This morning, I received a letter.

It was an invitation to a tea party hosted by the daughter of a rather important count from the West. I found it odd that she would invite me—after all, we weren't friends. In fact, we didn't even share any acquaintances. It was the first letter I had received since being reincarnated into this world.

Still, I decided to accept. I had nothing better to do, and the idea of leaving the mansion, even for a few hours, sounded appealing. Anything to get away from my psycho brother.

I'd learned that the Duke was leaving on a trip for a few weeks, leaving Belmont in charge of everything during his absence.

A madman is bad enough. A madman with power is the last straw.

The party was to be held at the mansion of the Count of Campaira, a relatively nearby territory. It was a two-day journey by carriage, and I hesitated for a moment, dreading how boring such a long ride would be.

"Oh, but you could just use the portal," Betia suggested casually.

"Portal?" I blinked at her, confused.

"Yes, the portal in Molina," she explained. "The court mages can take you anywhere in the kingdom in an instant."

"Did you just say mages?!"

My excitement for the party skyrocketed. At last, I would get to experience something truly fantastical—mages and magic!

Betia explained what little she knew. In this world, there was something called mana, a mysterious energy possessed by all living beings. However, only a select few were capable of manipulating it at will to create what was commonly known as magic.

Unfortunately, Betia's knowledge of mana and magic was limited—she was a maid, after all. And mages were a rare sight in Avantgar. Only the highest-ranking nobles and those with significant connections could afford to study the craft.

In this regard, Avantgar was a nonentity on the world stage. Other nations had far superior resources and opportunities for mages. Among them, the City of the Future, Meridan, was the most renowned. Its mastery of magic was so advanced that they could manipulate weather and gravity at will.

In fact, the city itself didn't even rest on solid ground.

Meridan floated in the clouds.

Magic was incredible.

Even though I had been a woman of science in my past life, I couldn't help but feel excited to learn more about it. Betia's stories about Meridan had only whetted my appetite, and I decided to investigate further. Luckily, the mansion's library offered some answers.

I found books that delved into the concepts of mana and magical spells, but what truly captivated me were the tales of the world's most famous mages and their extraordinary achievements.

Leafarba of the Inverted Tornado was a mage who could summon storms so violent that she once sank an entire fleet of pirate ships attempting to raid one of Heine's most important ports.

The Elementalist Marius wielded fire spells so intense they melted everything they touched. His greatest feat was surviving an encounter with the Queen of the Red Dragons, Soleil. Her very presence was said to poison the air, and her body burned with embers as hot as the stars.

And then there was the Great Archmage Aren. Hailed as the most powerful mage in history, his abilities were said to rival the might of the Four Sovereign Dragons and the legendary beasts of ancient times. Aren was not only the founder of Meridan but also the visionary who transformed it into the magical utopia it is today. He wasn't merely a mage—he was a phenomenon.

And the most incredible part? He was still alive.

My excitement for the tea party grew. It would be my first time escaping this house arrest, and I wanted to make the most of it. All week, I prepared relentlessly, trying to master noble etiquette and other absurd rituals invented by the aristocracy to appear "cultured."

It was a nightmare.

My etiquette instructor nearly burst into tears every session. She cursed at me in languages I didn't even recognize, shouted at me like I'd insulted her ancestors, and whacked me repeatedly with a painfully hard wooden ruler.

But I endured it.

Why? Because I genuinely wanted this to go well.

If I'm being honest, I wanted friends. Spending every day listening to Betia recite children's stories had gotten painfully dull—I could practically narrate them by heart at this point. I needed new company. Someone to do girly things with, like gossip about boys or, I don't know, sequence the genome of a bacterium.

I didn't have many friends in my past life either.

Anyway, time flew by. Before I knew it, the day of the party had arrived, and I found myself sitting in a carriage at the crack of dawn, ready to leave for the city of Molina.

It was the first time I'd gotten up that early for anything other than food. The preparations were so extensive that Betia had to enlist another maid to help dress and style me. I wasn't lazy enough to rely on others to dress me normally, but the clothes of a princess were a different story altogether—far too complicated to manage alone.

So, in my defense, I genuinely needed the help.

While Betia tightened my corset (a little too tightly for my liking), the other maid busied herself with my hair. There were a few mischievous tugs here and there, but nothing I couldn't handle. To her credit, she did an excellent job, and when she was done, I looked... really pretty.

