How to Survive as a Princess in a Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 51
I blinked in disbelief. Yet the words on the message window didn’t change.
His affection was already at 1. It didn’t seem like there was any room for it to drop, yet somehow it had…….
That couldn’t be right! Why? Did my admitting I enjoyed it push him away? Or was it that Isaac hadn’t actually enjoyed it?
“I…….”
Just as I was lost in confusion, Isaac spoke up.
“You shouldn’t be greedy.”
“……?”
“How dare I…… That’s not fitting for my position.”
“What’s your position?”
I grew serious. It was hard to believe that he didn’t dislike it just because I forced it. I should have been relieved, but I couldn’t understand it at all.
He looked arrogant and unapproachable, yet here he was, being so humble in front of me, someone with no affection toward him.
Wait. There was one thing that clicked in my mind.
I could see Isaac bowing his head like a sinner. No matter how long I waited, he didn’t seem likely to speak first, so I finally broke the silence.
“Is it because of my broken mana circuit?”
“……You knew?”
“I heard something from Killis. I don’t know the details, but he said to ask you directly if I wanted to know more.”
“That’s right, as Duke Yelpen said. It’s all my fault that you ended up in this state. I am the sinner who ruined the brilliant future you should have enjoyed.”
“Can you explain it in detail? I don’t know much about it.”
“It seems like this will take a while. It would be better for you to sit back up.”
He seemed bothered that I was sitting on the floor like him.
Since he was in a similar situation, I understood his concern, but I knew he wouldn’t come up anyway.
I quickly climbed onto the bed and urged him.
“Alright? Now tell me.”
“It was…… shortly after I was sworn in as a knight.”
He began, his low voice steady.
“Several assassins targeted my life and attacked me.”
“Assassins?”
“Yes. Each of those assassins was quite skilled, nearly matching my abilities at the time, making it hard to fend them off. As time passed, my stamina shrank, and I found myself on the brink of death.”
“…….”
“Just as I was about to accept everything and give up, you used magic to kill all the assassins and saved me. I was able to survive, but…… you lost everything.”
“What kind of magic was it?”
How powerful could it have been to damage the mana circuit and eliminate all the assassins, who were nearly as skilled as Isaac?
“According to you and Duke Yelpen, it was a high-level spell. The spell itself was something you were certainly capable of using, but your young age at the time was the problem.”
“Is there a limitation when you’re young……?”
“The mana circuit continuously changes according to the growth of the body, and it’s generally said to stabilize around adulthood. Therefore, young mages need to be cautious when using magic until their circuits are properly established.”
“…….”
“However, you recklessly cast spells to save me, which caused an anomaly in your mana circuit. Initially, it was minor, but as time went on, it worsened, and all the royal mages and healers became focused on treating you…….”
“So it continued to deteriorate until you reached your current state.”
There was no response, but it was no different from a confirmation. So, to Isaac, Nepheli was a lifesaver.
I had vaguely guessed that Isaac was burdened with guilt and responsibility, but hearing it directly made him seem a bit pitiful and foolish.
No matter how much he owed his life to me, to give up everything, even to engage in a relationship he didn’t truly want? Who repays a debt like that?
But if I said what I was thinking, my affection would surely plummet again, just like before.
‘It’s complicated.’
The solution seemed pretty clear, Nepheli needed to restore the damaged mana circuit to alleviate Isaac’s guilt.
But how could I fix something that even the royal mages and healers couldn’t?
Ding!
[<System> New Quest Arrived!]
[<Quest> Restore the Damaged Mana Circuit.]
The message window popped up just in time. As if it had been waiting for my dilemma, I eagerly checked the details.
[You must restore the damaged mana circuit from childhood. Obtain a special item that can repair your mana circuit.
―Dragon Heart (0/1)
―Mermaid’s Tear (0/1)
―Golden Branch containing the Essence of the World Tree (0/1)
(*You only need to obtain one of the three.)
―Success Reward: Significant increase in Isaac’s affection, ability to freely use and unlock magic.
―Failure: Decrease in Isaac’s affection.]
[Cancel] / [Confirm]
……Why do the materials have to be like this?
