The Reincarnated Archmage

I'm not that bad when dealing with kids. In fact, I can handle them most of the time. It's just, I can't help to be so strict when dealing with most of the noble children. Since they didn't experience the hardship of those poor children in the street, most of them becomes selfish and arrogant. They're also being fearless and didn't mind the words that is coming from their mouth without considering the feelings of the others. Just because they were born in a good family doesn't give you any rights to bully and hurt other people.

Lifting my head, I saw Lady Linielle shivering in fear. After gossiping like you didn't care about anything else, you'll be scared of what will be the consequences of your action? Hah. Their parents should really teach them to think before they speak.

But Lady Fiora is different from her friend. Instead of shivering in fear, she looks at me with obvious hatred in her eyes? What? Can't accept that a mere child like me can defeat you in verbal war? You should know when to accept defeat, little girl. In fact, you should apologize due to your action.

"You...!"

That's rude, Lady Fiora. Did they not teach you that it's bad to address someone like that?

"Hmm?" I said while tilting my head.

"How dare you—"

Before she can continue on her obvious hateful remarks, someone covers Lady Fiora's mouth. It was none other than her mother, Viscountess Idel.

"I-I apologize for the rudeness my daughter showed to you, Lady Vivione. I'll make sure to punish her for the attitude she show to you." Viscountess said as she hold her daughter's shoulder as if silently scolding her not to do anything to shame their family.

"But... Aly just wants to know why Lady Fiora and Lady Linielle calls me an illegitimate child. I heard Lady Fiora heard it from you, Viscountess. Is Aly really an illegitimate child?" I innocently asked the viscountess. An obvious fear and nervousness was shown on her face.

Teaching these kids a lesson is one thing, but do you think I'll forget your criticizing eyes on me earlier? Then you're certainly wrong, Viscountess. I'm not a very forgiving person.

"T-That... is..."

Instead of focusing on the viscountess, I can feel someone is glaring at me with piercing eyes. Then I found Lady Fiora is the one who is doing it. Still can't get over with me? But you're the one who started it.

"What is happening here?"

I suddenly feel someone who stands beside me. It's my mother. Although her face is full of elegance, I can still see the confusion in her eyes. I raise my arms towards her and she lowers her body to give me a hug.

"D-Duchess Vivione..."

"Mama, can we go see papa? Aly heard papa works here." I whisper to her ears to divert my mother's attention so Viscountess Idel can't make any more excuses.

"It may be a little hard, my dear. Papa is working hard right now."

"Is that so? Then Aly will just see papa later at dinner." I sweetly said which earns a soft pat on my head from my mother.

"But what is happening here—"

A variety of voices can be heard everywhere. Voices of being scared, shocked and giving some warnings. When I lift my head, I saw some large roots were crawling towards us, specifically to me. Looking at Lady Fiora, it's obvious that she's the one who cast it. She's not an elemental magician, but she sure can borrow the powers of the nature. Not bad.

The spell is not that alarming that it can destroy the whole palace since it's just a novice type of spell magic, but it can hurt someone since the intention of the caster was to attack. My mother tried to protect me by hiding me behind her back and to use a defensive magic, but I beat her to that.

"Freeze."

I tried one of the spell I memorized from the books in our library. It seems interesting and at the same time, it's a good spell to prevent the roots that is coming to me. The roots suddenly stop from moving. It is because a thick, large ice quickly covers the roots and freeze it. The ice doesn't really cover the roots, but it completely freezes even the inner core of the roots. So when the wind blows, the roots shattered just like a fragile glass.

Silence envelops the whole garden. When I look around, all the people here are looking at me. Some were scared while some were looking at me with amazement. I'm immune to those kind of gazes so I simply ignore them. I directly look at Lady Fiora, who is dumbfounded. Can't believe that I can even beat you in magic despite being older than me? This girl really needs to learn the phrase 'Never judge a book simply because of it's cover.'

"Lady Fiora, why do you want to attack Aly?" I said while tilting my head.

She can't even answer my question due to shock. I know that I'm cute, smart and talented despite from my young age. There's no need for you to be shocked about it. I was about to ask more innocent yet sarcastic question when someone speaks in a louder voice.

"That's enough."

It was the Queen who stops us. Since it's Her Majesty is the one who stops this ruckus, I stop myself from speaking a biting question. We all bow our head to show respect to Her Highness. Even Viscountess Idel who is now shivering still bows her head. I notice that the Queen was looking at me, so I awkwardly hold my mother's dress. She kneels down in front of me and hug me tight.

