Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

The tavern located in the heart of the city was overflowing with people tilting their glasses from early in the day.

When the weather gets chilly like this, people gather one by one to places with those magical heaters, regardless of who they are.

Every household had a fireplace burning wood, but it couldn’t warm the entire house and needed constant attention to keep the fire from going out.

In contrast, that mysterious object warmed the whole space and didn’t even need firewood.

As a result, not long after it was distributed to the market, people recognized its true value.

“With the weather suddenly turning so cold, our shop has no customers at all.”

“Same here. Seeing how well this place is doing… it must be because of that thing, right?”

The object placed in the center of the tavern was none other than a magical tool.

It was considered a luxury item that commoners like them could only dream of, or an extravagance for nobles.

However, now magical heaters were being sold at prices that weren’t too burdensome even for commoners, combining practicality.

“It’s still amazing no matter how many times I look at it. To think it’s so warm without burning firewood.”

“And I didn’t know magical tools could be so useful in everyday life.”

The two people vowed that saving up a lump sum of money, buying one of those magical heaters would be their top priority.

“It seems true that Rayes Duchy is raking in huge amounts of money.”

* * *

The magical tool business of the president and I was truly successful.

If you ask how successful, to the extent that even if I emigrated to another country and settled there, living off it for the rest of my life, three generations could live in luxury.

Of course, that was still ongoing, and the money being earned now was just the beginning.

It had already been a month since I visited the Magic Tower.

Once the problem was solved, things progressed smoothly.

With Rayes’ full support and the president’s genius and practical development, magical tool development proceeded without any hitches.

A week after mass production of magical tools began by refining Rayes’ vast magic ore, as planned, we first spread word of mouth among people and then started selling in the market.

Even people using magical tools for the first time were initially uncertain but soon began to rave about them.

It became a sensational hit.

First, we released magical heaters to the market, which every household would feel the need for now that it’s getting noticeably colder.

This winter, many people, both commoners and nobles, will replace their fireplaces with magical heaters.

In fact, the most powerful item was separate.

It was the electric fan.

We plan to release it next summer, and people will undoubtedly go crazy for it to the extent that the popularity the magical heaters are enjoying now will seem like nothing.

If magical heaters with fireplaces as alternatives are this successful, how much more for electric fans which only have hand fans as alternatives?

‘Grandpa Tower Master, you might be feeling upset by now.’

The magical tools mainly made at the Magic Tower were for royalty and nobility, such as communication devices or magic swords.

Although our market itself was different so they shouldn’t particularly regret it, their eyes must have still widened in surprise.

The fact that magical tool development succeeded in the private sector became a topic of conversation in many ways, and the fact that it was led by none other than a 15-year-old Duke’s daughter surprised people even more.

I couldn’t hide the corners of my mouth rising as if about to stretch across my cheeks.

The first paragraph of the newspaper I’m reading now was this:

[The West is Now Also Swept by Rayes Magical Tool Fever!]

The business that started centered on the capital was in the stage of expanding to various parts of the country.

And I had closely requested Einhasil Marquisate to manage the western market.

Sarah said she would take charge of it herself, and I naturally trusted her.

How was the result, you ask?

It was a huge success.

She was a born businesswoman, achieving sales volumes in the west comparable to the capital.

Dad raised my promised dividend ratio much higher.

I still feel like humming when I recall how he highly regarded my contributions and didn’t spare his praise.

‘With this, worries about starving to death are goodbye!’

I could not only launder my identity but even buy a noble title.

As I was smiling and reading the newspaper from the morning, Garnett’s puzzled voice reached my ears.

“Oh my, what’s this?”

I turned around without much thought but was startled.

While Garnett was tidying up the bedding, a thick, large ancient book that had been hidden under the blanket was revealed.

“Ah, a magic book! It’s a magic book. Jen gave it to me, telling me to study some magic.”

I ran to the bed in one step and hugged the ancient book to my chest.

I had forgotten to put it back under the bed after falling asleep while reading it last night.

Smiling awkwardly, I left the room holding the ancient book to my chest with quick steps.

“I’ll be going to the grand library for a bit!”

“Miss, the weather is chilly. You should wear a shawl.”

“Okay.”

