The Villainous Noblewoman Is About to Be Forced into Love, Isn't This Wrong?-Chapter 86: For changes in cognition

"Indeed," Liana nodded in acknowledgment.

"I thought you wouldn't come," Aileen queried.

Liana made a dismissive comment.

"I just didn't want any more trouble," Liana said, glancing briefly at Aileen's tea before shifting her focus back to her surroundings.

There are four areas like Venus's, each corresponding to other territories.

Liana spotted a familiar old acquaintance, her former fiancé.

"It shouldn't count, after all, it was rejected by Liana before it even started."

It belonged to the Calipot family, the man next to him must be his father, Marquis Laurent.

If Venus Territory is the land of assassins, then the Laurent family's territory is that of knights, the sharp sword of the Lisat Kingdom.

Apart from Laurent's territory, Liana also saw someone from Angus Territory, known for its trade. If you want to buy anything, just go to Angus, but Liana did not see Tatar's figure. It seems that for the little princess of the guild, she didn't have much say, so she didn't strike up a conversation.

The Minoja Territory, most of the natives of the Minoja Territory are dwarves, short in stature but possessing terrifying strength, and extremely skilled in forging technology, considered the strongest in Lisat Kingdom. Currently, ninety percent of the armor and ten percent of the weapons in the royal Lisat Kingdom are made by dwarven hands. There's a rumor that one of the ten ancient artifacts was made by a dwarf.

But now, in this era of peace, the weapon forging skills of Minoja's dwarves aren't much needed, leading to their slight decline. Moreover, in most people's eyes, dwarves are seen as barbaric primitives.

Especially notable is the Arlis Territory, belonging to mages, considered the nobility among nobles in Lisat Kingdom because they are proficient in various magics. In this world of magic, they naturally look down on anyone other than the royal family.

In their eyes, the dwarves of Minoja are just brutes who can only use brute force, but in reality, it's very difficult for Minoja's dwarves to create top-quality weapons without using magic.

But none of this matters to Liana now; she just needs to watch the heroine who is about to take the stage.

"Loraviel." Liana picked up her finished juice.

"I understand," Loraviel poured another glass of juice for Liana and then took a small biscuit and fed it into her mouth, all very naturally and efficiently.

It's hard not to wonder how many times Loraviel has done this in private.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom!" The deafening sound of drums echoed throughout the Lisat Kingdom's capital; the celebration was about to begin.

Everyone looked towards the castle with anticipation, unclear about what sort of spectacle would enhance the long-awaited celebration.

However, emerging from the crowd's expectant gazes wasn't the King of Lisat or the Crown Prince but the youngest daughter of the King of Lisat, Princess Mepeilu.

Her silk robe flowed like moonlight, her hem adorned with gems, shimmering lightly as she moved, as dazzling as the starry sky. Her golden hair was braided, and she wore a radiant gem pendant around her slender waist.

"Princess Mepeilu?" puzzled murmurs spread among the crowd.

There were shouts of support but also some voices of discontent.

Standing in everyone's focus, Princess Mepeilu's palms, hidden under white crystal silk gloves, began to sweat.

This was the first time Mepeilu had stood before so many people. It was impossible not to be nervous, and after today, such occasions would likely only increase.

Mepeilu's gaze swept across the crowd, finally resting on Liana.

Liana noticed Mepeilu's slight unease.

This seemed to calm Mepeilu's nervous heart somewhat. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat, "I believe everyone might be surprised by my appearance, as having such a young person like myself stand here during a celebration like this in Lisat's capital might seem a bit excessive."

"Where is His Majesty the King right now? I know, like this, there are many more questions you have, and I am well aware that I am not mature enough to satisfy everyone."

"The matter I want to discuss with you all today has been thought over for a long time. I have discussed it at length with His Majesty the King, and we have finally decided to clarify this matter to everyone. This wisdom belongs to us all, not just to be enjoyed by us alone."

"Perhaps it might sound a bit too polite, so, let me explain—no, let me show you my discovery. After all, seeing it with your own eyes will certainly be more direct than just hearing me talk about it."

Mepeilu produced a magic wand from her hand, "Create, wood, longsword."

A simple wooden longsword appeared in Mepeilu's hand, "This is one of the most basic magics, which many people likely used when they first learned magic."

"Create, stone, longsword."