"I saw all the things that happened here." The Queen declares that cause the viscountess and her daughter to shake in fear.

"I heard that Lady Fiora is a short-tempered type of girl, but I disregard it as a rumor. It seems like the rumors were all true. Lady Fiora decided to attack the young daughter of Duchess Ester because she can't simply accept the fact that she and her friend is the wrong one." The Queen said and give a sharp gaze towards the two children. "Not only that. Your words were full of accusations not only for Lady Alyssa, but also to the Duke and Duchess. Saying that Lady Alyssa is an illegitimate child when she is just sitting right behind your back? I wonder what kind of education your parents were given to you up until now."

My mother who heard what truly happens also give the perpetrator a cold glance. This is the first time I saw my mother acting like this. I never imagine that a sweet and beautiful lady like her can also make this expression. Well, she's a mother. If a mother's child were hurt, of course they will definitely protect their child and turn a fierce expression towards the person who's responsible for it.

"But since were already touching this topic, then let's clarify this rumor. You said that Lady Alyssa is an illegitimate child. Do you have any proof? If your only source were her appearance, then that's not an excuse." The Queen explained and take a quick glance at Viscountess Idel. "Also, you all witness it, right? Lady Alyssa just performed a high ranking spell despite her young age. We all know that the Vivione family is the only bloodline who is capable of casting a magic spell without using their mana."

The Queen then asks a maid to get something. It is a small chunk of ice that was scattered on the floor. The ice glow on her hand for a second before it evaporates in the air.

"I can't sense a hint of mana on this ice, which means it was purely a spell magic. It is a proof that Lady Alyssa is also a pure Vivione."

Well, the Queen has totally right on that. According to the history of Vivione bloodline I read at the library, only the pure Vivione can perform a magic without using mana. Since I was reborn, I noticed that the mana on this body is too small unlike from my old self which was overflowing with mana. I planned to gather more mana to store in this body so I didn't dare to cast any spell before. But when I discovered that my family can perform magic without using mana, I started memorizing every spell in the library to gain more knowledge. I thought of using this spell when I was truly in deep danger, but I didn't know that I'll be using it this soon.

The people around us were now looking at me again. Mother, I want to go home now. It's really tiring to see these people staring at me. When I get home, I'm going to take a bath and let be pampered by my father. I need to take a break from this.

"Well then. Do you have any more questions, Viscountess Idel, Lady Fiora and Lady Linielle?" The Queen asked the three people with a smile. It's a beautiful smile, but it's also a smile that hides something.

The three can only manage a simple 'No.' as an answer to the Queen's question. However, the Queen is not yet finished.

"I'll leave the decision of your punishments to the Duke himself. We can't let it pass since Lady Alyssa is the victim here. If Lady Alyssa didn't cast a spell, she and Duchess Ester might be hurt from Lady Fiora's magic. Or worst, the other guest can also be attacked by those roots. For now, confine Lady Fiora and Lady Linielle to the magic resistant room."

With the Queen's order, some knight and maids approach Lady Fiora and Lady Linielle who were shaking in fear and guide them to the left wing of the palace. Me, together with the guests only look at them until there were out of our sight. After that, it was decided to cut the time of the tea party. The Queen said she'll make another tea party and will invite us again. The Queen approaches us and tell mother that she wanted to talk about something so she'll meet my mother at the parlor room in the palace later.

I noticed that the crown prince was standing beside the Queen. Are you standing there from the start? I never noticed him. I apologize to him mentally for ignoring his presence. I was just mesmerized on how the Queen handles the ruckus just now.

Maybe I can go home first? I was about to tell my mother my intention when she pulls me into a tight hug.

"Are you hurt, Aly?" My mother asked me. Her voice was full of concern. "I'm sorry that I left you alone."

"Aly is not hurt. Mama did nothing wrong." I said.

I know what you are thinking right now, mother. But please, stop it. I was not affected by it in the first place. I'm just trying to teach those kids a lesson, but got overboard from doing it.

Mother looks at me in the eyes. To lessen her worries, I show her a sweet smile and kiss her cheeks. See? I'm okay, mother. I'm not affected from those things I heard a while ago. I'm perfectly fine—

"Aly? Aly, what's wrong? Aly!"

My mother's voice was getting blurry to my ears. A sudden drowsiness hits me and my body is getting unstable. The moment I feel my body collapsed, someone hugs me and I surrender myself to the darkness.