Blood dripped onto the ring's gemstone.
Magic began gathering in front of the ring her father had given her. Wisps of magic spiraled around Éloide's body until they grew denser.
The aura and mana from Éloide's body became a thick white wind that began to devour her.
But unexpectedly, something seized her wrist and pulled Éloide out, causing the magic to collide in midair before jolting into her consciousness.
“Have you lost your mind?!”
“Haaah... Father, Father, why are you here?” Breathing raggedly, her chest pounding hard, cold sweat pouring down her face, Éloide was struck as if by a thousand-watt electric current when she saw Victor de Bellmont standing tall before her, his eyes bulging in a terrifying glare.
“Is that question really what matters right now?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Didn’t I tell you never to use that ring again?” Victor was furious. He was not usually this enraged with Éloide, whom he loved dearly.
Before answering, Éloide glanced at the clock from the corner of her eye. It was already midnight. Surely no one should still be awake, right?
‘But Father is here instead. Ah, I’m done for.’ Éloide grumbled inwardly, pursing her lips.
“Éloide, answer your father’s question. Why did you ignore my warning?”
With her head hanging limply, she answered timidly. “That’s the world you came from, Father. I’ve gone there several times already.”
She didn’t dare tell him the truth: that she was a pharmacist and needed more opium plants from the modern world where her father had come from—and where he was a mafia boss.
“You’re becoming more and more disobedient. Because of your mischief, you almost couldn’t return here. Have you forgotten? Soul transference is extremely dangerous. You’ll keep losing more of your lifespan.”
She quickly raised her face, wanting to protest Victor’s anger. “But, Father... back then, I—”
“Enough! I don’t want to see this happen again.” Victor’s shout was deafening whenever the subject was the ring on Éloide’s finger. He turned away, presenting his back to his daughter.
“If I could take that ring off your finger, I would have done it long ago. Be quiet and wait patiently. I’ll find a way to remove it as soon as possible.”
Hearing that, Éloide could only stand there limply, pressing down on her ring as her lips pursed even more dramatically.
‘Go ahead and try, but I’m sorry, Father. It won’t work. This ring has already chosen me,’ Éloide muttered inwardly, watching Victor leave through the door. Before he went, however, he spoke with eyes full of affection.
“The servants will come escort you to your room. Get some rest, and don’t forget to finish your medicine. Father loves you very much, my daughter.” He left behind a sorrowful gaze that ended with a rough sigh.
In Victor’s eyes, Éloide was merely a frail, sickly daughter who always wanted to be pampered and had never experienced the slightest hardship.
Fortunately, he had gotten rid of those books on forbidden medicinal plants.
“Yes, I love you very much too, Father. Good night, Father.”
“Miss, you seem very energetic today.”
“Do I?” she replied while pulling the blanket over herself.
“Yes. You even spent longer in the library today, despite already being exhausted from shopping at the mall.” Sophia, Éloide’s personal servant, continued at greater length than usual, her voice cheerful.
However, she said nothing about Victor’s anger earlier. Could it be that Victor hadn’t told her about Éloide’s mischief?
Éloide ignored Victor’s prohibition.
After her personal servant arrived to wash her face, change her into sleepwear, and make her finish her medicine, she pretended to fall asleep.
When everything was quiet, Éloide stealthily opened one eye toward the door. Once it was safe, she crept back to the library.
A day passed quickly in the Valérienne Empire, but that wasn’t the case in the modern world Victor came from. At first, Éloide had been confused by the people of that world, but she gradually came to understand it.
“Young Miss, you’re here!” Her father’s aide discovered her presence in the mansion almost immediately. His men instantly bowed in greeting when Éloide had just turned her head to take in the magnificent atmosphere of the drawing room.
“What brings you here?”
“Marcus, I need these plants.” She handed him her notebook.
The man frowned as he examined the drawings and names of several plants in Éloide’s notes. “Will you be staying longer?”
“I can’t. I can’t stay any longer. I have to return before dawn.”
“Very well. I’ll bring those plants to you right away.” He spoke, then turned to the men behind him. “You’re coming with me. Some of you stay behind to guard Miss Éloide at the mansion.”
Bellmont Library was the place that connected the modern world and the kingdom.
Duke Victor’s sudden arrival—after suffering severe injuries in an enemy attack and falling mysteriously into the old Duke’s residence—had shocked Isabella, who at the time was already anxious about her business marriage to an old marquess.
“I hope you can stay longer.”
“I have to go back. Thank you, Marcus, and all of you. I’ll come again. See you!” She waved with a broad smile, focused on her ring while hugging the plants Marcus had managed to obtain.
She returned calmly to the Duke’s residence. In the morning, Éloide went about her usual activities, with Sophia assisting her. Then she was suddenly summoned by Duke Victor to his study.
Suppressing her nervousness over what she had done the previous night, she looked at her father with a cheerful expression.
“Father, why did you call me so early? Ah~ Is this about Mother complaining to you that I went overboard shopping yesterday?”
“His Majesty the King wants you to marry Grand Duke Ravenne.”