"Lord Stein! Have you lost your mind!" Adelaide yelled but stopped when she realized she was no longer in the stony service hallway.

She looked around in a state of disarray. The scene had unfolded with stunning swiftness. One moment, she found herself in the dimly lit service hallway of the Ivory Palace, and the next, she stood bewildered at the palace entrance, all the way at the opposite end of the expanse she had been in earlier.

'Did he send me here?' Adelaide furrowed her brows.

For reasons unknown, Archmage Richard Stein had appeared before them and seized hold of Angelica while they were leaving to board a carriage. He teleported her out of the palace when she tried to intervene, despite being fully aware that teleportation was forbidden inside imperial grounds.

As far as Adelaide knew, there were no possibilities for either of them to have met each other. Both were equally elusive in the social realm, with one living far away and the other despising any form of social interaction.

Even Adelaide had only seen Richard a handful of times. The latest being a year ago when the Archmage made a surprise appearance at the foundation ball with a lady in his arms. It had been the talk of the capital to see the misanthropic Archmage dance in the Imperial Ball with grace.

Still, that does not justify his rude actions. However ill-mannered the Archmage may be, it was barbaric of him to forcefully pull a lady by the arms like a miscreant.

Based on the way he scowled at Angelica, it was clear that whatever intentions he had toward her were far from goodwill.

What could be the reason for his discourteous actions? Adelaide shuddered. Just as she was about to dash back into the palace, a familiar voice caught her attention, halting her in her tracks.

"Lady Norton?"

Adelaide turned in the direction of the voice. When she caught sight of the young man in the official uniform of the Imperial Knights, a wave of relief washed over her.

"Lord Hermann" She let out a sigh of relief.

The young man's dark red hair, strikingly similar to Adelaide's, swayed gently in the breeze, and his clear coral eyes shimmered with a sense of reassurance as he spoke.

"Why does the lady seem so agitated?"

Alexander Herrmann, the Commander of the Imperial Knights, approached her with a smile.

Amid the confusion, Adelaide had almost forgotten why she had stayed behind in the Ivory Palace after the tea party concluded in the first place. If not for it, she would have never run into Angelica and would have spent weeks worrying about her well-being.

"Lady Norton? Are you alright?"

Seeing that Adelaide was not responding to him, Alexander peered into her face. Her gaze was unfocused as she glanced back and forth between the Ivory Palace and him.

"I..." Adelaide hesitated, torn between the urge to run back inside the palace and explain the situation to Alexander.

Then Adelaide recalled how the Archmage had sent her away with a flick of his fingers. He was indeed one of the most powerful mages on the continent of Elan.

She looked up at Alexander with a determined countenance. Alexander led the Imperial Knights. Certainly, if there was anyone who would prove helpful if she were to confront the Archmage, it would be him.

Adelaide was just about to talk when a dark, looming shadow fell over them, interrupting her.

"!"

The momentary relief on Adelaide's face faded as she recognized the man towering behind Alexander. It was none other than the young Duke of Frost, Edward Frost, whose sharp gaze swept over the pair before he walked in quick strides in the direction of the Ivory Palace, leaving them behind.

'The cursed bride of the accursed husband returns!' The newspaper headlines flashed across Adelaide's mind.

The same young Duke of Frost was also Angelica's husband—the man who brought her back from the dead after overcoming a perilous curse himself.

The icy expression on Edward's face made it obvious that he was already aware of Angelica's location.

"How did he know she was here?" Adelaide muttered absentmindedly, her eye's on Edward's retreating back.

"Has the lady already met the duchess?"

At Alexander's question, Adelaide shifted her gaze back to him. She appeared confused, as Alexander seemed to understand whom she was referring to without her mentioning Angelica's name or title.

"I saw the young Duchess through my office. She jumped out of a window and walked off into the palace grounds, unattended. So, I had a knight tail her discreetly."

Alexander's face lit up with a cheerful smile.

"I just so happened to run into the young Duke searching for the Duchess on the way here. And since we were headed in the same direction, we came together."

He gestured towards the path where Edward had vanished, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"We better get going if we want to catch up"

"The Archmage!" Adelaide exclaimed and sprinted into the palace behind Edward, with Alexander closely following, both wearing contrasting expressions.











Meanwhile, in the service hallway of the Ivory Palace, Angelica stood her ground against Richard as the two glared daggers at each other, so much so that sparks started to fly between them.

On the day of the attack in Parthellam, Richard had sensed an abnormal existence. A chaotic cluster of mana was being expunged into the atmosphere at an alarming rate. Volos was thousands of miles away from the site, but still, Richard could feel the intensity of the mana enough to bring him to his knees.

Somebody, or rather, something, was about to cause a catastrophic mana surge.

Dragons? Richard speculated. It was the most plausible explanation.

Dragons were superior beings with the purest and highest quantity of mana. They were intelligent creatures that had lived in Eorthe far before humans ever came into existence.

