Raising Villains the Right Way

[When will you hold the wedding?]

At ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Heinkel’s words, Alon was startled for a moment.

Then, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he felt a sense of déjà vu.

For ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍some reason, it felt like something similar had happened before.

Sensing ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that familiar sense of incongruity, he naturally turned his gaze toward Penia.

And ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍what he saw was—

“......”

Penia subtly averting her eyes in the opposite direction.

“Wow... now you’re doing it like this too...?”

“I-I didn’t!”

Evan, who had been observing the situation, exclaimed in admiration.

At that, Penia frantically denied it and quickly continued—

“I never spread such rumors in the first place!? Why would I casually spread something that would be exposed in a few weeks!?”

Penia desperately defended herself.

[Huh? Really? The rumor has spread everywhere, so I thought you were actually doing it this time.]

“No!”

“For that, you’re sure rolling your eyes elsewhere.”

However, Heinkel and Evan didn’t let it slide easily.

With a rare flustered expression, Penia hurriedly added—

“No, it’s just, you know? It’s not like I meant for that to happen. It’s just that I was working hard given the situation, so it turned out like that. It was never supposed to mean that, I was just telling people something else, and—”

She waved her hands aimlessly, rambling incoherently.

But only for a moment—

“...So you said it was a special relationship?”

“Yes.”

As if expecting to be scolded, she lowered her head and answered in a small, subdued voice.

Alon nodded for now.

Honestly, could rumors really spread this far just from mentioning a ‘special relationship’?

‘But thinking about last time...’

Recalling the mysterious rumors at the Mage Tower, it somehow seemed possible again.

‘Still... was there really a need to call it a special relationship?’

Alon felt puzzled.

Objectively speaking, even without defining their relationship as special, things would have progressed smoothly anyway.

But—

“I understand.”

Alon grabbed Penia’s shoulders and comforted her.

“Pardon?”

Penia looked up at him.

Though her surprised gaze was puzzling, Alon continued—

“I’ve known you for a long time, so I’ve more or less figured it out.”

Penia’s expression subtly brightened.

“F-figured it out?”

“Yes, figured it out.”

“W-what exactly...?”

“Your thoughts.”

“M-my thoughts?”

“Yes.”

“No, how could you know my thoughts so well—no, I mean, hearing something like that all of a sudden is a bit surprising—”

Penia rambled, her lips curling up and down repeatedly.

But—

“You do have a tendency to like showing off.”

Stop.

At Alon’s words, Penia’s eyes, which had been moving busily, froze.

“...Pardon?”

She asked blankly.

But Alon nodded as if he understood everything.

“Of course, I’m not criticizing your personality. It’s good to maintain self-esteem on your own.”

“Ah...”

“Anyway, I don’t intend to scold you for this, so don’t worry.”

Focus returned to Penia’s wandering eyes.

Confirming that, Alon lightly patted her shoulders.

“Ah... yes... haah...”

A sigh that sounded like resignation... or perhaps relief.

“Oh—”

But the moment Evan chimed in, Penia shot him a sharp glare and snapped her head toward him.

Seeing that she had returned to her usual self, Alon smiled in satisfaction.

“Hmm? What is it?”

Then, feeling Heinkel’s gaze, he turned toward her—

[Hmm—how should I put this...]

“Yes?”

[No, it’s nothing.]

“??”

Heinkel stared at Alon with a somewhat complicated expression before shrugging.

The brief commotion soon settled down.

[Now then, preparations are complete. I’ll show you.]

Saying confidently, Heinkel walked toward the center of the library.

A pillar with a broken clock hanging on it stood at the center.

[Hoo.]

Reaching it, Heinkel lightly exhaled and placed her hand on the broken clock.

Tap—t-t-t-t-t-t-t!

At that moment, the clock, which had been silently stopped, began to move wildly.

The minute hand ticked so fast it was impossible to see.

The hour hand rotated at a speed barely traceable by the eye.

Amid that scene, Alon realized one thing.

‘...Reverse...??’

The clock was turning backward, not forward.

And as the clock completed its rotation—

Clack—!

At the moment both hands stopped at ‘12’—

Fwoooosh—!

Heinkel’s form, her hand still touching the clock, began to fade.

Soon after—

Rumble—!

With a heavy sound, the pillar began to open.

Countless cubes jumbled and shifted as the inside of the pillar was revealed.

From within—

“...!”

Alon, Penia, and Evan witnessed it.

From the darkness, Heinkel walked out with a confident expression.

“Hehe~ surprised?”

A deep smile hung on her lips.

But Alon, Evan, and Penia couldn’t say anything.

They had no choice.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

Because Heinkel’s height—was absurdly small.

To the point it was hard to believe the person before them was really Heinkel.

“...She’s completely a kid?”

As Evan said it bluntly—

“What...?”

Heinkel flared up as if a nerve had been struck.

Alon, who fully agreed with Evan, quietly hid his awkward expression.

“This body is 155 cm!”

“Isn’t it 140 cm?”

“I said it’s not!”

“No matter how you look at it, it’s 140—”

“Do you want to experience the central Mage Tower’s vertical course?”

After Heinkel manifested in a physical body, while everyone was silently struck by her unexpected cuteness(?), Evan bravely spoke up.

In response, Heinkel threatened to give him a ‘premium vertical course’ from the top of the tower to the bottom, and Evan took a step back.

Even so, the Earth still turns............

Muttering that to the end—

“What!?”

“Lord Alon! Now that I think about it, there’s information I need to receive, so I’ll head down first!”

As if wanting to declare that truth does not change, Evan mumbled to himself and hurriedly left.

Alon blankly looked at Heinkel again.

‘...She’s definitely small.’

Even at a glance, Evan’s estimate seemed reasonable.

