In the end, Michael’s body turned into specks of light and scattered.

“…?!”

With a gasp, Michael woke up again in Ashmia’s body.

“My lady! Are you out of your mind?!”

“…Vanessa?”

“Yes, my lady! I’m here!”

Vanessa wept as she grabbed Ashmia’s hand and placed it on her cheek.

“Is this…?”

“We’re in an ambulance.”

As Vanessa spoke, Ashmia looked around and noticed a paramedic injecting something in her arm.

“Vanessa.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Can you go and check if the prince and the princess are safe?”

Vanessa nodded and turned around, speaking to Ashmia.

“Both of them are safe. They’re coming out of the hall.”

“…I’m glad. Do they look hurt?”

No matter what happened, if the two of them were safe, everything was okay.

“Don’t worry, they look much better than you do.”

Ashmia burst out laughing at Vanessa’s words. Then, she groaned unconsciously due to the sharp pain she felt in her feet and legs. 

“My lady? Are you sick? Hey! Why aren’t you leaving?! Do I have to drive it myself?”

Surprised by Vanessa’s yell, paramedics shouted to close the back doors of the ambulance and start the car.

In her hazy consciousness from the painkillers that had spread throughout her body, Ashmia only realised now that her own dress had been dyed crimson, and that it wasn’t its original ivory colour anymore. 

What would Claudia say when she sees this?

‘Really… It was a terrific debutante.’

Ashmia fell into a deep sleep as she heard the sirens of the ambulance fade.

***

The indiscriminate terrorist attack, which had been called ‘The Nightmare of Diony Hall’, turned out to be a revenge plot constructed by the nobles who were deprived of their titles after being arrested for the marijuana incident.

But, Ashmia shook her head as she folded the newspaper.

‘No. This—’

It was an attempted assassination of the third prince that was designed to look like an attack. 

‘However… It’s strange.’

In Michael’s seven years, Alexandrio’s death didn’t happen at this time, and it wasn’t like this either.

In the special room of St. Catherine’s Hospital, where she was taken care of again less than a month ago, Ashmia smoothed her lips with her fingers, having a bandage wrapped around her feet.

***

Originally, the cause of Alexandrio’s death was falling off a horse.

As part of the emperor’s birthday celebration which was held the following year, Alexandrio was scheduled to perform his specialty, equestrianism.

However, in the midst of watching the crowd, the emperor, and Francesca, Alexandrio suddenly fell from his horse as it ran wild, startled by something.

Trampled on by his own horse, he had suffered a tragic death, with his head crushed to the point where his face was unrecognisable.

It was later revealed that the cause was a wasp.

There were no wasps during that season, and to prevent such accidents, the hives around the riding grounds had been periodically removed. 

Nevertheless, the wasp venom found in the horse’s body was accepted as evidence, and Alexandrio’s death, which was apparently an assassination, was ultimately treated as an accidental death.

***

This case had no resemblance to that.

However, if the man’s gun had been fired as it was, the result would’ve been the same, and his head would’ve been crushed.

‘No way.’

Did the variable occur because of the past that Ashmia had changed?

Michael Rose didn’t believe in fate.

In spite of all that, Ashmia could feel the struggle to somehow reconnect that cause and effect of what had already happened through ‘The Nightmare of Diony Hall’.

Perhaps, the more she changed the future, the more situations like this would occur.

Ashmia was vaguely aware that it wasn’t a problem that could be solved by just eliminating it.

‘I’ll have to be more careful in the future.’

Considering the power of this terrible casualty.

[5. Matilda]

‘Anyhow.’

Ashmia raised the hand that touched her lips and looked at it silently. Seeing the golden mana on the tops of her fingers, Ashmia exhaled.

‘My ability to summon Michael’s body made from mana…’

She really couldn’t imagine it.

Even though it was made of mana, Michael’s body was very agile and strong.

While he was alive, Michael had neither the strength to dent a person’s face with his fist nor the talent to move a distance of several metres in one breath.

Was it because he was too far from Ashmia’s body that had suddenly collapsed? Or was it because she was given painkillers?

Both were possible. And the effects of the usual tranquilisers couldn’t be ignored.

Right now, she was continuously injected with stabilisers and painkillers at the hospital, so she couldn’t use mana properly and therefore couldn’t test it.

And thinking of it, she had never even practised how to use mana.

‘I’ll have to add it to my training after I’m discharged.’

