Chapter 42 - Before I Leaveš„
For a moment, Duke Theon simply stared at Cosima through the crystal ball.
There wasn't a single hint that Cosima was lying.
He knew Cosima came from another world, but he had never imagined that her knowledge of Rishima came from a novel written in that world.
"How is that possible?"
Cosima remained serious, her expression showing no sign of hesitation.
"I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth."
Her voice softened as she continued, and a hint of sadness appeared in her eyes.
"In that novel, she's a villainess destined to lose everything and die by execution."
Duke Theon's expression stiffened.
For a moment, he couldn't find the words to respond.
The thought that everything that had happened to his daughter had already been written as her fate was difficult for him to accept.
"So this world..." Duke Theon paused, struggling to put his thoughts into words. "Are you saying that this entire world was already written in that book?"
Cosima fell silent for a moment.
"Yes, and no."
Duke Theon frowned.
"Yes, because you remembered Rishima's execution. That means what was written in the novel really did happen."
She paused, her expression becoming more serious.
"But no, because after I woke up as Rishima, the story changed a lot."
Cosima looked directly at him through the crystal ball.
"I couldn't just follow the original story. I knew how it ended, and I didn't want to die like Rishima."
Duke Theon remained silent for a moment.
He was still trying to understand everything she had told him.
Then he remembered what Cosima had said to him before.
'Maybe it's better that I am in her body right now.'
Duke Theon realized that if Cosima hadn't woken up in Rishima's body, then Rishima would have continued down the path written in that novel.
She would have died by execution-again.
The thought made his chest tighten.
Duke Theon slowly closed his eyes.
He had failed his daughter once.
He wouldn't make the same mistake again.
Even if Cosima wasn't truly his daughter, he couldn't ignore the fact that she was the one who had given Rishima another chance.
And this time, he would not hold himself back.
He would protect her.
He would support her.
He would give her everything he had failed to give his daughter.
A moment later, he met Cosima's gaze again, his decision already made.
"I will help you change what was written in the novel," he said firmly. "Just tell me what to do. You have my full support."
Cosima's eyes widened.
For a moment, she could only stare at him.
She hadn't expected those words from him.
For the first time, Cosima didn't know what to say.
"I..." Cosima hesitated.
She hadn't expected him to offer his support so easily.
"You really mean that?" she asked, still unable to believe it.
"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't."
Cosima lowered her gaze for a moment.
She could certainly use the Duke's help. Especially since she was hiding her true identity, there was only so much she could do on her own.
The story had already changed so much that she could no longer be certain what would happen next, and the Duke was powerful enough to help her navigate what was coming.
Cosima took a slow breath.
"Honestly, there's nothing to worry about."
Duke Theon raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Because I'm not like the Rishima from the novel. But to be safe, there are only two people I need to stay away from," Cosima explained.
Duke Theon looked at her curiously.
"Which two?"
"Aurora, the saintess, and Prince Enzo."
She paused before continuing.
"Rishima poisoned Aurora because she was jealous of her. She was already engaged to Prince Enzo, but after Aurora appeared, Enzo became interested in her. Rishima couldn't accept that."
Duke Theon's expression hardened slightly.
He finally understood why his daughter had suddenly changed her mind about becoming engaged to Prince Enzo. It turned out that Cosima had been trying to change Rishima's fate all along.
"Though I'm not planning on hurting Aurora. Still, it's better if I simply stay away from them and avoid crossing paths with either of them."
Duke Theon nodded slowly, absorbing everything Cosima had told him.
"However..." Cosima continued, her expression becoming more serious. "A lot of things have already changed from the original story."
She looked at him through the crystal ball.
"That's why I'll still need your help, in case these changes cause problems."
Duke Theon remained silent for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"I understand."
He looked at Cosima for a moment before speaking again.
"So, is there anything I can help you with right now?"
Cosima fell silent.
She thought about it for a moment.
There was, actually.
She had been thinking about it for a while now.
"I want you to teach me magic."
Duke Theon's expression changed slightly.
"Magic?"
Cosima nodded.
"I've been trying to suppress my divine power so I can use mana instead."
She hesitated before continuing.
"But I don't know enough about magic yet. There's only so much I can learn by reading books. I need someone who can actually teach me."
Duke Theon stared at her through the crystal ball.
