episode_0019

Episode 19.

“Excuse me~.”

As I open the door and enter, thick steam briefly obscures my vision. In an instant, the towel wrapped around my body becomes wet and sticks to my body.

A bath exclusively for the royal family, proud of the Royal Palace of Lustier. Smoothly carved white rock decorates the edge of the hot tub.

When I entered, Carmel, who was soaking in the hot water, looked at me with surprised eyes.

“Oh, your mother came in first. Please excuse me for a moment.”

Well, of course I came here after knowing that Carmel was taking a bath.

Gently slide your feet into the hot water bath. The warm water seems to moisten my skin and replenish my energy.

Submerged in the hot water up to my chest, I looked at Carmel with a secret smile.

Carmel was a bit flustered. Unlike me, who covers herself with a gown, Carmel is completely naked. Although the water has a faint color due to various ingredients, that may not be of much comfort.

“ugh…”

Carmel raised her arms and slightly covered herself. I am clearly conscious of myself. That fact stirred something inside me.

As a member of the royal family, there are always maids by your side even while you are bathing. Even if they do not provide bathing assistance, they are always nearby to stand by in case they are needed.

Carmel, who did not feel any embarrassment even though she was naked in front of them, was clearly feeling embarrassed under my gaze.

Perhaps repeated defeat and humiliation engraved a sense of shame into Carmel’s body. I now clearly understand the meaning of my eyes looking at her body.

“Why are you so upset, Mother? Let’s socialize with the same women.”

Carmel glanced at the maid standing on the wall and answered in a lower voice.

“What are you planning again?”

“By coincidence, I also wanted to wash myself.”

“Lies.”

This has completely put me in disbelief. Of course, it’s true that half of us came to see Carmel’s body and embarrassed face.

I said, looking openly at Carmel’s naked body glimmering in the water.

“What brought you to the Magic Library, Mother?”

His wary gaze meets my eyes directly.

“You’re a bit tongue-in-cheek about the self-proclaimed guardian of knowledge… Well, it’s not a big deal. There was just a book I wanted to read.”

“If it’s an ordinary library, there are more than 10 in Luiri city. Trying to enter the magic library means trying to get the magic book.”

“Hmph, I guess I picked up something on a topic I’m ignorant of about magic.”

Well, this is common sense up to this point. But there is one thing only I know.

The fact that the grimoire that Carmel wants is the Book of Enekra. Of course, Carmel himself knows that fact.

But Carmel doesn’t know that I know that.

The other half of my purpose for visiting Carmel was to take advantage of this fact and have a look at Carmel.

“I heard that some of the magic books kept in the Magic Library contain terrifying magic. What on earth are you planning to do by obtaining the grimoire?”

“Hehe…”

Carmel’s mouth draws a charming smile. It seemed like it was because he confirmed that he was in an overwhelmingly superior position than me when it came to magic.

“Yes, it is as you said, Princess Sera. The power of grimoires, especially those in the hands of someone with the right compatibility, is infinite. You probably can’t even imagine. What will happen when that great power reappears in this era?”

Well, it’s not my imagination, but I’ve read it in writing. Because the Book of Enekra in the novel was definitely powerful.

“Great Power… What is the name of that grimoire?”

“Do you think I can tell you that? Well, I can show you mercy as a new mother and tell you if you show sincerity. Take off that towel and bow your head on the floor. Ahahaha!”

“Well, I can’t do that…”

Carmel seems quite happy, feeling a sense of superiority for the first time in a long time. It’s quite difficult to adjust to that.

“Can’t you do it? Yes, as a noble princess, I would never be able to do that. Hehe, but you better get used to it. The day that grimoire comes into my hands, I will corrupt you to the point where you won’t even consider it a shame… so look forward to it, princess.”

“But entry was not allowed, right?”

Sooo-

Carmel took a deep breath. However, it doesn’t seem to have been a fatal blow that would have left me reeling.

“That’s just a temporary obstacle. It won’t be long before both Gerrard Street and the Tree of Knowledge will acknowledge me. Regardless of means or methods.”

