The Regressed SSS-Rank Water Mage Wants To Live a Calm Life-Chapter 17: A Desolate Resolve

The magnificent golden rays of the setting sun made their way through an open glass window into a room.

The golden glow brightened the otherwise dark room, casting a pristine ambience. Although the room on its own gave off the feeling of royalty.

Sparkling furniture adorned the room. And a bright, luxurious crystal chandelier hung above the room, although its light paled in comparison to the sun’s golden brown.

The walls were a light shade of red, mixed with the cheery color of pink. These colors, however, contrasted with the deep emerald of the large bed that lay in the middle of the room.

But there was no one in this bed.

However, at the northern end of the room, where the golden glow of the sunset showered more than ever, a figure sat on a wooden chair, head on top of the wooden table in front of her.

And on the wall, above the wooden table, hung a mirror.

The lady, head resting on the table, let out a soft sigh.

A slender finger twirled in front of her face, carrying subtle traces of the wind as it twirled.

’Another day.’ She thought. ’Another day gone, and I’m still trapped here.’

It turned out that this beautiful, royally adorned room was, in fact, a cage.

A cage that she had spent most of her life trapped in.

Suddenly, the lady raised her head.

"But why?" She asked with a whisper.

A question she had asked herself over and over again. A question that she knew the answer to.

And it was a rather simple answer, really. Her father was a fool. He let another woman ruin the life of his own daughter.

Well, the life of his first daughter meant nothing to him.

After all, he had four other children, courtesy of the young lady’s stepmother.

Her nightmare began the day her mother died due to a ghastly, incurable illness when she was just four.

After mourning for a few months, her father remarried. And from the day her stepmother entered their lives...

The lady gazed at the mirror.

Long, curly brown hair framed a beautiful face. Full lips, clear, silver eyes that sparked with curiosity, a subtly pointed nose, and a flawlessly sculpted face that would make any young man’s heart flutter. A true fair lady, if she said so herself.

She yawned, resting her chin on her open palm.

"Well, anyway, I’ll soon leave this place. My stay here is long overdue," She whispered. "Nineteen years of solitude isn’t really healthy. Although I do appreciate the weekly walks. Would’ve been better without the bodyguards, though. But who am I to complain? I’m the prisoner."

With her chin still resting on her palm, she raised her other hand, her two circles buzzing around her heart as she gathered wind elemental mana from them, twirling her fingers with a bored, almost exhausted expression on her face.

Her wind elemental mana tainted the pure mana in the atmosphere, and in turn, caused the wind around her fingers to glow a pale green. Basic wind control.

She enjoyed this. And the fact that she could do this made her grateful to her loyal butler. The one who had been trained to serve her ever since they were both kids. The one who had been her only friend all these years.

The female butler was the one who had discovered her affinity with the wind element. And, sneakingly, she bought her books about mana manipulation and such — enabling the young noble lady, whom her father had disallowed to explore the art and science of elemental magic, to practice magic. Secretly, of course.

There were a lot of things that she and her butler had done and planned in secret. The lowest being sneaking out to go for walks or parades or to buy jewelry, and the highest being...

Brewing a plan for the young noble lady to escape the clutches of the Silvester family.

Yes. Eloping.

That one was yet to come, yes. But it would be relatively easy.

After all, they had forgotten all about the young noble lady. To the rest of her family, she was practically a pet that they painstakingly fed and checked on occasionally.

The supposed real members of the Silvester family were her stepmother, her father, and her stepmother’s four children.

They were the ones who would fight to become the heir of the family.

Well, not like she could ever be the Marquisette of an Earth elemental family now that she had discovered her affinity to the wind element. Not like she ever wanted to be.

"What will I do when I leave, though? Where will I go?" She spoke with a soft voice, head turning toward the window and the spilling golden rays.

She stood up from her seat, and her green night gown flowed over her knees as she walked toward the window. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

It wasn’t like she had never thought about it before. She had. But she always found her mind wandering whenever she thought about it.

Starting a new life. Starting afresh.

How exciting.

She could do anything now. Although it was already too late to enlist in the imperial academy. She could never become an official mage.

Twenty-something wasn’t really a suitable age for a freshman at the academy. And besides, if she eventually escaped her family, she’d lose her status as a noble, and enlistment into the academy would be practically impossible.

But oh well, a miss was a miss. There was nothing she could do. Her foolish father had already damaged her childhood.

But forgetting the gloomy stuff, she could still properly learn magic, become stronger, go on adventures to famous places she’d only read about in books.

Either that high life or she could just live a relatively calm life in a small town, maybe get a small job, something to sustain herself while prioritizing her happiness first. After all, she wouldn’t really need money as she planned to steal quite a lot from her family before she left.

The price of nineteen years of unjust imprisonment, she called it.

Still, the possibilities in the outside world were endless. Staggering. They filled her soul with great joy.

The escape plan would commence in just four weeks. She’d gone over it with her butler, Maddy, over and over again just to make sure it was perfect. They’d picked the most suitable time to carry it out — when the patriarch and the family mages were away.

And so, she was confident, and her heart was resolute, filled with joy.

She looked out the window, casting a tender, beautiful smile at the world below.

"Very soon." She whispered.

The lady blinked, and suddenly, she yawned, stretching her arms.

Exhaustion was knocking. And it seemed she would have to first rest before further daydreaming about her life after the grand escape.

A soft giggle left her lips as she remembered Maddy’s constant reminder to stop stressing herself. She’d already done much of that all day with her wind manipulation.

Just as she turned, about to make her way to her bed—

Clack––Bam!!

—her room door burst open.

Immediately, she cast a shocked gaze at the figure who ran into the room, panting.

"Lady..." A soft female voice echoed, accompanied by heavy breaths. "My.. my lady!"

The young noble lady rushed toward her butler immediately, holding her steady to catch her breath.

"What is it, Maddy? Catch your breath! What’s wrong?"

After steadying her breath, Maddy composed herself, adjusting her black and white gown, clearing her throat and rearranging her scattered silver hair.

"My lady–"

"You know I hate formal language."

Maddy cleared her throat.

"Forgiveness, Margarita."

Lady Rita raised a brow.

"Yes?"

Maddy breathed out, a heavy expression on her face.

"I’ve gotten... news that may greatly disturb our plans."

Rita’s breath caught, and she furrowed her brows, back straightening as she walked to her bed.

"And what news is that?"

Maddy paused for a while, contemplating.

"The patriarch," she began, "he’s hosting a ball to celebrate your stepbrother, Mikel’s, advancement to the 5th-circle. And all important figures of the Jalozi Empire will be there. At least all the ones present in the capital." Maddy frowned. "A High Ball. There’s a chance that even a member of the Imperial family will be there."

"And so?"

"The Patriarch wants you, as his first daughter, to be present at this ball."

Margarita D’Silvester almost staggered as she sighed in exasperation, plopping on her bed.

"When... When is this ball, Maddy?"

Maddy’s voice dropped low.

"...four weeks."

’Isn’t that the exact–’

Rita’s facial expression contorted into an enraged sneer, heart pounding in her chest. She gritted her teeth, clenching her small fists.

Maddy gazed at Rita, and the depth of her dark eyes softened, almost wetting. She shook her head in saddened resignation.

"I’m... sorry, Rita."

Rita clenched a pillow tight in her embrace.

’Now they remember their first daughter?!’

Her body quivered. That damn Mikel. Why choose now to advance?

She couldn’t breathe properly, and Maddy rushed toward her to calm her down.

When was the last time she felt anger quite like this?

Margarita could not remember.