Why here…?

Although there was a bit of a tussle, I and my companions were able to enter the Power Unit.

If it had been my original body, I would have been able to pass freely, but… I felt bitter at being stared at with suspicious eyes. If Veronica hadn’t been there, I probably wouldn’t have been able to enter.

Anyway, to go to the Power Unit, we needed to pass through a carriage that had been entirely chartered, and for some reason, the security was extremely strict. It seemed like there were more guards than those protecting the Power Unit itself.

…For some reason, I felt like it would be tiring if I got involved.

‘Let’s finish this quietly and go back.’

Thinking that, I looked around the Power Unit with Veronica. Externally, there wasn’t much of a problem. I left the reinforcement to Veronica and turned my attention to the Magic Circuit. The problem was here.

I don’t know why, but the circuit that transmitted power to the entire train was damaged. Whether someone intentionally damaged it or if it was damaged due to neglected maintenance… I don’t know, but if it’s the former, it might become a bit of a headache.

I glanced at Claudia, who was peeking and twitching her ears behind me, then concentrated. I absorbed the mana floating in the atmosphere into my body.

‘It’s cold….’

If I had absorbed it regularly like mages, it would have been a bit less, but since it was a path I had abandoned myself, I had to endure it.

…That’s why I didn’t want to do it.

“Huh?”

Along with the questioning sound coming from behind, I moved mana with my fingertips. Little by little, with the feeling of a stream trickling through rock crevices.

…For some reason, visualizing it was easy. I didn’t particularly want to say why, though.

With fingers emitting a faint light, I reconnected the broken circuit. Carefully and slowly, as doing it hastily might break it.

I drew lines connecting point to point. The connected lines formed surfaces, and this repetition created a complex pattern. What looked like letters at first glance held the meanings of accumulation, transmission, and amplification.

A bone-chilling cold circulated through my body, but I felt beads of sweat forming on my forehead.

Honestly, before doing it, I wondered if it would be okay with my changed body, but fortunately, it was the same as before.

I finished the restoration by connecting the last line. Once connected, the high-output Magic Stone created by alchemy would maintain the path. Shaking off the residual magic in my body, I confirmed the circuit was working.

Inside the dim Power Unit, lights began to turn on one by one. The officials who had been watching me with skeptical faces came over and started shedding tears.

…For some reason, I thought it was a bit excessive, but I just let it be. Leaving behind those who insisted on rewarding me, I returned to the Passenger Cabin. I was very tired because I had barely slept last night.

As I entered the Passenger Cabin, Claudia opened her mouth with surprised eyes.

“You could do magic too?”

“…I only know how to handle circuits.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Shaa-nim, I don’t know what it was, but it was cool!”

“Uh, yeah. Right….”

Since Veronica already knew, she wasn’t as surprised as the other two, but… it seemed unnatural, so she looked surprised with an awkward expression.

…It seemed better to just stay still, but since their gazes were focused on me, there was no problem.

After casually accepting their fuss, it wasn’t long before the train started moving again. I could see the scenery outside the stopped window passing by quickly.

Just that made my stifled mood improve. I even felt like the tightness in my chest was easing. Then, as if to make up for my lack of sleep, a big yawn escaped me.

“You look tired? You seemed a bit troubled when you woke up, did something happen?”

“…Nothing at all.”

I replied to Veronica’s question like that, and just as I was about to close my eyes for a bit, a knock was heard. Claudia, who had gone to check on the visitor, scratched her head and approached me.

“The Train Conductor is asking if you could spare a moment… What do you want to do?”

“Hmm….”

…Could something have gone wrong?

“Let’s go.”

I left the Passenger Cabin with Claudia. Outside the room… two burly Males were standing. They looked too rugged to be train crew.

‘Are they guards?’

Thinking that, their physiques made sense. As I walked, following the two, we arrived at a place where an entire carriage was being used. The security still seemed strict. For some reason, I felt like they were similar to the people who came to pick me up earlier.

“…Shaa.”

Claudia also seemed to notice something strange, and called my name with a stiff face. My body, which had relaxed, began to tense up.

…I didn’t bring any Potions.

As if he noticed our apprehension, the Male walking ahead scratched his head awkwardly and smiled.

“Well… we’re not trying to do anything strange. It’s just that the person who wishes to meet you is a bit special… The Train Conductor will also be there.”