But, dragons were indigenous to the continent of Nasia. Apart from the golden dragon that bestowed blessings upon the first Emperor of Orion hundreds of years ago, most dragons preferred to reside in Nasia, despite the mana-rich atmosphere in Elan.

Furthermore, dragons typically exhibited crucial activities such as mana outbursts in remote, uninhabited areas, as they usually steered clear of populated regions. Also, even if a dragon were to have a mana outbreak, it was not supposed to be as violent as the one before his eyes.

Upon reconsideration, it appeared as though the intense brilliance was akin to the flickering light emitted by a dying star in its final moments.

With a conflicted mind, Richard collected himself. Whatever it may be, a creature capable of creating such a powerful mana storm could help solve the mysteries of the unknown universe. The possibilities alone were endless. Letting it die now would be akin to losing a chance in a hundred lifetimes.

However, by the time Richard arrived at Parthellam, the source of the outburst had vanished without a trace. All that was left behind were scraps from a relic that once contained ancient yet powerful magic.

Around him, soldiers were crawling through every inch of the streets, arresting half-baked mages wearing masks. Richard knew by instinct that none of the half-baked mages before him were responsible for the destruction of the city.

An unfathomable amount of raw mana pushed into the world only for it to disappear without a trace? It was simply not possible.

Richard scoured the land, searching for the source behind the mana outbreak. For weeks on end, it tormented him to the brink of insanity.

That was until today, when out of the blue he sensed the same presence he had felt on that day radiate within the bounds of the imperial palace.

It was faint. Yet all he needed was a faint trail to trace it back to the source.

After weeks of searching, Richard tracked the chaotic mana to a woman in a remote corner of the imperial palace.

Overwhelmed by senses, Richard caught the woman the instant he found her to stop her from fleeing his grasp. He was not going to let her slip through his fingers for the second time.

The moment he grasped the woman's hand, he discerned a subtle shift in the air around them. To an ordinary person, it might have gone unnoticed, but to those attuned to the flow of mana, the abnormality was unmistakable.

Just by holding onto her hand, Richard could feel the mana surge towards her heart unnaturally.

Mana existed in everything. It was in the air, the soil, and the essence of every living being that had ever lived in this world. It was the very source of life.

Every living being has mana coursing through its soul. No matter how insignificant the amount is, the body regulates the flow of mana inside the soul. It absorbs and releases this mana back into the environment throughout the course of its life, creating a perpetual cycle of renewal. Thus maintaining neutrality. It was the natural flow of mana that allowed the world to function.

Yet, the mana around her condensed so much that it was making it hard to breathe. To be precise, there was a massive amount of untamed mana inside her, struggling to be left out.

Technically speaking, she was a being that was not supposed to exist. Her very existence could jeopardize the equilibrium of life.

Such a being should be detained and analyzed inside a controlled environment instead of walking around unrestrained and unmonitored.

If she is not kept in check, it could potentially lead to a disaster more devastating than the previous one.

"You are a calamity waiting to happen" Richard stated, gritting his teeth.

Even as he spoke, Richard could sense the intensity of the mana inside her grow wild. He was right. The woman, no, the creature in front of him was indeed a phenomenon that was not supposed to exist.

"Get off me, creepo!"

"Silence, woman! I'm having a hard time thinking with the noise you make"

"Ugh!" Angelica groaned, trying to free herself from his clutches.

She outstretched her other hand to call forth her sword, only to be disappointed when she realized it was of no use. She was still unable to summon her sword, Loki.

First, her once-sharp senses had been dulled enough to be ensnared by the mage. Now, she found herself desperately struggling to break free, her efforts hampered as she tried in vain to summon her sword to her side.

If the same incident had happened a few months ago, male lead or not, Richard would have long lost a few limbs for what he had done. The more she thought about it, the more her anger grew.

While Angelica was on the verge of a meltdown, Richard was so preoccupied with his own thoughts that he ignored her words of caution as meaningless noise.

"I have to take it to the tower to experiment. The chamber of obscurity should be able to contain this creature"

"Let me go. Or you'll feel very sorry for this"

"No. The calibrations there are all wrong there, especially with those things around" Richard clicked his tongue, reminded of all the incompetent mages at the tower.

He kept changing his mind about where to hold his current captive to conduct his research.

"I'll have to keep it somewhere where there won't be any nuisances to distract me"

"I'm warning you..."

"Finally, I will be able to put an end to this riddle"

"Hey! Are you even listening to me?" Angelica's continuous warnings went unnoticed under Richard's monologue.

It further infuriated her that Richard kept ignoring her words as if they did not matter to him. He even seemed to be addressing her as a 'creature' rather than a person in his ramblings.

Unbeknownst to this, Richard had settled on a location to take his captive. He decided to bring her to the Stein Fortress south of Eldom, which his ancestor had built centuries ago.

The stone fortress was far from any human settlements in a secluded area within the dense forest. In addition, the fear of ogres kept people from trespassing, making it the perfect place to conduct his research without any hindrances.

