The following night after the ball, Elise came knocking on my door with a small box in her hand. “My lady, His Majesty has sent you a present.”

“What is it?” 

The royal family had already sent me gifts for my birthday, yet the emperor sent me another. I immediately opened it. “A bracelet.” It was a golden bracelet engrained with tiny diamond gemstones. A note came with it.

Take this as a joint present of Evermore and Valencourt for the heroic act you displayed of saving the life of Prince Zathrian of Valencourt. 

- King Leonardt Desroches

“They’re too generous.” The bracelet fit my wrists perfectly. It was an SSR item which could raise the wearer’s mana to 10% and speed to 5%. If I send this bracelet and that necklace from Maximilian to an alchemist for crafting, the stats can increase more. This would give me a better chance of survival.

“What could be Zathrian’s present?” I whispered to myself.

Elise went to the pile of presents at the center of my room to look for his gift. I had a hunch it would be another jewellery, because what else would he get me? He doesn’t know me that much. “Here it is, my lady.”

It was a small box as well. Just as I expected. I unwrapped it and was welcomed by a note.

I noticed your necklace at the ball. It might as well come with a set. I’m glad I can give you one of my precious collections. If you’re ever interested, I can show you more. I’ve brought a few with me.

- Z.L

He didn’t even write his name appropriately!

“Wow! It’s beautiful, my lady! Are you sure the foreign prince isn’t proposing to you with that?”

Another item glowing in a golden hue, he sent me an SSR-grade silver ring with a large blue sapphire gemstone at the top. It was farmed from the same domain where Maximilian got me the necklace. It also has good base stats with 5% defense, 5% attack and 4% magic resistance. But since I obtained two items from the same place, it will give me a bonus of 24% magic attack.

Did he purposely give me this ring so I can acquire an extra attribute? Or in Remembering World terms, a 2-piece set bonus?

My cheeks heated at the thought. There is no way he could read stats unless he frequents an alchemist to analyze his collectibles. 

“They fit you so well, my lady!” Elise remarked. “So if your secret admirer and Prince Zathrian gave you jewellery from the same store, could this be… a love triangle in the making? Who are you going to choose, my lady?” 

“T-There’s no love triangle going on, Elise! And I’m not choosing anyone!” I exclaimed, my face burning harder. 

I can’t see myself falling in love.

“But since I’ve only met Prince Zathrian and not the other, I prefer His Highness to win Lady Lilivienne’s heart.”

“No one’s going to win any heart, Elise. I’m going to bed.” 

A month has passed since the last time I saw Zathrian. Susanna was burned at the stake for heresy, the rest of the Becketts were exiled as per the law and I heard Ayana was thrown in a convent somewhere in another continent.

Father mentioned that meetings about the railway project had begun between nobles and aristocrats who were willing to sponsor the construction. Zathrian was probably busy attending these meetings, together with his other diplomatic duties. He said the earliest it could start would be next month, which means I’ll be working with the prince soon. 

I’ve been busy as ‘Lady Lilivienne’ as well. As the Chosen Maiden in the Grand Mass that is held next month, I had to attend rehearsals in the church two times a week. Ever since I saved Zathrian from a member of the Forsaken Order, people have been praising me when they see me.

Thinking about it, I had no reason to keep the position of Chosen Maiden anymore, considering the Cataclysm will never happen now. I don’t have to constantly fear for my life from the impending doom but then the cardinal himself refused to let me go due to my “heroic act.” So there I was, remaining to be the Chosen Maiden. 

Moreover, despite saving Zathrian from turning into Diabolos Apocalypsis, I continued my study of magic spells. Odette has been very happy with my improvement each passing day, thanks to a handful of magic knowledge I have obtained from playing Remembering World.

“You did it! Well done, my lady!” She and Wilona applauded together. 

I couldn’t believe it. I just chanted my very first spell using my own grimoire Odette gave me on my birthday. For the past weeks, I’ve been learning to summon the four elements through magic spells. I successfully produced fire, a very useful element for basically everything. At the same time, I’m learning healing magic which was the most challenging spell so far. It was nothing compared to the healing magic of clerics, but it was still better to try learning it rather than not.

“It is necessary for mages to practice traditional medicine when they study healing magic. Since healing requires mana, magicians can’t only rely on healing spells or they’ll drain their body. Especially clerics on the battlefield, they closely work with doctors to treat hundreds of injured regularly.” Said Odette. 

I have no plans to participate in any battlefield but it’s preferable to learn even the most basic magic spell than be completely defenseless in this world. Remembering World was not all sunshine and rainbows but an open-world game that was all about fighting—therefore it was given that enemies and monsters would appear around the player most of the time. My goal is to survive until Maximilian reaches the ending. If I want to achieve that for myself, I have to do what it takes in order to keep on living.

But since the war will not happen anymore, it means Evermore is safe… but not totally. The war may have brought the biggest destruction in the kingdom but there were still dangerous side quests remaining in the whole region. They might bring a threat to my life which was one of the factors on why I’m learning magic. Unlike the war where Lilivienne’s death was 100% guaranteed, there’s a bigger chance that I can survive these side quests as long as I don’t get myself involved in them.

I’m going to be fine.

Or not.

“Don’t let her get away!” 

I found myself running for my life from slave traders. I was about to get into the carriage after sending my items to the alchemist when a large man took me away, leaving Elise and Sir Sebastian dumbfounded behind.

I woke up hanging on the large man’s shoulders and was about to be thrown inside a wooden carriage with a few women already inside. I managed to escape his grasp after I set his clothes on fire.

“Ah!” The large man panicked, dropping me down.

“A mage!”

The rest of the traders pulled out their swords. My chest was pounding so hard. Did this really have to happen when I’m not wearing those items? Had I known, I would’ve worn a spare set!

I hysterically cast the most powerful and easiest spell I have memorized—the swirling aero—which sent them away for a few meters. I took that as a chance to escape. If I hadn't left my grimoire in our carriage, I could’ve at least enchanted a more complex spell for times like this. 

“You!” I turned around to see the large man pointing at me. Part of his clothes have already burned to ashes.

I shot a glance at the ladies’ horrified faces before running off. “I’ll send you help! Don’t worry!” 

It happened in a dark alley where I had to make a flame ball on my left palm to make light. Using the aqua element, I cast a spell on my right palm to make glacio out of the puddles I stepped on to slow the slave traders down. My body slowly drained from overusing my mana. If only I had the bracelet with me at least.

“Help! Somebody!” I remember their faces so well. This scenario was part of a side quest in Remembering World. Those slave traders were members of a slave trading company taking young beautiful women to traffic in other territories. After Maximilian witnessed a kidnapping during his stay in Evermore, he beat them to a pulp and tracked down the company’s hideout in the slums. But why was I involved? How did I become one of those women? This wasn’t part of the script!

But saving Zathrian wasn’t part of it either, wasn’t it? Is this one of the consequences of my actions? Is this my punishment from the Game Developers for going against the lore?

I eventually saw the main road from where I was when a strong arm suddenly grabbed me from the dark. Rough palms covered my lips.

“Mhm!”

“Where are you running off, Lilivienne?”

Green eyes met blue. The tears I kept holding in had finally gushed down my cheeks. To meet him this way was unexpected.

It was the Mercenary King.

“Sir Percival…”

I’m safe, aren’t I?