Yes, that’s Carmel.

Seeing her like a villain for the first time in a long time made me feel very happy. Enough to give an appropriate reaction to Carmel’s excited mood.

I said with slightly indignant eyes.

“That kind of thing… I will never tolerate it! No matter what grimoire you try to obtain, I will definitely stop it!”

“Hehe, even with that incredible ability to read minds, you don’t know? Well, feel free to try it. The Gerard family and the Magic Library do not give in to any external pressure, right? There is no way to stop me, Princess Sera.”

Well, it’s not me who really doesn’t know, but Carmel. The reason Carmel cannot enter the Magic Library is because her fate has changed. If that assumption is correct, Carmel, who has already begun to change, will never be able to obtain the Book of Enekra.

I’m looking forward to Carmel’s reaction when she finds out about this, but I have no intention of revealing it.

It would be much more satisfying to continue resisting my humiliation in vain, with the last hope of Enekra’s Book.

“Hehe, then I’ll wake up first, princess.”

Carmel stood up from the water, no longer feeling ashamed. Big and small water droplets slide down her body.

Carmel turned around and left with a triumphant look on her face, as if she had defeated me with words for the first time. Her gait, showing off her smooth back and buttocks, looked more confident than ever.

Regardless, I was keeping her naked body wet in warm water engraved in my mind as much as I could.

* * *

I don’t think I need to think about the Book of Enekra for a while. Judging by Carmel’s reaction, it seems like she doesn’t have a clever way to enter the magic library right now.

However, there is a need to create collaborators in the Gerrard family. If Carmel attempts to contact the Magic Library or the Tree of Knowledge, there must be a way to detect it. That would be enough to conclude it.

So what will Carmel’s next move be?

It would be nice if they were so focused on getting the Book of Enekra that they didn’t try any other tricks, but we couldn’t rely on such optimistic assumptions.

In the novel, the plot with Count Roberts is still in progress. When opium was slowly spreading throughout the kingdom, and most of the country’s wealth was being transferred to other countries.

But that has now become history. With Count Roberts’ case being concluded quickly, it is highly likely that the events that will occur in Carmel will also be brought forward.

The next event that occurs in the novel is the invasion of the northern peoples.

While the margrave guarding the third fortress in the north is showing mysterious sabotage, the army of the northern barbarian tribe, the Cacas tribe, is pushing in at great speed. In a situation where both the people and the national treasury were devastated by opium, the Lustier Kingdom had no way to prevent the invasion on its own.

In the end, through the arrangement of Count Roberts, the Empire was requested to mediate, and Lustier was reduced to a semi-vassal state subject to the Empire’s interference.

In addition, Princess Sera is chosen to request peace from the Kakas tribe, and on her way there, she experiences all sorts of hardships.

What are some of the things that could happen here?

If Margrave Wihart is already captured by Carmel, it is possible for the Carcass to pass through the third fortress. However, a scenario in which they push into Lurie without the national power being damaged is unlikely to be possible.

Hmm…

What you can imagine is infiltrating troops and carrying out special missions.

If it’s a special mission that can be attempted with a small unit…

Theft of important facilities and items, and the killing of dangerous individuals.

And the most threatening person to Carmel right now is none other than me.

‘Have the Carcass troops already entered the country of Rustie?’

Margrave Wihart betrays Carmel’s promise that he would later recognize them as an independent nation. Although it is too early, there is a possibility that the deal has been postponed.

I immediately went to the Minister of National Defense and asked if there had been any reported cases of Cacas troops in the country.

“Are you talking about the barbarians? There are currently no reports of such sightings… Haha, the princess too. As long as the 3rd Fortress is holding out in the first place, something like that can’t happen.”

The reaction of Musasanil itself. However, we could at least confirm that there were no official reports of seeing such a group.

However, we cannot be completely reassured.

You have no choice but to check it yourself.

Directly to Carmel, the only person in the palace who would know the truth most clearly.