In the past, each small victory like this would have been exhilarating. Looking back on her fifteen-year-old self, it’s clear how much stronger her support base has become now.

But Jade kept wanting to lean against something and lie down.

The world she returned to after four months couldn’t have changed that much. Yet strangely, Jade felt unfamiliar with all of this.

Unlike the forest where the purpose of actions was simple regardless of difficulty, the outside world imbued even the smallest act with too many meanings.

Meeting the king, meeting people from families favorable to her. Organizing tasks and quickly reducing Felix’s expanded influence.

All while maintaining a smile, pretending to be at ease. It was suffocating.

Ollie had said before parting that her experiences in the Athanase Forest would become a new foundation to help her.

But that wasn’t the case. The experiences in the Athanase Forest ate away at her. They showed her how bland this life was, and how difficult it was to wear a mask.

Jade just wanted to burst out laughing without thinking. She wanted to meet someone and chat without any ulterior motive. She wanted to enjoy the scenery without doing anything.

But she couldn’t. This was a place where one couldn’t think without purpose, act without intention, or do nothing.

“I’m tired…”

If it were Axel’s house, she would have lain down and slept right away.

Now that Jade acknowledged all her emotions, she didn’t consciously suppress thoughts of him. The more she tried, the more various memories surfaced in rebellion.

Sometimes she felt greedy. The time spent with him was fun, peaceful, and happy. Jade felt she could laugh out loud easily by his side, even outside the forest. It seemed breathing would be comfortable.

What if she pulled Axel out of the forest?

But he was someone who entered the Athanase Forest to be forgotten. Someone who left behind all conveniences, desiring peaceful rest. For his sake, she shouldn’t do that.

Moreover, this castle wasn’t beautiful enough to steal such peace. The person by her side would essentially have to join in the struggle.

It was all her selfishness. Sometimes, things should be left as beautiful memories. If one wants them to remain beautiful until the end, that is.

“Have you found it?”

Bernard, who appeared, looked tired as if he had been very busy.

“Lord Felix made a huge fuss at Mori and left. I thought my ears would burst.”

“Oh dear. I should apologize. Anyway, let’s proceed as we discussed recently.”

Bernard’s eyes widened.

“Lady Jade, there’s no rush right now. Lord Felix’s influence is diminishing smoothly.”

“I know. But I want to do what needs to be done without delay.”

Jade picked up the document, stamped it, and handed it to Bernard.

“It’s too unsightly for me to personally rescue my fiancé, so I decided to ask Countess Snowden for help. She assured me it wouldn’t be difficult. She said there were already people targeting me.”

“But you disliked that. It could be someone Felix has manipulated…”

“That’s why I need to ask Marienne for a background check. And honestly, I know most cases involve family alliances. I have to adapt now. Living like a romantic in my situation is too difficult.”

There was a goal she had been pursuing her whole life.

To stand tall as the head of the Broen family, succeeding her father. To completely inherit the wealth and power Mabel possessed, and to separate Felix. And finally, to get back at Grandmother who had disregarded her mother.

To do that, she had to meet the conditions Mabel set.

‘Marry someone from a good family, with good blood, not like your mother. Only then will I pass on what I have to you.’

Mabel had too much. If she didn’t meet that condition, she might become only half a family head. If Mabel separated all her personal assets, it might even shake the Broen family’s finances.

She had been running for ten years. She couldn’t give up.

Having reached that conclusion, while a corner of her heart ached as if being pricked, she also felt refreshed like someone who had finished cleaning.

Rather, Bernard didn’t know what to do.

“Maybe you should think about it more before proceeding.”

“No. It’s a good time. Full spring is coming, so if we prepare quickly, we might be able to make marriage vows by autumn. I need to have my coming-of-age ceremony soon and inherit the family head position. Why does our family have this condition that I can only inherit the position after the coming-of-age ceremony?”

Jade grumbled. Meanwhile, Grandmother was saying she would oppose the coming-of-age ceremony unless she married a man from a very good family.

“But, Lady Jade. You, you… Didn’t you keep circling the garden? You kept going under the trees…”

Bernard rambled incoherently. He was flustered by the result that was so different from what he had expected.

Jade burst out laughing at the innocent voice coming from the mouth of a middle-aged man who had experienced everything.

