As A Maid, I Can Fix Her!

Chapter 69: Chapter 68 - Forbidden Magic

”It’s only a matter of time before Young Miss Reina agrees to her own mother’s proposal. It would be a good lesson in human nature to share, wouldn’t it?” Marchioness Shinano Vii Lichtberg said with a gentle smile at me.

There was a play on words, she said.

She said that human nature is to share, but there is another attitude, greed, which is a natural sin for humans. There is also a kind of coercion that occurs in every human being.

Of all that, my stubborn Master had to understand it unreasonably.

”A painful natural learning experience. I hope it won’t be a problem in their relationship,” I replied, shaking my head and smoothing my tangled hair after falling asleep on the reading couch.

”They should be fine. Duchess Adelheid Von Blutfeld still holds your ownership, right?”

”Y-Yes, it hasn’t changed hands yet because I’m still an apprentice maid.”

”There will be no problem. Don’t worry, Liliana...”

Serenity defies words. Even in the light of the setting sun, she seemed unaffected by the weight of life’s burdens. The library’s rooms darkened as the sun set, gradually dimming, leaving only a faint orange glow filtering through the windows.

The dark curtain of night slowly opened, but that didn’t stop Marchioness Shinano Vii Lichtberg, who was sitting quietly in front of me to keep talking.

Snap!!

A snap of her fingers echoed through the mana-filled room, igniting the magic lanterns mounted above the library, shining brightly like the bedroom lights of my old life.

”Snapping her fingers with mana is like turning on a light switch, huh?” I muttered in a thin voice.

I was still trying to sit still after my hand was locked on Master Amagi’s cheek. She was still asleep, oblivious to the slowly setting sun.

”Let’s continue the last conversation that caught my attention, Liliana.”

The atmosphere became tense again.

My back, soaked in cold sweat, now felt tiny drops trickling down—the discussion about the sentence Master Amagi didn’t understand continued.

”Continuing the last conversation?” Still wearing Liliana’s innocent face mask, I tilted my head.

”Yes, the last talk about the unwritten rules of mages. Why should mages remain conscious of something that seems impossible with short-range results, especially the trick of using magic without mana, Liliana?”

Oh, those words...

Somehow, it’s like discovering a new, free-flowing energy source, without any other energy sources. No matter how small the new energy source, it’s bound to be used by other sources. For example, the discovery of a new energy source in the form of hot water used to generate electricity, with the energy produced being steam and the rotation of a turbine.

Of course, it was the same as casting magic, which required using mana.

If someone were able to use magic without mana, it could be the greatest miracle in human history. Even for a Saintess who was blessed by the Goddess, she had to use mana in every holy magic cast.

A mage capable of using magic without mana is like a car that can run on water. Machines that require fuel to operate are replaced by water, which doesn’t conduct heat from combustion to produce other energy.

”Isn’t that obvious, Marchioness Shinano Vii Lichtberg?”

”Every magic requires mana. That is the basic rule of magic from the Goddess. If someone can cast magic without using mana, that means they are using someone else’s mana,” I answered calmly, using simple logic that wasn’t as complicated as new clean energy.

Marchioness Shinano Vii Lichtberg was silent for a moment.

”You already understand the unwritten rules of witches, Liliana.”

”Most novice mages don’t understand the basic rules that save their lives and minds. Magic that doesn’t use mana comes from spirit contracts or demon contracts, which are forbidden in the Kingdom of Belfast. Spirit contracts are not easy to perform; only a few humans in the past have been able to do it.”

”And as for the demon contract... it’s very easy to do by handing over a sacrifice. Don’t ever be tempted to do something like that, Liliana.”

The fine hairs on the nape of my neck stood up after hearing that threat and warning.

In the main story, a group of humans forms a demon contract to using forbidden magic. They commit crimes involving the seven deadly sins, acting without regard for heaven and hell as eternal punishment after death. This misguided group summons a giant demon, which the novel’s main characters will eventually battle as main event showdowns.

The world of the novel I live in is an alternative story, relatively more peaceful without major problems in the future... If the story is at odds with the main story.

Wait, why am I feeling unsure if this alternate story is going to be okay?

The story in this world won’t clash with the main story, right?

Thinking about that doubt, my back broke out in a cold sweat, and my face paled.

”Whatever happens... never form a contract with a demon, Liliana.”