A stone longsword appeared in Mepeilu's hand, "This is a stone longsword, and some might not notice, but the difference between these two spells is..."

"Wood."

A piece of wood appeared in Mepeilu's hand.

"Stone."

A stone appeared in Mepeilu's hand.

"This difference between 'wood' and 'stone,' everyone can try this out, as there are not only 'wooden swords' as an option."

"What I want to say is, magic can change, and there are not only fixed options."

"Of course, some might question this, since both spells have appeared before and don't prove much. If I use these two as examples, it won't convince many people, so please, continue watching me."

Mepeilu waved her hand, and people around her set up a magical barrier to prevent the magic from affecting the outside.

"The magic we often use is made up of elements and states."

"For example, 'fire, ball,' which is the basic fireball technique."

The fireball struck the barrier, causing a ripple of flames.

"Now, let's make some changes to this spell. For instance, 'fire, wall.'"

A wall of fire appeared in front of Mepeilu.

"Then change 'fire' to 'water,' and..."

The wall of fire instantly turned into a wall of water.

"I know, you have all seen these things before, but what about 'gemstone wall?'"

"This, there should not be such magic in this world, right?"

A wall glittering with luxurious light made of gemstones appeared before everyone.

Mepeilu looked at Loraviel and flashed a mischievous grin.

"Magic... can change?" Aileen's face showed disbelief next to Liana.

Liana could understand, as this was a change in their understanding, and it being difficult to accept was normal.

Liana could tell that everyone present was shocked by this revelation.

"This is what I wanted to clarify with everyone, and also what this celebration is meant to commemorate. The spells of magic can change, magic is born from one's own imagination, and everyone can create their own magic with their wisdom. However, because inherent magic exists, the same spell might have different effects in the hands of different people."

"This might be a challenge for this world, and a change in understanding, as after all, the spells of magic are bestowed by the gods."

"But I think it's like the words we use when we talk. A slight change in the order of words can lead to different meanings."

"This was an issue I discussed with His Majesty the King. We talked a lot and thought it over before deciding to share this."

"However, no matter how much I say, it's faster and clearer for you to experiment yourselves. What I want to say is, spell words can be interpreted through study to reveal their true meaning. Once we understand the meaning of the spell words, we can perform magic that has never been seen before, magic named after miracles and imagination!"

"We want to give you the choice whether to change, whether to create magic, it's up to you to decide."

"Princess Mepeilu!"

"Princess Mepeilu!"

Suddenly someone shouted, followed by cheers like a wave, enveloping the entire capital of Lisat around the name of Princess Mepeilu.

From this moment, the world would undergo a significant change.

Magic would no longer be a gift only from the gods; everyone could have the opportunity to create magic.

But while some rejoiced, others were anxious. Those who supported Princess Mepeilu naturally wore smiles, but those who supported the old regime looked displeased, well aware of the significance of this news.

"Thank you very much for coming here to listen to me speak. I truly appreciate it." Mepeilu bowed slightly, showing her gratitude to the crowd.

"Now, I hope everyone enjoys the celebration here in the capital of Lisat. The capital has prepared some small gifts for you, and I hope you have a good time here."

As Mepeilu's words fell, fireworks blasted, signaling the start of the celebration.

Mepeilu walked into the castle, letting out a sigh of relief, feeling a bit nervous...

"Princess Mepeilu, you did very well," Minoja handed Mepeilu a bottle of water.

"Thank you."

Before Mepeilu could relax, she sensed someone approaching.

"It seems we won't have to wait long before someone comes looking," Minoja noted.

"Have they already arrived?" Mepeilu was aware of the consequences of her words, whether in agreement, support, or opposition, there would certainly be various reactions.

And Mepeilu knew that after saying those words, those who supported her would likely increase, potentially disrupting the balance.

It would be normal for some, because of the struggle for power, to want to throttle her, especially since her emergence had already disrupted the balance.

Being so young and having so much support, if she didn't grow this power now, she would never have another chance.

Mepeilu was prepared for this when she took the stage, just not expecting it to happen so quickly.

"Thump, thump."

Footsteps were slowly approaching. Mepeilu looked up to see a figure slowly appearing before them.

This man appeared to be over seventy years old, even older than the King of Lisat, with a face marked by age but eyes that still showed sharpness and authority. His hair was graying from the passage of time.