“Yes, I did. But I’ve clearly realized that this place is not a forest.”

Now was the time to inherit everything Mabel had and completely remove Felix.

Jade decided to become an excellent lord of the territory after marrying and fulfilling all conditions.

“Send a letter to Countess Snowden.”

Bernard hesitated with the envelope Jade handed him, and only after a long while did he answer, as if sighing.

“Yes, I understand.”

Axel would be at peace in the Athanase Forest.

03.

As soon as Jade expressed her intention to get engaged, an enormous amount of letters poured into the Broen family castle every day. They were all letters requesting meetings.

Felix came every day and slammed the envelopes. Mabel narrowed her eyes and examined the names on the envelopes. Then she left, only saying to choose the best family.

It was more exhausting than subjugation, than working for the family.

What do you mean it’s time now? Why did I say such pretentious things? What engagement? I don’t know anything about these men.

It felt like sticking her head into darkness. The thought of spending a lifetime with someone completely unknown was simply depressing.

Moreover, since Jade was a magician, she would have to form a pair with that someone, but how could she know if they would be compatible?

When she was thinking every day about throwing it all away and running to the Athanase Forest, a letter arrived to save her. The king had summoned her.

“I have urgent business! I’ll be back!”

“What? You can’t go today, Lady Jade!”

Ignoring Bernard’s pitiful call, Jade pushed away the pile of letters and excitedly ran out of the Broen castle.

The royal palace, which she quickly reached through teleportation magic, was still beautiful.

Endless rows of pointed towers, sparkling windows, bridges connecting castle to castle. The buildings extending outward naturally connected with the outskirts at some point.

It was a characteristic of the El Sion royal palace. A structure that naturally blended with its surroundings. It seemed like it would be easy to infiltrate, but it wasn’t. Because finding the entrance was extremely difficult.

Jade headed to the reception room after receiving authorization from the guards.

Inside, the king was already seated, looking at something. He seemed to be deeply focused, so she kept her mouth shut, but the chamberlain spoke first instead of the king.

“I hear you’re looking for a fiancé. That’s good news. The Broen family will finally have the right owner.”

The chamberlain offered congratulations with a gentle smile. But Jade only raised the corners of her mouth awkwardly. She was tired of responding as everyone she met in the corridors said the same thing.

But the chamberlain was the head of the Meyer family, which held the title above count, so she needed to be polite.

“I’m trying… but I keep thinking that finding a match is really difficult.”

“It would have been good if you had attended parties more often.”

“You’re right. I should have heeded that advice. It’s even harder trying to do everything at once…”

“Haha.”

The king, still focused on the documents, opened his mouth while keeping his gaze on the paper.

“What parties? Didn’t you send polite rejection letters even to my invitations? I was quite hurt then.”

“Ahem…”

As Jade cleared her throat, the chamberlain added a word to help her.

“Attending parties is essential to find a good fiancé. It seems she has realized it now, so Your Majesty should generously understand her past mistakes.”

Usually, the king would have wrinkled his nose playfully and nodded. Saying something like, ‘Yes, I may be short in stature, but I’m big-hearted.’

“What?”

But unexpectedly, the king raised his voice. Both Jade and the chamberlain were surprised and looked at him.

“What did you say?”

“Huh? Oh, as I mentioned before, the fire magician is receiving suitors. I was just congratulating her on that…”

“Suitors? Suitors!”

The king stood up abruptly. He looked very urgent.

“Jade Broen. Are you looking for a fiancé? A fiancé? Really?”

Somehow, the king looked greatly shocked. Or betrayed. Either way, it was an emotion Jade couldn’t understand at all.

Why on earth is the king making such an expression! I’m the one who wants to cry.

“Yes, that’s right. I too am now trying to meet a knight, form a pair, and get married. I’m tired of the heir position.”

I have to become the family head, you know. Jade shrugged nonchalantly.

However, the king seemed confused. Ink was dripping from the pen he was holding. The desk was turning black.

“Um, the ink is dripping…”

“That, no, never mind. You haven’t decided yet, have you?”

“It’s almost decided. Well, no definite documents have been exchanged yet.”

“Who!”

The king was now almost shouting. Why on earth is he acting like this? Jade felt very tired.