The final warning sounded again.

”I know, Marchioness Shinano Vii Lichtberg,” I replied, looking at her.

”What kind of maid forms a contract with a demon just to cast magic?”

”I’m not that stupid...” With this firm answer, I looked at her with sincerity.

The Marchioness remained smiling. She nodded her head and snapped her fingers again. This time, she pulling out a magic book with a strange, eye-shaped cover. It looked so lifelike, as if it were staring back at me.

”Contracts with demons may be forbidden in this Kingdom, but forbidden magic is actually legal in this kingdom. There are even special cemeteries used for the production of undead as workers. Using the dead for work. That’s a really genius idea, right?!!”

I stared at Marchioness Shinano VII Lichtberg with a blank expression, trying to comprehend the words coming out of her mouth. Forming a contract with a demon is strictly forbidden, and studying forbidden magic is legal in this kingdom?

So where did the forbidden word go... if it wasn’t actually forbidden?!!

There were all sorts of questions I wanted to ask Marchioness Shinano Vii Lichtberg, but the first thing I did was take hold of the forbidden magic book.

Rough skin texture, lifelike eye carvings, and decaying old paper.

”Such a nice forbidden magic book, right?”

”By the way, it’s made of real human skin...” said Marchioness Shinano Vii Lichtberg, with her sharp eyes watching every movement of my hands.

”...” I didn’t say anything but opened the first page.

The arrangement of the letters looks alive and runs around to form complicated words, some of which have typos or are misplaced, but my brain can guess the correct words.

As far as I can remember, I’ve never written about a forbidden magic book in the main story or the alternate story.

Something this horrific would only happen in a mystery novel or something similar, not in a novel centered around politics and teenage romance.

”Aren’t you afraid, Liliana?” asked Marchioness Shinano Vii Lichtberg as she stood up and walked over to me.

The bright light of the magic lantern made me focus on my first experience of reading a forbidden magic book.

”I’m not afraid of a book made of human skin. The most important thing is to read the contents of the magic book without looking at the cover, right?” I replied, reading a unique forbidden spell.

The more I read, the more I understand the forbidden magic that is legal in this Kingdom of Belfast.

”This... isn’t a bad forbidden magic. It’s called forbidden magic because its affinity focuses on troublesome shadows and darkness, huh?” I muttered, showing one of the pages showing the pitch-black quicksand magic technique.

”Oh, you don’t think it’s dangerous?”

”It might be dangerous... if used at the right time. It will be useful in my sword training later.”

”Duchess won’t fall for such cheap tricks, Liliana.”

”Ugh, it would be a shame if it didn’t work... I’ll still try it!”

This dark magic, which is considered forbidden, is basically magic to weaken the enemy. In contrast to holy magic, which is used to enhance something, this dark magic is its main enemy, weakening something. The Gravitia Break magic that I used is a light version of dark magic, because it will weaken someone who is hit by it.

Duchess Adelheid Von Blutfeld’s strong defense was destroyed in one attack. Even though the same technique won’t work a second time, I will still try it with this combination of thick black quicksand.

”I’ll see how you’re doing, Liliana...”

”Don’t make me feel sorry for sharing this legally forbidden magic...”

Caress...

Caress...

My hair was gently stroked by the Marchioness; every touch of her hand that stroked my hair was like giving me hope for my future development.

”I feel so pressured...”

”Fufu~ It’s normal to feel pressured by someone’s expectations. I was like that too when I was expected to be the best witch in the Kingdom of Belfast.”

”This is different from that great honor...”

”Just go with it, Liliana. Even if it doesn’t work out, at least you tried.”

What Marchioness Shinano Vii Lichtberg, see in me?

I’m just an apprentice maid trying to complete my maid training. I don’t want to be a swordswoman or a witch. Just an ordinary girl who happened to stumble upon the world of this novel.

Caress...

Caress...

The Marchioness’s caressing hand moved down to my cheek, wiping away the thin layer of sweat and pulling at my cheek.

”There will always be hope for everyone who tries, Liliana.”

”Seeing you progress so rapidly in this training, I want to see you grow even further. Of course, you must undergo rigorous training and not be tempted by the temptation of getting something the quick way that is forbidden,” whispered the Marchioness, with her little warning that began to leave a mark on my deepest thoughts.