Chapter 19: Olivia’s Resolution

Olivia was born as the eldest daughter of one of the Four Great Noble Families.

Under the guidance of her proud and thoughtful father, as well as her strict yet compassionate mother, she grew up healthy and strong.

She began walking earlier than others, speaking earlier than others.

And slightly earlier than others, she developed a sense of empathy.

She was immediately hailed as a prodigy, and she behaved in a manner that met the expectations of those around her.

She endured the painful process of “Enhancement of Mana,” even though her father, mother, and brother told her she didn’t have to. But they praised her when her mana increased.

It made her incredibly happy.

However, everything changed when she turned three years old.

Lucius appeared.

Meeting him for the first time during the “Appraisal Ceremony,” her father looked at him with the same expectant gaze he had only shown to Olivia and her brother.

— I dislike him.

She felt it instinctively.

Her parents happily informed her that he was the boy who had shattered their family heirloom, the magical relic.

In society, such a mystic stone capable of resurrecting people is revered, but in reality, it rarely activates even when one intends to use it.

Furthermore, her parents spoke of the magical relic with disdain, claiming that it was nothing more than an ornament since it was a tool that couldn’t be used when one wanted to use it, despite boasting about choosing people on its own.

In addition, there was trust placed in the Dragon family, who were already tasked with managing the dangerous Silverwood, one of the most perilous areas in the country. To alleviate the chronic financial burden of the Dragon family, who struggled with their finances, they took on the responsibility of managing Silverwood under the pretext of guaranteeing the magical relic.

Their son, in turn, became the first in history to possess all four magic cores, with one of them already reaching the First Class level—a level equivalent to that of a Knight Commander.

Whether she liked it or not, her parents’ expectations soared.

And after the “Appraisal Ceremony,” no one mentioned Olivia’s level of mana again.

Neither her father, mother, nor her brother or the household servants.

In conversations with nobles from the northern region and even with nobles from other areas, Lucius’s name was brought up. Olivia’s name, on the other hand, was rarely mentioned except during introductions.

— It’s frustrating.

She thought with all her heart.

That’s why she continued with the “Enhancement of Mana.”

When Olivia was eight years old, news arrived that her brother, who had been deployed to the conflict in the eastern region, had been killed in battle.

The man who should have had a claim to the throne, the heir of the great noble family ruling the north, the brother who had always celebrated Olivia’s growth, had been slain like a common soldier by the enemy.

Father clung to the transformed body of his son, choking on his tears and weeping. It was the first time Olivia saw her father shedding tears.

Her brother’s death was undeniably tragic.

At the same time, witnessing her parents devastated like this weighed heavily on her heart.

In hindsight, I learned that my older brother was apparently sent to a particularly dangerous front line as a mere officer.

It seems that the Norris Windsor family, which had not produced a king for a long time, had already been sidelined from the political core. Even my brother, who is the heir of one of the four major noble families, was reportedly not treated with the utmost respect.

No, it wasn’t just my brother.

Many of the northern nobles were treated in such a manner.

There were many noble families who had lost their children.

Nevertheless, it is said that there are many nobles who, in the shadows, attempt the “Rite of Magic Bestowal” where their children bear multiple magic cores in order to achieve military merit for the country.

The nobles from other regions refer to the northern nobles as the “Savage North” or the “Barbarians” because there seems to be no end to the families attempting to house multiple magic cores, which is considered taboo even among the nobility.

Upon hearing this, young Olivia was filled with indignation.

And who allowed that to happen?

It was Lucius who further fueled the fire.

Having succeeded in housing four magic cores, he is the one constantly provoking nobles from other regions, saying, “When will the next person with four magic cores be born? When can they join the battle?”

The northern nobles, already mistreated by the country, were eager for achievements and unwilling to fall behind other nobles. As a result, there were several families attempting to house multiple magic cores.

Consequently, the number of participants in the annual “Appraisal Ceremony” noticeably decreased. In some unfortunate years, there were only about three participants.

