"…Verbena, there's something I want to tell you when this battle is over."
Gil, the vice-captain, spoke to me as I overlooked the battlefield in my role as the head of the Magic Order (I was 25 years old at the time, single, and constantly missing my chances at marriage because of work).
Gil had passed the entrance exam for the Magic Order at the youngest age of 13, and I was the one who mentored him. Not just because of my guidance, but simply because Gil was a genius, he continued to rise in ranks, eventually becoming the vice-captain at the young age of 16—a real prodigy.
Gil used to be so adorable.
When I had to retrieve Gil from the middle of the enemy camp after he ran out of magic, he would cling to me like a lost child who had found his mother (though my comrades were angry, saying, "It's your fault, Verbena, for getting lost in the enemy camp in the first place, leaving Gil stranded alone in the middle of it").
When we ran out of food during a mission, I caught fish for Gil by the river, and he was so happy (though my comrades were mad again, saying, "It's your fault, Verbena, for dropping most of our provisions and being unable to retrieve them").
During cold nights in the field, we slept huddled together, and when we returned to the country, I took him to a bar and treated him to a feast (though my comrades scolded me, "Stop taking a kid to a drinking place!").
At one point, he even called me "Master," but gradually, that changed to just "Verbena." Why did that happen?
The comrades who used to scold me are no longer here. They’ve all gone on ahead to Valhalla, leaving me behind.
With no one left above me, I somehow ended up becoming the captain of the Magic Order. What are we going to do now, my former comrades?
"Verbena, are you listening to me?"
"Yes, I am."
Gil, with a striking beauty that hints at his future peak, wore a very serious expression. This young man, who had been through numerous battles, wasn’t suddenly going to lose his nerve.
So, what he wanted to tell me must be something incredibly troublesome.
"Are you asking for a loan? My grandmother always said not to lend money, but since it’s you, Gil, I can lend you up to one copper coin."
"It's not a loan request! And one copper coin would only buy one loaf of bread!"
"You're 16, so I guess the rations aren't enough for you."
"That's not the issue!"
Gil raised his voice, fiddling with the temple of his silver-rimmed glasses. With his black hair and glasses, he looked like the perfect model student, and his overly serious personality made him a pitiable man.
I always thought people like him were more suited to magic research than the battlefield. But right now, our country doesn’t have the luxury for that. Every magician who can fight is needed on the battlefield to repel the invading forces from other nations.
"…Really, Verbena. You still treat me like a child."
"It's good to have someone who still treats you like a child, Gil."
"That may be true… but it’s also problematic if I’m always treated like one."
After taking a deep breath, Gil turned to face me again and said,
"In any case! When this battle is over, you absolutely must listen to what I have to say! And by then, I won’t let you treat me like a child anymore!"
"Alright, Gil. I’m looking forward to it."
I smiled at Gil as I responded.
For some reason, Gil had always been awkward whenever he saw my smile. This time was no different as he let out a small grunt and retreated to the rear.
In the end, that retreating figure was the last I saw of Gil.
I died on that battlefield, my heart pierced by the enemy's magic.
My dear comrades, Verbena is coming to meet you in Valhalla!
～The End～
Or so the story should have ended, but it didn’t.
My story continues.
I was reincarnated in the same country where my former self had died.
My former self… let’s just call her Verbena for convenience. After Verbena’s death, the war apparently ended soon after.
Thanks to Gil’s efforts as the new captain, the enemy headquarters was destroyed, and with their chain of command broken, the enemy soldiers were easily defeated, losing their ability to continue the war. Gil really is amazing.
These are things I learned from my tutor.
To my surprise, in this life, I am a noble lady of this country. My name is Aurelia Verbena Chilton.
When I asked my father why my name included the same one as my previous life, he said:
"We named you after Verbena, the head of the Magic Order, who bravely fought in the past war."
It seems I’ve become a legendary figure.
Because of that, my father told me, Aurelia, "You should become a person who protects the weak, just like Verbena, the head of the Magic Order." I thought, 'Piece of cake, I was that person in my previous life,' and I grew up freely doing as I pleased.
▽
"Aurelia, what is the meaning of this? Why did you blow up the river in our territory!?"
"That river meanders too much, causing floods almost every year during the rainy season. You received petitions about it from the residents too, didn’t you, Father?"
"…We don’t have the budget for river construction yet. After years of war, our population has decreased, and so have tax revenues…"
"But the rainy season won’t wait, so I used magic to blow it up and expand the river’s width after consulting experts and calculating the flood-prone areas. Everything’s fine now."
"At least report it beforehand!"
"Yes, Father."
"Father, I’m sorry it’s after the fact, but I used magic to take down a one-eyed bear that appeared in the territory."
"Aurelia, are you hurt!? Are the residents safe!?"
"We’re all fine! But since it’s early spring and more one-eyed bears might wander towards the houses as they come out of hibernation, we should increase patrols."
"You’re right. I’ll inform the military police."
"I’m sorry, Father! I tried a new magic theory from a paper, but I failed and blew off the roof of the mansion!"
"Aurelia!!! Sit here in seiza (traditional Japanese kneeling) immediately!!!"
"I’m truly sorry!!!!"
"Father, I followed your instructions to create a new tunnel in the mine, and we discovered a diamond!"
"Well done, Aurelia! Your explosion magic finally proved useful!"
Despite being a noble lady, I grew up quite rambunctiously. When I turned sixteen, my father brought up the topic of marriage.
"Marriage, for me? But I’m not really interested in a prince…"
"Don’t worry, Aurelia. I didn’t expect you to become a princess either."
"Wait, is it okay for a noble lady not to aim for a prince as a fiancé?"
"Aurelia, who causes explosions with magic every day and creates all kinds of problems, I didn’t think you had any awareness of being a noble lady."
With a sigh, my father showed me a portrait.
"This is Gil Rostroi, the Magic Earl. He’s 32 years old this year. Although he’s older than you, he might be the only person who won’t divorce you even if you blow up the mansion with your magic."
The handsome young man with black hair and silver-rimmed glasses was my former subordinate, Gil.
I knew that Gil had been knighted as the Magic Earl and was still living in this country. I’d wanted to see him again and had wondered what it was he wanted to talk about when we last met.
But I’m just a noble lady. My father, who holds the title, is the important one, and I’m just a small girl. I couldn’t ask to meet with a Magic Earl who works on the front lines for the country.
As I thought about how Gil was already 32 years old, I asked my father something that had been on my mind.
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