Once I'd fastened my earrings and adorned myself with jewelry, I turned to the mirror and couldn't help but smile.

And then, we left.

The ride to the city of Molina took about an hour. It was a bit slow, but I didn't mind. The carriage was luxurious and of excellent quality, making the journey quite comfortable. I even took the opportunity to lean out and pet the horses as much as I could.

Molina was everything you'd expect from a city in a medieval fantasy world. It was filled with colorful houses and bustling shops, giving the place a warm, unified charm. Coming from a world of endless skyscrapers and suffocating air pollution, I couldn't help but feel moved by the simplicity and majesty of this little slice of life.

The Duke's mansion might have been impressive, but it couldn't compare to the vibrant, living energy of Molina. Just looking around, I could sense that the city held countless stories waiting to be discovered. If I hadn't been in such a hurry to reach the Count of Campaira's territory, I would have stopped to explore like a child in the middle of an amusement park.

There would be time for that later.

The portal was located in the center of the city. It stood as a massive archway, seemingly crafted from obsidian, with intricate inscriptions carved into its surface in a runic language I couldn't decipher.

The portal was guarded by several figures dressed in strange robes, each carrying a staff. As we approached, they stopped us for an inspection. If my instincts were correct, these had to be the famous... mages.

"Greetings, Your Highness," one of them said as he stepped forward.

Once we exited the carriage, the mage offered me a short bow before leading me toward another figure who seemed to outrank him.

"Your Highness, Princess Daira, it is good to see you again. How are you?" the higher-ranking mage asked.

"I am well. Thank you for asking."

"What are you saying? A humble servant like me does not deserve such kind words. It is enough for me to know that your health has improved."

For the first time in what felt like forever, I had a respectful conversation with someone other than Betia. I was right—mages really were cool.

"We have set the coordinates to Campaira as requested. You will be teleported to the nearest town, where a carriage will take you to your final destination," the mage explained.

"How kind of you," I replied with a smile.

"It is our honor and duty to serve you, Your Highness."

The mage stepped toward the portal, placing one hand against the smooth, stone-like surface. He closed his eyes for a few moments, muttering words in a chant-like rhythm, and then...

Magic.

From one moment to the next, a dense blue mist began to form in the center of the archway, expanding rapidly until it engulfed the entire portal. The ground beneath my feet vibrated slightly, and the wind seemed to be sucked into the mist. Within it, a faint, opaque silhouette emerged—a vision of somewhere else entirely, a place completely different from where we stood.

The portal was active.

"Have a safe journey, Your Highness."

I didn't need to be told twice. My body moved on its own, drawn forward by an instinct I couldn't quite explain. My soldiers and servants began crossing the portal as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. And I followed—until...

"I almost forgot."

The mage who had activated the portal stepped forward and extended his staff, blocking my path.

"What's wrong?"

"You need to put this on first, Your Highness," he said.

From his sleeve, he produced a thick, gleaming gold bracelet. He took my hand gently and slipped the object onto my wrist, applying a bit of pressure to ensure it fit snugly.

But the moment he placed it on me, an overwhelming pressure coursed through my body. My breath hitched, and I felt as if I'd been running for miles. Though the bracelet was no bigger than my hand, it weighed as much as a wooden table.

"What is this?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"It is a mana circulator, Your Highness. It will help you pass smoothly through the portal."

I stared at him in confusion.

"Why do only I need it?"

The mage blinked, momentarily surprised by the question.

"Because your mana reserves are too high, Your Highness."

"My mana reserves?"

He nodded, his tone calm yet matter-of-fact.

"Since you've had no formal training in the magical arts, you're unable to properly control your mana. The circulator prevents your mana from scattering during transit, which could destabilize the portal's coordinates. This way, we can ensure you arrive at your destination safely... without losing a limb."

I swallowed hard.

Questions about my mana reserves bubbled in my mind, but I didn't want to delay any longer. I decided to save them for another time and stepped through the portal.

The sensation was... strange. At first, it felt like walking through dense fog. But in reality, it was more like pushing through a wall made of jelly. I can't explain it any better than that.

It was cold, and every particle that touched my skin sent shivers crawling up my body. It only took three steps to cross completely to the other side, but for a brief moment, it felt as if my consciousness had been yanked out of my body.

