9. Broadleaf Arrowhead

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of amber and crimson, Ravenna sat in her study, gazing out of the wide, arched window. The tranquil view of the darkening sea calmed her restless mind, but only slightly. The dimming light cast long shadows across the room, dancing over the polished wood of her desk, the scattered parchments, and the flickering candlelight.

Even now, a month after she had awoken in this world as Ravenna, it still felt surreal at times. The faint memory of her previous life lingered like a half-remembered dream, refusing to completely fade. She had come to accept this reality but the odd dissonance between who she was and who she had been crept up on her in quiet moments like this.

Shaking her head, she drew her attention back to the glowing blue interface of the reputation system hovering before her. With a few mental commands, she opened the website where she read Light's Conquest. According to its timeline, Prince William and Eugene were currently deep in the Ancorna Empire’s underground, dealing with a ring of slave traders. This arc was one of the novel's pivotal moments, solidifying William's reputation as a righteous contender for the throne and garnering him widespread public support.

“They must be completely focused on that mess right now,” Ravenna muttered to herself, her lips curling into a faint smirk. “With any luck, neither William nor the Eugene will waste a second thought on an exiled princess with no money or power.”

The idea brought a small sense of relief, though it did little to quell the nagging unease in the back of her mind. For now, she was content to remain unnoticed. All Ravenna wanted was to turn Jola into a self-sufficient dukedom where she could live out the rest of her life peacefully, far away from the chaos of the novel’s central plot. Given that she was supposed to be dead by now in the story, steering clear of the main storyline seemed the most logical and safest course of action.

Her gaze shifted to the documents scattered on her desk, filled with notes, sketches, and half-formed plans. She sighed deeply, running a hand through her dark hair. “I really need to figure out how to stabilize the economy,” she muttered, her brow furrowing. “The steel production idea isn’t as simple as I thought.”

Initially, Ravenna had hoped to kickstart Jola’s economy by building blast furnaces and introducing steam engines to mass-produce steel. The plan had seemed sound—steel would bring steady income and establish Jola as a valuable trade partner. But after meeting with Nille, the chief blacksmith, she learned just how impractical it was. The lack of manpower and iron ore were insurmountable hurdles for now.

“Manpower and iron,” Ravenna repeated softly, her fingers tapping idly on the edge of her desk. Most of Jola’s residents were either jobless or scraping by with odd jobs to survive. The economic collapse that followed the nobles’ departure had left the island in ruins. And with no ships from the mainland visiting anymore, trade was nonexistent.

Still, she couldn’t just divert all the idle hands to the blacksmiths. Farming had to take precedence. Once the soil extraction project was complete, she would need at least one to two thousand people working the fields to ensure the island’s self-sufficiency. Besides, blacksmithing required skill—skills that would take years to cultivate, even with training.

“It’s not like I can snap my fingers and make people into expert blacksmiths overnight,” Ravenna muttered, her voice tinged with frustration. Leaning back in her chair, she closed her eyes for a moment. “I should stop thinking about this for now... maybe even relax.” But the thought of relaxing felt almost foreign to her, there was always something that needed her attention, some crisis to manage.

Her moment of solitude was interrupted by a firm knock at the door. Ravenna’s sharp eyes flicked toward it, her expression already shifting back to her calm, authoritative mask.

“Your Highness, it’s Hughes,” came the familiar voice from beyond the door.

“Come in,” Ravenna called, her tone steady but laced with a hint of curiosity. Straightening in her chair, she prepared herself to dispense orders to her Knight Captain, her sharp gaze fixed on the heavy oak door.

The door creaked open, and Hughes stepped inside, his polished boots tapping softly against the stone floor. Bowing deeply, he greeted her with the deference she had come to expect. Ravenna wasted no time.

“Report. What have you found regarding the spies?” she demanded in a commanding voice, her posture rigid and her eyes glinting with authority.

Hughes straightened and nodded. “Thanks to Miss Sarah’s list of Citizens, we’ve identified a few prime targets—those who arrived on the island shortly before us. Many of the knights and I have been gathering information on them while assisting Richard with the soil extraction project.” His tone was careful, measured, as though he were treading on thin ice.