Unfortunately for Richard, at that exact moment, something snapped inside Angelica. She stopped fighting back for a moment and instead balled her hands into tight fights.

Then, in a sudden burst of action, Angelica kicked Richard in the groin with all her might, just as Adelaide and Alexander turned the corner of the hallway with Edward leading the way.

"Once I confine it in the mana chamber, I'll have a chance to examine it to see-!!!"

Richard had been in the midst of casting a teleportation spell to transport them to the forest when he was abruptly forced to halt the incantation. His surprise was evident as he instinctively released his grip on Angelica's arm, which he had firmly held onto.

And before Richard had a chance to register what had happened, Angelica grabbed him by his collar and headbutted him as hard as she could.

"!!"

Richard threw himself back in pain. As his vision became clouded by a blinding white light, the cacophony of the world that had been troubling him since birth faded away into utter nothingness.

Once the initial shock subsided, the proud Archmage was introduced to a completely new world, a world of pain.

The pain came flooding in, sending waves of agony to pulse through his body. For what felt like an eternity, all he could sense was the unbearable pain, which seemed never-ending.

"Oops"

Alexander shielded Adelaide's eyes just in time to prevent her from witnessing the scandalous scene involving the future Archduchess Frost, potentially bringing an end to the line of great magicians.

"Huh? I think I heard something break" Adelaide remarked as she removed Alexander's hand from covering her eyes.

She was certain she had heard something shatter, but she could not see anything broken except for the Archmage bending over his back.

"Two, actually" Alexander pursed his lips, holding back laughter while trying his best to maintain composure.

"You!!" Richard growled after barely managing to regain his standing.

He staggered backward a few times, letting out groans of discomfort, finding himself unable to close his legs or stand up straight.

Never in his life had he ever suffered such disrespect. It wounded his pride more than his physical self to be injured by a mere woman.

"How dare you!"

In a fit of rage, Richard commanded a ball of fire, ready to incinerate his attacker, when a figure stepped in between them.

"You must hold your life in very low regard, seeing as you are willing to throw it away" Edward said in a low, threatening voice.

He positioned himself between the two, blocking Richard's view and keeping Angelica hidden behind him. As he stood, his crimson aura, the color of blood, warped around his hands like a snake, poised to strike at any given moment.

"Move! This has nothing to do with you"

"This has everything to do with me"

"That thing attacked me!" Richard pointed his bloodshot eyes at Angelica and declared,

"I'm going to make it pay"

"You grabbed me out of nowhere, you sick b*stard!!" Angelica retorted and lunged forward, stepping out from behind Edward.

"I will roast you like a flying pig, you monster!"

"Keep talking and we'll cut off more descendants!"

Fearing that a fight would break out, Adelaide hurried over and quickly pulled Angelica back toward her side.

"?"

At that moment, she noticed that Angelica's arm which she was holding onto was growing hot as if she was running a high fever.

"Angelica you are burning up" Adelaide noted, but the latter was too far gone to notice her words.

On the other hand, Alexander, unable to stand by any longer, intervened to mediate.

"Alright, everyone. How about we take a moment to re-think our approach here?"

Although it was quite entertaining to watch, two hot-headed individuals in a confined space attempting to kill each other was the perfect recipe for disaster.

Nevertheless, despite Alexander's efforts to resolve the situation peacefully, it seemed like a fight was inevitable.

Both parties refused to back down, the Archmage intent on killing the Duchess and the Duke ready to draw his sword against him. All the while, Adelaide held onto the Duchess to prevent her from lashing out.

Just as things looked dire, they were interrupted by the appearance of an unexpected individual.

Over Edward's shoulders, Angelica saw a flutter of wavy pink hair, the color of cotton candy move past her.

"Richard"

The air was filled with the sound of a sweet and melodious voice as a petite young woman, with her delicate stature, leaned in and tenderly rested her hand on Richard's chest.

"Please calm down"

"That monster!"

"Please Richard"

Even though he was consumed by anger, Richard stepped back relenting to the young lady's request. Despite still glaring at Angelica, he gave up his murderous intentions and clenched his jaw shut to express his displeasure.

"?"

Angelica paused and blinked her eyes. There was only one person in the whole world who had the power to turn the ferocious mutt into a docile puppy with just a smile.

'Helen'

Goosebumps pricked Angelica's skin.

"Lady Layton"

Helen turned around at the mention of her name.

"What brought you here?" Alexander asked awkwardly in an attempt to shift the focus away from the current situation.

Helen's round eyes, a striking shade of bright blue, lit up with a warm, radiant glow as she offered a smile to the people facing her.

"I was passing by when I heard the commotion"

Her gaze swept across all the faces in the room until finally coming to rest on Edward.

"I hope all is well"

"!"

Angelica shifted her gaze back and forth between the two individuals, her eyes wide with realization.

'That's her. That's the protagonist of this world'

Finally, after all this time, Angelica was face-to-face with the heroine of the novel whom this world revolved around.