The bracelet felt impossibly heavy.

Then, as my eyes adjusted to the light on the other side, the sensation shifted entirely.

Wonder.

I had truly arrived in a different place. The blurry silhouette I'd seen earlier had transformed into a charming little town.

The town was small but bustling with activity, its streets teeming with people and lined with vegetation so alien it seemed plucked from another planet.

Further ahead, my people waited for me with a carriage already prepared.

The mages stationed on this side of the portal approached to greet me. They were noticeably colder than those in Molina, though I supposed that was to be expected—they served a different noble, after all. After thanking them, I handed over the bracelet and boarded the carriage.

The next leg of the journey was much shorter. The Count's mansion was only a hill away, and the ride took no more than twenty minutes.

"Princess Daira, you made it!"

A butler greeted us at the gate as I stepped out of the carriage. He gestured for us to follow him, and Betia, myself, and a guard trailed behind him toward the celebration.

The Count's mansion was... nice. But it was nowhere near as grand as mine. Let's just say it felt... cheaper.

Of course, by that point, my standards were thoroughly ruined. If I'd worked my entire life in my old world, I wouldn't have been able to afford even a fraction of that mansion.

We made our way quickly to the garden, where the tea party was already in full swing. Several guests were seated, chatting among themselves. It seemed we were running a bit late.

As the butler announced our arrival, a girl suddenly dashed toward us.

"Thank you..."

I had no idea who this girl was, but she was quite pretty—and very small. We looked about the same age, yet I was a full head taller than her. She wore a pink dress adorned with jewels and accessories that seemed to be in vogue among the nobility.

"I am Fiore Grai Campaira, the organizer of this party. Have you forgotten me already, Princess?" she asked, her voice tinged with surprise.

I looked away, feigning embarrassment.

"Sorry. I've been on cloud nine lately."

There was no need to reveal my "amnesia" to anyone outside the Duchy.

"Don't worry, Princess. Please, have a seat!" she said with a bright smile.

So, I did. My guard moved to a corner to keep watch, while Betia and I followed Lady Fiore to a table near the center of the garden.

In the etiquette lessons my instructor had drilled into me, I'd learned that this seat was reserved for the most important guests at an event. It was where Lady Fiore and I now sat. Betia excused herself to bring me some appetizers, leaving the Count's daughter to gush about how pleased she was to have me at her party.

I couldn't help but notice the other noblewomen seated at surrounding tables. As soon as they realized who I was, their gazes locked onto me.

Their attention was... unsettling.

Their smiles seemed polite at first glance, but there was something about their expressions that felt off. They were far too practiced, too shallow. Beneath the masks of high society, their eyes betrayed something colder.

Displeasure.

It wasn't outright hostility—these women were too well-trained in the art of pretense to let it show openly. But there was no mistaking the air of mockery behind their hollow grins.

It didn't make sense. I was the daughter of a duke, far above any of them in rank. If not respect, I at least expected caution, maybe even fear.

Yet their gazes felt dismissive. Belittling.

"Daira?"

The familiar voice cut through my thoughts like a knife.

I rose instinctively, my heart pounding as I turned toward the sound.

"I thought you weren't coming to Lady Fiore's party."

How could I forget that voice? It belonged to the one person who had caused me nothing but trouble since I arrived in this world.

Edurne.

Her presence here could only mean one thing.

I glanced around, quickly piecing it together. The noblewomen's feigned politeness had melted away, replaced by something far more sinister. Their smiles were no longer hollow but sharp with mockery, their expressions radiating joy at my expense.

They were waiting. Watching. Eager for the drama that was sure to follow.

This wasn't a party.

This was an execution.

Fiore had never invited me to a celebration—she'd lured me into a trap. A stage where they could destroy me socially, where my presence alone was enough to guarantee my humiliation.

And they knew.

They all knew I wouldn't stay calm as long as Edurne was here.

Thank you so much for reading this chapter! Daira's first experience with magic and her journey to Campaira set the stage for some intriguing developments—what do you think lies ahead for her at the tea party? 👀

If you're enjoying Noble Soul, don't forget to vote for this chapter and follow me for more updates. Your support means the world to me and keeps Daira's journey alive! Let me know your thoughts in the comments—I'd love to hear what you think about the portal scene or Daira's growing curiosity about magic! 💬✨