In any case, even with such a strange ability, it was necessary to hone it in order to use it as a weapon after awakening it.

With this, the doubts about Michael’s silhouette that Ashmia saw at the Ability Management Bureau were resolved to some extent.

‘Then what was that other silhouette I saw at that time?’

And…

‘I’ll have to keep my ability a secret for now. Well, this isn’t like summoning a legendary hero. I’m just calling a cop, what should I explain to the others?’

And when Ashmia was immersed in such thoughts…

Knock, knock—

“Come in.”

“How are you today, my lady?”

“Fine. What about you, Vanessa?”

Vanessa was bandaged here and there, but she still replied with a smile.

“I’m fine now!”

“Don’t lie. You’re worse than I am.”

Vanessa’s ability, hardening, was able to bounce off bullets, but it wasn’t painless. If she got hit, it caused bruises, and in some severe cases, body tissue would tear.

That day, Vanessa blocked all of the dozens, possibly hundreds, of bullets with her body to protect Ashmia. 

Of course, there was no way she was fine.

“You should get treated too. Alright?”

“Yes…”

However, whether she liked it or not, she would continue to experience battles in the future, and it was also a problem if she were to be hospitalised each time.

‘But healing is a very rare ability.’

Ashmia was biting her lips, then suddenly widened her eyes at the thought.

“It exists!”

‘A very suitable person who has healing powers!’

“Huh?! Wh-what exists?”

“Vanessa, I think we’ve got something to do next.”

“Ah, my lady. Your legs are still sore…”

Then…

Knock, knock—

“Come on in.”

Claudia quietly opened the door and bowed to Ashmia.

“How are you feeling?”

“Still sick. What’s going on?”

Claudia opened her mouth with an unusual apologetic expression.

“Don Kalanishiel mentioned the family event schedule.”

Ashmia unknowingly looked at her legs.

“… Doesn’t my father know my condition?”

“He knows. In less than a month, Lady Ashmia has been through two major incidents, so he doesn’t want to delay it any longer.”

If that was it, then they could’ve all come to visit her.

After sighing, Ashmia spoke.

“Okay. When?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I’m not surprised anymore. I have to go when I’m told to go, there’s no other way. Well, we can’t go on like this, so please go through the discharge procedures.”

“Already done.”

Ashmia gave Claudia a thumbs up without saying a word.

***

Richard mentioning the ‘family event’ also meant that the spy search was over.

“What about us?”

Claudia grabbed the steering wheel as she was hesitant answering Ashmia’s question, who was in the backseat.

“Nobody was considered a spy. However—”

After listening to Claudia’s answer, Vanessa said with a surprised voice.

“Isn’t Matilda the one with sharp eyes? Every time we meet, she asks me to make an impression…”

“Right. That one.”

Claudia nodded her head at Vanessa’s words, and Ashmia tapped her lips.

“…Certainly. I’m a little concerned about the ‘why’.”

“Should I call and ask?”

At Vanessa’s low voice, Ashmia shook her head as she lowered the hand that had touched her lips.

“No, let’s see how it turns out for now.”

“Alright.”

***

After arriving at her house, Vanessa got out of the car and grabbed Ashmia. The maids, who had been flocking around the garage for some reason, greeted Ashmia with twinkling eyes.

“Lady Ashmia!”

“Huh. You guys, why are you here?”

“You’re so cool!”

Then, Cordelia, a lady-in-waiting, opened a newspaper.

[The Hero of Diony Hall, Ashmia Kalanishiel.]

A large picture of Ashmia was placed along with the title.

“You’re so amazing!”

“I heard rumours that the emperor himself will award medals!”

At the words of the maids who were chattering, Ashmia let out an awkward laugh.

“Alright, move out of the way! Can’t you see? She needs to get some rest!”

“S-Sorry!”

Panicked at Vanessa’s words, they backed away, but continued to stare at Ashmia with sparkling eyes, as if they weren’t trying to flatter her.

And after noticing Matilda, the only one standing there with her mouth shut, Ashmia headed to her room with Vanessa.

***

Knock, knock—

After Ashmia finished eating in her room, Claudia walked in to change the bandages on her legs with the help of the maids.

“Don Kalanishiel has contacted us about the specific time.”

“Yes, is the car ready?”

“Yes. Vehicles, licence plates, and routes are all prepared. Tomorrow, Lady Ashmia just has to choose.”