The Extra Saved the Terminally Ill Princess and Ran Away - Chapter 62

Chapter 62: Secret Garden (2)

***

A timeless token of love, across cultures and eras.

A couple's rings. A matching pair.

The preference for gold and diamonds also reflects a common sentiment among lovers.

'May our love remain unchanging, eternal.'

A symbol of love, crafted from materials that rarely break or tarnish.

Because the human heart is fickle, its affections unseen.

For those who can't even guarantee their own constancy, a ring, forged from enduring metal and precious stones, offers a sense of security, a tangible representation of their commitment.

A desire to give form to the formless,

To solidify their bond, their devotion to each other, with a shared symbol.

Even marriage, a largely abstract concept,

Is often marked by the exchange of rings, even if the ceremony itself is omitted.

A tangible representation of their love, until a child, a more concrete symbol, arrives.

From that perspective, shouldn't a couple's rings be made from the rarest, most precious materials?

A unique, one-of-a-kind symbol of their love, unlike the ubiquitous gold and diamond rings.

Of course, the design shouldn't be hideous, or outdated.

So, choosing a pair of rings from the academy's treasury wasn't a bad idea.

Artifacts were usually durable, resistant to damage.

And treasures? Even more so. Unlike the Trace Changer, whose durability was merely stated in its description, these rings were likely even harder than diamonds.

The Headmaster, noticing my interest in the rings, confirmed my suspicions.

-These rings, due to their unique properties, are impervious to physical damage. They were designed to be indestructible.-

-Even I don't know why they're classified as treasures. They should be stored elsewhere, but…-

-They have a few useful secondary effects, in addition to their primary function. Perhaps that's why they're considered treasures.-

A pair of rings, adorned with red and blue butterfly-shaped gems, shimmered in my hand.

And delicate, vine-like diamond bands, extending from the butterflies' bodies.

Operati Annulus, treasure-grade rings, with the following secondary effects:

First, the wearer of the red butterfly could sense when the wearer of the blue butterfly was in danger.

And the red butterfly would guide the wearer to the blue butterfly's location.

Second, the wearer of the blue butterfly would be immune to poisons and curses as long as the connection with the red butterfly was maintained.

Third, the wearer of the blue butterfly could sense the wearer of the red butterfly's general emotional state through a color-coded aura, and they could communicate with each other telepathically, like a phone call.

And finally, once the connection was established, the wearer of the red butterfly couldn't remove the ring without the wearer of the blue butterfly's permission.

After hearing the explanation, I looked at the rings with interest, and the Headmaster quickly showed me another pair of treasure-grade rings.

Anu Damur, French for "love rings," if I remembered correctly.

The rings I had originally intended to give to Lili.

I had been on my way to the accessory section, guided by the Headmaster, but I had stumbled upon Operati Annulus along the way, listening to the descriptions of the various treasures.

A pair of rings that allowed me to sense Lili's impending danger beforehand… an invaluable asset in this unpredictable world.

While Anu Damur's ability to nullify a single fatal blow was tempting,

The fact that it only worked once, for either Lili or me, not both, was a major drawback.

While that "one time" protection was probably strong enough to block even the Demon King's or Baal's ultimate attack, Operati Annulus's ability to provide early warning was far more appealing.

And its primary function, protecting the wearer from harm, was comparable to Anu Damur.

'But… even if I did use all my favors, is it really okay for him to just give away these treasures?'

I asked the Headmaster, and he gave me an answer that wasn't in the original story.

-The world is at war with demons, devils, and monsters. And as you know, we're losing, due to the overwhelming power of the demons chosen by the Demon King.-

-And because of that, demons have infiltrated this academy, located between the Holy Kingdom and the Empire, something that has never happened before.-

-So, what choice do we have? It's better to entrust these treasures to students like you, the future of this world, than to hoard them and boast about our history.-

If the world ended, the treasures would be lost anyway.

That was his reasoning.

And with the front lines collapsing, most of the resources were being diverted to the war effort, leaving the academy, supposedly a safe haven, vulnerable.

It made sense.

Even in my previous life, after the January 21 incident (North Korean commandos infiltrating South Korea to assassinate the president), military training had been introduced in schools.

While the story didn't explicitly mention it,

I had overheard some upperclassmen talking about the academy implementing stricter training regimens, preparing for war.

'I thought they were just pushing us so hard because of their meritocratic obsession.'

Of course, only the protagonists in the story received such life-or-death training.

The author's way of forcing their growth.

But now, even Ian, having obtained Durandal, possessed strength far beyond what he was supposed to have at this point in the story.

And with Ian and Selina now ready to tackle the main scenarios,

I couldn't even imagine what kind of challenges the author would throw at them, considering their increased power levels.

'When did Cindy die in the story? During summer break, wasn't it?'

Chronologically, Cindy was next in line for a tragic fate.

And considering the description of her decaying body, the stench amplified by the summer heat, it was probably during summer break.

"I should tell Cindy that Ian hates mushroom dishes."

Ian, having no other male friends besides me, was easily influenced by my suggestions.

"Now, what's next on my schedule… Ah."

I stroked my chin, my fingers brushing against the eyepatch, reminding me of Anna.

I had to pick up the prosthetic eye she had made for me.

***

"Anna."

"Y-Yes! What is it?!"

"Why are you so nervous? Did I do something to you?"

We were sitting in a cafe on the first floor of the Alchemy Department building.

When I visited her workshop, her maid, as always, was waiting outside.

-My lady requests your presence at the coffee shop on the first floor.-

Why?

My confusion only deepened when I heard Anna's muffled scream as I was heading downstairs.

-Huh?! N-Now?! But my clothes…! Oh, you prepared something? Wow…! Thank you, Alice!-

Why was she dressed so formally?

Her white uniform, crisp and perfectly ironed, practically glowed as I sipped my coffee.

And Anna, usually timid and nervous, now sat ramrod straight, her voice unusually loud, despite its childish tone, as she answered my question.

"N-No! Not at all! You haven't done anything…!"

Though her voice wavered slightly.

"Then why are you so tense? Are you still not comfortable around me?"

"Of course not…! I'm very comfortable around you!"

"Then why…"

I frowned, and she straightened her posture even further, her voice a high-pitched squeak.

"Y-You're… involved with Her Highness…! You might even become the Emperor's consort…!"

"…Anna, are you from the Empire?"

"N-No…! I'm from the Diark Kingdom!"

"Then why…?"

"Alchemists aren't bound by national borders!"

….

So, she was saying,

That she would gladly serve the Empire, or any other nation, as long as it benefited her career as an alchemist?

Perhaps Anna was more adept at flattery than I had realized.

Already trying to curry favor with me, this cute little thing.

Good. If I married Lili, I would build her a massive alchemy workshop in the Imperial Palace.

My internal affection for Anna increased by about twenty points.

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