Published: January 24, 2026
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The day after talking with Mr. Orun, the cloudy sky from yesterday was completely clear with not a single cloud in sight.
My heart felt as bright and clear as the sky.
Looking back, I feel really embarrassed about crying in front of Mr. Orun yesterday. But, come to think of it, I often cry in front of him...
Yeah, I can't stay like this anymore.
I've decided to continue as a seeker.
I have to become stronger, both inside and out!
So, for that reason――
Just as I was renewing my resolve, the door was unlocked as usual and Mother entered the room.
“This place is always so gloomy whenever I come. Well, I suppose it suits you.”
Mother’s usual first words whenever she walks in are something like that.
Until yesterday, whenever she appeared before me, fear would take over and my body would tremble uncontrollably. But today, I was surprisingly calm.
“...Good morning, Mother.”
Even though I greeted her, she didn’t respond with one.
“You look even more unpleasant today,” she said with a bored expression, then immediately began talking about today’s matter.
“...From now on, I’ll let you go outside specially. Even if it’s just a viscount, you are marrying into a noble family, so we have to have dresses made. This concerns the prestige of the Claudel family, so as much as it annoys me, I’ll prepare a few dresses for you. Let’s go.”
I was really surprised by the mention of making dresses, but for Mother, the most important thing is the name of the Claudel family. I think damaging that is far worse for her than making dresses for me.
Mother has said so many unpleasant things to me so far.
But from her current words, I can tell she acts based on her own beliefs.
To me, Mother is not a pleasant person, but she’s not entirely evil either.
Now able to think about her calmly, I listened to her words while such thoughts lingered in a corner of my mind.
But just as Mother has her beliefs, I have mine too.
It feels like I’ve finally realized this obvious truth.
“I refuse.”
“...What did you say?”
When I rejected going outside, Mother gave a momentary confused look as if she couldn’t understand what I was saying, but soon her expression and voice turned unpleasant.
“I said ‘I refuse.’ I will not marry! I will continue living as Sophia, the seeker of the silver rabbits of the night sky!”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Do you even understand what you’re saying? You’re basically abandoning your subjects!”
When I clearly conveyed my will through refusal again, Mother raised her voice in anger.
“I don’t even want to acknowledge your existence! Yet, you have Claudel blood flowing in your veins! That blood must be used for the sake of this territory. That is the responsibility of nobility! Personal feelings don’t matter!”
Mother was shouting hysterically, but her argument seemed sound.
I must be the one being selfish.
Mother hates me so much she doesn’t even want to acknowledge I exist.
Still, if this engagement is finalized and I marry Viscount Emelt, it would prove I am a member of the Claudel family.
That would be unbearable for Mother.
Yet, as a member of the Claudel family, she’s suppressing her emotions and preparing for my marriage.
Well, with all the curse words she’s been hurling, it’s hard to say she’s truly suppressing her feelings.
――Still, I don’t want to lie to myself anymore.
“The original cause of this engagement is the concern over the flooding of the dungeon, right? Then I will conquer that dungeon! As ‘Sophie the seeker’!”
If the dungeon disappears, there’s no risk of flooding.
There’s a rule that forbids conquering dungeons without guild permission, but since this is before wartime and there is flooding concern, there should be no problem.
In that case, there’s no reason for me to marry.
That should also be a favorable outcome for Mother, so she would agree to this plan.
――At least, that’s what I thought.
“Hah, hahahaha. You think someone like you can conquer a dungeon? You probably don’t know, but yesterday Selma, who went out saying she’d conquer the dungeon, came back in tatters. Selma, the s-rank seeker, known as the continent’s greatest enchanter!”