Adelheit turned to look at his face, but Valentin’s expression was no different from usual.

Even though he was so anxious that he couldn’t let go of her hand for even a moment. Finding it a bit cute, Adelheit smiled faintly.

“I will stay by my husband’s side.”

“Is that so.”

Adelheit did not miss the fleeting disappointment that crossed the chamberlain’s eyes. He quickly masked his emotions skillfully.

“Then, Your Highness the Grand Duke, please follow me. His Majesty urgently requests your presence.”

“I will be there shortly.”

“However…”

“I have something to tell my wife, so wait in a position where you cannot hear our conversation.”

“…Yes.”

The chamberlain bowed his head as if trying to hide his dissatisfied expression and retreated outside the tent.

Valentin waited until his presence faded away before speaking.

“Adelheit. Do you remember when I taught you how to materialize magic power in the carriage?”

“Of course… I remember.”

“Practice until you can do it skillfully. So that you can draw up as much magic power as you want in an instant anytime.”

He instantly floated several spheres of golden magic power above his palm, then scattered them.

Adelheit watched the sight as if enchanted.

Aside from the uneasiness about handling the power of magical beasts, magic was quite an attractive force.

But even if she tried for a hundred years, could she freely wield such powerful force at will? As Adelheit’s expression darkened slightly, Valentin raised the corners of his mouth and said,

“The problem is the notion in that head of yours.”

“Notion?”

“The miserable belief that you couldn’t possibly have power. Such self-deprecation takes root for a very long time, rather eating away at the soul.”

“…”

“You must truly believe that you can do it yourself.”

“Truly…”

She mumbled as she looked down at her own hand.

Could she really do it? Since gaining the slender hope of magic power, she had practiced diligently every day without fail, but the results were always poor.

It was difficult enough just to make the magic stone hold magic power. Even that would have been impossible without Valentin’s help…

“For now, practice up to the part I taught you.”

“Is it alright for me to use magic power on my own?”

Materializing magic power was incomparably more difficult and draining than imbuing magic stones with magic power.

Above all, what worried her were the priests from the Great Cathedral who had followed them to the hunting grounds.

If by any chance they sensed the magic power as something like a magical beast hiding, it would be a big problem.

With good luck, it might pass unnoticed, but with bad luck, even Valentin’s identity could be exposed.

Seeing her worried expression, he reached out and gently rubbed her cheek.

“I put up a few barriers when entering the tent. It’s fine in here.”

Adelheit blinked comfortably, feeling the magic power transmitted from his palm.

She even felt regretful when he removed his hand.

“Adelheit. I told you last time that most humans carry Morig’s power in their bodies, right?”

“Yes. I remember.”

“Applying magic power is, so to speak, close to reversing the ‘power’ flowing in their bodies. Try to be able to do at least that much.”

Reversing power. It sounded somehow terrifying.

While she was shuddering, Valentin raised his hand and drew a vertical line in the air.

Then a gap opened as wide as the space he had drawn.

Adelheit almost screamed at the sudden rift that appeared in midair. It was that eerie of a sight.

“Goodness…”

As she barely exhaled with a sigh, Valentin thrust his hand into the torn space.

As if it were a bookshelf in a library, he pulled out thick books from inside.

They were all old and very ancient-looking books. Some were just parchments tied together with string.

“Take them.”

He said, holding out the stack of books to her.

“Since you know Old Arian, you should be able to read them. They’re books recording research on magic power from the kingdom era.”

“From the kingdom era?”

The rift closed in an instant while Adelheit watched with wide eyes. She hesitantly reached out her hand.

“Is it alright for me to receive such things? If they’re books from that era, they must be precious…”

“Look for the healing magic you wanted in there as well. It should be written in there.”

She hurriedly received the books with both hands.

While she was examining the books with flushed cheeks, Valentin secretly detached part of his own shadow and mixed it into Adelheit’s shadow.

Then with a straight face, he lowered his head and kissed her forehead.

“Well then, I’ll be going.”

Adelheit placed the mountain of magic books Valentin had given her on the table and began to read them one by one.

Although she was very tired from riding in the carriage, her desire for books and new knowledge breathed vitality into her entire body.

After all, books from the ancient Arian kingdom era were extremely rare.

Most were lost during the ‘Great Collapse’, and even the remaining books were in poor condition or strictly managed by the church as forbidden books.

But the books Valentin gave were in good condition from the type to the paper, so there was no problem reading them.

As she became accustomed to the difficult and complex handwriting, the content gradually began to sink in.

Adelheit was soon immersed in the books.

The thin book she picked up first seemed to be written for people who were new to magic power.

All the contents were interesting and informative.

What was especially surprising was that the ancient Arians called magic power ‘light’ and ‘God’s gift’.

Not a fearful and avoided subject like now.

‘So it was true that there were many people who used magic power in ancient times.’

She continued to read the magic books while suppressing her joy that felt like leaping.

There were explanations about theory, and some that recorded practical combat applications.

By the time she picked up the last book, a considerable amount of time had passed. Valentin still had not returned.

She caressed the book pages bearing traces of time.

‘Then how long has Valentin been alive?’

When the sun had completely set, servants came in and lit lamps inside and outside the tent.

She looked with perplexed eyes at the magic books and papers on the table, but none of the servants paid much attention.

They looked as nonchalant as if looking at estate management ledgers.

“How would you like your meal? Will you attend the banquet?”

Banquet. Only then did she realize she had completely forgotten about Margaret.

“Has the carriage with the Grand Duke’s seal arrived yet? My maid hasn’t arrived yet.”

According to plan, she should have followed right behind her…

Something must have gone wrong. She had forgotten to check on something she should have naturally taken care of, being too absorbed in reading the magic books.

Adelheit anxiously bit her lip.

“There hasn’t been an accident, has there?”

“As far as I know, there were no carriage accidents today. With so many people moving at once, there are often delays when the roads get congested.”

“Well, that’s a relief…”

“What would you like to do about attending the banquet? If you haven’t recovered, we can prepare a meal for you here.”

“Is it alright not to attend the banquet? I thought His Majesty had ordered everyone to attend.”

Adelheit tilted her head.

Hadn’t the Emperor himself insisted on her accompanying this hunting ground schedule, and Valentin had no choice but to comply? But the servant was acting as if she had other options.

The servant replied with a troubled expression to Adelheit’s words.

“Of course, normally that would be the case.”

The servant’s eyes scanned Adelheit’s clothes while pretending not to.

“The Grand Duke asked to have Your Highness stay in the tent as much as possible. I believe His Majesty eventually gave permission as well.”

Adelheit felt her mind ease.

“In that case, if it’s not a problem, I’ll eat here. Please bring it here.”

“Understood.”

Soon the servants returned carrying trays with white bread, apricot jam, soup, roasted beef, and fresh salad.

Seeing the food, forgotten hunger surged. She spread jam on the bread and ate it, also enjoying the salad deliciously.

After pushing away the finished tray and ringing the bell, servants came in and cleared away the dishes.

Adelheit asked them for a cup of strong brewed tea and returned to sit in front of the magic books again.

‘Now for the last book.’

The last book was even thicker than all three previous books combined.

Peeking inside, densely packed letters filled the pages enough to make one dizzy at a glance.

She flipped through the pages quickly, feeling a bit daunted.

It seemed to be a book explaining in detail the principles, implementation, and applications of magic power.

As she turned the pages, Adelheit discovered that someone had written copious annotations in the corners of each page.

‘This handwriting…’

She examined the book this way and that, and discovered someone’s signature at the back of the book.

Adelheit Desiree Bathildis Nürnberkian.