The Northern Duke’s Daughter Will Never Fall

Chapter 43. Doubt and Affection (1)

The library was filled with its distinct scent.

Astrid knew that paper existed in this world, but realizing that this massive archive was filled entirely with books made of paper was something else entirely. 

It meant that not only paper, but also the foundational industrial technologies for printing and bookbinding, had been developed here.

As she looked around the archive, she could see why Einthafen had managed to unify the continent.

With its formidable Heavy Cavalry Knights as its main force, its swift Magic Knights, its firepower-providing mages, its supporting archers, and even the industrial technology to sustain it all—this well-rounded system must have been what allowed Einthafen to achieve continental unification.

“…All this, just from looking at some books,” she thought to herself.

“I’m starting to think like an Einthafen citizen,” she admitted to herself with a sigh.

【Ugh, the smell of books. I’m already getting sleepy. I’ll take a nap, so go ahead and find what you need on your own.】

The idea that one body could sleep while the other stayed awake was fascinating. She’d briefly considered whether, if Astrid’s body fell asleep, the “real” Astrid might awaken and seize control of it. But so far, that hadn’t happened. Besides, the “real” Astrid didn’t seem to have the intellect to question or attempt such a thing.

“Alright, let’s see… Summoning, summoning,” she muttered, scanning the shelves.

It took some time, but she eventually found the section for books on summoning. 

Fortunately, she’d retained knowledge of the local language upon waking up in this world, so there were no communication issues.

“Summoning… Here it is.”

Astrid knew absolutely nothing about magic. She was a complete novice. When she’d asked the “real” Astrid about it, the response had been that learning underhanded tricks like magic wasn’t worth her time. Clearly, she had no knowledge of magic at all.

Which meant that she’d have to start from the basics.

Her eyes landed on a book titled “The Basics and Fundamentals of Summoning.”

Yes, the basics were always the most important.

Astrid pulled the book from the shelf and placed it on a nearby desk. She briefly considered grabbing a few more books but decided to focus on this one first.

Summoning.

Of all the possibilities, summoning seemed the most plausible.

She remembered her last moments in her original world—heading to a convenience store late at night.

That’s where her memory ended.

When she opened her eyes, she was in Einthafen. Not just anywhere, but as Astrid von Miterien, the daughter of the Northern Duke of Miterien.

She’d never believed in things like “souls” before. But considering her current situation, it was hard to deny the possibility that someone had summoned her soul and stuffed it into this body.

“Alright… Let’s see here.”

When she opened the gilded cover of the book, a faint cloud of dust floated up, sparkling in the sunlight. 

It couldn’t be helped—books naturally gathered dust. Flipping to the first page, she began reading the introduction.

「This book is written under the benevolent name of the Great Emperor Kreutz von Einthafen, and it guarantees that all knowledge contained within is accurate and composed through humane and just methods. Furthermore, it was written with the purpose of safeguarding the nation and its citizens.

The content herein allows no room for doubt. The citizens of the Empire must deeply engrave upon their hearts that it is their duty to shun evil and pursue righteousness.」

“What kind of introduction is this?”

Her trust in the book’s credibility plummeted.

Books that began with oaths of loyalty to the Emperor were usually written to please the imperial court rather than to provide reliable academic information.

Astrid closed the book.

Since this was the Imperial Library, there were bound to be more useful books available.

She decided to put the book back and search for older, more specialized works.

“Lady Miterien, are you having trouble finding a book?”

It was the same librarian she’d met earlier—a woman with brown hair and a friendly, approachable demeanor. Something about her seemed vaguely familiar, and Astrid found herself staring at her face for a moment.

“Is there something on my face?” the librarian asked with a polite smile.

“Ah, no. My apologies.”

Astrid pressed her hand against her chest and bowed slightly. She decided this was a good opportunity and asked the librarian for help.

“I’m looking for books on summoning magic.”

The librarian recommended several books, prioritizing works that had been published before the founding of the Empire. 

Astrid gathered the recommended books and brought them back to her desk. She opened one of the older volumes.

「Unlike elemental magic, summoning magic requires the use of a Reverse Pentagram. This reveals that the source of summoning magic’s power is demonic in nature. Therefore, with the exception of a select few authorized individuals, research into summoning magic is prohibited by decree of His Imperial Majesty, whom we must all praise for his wisdom.」

“Oh…”

It appeared that even this book had been written after the founding of the Empire, but its content seemed more informative than the previous one.