While openly mocking those in the north who sought to possess multiple magic cores, they were eager to impose the risks upon them.

It succinctly depicted the current situation of the declining political influence in the northern region.

Since the death of my brother, my father, who had already lost his spirit, has grown even older.

As the number of nobles decreases and the number of capable administrators dwindles, the land falls into disrepair. When the land becomes barren, the people leave, further deteriorating the land.

It’s not a problem for the present time. It will be the concern of Olivia’s generation or even her grandchildren’s generation. However, one cannot be a true leader if they cannot think ahead to 100 years.

The northern region has become a flickering flame.

Lucius, who caused the catalyst for this situation, became even more unforgivable.

――I will never forgive him.

Fueling her determination, Olivia devoted herself even more to her studies and continued her practice of “Enhancement of Mana.”

Then, one day, she came across a particular book.

It was a codex that listed the domestic laws found in every noble family’s house, but one passage caught her attention.

Avalotis National Law

Article 1, Paragraph 4, Clause 2――

It stated, “Those with the right of succession to the throne as defined in the preceding clause shall not be restricted by their gender.”

Olivia discovered that she, too, had the right of succession to the throne. Research revealed that it was not uncommon for women to become queens.

However, the reasons why her parents hadn’t informed her about this became clear.

The competition for the throne is fierce and merciless. It’s not uncommon to hear of casualties.

After losing their son, Olivia’s parents kept their only daughter away from it all.

Yes.

They had already given up on their family producing a king.

The current king has been in power for a long time, over 30 years. Although her father possessed the qualities of a king, he never had the opportunity.

In a country that values stability and does not favor frequent changes in the monarchy, age is conventionally emphasized when vying for the throne.

When the current king passes away, it is unlikely that her father will be recommended as the next king. Her father understood that better than anyone else.

In the near future, the “Four Great Noble Families” will likely become the “Three Great Noble Families.”

If that happens, what will become of the current puppet noble families? They will become mere remnants of nobility, existing in name only, and will be consumed by the greed of other nobles.

And one should also consider the future of the numerous subjects.

――If I don’t become the queen.

To fulfill the regrets of her deceased brother,

To change her parents who have become different people,

To save the northern nobles who send their children to the front lines,

To protect the future children who will perish due to the relentless rituals,

And to save all the subjects living in the north.

It is up to her.

The path to becoming a queen is treacherous.

No matter how much wealth, power, connections, luck, wit, scheming, or popularity one possesses, it is never enough.

Nevertheless, there is still a meaningful power that nobles can choose: the Griffin, the beast of the king.

Having a powerful formula enhances both negotiation skills and existence itself.

Even as a mere young girl, if she commands a Griffin, she will never be looked down upon in negotiations.

While being capable of subduing others through force when necessary, having a Griffin allows her to handle any situation.

Everyone possesses a visible power in the form of formula, making it easier to compare their strengths and weaknesses.

Olivia’s immediate goal is to acquire a Griffin.

When she reached the age to possess a formula, Olivia left her parents behind, defying their attempts to persuade her, and ran away, almost like running away from home, declaring that she would go to the distant Silverheart Territory instead of the monster habitat near the capital city of Barondia.

It was the closest territory to the forest where the Griffins dwelled and where Lucius resided.

It was fortunate that she was able to accompany the former head of the Orléans family, who was in charge of recording and investigating rituals.

Although it was not amusing that the former head himself had to personally visit Lucius by royal order, she was grateful for the opportunity to join her, as it secured her means of transportation.

And so, she had a long-awaited reunion with the detested Lucius.

Upon arriving at the Dragon House, she couldn’t help but utter a few words to Lucius right away.

“Lucius Norris Dragon! I won’t lose to you!”

But Lucius himself had forgotten about Olivia.

――I still can’t forgive him.

The next day was the appraisal.

She endured the pain and performed the “Enhancement of Mana” with all her might, and as a result, her magical power had increased to the second rank. She was glad to be steadily approaching her goal.