At that moment, as if reading Alon’s thoughts, Heinkel’s eyes narrowed.

Sensing the atmosphere, Alon quickly turned his gaze and said—

“...What happened?”

Though still displeased, Heinkel soon sighed as if she couldn’t help it.

“Explaining everything would take too long, so I’ll keep it simple. You can think of it as cryogenic sleep.”

“...Cryogenic sleep?”

“Yes. I used a few artifacts. Want a more detailed explanation?”

“Yes.”

This time, Penia answered immediately.

Unlike before when she had been stunned by Heinkel’s small form, her eyes now sparkled.

“First—”

Heinkel began explaining the magic, and an intense discussion between the two followed.

Watching them, Alon thought—

‘...This wasn’t in Psychedelia’s settings.’

Of course, he had no intention of clinging to the game’s settings now.

But in Heinkel’s case, she had never physically appeared even if the world was destroyed, so it was inevitably fascinating.

Watching the two, Alon raised his hand slightly.

“May I ask one thing as well?”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Why did you freeze your body like this?”

He became curious anew.

At that, Heinkel let out a small exclamation—

“Oh.”

And answered casually—

“Because there was nothing left to do.”

“...Pardon?”

“I told you. There was nothing left to do. Well, more precisely, rather than lacking a grand goal, it’s better to say I reached my limit.”

As Alon tilted his head, Heinkel stroked her chin naturally.

Though the gesture didn’t suit her childlike body, she soon continued—

“As you know, I’m somewhat of a myth among mages. The theory of hierarchy was passed down from somewhere, but I created quite a lot of magic formulas and calculation methods myself.”

As she said, her status was immense.

“But at some point, I just hit a wall.”

“?”

“With my theories, I could reach the next stage of magic, ‘Origin,’ but I couldn’t go beyond that.”

“The stage beyond Origin...”

“More accurately, it’s better to say there is another realm beyond it.”

Her explanation continued.

“Anyway, I figured there must be a realm that couldn’t be reached alone, so I decided to borrow the power of time. Something like that.”

“...By the power of time, you mean—”

“Of course, it’s hard for a genius like me to be born twice, but in the end, humans are beings that accumulate knowledge.”

Only then did Alon understand.

Why she had entered such a hibernation, and why she had awakened at this time.

‘So that’s why, in the game, she helped promising mages.’

As Alon nodded, piecing things together—

Penia spoke.

“Then, is there a specific magic you’re searching for?”

“Well, yes. In fact, you could say I spent these hundreds of years in hibernation just to find it.”

“...What kind of magic is it?”

At Penia’s curious murmur, Heinkel smiled faintly, somewhat bitterly.

“I’ll tell you when the time comes.”

Her expression seemed to carry a long story.

Though her body was that of a child, the expression on her face held deep anguish and sorrow, so Penia quietly closed her mouth and nodded.

“Ahem, for now, let’s walk a bit. As expected, it’s been a while, so my body feels awkward, and my mana hasn’t fully returned yet.”

Heinkel soon erased her bitter smile.

Then, as if trying to bury painful memories, she forced a cheerful tone and walked toward the library door—

Thud!

She slammed her forehead into it and fell backward.

“?”

“?”

As Alon and Penia stood confused—

“Ow~”

Holding her sore forehead, Heinkel quickly stood up and laughed as if nothing happened.

“Ah, I’m just too used to moving around in mana form, so I, uh, moved without thinking?”

Though she spoke casually, her entire face was flushed red.

Embarrassed that she had ruined the atmosphere, she awkwardly coughed and hurriedly reached for the doorknob.

She clearly reached out—

“...Ah.”

A quiet exclamation slipped from her lips.

No matter how much she stretched her hand upward, she couldn’t reach the handle.

A normal door would have been fine, but the library’s handle was placed unusually high.

Heinkel tried her best to grab it.

But even standing on tiptoe, she couldn’t reach it.

After several attempts, she eventually stared blankly into the air—

“...Open this for me...”

Her cheeks flushed red as if about to burst, she asked tearfully.

Creak—

Alon silently opened the door.

And added to his mind the information that Heinkel was unexpectedly clumsy.

And at that moment—

In the Elven Kingdom Fildagreen—

“Sister, did your task go well?”

“Yes.”

“So, what did you go out for this time?”

“What for, you ask~”

The queen of the elves, Magrina, and Rine were having tea leisurely.

“Is it something you can’t tell me? You suddenly opened Platon and rushed out.”

At Magrina’s question, Rine thought for a moment.

“Hmm—I suddenly remembered something.”

“...?”

“Something I had to tell godfather immediately.”

She answered with a faint smile.

As Magrina looked puzzled—

Knock knock—

With a soft knock,

“Um, excuse me...”

Miu, Magrina’s secretary, entered cautiously.

“What is it, Miu?”

Magrina asked with a smile, and Miu hesitated before speaking.

“Well, that ‘information’ you always ask to be informed of has arrived...”

“Is it information about my brother?”

“Yes, well...”

She began to glance around nervously.

“Go ahead.”

Maintaining her usual smile, Magrina prompted her.

“...It’s not confirmed, but it’s related to a rumor—”

“Hmm—”

Magrina nodded as if it was fine.

However—

“They say that the Primordial One has formed a ‘special relationship’...”

At Miu’s report—

Magrina froze.

And then—

Crack—

The teacup in her hand began to crack.

Clink.

It shattered completely.

Yet even before the shattered teacup, Magrina did not lose her smile, and as always, she placed the remaining handle onto the saucer.

Clatter—

Over the spilled tea, atop the broken cup—

“...Would you mind explaining that in more detail?”

Hearing the flat, emotionless voice, Miu swallowed hard.