Still, as long as she could learn something useful, she didn’t mind. And this book seemed like it had potential.

「However, there are a few summoning spells that are permitted. They are as follows:」

-Basic Summoning Magic

-Cat Summoning Magic

-Bat Summoning Magic

…

…

…

“That’s it?”

Summoning cats? What was she supposed to do with that?

If they had cat summoning, shouldn’t there be rat summoning, too? Why bats, of all things?

What’s worse, this version of summoning only worked by calling forth nearby creatures, not pulling beings from another world. It was completely unrelated to Astrid’s situation.

“This is bad. If this is all there is, I’m in trouble.”

Her headache was growing worse by the minute.

At the same time…

An Imperial carriage, known for its smooth ride, sped down the main avenue and finally arrived at the Miterien Ducal residence.

“Welcome, Your Highness.”

A large man, with a frame as imposing as a bear’s, had come out to greet him. The sudden visit from Leopold von Einthafen, the Imperial heir and Crown Prince, had prompted Ashray to rush out to greet him as well. He’d been lounging inside, waiting for his sister’s return.

“Where’s Astrid?”

“She’s not home yet, Your Highness.”

“Hmm. She’s been out for quite a while despite saying she’d be home early.”

“Could something have happened?”

Leopold’s mind briefly entertained the possibility that something might have happened to Astrid. But try as he might, he couldn’t imagine a scenario where any physical harm could befall her.

If anyone wanted to subdue Astrid, they’d have to deploy the Royal Guard. And there were no signs of that happening, so she was probably fine.

“Actually, this is convenient.”

With Astrid not around, Leopold figured it was the perfect chance.

“Ashray.”

He called him by name deliberately. The name “Ashray” had been murmured by Astrid as he’d supported her the previous night.

He decided to test it.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“You’re Ashray Miterien, aren’t you?”

“That’s my name, but… is there something wrong, Your Highness?”

Ashray, still bowing, glanced up at Leopold with a puzzled expression. It wasn’t rude, as even Imperial etiquette allowed for some leeway in such cases. Leopold didn’t press the issue.

“No, it’s nothing. Let’s head inside. Since Astrid isn’t here, I’d like to ask you a few things.”

“Ah, of course. Is the parlor ready?”

Ashray turned to the attendants who’d been bowing behind him. One of them, the head servant, quickly approached and whispered that the parlor was ready.

“Why bother whispering? You could’ve just said it aloud. Alright, let’s head that way. Your Highness, please follow me.”

With Ashray leading the way, the attendants stepped aside, opening a path for them.

“If you’re asking something you’d rather Astrid not hear, then it must be a delicate matter.”

The table in the parlor looked quite precarious.

It had been designed more for aesthetic appeal than practicality. As Ashray’s large frame settled into the chair, it seemed the chair might collapse under him at any moment.

“Correct. It’s something I’d rather not ask her directly.”

“I see. But isn’t it improper to discuss someone behind their back, Your Highness?”

“It’s true.”

Ashray’s words had been meant as a jab, but Leopold’s honest agreement caught him off guard.

“It’s not a good thing. As the saying goes, ‘If you can’t say it to their face, you shouldn’t say it at all.’ I’m fully aware of how shameful it is to discuss things behind Astrid’s back.”

“Then why do it?”

“I’ll be blunt.”

“…”

Ashray went silent.

Leopold’s gaze bore into him.

“I heard that Astrid was gravely ill about half a year ago.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“I’m told she was unconscious for a whole month.”

“That’s true.”

“Then I’ll ask you this.”

Ashray swallowed hard.

What’s he about to ask?

“Did Astrid…”

“Yes?”

“Did she suffer a severe head injury?”

Ashray’s breath hitched.

He’d hit the mark. After falling down the stairs, Astrid had suffered a serious blow to the head and had been unconscious for a month. When she woke up, she’d seemed like a completely different person.

“Lately, it feels as though Astrid has become a completely different person.”

“That’s…”

How should he respond to that?

Astrid’s memory loss was a closely guarded secret within the Miterien Ducal Family.

Should he answer?

“…I’m sorry, Your Highness. Even as her brother, I don’t think it’s my place to answer that.”

“So it’s true.”

Leopold’s eyes remained fixed on Ashray.

It seemed his suspicions had been confirmed.

If she’d suffered a serious head injury, that would explain everything.

“In that case—”

“Lady Miterien has arrived.”

The very subject of their conversation had arrived.