After gazing at the man’s serious expression with a dubious look, Rosha changed the subject. If this conversation continued, it seemed one of the council members would truly disappear soon.

“That… I’ll let you know separately if needed. For now, just help me with what I’ve mentioned.”

“Of course.”

In fact, she had already asked Froy for something previously.

To publish ‘The Fundamentals of Magic’ book.

‘When I have a chance, I need to quickly increase the number of combatants.’

By revealing the existence of the secret shop, she could secure those willing to participate in the trials. And she would provide them with practical fighting power – in other words, magic.

The former had been more or less settled, so now she had entered the stage of providing that power.

* * *

Not even a day later, another rumor swept through the capital.

It was a rumor that Lady Roshanak had regained her sight.

“Huh? How could she regain her sight when it’s not something that comes and goes?”

“So the previous rumor was false?”

“No, not that. Apparently she had truly lost her sight but regained it. A friend of mine who works as a messenger at the council said he heard that she recovered her vision thanks to a healing elixir obtained from inside the trial.”

“They say it’s like a panacea that can not only restore sight but even regenerate severed limbs. It even allowed Count Aper, who had been in a coma for years, to wake up this time.”

It was a backlash.

Public opinion had boomeranged back, and the baseless slander against Rosha vanished as if washed away.

However, this incident had overtly revealed a desire among the people.

In one corner of Freedom Square, one of the three plazas in the capital of the Marcia Empire, a saleswoman lamented softly:

“Ah, if only I had a special ability too.”

“Yeah, right? Then we wouldn’t have to tremble because of the trials, and if we’re lucky, we might even obtain panaceas and such.”

“Even if not an ability, I wish I had some talent for magic. I still can’t forget the golden protective barrier I saw from my house the day the first trial arrived. Just what do you have to do to use magic?”

“Who knows? But what can people like us do? If we go demanding magic lessons from a noble family, we’ll just get beaten and chased away.”

At the realistic speculation in their conversation, they could only slump their shoulders helplessly. Would ordinary people ultimately have no choice but to aimlessly struggle to survive, ignorant of everything?

It was around then.

“Extra, extra!”

A small boy appeared from somewhere, tossing out single sheets of paper as he passed by. Absentmindedly picking one up, the woman’s eyes widened.

And with good reason, for the paper contained these words:

-You too can do it! The book <The Fundamentals of Magic> compiling the basics of magic to be published soon!

-Today at 6 PM, Freedom Square – Reservations for purchase and magic demonstration scheduled!

* * *

“Hmm, I see. I had wondered why you revealed the existence of the secret shop and elixir in the council, but there was a reason behind it all.”

Duke Feriel crunched on a cookie as he continued speaking.

“Pique people’s interest with mysterious items, and then timely release a book covering the basics of magic. I didn’t expect you to have such a broad perspective. I had thought it was merely to delude the elderly council members at most.”

“Delude?”

“Yes. Those old folks really care about their health, so if the existence of items like elixirs becomes known, they’ll inevitably come crawling to you in the end. It’s obvious.”

The elderly man saying this didn’t seem to care about his own health, steadily devouring the cookies on the plate.

As Cassis, seated beside him, remarked, ‘They were already going to offer support anyway, you really are devilishly cunning, Duke,’ Rosha silently pushed the cookie plate towards Lysithea.

“That’s enough, Your Grace. You should watch your health.”

Duke Feriel smacked his lips regretfully but was at an age where he had to be careful about his blood vessels.

“Thank you, Lady Roshanak.”

Lysithea smiled prettily as she picked up one of the remaining cookies. Then, calling out to Joel, he discreetly approached from where he had been standing nearby.

These two had been visiting the mansion daily since Rosha had awakened. They came so frequently that the butler would now set out refreshments in the parlor as soon as their carriage appeared.

‘But I’ve grown quite close to them because of it.’

They were people whose connection had extended from the first trial.

While their circumstances differed, she was genuinely grateful that they chose to follow her path.

Having lived an ordinary life until recently, summoning such resolve and courage would have been difficult.

It was then that Cassis suddenly asked with a thoughtful expression:

“By the way, what happened to that parrot you were raising? I haven’t seen it since yesterday. Did it go hunting for food?”

“Yeah, well… something like that.”

Not food, it had gone to grab the deity by the scruff for a bit.

Rosha recalled the crystal shrine she had painstakingly sculpted and completed just the day before. As soon as it was finished, Koko had said he needed to ‘dive in’ and talk to the deity.

Of course, Rosha, who also had many questions for the Guide God, should follow, but…

‘There’s still something I need to do.’

The most urgent matter was today’s event.

Rosha gazed out the window. The sun, high in the sky, began tracing a gentle arc, tinting the heavens crimson.

It was about time for that man to show up.

Sure enough.

“So you were all gathered here.”

Froy appeared without a sound, parting the space.

The process of him traversing space was always mystifying. The gaps between mana particles in the air would elongate before abruptly converging at one point, and his body would seem to slip through that aperture.

Seeing him step onto the floor and approach, Lysithea readily greeted him.

“You’ve arrived, Duke?”

Lysithea seemed much more at ease with Froy after the recent events.

The same went for Joel – unlike his initial stiff nervousness that had him standing up, he now remained seated.

However, regardless of their attitudes, Froy only looked at Rosha, as if disregarding the rest.

“Oho…”

Ignoring Duke Feriel’s sly chuckle, the man briefly checked the time before extending his hand towards Rosha.

“Shall we go? We’re a bit late.”

“Yes, I’ll be back shortly.”

After a simple farewell, she took his hand, and space instantly parted.

What soon appeared before her eyes was the top floor of a building in the capital’s downtown area.

Glancing out the window overlooking the square, Froy provided an explanation.

“It’s a high-class inn near Freedom Square. One I own under an alias, so please make yourself comfortable.”

“…How much does a place like this earn in a month?”

“Who knows, I’ve never checked. Shall I gift you one if you’re curious?”

“No, thanks.”

She had absentmindedly asked because people in the previous world seemed to hold building owners in such high regard, but ever since yesterday, she kept saying things she didn’t really mean.

In any case, approaching the mirror, Rosha transformed the shape of her cape.

Thanks to the A-class sacred relic that allowed one design change per day, her casual attire instantly morphed into a navy dress befitting a magician.

Watching this, Froy approached and placed a thin mask over her face.

It was the familiar silver feathered mask.

As the mask settled on the bridge of her nose, her reddish-brown hair turned jet black.

“…It’s been a while since this look.”

Rosha, now the unidentified magician from the secret auction, murmured.

She had a reason for concealing her appearance to this extent.

‘If I go as myself, the attention won’t be on the book, but on me instead.’

Today’s protagonists were <The Fundamentals of Magic> and magic itself, so as long as she appeared as a magician capable of magical demonstrations, it was sufficient.

This was the disguise she had devised.

Hmm, seeing it in person, it did seem like a decent idea.

However…

“…Won’t it seem a bit strange if I show up wearing just a mask alone? This isn’t a masquerade ball.”

“Then I’ll wear one too. Two is better than one, after all.”

Froy readily picked up a decorative mask hanging on the wall.

It was a rather peculiar full-face mask, white with only the mouth curved in a smile, but it oddly suited him.

At her amused laughter, he exaggeratedly extended his hand like a gentleman requesting a dance at a ball.

“Shall we go, Rosha?”

To think the man who had once tried to kill her with his ability would become this familiar, even joking around.

Indeed, life was unpredictable.

Gently placing her hand on his long, pale one, Rosha replied:

“Yes, let’s go.”