"You know that's dangerous, right?"
"And impossible," he added.
Cosima nodded firmly.
"Yes. Cassian told me that."
She paused.
"But I can do it. I can already suppress my divine power for about a minute. I just need to train harder to make the duration longer."
Duke Theon's eyes widened.
For a moment, he simply stared at her.
"About a minute?"
"Yes."
He couldn't hide his shock.
No one had ever managed to do that.
Mana and divine power were fundamentally different. If someone possessed both, they could only choose one to use. Trying to suppress one in order to use the other was considered impossible.
Yet Cosima was already doing it.
Even if she could only maintain it for a short time, the fact that she had managed to suppress her divine power at all was extraordinary.
Duke Theon's expression became thoughtful.
If she could already accomplish something no one else had ever managed to do, then perhaps she could become the first person in history to wield both divine power and mana.
A faint smirk appeared on Duke Theon's lips.
The thought amused him and made him feel strangely proud.
"I'd like to teach you myself, but it would be too risky."
Cosima frowned.
"If you truly want to learn magic, there's another option."
Cosima's eyes lit up slightly.
"What is it?" she asked eagerly.
"The Magic Tower."
Cosima's eyes widened.
"I can send you there," Duke Theon said. "You'll be able to learn from experienced mages and gain access to more advanced knowledge than you can find in ordinary books."
He paused.
"But there's one problem."
Cosima looked at him.
"What problem?"
Duke Theon's expression darkened slightly.
"The Tower Master."
Cosima frowned.
"Why?"
"He's obsessed with magical research. If he discovers that you have the potential to wield both divine power and mana, he might push you to your limits just to see how far you can go."
A slight smile appeared on Cosima's lips.
That was exactly what she wanted-to be pushed to her limits.
"That's perfectly fine with me, Your Grace."
She paused.
"But I'm curious. Can he be trusted? What if he finds out about me?"
Duke Theon remained calm.
"The Tower Master is an old friend of mine, and he already knows about you."
Cosima raised an eyebrow.
She hadn't expected Duke Theon to have a friend, especially considering how cold and intimidating he was.
"The Magic Tower doesn't concern itself with matters outside of magic and research. They won't interfere with your affairs as long as you don't interfere with theirs."
Duke Theon looked at her seriously.
"Besides, the Magic Tower is one of the safest places you could stay."
"Really?"
Duke Theon nodded.
"I was actually planning to send you there disguised as an apprentice, since the Tower Master has been researching something related to divine power."
Cosima's eyes widened.
"But you seemed comfortable staying at Duke Cassian's estate, so I decided to leave you there."
Cosima stared at him in disbelief.
She regretted not talking to Duke Theon sooner.
If she had known about the Magic Tower, she could have been learning magic there already.
After thinking about it for a moment, Cosima made her decision.
"Then I'll go to the Magic Tower."
Duke Theon nodded.
"All right. I'll make the necessary preparations."
Cosima thanked him, and Duke Theon assured her that he would let her know once everything was ready.
With that, their conversation finally came to an end.
Meanwhile, Cassian was patiently waiting outside the office.
After a while, the door finally opened.
Cosima stepped out with a smile on her face.
Cassian looked at her.
"Judging by that smile, I'm guessing the conversation went well?"
Cosima nodded happily.
"Yes, I'm going to the Magic Tower to learn magic."
Cassian stared at her for a moment, his expression changing slightly.
He hadn't expected that.
For some reason, the thought of Cosima leaving the estate left him feeling strangely unsettled.
"So... you're leaving?" he asked.
"Yes. Are you going to miss me?" Cosima asked teasingly.
A faint smirk appeared on Cassian's lips.
"Why would I? It'll be great. I'll finally have some peace and quiet."
Cosima let out a laugh.
"Oh, come on. I know you're going to miss me."
She stepped closer, looking at him with a playful smile.
"So, before I go, let's spend some time together!"
Cassian raised an eyebrow.
"Doing what?"
"How about we go to the market?"
Cassian thought about it for a moment. With the harvest festival approaching, the market would be lively, with plenty to see.
"All right. Let's go tomorrow. I'll clear my schedule."
Cosima's eyes widened.
She had expected to spend a while persuading him, but he had agreed far more easily than she expected.
"Oh."
She quickly smiled.
"All right, then. Tomorrow it is!"