’t you finally get to the main topic? It’s getting late, and I have to wake up early tomorrow.”
“Mm, you’re right. Then let’s discuss what you wish to hear.”
As Olivia spoke, she picked up a teacup from the table. After taking a sip, she addressed Lisbeth, “First, let’s address why I didn’t restrict your magic power limit. To clarify, this body of yours wasn’t specifically made for you. Rather, as I was nearing its completion, you suddenly intruded into the Demon Lord’s Castle. Then, to incapacitate you, your soul was cast into your current body.”
“Setting aside the reason I created your current body, it is quite disrespectful to demand a nearly completed physical form to have its magic power limit restricted now. You must understand that while I am a mage, I also possess an obsession unique to me as a creator.”
“In other words, I don’t need to be commanded on how to modify something I’ve made myself. So, although I outwardly agreed to the Demon Lord’s request at the time, I actually did not impose any magic power restrictions on your body. Do you understand this point?”
“Mm, I suppose so. Although your explanation hardly sounds like a reason, I understand that everyone has their own obsessions, and even I possess such things. Therefore, I won’t say much more about it.”
“Hey, hey, Alex, is it really okay for you to just accept her explanation like that?”
Even though Olivia’s explanation sounded somewhat dogmatic, Lisbeth accepted it. However, Clotilde, who had been listening to their entire conversation from the side, did not. Instead, she continued with a suspicious tone, “Moreover, her explanation just now looks fabricated to me no matter how I see it. You shouldn’t let her off the hook here.”
“No, little sword, you’re mistaken. Knowing the true reason why she didn’t seal my magic power limit actually holds no significance here. All I need to understand is her attitude. As long as I know she harbors no ill will towards me, that’s enough.”
“Besides, no matter the reason, if the outcome of the matter is beneficial to me, then there’s no need for me to get to the bottom of it here. But more importantly, I believe she specifically called me here today to tell me something extremely important. And discovering what that is, is the most crucial part.”
“Alright, although I don’t quite understand what you mean, if you think it’s fine, then it’s fine.”
As Clotilde finished speaking, Olivia on the side smiled faintly, then slowly addressed Lisbeth, “Hmm, it seems your conversation with Holy Sword Clotilde has concluded. Shall we continue our discussion now?”
“What!?”
If Lisbeth had been in a calm state moments ago, her pupils now sharply constricted as she stared at Olivia with a serious expression, demanding, “Olivia, how much do you know?”
“Oh my, don’t be so tense, I…”
“Clotilde, materialize!!”
“Yes!”
Just as Olivia intended to brush Lisbeth off, Lisbeth unhesitatingly summoned Clotilde, who she then brandished at Olivia’s neck, demanding, “I’ll ask you one last time, how much do you know!? Answer me immediately!”
“Oh my, the Hero from two hundred years ago is quite impatient, aren’t they~ What would you think if I said I knew everything?”
“Eh!?”