Chapter 25
Only after leaving Eliana’s once-pale neck covered in flushed, red kiss marks did Michalis finally seem satisfied. His lips drifted down, gently pressing against her slender collarbone.
With a cautious hand, he reached for the ribbon of her nightgown and slowly began to untie it.
He also shrugged off the bathrobe that clung to his frame, tossing it aside. Under the warm, ambient lighting, the shadows cast along his body were sculptural—like a masterpiece shaped by divine hands.
His broad shoulders and chest, firm like armor yet smooth and evenly toned, looked as though they belonged on a marble statue. The lean muscle stretched across his body, taut and defined, without being bulky.
“……”
And then… there was that. Calling it a “puppy” might have been a stretch. Still, let’s go with that—for the sake of her flustered heart.
Oh god. What was I even thinking earlier…?
Just that morning, she’d been seriously considering seducing him. Now, Eliana wasn’t even sure she could handle what she was looking at. Panic bloomed in her chest.
“……”
Following her gaze, Michalis glanced down and, realizing what she was fixated on, immediately felt guilty.
“If you’re uncomfortable… I won’t do anything.”
He had spent his whole life vowing to be nothing like his father. He’d even once considered a life of solitude, just to avoid repeating those mistakes. No matter what tradition or duty said about a wedding night, he wasn’t about to force himself on someone who was scared.
Eliana didn’t answer with words. Instead, she placed her fingertips gently against his chest and brought her lips to his. He responded like a man long deprived, once again devouring her mouth as if to quench a thirst.
.
.
.
What began cautiously ended in a crashing wave of passion. Michalis collapsed into her arms, holding her close, their bodies pressed together.
“Haah… haah…”
Eliana, finally freed from the pain that had wracked her body, clung to his neck and gasped for air.
Now I’ve truly made him mine, she thought.
The realization brought both a rush of satisfaction—and a creeping sense of dread.
Three days after the wedding night.
They were scheduled to leave soon for the imperial capital, Wespera, to attend the investiture ceremony. She couldn’t stay confined to the bed forever.
There was still a lingering soreness in her legs—especially when walking up or down stairs—but Eliana pushed herself to move. There was something she needed to check before they departed for Wespera.
With the key she’d received from the steward, she carefully unlocked the thick wooden door. It opened more easily than expected.
This was the ducal library.
Ordinarily reserved for direct blood descendants of the Ascher family, Eliana had only gained access because Michalis had readily given his permission.
“……”
She stepped inside and made her way toward the sunlit desk, her eyes sweeping across the space.
It was vast—large enough to serve as a ballroom. Shelves lined every wall, stacked high with military manuals, classified naval charts, and war journals left behind by the dukes of the past.
Eliana appreciated how quiet and undisturbed the room was—no librarian, no staff. Just silence.
She chose a starting point and began browsing, inhaling the familiar scent of old parchment. With the system’s features, she didn’t need to read every page—just seeing the title of a book was enough to access the contents later. But this search had to be thorough.
She had already reviewed the public library before the wedding. Now, it was time to search the private archive.
Let’s see… ancient records…
She knew exactly what she was looking for: magical texts from the Age of Sorcery.
Thousands of years ago, there had been a golden age of magic—centered on the vast landmass of Arkaim and the floating sky continent called Sardis. Magic had flourished then in ways that far exceeded the present day.
She didn’t need an original tome from that era. She just needed a title. Like knowing the name of The Iliad or The Odyssey—once she had a name, the system would retrieve the rest.
The original novel, The Broken Clockwork Doll, had been discontinued early in its serialization. The cause behind Freya’s regression was never revealed.
But Eliana had come to one conclusion.
There was only one way to truly defeat Freya: discover the secret of her regression—and prevent it from happening again.
And that secret, she believed, could only be uncovered through ancient magic.
This really is a house built on military history.
After combing through dozens of titles, Eliana sighed. Most of the texts were about war strategies, naval battles, or records of past campaigns—nothing she could use.
Just as dinnertime approached, something caught her eye.
A weathered, yellowed book—aged more than the rest.
The cover read:
Southeast 280: Submarine Ruins Exploration Record
Inside was a brief description.
A massive ruin had been discovered during a dive to retrieve a trapped anchor. It was believed to be a remnant from the Sorcery Era. The site had been perfectly preserved due to a powerful protective enchantment. A visual recording device had documented the discovery.
The book read more like a photo journal than a report, filled with image after image.
How strong must the magic have been, Eliana wondered. Despite lying at the bottom of the sea for thousands of years, the stone structures bore no signs of coral, seaweed, or erosion.