“…I see.”

I swallowed the thought, ‘Have you ever seen a bad guy admit they’re bad?’ for now. Whether it was true or not, unnecessarily provoking them wouldn’t be a wise choice.

Without realizing it, I grabbed Claudia’s arm, and Claudia chuckled, then patted my head, telling me not to worry. I thought about pushing her away… but since I was the one who reached out, I decided to just accept it quietly.

…And it also felt reassuring.

Before long, a lavishly decorated door appeared. In front of it, stood a burly Male and a Woman who gave off a similar vibe to Claudia. Along with a middle-aged Male who was hesitantly standing there…

The two Males and Females were dressed in the same attire as the people who came to pick us up, and the middle-aged Male was dressed similarly to what train crew wear. I think I saw him earlier?

The middle-aged Male looked at me, then opened his mouth with a bright expression.

“Uhm, may I leave now?”

Then the Woman replied.

“You may go. Train Conductor. You’ve worked hard.”

The Train Conductor, who had been walking slowly as if composed, opened the exit door and disappeared with the sound of frantic footsteps, as if running away with his tail between his legs.

…I think that person was the Train Conductor… So… they didn’t lie. Is that it? Just how important is this person that they’re acting like this? And… why are they showing interest?

Well… I do think it’s natural to want to meet a talent like me… but isn’t this a bit too much…?

“Since you’re here, come in.”

…A voice that I seemed to remember hearing somewhere came from within. It was a Woman’s voice with a pleasant range, yet somehow dignified.

It felt like I had heard it once before, sometime… but I couldn’t remember.

The Woman, responding to the voice that flowed out, opened the door. As I tried to enter with Claudia, the Woman blocked us.

“Only the pink-haired Girl is permitted entry.”

…For some reason, I felt strange. It was a different feeling from when I went down to the village. I met Claudia’s worried gaze.

But even faster than that, the person waiting inside was quicker. As if impatient, they grabbed my wrist. I turned my head in surprise, and… I saw a face that looked very familiar.

Ah, I remembered. Fuck.

Recalling that face from my memory, I quickly bowed my head.

“Oh? It seems you know my face, don’t you?”

…Was that a mistake?

“…Well.”

“Then this will be easy. I’d like to talk with you alone, is that alright? Your companion is glaring at me….”

“Di, Dia, I’ll be fine, so could you wait outside?”

“Are you sure?”

As I nodded frantically, Claudia stepped back with a somewhat strange expression. The Woman, letting out a chuckle, led me into the Passenger Cabin. Not knowing what to do, I was pulled into the Passenger Cabin, my arm still held.

Indeed, the Passenger Cabin was dazzling. So much so that I thought it was a bit excessive.

“It is a bit excessive, isn’t it? Even when I told them it was enough, they simply wouldn’t listen.”

“….”

“You’re more taciturn than I thought? I sent everyone else away so we could talk alone, so why don’t you speak comfortably?”

“…I couldn’t possibly do that, Jeonha.”

The Woman, sitting on a plush-looking sofa, said with a smile in her eyes. Her golden hair, like luxurious fabric flowing down, shimmered.

“So, you did know me after all?”

“…Yes.”

Well… I saw her when I attended the Academy. No wonder her voice sounded familiar.

“Then I don’t need to introduce myself. Please, sit.”

At the pale hand gesture inviting me to sit on the opposite sofa, I quickly took a seat.

I was extremely flustered. Because the Princess of the Empire, whom I had only seen at the Academy during the freshman representative’s speech, was now in front of me. No wonder I thought the security was excessively strict….

The Princess, leaning back on the sofa, continued speaking.

“Then… may I hear your name?”

Her eyelids lifted, and deep blue eyes, like the sea, began to gaze at me. The sensation of being seen through made goosebumps rise on my skin.

…An internal conflict arose over how I should introduce myself.

If I introduced myself with my original name, my body had changed, and if I gave a different name… wouldn’t that be a lie? What if I got caught later and was dragged away for blasphemy…? But giving my original name was also problematic.

Cold sweat dripped down.

“Don’t be so nervous.”

Chuckling, I wanted to ask the Princess, who was putting chocolate into my mouth,

‘Would you not be nervous if you were me?’

…Of course, it was just a scream I could never utter aloud. Chewing and swallowing the chocolate, which felt somewhat familiar, I opened my mouth.