After exchanging brief eye greetings, I followed the maid into the guided room.

The room was ordinary. I hung my outerwear neatly in the warm room and sat on the chair.

‘This must be the windbreak room that Hadel explained before coming to the lord’s castle.’

Viewing it from a higher place, the windbreak designed to block the cold snowstorm became clearer.

‘The festival seems to continue until late at night.’

Lights gradually lit up the streets, resembling the stars in the night sky.

Before long, the book I had been waiting for arrived. As soon as I received the book, I checked who the author was. As expected, it was Yulnisia.

‘Yulnisia has left proper records.’

My friend Yul. She was a child unsuitable for the battlefield.

‘After the war, it seems she spent her life happily, indulging in magical research.’

Seeing the familiar name, I felt at ease. While briefly thinking of Yulnisia, I slowly flipped through the book.

I read the section about Hynari Tan, but there was nothing I didn’t know. Closing the book again, I sighed.

‘Even though Yulnisia wrote down the method like this, Hynari Tan disappeared.’

The method of production did not vanish. It wasn’t that no one knew the method. However, there simply wasn’t anyone with Flame attributes to create it.

‘Why are Flame attributes so rare? Does it have any relation to magical creatures suddenly gaining Ice attributes?’

Thinking about it didn’t bring any answers. It would be good if there were books detailing what happened over the past 100 years.

‘There are likely hostile non-human races still living beyond those mountains. For the future, we must prevent the attributes from disappearing.’

I stood at the forefront of the war between humans and non-humans not only because I was of royal blood but mainly because of the powerful attacking ability of Flame attributes.

In the end, losing Flame attributes is no different from eliminating one of humanity’s weapons.

‘For now, it seems like Hadel is the only one?’

There may be Flame attribute holders hiding elsewhere, or there may not be.

If so, the most surefire way is for Hadel to have many children…

‘Ugh! Forbidden thoughts! Forbidden other thoughts!’

Damn it, my mind tends to wander to strange places as soon as I relax a little.

I vigorously shook my head. Then, feeling tired from my thoughts, I collapsed onto the bed.

A baby. A baby.

‘For now, it’s uncertain whether having a baby is possible. My current condition is not normal.’

Whether we can do something that might lead to a baby or not is a secondary issue. Right now, there’s no guarantee that it will happen given my current physical state.

‘Ugh, these thoughts are too depressing.’

No, it definitely started with more risqué thoughts. Why did it become so gloomy?

I rolled my body onto the bed. And I continued burying my head in the pillow until I heard a story about coming out to have dinner.

“I heard an interesting rumor.”

During the dinner gathering, Evelyn brought up an unexpected story.

“They say that Lady Marian was a princess cursed but became human through a prince’s kiss, right?”

“Eek!”

Though I always heard such stories within the Grand Castle, it was incredibly embarrassing when someone brought it up in front of me like this.

I fanned myself with a flushed face and asked, “Did that rumor spread this far?”

“Those who came with the Grand Duke mentioned it.”

“Ugh!”

As if they were spies!

Sending them ahead resulted in them revealing all sorts of things to the lord. Hadel scolded me, muttering like this.

“It seems you made quite an impression, turning into a partridge from a horse.”

“Why is my body so troublesome?”

It would be nice to know in advance when and how I could transform.

As I pursed my lips, Evelyn spoke with a sly smile.

“If it’s alright, may I take a look? I used to study magical circuits as a mage.”

“I’m okay, but…”

Examining meant she would touch my wrist and observe how mana flows within my body. I was about to decline politely but changed my mind.

‘Well, it’s not easy to meet a mage in Hadel’s territory. This might be a good opportunity.’

I hadn’t really been curious whether there was anything wrong with my health.

When I extended my hand, Evelyn gently touched my wrist without causing embarrassment. After closing her eyes for a moment, she suddenly asked,

“Are you really a human, or a partridge?”

“Ugh.”

Asking such a difficult question right from the start.

Honestly, I didn’t know. I answered vaguely.

“Probably a partridge.”

“Probably?”

“I can’t be sure…”

“Hmm.”

Evelyn hesitated for a moment, then turned to Hadel this time.

“If it’s not too impolite, may I examine the Grand Duke’s mana as well?”

“That’s fine.”

Hadel also extended his hand without much caution. After examining both of us alternately for a while, Evelyn, with a look of amazement, said,

“Your heartbeats are the same.”

“What?”

“Is that even possible?”

Both Hadel and I widened our eyes at her unexpected words. Evelyn shrugged.