The Eldest Daughter Walks Down The Flower Path

As he was sleeping upstairs, he woke up to several women’s loud screams, so he immediately ran down to Radis’ room.

He thought that something had flown in from the window, but when he arrived, the situation was like this.

Yves Russell, who had one (1) dangling Radis at his waist, yelled.

“Please, let me get some shut eye here!”

The light in the room was switched on.

The girls, who were all wearing dusters, inside the now well-lit room could be seen. Among them, his eyes turned to Nicky.

And Nicky quickly turned herself in.

“I-I apologize, Milord. I didn’t know that everyone would be so surprised…”

Yves opened one palm, showing a set of earplugs.

“You were already stomping and playing around, and I thought you guys were finally over, but then you all even screamed? I am now keenly and painfully aware of just how much noise seeps through the walls and floors of this residence!”

As she finally regained her wits about her, Radis let go of his waist and apologized.

“I’m sorry, Marquis…”

“We’re sorry, Milord…”

Yves snorted and stomped back to his room.

After he disappeared, the women who were hunched over began to giggle. They soon burst into a quiet peal of laughter.

“Did you see?”

“Oh my gosh…”

“Even his earplugs are black!”

Laughter spread like a wave through them.

* * *

The next morning.

Allen handed over a note that Yves wrote to Radis, who woke up late.

[ Dear noisy Young Miss, a visitor of yours is coming today. ]

“Visitor…?”

Radis asked Allen who the ‘visitor’ was, but Allen’s only response was a meaningful smile.

Yves, the person who sent the note, had also left the mansion pretty early today.

She wondered who this guest might be, but she also had something else to do today.

Carrying with her a bundle of paper and a quill, Radis headed for the marquisate’s library.

She entered the room with small windows and high ceilings—which served to ward the sun’s direct rays. It was densely packed with high bookshelves, making it look like they were trees along a boulevard from below. Apart from that, the bookshelves themselves were filled to the brim with books.

Radis couldn’t help but admire the sight.

“Wow…”

At Radis’ soft exclamation, someone looked up from a pile of books, and he scrambled out of there to greet her.

“Welcome! I am Ron, the librarian. If you’re looking for a particular book, please don’t hesitate to ask me.”

Ron was wearing thick glasses, and this made his eyes look bigger than they really were. Because of that, the man gave off the impression of an owl.

“Um… I’d like to see a map first.”

“A map? Which area, Your Ladyship?”

“Monsterwood.”

“Oho, the woods… This way, please!”

He led Radis to a shelf full of rolled parchment.

And, he carefully pulled out a few maps.

“Truthfully, there is no accurate map of Monsterwood. Here is a map of Monsterwood that was drawn by Vitmus, but it’s more imaginary than a precise map. The most accurate map of the woods is perhaps from the map of the entire continent. Here is the latest version. Even so, the interior topography of the woods has not been marked.”

Ron explained as he pointed to the parchment.

“Over here, on the other hand, you’ll be able to better understand the borders of the woods if you take a look at this map of the South and the North together.”

“Ahh, thank you so much!”

“The maps aren’t available for borrowing, so please call me when you’re done studying them while you’re inside the library, Your Ladyship.”

“Alright.”

Radis carefully laid out the continental map on a very wide table.

And, she started to draw the outline of Monsterwood on the paper she brought with her.

Copying a map proved to be quite difficult.

She thought that she was doing well at first, but it ended up being a mess.

Radis was only able to draw a coherent map of Monsterwood only after crumpling up three precious sheets of paper.

Then, she spread out the maps of the South and the North and wrote down the names of the major places and cities near the woods.

Finally, she looked at the map that was drawn by Vitmus just for fun.

Really, it was pure imagination.

Vitmus drew a large castle in the center of the woods, and the woods itself was divided radially.

Apart from that, Vitmus drew some strange monsters on the map itself, and some parts of the woods were named as ‘grove of mushrooms’ or ‘grove of unicorns’.

This was all that Radis did, but the morning passed by quickly.

Radis called Ron and asked for his help to organize the maps. Then, she asked him a question.

“Do you happen to have books about mana or sorcery… or anything related to magic?”

After rolling up the maps carefully with his gloved hands and returning them to the shelves, Ron answered.

“Oh, I apologize. We don’t have any books related to magic here.”

“Why?”

“Most grimoires have been designated as forbidden books.”

Ron lowered his voice before continuing.

“The ancient language itself is said to contain power within it. The words can bewitch people, who could then be dragged down the wrong path. That’s why most magic-related books written in the ancient language have been banned. Of course, the same is true for books about the ancient language.”

There’s nothing she could do.

Radis left the library with the map she drew herself.

She was planning to go back to her room to have lunch because she was getting hungry.

But then, as she was walking towards the foyer so she could go up the stairs…

A rather familiar, shrill voice burst out from somewhere and directly pierced her eardrums.

“Why? I already said that I am here to see my daughter…!”

Map still in hand, Radis froze where she was, as hard as a rock.

Her eyes went wide, and she turned to see Margaret and Jurich standing there at the foyer.