Though some sections were obscured by passing fish, the ancient text carved into the walls was captured clearly in the photos.
This is it…
Eliana’s hand trembled as she flipped through the pages.
If this ruin had been found deep under the sea—then there was no mistaking it.
This was a remnant of Sardis, the floating continent shattered by divine punishment and scattered across the ocean long ago.
Who else but the Ascher Duchy could conduct a deep-sea exploration in the middle of the vast ocean? Certainly not the mages holed up in their towers, their backsides practically glued to their seats. This was the kind of material no one could retrieve—unless they were the Ascher family.
The magic that existed in the current era was based on the sorcery from the ancient continent of Arkaim, but this—this was a relic of Sardis. If the Mage Tower caught wind of this, there would be an uproar.
“……”
Suppressing her excitement, Eliana flipped through the pages and easily deciphered the ancient language. The translation function she once thought was useless was now proving invaluable.
Memorial Hall of Villasehir de Laodiceani
In honor of the First Emperor and Great Archmage,
Villasehir de Laodiceani
The First Emperor, Villasehir de Laodiceani,
led Sardis to independence
from the dominion of the evil god Bacalmoth.
He authored numerous works including the
grimoire Blackrock and the philosophical text
God and Man,
ushering in an age of prosperity for Sardis.
…
Thus, on the centennial of his passing,
this memorial was built.
—Third Emperor, Casetehir de Laodiceani
Found it.
Reading the scattered ancient text captured in the out-of-order photographs, Eliana’s heart began to pound. She had finally found what she needed: the title of an ancient grimoire.
Dream.
Steadying her breath, Eliana called the system.
[Yes, I’m listening. Please select a function.]
Show me the contents of the grimoire Blackrock, starting from page one.
[Search complete.]
Just like a web novel, a system window opened with the contents of the grimoire.
Next page. Next page.
Eliana’s face lit up as she read. The greatest archmage of the Sorcery Era—his words flowed smoothly before her, entirely comprehensible.
Dream.
Time had passed without her noticing. Still frozen in place, her eyes scanning line after line, Eliana called the system again.
[Yes, I’m listening. Please select a function.]
Search for information on Freya Espensen.
[Search complete.]
Search: Freya Espensen
Name: Freya Espensen
Age: 18
Image: Portrait
Nationality: Wespera Empire
Affiliation: None
Height/Weight: 164 cm / 51 kg
Special Note: Subject is a regressor.
Dream, can you check if there’s any magic cast on Freya Espensen’s body?
Eliana narrowed her eyes at the information window and asked again.
[There is no magic currently affecting her body.]
Then that leaves two possibilities… Either it’s the power of a magical artifact Freya possesses, or the regression is tied to a specific location.
She had found a lead.
It was highly likely that Freya possessed some kind of ancient magical tool that enabled regression—or that there was a magical device embedded somewhere within the Espensen estate. Whatever the case, Eliana’s next step was now clear.
Looks like I’ll have to break in after all.
Sighing softly, she turned her gaze back to the portrait of Freya displayed in the search window.
“……”
She hadn’t noticed from a distance, but seeing her up close in this image… Freya was stunning. Radiant. A picture of health and charm.
I… need to eat more.
If it came to a physical confrontation, she’d probably get crushed before she even landed a hit.
Dragging her sore legs behind her, Eliana limped off toward the dining room.
Three days later.
Inside a carriage bound for Wespera, Eliana sat across from Michalis.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“Yes.”
The mood was a little awkward.
For the six days since their wedding night, Michalis hadn’t once come to her room. During the first three days, when she was struggling to walk, he had dropped by during the day to check in on her.
But even then, he hadn’t stayed long. He always wore a complicated expression—a mix of guilt and confusion—and left after spending a short, awkward moment at her side.
“What about you, Michal? Are you doing alright?”
Eliana finally broke the silence, her voice laced with concern.
His expression was dark. It was the first time she had ever seen him look this tired—like someone who hadn’t slept for days.
“Ah, I’ve just been swamped with work lately.”
“Did you manage to finish everything?”
“Yes. Since I’ll be away for a month, I pushed through and got as much done as possible in advance.”
“I’m glad to hear it’s all handled.”
“His Majesty’s audience is scheduled for tomorrow at 2 p.m.”
“Alright. I’ll be ready in time.”
Though the distance between the Ascher Duchy and Wespera looked far on the map, a long-range portal connected the two, and they were expected to arrive at their estate in Wespera by that evening.
Clip-clop. Clip-clop.
As their conversation faded, the rhythmic sound of hooves echoed through the slightly swaying carriage.