I left the room wearing the shawl Garnett had tightly wrapped around me.

I left the main building and headed towards the west wing where the grand library was located.

The weather had really gotten much colder.

It wouldn’t be strange even if snow started falling now.

Last time I went to town with Luka, the streets were already giving off an end-of-year atmosphere.

Every time I felt time passing, every time I saw Luka and I growing taller, I realized the day Luka would leave was approaching.

After this New Year’s festival passes, we will be parting for a very long time.

I deliberately ignored my heart trying to become gloomy again and hurried my steps towards the grand library, blowing out ‘hoo-hoo’ breaths.

“Have you come again today, Miss?”

“Yes! And there’s no one here again today.”

“Haha, I suppose so.”

Jacob, the librarian of the grand library, greeted me cheerfully.

Since returning from the west, I had often come to the grand library.

What happened in the west was likely highly related to the Elven Stone.

Therefore, I needed to find out the contents written on the parchment that Luka had found along with the Elven Stone.

‘That Elven Stone Luka brought then, I thought it was a fake because I couldn’t feel any light or power, but it had actually already been used.’

I needed to find out who used it and for what reason.

I had certainly become able to read elven language after experiencing that mysterious event at the clock tower.

However, the elven language written on the parchment consisted of such difficult words that I had no choice but to get help from the elven language dictionary in the grand library.

“Let’s see… Where did I interpret up to last time? Ah, here it is.”

I sat in a chair in front of a window with good sunlight and continued interpreting the contents of the parchment.

[The stone imbued with the sacred power of the Elf King only responds to the blood of his descendants.]

‘Finally, the main content. I had such a headache interpreting the contents above this, but it was just praising elves.’

They were truly a race overflowing with self-love.

Only elves or the Rayes family could use the Elven Stone.

The absurd thought that the person who turned back time might be none other than me gradually solidified.

‘If, really if it was me…’

Did I use the Elven Stone in the face of approaching death from an incurable disease?

I continued reading the next content.

[Traveler, I will always be by your side. Always in the form of a firefly…]

‘Oh my god, this is crazy.’

I was shocked three times in a row.

A firefly, that’s something I’ve seen quite often since escaping from the orphanage.

Once I focused on myself, everything became suspicious as if I had caught some kind of paranoia.

[My messenger will be with you from your first memory, so do not be afraid.]

There were occasionally incomprehensible contents like this.

I skipped a few lines and interpreted the next content.

[If you wish to find the memories before regression, absorb the mark possessed by the medium who shared the moment of regression with you into your body.]

‘There was similar content on the stone slab too…’

The stone slab clearly stated there were a total of 3 mediators.

‘Mark or whatever, how am I supposed to know who it is…’

[The mark will appear on the back of the medium’s hand…]

The back of the hand…

“Wait, what time is it now?”

I looked at the clock on the wall and got up.

It was time to leave as the appointed time with Sister Serine was approaching.

I closed the book with a thud.

* * *

Clop-clop, clop-clop-

Serine and I were riding in a carriage heading to town.

Today was none other than the day Serine and I first met.

We had always commemorated this day since the orphanage.

That is, until Serine was sold as a slave.

And now we had met again and set out to celebrate our private anniversary.

“Sister, let’s go to that cake shop I told you about last time! They have lemon tarts that you like.”

“Wherever Ria wants is fine with me.”

Serine chuckled and agreed with my words.

“Come to think of it, I wonder how I lived without you, Sister. You were so good to me from the day I first came to the orphanage.”

“My, do you remember from that young age?”

“Ah… It feels like that’s how it was.”

I smiled awkwardly and made an excuse.

I would never forget the first meeting with a truly precious person in my life, even in my dreams.

I jumped into Serine’s arms.

It was my childish act that I had restrained in front of Terry and Ben.

“Oh my, our Ria. Still a baby, a baby.”

Serine also seemed pleased as she stroked my head.

After the carriage arrived in town, we ate cake together and looked around the streets.

We spent a happy time immersed in an incomparably joyful atmosphere under the clear sky.

It was certainly like that… but how did it end up like this?

“My slave! Found you. You wench, where did you run off to!”

We encountered none other than the evil factory owner who had abused Serine during the time she was a slave in the factory.