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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Chapter 9
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Shortly after.
Having moved to Sigmund's laboratory, Mabel first sought to clear up the misunderstanding.
"I'm not the Saintess of the Alchemy God, or anything like that. Really!"
"But you knew what this was the moment you saw it!"
Dane passionately exclaimed, waving the paper with Mabel's writing on it.
"Unless you were a talent sent down by the gods, how else could you have seen it and thought, 'Hmm, this is it,' then correctly filled in the blanks?"
At Dane's booming shout, which echoed through the laboratory, Sigmund covered Mabel's ears.
"Dane, your voice is too loud. You're startling Mabel."
"H-huh! My apologies!"
"But Dane does have a point."
Sigmund removed his hand from Mabel's ear, took the paper that was fluttering in Dane's hand, and looked at it again.
He seemed calmer than he had in the courtyard, but Sigmund's red eyes still sparkled like a child's.
He was merely suppressing his excitement, unlike Dane who outwardly expressed it, but Sigmund was no less thrilled.
This is going to cause trouble.
Mabel quickly spoke.
"I, I probably won't know the answers to any other problems! This was all just a coincidence!"
Saintess of Alchemy?
No way!
'I just wrote down what came to mind! It's just because I'm a Reincarnator that I remembered it!'
To prove her point, Mabel asked for another problem.
And she planned to write down a ridiculous wrong answer to calm down this overheated atmosphere, but...
"H-huh, h-huh, huh...! Aren't these ancient elemental symbols?!"
"What did you say?!"
Dane, looking at the writing that Mabel had seemingly scribbled down randomly, trembled and exclaimed.
He was so agitated that Mabel worried he might foam at the mouth and collapse.
"Furthermore, it's correct. This problem is based on content recently published by a renowned alchemist."
It seemed Dane wasn't exaggerating this time either, as even Sigmund held his breath.
Why on earth is *this* kind of problem based on recently published content?!
The second problem Mabel received was a simple one, distinguishing between acids and bases.
It felt as if the more she tried to deny it, the deeper into the quagmire she sank.
Just then.
"The God of Alchemy must truly have taken pity on our Grand Ducal family and sent us the Saintess. How much we've suffered since our research materials were stolen!"
Dane's voice pierced Mabel's ears.
"The humiliation of not meeting the deadline, the sneers from the Empress's faction who disregarded our family! I still can't forget it."
Ugh!
Dane took off his glasses, buried his face in his sleeve, and sniffled.
"I even thought we'd have to prove the Horned Spirit Summoning Ritual to restore our family's prestige...!"
"There, there, calm down."
Sigmund lightly patted Dane's shoulder.
He too seemed to feel the same way, his expression clouded.
Mabel felt a pang of sympathy.
'It seems Sophia caused them a lot of trouble by stealing the research.'
But he would lose everything to Sophia again.
Because the ending was approaching.
"Quickly, quickly, make the announcement! Verification or not, it's a fact that this method is incredibly groundbreaking!"
Dane, who had barely managed to stop sobbing, declared it was no time for this and quickly ran out.
"Oh, no, it's really not like that..."
But Dane was already gone.
Mabel stretched out a pathetic hand towards Dane with a hollow expression.
But wait a moment.
'Did I... just interfere with the female lead?'
Sophia accumulates enormous wealth through the Horned Spirit Summoning Ritual and finds a clue to reconcile with Caesar.
But if Mabel solved it first, and it's attributed to Sigmund's achievements...
'Did I... just change the future?'
Mabel tried to suppress her heart, which was happily pounding, and organized her thoughts.
'Chemistry is the basis of alchemy, that's what they said.'
So, the chemical knowledge that came to Mabel's mind would certainly allow alchemy to grow exponentially.
Which means.
"H-Head of Household!"
"Hmm?"
Perhaps it was a hasty thought.
It really could have been a fluke.
But even so.
"Did I... perhaps help?"
Soon, Sigmund replied with a faint smile.
"Yes. You've been a great help."
Hope and anticipation spread through Mabel's chest.
'I... might be able to stop it.'
Sigmund's future, where he loses everything because of Sophia.
