I Became a Dark Knight the Empress Is Obsessed With

192 – Side Story: Afternoon in Freesia – (1)

Magic was basically a battle against patience.

Theoretical research is extremely boring, and even the most exciting experiments are just a series of waiting. But you can’t turn a blind eye to it. There are already countless records of experiments in which the results change depending on the presence or absence of observation throughout the wizarding world.

When I demonstrated in front of elders as a child, I would get a huge scolding the moment I took my eyes off them.

However, there are only about one in a thousand cases where a single experiment produces significant results.

Most of them have repeatedly experienced numerous failures and gradually accumulated records to derive their own theories.

That’s why magical research was a kind of long-distance race and an endlessly competitive society, and the moment one got tired and fell behind, the runner behind him had to take up the baton and run.

Only one person who achieves success in the end gets the glory.

In fact, all the great wizards who left their mark on history had strong physical strength.

In other words, it also meant that you need a strong body to be able to do anything, including magic.

In that sense, it would be no exaggeration to say that Millia Liantour was a natural-born magician.

“Hwaaam.”

He yawned softly and looked at the flask in front of him.

A bubbling moonlight solution. The bubbles, filled with the energy of intense mana, hung on the ceiling.

The experiment, which had already lasted several hours, was already becoming tedious even for Millia, who had the strongest concentration, but if she gave up, she would be nothing more than a third-rate person. She focused her eyes and stared at the boiling liquid.

And so, another few dozen minutes passed.

As I was about to grab a handful of the material that was practically the last of this experiment.

“Eww! Leaaah!”

The back door of the lab where Millia was was blasted open and a woman walked in.

The wind causes the table to shake and the brazier that was boiling the solution overturns.

“Ah, ahhh!”

Soon the flask rolled on the floor and the solution spilled.

A foul odor rises, as if it were rotting your nose.

“……ah.”

How much effort did you put in?

It was a potion that had been boiled for more than half a day.

When I glared at Seira Liantur, the woman who had stormed into the lab with a scowl on her face, she smiled bashfully and scratched the back of her head.

“Hahaha, sorry sorry. But anyway, looking at the results, it was a failure this time too. Before you get heartbroken, tell me I spilled it.”

“When that happens, just say you’re sorry, Sister.”

“sorry?”

“ha…….”

You shouldn’t talk.

Milia shook her head and sat down in her chair.

And then he looked at Seira, resting his chin on his hand absentmindedly.

“So why did you come?”

“Do you need any business coming to see our cute little sister?”

“If you barged in while your cute little sister was working, you wouldn’t need it.”

“Yeah. I got a car.”

Milia sighed deeply at the sight of Seira speaking as expected.

“What the heck, that half-assed thing!”

Seira shouted in displeasure, but Milia cleanly ignored her.

It’s been about two years since the attack on the religious order ended and Millia left the palace.

In the meantime, Seira had become accustomed to her rapidly growing body and was leading a debaucherous life.

Of course, that’s what she said, but Sayra’s notoriety is well known in the social circles of Hirings.

Millia was sure that no man would accept her sister because of her shitty personality.

“Leah is working hard today too.”

Seira smiled happily, her mood slightly lifted by seeing Milia’s misfortune.

Seira raised her head as she tapped the bottle of medicine that had fallen on the table.

“I guess things are going well?”

“Do you still think that way after seeing something like this?”

“Still, his reputation is quite good. He might soon become not only a full-time professor but also the dean of the department.”

“… … .”

Since it wasn’t a wrong statement, Milia didn’t say anything.

It’s been two years since she started working as a part-time instructor at Hirings Academy. During that time, through her hard work, Milia was promoted to a full-time professor and even opened several lectures under her own name.

The board of directors also recognized his research and achievements, and provided him with a personal laboratory, significant research funds, and the position of assistant professor.

Of course, the assistant professor had been sent somewhere else for errand purposes.

“You have to do what you can.”

Milia was a hard worker, and the world likes people who work hard.

That was an immutable law.

“Yeah. It’s nice to see Leah working hard… … .”

Seira puffed out her cheeks poutingly.

“You should play when you play. You don’t even come home now and just stay in the lab. Do you know how much your father wears out the carpet every weekend? He walks back and forth in the living room all day long, wondering if you, Leah, will come.”

“… … Ugh.”

Milia groaned softly.

It was true that I had returned to Hirings for a new career path, but I was still reluctant to go home.

But seeing this reaction, I guess I should show my face at least once.

“Well, if you don’t like Leah, that’s fine.”

Seira said, sighing.

“What are you up to now?”

“No? I only wish for Leah’s happiness.”

“… … .”

As I stared at her, Seira smiled and pointed out the window.

“It was a shame to see you just cooped up in the lab, so I thought we should go out for a change of pace.”

“Me? With my sister?”

“No. I’m going out to hang out with Brandon. Do you want to come with me?”

“Who is he?”

“Yes. A man who smiles if you give him money.”

“ha.”

Sayra giggled as she wrapped her head around it.

“Leah, it’s better to date a man. They say that your heart is healed when you see a handsome man.”

“Do you think I’m your older sister? I don’t care about that.”

“None?”

“doesn’t exist.”

“Not even a little bit?”

“Not even a little bit.”

A firm answer.

Seira shrugged.

Didn’t I cry so sadly two years ago that I can’t even say there isn’t a single bit?

