chapter 6

“Are you all right, Milady?”

Teor asked, concern written on his face.

I pretended to be dizzy and replied,

“My head is spinning.”

“Let’s get you into my carriage for now.”

“Eek?!”

Before I could respond, Teor scooped me up in a bridal-style lift. I couldn’t help but let out a strangled scream.

“Ah… I’m dizzy…”

When he apologized, I wanted to say it was fine, but the situation was too embarrassing. So I simply rested my face against his chest, pretending to be dizzy.

And now… how could I explain using dark magic so openly in front of the Empire’s only dark-attribute user?

Not to mention I had used healing magic, which would certainly make him curious to probe my abilities.

Should I be honest about it?

Well, I am planning to demonstrate a purchased dark attribute at the upcoming debutante ball.

To do that, I need to decide who, when, and how will extract Teor’s dark attribute and store it in an object that I could use.

Of course, all of that is a lie. The nonexistent device will be “destroyed” immediately after the debutante ball to prevent anyone from misusing it.

The only important thing is that my debutante presentation doesn’t become a laughingstock like in the original story.

So this is actually a pretty good opportunity.

I plan to use this power to make Perre unnie’s path smooth, so there’s no reason to hide it anymore.

I could explain the situation to Teor, let him in on a little of my scheme, and in exchange, reveal a part of my secret…

Lost in thought, I opened my eyes—and froze in shock at the mass of black hair filling my vision.

“Ah—!”

Oh! What a surprise!

I didn’t know when Teor had brought me into the carriage and set me down on the soft cushions. Seeing him this close made my heart plummet.

But where exactly had he been looking?

Teor, noticing my suspicious glare, explained,

“I was looking at your hand.”

“My hand?”

“Yes. The one you healed with dark magic.”

“Oh…”

Apparently, he was very curious about the part where I healed myself using dark magic.

He even leaned close to someone pretending to be asleep just to examine my fingers.

I cursed silently. Damn it, I’d been caught.

“Um… well, you see…”

I floundered, unsure how to explain. Then an idea struck me. I quickly said,

“It’s an experimental device!”

Teor raised an eyebrow.

“It’s a relic the academy is developing. It’s meant to mimic dark attributes… anyway, it’s confidential, but my father has money, so… well, it’s a secret. It’s illegal, I guess not?”

I babbled incoherently, and the look on Teor’s face changed from confusion to disbelief.

“Oh, please just let this slide…”

I muttered to myself, forcing a strained smile.

“Secret. Totally secret.”

“Secret, huh.”

Teor murmured to himself, nodding as if to affirm it.

Seeing this, he let a faint smirk cross his lips and narrowed his eyes.

“How… interesting.”

“Ah… hahaha. Yes, it’s interesting. But please, keep it a secret.”

His red eyes glinted like snakes.

“Interesting…”

It wasn’t a reassuring “I understand,” but rather an unsettling, chilling tone. Great. Just great.

I internally screamed, “Interesting my foot! Please just keep the secret!”

“Anyway, once it’s properly completed, I’ll use it at the debutante ball.”

Teor looked at me quizzically.

“Is that really necessary?”

“Of course! I have money, but no attribute abilities!”

Teor stared at me silently.

“If I don’t use something like this, I’ll be a laughingstock at the debutante ball. A commoner with no abilities…”

“So you want to at least make it appear you have abilities?”

“Yes! This is the only way to avoid humiliation at the debutante ball.”

See? I buy my abilities with money.

Teor let out a small, incredulous laugh. I didn’t show it, but it stung a little.

“Besides, this ability resembles the Empire’s only dark attribute. Imagine a lowly commoner suddenly using it—the Empire would be in an uproar.”

“They’d blame the oracle.”

“Exactly!”

I clapped my hands. Teor’s eyes widened in surprise.

“So you can’t reveal this power to the world.”

Originally, I intended to use it only when Perre unnie was in danger, claiming it was a divine gift.

“But as you said, that ‘experimental device’—fake or real—is dangerous.”

I realized he didn’t fully believe me, but there was nothing else I could do.

“It’s a secret, so no one knows about it anyway, right?”

“That’s exactly the problem. Claiming to have created a device that doesn’t exist will make people scramble to obtain it.”

He spoke as if he already knew I was lying. I presented a solution anyway.

“Then we just destroy it immediately after, problem solved?”

“That’s easier said than done. Once people know it exists, they’ll go to any lengths to acquire it.”

I shrugged.

“But it doesn’t exist in reality.”

“That’s irrelevant. Once people imagine it, some will try to find or even create it. Some might actually manage it.”

“Yikes.”

“Anyway, think of another way.”

“Hmm…”

I frowned, unsure what other way could exist.

Teor paused, then shook his head and said,

“Using that ability at the debutante ball will definitely cause a stir.”

“Then I’ll just claim it’s the experimental device with your dark attribute.”

I asked him to help me figure out how to borrow Teor’s dark attribute briefly so I could use it at the ball.

He didn’t understand why I needed to do it.

No choice. I’d have to explain the original story.

How terrible and frustrating Ellinea’s debutante ball had been.

Even invoking precognitive dreams, which I had never actually had.

“Actually, I have precognitive dreams.”

“Precognitive dreams…?”

“Yes, they are so accurate it’s creepy. In the dream, my debutante ball was a disaster, so I refuse to repeat it.”

“No lying about putting an attribute in a necklace. Even claiming such an object exists would throw the Empire into chaos.”

Teor shook his head firmly.

Even precognitive dreams weren’t helping?

“Why? Even if it’s commoners, all nobles have attributes.”

“Nobles desire abilities they don’t have.”

“…Ah!”

I hadn’t thought of that.

Each person has their own attribute, determining offensive and defensive roles. Many would want both, creating chaos.

“Complicated, huh…”

I frowned at a point I hadn’t considered.

“Anyway, think of another way.”

“Hmm…”

No matter how I think, no good solution comes to mind.

Teor, after a pause, slowly shook his head.

“Using that ability at the debutante ball will shake the Empire.”

“So we claim it’s an experimental device containing the dark attribute, not my actual power.”

He looked at me with an incredulous expression.

Was I foolish… or bold?

That thought was correct. He could read the mixture of fear and audacity in my eyes.

“For now, that method won’t do.”

Without revealing his emotions, Teor continued.

“So just come with me.”

“Yes.”

I answered reflexively, then realized what he meant.

“Yes?”