And the Grand Ducal family's future, where they fall and disappear from history.
Furthermore, the future of the protagonists who get their happy ending in front of Mabel's grave!
'With this, I might be able to get even more certain revenge!'
Mabel's heart began to beat erratically.
"Earlier, Head of Household, you said, didn't you? That you wanted to research with me."
"Yes. I did."
"Then, how about this?"
Truly, when she first met Sigmund, she had no intention of this whatsoever.
Just a moment ago, Mabel had only been thinking of escaping.
But as the saying goes, intentions can change, and Mabel found this tiger's den to her liking.
Everyone here was just too kind and warm.
And what's more, if she stayed in the Grand Ducal Castle, she could get revenge on the protagonists!
To throw away such an opportunity would be foolish.
Thus, Mabel proposed a deal to Sigmund.
"Please hire me as your assistant!"
"Hire?"
"Yes! Then, while I'm living with you, I'll be able to provide a lot more help!"
Mabel, smiling brightly, probably didn't know.
That her eyes were currently sparkling exactly like Sigmund's.
And so, two days after being abducted by the Sub Male Lead, Mabel voluntarily became his slave... no, his assistant.
***
That night, Dane, who was organizing the presentation materials, once again admired Mabel's adorable, crooked handwriting.
"I never would have thought. To be able to interpret the summoning ritual like this."
"First you thought she was a spy, and now you're a full-blown believer."
"That was based on the circumstances, wasn't it? Based on the circumstances..."
"Then what about now? Are you certain Mabel isn't a spy?"
Sigmund playfully pressed Dane, who was mumbling excuses.
"I wouldn't say that... but at least it doesn't seem like the Ashilonia Duke is behind her. If he knew the young lady was a genius, he wouldn't have let her run away."
"Indeed, unless they locked Mabel up and exploited her to the bone."
However, there had been no theories published by the Ashilonia Ducal family until now.
Furthermore, upon closer inspection, Mabel seemed to barely know how to read or write.
It was clear that the Ashilonia side hadn't given Mabel any education whatsoever.
That's why Sigmund found Mabel even more remarkable.
'She can recognize alchemy summoning rituals, but can't read simple memos.'
What kind of monster would Mabel become once she learned to read and write properly?
Sigmund himself was called an unparalleled genius, but considering her upbringing, Mabel was the true prodigy.
He was itching to teach her properly as soon as possible.
At the same time, a deep desire bloomed within him.
"At first, I only intended to keep her while observing the situation, but who would have thought she possessed such talent..."
Sigmund mumbled, stroking his chin.
"Now, I truly hope she's just a runaway child."
A strange obsession flickered in his red eyes.
As if he would never let her go until their research together was complete.
It was truly the look of a professor who had spotted a goldmine of a graduate student.
"At any rate, it seems the Duke isn't behind this, so depending on the situation, how about you try to find out where the Duchess is?"
Dane, recognizing Sigmund's gaze, subtly suggested.
Sigmund had been searching for Sophia's whereabouts.
Of course, it wasn't because he loved her, as Mabel believed.
"If the young lady truly knows the Duchess's whereabouts, we might be able to recover the stolen research materials."
And just now, another reason was added.
"Also, if we officially register the young lady, we can silence the collateral branches who are trying to establish their own children as heirs."
Currently, the Esclid Grand Ducal family had no legitimate heir.
There were candidates, but everyone refused to acknowledge them, citing their 'lowly bloodline' as the reason.
But if Mabel was the one, the story would be different.
"While there might be controversy over adultery and illegitimacy, ultimately, the young lady would be a Grand Ducal Princess or a Ducal Princess."
Dane whispered like a devil.
"And with the young lady's exceptional intellect, we can overturn any negative public opinion."
Sigmund, who had been quietly contemplating, spoke chillingly.
"Indeed... The fact that she knew where her mother was but chose not to go there, opting instead for the orphanage..."
His lips, which had been speaking languidly, suddenly curved into a slanted arc.
That smile was truly like the kind Sub Male Lead Mabel knew, but...
"She might have decided to abandon her filial duties long ago."
The words that followed were utterly deranged, as if a screw had come loose somewhere.