The image of her younger sister lying on the edge of the bed, swallowing her tears so that Seira couldn’t hear her was still vivid in Seira’s eyes.

“… … .”

Soon, Seira’s gaze turned to a sword blade broken in half, displayed in a display case in a corner of the laboratory.

A rune-word-written cloud sword. The sword was created by Leonard, the father of Seira and Milia, and was given to him as a gift by Fried, who is now a national treasure.

“Is it still precious to you?”

Seira asked that with her lips tightly shut, and Milia also shrugged her shoulders as if she noticed her sister’s gaze.

“It’s just a shame. It’s an expensive sword.”

“If I melt it down and sell it, I can buy a house.”

“… … I don’t like that.”

Milia answers with a stern face.

At that strong expression, Seira let out a small nasal sound.

As expected, you can’t forget it.

There was no other way to think about it.

“Then… … A gift from my older sister for the foolish bear Leah.”

Seira took a piece of paper out of her bosom and handed it over.

I read it with a displeased expression. There it was.

“Full moon flower?”

“Yeah. They say it’s a flower that blooms once every hundreds of years, and this year is that cycle.”

A legendary flower that grows only in the steep canyons of Eisenward, the northernmost point of the continent.

It was a letter containing the shocking news that the flower would bloom this very winter.

“This is… … .”

“It’s a magnificent flower. It can be used as an ingredient in an elixir, and if you extract its essence, you can forge it into a legendary sword of the century. If you just obtain it, you will not only receive a mountain of gold, but your name will be remembered for a long time in the history of the continent.”

“… … .”

If news of this were to spread, adventurers from all over the continent would gather.

Because the flower called Manwolhwa was the most rare treasure on the continent.

Milia sighed and looked at the back of the paper, her face naturally hardening.

“Sister, this is… … .”

“Yeah. It’s an invitation. Sent by Eisenward.”

As expected of a person with the prestigious position of Archmage, the newly appointed Grand Duke of Eisenward sent invitations to famous people from all over the country.

Because winter, when the full moon flowers bloom, is famous for being especially beautiful and spectacular.

Also, the new Northern Grand Duke’s intention to gather only the elites and have them compete against each other rather than having the rabble gather to pick a flower seemed strong.

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“I just want you to take it easy and rest. You’ve been working all day, so you’ve become really ugly, Leah.”

At those words, Milia touched her face.

Is that neat? I thought you were consistently taking care of yourself.

“Hahaha! Just kidding!”

“… … .”

“It’s pretty, and it’s very pretty. Lately, it’s gotten a little worn out.”

Seira giggled and repeatedly patted Milia on the shoulder.

When I glared at her as if I was dissatisfied, Seira pouts.

“Anyway! Leah, you need to get some rest. No matter how much pain you’re in from a broken heart… … .”

“get out!”

At that shout, Seira often went outside at a brisk pace.

No, just before she went out, Seira turned around with a stern expression and said.

“Leah.”

“……why.”

“If you get that full moon flower, you can probably return your body to its original state.”

That was purely sincere advice.

Because it was almost the only way to restore my sister’s damaged body.

“I’m not interested.”

“really?”

“Yeah. Anyway, my life as a wizard or knight is over. I don’t want to continue it by force.”

“… … Huh.”

Seira narrowed her eyes slightly and looked at Milia.

Of course, I was holding the invitation that Seira had given me tightly in my hand.

“As expected, you’re not honest.”

It was an honest impression.

*

“Huh, huh? Lady Seira? What are you doing here?”

As soon as I left the lab, I heard a woman’s voice.

She was a beautiful woman wearing a large-brimmed witch’s hat. She was holding a paper bag in her hand, which was filled with reagents and medicinal ingredients.

I guess it’s probably for Millia’s errand purpose.

“Mertaguna. How are you? How are you and your brother?”

“Ahaha. I’m fine. I’m feeling great now. And Professor Millia has been so kind to me. Thanks to her, I’m doing okay.”

Spirit Master Merta.

Merta, who unleashed a barrage of attacks using an overwhelming amount of spirit passes, was also known in the magic world as a one-man army.

Although he was on the verge of death for a while due to the aftermath of the Abyss Apostle Pedras’s corruption of the spirit world, he seems to be active as Millia’s assistant professor now.

“Merta.”

“yes?”

“I’ll be on vacation for about a month.”

“Huh?”

Seira said so indirectly, and Merta opened her eyes wide.

“Leah has to go somewhere.”

“Oh, where is it?”

“Eisenward.”

Seira said with a pleased smile.

I said I wasn’t interested, but Millia’s personality made it impossible for her to just let it go.

No, rather, I would rather walk with both hands and feet and try to find the full moon.

and.

“Eisenward? Professor Millia, in the barren lands of the north… … why on earth?”

“Well… … .”

Seira quirked the corners of her lips.

“Because Milia’s old… no, current love is also coming there.”

“Sa, love!”

“Yeah, yeah. Love. Isn’t it amazing?”

He said with a grin.

Indeed, it was just as Seira said.

Imperial Secretary Fried Iscobal.

He was also scheduled to attend Eisenworth.

Of course, I didn’t tell Milia… … .

“It’ll be fun, I wonder what’ll happen.”

For Seira, it was a good thing.

No, on the contrary, it was a good thing.

“… … Ahahaha?”

Merta tilted her head in confusion as she watched the evil smile appear on the lips of the little devil Seira.