Despite his stooped posture, the terrifying magical power faintly emanating from his presence spoke volumes of his strength.

He was Kelseth Dalaris, one of the ten Judges, the lord of the Dalaris Territory, the chief mage of the kingdom, and ranked third among the Judges.

A staunch advocate of magic elitism, he considered those unable to use magic as no different from livestock. The discrimination against the Minoja Territory was largely influenced by him.

"Marquis Kelseth, are you here for me?" Mepeilu could clearly feel the malice emanating from him.

Kelseth nodded. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"Is it about what I just mentioned?"

"Magic is a treasure bestowed upon us by the gods, not something for you to profane! Divine spells? This is nothing but a judgment and punishment against the gods!" Kelseth's voice was filled with anger.

"Stop joking! A child is just a child! I was opposed to you becoming the heir from the beginning, and now it seems I was right!"

"Mind your tone, Marquis Kelseth," Minoja frowned, "With your status, it's not enough to be disrespectful to Her Highness here."

"Someone like you who disrespects the gods will never continue the throne!" Kelseth trembled with rage.

Minoja wanted to say more, but Mepeilu held her hand and gently shook her head.

"Marquis Kelseth, I can understand why you are so angry. Perhaps in your eyes, this truly is a disrespect to the gods."

"But gods are not just servants of the gods, and many who are not messengers of the gods do not know the true meaning of the gods but interpret the gods at will here, isn't that also a kind of disrespect?"

"Marquis Kelseth, can I assume that what you're saying represents the will of the gods?"

Liana's question was sharp, leaving Kelseth unable to retort immediately, as he dared not claim to represent the will of the gods.

"Marquis Kelseth, you might be the most qualified person in the Kingdom of Lisat, older than you, not as powerful as you, stronger than you, not more experienced than a few, you must also be aware, in these years, new magic has rarely appeared, could this also be a hint from the gods?"

"Marquis Kelseth, if with your method, magic that has never appeared before is created, does it not prove that creating magic is possible? The gods have not denied this, so is there a possibility that the gods are waiting for someone to do such a thing? It's just that we haven't discovered it yet."

"Nonsense!" Kelseth, who had studied magic for longer than the King of Lisat had lived, suddenly told that the magic he believed in could change? How could he accept that!

"You will never receive the gods' forgiveness, and you will pay for your arrogance!" Marquis Kelseth shook his robe and stormed off.

"Ah, I didn't expect it to cause such bad news," Mepeilu shrugged, clearly having anticipated this reaction.

"Don't worry about it, Your Highness," Minoja comforted.

"It's just as expected, the only surprise is that he came so soon," Mepeilu said nonchalantly. "Kelseth sometimes just can't accept reality, only thinking about satisfying the old magic holders."

"Magic is always progressing, no matter from which angle. My magic is always progressing, just like letting magic be true, if placed a hundred years ago, decades ago, or even thousands of years ago, there would have been people who did not believe, did not want to progress, then just wait to be caught up."

Minoja was somewhat surprised; the previous Princess Mepeilu would not have spoken so assertively. "The change in the court seems significant; you wouldn't have said this before."

"He doesn't respect me, so I have no need to respect him," Mepeilu said, profoundly understanding the brutality of the struggle for power. "You can be non-aggressive, but you absolutely cannot let others treat you like a pushover."

"Moreover, before my father's reign, it was called the Kingdom of Dalaris," Mepeilu remarked. "But I'm not very clear on what exactly happened between them."

All she knew was that Kelseth seemed to hold some biases against the Kingdom of Lisat.

He had never explicitly stated his stance, always maintaining a neutral presence without openly supporting any faction. However, after today's events, his true feelings had become quite clear.

"Things might get a bit complicated," Mepeilu sighed. "I had planned to relax a bit when the celebration started, but after speaking out, it seems unlikely now."

"It's a big deal, after all," Minoja was quite aware of what Mepeilu wanted to do.

She just wanted to use the festival as an opportunity to stroll through the streets with Liana, perhaps to warm up their relationship a bit.

"Hopefully there won't be too much trouble later," Mepeilu said casually, considering it was a festival after all, and her relationship with Liana was quite good, so strolling together shouldn't be a problem.

"It will be difficult, no doubt," Minoja replied.

