章 16: Plan

After spending an entire day with her family Adeline collapsed on her bed. She remembered her plan of staying away from the Crown Prince and decided to stick to it. Sure, she said that they were friends but after contemplating for some time, she realised it was too risky.

After wracking her brain trying to remember the details of the other male leads she came to a conclusion. Everything is messed up!

Edward was just a trainee in the holy temple when the two met. The heroine didn't know that he had a twisted possessive personality. They went through hardships together, in a nutshell, he was the typical 'pretends to be gentle but twisted inside' male lead. He would act weak and pitiful in front of her but behind her back, he cooked up numerous schemes.

Next is Dimitri, in the novel he is a powerful figure who is cold to everyone but is soft only to the heroine. Her kind and resilient nature moved him. He was an orphan shunned by everyone before he climbed to the highest ranks of the mage tower. He would secretly donate to orphanages and take in kids who were struggling. On one such visit, they met each other.

'Of course, everything is just convenient.' She tossed and turned on her bed. Out of the four male leads, the only one remotely sane was Dimitri. He wasn't some character with a twisted personality, he was cold to everyone else, sure, but he wasn't crazy!

Plus, he was a very powerful mage. Adeline set her sights on him. What if she brought him over to her side? Trying to maintain a relationship with any of the other male leads would be insane, that was she concluded.

Now begs the question, how should she find him? She was just a five-year-old, she needed to find a reason to go to the bad parts of the town where poor Dimitri was struggling to make ends meet.

Dimitri only entered the mage tower much later. That was why when he climbed up the ranks at such a fast pace, he earned the envy of many.

After letting out a big yawn she decided that she would cook up a plan the first thing in the morning. But she didn't expect that she would be summoned by the Empress yet again.

"Why?!"

"No. We will refuse this invitation." Her father had to stop himself from grabbing that letter and tearing it. He was worried his daughter would fall for Cassian's 'charms' and want to go to the palace, but luckily, she shared the same sentiment. Avoid the royal family at all costs!

"Can you do that?"

He pulled on her cheeks that was stuffed with pancakes. "Of course I can. Don't forget who your dad is."

"Dad~"

Adeline decided to make haste, she had a rather simple plan in mind. Save Dimitri and then mooch off his skills to survive this novel world. Easy!

"What is it Linny?"

She was surprised he called her by her nickname, he probably wanted to feel included. Knowing that he was in a fairly good mood, it would be best to ask him now.

"I want to go outside!"

He raised his eyebrows and frowned. What business does a child have that requires her to go out? If she needed something, the servants would go out and buy it for her. Although the Empire was a fairly safe space, danger always lurks.

The Empire is surrounded by vassal states that bear the brunt of most monster attacks. The three Dukes, plus the Marquess, station their people alongside the army of the vassal states to fight against the dark creatures.

However, there has been an increase in crime ever since the refugees entered the Empire. They were particularly bitter towards the nobles who led an easy life.

Dimitri was one such refugee... Adeline didn't know this, it wasn't mentioned in the book or in her memories. Her plan of getting him on her side seemed to be doomed from the start. A naive child of the aristocracy extending help to a poor refugee? It wouldn't be taken too well.

The status of refugees had always been lower than the citizens. No one would dare offer jobs to these 'delinquents'.

There was one thing that was mentioned in the novel, Dimitri wasn't originally from this Empire, and that was why he had to face a lot of prejudice. He escaped the empire and reached the magic tower.

This too was an important event because the Magic Tower was its own 'country' set right in the middle of the forest where the dark creatures lived. The journey was like a test and only those who survived it could become a member.

Adeline remembered this, she needed to befriend him before he made his journey to the magic tower. As of now, she knew that he knew he had powers but he didn't know the total extent of it. He would use what little magic he taught himself for protection.

She was able to obtain permission from her father but he decided to send four knights with her.

"Dad! I don't want that many! What if... Aaron and his master came with me?"

She shot a look towards Aaron who was calmly eating. Aaron was caught off guard and stared at her with blank eyes.

'Say yes you dummy!'

Only when she glared at him he realised his sister was cooking up some scheme.

"Ah yes! Master and I will take-"

"With brother and his master, I'll be safe!" She cut him off with no hesitation and started to beg her father.

Although his master might be strict, her brother would never say no to her, she could easily go to the bad parts of town.