“And?” Ravenna prompted, her piercing glare locking onto him. Her patience, as always, was in short supply.

Hughes gulped under her intense scrutiny before continuing, “We discovered several bunches of Alyssum flowers with engravings on them. We are almost certain they were meant to be sent to none other than His Highness, Prince William... and His Majesty, Emperor Andrew.”

Ravenna arched a brow, her lips curving into a sardonic smile. “Oh, how amusing,” she said with a faint chuckle. “So, not only does my dear brother want to confirm whether I’m still alive, but even my father feels compelled to take an interest?”

Her tone was deceptively light, but Hughes stiffened, visibly uncomfortable. He couldn’t possibly know what storm of thoughts was brewing in Ravenna’s mind.

“Why the hell is the Emperor involved in this? Why are so many people suddenly fixated on me, a minor character in the story?“ she fumed inwardly, though outwardly, she maintained an intimidating smile that sent a chill down Hughes’s spine.

“A-And,” Hughes stammered, clearly scrambling for good news to alleviate the tension, “we also found Broadleaf Arrowhead flowers growing near the eastern coastline. Richard and his team have started investigating them.”

Ravenna’s eyes lit up with interest. “Broadleaf Arrowhead? How many? Can they be cultivated?” she asked, her voice quick with curiosity. Her mind was already racing, considering the implications. These underwater flowers, though not particularly remarkable on their own, were often used as components in large-scale magic rituals when paired with other rare flora.

Hughes seemed to relax slightly, encouraged by her interest. “The flowers appear to be growing in clusters. Richard and his team are assessing the extent of their growth as we speak. I’ll have their findings by tomorrow.”

“Good,” Ravenna replied, her voice calmer now. “Dismissed.”

Hughes bowed deeply once more before retreating from the room, his boots clicking against the floor as he left. The heavy door shut behind him with a dull thud, leaving Ravenna alone with her thoughts once more.

She leaned back in her chair, her fingers drumming lightly against the armrest. Magic in this world was heavily reliant on flowers, each type possessing unique properties that could be harnessed for spells and rituals. Alyssum flowers, for example, were commonly used to send short-range magical messages. They weren’t particularly expensive or secure, which made it all the more curious that spies supposedly working for her brother and father were relying on such low-grade magic.

“Either they don’t care about being caught, assuming I’m too powerless to act, or someone deliberately wants me to suspect William and the Emperor, she mused, her brow furrowing. Whatever the truth is, these spies don’t seem well-equipped to cause any real trouble—at least not yet.”

Setting the spy issue aside for now, Ravenna turned her focus to the discovery of the Broadleaf Arrowhead. These underwater flowers weren’t inherently valuable, but their utility in large-scale spells held potential, potential that could translate into much-needed economic benefits for Jola.

Her knowledge of magic, however, was still rudimentary. She had learned the basics from the memories, but advanced spellcraft remained beyond her grasp. Thankfully, the Reputation System provided her with tools to bridge that gap.

With a thought, she summoned the interface of the system, its blue glow casting a faint light over her desk. The familiar menu appeared before her:

User: Ravenna Solarius / Joy Cha Kim

Reputation Level: 60 (4894/8200)

Current Reputation Points: 9,046

Titles: Raven of Sun Palace, Unruly Princess

{Reputation Points Log} {Spend Reputation Points}

Her eyes flicked to the “Spend Reputation Points” menu. Thanks to her earlier antics earlier today, she had accumulated a significant amount of points—nearly 3,000 more than yesterday. A small smile crept across her face. At least her flair for drama had its advantages.

She selected the menu and scanned the options:

Access to the Internet: 100 Points per HourAccess to Magic Spell Library: 100 Points per HourGeographical Scans: 5 Points per 1 KilometerNullify Minor Poison Damage on Self: 250 PointsNullify Minor Poison Damage on Others: 350 Points per EntityMinor Heal: 1,000 Points per EntityMajor Heal: (Locked)Lie Detector: (Locked)

Without hesitation, she activated the Magic Spell Library. A flood of knowledge filled her field of view as she began searching for spells involving Broadleaf Arrowhead. If these flowers could be used to create something of economic value, be it potions, charms, or even components for trade. it might be the key to stabilizing Jola’s crumbling economy.

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