However, Lucius surpassed her once again.

All four of his magical cores were of the first rank.

She suddenly felt miserable.

What did it mean to become a queen?

What did it mean to save everyone?

She felt as if someone would laugh at her, thinking, “Can someone who can only make the effort to lose easily become a queen?”

Unable to bear it any longer, she blurted out in frustration.

“Hmph! I haven’t lost yet! It’s not just the amount of magical power that matters, my father has said so!”

Her words were immediately met with a straightforward logical response.

Somewhere deep down, she had hoped for it.

She had hoped that Lucius, who had been praised and idolized, would have fallen into corruption. She had thought that he might have forgotten about his efforts and abandoned his responsibilities as a noble.

But that was not the case.

Rather, Lucius appeared more noble than any other heir she had ever met.

Suppressing her growing frustration, she entered the Silverwood Forest.

The Goblin, a sixth-class monster, was a common sight everywhere. However, seeing and hearing about them were two completely different experiences. Even a rusty hatchet could be deadly when it pierced through a person. The thought of death made her legs tremble.

But Lucius effortlessly slew the Goblins that attacked as if it were a matter of course. Without even using a formula. Determined not to be outdone, she tried to boast.

“I-I can do it too!”

Her words were met with a response that seemed to gently admonish her.

As she witnessed the contracts with the monsters along the way, her confidence continued to diminish. She had arrogantly assumed that as long as she had sufficient magical power, contracting wouldn’t be an issue.

However, she realized that she needed to get close to and touch the monsters. Moreover, the monsters were desperate as well. Touching them didn’t guarantee an immediate contract. In fact, the villagers had touched them multiple times but couldn’t form a contract right away.

She had also heard that in order to subjugate monsters of higher ranks than oneself, something more than just magical power was necessary to make the monsters acknowledge one’s presence.

――What if the Griffin rejects me when I touch it…

They said the claws of a Griffin could easily tear through steel.

If she failed, her body would be sliced into pieces.

Scared.

And alongside that fear, her frustration grew.

Her father stubbornly refused to acknowledge a contract with a Griffin. Nevertheless, he had sent a letter to Lucius, demanding that he form a contract with a Griffin.

Even if she tried to negotiate directly with Lord Dragon, there was no way to approach him. Due to her own nature, being deeply committed to righteousness and sincerity, she believed that others were the same. Therefore, she underestimated the malice that people could possess.

――I can’t trust anyone anymore.

During that time, they were attacked by a snake-like monster named Peruda. Despite the surprise attack, their strong guards were easily defeated by its venomous fangs, and Lord Dragon decided to retreat, realizing he couldn’t win.

――If this is a Class 2 monster, then what about the Class 1 Griffin…

As she trembled in fear, Lucius bravely fought against Peruda alone, despite being the same age as her.

――What’s the difference between me and Lucius?

Afterwards, they hurriedly escaped from the forest.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

She had intended to form a contract with the Griffin and return.

Finally returning home, Lord Dragon delivered the news.

“We’ll temporarily halt the search for the ritual and forbid entry into the forest. Something seems off.”

――Wait.

If it took too long, her father would undoubtedly send someone to fetch her. If she left Silverheart Territory now, she would never have another chance to form a contract with the Griffin.

In other words, the path to becoming a queen would be closed off.

She couldn’t sleep that night.

She had believed that she was the one who could save the decaying North.

But in reality, she was nothing more than a young girl being dragged around the forest.

――This won’t do.

Olivia pondered without getting a wink of sleep. When the sky began to lighten, she stood up and finished changing her clothes.

She walked through the silent mansion and descended to the entrance hall.

She picked up the “Beast-Riders Prosthetic Arm” placed on top of a nearby cupboard, then opened the front door.

A light rain was falling.

The raindrops touched her aqua-colored hair, but she didn’t bother with an umbrella as she headed outside.

――If I give up now, everything will come to an end.

Olivia went alone toward the Silverwood Forest.

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