The ‘Refined Mana Stone’ contract was concluded quickly and successfully.

Although it was a tiny fraction, marketing it as a tale of donation to the Imperial Children’s Academy, refining the advertising layout, would undoubtedly make it a sensational item.

However…

“After touching it, did you feel strange memories?”

“Yes. Strange, isn’t it?”

“The Refined Mana Stone is also a tool that traces the user’s mana flow. Perhaps those memories are suppressing the flow of Sian’s mana.”

While different from what Headmistress Hepsiba said, it was a similar statement.

In fact, combining the words of both, there was only one conclusion.

“Did I exhaust all the mana in this body during the reincarnation?”

But the time I heard Yuela’s voice, memories seemed to have surpassed six months since birth.

The Refined Mana Stone was said to trace the flow of mana, and Headmistress Hepsiba said that the memories seen in the Refined Mana Stone had suppressed the flow of my mana.

‘Then it’s not because of reincarnation.’

If my mana was depleted due to reincarnation, memories right after the reincarnation should have been shown.

Moreover, the ‘reincarnation penalty’ I knew didn’t mention mana depletion.

‘Did Yuela take away my mana? Come to think of it, the symbol Yuela carved on my hand was suspiciously unusual…’

It felt like that symbol might forcibly deplete the mana in my body.

There were strangely uncomfortable corners in various ways.

As I pondered, I closed my eyes and opened them again. Even though I couldn’t understand the reason right now, I hoped that someday I would be able to unravel the secret of all this.

‘Yuela. If I ask about Mom… will I be able to find out?’

Yuela.

Whether she was a good person or a bad person, her voice calling me was as warm as that person.

I never thought about asking Dad about Mom’s story. I’ve always said it’s enough to have Dad. But maybe…

‘Would Mom be remembered by Dad as a good memory?’

…Dad might be waiting for me to ask about Mom. I suddenly had that thought. If I face Dad, I should ask about Mom.

I made a firm decision.

A few days later. Thinking about whether to ask Dad about Mom felt like a story from a past life.

After finishing the final graduation hurdle at the academy, the ‘Law Graduation Exam,’ I was completely exhausted.

“I feel like I’m just going to die for real…”

“You won’t die.”

“People don’t die easily.”

“I feel like my heart is going to burst because of the law exam.”

“It won’t burst.”

“Hearts don’t burst easily.”

There was no room for explanation with metaphors.

Deadly Unni and Bench Unni next to me fed me water, babbling about. But it wasn’t a joke, and I really had no strength to move my throat.

With the support of the maids, I was about to walk towards the carriage, when a familiar voice called my name.

“Sian!”

Without the strength to turn my head, I leaned on Deadly Unni’s sturdy, muscular body and rolled my gaze towards the side. Martin, looking at me like a corpse, opened his mouth.

“Sian, something strange happened.”

“Something strange?”

I grinned. The words ‘something strange’ gave me a bad premonition. However, there was no shiver down my spine. I didn’t have the strength to shiver after being drained by the law education…

“Riena says she’s dropping out?”

“Huh? Riena is suddenly dropping out…?”

I was bewildered and raised my eyebrows in response.

“Huh? Suddenly? Isn’t she in the graduation class too?”

Unlike me, Riena had deferred graduation several times.

However, dropping out suddenly after attending the academy for over a year was not an easy decision.

“Yeah. Some say she couldn’t withstand the isolation and dropped out…”
“…In that case, she should have dropped out sooner.”

Since the incident where Riena’s hand was caught by Burger’s hand, she couldn’t socialize with her friends. She constantly murmured about being a noble lady who almost caused damage to the empire.

But she seemed to be studying diligently; it was strange.

“Is there a sudden reason for her to drop out at such a sluggish time just because she can’t socialize with friends?”

Tilting my head in confusion, Martin lowered his voice even more.

“Yeah. But it’s not just Riena. Burger too…”

At the mention of Burger, I frowned skeptically.

“Huh? Burger? Why would Burger, who receives sponsorship from our family, drop out?”

“Oh, no. Calm down, Sian. It seems like Burger was encouraged to drop out, not that he is dropping out.”

“…Encouraged to drop out? Who said that?”

I narrowed my eyes.

“Riena and Burger are in the same class, right?”

“Right.”

“Chris, the teacher in that class, said the same thing to Burger. He told Burger that it’s a waste of his talents to stay in this academy, and suggested dropping out to play in bigger waters.”

“Bigger waters…”

“Then suddenly changed his mind and said it’s canceled. And then he absolutely refused to tell what ‘bigger waters’ meant.”

“Forget the rumors about Burger receiving sponsorship from Mirmode. Chris, the teacher…”