As expected! Just as Minoja finished speaking, someone came looking for Mepeilu.

"Your Highness!"

【I really want to go shopping with Liana!】

Unexpectedly for both of them, after Mepeilu announced her decision, her support increased. However, oddly enough, the number of people watching Liana did not increase.

Instead, it was those eyeing Liana that began to increase.

...

"The celebration has started," Liana stood up and stretched, "Finally, this boring opening ceremony is over."

Liana looked around and noticed that not many seemed eager to participate in the festivities. Given the major revelation, more capable individuals were more interested in testing out creating their own magic, looking to advance their magical prowess.

"To be blunt, anyone still in the mood to wander around the festival is basically a bystander..."

"Liana, are you planning to stroll around Lisat?" Aileen asked warmly.

"Am I supposed to study how to create magic with you guys?" Liana rolled her eyes at Aileen, "Just because you know how to use magic, don't show off in front of me."

"For you, this is indeed an unprecedented celebration, something to be happy about. But for those who can't use magic, this is a disaster. They already feel looked down upon, and now even more so."

"Liana is not wrong, but she did not stop Mepeilu from doing what she did, nor did she try to prevent it," Aileen added.

"Only by doing so can they progress quickly and deepen their understanding of magic. When the demon race invades, these old spells won't suffice."

"Moreover, not everyone is prejudiced against those who cannot use magic."

"Liana..." Aileen was about to say more when Countess Ruth approached.

"Do you have a moment?" asked Countess Ruth.

"What is it, Countess Ruth? I was just about to go out."

"I have something I'd like to discuss with you, is now a good time?"

"Um... alright," Liana nodded, though she already guessed why Countess Ruth was so eager to speak with her.

"Just wait here for me a moment," Liana told Loraviel, "If I don't see you when I come out, there will be severe consequences."

"I understand, Princess Liana," Loraviel nodded and stayed put.

Liana then followed Countess Ruth to her room.

"Liana, how is your relationship with Princess Mepeilu now?"

"Thanks to Countess Ruth's command, it's pretty good, Mepeilu has been nice to me," Liana responded.

"If it's going well, then keep it up," Countess Ruth began her lecture, "Are you going to stick with her to the end? Princess Mepeilu's momentum now is a bit unstoppable."

But now having pushed Mepeilu towards others...

Countess Ruth no longer had that option; all she could do now was bring some trouble to Mepeilu using Liana!

"I know, after all, Princess Mepeilu is quite the focus now, truly enviable," Liana remarked sarcastically, knowing well that if she pretended to be oblivious at this time, it would seem too fake.

"In comparison, those of us by her side are nothing, Countess Ruth, do you feel a bit sorry? Because Mepeilu wanted this effect..."

Before Liana could finish, Countess Ruth interrupted her.

"Liana! You mustn't speak carelessly!" Countess Ruth scolded.

"Tch," Liana made a sound of annoyance.

"I know this may be too cruel for you right now, but it's still better to maintain a good relationship with Princess Mepeilu," Countess Ruth advised.

"Now stand by Liana's side more and say some good words for Princess Mepeilu."

"Liana, you are well aware, after this incident, those who can't use magic will be even more scorned. Of course, I'm not saying Princess Mepeilu did something wrong. She just slightly diluted the part about people who can't use magic to trade for everyone's progress."

"Thus, Liana can think that what Mepeilu did was for the sake of others and chose to sacrifice Liana."

"I understand, Countess Ruth, if there's nothing else, then I'll be going."

"Sorry," Countess Ruth apologized to Liana.

Liana took a deep breath, "Countess Ruth, you did nothing wrong."

After all, every choice now would definitely have someone who would choose me, and I appreciate that Countess Ruth has been choosing me during this time."

Liana walked out and closed the door behind her.

She was aware that Countess Ruth was deliberately stirring up jealousy towards Mepeilu in front of her.

They were nearly equal in childhood, but now one was in the heavens and the other was underground.

Too bad, Liana wasn't affected.

She also knew that Countess Ruth was just a puppet, and whether this puppet was still useful after this incident was unclear.

"Princess Liana." Just as Liana stepped out, she saw Loraviel, who seemed much cuter after seeing Countess Ruth's face.

Though she was quite cute already.

"Come on, let's go for a walk," Liana said.

Princess Mepeilu was still on her way.